Marriage Equality: Byron Rushing And The Fight For Fairness A Documentary Film On Same-Sex Marriage From An African-American Perspective

Denise & Mattie's Wedding Day

Dear Rod,

How are you? Hope you are having a great summer. We were hoping you could help regarding our new project.

I am an associate producer on Thomas Allen Harris' new upcoming documentary project about Same Sex marriage from an African American perspective entitled Marriage Equality: Byron Rushing and the Fight for Fairness. The film was commissioned by Tribeca All Access Program and the Nelson Mandela Foundation in South Africa to highlight individuals who embody the principals of Nelson Mandela. We chose to focus on Massachusetts State Representative and Civil Rights Movement veteran Byron Rushing, who together with a group of progressive Black leaders, successfully confronted African American clergy to win hearts, minds and votes on the emotionally divisive issue of same-sex marriage, which is now legal in Massachusetts. Byron, who is heterosexual, is perhaps an unlikely same gender loving hero.

Byron Rushing

Although we have made great progress we are still trying to reach our fundraising goal of $10K with only 6 days left via the United Artists website listed below. You can view a clip of the film (below)...

Arnold & Joseph
(Together For 40 Years, Married 5 Years)

Any mention on your blog would help us greatly as did a recent mention in Indiewire's In The Works. Can you do this? Any support would be greatly appreciated.

Please feel free to contact me with any other outreach suggestions as well, thanks.

greg

Chipanzee Productions
68 East 131st Street, Suite #700
Harlem, NY 10037
(212) 281-6002 Office
(212) 234-7032 Fax
(917) 312-1433 Cell

Fashion REVOLUTION Pictures The 20th Annual House of Latex Ball (2010) At The Roseland Ballrooom (NYC)

Hey African FAM,

I finally got around to picking and editing some pics from the 20th Annual House of Latex Ball @ the Roseland Ballroom in New York City on Saturday, August 21th, 2010.

It was a tough shoot as I was far from the stage and located on the balcony/mezzanine (aka less light) though I was lucky to sneak upstairs using a friend's pink wrist band (who left for the evening - THANKS, "D"!), however I had a nice angle overlooking the stage...

New and Upcoming R&B Music Artist Shyori (left)
And
My Homie And Renaissance Brutha Artist Baron (right)

Artist Baron

With His "Shade" Shield Wrist Bands On - LOL!
If You're At A Ball Scene You Unfortunately
May Need Them To Block "Shade"!

I Don't Particularly Like Showcases Like This
As It Is A Painful Reminder Of Slavery In My Mind,
But It's Someone's Artist Statement...

It Barely Makes It Onto Nubian Knights Network

Beautiful Chocolate Leopard Bruthaz! LOL!

These Three Bruthaz Asked Me If I Could Take Their Pictures
And I Obliged. These Guys Look Funky Fresh With Their Look.
I Really Like This Pic...
Now If Only I Had Their E-mail Addy To Get Them This Picture

One Can Never Go Wrong Snapping Pics Of Beautiful Bruthaz..

I Was Getting Ready To Wrap Shooting For the Night.
Using The Bathroom Before I Left,
A Few People Were Getting Their Outfit Ready For The Show.
I Took This Pic Of One Guy Getting Ready.

Vogue, Baby, Vogue!

Healing Black Men: Voices of Affirmation With Cleo Manago Critical Thinking and Cultural Affirmation (CTCA)

Official Website: BMXnational.com

Official Website: BMXnational.com

Through The Ages: Our Journey Through Music A Concert Chronicling The African American Experience From 1930 - 2010 Through Song

Click Image To Enlarge


The Fire This Time Festival and Horse Trade Theater Group

present

THROUGH THE AGES
Our Journey Through Music

A Concert Event

The Kraine Theater
85 East 4th Street
(Between Bowery and 2nd Avenue)
New York City
GOOGLE MAP

Sunday, September 12th, 2010
4:00 PM

Tickets $25
Buy Tickets Here
Donations Welcome

Proceeds to benefit the artists in year two of the
Fire This Time Festival of Short Plays.

e-mail:
FireThisTimeFestival[at]gmail.com

About the Festival
www.horsetrade.info/index.htm



THROUGH THE AGES
Our Journey Through Music

Steve Strickland
Host

Featuring the musical talents of

Travis Allen, Kristopher Jean, Chris Marcus,
Royale Mosley, P. Murray, LeeAnet Noble
Femi Shiri, J. Stone, Robert Urban, and Christine Yarde

Musical Director/Arranger
Germono Toussaint


About The Fire This Time Festival...
The Fire This Time Festival showcases new short plays
from talented writers of African descent.
The Festival explores the diverse possibilities of
contemporary American drama and challenging new directions
for 21st century black theatre.


Year One Playwrights:
Asiimwe, Radha Blank, Kelley Girod, Katori Hall,
Derek Lee McPhatter, Germono Toussaint, and Pia Wilson

Year Two Playwrights:
Jesse Cameron Alick, Christine Chambers, Camille Darby,
Marcus Gardley, Yusef Miller, and Dominique Morisseau


Production Partners
A Mile in My Shoes, Inc.
Under the Spell Productions, Inc.

LET'S STAY TOGETHER Film Trailer A Grassroots Independent Film By Writer/Producer/Director Joshua Bee Alafia

Pictured Left To Right:
Amma Jelani (Photographer), Writer/Director Joshua Bee Alafia,
Tanda (Actor) and ME [BIG ROD] (Sound Technician)
Photo By: Malik Cumbo

Hey African Family

I'm proud to share the trailer to the independent film Let's Stay Together. I've been working with writer/producer /director Joshua Bee Alafia on this film in the capacity of sound technician and some cinematography work for 2 years now.

It's really nice to see the elements of the project coming together slowly in motion picture form; and it feels good to be a part of a project and a storyline of substance about African folk and relationships.

Anyway, check it out below.

THE EVENT Full Length Trailer New NBC TV Series Starring Blair Underwood As U.S. President Elias Martinez Premiering Monday, September 20th, 2010

THE EVENT, a new NBC tv series premiering September 20th, 2010 looks rather interesting - I like tv dramas. And because I like Blair Underwood going all the way back to the young, hip (always dressed to the max in double-breasted suits) and professional Black lawyer on the NBC tv series L.A. Law, this new THE EVENT series peaked my interest. What's especially compelling about this show for me is that Blair Underwood plays the president of the United States and he's of Afro-Cuban descent from Florida.

Other supporting actors worth mentioning are Lisa Vidal, who plays the 1st lady and worked with Blair Underwood on the incredibly well-written ABC TV series crime/drama cop show High Incident (1996-1997); then there's venerable African-American actor Tony Todd playing one of the President's advisors - he's so qool; and lastly there's actor Zeljko Ivanek (Governor James Devlin from HBO's "Oz" and he recurred on Homicide: Life On The Street). This guy is a great character actor and fits THE EVENT show so well with its intricate conspiracy plots.




Also, this show looks pretty ambitious with a meticulous storyline and plot. It's a really welcomed addition since similar shows like "24" just finished a successful 8-year run is now off the air; and and last season's most excellent ABC show "FlashForward" got canceled after one season and wasn't allowed to get its legs under itself and find an audience.

Below is the 4 minutes trailer plus some real life and fictitious biographies of Blair Underwood/Elias Martinez...






President Alias Martinez (Character Bio):
Moral and idealistic. Hugely popular with the American people and around the world, President Martinez wants to be a new kind of President, working toward a new America. He's committed to honesty and runs the first truly bipartisan administration in recent history, with Vice President Raymond Jarvis at his side. Two parties, one purpose. Before becoming President, Born to Cuban refugees in Miami, Florida, President Martinez is very proud of his Afro-Cuban roots. He is a graduate of Yale University.

The now happily married Elias and Christina have a seven-year-old son named David.

President Martinez is immersed in the typical duties befitting the President of the United States, when he is handed a top secret file that will change the course of his presidency from that moment on.

A secret informant has recently led him to discover that 97 detainees...

Blair Underwood (Biography):

Blair Underwood stars as President Elias Martinez, the recently elected President of the United States, who's stunned to learn that his own government is keeping secrets from him in NBC's new high-octane conspiracy thriller The Event. As he tries to do right by the public, he soon finds himself in the midst of a huge cover-up, and the target of a spectacular assassination attempt.

Underwood has distinguished himself as an award-winning actor/director/producer, who continues to showcase his multitude of talents in the world of film, television, theater and literature.

In 2008, Underwood was seen in three high-profile television projects: he was a Golden Globe nominee for his performance as a Navy fighter pilot in HBO's critically acclaimed "In Treatment"; he starred in the hit drama "Dirty Sexy Money"; and he reprised his recurring role of Mr. Harris in "The New Adventures of Old Christine." Underwood's past television credits include TV series and movies such as, "Sex and the City," "LAX," "City of Angels," "Mama Flora's Family," "Murder in Mississippi," "Soul of the Game," "The Wishing Tree," and "Heat Wave."

Underwood's feature film credits include "Something New," "Madea's Family Reunion," "Malibu's Most Wanted," "Full Frontal," "Rules of Engagement," "Gattaca," "Asunder," "Deep Impact," "Just Cause," "Set It Off" and "Posse." In 2007, Underwood made his feature directorial debut in the independent drama "Bridge to Nowhere." He recently completed production on the independent drama "Homework," opposite Emma Roberts and Freddy Highmore.

Underwood produced the TLC series "Million Dollar Christmas" with his producing partner Tommy Morgan Jr. for their Intrepid Inc. production company. The first order of the series followed a group of lottery winners in St. Louis, Missouri. Intrepid Inc. has several projects in development, including a documentary on the history of African-Americans in entertainment for Associated Television International.

Underwood is also an established author, having penned several works including the non-fiction book "Before I Got Here," the Tennyson Hardwick detective series "Casanegra," "In the Night of the Heat," and most recently "From Cape Town with Love" with Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes (all published by Atria Books/Simon & Schuster, Inc.). He also starred in and directed a series of video vignettes from the pages of "From Cape Town with Love" for Vook.com as a visual book.

In 2009, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the United States' largest non-profit HIV/AIDS healthcare provider held the grand opening of its first AIDS treatment center in Washington, D.C. - named after Underwood in recognition of his longtime advocacy. The AHF Blair Underwood Clinic includes a state-of-the-art, full-service HIV/AIDS treatment clinic as well as an on-site AHF Pharmacy. Underwood is also co-founder of Artists for a New South Africa (ANSA).

Brooklyn Bruthaz Chillin' In Park Slope!!

Just A Qool Pic I Wanted To Post

Pictured Left To Right:
Joe, ME (BIG ROD), Grey, Steve W, Bryan and George
In Park Slope, BK (Brooklyn), Baby!! [7-29-2010]
-
Chillin' After Dinner And Some Latte Drinks, Etc. At A Café