This artist poses by her quilt during Cambridge Open Studios 2010

DEAR TWIGHLIGHT
Sum perfect five am, an lo birds a’twerping,
hollering for food, behold the Lord
loving the sun awake with song
(as I scream my free inside)

A tall, decades old doze awakens in me
and still
tree of poets, my ears seek you always
artists' ‘scape, your colors,family black intonate me

I have too feigned for art-light, your gift is
my private peek at brilliant spark of God

sparkle, shine,

may I grab onto your windswept
features, nibble the gift He gave you,

share with others
while I still
have
a chance

© Toni Bee
July 25, 2010

Photos and video by Toni Bee and Selena B. Yard

James Brown tunes blared from the back door of the Pisani Center and DJ Joe Johnson beckoned community members to “Come out and get your health checked!” at The Area 4 Health Fair. The Area 4 for Peace group and several other organizations sponsored the mid July event.

Besides providing health screenings another goal of the fair was as Sandra of Centro Latino put it, “To outreach to individuals that are new to the community. Meet people half way. Especially for people who don’t come out much.”

SEE PHOTOS http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonibeez/sets/72157624422462359/show/ read more...

Cambridge City Councilor Denise Simmons reads the dedication while surrounded by Ms. Elder's family
(l-r) Dave, Marie, Renee, and Jamie

It was after Sunday church at the top of June, when Sister Renee said “They are going to dedicate a sign to my mother” And while I know I responded to her maybe even busted a big smile, my emotions about her mother wound up within, getting stuck in my throat like a thick frozen frappe that refused to go down. Over the past year, the freeze had come up too fast whenever someone mentioned my wise neighbor, the one who passed away on my birthday, the lady I called Ms. Elder… read more...

Scores of children fluttered about like butterflies as they ran to and fro in the backyard of 71 Cherry Street. Nearly one hundred kids vied to either get the best spot on the long silver slide or to be the first to shoot three points in the b-ball hoop.

But in many cases kids simply reconnected with their fellow peers from the neighbor hood whom they have not seen since the last snow melted in spring. Hugs and smiles went the girls’ greetings, while boys passed out hand pounds and stern looks - this was the unifying start to the second annual Welcome Summer Cookout on Friday June 11th.

read more...

A group of giggling teenage girls anxiously awaited, hoping a crowd would push through the drizzle, in order to see their best work last Thursday at Central Square Library on Pearl Street.

Their best work was a digital photography exhibit called Was.Am.Be and those presenting it were five young ladies in the Girls Group from the (TMP) Teen Media Program at the Community Art Center (CAC) in Area 4 Cambridge. “This exhibit is a culmination of the Girls’ Group winter session.”, said Elena Belle White program director . White feels, “It is an important step to go outside of your comfortable closed community and present to strangers you don’t know.”

The TMP girls who displayed their photos were: Amatullah Mervin, Skye Brooks-Dunkley, Akeira Parker, Nakia Clergeau, & Rose Merry read more...

Last night red velvet chairs lined the stage and the aroma of Coast Café filled the hall of the St. Paul A.M.E. Christian Life Center as community gathered to gain insight about civil rights in Cambridge.

Over 200 people came out to hear a conversation called “Civil Rights: Policing, discretion, and race in Cambridge. The event was sponsored by Cambridge NAACP, The Massasoit Elks Club, and the Men of Color Task Force.

Keynote speaker Deborah Ramirez spoke vehemently was on fire as she spoke about her experience training police and the interesting culture she sense...NOW I gots much more to say and videos to show But I gots to head out the door and chat with yall later

Look at the picts and I'll get back at cha Cambridge - click here for more event photos!!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44968564@N05/sets/72157623422902164/

Last Night, a somber air flowed thru the Boys Club gym at 119 Windsor Street in the Area 4 neighborhood. More than eighty people of Haitian descent and their supporters gathered in a spirit of unity and to seek any information about the island.

Members of Boston’s Haitian Consulate were on site to answer questions about the situation along with Mayor E. Denise Simmons, city councilor Ken Reeves, and even Cambridge Health Alliance mental health workers who provided counseling support if needed.

I GOT VIDEO even though I had to dash out at the start of the event. So check out brother Jacobs speaking to the people at http://blip.tv/file/3092187

Here are a two GOOD websites where the “Haitian massive” can get support in dealing with the challenge of the earthquake:
from theBoston Haitian Reporter newspaper
http://www.bostonhaitian.com/haitiresource.html

The City of Cambridge’s Haitian support site is:
www.cambridgema.gov/alert.cfm?alert_id=118 read more...