The Reinvention of Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill is my soul cousin.

Monday night I got to see her in a rare free performance in Brooklyn. After spending half the night waiting behind police barricades far away from the event, a kind officer finally let me in. (And by "in" I mean close enough to see the stage but still behind a fence.) Security was TIGHT.

The effort was worth it though. Lauryn was a riot. She has completely reinvented herself. Every song from Miseducation that she performed was reinterpreted to match her new grittier, rockier, reggae/ska sound. While her voice may be fading, her presence is as strong as ever.

I wouldn't expect anything less from a fellow Hill.

Check out these reviews of the event:
Rolling Stone/ New York Times/ Newsday

Happy Birthday to me.

Sunday I turned 26.

I spent the morning attending a service at my friend Reagan's church, Saint Thomas.

After making my way uptown and attending my own church services, I came home and unwrapped gifts from my amazing family. My roommate Aaron baked me brownies. (He's a professional pastry cook; that is to say they were not run-of-the-mill brownies.)

The day concluded with watching the second installment of the eight-part documentary series on the history of NYC. This one focused on Walt Whitman, Abraham Lincoln's rise to fame in Manhattan, the poor living conditions of African and Irish Americans, and the Draft Riots during the Civil War. It was a fascinating watch.

During the showing Yancy unveiled yet another batch of brownies, and the advertising crew sang me "Happy Birthday."

And it was.

I helped put on this event at work.

Saatchi & Saatchi Healthcare Communications Goes Green

Underscores commitment to Vision of Inspiring Healthier Living

NEW YORK, July 26, 2007 /PRNewswire/ -- Saatchi & Saatchi Healthcare Communications (SSHC) yesterday held their first-annual planet-saving event, greenGIG, to inspire all employees to live a healthier lifestyle, both inside and outside the office. "This is a significant step towards achieving our vision to inspire healthier living," said SSHC President, Sam Welch.

"Importantly, this is an employee-driven initiative and not a management directive. Our employees formed an ECO committee called grassroots, in their desire to truly make a difference and build a more environmentally-friendly work atmosphere so that all SSHC employees can work and live in a cleaner, more environmentally-friendly world."

"Our hope is that greenGIG and all the efforts of grassroots moving forward will really educate and inspire people to take action both here at SSHC and at home," added Joanna Jacobs and Kel Arguello, ECO committee founders and co-directors.

Grassroots represents a cross-section of SSHC, with members from each of its agencies and from across different departments including creative, strategic planning, art buying, production, account management and operations.

Yesterday's event, greenGIG, was intended to educate all SSHC employees and inspire them on how to live a greener life outside the office. A range of speakers dedicated to the environmental cause as well as retail vendors who are supporting the environmental movement with their own products and business practices participated in the event.

Activities commenced with a presentation by grassroots and Sam Welch. Tishman Speyer Director of Sustainability, Steven Piguet and Thomas Scarola, Director of Engineering, Domestic Development, spoke on the collaboration with SSHC to help them achieve their vision. Other notable speakers included Miguela Craytor, Deputy Director, Sustainable South Bronx, a nationally recognized organization recently featured in Newsweek; and Theresa Pletchon, a teacher from PS 86, Kingsbridge Heights Bronx, who attended with schoolchildren who had produced art work showing how important the environment is for all of us.

As part of its collective mission, grassroots, in partnership with SSHC, will create a plan to seek measurable results in critical areas such as energy usage and waste. Changes will include changing the type of paper the company purchases to leasing environmentally-friendly company cars. These action plans will include establishing benchmarks and setting clear reduction goals to monitor SSHC's progress.

About Saatchi & Saatchi Healthcare Communications (SSHC)

SSHC, a member of Publicis Healthcare Communications Group, consists of three separate agencies providing integrated and holistic solutions to its accounts. Saatchi & Saatchi Consumer Health and Wellness specializes in direct-to-consumer, interactive communications and consumer marketing. Saatchi & Saatchi Healthcare Innovations, a mid-size agency, delivers groundbreaking ideas and creative client solutions. Saatchi & Saatchi Healthcare Advertising, the largest of the three groups, offers diversified expertise and services and specializes in strategic brand marketing and advertising. Web site: http://www.saatchihealthcare.com

Vote for Tiff!

My musician friend Tiff Jimber is competing in a contest for a record deal through LA's STAR 98.7 FM. Watch her video here, then if you like, go vote for her here. Hurry though. The contest ends today. (Click VOTE NOW! then scroll down near the bottom of the list to find her name.)

This is England

Last night I saw the film This is England. It's British. (Just in case the title didn't give it away.) Very British. In fact, it's about some English nationalist extremists--otherwise known as Skinheads.

The film is set in the summer of 1983, while the country was experiencing an influx of immigration in the aftermath of the Falklands War. A young boy who loses his father in battle finds himself befriended by the most extreme of Skinhead groups.

This is England offers a face and a voice to help understand the motives behind this highly racist movement. While it certainly doesn't justify Skinhead beliefs, it does make you think about how you would respond given similar turbulent circumstances.

I find myself thinking about racial and cultural issues a lot these days. The other day a man misunderstood a conversation I was having with some friends on the subway. He rather quickly became threatening, despite others on the train assuring him nothing offensive was spoken. Luckily, the situation passed without anyone getting hurt, but it opened my eyes to how present cultural tension is even a quarter century after This is England times.

Siren Fest 2007

Springfield Sethillama

Happy 231st birthday USA!

I spent my 4th of July weekend watching a free concert by The New Pornographers in Battery Park, partying at the Hamilton Heights house, watching the new HBO series Flight of the Conchords, wandering through the East Village and Lower East Side, lying in the grass of the Great Hill of Central Park, and taking this picture of Lady Liberty at my subway station. Every day the MTA workers surprise us with new MetroCard creations.

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This just in...

I spotted myself on someone else's website. Check me out.

Oye Baby, Oye Mami. ¿Dónde Está La Afterparty?

After the Ozomatli show I ate dinner with Puerto Rican Nestor and his NY Botanical Garden posse. We went Mexican. Go figure.

Ozomatli in Central Park

Free concerts are good. They're even better when they're given by one of your favorite bands.

On Saturday Latin hip hop troupe Ozomatli took the Central Park SummerStage by storm. After this, my second Ozomatli experience, I still vote them the best live performers I have ever seen.

My corner of New York

This is my street corner. On one side we have a luxury apartment building opening in September with residencies starting at 1.9 million. Kitty-corner to that we have Wonder Fried Chicken.

I love Harlem.