GWEN DERU
TODAY…
**THIRSTY THURSDAY at Hookah 114 17th Street No.
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Get all the latest news.
**WATCH LOTS OF MOVIES …after dinner and with the family and friends at Sidewalk Fest. Check out the Sidewalk Film Fest for lots more.
FRIDAY…
**SAXOPHONIST DALEN MINNIFIELD at Perfect Note.
**MOVIE NIGHT: Rent and Watch movies at Sidewalkfest.com.
**COMEDIAN NATE BARGATZE at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**LIT FRIDAYS WITH RIPCORD, 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. at 4501 Gary Avenue in Fairfield.
**ENJOY THE DAY …the food, reading books, watching movies, taking a nap or just talking with loved ones and friends on the phone. Get outside! Get some sun if you can!
SATURDAY…
**BIG BOOGIE CONCERT AFTER PARTY at Blu Onyx.
**TRIBUTE TO JILL SCOTT featuring SHARRON COLLINS at Perfect Note.
**SATURDAYS IN THE GARDENS at Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
**WINE DOWN HAPPY HOUR, 4-9 p.m. at Saferoom Lounge Bar.
**COMEDIAN NATE BARGATZE at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**FUN, GAMES, YARD AND HOUSE WORK including Uno, Monopoly, Solitaire, Shopping, Eating. Times are changing soon.
SUNDAY…
**COMEDIAN NATE BARGATZE at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**FAMILY TIME, GOOD FOOD AND MOVIES.
MONDAY…
**READ A GOOD BOOK…There are a few on the bookshelves, just lying around are some to read, BOOK: MISOGYNOIR TRANSFORMED: BLACK WOMEN’S DIGITAL RESISTANCE by MOYA BAILEY. …or you can get an e-book.
**EVERY MONDAY is MONSLAYYY – THE CARIBBEAN WAY, 8 p.m. at the Vault with TRINI and BRENT TRINI-FRESH PIERRE. FREE.
TUESDAY…
**LIT AND JAZZ with DAVID TALLEY AND FRIENDS, every Tuesday, 7 p.m. at Lit on 8th, 518 Rev. Abraham Woods, Blvd.
**READ A REAL GOOD BOOK…You might like cookbooks, to-do books, game books, picture books, history books. You might like: BOOK: Stamped: Racism, Anti Ram and You. Check it out!
WEDNESDAY…
**INTERFAITH NOONDAY PRAYER SERVICES every Wednesday, Noon at Linn Park in Downtown Birmingham.
**REGGAE WEDNESDAY NIGHTS, 8 p.m. at Blue Onyx
NEXT THURSDAY…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!
NEXT FRIDAY…
**MOVIE NIGHT: Rent and Watch movies at Sidewalkfest.com.
**COMEDIAN NEPHEW TOMMY at the StarDome Comedy Club.
**PERFECT NOTE CELEBRATION FUNKY GOOD TIME PARTY at Perfect Note.
**LIT FRIDAYS WITH RIPCORD, 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. at 4501 Gary Avenue in Fairfield.
FOR MUSIC LOVERS…**STEFON HARRIS PERFORMS AT ALYS STEPHENS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER – Harris, an educator, vibraphonist and composer, has been heralded as “one of the most important young artists in jazz” by The Los Angeles Times. This Saturday,7 p.m. CT live virtual concert is free and open to anyone who registers. Harris calls his new jazz album “Sonic Creed” “an album that chronicles the story of a people and their time on the planet. It is a reflection of African American life in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Furthermore, it is a sonic manifestation and creed of family, community and legacy. The album explores afresh the music of masters such as Bobby Hutcherson, Abbey Lincoln, Wayne Shorter and Horace Silver.” Harris will host a master class workshop titled “Harmony Cloud” for music majors presented by the UAB College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Music. Harris will do a performance and clinic during the Friday performance hour, says Associate Professor of Jazz Studies Steven Roberts, DMA. Register at alysstephjens.org/events.
**RUBEN STUDDARD’S NEW SINGLE JOHN LEWIS LIVES – Grammy Award-nominated singer and Season Two winner of “American Idol” Ruben Studdard is teaming with D.C. songwriter and producer Alan Scott for the single “John Lewis Lives,” a song dedicated to the late civil rights icon and United States Congressman.
IN TUSCALOOSA…
**THE GIRL NEXT DOOR ON THE ROOF TOP, Sunday, at the ‘Look Out’ Hotel Indigo.
FOR FOOTBALL LOVERS…
**79th ANNUAL McDONALD’S MAGIC CITY CLASSIC – The McDonald’s Magic City Classic 79th Annual event presented by Coca-Cola has a new kick-off time of 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 17th. If you are unable to make it to the game, you can still support Alabama A&M and Alabama State by watching the live broadcast on ESPNU. The largest HBCU Classic in the country will take place at Legion Field on Saturday, April 17, when Alabama State University and Alabama A&M University battle it out for bragging rights. There will be a limited amount of mobile only, reserved tickets sold to the game and tickets can be purchased online at www.magiccityclassic.com. Reserved game tickets are $35 and no general admission tickets will be sold. Masks must be worn at all times while at Legion Field and social distancing will be enforced. For additional event information and to purchase your tickets online, visit www.magiccityclassic.com.
FOR LOVERS OF THE MAGIC CITY CLASSIC WEEK –
VIRTUAL CLASSIC GROOVE starting:
**April 12 – MAGIC CITY MONDAY, hosted by DANIELLE BASKIN, SHERRI BROWN performing and DJ D-CRS.
**April 16 – IGNITE CELEBRATING BLACK INNOVATORS with TASHA SIMONE, featuring CARL THOMAS and DJ AZUK.
**April 17 – VIRTUAL TAILGATE PARTY with FLY DAVE, DJ D-STONE, DJ CHOCOLATE and DJ DIRTY VEGAS.
AT BLU ONYX LOUNGE…
**April 14 – REGGAE WEDNESDAY NIGHTS AT BLU ONYX.
**April 16 – ATM BIG WILL live in Concert at Blu Onyx.
**April 17 – YOUNG DOLPH at Blu Onyx Lounge.
**April 17 – YOUNG DOLPH AFTER PARTY at Blu Onyx Lounge,
**MAGIC CITY CLASSIC POOL PARTY, 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. at Blu Onyx
FOR COMMUNITY LOVERS…
**SELF-CARE SATURDAYS – LADY WOO presents Self-Care Saturdays – PUTTING THE U BACK IN BRUNCH, Saturday, at the Vault, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. with Brunch Buffet, Bottomless Mimosas ‘til noon, Self-Care Set Ups for the First 25 to RSVP at www.eventbrite.com/e/self-care/saturdays-brunch-tickets-143911887329.
**MAGIC CITY MARKET PLACE at Good People Brewing and Urban Supply, 1- 5 p.m., Saturday, APRIL 17. For more: magiccitymarketplace@gmail.com.
**The Stage Drama – THE MESSAGE, THE MOMENT, THE CHANGE, May 1st, 7 p.m. CST, with DOMONIC WOODS, CARLOS MASSEY, LAQUITA GRAVE and VICTORIA MACK.
**BLACK ENTERPRISE WEALTH BUILDING + REAL ESTATE – Don’t Miss ‘A Virtual Experience’ to acquire assets and create wealth for yourself and your family on April 22. Join Black Enterprise and register for free at https://wealth.blackenterprise.com/en/registration?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%203/30/2021_03/30/2021&recip_id=%5BRECIPID-].
TWG2022 NEWS
**ALFA INSURANCE PARTNERS WITH THE WORLD GAMES 2022 –
The Birmingham Organizing Committee for The World Games 2022 (TWG2022) Alfa Insurance join The World Games 2022 team as a corporate partner. The World Games 2022 is a multi-sport event that will take place in Birmingham from July 7-17, 2022. An anticipated 3,600 athletes from more than 100 countries will participate in more than 30 different sports throughout The Games. As part of the partnership, Alfa and The World Games 2022 will announce the Alabama High School Male and Female Athlete and Coach of The Year in conjunction with The Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) during Athletes’ Night on July 12, 2022. The World Games 2022 CEO Nick Sellers said his staff is thrilled to have Alfa, a mainstay of the Alabama business community, on board. He also stated that Alfa and its employees represent the gold standard for supporting communities because their longstanding commitment to youth and amateur sports is a great fit for this partnership. Alfa Insurance President and CEO Jimmy Parnell said that it is an incredible opportunity to honor some of the state’s best athletes during a once-in-a-lifetime event like The World Games. He furthered stated that Alfa has a long history of supporting youth sports, including an ongoing sponsorship of the Alabama High School Athletic Association and that this will be a lifelong memory for those athletes and for ALFA as well. Steve Savarese, executive director of the AHSAA, said being able to honor high school athletes and coaches on a stage like the one provided by The World Games is an opportunity that doesn’t come around often. The international event will unite global fans with the Birmingham community in 25+ unique venues around the greater metropolitan area. The World Games 2022 Birmingham marks the 40th anniversary of the event and will generate an estimated $256 million in economic impact.
FOR FESTIVAL AND OUTDOOR LOVERS…
**Gardendale Magnolia Festival, April 16-17 at Gardendale Funky Fish Fry, Saturday, at Avondale Brewing Civic Center.
**SATURDAY BICYCLE RIDE, Meet 9:45 a.m. with the Southeastern Outings Bicycle Ride at Horse Creek Trail, Dora and Sumiton, Ala. – DETAILS: This is an easy, approximately seven-mile bicycle ride on the Horse Creek Trail in Dora and Sumiton, in Walker County, sort of near Jasper, Alabama. The trail itself is about 3.5 miles long one way. Everyone will be bicycling one round trip on this outing. Ride on one of Alabama’s rails-to-trails conversion routes on an old railroad right of way. This smooth trail is wide, level and even paved. No hills on this trail. On this particular bike ride you will be bicycling on a scenic trail which goes through fields, near houses and through the woods. The trail is nicely developed, with frequent covered benches. No motorized vehicles are allowed on your trail! Note this is a relatively easy ride, one which should be lots of fun for everyone who enjoys bicycling. Bring your bicycle water with you. After the bicycle ride, there may be an optional lunch at a nearby exceptional restaurant (if it will be open) with lovely views over the Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River. If the restaurant will be closed on Saturday, we will offer an optional opportunity to bike a second seven-mile round trip on the trail for those who would like to bicycle some more. Meet 9:45 a.m. just outside the left front door of the Wal-Mart in Sumiton, Alabama. Plan to depart by car from there at 10 a.m. and drive to the nearby start point of our ride on the trail. Info and Trip Leader: Dan Frederick, seoutings@bellsouth.net or 205/631-4680.
**SUNDAY DAYHIKE, Meet 1:45 p.m. for Southeastern Outings Second Sunday Dayhike in Oak Mountain State Park – Details: Enjoy a moderate four to five-mile walk in the woodlands near Birmingham on a Sunday afternoon. This is an excellent outing for introducing your friends to Southeastern Outings and for making new friends who enjoy the outdoors. Parts of this hike may be off the color-coded trails. There will be some ups and downs. Well-behaved, properly supervised children age 8 and up able to walk the distance of about four miles without complaining and complete the hike are welcome. Share an adventure! Bring a friend. Meet at 12:45 p.m. in the Oak Mountain Park office parking lot. Plan to depart at 1 p.m. Bring $5/person ($2 seniors) park admission fee plus your drink. Info. and Trip Leader: Randall Adkins, 205/317-6969.
**WEDNESDAY, Meet 9 a.m. Southeastern Outings Mountain Laurel Walk, Dunnavant Valley Greenway Walking Trail (DVGWT) – DETAILS: The trail winds along a bubbling stream, Yellow Leaf Creek, overhung with majestic American beech, oak, and hickory trees. The stream rapidly expands to 15-feet wide before the end of the trail. There may be two options. Option A involves a short moderate hike off trail to view a pretty waterfall nearby, and then return to the main trail where we will hike to the far end of the trail and back to the start. Dan Frederick will scout Option A on April 12 or 13 to ascertain whether the waterfall is likely to be running or not on April 14 (Wednesday). Option B involves easy hiking on the main trail from start to end and return on the trail. There are footbridges over the streams, and, except for a steep patch over a ridge, walking on the trail itself is easy. Bring your picnic lunch and water. Provided COVID vaccine is available to the general public prior to April 14, all participants will be required to be fully immunized for COVID so that participants can enjoy the social interaction characteristic of pre-COVID hikes. Meet at 9 a.m. in the DVGWT trail head parking lot on Shelby County Highway 41. Plan to depart at 9:15 a.m. Information and Trip Leader: Francis Rushton, 205/290-5557.
FOR LOVERS OF ART AND CULTURAL ENTERTAINMENT…
AT THE BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART…
**WALL TO WALL – MERRITT JOHNSON through Spring 2021. BMA hours are Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sundays Noon – 5 p.m. with virtual offerings will continue, including live programs, meditation exercises, art-making activities and much more!
**AN EPIC OF EARTH AND WATER Claire Leighton and the New England Industries Series through May 2, 2021.
AT THE BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS…
**SATURDAYS IN THE GARDENS.
**VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES – Aid with watering and plant care in the Gardens’ greenhouses and outdoor lath houses and discover the lush exotic varieties of tropicals and rare beauties. Go to volunteer@bbgardens.org for details.
**HONEY FROM THE GARDENS – The Library at the Gardens have a curbside service, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. weekdays, to purchase locally sourced honey from the Gardens’ hives or flavored in cinnamon, lemon or jalapeno from Ivy Brook Apiary. Call (205) 588-4593 or (205) 533-6062 to schedule a pickup.
FOR BOOK LOVERS…
…HERE is some book news. Check it out! (Some taken from Book Riot)
**BOOK NEWS – Books By Ibram X. Kendi, Jason Reynolds, and Angie Thomas Among Most Objected to in 2020 – The American Library Association reported more than 270 challenges to books in 2020. Topping the list was ‘George’ by Alex Gino, a book that was under fire for its LGBTQ content and “not reflecting the values” of the community. Other books making the top ten included ‘Stamped: Racism, AntiRacism and You’ by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds, Angie Thomas’s ‘The Hate U Give’, and John Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men.’
**BOOK: MISOGYNOIR TRANSFORMED: BLACK WOMEN’S DIGITAL RESISTANCE is written by MOYA BAILEY. Where racism and sexism meet―an understanding of anti-Black misogyny. When Moya Bailey first coined the term misogynoir, she defined it as the ways anti-Black and misogynistic representation shape broader ideas about Black women, particularly in visual culture and digital spaces. She had no idea that the term would go viral, touching a cultural nerve and quickly entering into the lexicon. Misogynoir now has its own Wikipedia page and hashtag, and has been featured on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show and CNN’s Cuomo Prime Time. In Misogynoir Transformed, Bailey delves into her groundbreaking concept, highlighting Black women’s digital resistance to anti-Black misogyny on YouTube, Facebook, Tumblr, and other platforms. At a time when Black women are depicted as more ugly, deficient, hypersexual, and unhealthy than their non-Black counterparts, Bailey explores how Black women have bravely used social-media platforms to confront misogynoir in a number of courageous―and, most importantly, effective―ways. Focusing on queer and trans Black women, she shows us the importance of carving out digital spaces, where communities are built around queer Black webshows and hashtags like #GirlsLikeUs. Bailey shows how Black women actively reimagine the world by engaging in powerful forms of digital resistance at a time when anti-Black misogyny is thriving on social media. A groundbreaking work, Misogynoir Transformed highlights Black women’s remarkable efforts to disrupt mainstream narratives, subvert negative stereotypes, and reclaim their lives.
FOR COMEDY LOVERS…
**THE COMEDY SHOW hosted by MOTOR CITY FATTS with Comedian JUST LAUREN LAMPHERE, MISS MARY, TERI HEART, and MAMA B, TODAY at 202 B.Y. Williams Dr., in Midfield.
AT THE STARDOME COMEDY CLUB…
**FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY… COMEDIAN NATE BARGATZE…Hailing from Old Hickory, Tennessee, rising stand-up comedian Nate Bargatze is selling out shows across America. Nate followed in the showbiz footsteps of his dad, a former clown turned world class magician, whose influence is seen on Nate’s 2015 debut special ‘Full Time Magic’ and his debut album “Yelled at By a Clown.” Nate’s half-hour Netflix Special “The Standups” premiered on July 4th, 2017 to rave reviews. In addition to touring the country as a headliner, Nate toured in arenas with Chris Rock on his 2017 Total Blackout Tour. He currently has a deal with 20th Century Fox to develop his own TV show.
**THURSDAY… COMEDIAN TIM STATUM…Entertaining audiences wherever he goes, Tim is a Birmingham native who will keep you in stitches with his southern style humor and storytelling. Tim incorporates real-life stories of growing up in the country with classic stand-up comedy to provide a hilarious evening.
**NEXT FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY… COMEDIAN NEPHEW TOMMY…Thomas “Nephew Tommy” Miles has built a career that encompasses radio, television, film and more. Thomas’ role as co-host of the nationally syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show puts him in front of a live radio audience of more than 8 million listeners daily. As Nephew Tommy he provides a key role in the morning show, perhaps best known for his prank calls, and lighting it up with his own cast of colorful characters.
COMING SOON…
**23rd St. Elias Lebanese Food and Cultural Festival, Jun 11-12 at St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church with Drive thru Takeout ONLY.
**THE WORLD GAMES are coming July 7-17, 2022. Look for more!
