SCREWED ANTHOLOGIES 11/27/09 7-10pm

Exhibition opening & musical performances Friday, November 27th:

7pm David Dove/ Lucas Gorham

8:30pm DJ Dre J, SUC Affiliated DJ

Saturday, November 28th 1pm Talk by SUC special invited guest

1:30-2:30 Screening of DJ Screw: The Untold Story

Exhibition open until December 31st

Artists featured in the exhibition include: D. Denenge Akpem, Inge Hoonte, Wura-Natasha Ogunji, Carlos Pozo, Dinorah de Jesus Rodriguez, Odie Rynell Cash, Y.E.Torres, Carolina Vasquez

Screwed Anthologies is a disjointed “exhibition” of performances, videos, sound art, and lectures that draw inspiration from the art of “screwed and chopped” music.  Screwed Anthologies moves beyond linear time to feature work by artists who frame time travel, sampling and appropriating, stopping and freezing time and pace to create new states of existence.  Based in Houston, Texas the home of screw music, Screwed Anthologies will challenge traditional ideas about art, its location, its practice and its curation.

labotanica 2316 Elgin (at Dowling), Houston, TX 77004

Hours: Saturday, 1pm- 5pm, and by appointment

Slide photo credit: Ben De Soto

Winter Holiday Art Market: Nov 20-21

The Winter Holiday Art Market features a wide variety of fine arts and crafts for sale (including paintings, sculpture, photography, jewelry, clothing and soaps), as well as a festive schedule of activities for the whole family. The event is not only a fun diversion before the holiday rush, but also a fabulous opportunity to purchase artwork and unique, hand-made holiday gifts while supporting our city’s local artists! Free to the public, WHAM is a juried special exhibition, sale and art festival in one— featuring art, crafts, demonstrations, and performances by an array of local musicians. The event takes place on Friday and Saturday, November 20-21st at Winter Street Studios in the newly revitalized Washington Corridor.

WHAM is a 2-day affair, kicking off with happy hour on Friday night from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and resuming on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. We invite guests to shop while enjoying DJs and live music, complimentary beverages, and an array of food vendors from local restaurants at an event centered on building community and creating economic opportunities for artists. Plus, all work is available to take home the day of sale— offering a perfect holiday shopping alternative to crowded shopping malls

Letter From the B-Girls

Hey Houston, it’s Fall and it’s beautiful.

The weather’s finally cooling off and the leaves are falling off the trees. We’ve made our clocks fall back, and hopefully you’ll be falling into the arms of people who love you, and maybe falling in serious like with the person you’re choosing to snuggle with over the next few months.

The B-Girls have been busy plugging away finding newer, hotter, funner places to try, and a different way of thinking about your city. Like our piece about Houston’s bike culture. Philip Huffeldt gives a great account about the folks who live in the city and prefer to bike it instead of wasting money on gas. Who knew so many Houstonians ride out in crazy costumes at midnight? Well, now you do. Thank us in the comments.

Who also knew that one in three adult Houstonians can’t read or write? If you’re looking for a way to help someone out and make Houston a better place, let Benna Sayyed explain why helping out with Houston’s adult literacy issue might be the avenue for you.

Holiday season is officially upon us, which means many of us will be flying to and from wherever home may be. Friends and family alike will be converging on our great city. Why don’t you take them out and show them a good time? Charne’ Graham and Katherine Le hip us to some fun, affordable places to eat, drink and chill.

If you spent your Indian summer wisely, then you’ve already snagged a friend to keep you warm this winter. Check Grooming on tips for keeping them as your snuggle buddy. And send him/her e-mail with the article so they can get prepared too.

We’ve got plenty of Live Performances for that ass, and make sure to go see Precious. It’s a beautiful, transformative movie, and well worth the handful of bucks you’ll pay to see it. It’s one of those movies you can go see with anyone you love because at the core the movie is about love.

Oh, and if you’re thinking about buying clothing for a loved one for Christmas, be sure to check StyleWatch and make sure you’re not unwittingly throwing them into a Fashion Fail situation. Sophia Lecky gives you some new music to take with you while you shop.

This is a time of love and appreciation, and I know we say it a lot, but it bears repeating: we LOVE y’all and appreciate you all reading. Leave us comments, let us know how we can make this publication better for you. Share a hug, a smile and your time this season. None of those cost money and could mean the world to someone.

Be Well Houston.

Kisses,

The B-Girls

Shouldah Pads: A BAD FAD or A CLASSIC

Some vintage trends should stay buried for a little while longer. In this case its shoulder pad, circa the late 80s to mid 90s.

Three of the hottest celebrities out are shown flawlessly styling “Accentuated Shoulders”  courtesy of the Dynasty era. Question: Do ugly trends seem to work better with celebrities?

Yes and no.

Yes because shoulder pads are an attention grabbing accessory. Celebs are desperate to outdo and one-up each other on the next great trend. A hot designer can promote a brown stain and have stylists rushing to get their clients photographed with it. The ferocity of celebrity marketing can be dangerous and leave a layman looking crazy. Shoulder pads can easily  leave you looking like the girl with the shoulder pads. Wanting an extra accessory to give you some individuality? Try digging deep within yourself and find what in your personality can show in a wardrobe. Shoulder pads may not be the hit.

The idea of padded shoulders started with the wive’s of rich merchants in the 30’s and were later militarized during World War II.  Power dressing donimated the market in the 80s giving birth to the soap opera fashions of Dynasty and Dallas.

It’s not as if shamelessly sporting a blazer stuffed with exaggerated cotton shoulders is a bad idea for the regular working ladies. Expressing one’s individuality is an essential part of exuding style, but there comes a time when one must pause and think about the future. Combing through photos of authentic nostalgia can be a fun way to amuse onself as opposed to checking out last year’s facebook photos and realizing that you were the victim of some forced trend.  The lack of originality is what keeps me at bay. It could also be the time I sat near a man wearing the exact same white jacket Beyonce wore (above) at one of her concerts.

The fond memories of Dynasty, Dallas, Grace Jones and the Golden Girls brings peace to the iconic symbol of girl power. Fashion is an ever evolving rotation of the old becoming anew.  Diahann Carol and friends deserve big ups for the effortless execution of wearing a good shoulder pad. When will there be a trend that’s unseen? High-waisted belts, shoulder pads, hammer pants, fro mullets,  80’s tight jeans. Soon we’ll be wearing what we wore yesterday as if it’s brand new.

THE CORRECT WAY TO ROCK SHOULDER' PADS!

WHO wins best shoulder pads? BEYONCE, CI CI, or Rhianna?

Houston’s Silent Threat: A Life Without Words

In the current economic climate, where 8.5 percent of Houstonians are losing or go without jobs monthly, the job search climate can seem daunting at best. Now, picture being a functionally illiterate person facing the same problem. Suddenly, prospects become bleaker. You’re well into your twenties or thirties but must depend on a parent, sibling, or friend to help you fill out job applications.

Suppose your desire to pursue higher education and improve your overall position in life is stunted by your inability to employ something that is a core element of society, literacy.  If you are reading this article, arduous situations like these are merely hypothetical. But for individuals like Monica Jones, they are reality.

Jones, an adult who as a youngster slipped through Houston public schools to the ninth grade without developing basic reading skills, struggles with this problem every day. The determination to accomplish her dream of becoming a professional hair stylist prevented Jones from accepting illiteracy as the inevitable.

Every week she works hard at the Literacy Advance of Houston (LAH) learning center to escape the 52 percent of Harris County adults deemed functionally illiterate in English by the Texas Adult Literacy Survey. One in three adults in Houston cannot read this sentence.

“My learning and studying are a little hard but I’m still working,” said Jones. “My reading’s getting a little better; I really want to learn how to read and go out there and do things on my own, it’s hard,” said Jones with a reflective sigh.

With a host of literacy advocacy programs in the Houston Area that provide free services and good support networks to those in need, the number of illiterate people is cause for concern said Connie Loh, Program Coordinator at LAH. She said that daily literacy statistics of the Houston Read Commission and similar agencies indicate that all of the services provided by LAH and like organizations simply cannot meet the demand. On average, LAH has a range of 20 to 40 Adult Basic Education (ABE) learners waiting for a tutor. Depending on office capacity, students can wait for a few days or a few months.

“I think the city government of Houston and the education system need to place more of an emphasis on catching learning-challenged students before they get too late into their schooling,” said Loh.

“They definitely need to increase the support and programs that are in the school system already to ensure that students do not feel left out and feel that they’re forced to drop out.”

Loh also indicated that some organizations have restrictions that prevent people on probation from accessing services. Dr. Ron Samples, Associate Professor of English at Texas Southern University, sees a direct relation between the number of unlettered adults in Houston and the city’s expansive job market.

He pointed to the Houston area’s low high school graduation rate of 58.5 percent in explaining his observation that Houston could have a substantial number of people who think that they can always get a job without possessing the academic skills needed to finish school. Samples said that this mindset may be bolstered by a job market that allows people to sustain themselves at some level without an education.

“I think that there must be a job market that reinforces this notion that one can function at least in the Houston area without having the most fundamental skills that come along with an education, and in particular without being literate,” said Samples.

The professor believes that adult illiteracy is a problem that starts prior to kindergarten. To eradicate this problem he said that educators must make sure that elementary students are interested in learning.

“We need to find out what gets them disinterested, we need to find out what distracts them, and once we find out what distracts them we can ensure that young kids don’t get distracted,” said Samples.

He also said that educators should consider examining students’ interest and distraction levels at the beginning of middle and high school and find ways to incentivize students to truly understand the value of reading.

According to Melanie Fisk, Deputy Director of LAH, in many cases, the adults who need help are juggling two jobs, family life, and other life duties and burdens, which further complicate the process.

For these reasons, only about three to four percent of Houston adults requiring literacy education programs are actually accessing them said Fisk. Citizens with reading problems who grew up in English speaking households can be especially disinclined to seek help because of the shame that comes with illiteracy.

Even though Jones pops up at the LAH learning center on Monday mornings with a hot cup of coffee and a pleasant smile eager to learn, the academic environment she experienced in grade school was not conducive to learning.

Somewhere between Jones’s first and fifth grade years an instructor discovered her inability to read, understand, and complete class work. The school informed her mother. Nevertheless, Jones was not placed in remedial classes until her fifth grade year. Being in special education classes greatly upset the young lady.

“I would go to class but it bothered me because I really didn’t know how to do the work,” said Jones. “So I just stopped going to school, I was embarrassed.”

Her inability to do the work and the embarrassment it caused, led to her permanent departure from school in ninth grade. Like many individuals tormented by literacy difficulties, Jones remained reluctant to speak to others about her condition and withheld her feelings.

“If you’re an ABE learner there tends to be a large amount of shame and there really doesn’t need to be,” said Fisk. “ABE learners should try to not internalize this, but know that there’s a safe place they can come. Even if the traditional school system didn’t work out for them, that’s the beauty of this program.”

Jones finally realized that in order to reach her dream of becoming a hair stylist a GED would be essential. Her mother helped her find LAH. Judy Vance, Jones’s personal tutor, says that her student is very bright and hardworking, and has considerably progressed with reading since the two united last August. There is an affectionate bond between Vance and Jones that undoubtedly enhances the learning process with fun, humor, interest and camaraderie.

“It’s good to see her progress,” said Vance. “We talked about the word interview a few weeks ago, and learned how to sound it out in one of the stories we read. She came in the other day and said ‘oh, I’ve had an interview,’” said Vance, as the two shared a warm laugh.

Jones desires to earn a GED, enter a cosmetology or vocational school and possess proficient reading skills. Anyone can help Jones and many others like her become fully literate. Fisk encourages anyone interested in helping, to volunteer by being an advocate or tutor, or by just doing office or project work at LAH.

“Illiteracy is the lowest common denominator for all social woes; whether it’s teen pregnancy, crime, health, or economic issues, illiteracy is at the bottom of it all, so that’s what we need to be paying attention to and fixing,” said Fisk.

Visualizing oneself in the predicament of being unlettered while searching for employment in today’s unfavorable economic climate is not desirable. But the vision that Jones has of her future may be inspirational to others in her shoes as well as literate adults. With the right amount of determination and hunger for success, she was able to get past embarrassment and continues to prove her competence on her path towards literacy.

Raphael Saadiq | HOB 11/25

Treat yourself to a Thanksgiving treat and go see Raphael Saadiq at The House of Blues on November 25. The former frontman of 90s R&B legends Toni, Tony, Tone has evolved musically, but has so many hits the show promises to keep you on your feet all night long.

WHO: Raphael Saadia

WHERE: The House of Blues

1204 Caroline Street

Houston, TX

77002

WHEN: November 25 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $22

Why? | Walter’s on Washington 11/7

Indie rock group Why? will be hitting up Walter’s on Washington Nov. 7. If Frankie B. and Maze ain’t your thang make your way out to The Heights to see the band perform. w/ Au and the Moore Brothers will be there as well.

WHO: Why?

WHERE: Walter’s on Washington

4215 Washington Avenue

Houston, TX

77007

WHEN: November 7 at 9 p.m.

Tickets are $10. Cash only.

A New Definition of Precious

Precious is not an Indy Film.

It’s a major motion picture release that has been blessed by Oprah and Tyler Perry, but that’s not why you need to see it.

In fact, pretend that you don’t know that they’ve touched it. This film is so raw in honest emotion and dialogue about how broken so many of our American homes are that it doesn’t matter who produced it, it just matters that work like this was produced.

Precious, is based off the novel “Push” by Sapphire. Arguments can be made that, as always, the movie cannot touch the literary work, but that argument is moot in this case because the film is a cinematic feat all in its own. Lee Daniels tells the sweeping tale of Clareece “Precious” Jones using lush fantasy sequences and juxtaposing them with jarring snaps back to Precious’s grim reality. If Daniels does anything, he makes sure he gets your attention through inspired editing of her story. In his own way, he forces you to get comfortable with being made to feel uncomfortable. Like a good South Park bit, just when you think that’s as far as he will go, he takes it to a cringe-worthy level. All the while showing how beautiful Precious and the people who have grown to love her are as she navigates simply trying to survive.

Mo’Nique is receiving well-deserved Oscar buzz. She plays a disturbing portrayal of Precious’s mother Mary with such contempt that there will be at least one point in the movie that will induce at least a shudder. However, even with all of the force of Mo’Nique’s performance, the star of the movie is Gabourey Sidibe, who plays Precious with such conviction and believability that it almost feels invasive to be watching Precious’s comings and goings. At some point, Sidibe leads you past Precious’s surface turmoil — which is so deep that the viewer accepts it as a way of life for her — and draws you into Precious by making her longings relatable to anyone. Her desire to be acknowledged as a person, her longing for love, her need for vaildation from a respected individual are so sincere that it’s impossible not to begin to love her yourself. Sidibe’s subtle development of her character through a simple grunt, or rolling of the eyes and her superb dead-pan make Precious likable. She don’t take no shit, and who doesn’t love a character you can respect?

The film is full of star power. From the lovely Grace Hightower cameo and Susan Taylor, the high priestess of black female empowerment, serving as Precious’s godmother in her fantasy (she would be somebody’s fairy godmother); the strength of the film is how the celebrity is stripped from the movie and you are left being impressed with the sheer dedication to the work by these mega-stars.

Paula Patton plays a tender, compassionate foil to Mo’Nique’s brash, and did I say dee-gus-ting, character. Patton is by no means a push over, but serves as the guide to Precious realizing her own strength and a reminder of all of the gentle spirits that have encouraged and motivated each one of us through simple insistence and a kind word or two. Erase Glitter from your mind — if you saw it. Mariah Carey gives a convincing performance as a case worker who grows to care about Precious while working with her. Lenny Kravitz is so unassumingly powerful, and may I say sexy, in this movie that you almost miss that it’s him. It’s always impressive when a man can maintain his masculinity, yet be tender. Kravitz mastered it. Oh, and look out for Sapphire, the author, as the day care worker.

The movie is punctuated by moments of sheer hilarity, and the supporting cast of Precious’s classmates add as much richness to the movie as the celebrities. They all move seamlessly together, yet through out all of the strong performances, Sidibe holds her own making sure that all watching know this movie is about Precious and her journey.

Even if your best friend has all but ruined the plot for you, the movie is beyond a must see. It’s a refreshing break from all of the formulaic “dude” movies (Pineapple Hangover anyone?), and corny romantic comedies to watch a gripping tale of one woman’s struggle to live. This isn’t a feel good movie, this is a be grateful movie. And hopefully, a be active movie. Once the credits role, and the lights rise, we suggest you talk about it. And then stop talking about it, get out and do something, so that Precious remains a movie and no longer anyone’s reality.

The movie is out in theaters this Friday, November 6.

Goodbye Halitosis

Holiday season is here, which means some spiked eggnog might lead you under some mistletoe if you’re lucky. The quickest way to find yourself standing there by your damn self is by having funky breath. That’s right folks, this post is about keeping the mouthpiece fresh, especially during this time of close contact. Think about it, not only will you be greeting relatives, but that good snuggle weather is upon us, and again — you gets none if your breath is foul. Here are some tips to keep people wanting to talk to you during the winter. Feel free to make them lifestyle habits:

- BRUSH at least twice a day. Get in the back of your mouth, top and bottom. Please don’t forget the tongue and the roof of your mouth. Bacteria will live, and die depending on how hot your mouth is, there.

- FLOSS. Seriously,  flossing is the most important thing you can do to keep a healthy mouth situation besides brushing. It’s important to get rid of the bits of turducken meat you might’ve eaten at Grandmommy’s. Not only can leftover food particles make your mouth smell like ugh, but it can cause gingivitis, which can lead to tooth decay and even tooth loss. Would you want to kiss a toothless person? We thought so. We recommend Plackers Flosspicks. They’re an easy glide floss that won’t make it feel like you’re sawing through your teeth. Keep in your purse or pocket along with your…

- BREATH MINTS. Gum is great, but if you’re looking for insta-fresh, a breath mint will be your best bet. Gum takes a few chews to activate and if chewed too long can become stale, defeating the purpose. Besides, there’s something classy and imperceptible about a mint over gum. We recommend DentaClean Herbal Breath Mints.

- BLACK TEA. Gentleman, want to impress your lady friend and avoid puppy dog breath in the morning? Make sure to keep some black tea in the cupboards, and fix her some in the morning. Studies have found that black tea not only improves cardiovascular health, but also kills the bacteria in the mouth that causes stinky breath. You can try peppermint and green tea, as well.

- SMILE. True enough, a smile won’t kill halitosis, but it will kill the notion that you aren’t confident about your oral situation. Besides, it’s the holidays, there’s plenty to be grateful for and a smile from me and you makes the world a better place.

BONUS: Whitening products. I think we can all agree white is alright when it comes to teeth. Invest in more than just sparkly looking toothpaste and buy whitening strips. We also like Listerine whitening pre-wash for before you brush, and Arm & Hammer Whitening Booster to put on top of your toothpaste while you brush. Do yourself one better and the next time you go get your teeth cleaned (because we know all of you are making efforts to go at least once a year), ask your dentist to make custom molds of your teeth so you can have your very own set of whitening trays. The trays can last you for years if you take care of them, and it will be easier to maintain, instead of create, a pearly white smile. Healthy diet and plenty of water are also essential to oral health.

Google, Music to Our Ears

This past week Google launched Google Music,  a search feature that enables the user to search and discover songs from the search engine.  Google partnered with Myspace (iLike), Rhapsody, Pandora, and Lala to provide mp3 files in their search results when the user searches for a particular song, artist or related music.  User’s can then listen or purchase the song through iLike and Lala. Google Music also competes with iTunes and Amazon by offering lower prices.  Now the user can buy a song for 89 cents compared to that of iTunes for 99 cents.

This is great news for the user, but one may ask how this effects the music industry? How will unsigned artist benefit from this feature? By having their song produced and available online instantly is a definite step into limiting wasteful spending. The artist no longer has to wait to have their song packaged, shipped, and displayed through a record label. It’s a step in the right direction for changing the momentum of pirating (sucks for illegal downloaders like our readers). As to how the artist will get their royalties would be the same as any other music e-commerce sites like Amazon and Itunes. For every download, the record company gets a cut as well as the artist.

Apple seems to have a crazy monopoly over online music sales and with all the riches at the Google kingdom, the two will definitely go head to head for world domination of the internet.

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