Dear Reader
I hope this newsletter finds you as well as can be. As New York began the process of re-opening this week, so many of us began figuring out how to interact in public spaces where the virus is still at play. I’ve been injured and so haven’t been to a lot of the protests that have been taking place, but the ones I have been to, I’ve seen so many fellow New Yorkers in masks and handing out sanitizer, as a way to try mitigate the further impact the coronavirus may have on our beleaguered city. But voices are being heard, and I do hope this reckoning reaches further than it ever has before when it comes to racial equality.
I likely don’t have to tell you that chief among my recommendation of things to do online this week is to watch Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods. The film was meant to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival last month - where Lee would have been the first Black head of the jury that selects the coveted fest prize, the Palme d’Or. Instead, it’s premiering on Netflix this Friday, June 12th, and sees Lee as relevant and as urgent as ever.
Here are some more events taking place online I’d recommend:
1. If you, like me, have been watching the breakdown of Molly and Issa’s friendship on Insecure, while simultaneously couch-dancing along to the soundtrack, make sure to hop onto the NPR Music Instagram today (Wednesday) for a chat about the music from the show, with creator Issa Rae, at 3:30pm PST / 6:30pm EST, and with music supervisor Kier Lehman on Friday 12 June 10am PST / 1pm EST.
2. From Thursday, the Human Rights Watch Film Festival kicks off online. One of my fave documentaries of the year, Crip Camp, is among the films playing. The program features a dozen docs that expose injustices, analyze systems of oppression and offer glimpses of hope for the future. There are also live Q-and-As for the duration of the fest. It runs until June 20th.
3. The beloved Central Park fest Summerstage announced its digital program, dubbed Summerstage Anywhere, which kicks off this weekend, Friday, June 12, with “The People Speak”, a collaboration with VOICES. The organisers say the performance will feature contemporary artists and authors who will use events, music and words from US history as inspiration for new discussions. It will premiere on the SummerStage YouTube channel at 4pm PST / 7pm EST. On Saturday, June 13, LAMC at Summerstage Anywhere will take place. It’s a showcase of artists in the Latin LGBTQIA+ community, from Puerto Rican pop singer Kany Garcia to Colombian hip hop artist Mabiland, with an afterparty featuring DJs Raul Campos and Cheo on the SummerStage Twitch channel.
4. The Wilma Theater in Philadelphia is releasing an archival recording of its 2018 production of James Ijames‘ Kill Move Paradise as a fundraiser to support Black Lives Matter Philly (BLM Philly). Ijames’ drama was inspired by the death of Tamir Rice and tells the story of four Black men who find themselves stuck in a cosmic waiting room in the afterlife. The recording will be available until Sunday, June 21. There are a limited number of streams available.
5. Have you signed the petitions, called your local lawmakers, donated to a group taking action or made your voice heard today? If you live in New York and aren’t able to make it to a protest, my friend Swath is organising to collect signs, so reach out to her here.
Thank you for reading.
Stay safe, stay sane.
Your neighbour
Nadia