Black History Month
๐๐ง๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ค ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ก ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ซ๐ฒ
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A production of A Langston Hughes Song Revival will be shown at UCPACโs Hamilton Stage located at 360 Hamilton Street in Rahway from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This show consists of an hour of Langston Hughes poetry set to music by African American composers Margaret Bonds and Florence Price. Call the UCPAC box office for ticket information at 732-499-8226. Register at:ย https://ucnj.org/black-history-month/#register
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The Freeholder Board will present the Chester Holmes award before the production of Raisin: A Musical at UCPACโs Main Stage located at 1601 Irving Street in Rahway from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. This is a musical adaptation of the Lorraine Hansberry play A Raisin in the Sun. Call the UCPAC box office for ticket information at 732-499-8226.
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At noon the Freeholder Board will recognize the 400th anniversary of the transatlantic slave trade and its reverberations in our lives today with a free educational โLunch and Learnโ event. This event will take place in the Freeholder meeting room on the 6th floor in the Union County administration building in Elizabeth. For more information, please email Nathalie Hernandez at nahernandez@ucnj.org.
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From 7-8 p.m., residents and visitors are invited to Union Countyโs Trailside Nature and Science Center, located at 452 New Providence Road in Mountainside to โmeetโ Rosa Parks in a first-person interpreter presentation by Alexandra Ford of the American Historical Theatre. Attendees must be age 18 or older or high school students. Space is limited and pre-registration is recommended through the Trailside Talks link onย https://secure.rec1.com/NJ/union-county-nj/catalog
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Upcoming events from the Office of LGBTQ Affairs
Confirmatory Adoption and LGBTQ Family Planning Presentation and Panel Discussion Tuesday, February 25 UCPACโs Hamilton Stage The evening presentation will offer an in-depth understanding of New Jerseyโs new confirmatory adoption law and changes to the legal process for families seeking parental rights protections where one parent is not able to contribute genetic material โ this includes same-gender, different-gender and transgender couples. The presentation will include important life and family planning topics that directly affect the LGBTQ community including building and protecting non-traditional family structures and the portability of parental rights. The evening presentation will include a Q&A opportunity to speak with the panelists, Danni Newbury, Coordinator of Union Countyโs Office of LGBTQ Affairs, Suzanne DiOrio, Special Deputy Surrogate for Union County, Bill Singer, Esq. of Singer & Fedun, Deb Guston, Esq. of Guston & Guston. Free Admission; Pre-registration required. GLAADโs LGBTQ Accelerating Acceptance Training Course Engagement 101: Telling Your Story: Messaging and Media Tools for Today’s Activist Friday, April 24 Warinanco Sports Center Participants will understand how to get a message of inclusion and acceptance across effectively in the mainstream media narrative about the LGBTQ community. Equipped with GLAADโs Accelerating Acceptance data, GLAAD will work with you to reach and teach the movable middle about the LGBTQ community through a personal lens, yours. Topics include LGBTQ acceptance, understanding media mentality, speaking to your audience, messaging and framing the issue, social media basics, and interview techniques. Leadership Hyacinth Monday, May 18 and Tuesday, May, 19 Warinanco Sports Center The two-day โLeadership Hyacinthโ advocacy training course for community leaders aims to increase awareness and advocacy efforts within Union County communities. โLeadership Hyacinthโ is designed to increase participation in advocacy efforts in HIV/AIDS, STI & Hep C Policy. Organized by the Union County Office of LGBTQ Affairs in partnership with Hyacinth Foundation, upon completion of the โLeadership Hyacinthโ program participants will be able to use science-based evidence to speak competently on broad public health issues; present advocacy issues to policy makers at the local, state and federal level through letters, email, phone calls and face to face meetings, and describe and understand United States and New Jersey HIV/AIDS strategies and policies. Free Admission. Limited Seating. Registration Required. GLAADโs LGBTQ Accelerating Acceptance Training Course Engagement 202: Telling Your Story Through Social Media Friday, May 22 Warinanco Sports Center Designed for those who are starting to incorporate social media into their advocacy strategy, participants in this specialized course will receive a comprehensive overview of social media platforms, as well as leveraging social media for reaching expanded audiences, deeper storytelling, and accelerating acceptance. This course will teach participants the best practices to make the most of the potential for a variety of social media platforms, while also carefully avoiding pitfalls that exist in the social media sphere. Open for Business โ Open for Everyone Inclusion and Diversity Symposium for Business Owners, Managers and Entrepreneurs New Date TBD Hamilton Stage (Fazioli Room) Business owners, managers and entrepreneurs to participate in the first Open for Business โ Open for Everyone: Inclusion and Diversity Symposium. The free full-day symposium will focus on internal policies and practices to create an inclusive working environment for employees, LGBTQ+ 101 cultural competency training, understanding New Jerseyโs Law Against Discrimination (LAD), and best practices for being open for business to serve all people. The scheduled panelists and speakers represent New Jersey government, corporate sector, small business, and workplace diversity.ย Guests will have an opportunity to engage in important discussions with experts in their respective fields to foster a diverse, inclusive, accepting, welcoming space for employees and customers.
6:30 PM โ 8:00 PM
360 Hamilton Street, Rahway
9:30 AM โ 4:00 PM
1 Park Drive, Roselle
Advocacy Training Program
9:30 AM โ 4:00 PM
One Park Drive, Roselle
10:00 AM โ 2:00 PM
1 Park Dr. Roselle
360 Hamilton Street, Rahway
Cultural Events Calendar
Feb. 29 Dismantling the Racism Machine by Karen Gaffney PH. D Explore concepts from Ms. Gaffneyโs book, โDismantling the Racism Machine: A Manual and Toolbox,โ in which participants will look at how the public understands (and doesnโt) race and racism. Free Mar. 1 Salsa Dance Workshop Come explore the basics of Salsa Dance with Baila Society Company member and instructor, Kalli Siamidou. She studied various dance forms, acting, and singing at Peridance Capezio Dance Center where she currently teaches. Participants should wear comfortable clothes. Jazz shoes or socks recommended. All levels welcome, ages 13+. Space is limited, registration is encouraged. For more information or to reserve a spot please email Taina Bey at taina.bey@theconnectiononline.org Free Mar. 2 Memory Cafรฉ The Memory Cafรฉ provides an opportunity for individuals with memory loss and their care takers to socialize and enjoy music in a warm welcoming environment. A free lunch will be provided. Free Mar. 6 & 7 Be Here Now Surrounded by painfully cheerful co-workers, Bari is deeply cynical and woefully underemployed. After an unexpected and unexplainable turn of events, Bari finds herself on an enlightening new path. When she meets Mike, itโs her turn to pull another out of the darkness. Adults $39 l Seniors $34 l Students $25 Mar. 8 Ian Gallagher Traditional Irish Music at the Library Ian Gallagher will perform traditional Irish folk tunes as well as contemporary music. He has his heart and soul deeply rooted in Irish tradition and his talent is as eclectic and bright as an Irish morning in Dublin. Come join Ian in celebrating the spirit of St. Patrickโs Day. Free Mar. 14, 21, 27, 28 at 8 PM The Dining Room A comedy of manners set in a single dining room where 18 scenes from different households overlap and intertwine. Each story is focused around a different family, during different time periods that has the same dining room furniture (manufactured in 1898) in their possession. $22 l $10 for students and Active-Duty Military Mar. 17 Memory Cafรฉ The Memory Cafรฉ provides an opportunity for individuals with memory loss and their caretakers to socialize and enjoy music in a warm welcoming environment. A free lunch will be provided. Free Mar. 19 Westfield Community Concert Band Spring Concert Free public concert by the Westfield Community Concert Band, featuring classical and contemporary music by Rimsky-Korsakov, Mendelssohn, Sparke and others. Free Mar. 21 The Flip Side Improv Based on improv techniques created by The Groundlings, Upright Citizens’ Brigade and The Magnet, The Flip Side offers a unique spin on short-form improv, taking audience input to create instant scenes that are both unexpected and hilarious. All Adults $20 l Students under 25 with ID $15 Mar. 22 Hampton Place: Out of Sight, but Around the Corner from Everywhere This walking tour of Hampton Place will explore the architecture, history, and lives of prominent African Americans who resided in the vicinity, particularly composer Clarence Cameron White, Dr. Richard Payne, and the Nesbitt family. The tour will begin on the steps of City Hall, opposite Winfield Scott Park Free Mar. 29 Oratorio Singers’ 40th Anniversary Concert – featuring Haydn’s “The Creation” Professional soloists and professional orchestra join the Oratorio Singers at a choral concert featuring Joseph Haydn’s masterwork “The Creation,” plus an original new work by musical director and conductor Trent Johnson, titled “Hallelujah.” $20 โ $15 seniors & students Apr. 8 Poetry in Motion Anthony Cascio combines acting, mime, vocal gymnastics, humor, audience participation and a streamer trunk full of costumes, puppets and props to allow children to encounter poetry as an engaging and relevant art form. Free Apr. 11 Fanwood Cultural Arts and Performance Series Featuring Patrick Collins, a Hudson Valley singer/songwriter with a homegrown approach and self-taught fingerpicking and blues style, mixing a unique approach to guitar playing with honest lyrics, touching on everyday American life and its struggles. Followed by Matt Bednarsky, a Connecticut-born, NYC-carved, Nashville-based singer/songwriter, that blends pop/rock, folk, jazz and blues, and is characterized by poignant, thoughtful lyrics and soothing yet powerful vocals. $15 Dollar donation โ $10 for students and seniors Apr. 17-25 (Fridays & Saturdays) โWays to Be Happyโ Darting from a convenience store, to a cabin in the woods, to a theme park, Maddie and the unusual people she meets are searching for happiness. Does it exist? Or is the world fundamentally rigged? Adults $39 l Seniors $34 l Students $25 Apr. 19 The Afternoon Music series presents Elysian Camerata, a Philadelphia-based ensemble, performing music by British composers including Phantasy Quintet by Vaughan Williams and Piano Quintet in A Minor by Edward Elgar. Meet the artists at a reception after the concert. $25 โ seniors $20 โ students free May 1-2 โWays to Be Happyโ Darting from a convenience store, to a cabin in the woods, to a theme park, Maddie and the unusual people she meets are searching for happiness. Does it exist? Or is the world fundamentally rigged? Adults $39 l Seniors $34 l Students $25 May 9 Fanwood Cultural Arts Performance Series Featuring New York-raised singer/songwriter Kirsten Maxwell, born into a family of opera singers, her musical career progress has been measured in songwriting competition wins and a steady graduation to bigger and better stages. Kirsten will be appearing with Meghan Cary — who didnโt plan to be a musician. When her fiancรฉ unexpectedly died, she picked up his guitar, figured out how to play it, and wrote her debut album, earning her Billboard Magazineโs Criticโs Choice for Best Newcomer. $15 Dollar donation โ $10 for students and seniors May 9, 16, 23 at 8 PM Forever Plaid When four young singers are killed in a car crash, they posthumously take the stage for one final gig in the goofy 1950โs nostalgia trip. One of the most popular and successful musicals in recent memory, this fun revue is chock-full of classic barbershop quartet harmonies and pitch perfect melodies. $25 l $15 Students & Active-Duty Military May 14 Turtle Dance The Music, Bubble and Comedy Show is a high-energy show about why ready rocks! The show engages children with songs, comedy, bubbles, music technology and is crafted to be inclusive for all children. Each song is accompanied by hands-on, visual and sensory experiences designed to help kids learn. Free June 13 Indie Rocker Nate Walker Featuring Nate Walker, whose music pulls from the hard angles of new wave and punk, the soft pad of classic pop orchestration, thick rhythms of rock and R&B, and the cold contours of the digital. Nate will be sharing the evening with Michael Braunfeld who is, first and foremost, a storyteller. His songs capture the everyday triumphs and struggles of ordinary people. $15 Dollar donation โ $10 for students and seniors June 30 Zoom Balloons Zoom Balloons is a fun family entertainer. He performs classics of magic like the linking rings, cut and restored rope, and the ever famous rabbit out the hat trick with a unique brand of comedy magic that is interactive, enchanting and perplexing. Free Aug. 19 Yosi in Concertโฆ B-E-A-C-H! Summer is a magical time for families, a rocking fun-filled interactive Beach Party is just what your kids need! Do โThe Limbo,โ swim and spell at the B-E-A-C-H, sail away on a ship, and marvel at all the wonderful sea creatures as we join them at the sea. Free Oct. 14 Propbox Players Propbox Improv Show and audience interactive performers will use improvisation to make children laugh, act and dance, and interact with the characters of show in an interesting and educational way. Free
10:30 AM
LECTURE
Plainfield Public Library
800 Park Ave, Plainfield
908-757-1111
drakehouseplainfield@gmail.com
4-5 Pm
The Connection
79 Maple Street, Summit
908-273-4242
https://theconnectiononline.org
12 PM
CONCERT
Jewish Family Service of Central NJ
655 Westfield Avenue, Elizabeth
908-352-8375
www.jfscentralnj.org
8 PM
Mar. 1 & 8
2 PM Matinee
THEATRE
Dreamcatcher Rep @ Oakes Center
120 Morris Avenue, Summit
800-838-3006
www.dreamcatcherrep.org
2- 3 pm
CONCERT
Summit Free Public Library
75 Maple Street, Summit
908-273-0350
www.summitlibrary.org
Mar. 22 at 2 PM
THEATRE
Westfield Community Players
1000 North Ave. West, Westfield
908-232-1221
www.westfieldcommunityplayers.org
12 PM
CONCERT
Jewish Family Service of Central NJ
Lavy House
748 East Broad St., Westfield
908-352-8375
www.jfscentralnj.org
7:30 pm
CONCERT
Edison Intermediate School Auditorium
800 Rahway Ave, Westfield
908-337-9073
www.westfieldcommunityband.com
8 PM
COMEDY PERFORMANCE
Dreamcatcher Rep @ Oakes Center
120 Morris Avenue Summit
800-838-3006
www.dreamcatcherrep.org
2:30 PM
WALKING TOUR
50 Winfield Scott Plaza, Elizabeth
908-289-3584
3 pm
CONCERT
First United Methodist Church
1 E. Broad St., Westfield
http://www.oratoriosingerswestfield.org/
4 pm
THEATRE
Linden Free Public Library
31 East Henry Street, Linden
908-298-3830
www.lindenpl.org
7 pm
CONCERT
Patricia Kuran Cultural Arts Center (Old Carriage House)
75 Martine Ave, Fanwood
908-322-2463
www.fanwoodperformanceseries.org
8 PM
Apr. 19 & 26
2 PM Matinee
THEATRE
Dreamcatcher Rep @ Oakes Center
120 Morris Avenue, Summit
800-838-3006
www.dreamcatcherrep.org
4 pm
CONCERT
Afternoon Music presents Philadelphia-based Chamber Music Group Elysian Camerata
Beacon Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Summit
4 Waldron Ave. (at Springfield Ave.), Summit
908-273-2899
www.summitbeacon.org
8 PM
May 3
2 PM Matinee
THEATRE
Dreamcatcher Rep @ Oakes Center
120 Morris Avenue, Summit
800-838-3006
www.dreamcatcherrep.org
7 pm
CONCERT
Patricia Kuran Cultural Arts Center (Old Carriage House)
75 Martine Ave., Fanwood
908-322-2463
www.fanwoodperformanceseries.org
May 17 at 2 PM
THEATRE
Westfield Community Players
1000 North Ave. West, Westfield
908-232-1221
www.westfieldcommunityplayers.org
4 pm
INTERACTIVE CONCERT
Linden Free Public Library
31 East Henry Street, Linden
908-298-3830
www.lindenpl.org
7 pm
CONCERT
Patricia Kuran Cultural Arts Center (Old Carriage House)
75 Martine Ave., Fanwood
908-322-2463
www.fanwoodperformanceseries.org
11 pm
MAGIC SHOW
Linden Free Public Library
31 East Henry Street, Linden
908-289-3830
www.lindenpl.org
10:30 pm
INTERACTIVE CONCERT
Linden Free Public Library
31 East Henry Street, Linden
908-298-3830
www.lindenpl.org
4 pm
INTERACTIVE THEATRE
Linden Free Public Library
31 East Henry Street, Linden
908-298-3830
www.lindenpl.org
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities and Community Events
The Office of Community Engagement & Diversity of the County of Union is located within the Department of Economic Development. If you have any questions regarding requesting volunteer services or partnering up with our Office for events, please contact Nathalie Hernandez at 908-527-4880 nahernandez@ucnj.org
Saturday, February 1st 2 Broad Street, Elizabeth Saturday, February 1st 11 S. Broad St, Elizabeth Come celebrate the Lunar New Year at the Elizabeth Public Library! Children and their families will enjoy a story time, craft, and a special dance performance. Saturday, February 1st 1121 Elizabeth Avenue, Elizabeth Through narration, dance, and videos how we traveled from a prosperous Africa to slavery and then to present time. Contact: Charlotte & Ken Brown, 908-943-8116 www.unitedyouthofnj.org Monday, February 3rd 50 Winfield Scott Plaza, Elizabeth Monday, February 3rd 360 Hamilton St, Rahway This program is narrated by WQXR radio personality Terrence McKnight. It will feature music by black women composers: Margaret Bonds & Florence Price. Contact: John Prescott, 908-436-2912 Friday, February 7th Unionโs 4th Annual Black History Month long celebration: Various local Black artists will exhibit their artwork. Refreshments will be served. Free admission Saturday, February 8th 1601 Irving St, Rahway A free presentation of Raisin will be presented at the UCPAC, kicking off a month long celebration honoring Black History Month. Contact: ucnj.org/black-history-month Monday, February 10th 10 Elizabethtown Plaza, Elizabeth-6th Floor-FH Meeting Room Union County will recognize the 400th Anniversary of the transatlantic slave trade and the resilience and cultural contributions of Africans and African Americans to our nation. Lunch will be provided. Contact: Nathalie Hernandez, 908-527-4880 Wednesday, February 12th 123 Hilton Ave, Vauxhall Unionโs 4th Annual Black History Month long celebration: Presented by Dr. Katie Singer, history of faculty at Rutgers University-Newark. There will be a brief introduction to the field of oral history, followed by examples from some local oral history collections and a short workshop for participants who are interested in recording their own familiesโ oral histories. Registration Required: 908-851-5451 Thursday, February 13th Union County residents and visitors have the opportunity to โmeetโ Rosa Parks in a first-person interpreter presentation by Alexandra Ford of the American Historical Theatre. The event is free and is made possible by funding from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities.
Union County Black History Month Inaugural Flag Raising-UC Courthouse
10:00am-10:30am
Lunar New Year Party-Elizabeth Public Library
1:00PM- 2:00pm
New Jersey only surviving Black Wall Street-Liberty Center
2:00pm-4:00pm
Elizabeth Citywide African American History Month Proclamation Signing Program- City Hall Council Chambers
5:00pm-6:00pm
A Langston Hughes Song Revival-UCPAC Hamilton Stage
7:30pm-8:30pm
Black Excellence Art Exhibit- Vauxhall Meeting Center
Hilton Avenue, Vauxhall
6:00pm- 9:00pm
Raisin a Musical-UCPAC Main Stage
7:00pm- 8:00pm
Black History Month Lunch and Learn-Administration Building
12:00pm -1:00pm
Black History, Oral History, & your Familyโs Story-Vauxhall Branch Library
6:00pm- 7:00pm
Trailside Talk features Rosa Parks in Celebration of Black History Month-UC Trailside Nature and Science Center
452 New Providence Rd, Mountainside
7:00pm- 8:00pm
Astronomyย Day
