Jason Howard Green

Jason Howard Green

Sunday, February 24, 2008

See Some of the Original

A Raisin In The Sun Airs Tomorrow



Guess what - it's for free, it's my gift to you. We'll thank you P. Diddy. Please ya'll don't miss this. Diddy, Phylicia Rashad, Audra McDonald, Sanaa Lathan are just some of the names in this all star cast. This remake of the film made famous by Sydney Poitier and Ossie & Ruby Dee Davis is a must see for everyone as it is a story that is relevent to everyone.

Harry Lennix at ASU - Free Event

In honor of Black History Mongy, Arizona State University will be presenting an evening with Harry Lennix. The evening is titled "Acting While Black, A Conversation with Harry Lennix" and it takes place on Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 4:30 PM in the Lyceum Theater (ASU main). Lennix is a stage and screen actor and will discuss how his race affects his opportunities and approaches in acting.

Please visit this link for additional information:
http://asunews.asu.edu/20080228_actinglecture

Thursday, February 21, 2008

In The Life Celebration Kicks Off


It's finally here. The Soul Purpose Committee is proud to invite you to The In The Life Celebration. Kick off is tomorrow night at ASU. If you're able to attend please come out and join us for this phenomenal event. As you know this is Black History Month, and there have been many events around the city to celebrate. But there have been none like this. This is our weekend to celebrate gay and lesbian African-Americans that have helped shape our world.

Tomorrow night we will be showing the amazing documentary Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin. Rustin was the organizer of the 1963 March on Washington where Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his unforgettable I Have A Dream Speech. We will start with a reception that begins at 7:00, introduce Soul Purpose and then go into the movie. Everything is happening at Neeb Hall on the ASU main campus. Neeb Hall is just off University Ave on Forest Ave (Forest is just two blocks over from Mill Ave). FYI - this event is free.

Saturday registration begins at 8:30 AM and then there are a plethora of workshops that kickoff at 9:00. Topics you will see in the workshops: Economic Empowerment,Mating Dating and Relating, Being Black and Gay, Male (and male identified) Sex Workshop, Female (and female identified) Sex Workshop, and Reclaiming Your Spiritual Power. There will also be a Power Through Poetry Workshop. So if your a closet poet or an amazing spoken word artist, please share some of your writings here (or just bring something inspirations by your favorite poet/ essayist).

On Saturday evening, we're still at Neeb Hall and we will be celebrating those individuals that are currently doing amazing things in there field. It is the Awards Ceremony and Hair/ Fashion Show. Awards will be presented in the area of Spirituality, Youth Activism, Health & Wellness, Education, and General Activism. There will be presentations from Urban Hair Saloon and the House of Miasia.

Saturday night, enjoy a night out on the town and follow us over to Club Vibe (32nd Street and Indian School). This is the official afterparty for In The Life. Great music, fun people, and just an overall pleasant environment. Come out and get your swerve on if only for one night.

Sunday - we're gonna have church. At 9:00 AM at the One Voice Community Center (4314 N. 7th Avenue in the Melrose Center) we will be honored by a representative from the Unity Fellowship Church LA. Rev. Thornhill is visiting for this historic event and will close out the weekend with a sermon.

Following the service - please join for a fabulous Jazz Brunch at Johnny Uptowns (located on Central and Camelback). For $14.95 (includes food, drink and gratuity) you'll get to enjoy the best Sunday brunch in the valley. And you'll get to listen to some amazing live music as we continue to fellowship.

Now you may not be able to join us for everything - but please have your face in the place sometime over the course of the weekend. This event has been an intense labor of love for everyone involved (I've been averaging 4 hours of sleep each night this week). But it's totally been worth it. So PLEASE come out. I'll be looking for you.






Friday, February 15, 2008

Dirty Laundry Now on DVD

It's a great time to be Black and gay. So many wonderful things happening in our community right now. One of those many wonderful things includes the release of Maurice Jamal's Dirty Laundry to dvd. I've said it repeatedly and I'll continue to say it, if you don't support this - who will.
Please, please, please, please, please go out and buy this movie. Not supporting sends a message that there is not a market for items like this and I don't want to go back to the invisible life.
If you have seen the movie, please let me know what you thought about it in the comments section below.

HOT, HOT, HOT. News on Noah

Hey ya'll, I haven't posted in a while, been very busy getting ready for the In The Life Celebration (so I better see yo face in the place when we kick off next weekend). But I had to post this.

Everybody's been wondering - what's up with Noah? Is there going to be a movie? Why did Wade choose me and not you?

Well this was just announced yesterday. I'm so excited I could just spit.
Please click on this link to find out the tea. http://www.newnownext.com/2008/02/noahs-arc.html
So you heard. So what do you think.

Thursday, February 7, 2008

The Bilereico Project and LGBT Black History Month

The Bilerico Project is celebrating LGBT Black History Month by profiling various individuals in the community each day of the month. Please visit the site to read these articles (and take the time to browse through others).

I mentioned previously how much in love I am with this site.

http://www.bilerico.com/2008/02/bilerico_celebrates_black_history_month.php
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/02/yes_black_glbt_history_exists.php
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/02/black_history_lgbt_profiles_elder_kevin.php
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/02/black_history_lgbt_profiles_day_2_mandy.php
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/02/black_lgbt_history_day_3_dr_horace_griff.php
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/02/nbjc_black_history_lgbt_profiles_day_4.php
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/02/black_lgbt_history_day_5_morris_price.php
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/02/black_lgbt_history_day_6_donna_payne.php
http://www.bilerico.com/2008/02/black_lgbt_history_day_7_kai_wright.php

VNSA Book Sale Coming


Just in case you're not aware, the annual VNSA Book Sale will be happening this weekend at the state fair grounds. This is the largest used book sale that happens in the state. Thousands of books will be available for pennies on the dollar. If you're a reader, this is an event you may want to check out.


Hope to see you there!

African American Lives 2



This is a much watch. If you did not watch it last night, please check your local listings to find out when it airs again.

And the original is a must to own on DVD.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/103-1849843-5147042?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=african+american+lives

DL Chronicles Comes Out on DVD

It is the day of the gay Black man. There is definitely more and more visibility happening in our community. Books and movies are coming out that reflect LGBT black folk, and more leaders are standing up and coming out every day. It's amazing.
That being said, the DL Chronicles has now hit stores. These stories are about African-American men that live double lives. Now I'm definitely not one to celebrate people living lives of deceit but I am looking forward to seeing how this lifestyle is portrayed on film.


To see the trailer:





To purchase:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/002-8649077-5668050?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=dl+chronicles

Friday, February 1, 2008

A Climate of Fear and Hatred

In Ponce de Leon, FL, a high school has deemed that any propoganda that supports gay rights is illegal and would be considered disruptive to learning. So any student that shows up with a rainbow sticker on a binder or simply says to another student "I support gay rights" could be suspended for contributing to a disruptive environment. The ACLU has filed a lawsuit against the school stating that the school is "trampling the First Amendment rights of students who support equal rights for gay people." The school's stand is that students that promote the gay lifestyle are a part of a secret illegal organization.
This just bothers me for so many reason. One - where the hell does the school get off? Do they really think it's okay to do this. Two - don't they know this will foster an environment where some will think it's okay to harass and harm. This homophobic stance of the school administration will definitely translate to homophobia in the students (hatred is a learned behavior). And finally - the damage this will do to the gay and lesbian students themselves. This is a message to those students that this part of their lives needs to be silenced. There is a reason there is a high rate of suicide among LGBT youth and this school is only adding to the problem.
Did I only dream that we made it to the new millenium? Oh yeah - we're talking about a school in the South. I'm from the South and yes there are still plenty of ignorant people there. And unfortunately lots of them are still in positions of power. Luckily - many of them are old. They're just not dying off fast enough.

Don't Cha Wish Yo Girl Was Hot Like This

The new reality show The Pussycat Dolls present Girlicious has landed. The show follows 15 hot young thangs in their attempt to gain a spot in the new girl group created by the PCD founder Robin Antin. Among the hopefuls in the Girlicious game is Ms. Keisha. Keisha comes from North Hollywood and is a self-professed lesbian. I think that's hot. Keisha would definitely add some flava to the group I'm sure.


Good luck to Keisha. I'm not a follower of reality TV (except for the Idol, oh yeah and Top Model, and I forgot about Project Runway - maybe I do like some reality) but I wish you the best. Hopefully we'll be celebrating your victory at the end of the season.

Wesley Snipes Acquited

Wesley Snipes was finally found not guilty of federal tax fraud and conspiracy charges today. Snipes was indicted on these charges in 2006 after the government became aware that he failed to file tax returns between 1999 and 2004. His defense in court was bad advice. His two advisors were his accountant, Douglas P. Rosile, and the founder of a tax protest group, Eddie Ray Kahn. Kahn and Rosile informed Snipes that he didn't have to pay taxes because the IRS is not a proper government entity and therefore had no legal authority to collected wages. Under the the bad counsel of these individuals, Wesley not only stop filing taxes but demanded previous taxes that he had paid be returned. Kahn and Rosile were found guilty of the fraud and conspiracy charges.
I really like Wesley and was hoping for a decent outcome of this trial. He was found guilty of three misdemeanor counts of failing to file a tax return. This could carry a possible sentence of three years in prison (much less than the possible 16 he was facing with the initial charge), but hopefully there will just be probation.
My granny told me years ago that the only gurantees in life were death and taxes. See - we should listen to our elders.