harlem is … A New Cultural Destination At Harlem Hospital In Harlem

By harlem … is

Community Works/New Heritage Theatre Group is expanding its harlem is . . . Music, Theater & Dance exhibit at Harlem Hospital Center into a multimedia cultural destination.

The project is dedicated to preserving, celebrating, and documenting Harlem’s history and traditions.

Through its exhibitions, performing arts events, workshops, and public programs for intergenerational audiences, the project is a valuable community resource for residents and visitors, youth and community groups, and a showcase for emerging and established Harlem artists.

As Barbara Horowitz, Community Works founder and president, described to a recent meeting of the harlem is . . . project advisory committee, said, “How amazing after touring harlem is. . .  for two decades across the city, how proud we are now to have a permanent home in Harlem and to know that this cultural history will be preserved forever.”

Based on a 25-year partnership between Community Works and New Heritage Theatre Group, the permanent exhibit at the Harlem Hospital Center now offers free scheduled tours to youth, seniors, and community groups to explore the stories of 100 people and places who have helped Harlem to survive and blossom as a cultural neighborhood of national note. The hospital believes that Art Heals and its Mural Pavilion is home of WPA-era murals that were the first to honor everyday lives of Black residents as well as the harlem is. . .  timeline that reflects people and institutions over a century.

On Friday, Oct. 11, an enthusiastic, 30-strong harlem is. . .  advisory met at the hospital to hear plans and to share their ideas. Those attending from various partnering groups embraced the expansion plans and committed to supporting this work through creative collaboration.

A list of participants is below. 

Specific plans include

– Community interactive tours for youth and community groups supported by curriculum materials. 

– Saturdays at harlem is . . . beginning soon as days of concurrent art events and programs designed for families to experience together.

– Public program series – including performances, dialogs and screenings related to the harlem-is exhibit and featuring honorees and special guests. Using the theater and access to exhibit and Mural Pavilion. 

– Website expansion to include new areas reflecting Latin Roots: East Harlem and Latin Roots: Washington Heights qnd relevant images from the exhibit programming.

– New film component commissioned from David Lackey, Whirlwind Creative, as harlem is . . Alive to tell stories of elder legendary honorees. 

Enoch Naklen, 19, has joined harlem is . . . as its arts and marketing administrator and already is active in recruiting and scheduling of free tours and in creatiing helpful, interactive videos about the exhibit offerings. 

Voza Rivers, Executive Producer of New Heritage Theatre Group, said, “The energy that Enoch is producing about the exhibit is admirable as a draw for younger people in particular,” adding that and sees “harlem is . . . is providing a chance even for community members familiar with the names to learn more about their neighborhood.”

Among various specific ideas from the advisory members were programs to increase participation from East Harlem residents and parents; to pursue connections with the new incoming Civil Rights museum and other institutions telling parallel stories; to link the exhibit to tour operations and business opportunities with themes raised by the exhibit, as well as plans from their partnering organizations to help market and promote the exhibit. Jackie Rowe-Adams, who chairs the community relations committee for NYC Health + Hospitals underscored the importance of a hospital becoming a community resource with the inclusion of the exhibit and programming, and this project becoming a model for partnership. 

Groups can tour the exhibit at the hospital at 506 Lenox Ave. at 135th Street on Tuesdays 10 am to 2 pm and Thursdays and Saturdays 12 pm to 4 pm. School and community groups may visit only by appointment by calling 917-757-2242 or emailing bh@communityworksnyc.org.

Harlem Is . . . Advisory Board

• Jackie Rowe-Adams (Founder, Harlem Mothers S.A.V.E., Chair, Community Relations Committee, NYC Health + Hospitals)

• Joyce Adewumi (Founder & President, New York African Chorus Ensemble)

• Tau Battice (photographer and educator, CCNY) 

• Robin Bell-Stevens (director and executive producer, Jazzmobile)

• Kathleen Benson Haskins (Community Activist, Museum of the City of New York, retired) 

• Stephanie Berry (Performer/writer, Founder, Blackberry Productions)

• Dietrice Bolden (Artist/Educator, Managing Director, IMPACT Repertory Theatre)

• Daniel Carlton (Writer & Director/Artist/Educator)

• Ayo Carbon (Community Relations Manager, Apollo Theater)

• Lee Daniels (Writer/Journalist)

• Paul Deo (Multimedia Artist)

• TJ Fleming (Executive Assistant, Voza Rivers, New Heritage Theatre Group)

• Wendy Gaynor (Writer)

• Evern Gillard (Founder, Grandparents Around the World)

• George Harrell (Chair, Arts & Culture committee for Harlem’s Community Board 10)

• Sharema Harvell (Community Engagement Coordinator, District Attorney, New York County)

• Laura Jean Hawkins (Lobbyist)

• Barbara Horowitz (Founder & President, Community Works NYC)

• Josh Horowitz (MTV host/podcaster)

• Linda Humes (Storyteller/Education & Founder, Yaffa Cultural Arts)

• Kenneth Johnson (Organizer, TEDx Harlem & President, East Coast Executives)

• Michael Johnson (President & CEO Harlem Educational Activities Fund) 

• Randy Kennedy (Former Operations Director, Community Works NYC)

• Enoch Naklan (Arts and Marketing Administrator at Harlem Is…)

• Richard Pelzer II (Founder, HarlemCLX)

• Catrina Prioleau (Managing Director, New Heritage Theatre Group)

• Debbie Quinones (Friends of Art Park Alliance) 

• Voza Rivers (Executive Producer, New Heritage Theatre Group)

• Terry Schwadron (Journalist, Musician, Volunteer, Community Works NYC)

• Carmen Vasquez (Hope Community, Deputy Executive Director, retired, Community Activist)

Photo credit: 1-4) harlem … is.