New York (N.Y.)
* Lovari
Born and raised in Queens, and now a resident of Newark, singer/actor Lovari has released his new album "The Rhythm Of Life" (currently on Amazon's Bestseller Soul Chart). A collection of twelve original songs and two remakes, including the title track and Mariah Carey's "Around You", the project is inspired by the sounds of the early 90s r&b/pop genre. The single "Crush On You" reached #2 on SpinReports' R&B chart and the music video "Paparazzi" was featured in the Top Ten of I'm So Newark Short Film Series Contest.Lovari's 2017 film projects include a "Peace Of The...
Carol Glassman
Carol Glassman was born in Brooklyn in 1942 to a first-generation large Jewish immigrant family. She went to public school and then Smith College, where she got involved with the student movement that became known as the New Left. Her activism eventually brought her to Newark, where she was a central member of the Newark Community Union Project (NCUP), part of the Students for a Democratic Society-led effort to organize in poor communities with the eventual goal of creating an “interracial movement of the poor.”In this oral history, she discusses coming into her lesbian identity...
Raymond Proctor (Family Interview)
Raymond Proctor (1934-1988) was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and after high school moved to New York City, following his brother Richard. After attending Seton Hall in northern New Jersey, he was drafted into the army, and spent 1954-56 traveling widely, including Germany, Morocco, and elsewhere. Returning to New Jersey, he worked for the Essex County Welfare Board and got involved in the African American civil rights movement, eventually becoming chairman of the Newark-Essex chapter of CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) in 1964, where along with Richard he led important activist efforts...Tracey Africa Norman
In 2017 the name Tracey Africa Norman has become synonymous with terms like “full circle and comeback kid”. Tracey's modeling career got started, all because she was in the wrong place, at the right time. She'd accidencely wandered into a model casting for the European designer Basile, as luck would have it, Tracey got the booking. Along with several other NYC top models, such as Peggy Dillard, Jennifer Price, Pita Greene and Romney Russo each were featured in this Basile fashion layout, photographed by Mr. Irving Penn, for Italian Vogue.No doubt we've all heard of the "IT"...
Janyce Jackson Jones
Reverend Janyce Jackson Jones, a prominent and respected leader in the community retired after 21 years of dedicated service to her church and to social justice in the city of Newark.Janyce L. Jackson Jones served as Co-Pastor of Unity Fellowship Church located in Newark, NJ. UFC Newark, is a member of the non-denominational Unity Fellowship Church Movement, a Social Justice Ministry that seeks to minister to all people, regardless of race, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, or ethnicity.
Prior to Co-Pastoring at UFC Newark, Reverend Jackson served...
Douglas Says
There’s an impressive résumé attached to the name Douglas Says, which includes working with a list of celebrity photographers such as; Mike Ruiz, Fadil Berisha, Alex Chatelain, Ghillian Lewin, Marc Baptiste, Dah Len, Keith Majors, Anthony Barboza, Joe Grant, Ernest Collins, Martha Camarillo and Jerry Jack. It is often said by stylist, that Douglas Says… is one of the most important, yet under exposed designers around. Douglas is one of the undergrounds, best kept secrets! He’s a classically trained designer, with knowledge of fashions historical pass, yet firmly looking forward into tomorrow...Darnell L. Moore
Because Darnell has written of his earlier life experiences elsewhere, this interview focuses primarily on his time in Newark. For powerful autobiographical reflections on growing up in Camden, NJ, see his two-part essay "Reflections of a Black Queer Suicide Survivor": Part I | Part II
Darnell L. Moore is a Senior Correspondent at MicNews, Co-Managing/Editor at The Feminist Wire and writer-in-residence at the Center on African American Religion, Sexual Politics and Social Justice at Columbia University. Along with NFL player Wade Davis II, he co-founded YOU Belong, a social...
Bryan Epps
Bryan Matthew Charles Epps is a policy wonk and community lover. He has worked for Mayor’s Cory A. Booker and Michael Bloomberg conducting outreach and training to the not-for-profit sector and performance management for city departments. Currently Epps directs a historical human rights based nonprofit and operates a beverage startup. As a Newark native Epps has dedicated himself to helping to build community as founding board chair of People's Prep high-school and First Advisory board chair of HMI:NJ and a former President of the James Street Neighborhood Association. He studied Urban Policy...Rodney Gilbert
Rodney Gilbert (July 27, 1967 - November 8, 2017) was the founder and CEO of Yendor Productions, a Newark-based firm that consults, develops, and produces arts education programming and events. Yendor Productions was founded in 2003 to meet the challenges for the under served artists and communities. Mr. Gilbert has worked in professional theatre for over thirty years. He was a graduate of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where he earned a BFA. He served the arts community through acting instruction for various institutions and organization as one of the leading teaching artists...Venice Brown
Venice Brown earned her GED from Cape Fear Community College. She received her Cosmetology License from the College of Wilmington, North Carolina where she lives and works part-time at a hair salon and at Cape Fear College. She had a baby boy, Jasiah, who just turned four and co-parents with her girlfriend whom she has known since they were twelve years old. As Venice’s mom says, “Venice would give you the shirt off her back, but do not disrespect her friends.”Venice has spoken at the University of California – San Diego for The Nicholas Papadopoulos Endowed Lecture in Gay & Lesbian...