Whether you’re a candidate or are simply interested in working on a local campaign, please join us for an informal evening of networking and politicking.

Current candidates and campaign managers will be provided table space to provide information on their campaign and are encouraged to bring a sign-up sheet to enlist volunteers. For more information, contact Grassroots Initiative at 212.400.0531 or events@gograssroots.org.

Individuals who are interested in working on campaigns are encouraged to bring resumes and business cards.

Space is limited so please do not wait to RSVP. Grassroots Initiative is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) charitable organization; contributions - including the tickets to Cocktails with Candidates - are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.

Subway Directions:
4, 5, 6, L, N, R, Q, W to 14th Street/Union Square
F, 1, 2, 3 to 14th Street

When:
Thursday, August 21, 2008 from 06:00 PM - 09:00 PM (ET)

Location:
Retreat
37 W 17th Street
New York, NY 10011

Click for Details and Registration Information

Grassroots Initiative is the nation’s first non-profit election consulting firm. Founded in 2005, the organization provides free technical assistance to candidates and publicly-subsidized campaign resources to ensure that public service is accessible regardless of race, creed or economic status.  For more information, visit www.gograssroots.org

For more info, click here.

Synopsis: Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, this astonishingly powerful documentary is at once horrifying and exhilarating. Directed and produced by Fahrenheit 9/11 and Bowling for Columbine producers Tia Lessin and Carl Deal, Trouble the Water takes you inside Hurricane Katrina in a way never before seen on screen.

The film opens the day before the storm makes landfall—just blocks away from the French Quarter but far from the New Orleans that most tourists knew. Kimberly Rivers Roberts, an aspiring rap artist, is turning her new video camera on herself and her 9th Ward neighbors trapped in the city. “It’s going to be a day to remember,” Kim declares. As the hurricane begins to rage and the floodwaters fill their world and the screen, Kim and her husband Scott continue to film their harrowing retreat to higher ground and the dramatic rescues of friends and neighbors.

The filmmakers document the couple’s return to New Orleans, the devastation of their neighborhood and the appalling repeated failures of government. Weaving an insider’s view of Katrina with a mix of verité and in-your-face filmmaking, Trouble the Water is a redemptive tale of self-described street hustlers who become heroes—two unforgettable people who survive the storm and then seize a chance for a new beginning.

Trouble the Water will open in New York and Los Angeles on August 22, 2008 with a nationwide release to follow.

Harlem Screenings: Friday, August 22nd to Sunday, September 7th @ the Faison Firehouse Theater, 124th Street bet. St. Nicholas & Morningside take the A, B, C, D to 125th St. and walk 1 block south.

Harlem Appearance Schedule:

• Friday, August 22nd - 7pm, Intro by Danny Glover
• Friday, August 22nd - 9:30pm, Q & A w/ Danny Glover, the directors Tia Lessin and Carl Deal, and Kim and Scott Roberts
• Saturday, August 23rd - 7pm, Intro by Warrington Hudlin
• Sunday, August 24th - 7pm - Q&A w/ Damon Todd Hewitt (Director, NAACP LDF Katrina Project), Brenda Stokely (NY Solidarity Coalition with Katrina/Rita Survivors), Joetta Rogers (Northeast Region Katrina Survivors Assembly)

Showtimes: Tuesday to Friday at 7pm and 9:30pm; and Saturday and Sunday at 5pm, 7pm and 9:30pm.

Tickets: are available online and 30 minutes before showtime at the Faison Firehouse Theater.

Screenings Around NYC: Click Here

Click image for details.

Neal Gettinger / A sewage-filled ditch in Cité Soleil,
a sprawling slum on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Copyright 2005 The New York Times Company.

Lecture/Discussion: From its inception as the first black republic to the current struggles against US imperialism, Haiti is steeped in revolutionary history. Tonight’s panel will examine the current conditions of the Haitian workers movement, in light of the search and appointment of a Prime Minister. The discussion will focus on the connecting of Haiti to the global food crisis as well as effects of the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas.

Date: Friday, August 22, 2008

Time: 7:30 pm

Location: 451 West Street (between Bank & Bethune Streets)

More info: Click here

Synopsis: In the controversial, original and provocative documentary Disappearing Voices – The Decline of Black Radio, director U-Savior Washington takes an unprecedented look at the rise and fall of an art form unique to America – Black radio.

Date: Thursday, August 21, 2008

Time: 7:30 pm

Location: 451 West Street (between Bank & Bethune Streets)

More info: Click here

Synopsis: A heady time of change and chains the 1960s was defined by a common effort to fight against injustice. And Chicago filmmaker Mike Gray was there using his camera to document the politics of the streets. AMERICAN REVOLUTION 2 is a rare cinematic treasure that captures the social upheaval that followed the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. From the riots that followed two disparate groups the Black Panthers and the Young Patriots (a group of poor Southern whites living in Chicago) emerge to unite against prejudice and injustice in their city. Gray s gritty no-frills style is spontaneous and purposeful suggesting a you-are-there quality that captures the excitement of the era. Shot verite style with no script hand-held camera direct sound and natural lighting the look is rough raw and real much like the city it depicted.

Date: Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Time: 7:30 pm

Location: 451 West Street (between Bank & Bethune Streets)

More info: Click here

Time: August 27, 2008 at 7pm
Location: S.O.B.’s
Website or Map: http://sobs.com/
Contact Info: 212-243-4940

Sol Village, hottest Neo-Soul/R&B singer-songwriter showcase in New York @ S.O.B.’s on August 27. Doors will open @ 7pm. Hosted by: Eric Roberson, Music by: The Collective, and Visuals by: Karey Maurice, Red Balloon Studio and Dj Magneto.

For more info, Click Here

The Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) will launch a new campaign “My Son is My Life” that emphasizes the importance of family support, and in particular, the significance of fathers in the lives of their gay sons. While the campaign speaks directly to fathers of black gay men, it also challenges gay men to think critically about the effect fathers may have on their sense of self and their intimate relationships with other men.

“Families are critically important to young men of color and this campaign builds on the strength and resiliency of those bonds,” stated Dr. Marjorie Hill, Chief Executive Officer of GMHC. “We recognize the complexities in the lives of young men of color who have sex with men. Thus, HIV prevention efforts should speak to the realities faced by these young men on a daily basis. We cannot simply deliver a message of “use condoms” or “be tested for HIV. It is imperative to address the myriad of underlying factors which contribute to the transmission of HIV, including homophobia, racism, poverty, isolation, stigma, poor body image, and inadequate access to health care.”

The campaign will be in telephone kiosks throughout New York City. Posters and palm cards will also be distributed to community-based organizations, local businesses, bars and clubs. The cards provide supportive information for parents including the contact information for the organization, PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays).

“All young people need the strong support of family to grow up healthy and safe,” said Drew Tagliabue, Executive Director of PFLAG New York City. “This is especially vital for young gay men who are at higher risk of contracting HIV. Many parents don’t know how to react when a child tells them he is gay. This campaign gets across the message that it is most important for a parent to let their child know they love him no matter what. You can deal with your own feelings later, but it is essential to stay close to your child.”

On August 2, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced a revised estimate of HIV infections in the United States — 53% were among gay and bisexual men. In 2007, New York City health officials indicated a 33% increase of HIV infections among young gay men in the past six years —77% of these new infections were of black and Latino men.

H/T

JUST LIKE the Obama girl, Obama has a crush on Obama.

Barack Obama always was a larger-than-life candidate with a healthy ego. Now he’s turning into the A-Rod of politics. It’s all about him …

A convention hall isn’t good enough for the presumptive Democratic nominee. He plans to deliver his acceptance speech in the 75,000 seat stadium where the Denver Broncos play. Before a vote is cast, he’s embarking on a foreign policy tour that will use cheering Europeans - and America’s top news anchors - as extras in his campaign. What do you expect from a candidate who already auditioned a quasi-presidential seal with the Latin inscription, “Vero possumus” - “Yes, we can”?

– Joan Vennochi, “The audacity of ego” (Boston Globe)

And Massa said, “Who let you in here? Yes, you. With that inconveniently independent mind armed with facts. With your standing up straight and talking white, looking The Man directly in the eye. Just who do you think you are? Because you’re not me. You’re nothing like me who is better than you. So you are an insult to me. You refute my long-held beliefs about you so you must be proven wrong.

“This is a trick. This is a gimmick. This is a game. I am the fleet of foot and you are the beast of burden. I placed shackles on your feet so that you would never get off the ground, yet there you are, an indictment of me, flying high above me, doing me one better, twice better, thrice better over and over again. Who released you from those chains because someone like you could have never figured out how to get out of them yourself.

“Who gave you the right, the permission, the clearance, the verification and insinuation that you are free? Who did this? Who taught you to read? It was against the law and you are too obtuse to understand the meaning of these words, yet you insist on speaking them. Yet you insist on looking me in the eye and demanding that I address you by your name. Who do you think you are and who let you in here? I said, who let you in here where the sign said niggers and women need not apply?”

—

They lost their shit. All of them.

Since this election cycle began, since all the eyes were fixated, for good and for bad, on a woman and black man, and now, just the black man alone. The charismatic yet serious senator from Illinois, Barack Obama, is a magnet who attracts the adoration and the fears. And in those fears he is the sum. He is their devil, the fiend, the infiltrator, the agitator, the infuriation, the Antichrist or one better, the “uppity Negro” — the man who would did not know his place.

Some black people make terrible slaves. Like Frederick Douglass who kept running away even after his first attempt failed. He stole himself, that’s what the Fugitive Slave Act would later say. He was the dish and the spoon, the commodity, the property tossing the burden off his back running away. Like the song, steal away, he stole himself away, reclaiming himself, becoming the providence and property of himself and himself alone.

Like Harriet Tubman, Du Bois and thousands of lesser known others looked at their situation and said, “Not me. Not ever. I don’t know about you, but I’m making break for it.” Like my mother’s great grandfather, Grandpa Ben, who remembered his father and a gaggle of relatives, sisters and brothers and mother, all sneaking out in the dark of night, hidden in wagon, covered in a cloth. Absconding away from Mississippi, never to return again. My mother does not know what was the principle event that caused her great-great grandfather to decide he had to get his entire family, cousins and all, out of Mississippi. Did Massa die and were they facing being sold and separated? So many things can cause a slave to run, but in the end he needed no specific act to justify his actions. They chose the great unknown over the known. They went down the road less traveled. They were horrible slaves.

Barack Obama is not the decedent from slaves. Unlike most black Americans he has a place in Africa that has a name that he can claim as his own. But he was born and raised an American, taking in all the benefits and disadvantages of being brown in a white world. He could have taken the easy road. He could have simply be a lawyer and live a quiet, nice, noble but unremarkable life. But like all people who are filled with an ambition burning hot inside, a mix of righteousness and ego, brilliance and manifest destiny, he reached for the heights and ascended, looked from his perch and rather than be content and satisfied as the second black senator to be elected from Illinois, he looked at his accomplishments and had the audacity to say, “More.”

Who let you in here? Who do you think you are?

His head is too high and his neck is too straight. He looks people in the eye. He speaks the words and knows their power and meaning. He is the center of the attention for good and for bad because he is what his opponent is not. He is attractive, he is sleek, he is young, he is new and he is making history. For the Democrats he is the completion of their perceived redemption as the antagonists and tormentors of “Segregation today. Segregation tomorrow. Segregation forever.” For others he is their worst nightmare. A black political wunderkind.

“[W]ho is he and who … the heck does this guy think he is, is becoming a real issue for Barack Obama.” Buchanan then accused Obama of “act[ing] like, you know, he thinks he is the Lord’s gift to mankind.” — Patrick J. Buchanan, Media Matters

Who were we to think we could drink out of the same water fountain?

Everyone is talking about that uppity Negro, that uppity nigger who does not know his place. “Places, Please!” shouts the establishment at Barack, Michelle and any other high-minded son-of-a-bitch who has the nerve to think they could rule the world. There is nothing more insulting that a precocious black child talking back to his elders, his superiors, his supremacists. There is nothing that enrages them more.

With his campaign for president, Obama is acting out, showing out, insulting them with his talent and skill. The best they can do is call it “narcissism,” like Joan Vennochi did in her column for the Boston Globe.

“A presidential candidate is supposed to get bigger on the national stage. That doesn’t mean his head should, too,” she wrote.

Hubris, they shouted, is a charge every politician in the history of government can be accused of. It is an arrogant thing to believe that you are the one who can lead. But one wouldn’t want some sullen, broken-backed, mouth-breather nervously negotiating our contracts and legislation.

There’s an inherent arrogance required in thinking you can govern a country of 300 Million people. But the folks behind the stories on Obama’s “arrogance” seem to be plainly offended at the idea that Obama is seriously running for president, because apparently some people thought he was just here to make them feel better about race.

But I also think it’s possible for them to overplay this card. When I see Joe Lieberman on Meet the Press repeating “good young man” like he’s been practicing it in a mirror, ( I guess that’s what they say in Connecticut instead of “boy”) and CBS mocking Obama for having a nice campaign plane, (Word? Not everybody’s wife has their own plane, CBS.) I start to wonder whether they’ve been playing this “uppity” card a bit too much. Most people care more about being accused of being racist than actual racism, but I think people also generally recoil when the racism of a particular remark becomes obvious. Aside from Gergen, media critic James Rainey in the LA Times is also pointing out that the “arrogant” storyline is ridiculous. Of course, we all know what they’re really saying.

– “Over Playing The ‘Uppity Card,’” Jack and Jill Politics

Many writers and bloggers pointed out the uppity paradox, where anything Obama does can be spun into brazen gall. Author Ishamael Reed also took notice of this in his analysis of the insensitivity some white feminists and white male commentators had towards blacks and Obama’s campaign, tying it in to a recurring storying line of “uppitiness.” Blogger Field Negro proclaimed this was a case of Americans loving that their presidents were “elite” until the black elite came around.

When Mrs. Clinton, during a debate, commented that voters found Obama more “likeable” than Mrs. Clinton, Obama said that Mrs. Clinton was “likeable enough.” Obama’s reply prompted an Ante Bellum white man, Karl Rove, to refer to Obama as “a smarmy, prissy little guy taking a slap at her.” …

– “Going Old South on Obama,” Counter Punch

I submit to you that A-merry-cans wanted their Presidents to be elite. That is, until, this potential President. This one, they don’t want to be elite. “There is nothing a white man with a penny hates more than a nigger with a nickle.” Sorry “O” man, no elitism or uppity behavior from you. Here in A-merry-ca we will not tolerate an uppity black man.

– “The Uppity Candidate,” The Field Negro

Places, please! It’s getting out of control, the Obamas’ faces on every magazine. It was too good to be real so they searched for the lies. In Salon, Edward McClelland, an author and former correspondent for the Chicago Reader, wrote that Obama was once a cold stiff who liked people to know he was from Harvard. He repeated the line that Obama wasn’t “black” enough for the South side of Chicago and that the senator had to earn his “ghetto pass.” He was too high for the perceived low of blackness. He didn’t speak the language was the essence of McClelland’s piece. He had no rhythm. He was an elitist and dull. The smug man drinking out of the white water fountain was too incredulous to be real.

Obama just couldn’t — or wouldn’t — loosen up. The dignified demeanor that had won him a state Senate seat in the university community of Hyde Park did not translate to the district’s inner-city precincts. His internal rhythm was set to “Pomp and Circumstance.” “Arrogant,” scoffed a South Side radio host. Even his body language signaled he was slumming.

– “How Obama learned to be a natural,” Salon.com

McClelland writes that as Obama transformed over the next four years into the politician he is today he voted for him twice, amazed by the brilliant speaker before him, but the written words still sting, still follow the meme of “twice as good” being too good. MJ Rosenburg of Talking Points Memo writes that the uppity smear is a winning strategy for McCain, painting Obama as the elite “other,” proclaiming that, “Racism dies hard in America.” On the blog Being! Or Nothingness the author notes the very “Southern” attitude critics have taken to Obama,

“Imagine, a black man who thinks he’s better than you! Why, that uppity negro needs to be put in his place.”

Just who do they think they are being bright and beautiful and ubiquitous? Who opened the door and let them in the master’s house? They’re sleeping in his bed and drinking his wine. They’ve made themselves comfortable and at home and it looks like they’re not leaving anytime soon. Their adorable daughters playing in the yard. And the Kennedy allusions make them sick. (more)

OK, a reader wrote to me venting her frustrations about the new relationship category of “wifey.” It seems as though we now have the categories of: single, married, divorced, and has-a-wifey. It’s a peculiar moniker indeed for one’s significant other. It actually sounds rather sweet. It seems to occupy the space between girlfriend and wife. But to me, it signifies exactly what’s wrong with relationships today.

(I’m not sure if this term has permeated the white community yet, but like everything else black folks do, its coming.)

Now at first glance it would seem that calling someone your “wifey” is a compliment, an expression of their commitment to you, an elevation of you from girlfriend to something more. But upon further examination of what this term means and who exactly benefits from the designation, the “wifey” title is revealed to be a total and complete cop-out.

In a culture where committed relationships are rare and marriages even rarer, it seems that men and women are settling for a cheap imitation. Wifey is often described as “not your only, but your favorite” or “wife material.” I had a friend of mine who told me that he reserves expensive gifts for wifey and gives the other women cheap things. But unfortunately, the “wifey” designation is not a stepping stone to marriage, it’s the final stop. The notion of commitment has morphed from being with only one person, to having one special person that you treat a little better than the others. And you know whats really scary: women are eating that sh*t up! (More)

Give that nod to Carl Lewis, right, who won nine gold medals over four Olympics, including the long jump four games in a row. Unlike Phelps, Lewis won his medals doing two very different things, using his speed to win the 100 and 200 meters and his leaping ability for the long jump.

He likely would have had even more medals but the United States boycotted the 1980 games in Moscow where Lewis had qualified in the long jump and as a member of the 400 relay team.

“I don’t want to appear to be putting Phelps down,” said David Wallechinsky, the Olympic historian who has literally written the book on the games. “But I need a little more longevity to name him the best Olympian ever.” (Full Article)

Location: Shrine Bar and Restaurant, 2271 Adam Clayton Powell jr. Blvd. (7th Avenue) bet. 133rd & 134th Streets

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Brooklyn Urban Arts Market
Aug 24, Sep 7 & 21
12—8pm
Myrtle Avenue between Grand and Emerson

This summer, party and shop at the Brooklyn Urban Arts Market, a fusion of the dynamic energy of Afro-Punk and BAM with Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project’s Community initiatives. The market will feature live music, visual art performances, food from Myrtle Avenue restaurants, and 50 local, DIY vendors selling fashion, art, and accessories.

Directions: 2 blocks from Clinton/Washington and Classon Ave G trains (along Lafayette Ave) and 5 blocks from Clinton/Washington C train stop (along Washington Ave)

Aug 24
Slick Rick with Band
The Eclectic Collective
Dub Trio

Sep 7
Afrika Bambaataa
CX KiDTRONiK live KraKstravaganza
w special guest rap pioneer “The Ramm:Ell:Zee”
Mickey Factz

Sep 21
Rich Medina
Game Rebellion
Millsted
No Surrender

Charlie Parker Jazz Festival 2007 - Harlem
Steve Coleman, Michael Bowie, Cassandra Wilson

The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival annually assembles some of the finest musicians in the world who reflect Parker’s musical individuality and genius, to promote appreciation for this highly influential and world-renowned artist. The two days of free concerts take place in neighborhoods where Charlie Parker lived and worked, in Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park and the Lower East Side’s Tompkins Square Park.

On both days, the music starts at 3:00 PM.

Saturday, August 23
Marcus Garvey Park
124th St. & Mt. Morris Park

Sunday, August 24
Tompkins Square Park
E. 8th St. Between Aves. A & B

To find out more info about the line up, click here.

Congressman Charles B. Rangel along with The Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, The New York Road Runners, NY City Department of Parks & Recreation and NYC & Company in concert with our major local Hospitals and Colleges invite you, your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and fellow New Yorkers to join with us in our mission to promote the health of our communities, to combat obesity & diabetes and support Organ Donation by taking a health walk with your loved ones through Historic Harlem.  We will visit three (3) of Harlem’s Historic Parks, beginning at Morningside Park, going to St. Nicholas Park, ending at Jackie Robinson Park.

Date: Saturday, August 23, 2008

Time: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

For more info and to register, visit harlemhealthyliving.com.

Synopsis: Faced with a drought that endangers the continuity of their people, Masai elders are convinced that they have been cursed by the Red God — the God of Vengeance. Following the death of the war chief, a group of adolescents must now cross over to adulthood, forced to quickly form a new generation of inexperienced but brave warriors. The young men must bring back the mane of a legendary lion, which appears at every critical period of Masai history to appease the wrath of the Red God and bring back the rains. The survival of their culture depends on this quest.

Date: Friday, August 22, 2008

Rain Date: Saturday, August 23, 2008

Time: 8:00 pm

Location: Fulton Park (Corner of Utica Avenue and Fulton Street, A or C Train to Utica Avenue stop)

Guest, Miostis Munoz, Van Woods, Gary James, Alan Inman,
Elison Elliott, Myles Matthews, Peggy Hampton, Judith Riggs

In the wake of a successful, brilliantly organized and executed campaign to win the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States, Senator Barack Obama has inspired a broad-based Republican and Democratic coalition to win the presidency in November.

The members of this bi-partisan coalition argue that the post-partisan message brought by the presumptive Democratic Party nominee to the national elective process, and the high level of intellect and civility demonstrated, requires the citizenry at large to conquer both the politics of polarization and emotional or divisive wedge issues.

Accordingly, the “New Era Republicans and Democrats Unite for Obama” scheduled a press conference at Sylvia’s Restaurant on Thursday, July 31, 2008. Those at the gathering publicly endorsed the presidential candidacy of Senator Barack Obama and set forth their national agenda concluding with victory on Election Day.

This unique political amalgamation of voters on behalf of the Democratic Senator of Illinois was spearheaded by New York based Republicans. They subsequently dubbed themselves as “New Era Republicans” in keeping with the new generation politics of the candidate. New Era Republicans were inspired to reach out to interested Democratic supporters of the Senator to unite in a bi-partisan coalition.

Van Woods, one of the proprietors of Sylvia’s Restaurant says: “I am excited about the prospect of linking our efforts in New York with Republican and Democratic Friends for Obama across the country as there is an unfolding political groundswell emerging that is intergenerational, interracial, and “fired up and ready to go. I will be personally talking to my family, friends and associates to make it happen.”

Gary James, a longtime leader of the grassroots activist wing of the Republican Party said, “New Era Republicans are primed to act as surrogates on behalf of candidate Obama to media, particularly relating to the anticipated Republican and conservative wedge issue attacks and the typical political dirty tricks, personal vitriol, and vituperative emotional rhetoric.”

Alan Inman, who served as the Director of the National Black Republican Council says that “real change in the country will require us all to do things differently, including how we think politically.”
Miosotis Munoz, President of Munoz and Associates and former staff advisor to Congressman Rangel states that “together, we have the power to change the national elective process and strengthen America with a bi-partisan coalition of voters.”

Following the press conference, immediate plans call for a fundraiser on September 28, at which time a secret campaign weapon will be disclosed. Participants in this 21st century brand of electoral politics subscribe to the notion that a multi party political strategy is required to save America and facilitate the opportunity for citizens to achieve the blessings of liberty.

To learn about other Republicans who support Obama, click here.

As Barack Obama tries to draw hundreds of thousands of new voters to the polls, Republicans are beginning to scrutinize registrants’ eligibility as both sides draw a major battle line over voting rights.

Republicans are moving to examine surges in voter registrations in some states. A Republican lawyers group held a national training session on election law over the weekend that included campaign attorneys for Sen. John McCain and other Republican leaders. One session discussed how party operatives can identify and respond to instances of voter fraud.

Republicans said they are particularly worried about prospects for fraud in Virginia and Pennsylvania, and are beginning to comb thousands of new registrations in those states for ineligible applicants. In some cases the huge numbers threaten to swamp their efforts — and those of state and local governments to verify and process applications.

Election officials in Virginia and other states say there is no evidence of widespread fraud so far. Numerous studies have found fraud and other voting irregularities in past elections to be infrequent and generally not prevalent enough to influence the outcomes of most contests. Some Republican lawyers say that despite the huge numbers of new registrations in some areas, this year’s problems could be fewer compared to prior years, because of improved procedures and tougher rules.

Obama campaign general counsel Bob Bauer last Tuesday said in a memorandum to campaign supporters that their own voter legal defense operation is under way, earlier than those of previous Democratic campaigns, including legal counsel on the ground in 50 states. The campaign is working closely with the Democratic Party, which said it has spent three years building a voter-protection program that includes more than 18 paid staff and 7,000 lawyers. The personnel deployed Aug. 1 and are dealing directly with local elections officials.

In just about every election, understaffed polling sites, malfunctioning voting machines and outdated voter data are reported. Such bureaucratic problems often are rolled into the divide between Democrats and Republicans over who should vote and how — a battle that has become more intense since the 2000 Florida recount.

Traditionally, Democrats favor fewer checks on verification and greater access to voting to encourage larger turnouts, particularly among lower-income and minority voters, who tend to favor Democrats. Republicans usually push for closer monitoring, in such forms as laws with strict requirements for voters to present identification, which can result in lower turnout.

The nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice, which monitors elections, projects registrations this year will surpass the total from any previous single election year, building on momentum from the record 20 million registrations for the combined election cycles of 2004 and 2006. Newcomers helped drive turnouts for the Democratic primaries, which drew roughly 19.5 million more voters than in 2004, according to the Democratic National Committee.

“State elections systems have shown signs of stress, and there’s a serious concern that they won’t be able to handle the number of voters,” said Wendy Weiser at the Brennan Center. (more)

The Black August Hip Hop Project will produce its 11th Annual Benefit Concert at Nokia Theatre on August 31st. This year’s show will center on human rights violations incurred through gentrification and police brutality in the U.S. With special surprise guests still to come, confirmed artists include soul sensation Bilal, hip hop acts KRS-One, EPMD, Smif N Wessun, Immortal Technique, and Black Moon along with hip hop DJs Marley Marl, Scratch, Evil Dee, Op and K-Salaam.

A project of the Malcolm Grassroots Movement, Black August is one of many endeavors to galvanize younger generations around news and issues affecting the Black community. In addition to the NYC concerts, organizers have also facilitated international delegations and massive concerts in Cuba, South Africa, Tanzania, Brazil, and Venezuela.

Largely respected for its ability to spread social justice awareness and raise money for U.S. political prisoners, the show has been supported in the past with performances by Erykah Badu, hip hop notables Common, Talib Kweli, The Roots, Mos Def, Gil Scott Heron, Fat Joe and dead prez.

“The Black August Hip Hop Project has been a great way to communicate the importance of supporting political prisoners in the U.S. and the issues our people face locally and all around the globe, says Black August Co-Chair Tamir Z. Brown. “It has cleaned up some of the negativity associated with hip-hop and shows that we are self-determined and self-sufficient.”

Having packed out some of New York’s premiere venues with star-studded performances, the Black August concert has become a yearly staple for tri-state hip-hop enthusiasts and activists alike.

Continuing in its tradition, the 11th Annual Black August Hip Hop Concert promises to be an evening of unforgettable performances and special surprise guests. Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased at the Nokia Theatre Box Office (1515 Broadway New York, NY) and at www.ticketmaster.com.

The Black August Hip-Hop Project was created by the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement in 1998 as a celebration of culture and politics. The goal of the Black August Hip Hop Project is to utilize the unique platform given to us by hip-hop to inform our collective struggle for a more just and equitable world that will support self-determination and freedom for those of African descent around the world. The project strives to promote awareness of social justice issues through its international artists/activists exchanges and annual fundraiser concerts.

For more information on Black August and to view archive footage of past shows please visit www.blackaugust.com.

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