Comments (2)

By Kerri Provost, January 30, 2012 6:06 pm

You could spend all winter working on growing out your leg hair while watching reruns of 30 Rock, but why? Here are some alternatives to that scenario: Continue reading 'February Events'»

Comments (1)

By Kerri Provost, January 27, 2012 6:31 pm

On a dreary day in January, artist Angel Sánchez Ortiz delivered dozens of his vejigante masks to the Park Library. The artist — formerly of Holyoke, now living in Delaware — demonstrated that these pieces of artwork are not meant only to be displayed on the wall. They can be worn. Some have movable pieces, like jaws that open and close.

The brightly painted papier mâché and coconut masks are like those seen in the Carnival de Ponce in Puerto Rico, an event comparable to the Mardi Gras. The vejigante mask is often meant to be frightening.

These masks will be on view at the Park Branch of the Hartford Public Library from February 1, 2012 through March 2, 2012. This branch is located at 744 Park Street.

Comments (17)

By Kerri Provost, January 11, 2012 2:55 pm

rendering courtesy of iQuilt

As barrels of trash heaved into the pond in Bushnell Park remain there for nearly a week and as the water feature in the playground nearby continues to be broken for years on end, residents and stakeholders were presented with the iQuilt’s dream plan of bring flowing water through the park.

Using identity strategy and enculturation to rally support, those leading this project dismissed skeptics as lacking vision. As much was said twice yesterday at a mini-presentation during a Rising Star Breakfast and in the evening before the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. The presentation included codewords,  as several supporters described selves as “believers” and even went so far as to say that bring flowing water back into the park would be good for our “souls.”

The presentation included visual appeals to nostalgia and romance. The lovely, verdant design renderings seduced the participant into imagining a pristine urban paradise in which those seeking recreation can choose to wade across a 50-100 foot wide brook, meander through pop up studios and greenhouses, or linger on any of the nine bridges that would be added to Bushnell Park.

Urban design presentations, as a whole, dazzle those from whom they want support, but fail to provide real answers that concerned residents have about what is slated to happen in our backyards.

Prior to the presentation, Real Hartford readers submitted questions they had about this project, which are marked in bold and are direct quotes, unless noted otherwise.

Who is doing the planning?

The iQuilt, in the works for several years now, is described as a “culture based urban design plan for Downtown Hartford.”

The iQuilt is a private/public partnership which receives support from various institutions including the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, Bushnell Park Foundation, CIGNA, City of Hartford, State of Connecticut, MDC, Riverfront Recapture, Connecticut Light & Power, Northeast Utilities, Travelers, and United Illuminating. Suisman Urban Design has been leading the iQuilt design team. A 501(c)3 was formed recently. Continue reading 'iQuilt: Dotting i’s'»

Comments (0)

By Kerri Provost, January 5, 2012 11:09 am

There will be another iQuilt presentation and public input session on the evening of January 10th from 5-7 at the Hartford Public Library. The iQuilt project deals with improvements to Downtown.

Archived articles about iQuilt (starting with oldest)

“Our Charmingly Irregular Quilt“

“A Somewhat Holey Quilt“

“iQuilt Phase II - 1“

“iQuilt Phase II - 2“

“iQuilt Phase II - 3“

“Whose Quilt?“

Comments (3)

By Kerri Provost, December 29, 2011 6:13 am

It always seems that people overbook events at certain times of year, like December, and then go for weeks without planning any events, but this January shows little slow down of things to do in Hartford. Here are a few of the offerings:

January 1st

It’s a spendy, but delicious way to begin the new year: Firebox will be having Sunday brunches. Can anyone really complain about adding more breakfast options?

January 5-8th

“Brahms and Beatboxing” at the Bushnell. Just what it sounds like. Way old school meets new.

January 6th

Three Kings Day is celebrated locally with a parade that typically begins at 10 a.m. around 95 Park Street and makes its way down Park Street, ending in Pope Park by the recreation center. The parade is not sprawling, but it features three camels, which is the reason to come out for it.

January 6-8th

The annual Boar’s Head Festival at the Asylum Hill Congregational Church is theatrical, featuring tumblers, dancers, and lots of live animals (geese, camel, etc.). Reserving a seat in advance is advised.

January 7th

This will be the Soul Merchants‘ last gig. Ever. Sully’s. Continue reading 'January Happenings'»

Comments (0)

By Kerri Provost, November 29, 2011 8:32 pm

“We’ve become complacent” about AIDS, a community member said during Tuesday’s World AIDS Day forum in the Hartford Public Library.

In the 1980’s and 1990’s, she said, society talked about AIDS. Now, not so much. She called for the need to have conversations in places like barbershops. grocery stores, and in Spanish; then, she passed her microphone to another audience member, who delivered comments in Spanish.

This sentiment was echoed by panelists. One of them, Yvette Highsmith-Francis, the Director of Community Health Center, Inc., said we should be having these dialogues at Thanksgiving dinner and when having pedicures.

Even in 2011, misinformation about the transmission of HIV exists. Highsmith-Francis told the audience about an encounter with a woman in her forties who believed she could “catch AIDS” from hugging someone. Continue reading '“Getting to Zero” Community Forum on HIV/AIDS'»

Comments (3)

By Kerri Provost, November 22, 2011 10:27 am

Not unusual: people coming into Hartford with big ideas about what residents need and what will “save” us.

The Public Allies — an AmeriCorps program — promise that is not their mission. They insist that they are “not here to re-market Hartford.”

Young adults in the program work with a non-profit four days every week; each Public Allies “community” — Connecticut has ones in Hartford, Bridgeport, and New Haven — undertakes a service project each year.

This year, the group’s goal is to “strengthen community through figuring out assets and problems,” Al Riccio, one of the Allies on the “Greater Hartford Team”, told participants at the Hartford Public Library Monday evening during the Hartford Unity Community Conversation. In chatting with residents, the Public Allies identified that many residents feel “proud to be from the city,” but believe that there are negative perceptions of it due to the news media. He added that a lack of jobs, housing, and access to resources were other issues identified.

During the first of what Public Allies say will be several community conversations, residents were told that the Allies — several of whom are long-time Hartford residents — would be facilitating discussion, but not participating. Heads nodded as residents commented that these conversations need to be in the neighborhoods, not just Downtown. The library was named a “hub,” a natural place for civic discourse to take place, and there are library branches throughout the city.

Broken into small groups, residents and stakeholders named activities that could “create attention toward positive aspects.” In the brainstorm, two groups named the Walk the Frog tour as an example of an event that has highlighted the positive aspects of a neighborhood Continue reading 'Hartford Unity Community Conversation: “Empower People Already in Hartford”'»

Comments (0)

By Kerri Provost, November 7, 2011 5:46 pm

Photo courtesy of David Fenton

Rebecca Walker — author of several books including Baby Love: Choosing Motherhood After a Lifetime of Ambivalence — graciously stayed beyond her scheduled time in the Hartford History Center (at Hartford Public Library) on Sunday evening. She was in Hartford to give a talk about destigmatizing mental illness within the African American community, but anyone who lives in communities where this stigma remains would have benefited from Walker’s discussion of the issue. From audience reaction, it was clear that terms like “cursed” and “eccentric” are still used by some to describe those struggling with mental illness.

And the trouble with the dismissal of this health problem is that people, particularly in the African-American community, do not get the help they need “due to fear of shaming,” Walker said. In the African-American community, she said, what often happens is that people are told to take their problems to God, rather than to a counselor. As she said, “prayer is good,” but sometimes, “it’s not enough.” Continue reading 'Rejecting a Narrative with Rebecca Walker'»

Comments (2)

By Kerri Provost, November 5, 2011 12:18 pm

Volunteers from the neighborhood are making the blue box at Park and Babcock into a more inviting space. Continue reading 'Park Library Getting a Friendlier Face…Now'»

Comments (4)

By Kerri Provost, October 31, 2011 11:11 am

Here is your monthly list of hand-picked events. There may be others, but those did not make the cut:

November 1st

Hartford Candidates Forum: Candidates from all parties and running for all offices this year have been invited to participate in a forum hosted by the Greater Hartford NAACP. This will be held in the Northend Senior Center at 80 Coventry Street, from 6 to 9 in the evening. The local NAACP’s president, Muhammad Ansari, says “this forum will provide an opportunity for residents in North Hartford who may not have been able to attend events in other parts of the city.” UPDATE: forum cancelled due to Storm Alfred. It will not be rescheduled.

November 1 (through next year)

New Life for Connecticut Trees: Furniture by City Bench exhibit at the Connecticut Historical Society Museum. Objects made from trees otherwise destined for the landfill.

November 2nd

Get HYPEd at ON20. The casual networking event, open to members and non-members of HYPE, will feature a free raffle. The prize? A tasting dinner for two at ON20. This event runs from 5:30-8:30pm.

November 4th

Women’s Oppression and Liberation Forum: three of the six panelists will include Nellie Bailey, the host of weekly radio program “Inside Housing” on WHCR; Monami Maulik, founder and executive director of Desis Rising Up and Moving; and a representative from Hartford Vecinos Unidos. The event begins at 7:30pm and will be held at La Paloma Sabanera.

November 4th and 5th

Killadelphia is a 75-minute show by Sean Christopher Lewis, presented by HartBeat Ensemble, in the Hollander Building. It presents perspectives on crime in Philly. Click here to get ticket info for this performance. Continue reading 'November Events'»