The New York City Domestic Violence Hotline receives an average of a thousand calls from teenagers every month.

Columbia University’s Center for Youth Violence and Prevention has recently discovered that sexual and dating violence are extremely common among NYC youth. In their study, more than one in six young people reported experiencing sexual violence at some point in their lives.

Empowering Ourselves is committed to working to reduce violence among young people in New York City and cities across the nation.

In 2011, Empowering Ourselves is especially focused on combating youth violence. This campaign will begin with “A Rally to Promote Peace and Empower Young People” on June 25, 2011. The rally will take place in Raymond Bush Park, which is located next to Public School 44 at the corner of Monroe Street and Marcus Garvey Boulevard in Brooklyn, NY. The rally will be from 12pm-4:30pm.

Empowering Ourselves will provide free food, beverages, and t-shirts.

There will be inspirational speakers who will present alternative strategies to violence and conflict-resolution techniques. There will also be a showcase of talented young people: hip-hop dance performances, spoken word artists, singers, steel drummers, and music that does not normalize violence or encourage young people to view themselves negatively.

Come celebrate. Have fun. Be empowered.

About “Empowering Ourselves”
Empowering Ourselves is a program focused on empowering and uplifting
African American youth. It was featured on CNN in October 2010; the
story can be viewed at: http://www.empoweringourselvesnow.com

St. George’s Episcopal Church (800 Marcy Avenue, bet Gates Avenue and Monroe Street) is hosting a presentation on autism on Sunday, June 26, 2011 at approximately 12:30 pm (to follow the 10:00 am Youth Service). The presenter is Lucina Clarke from My Time Inc.

On the same day at 3:00 pm the St. George’s Episcopal Church Annual Youth Concert
will take place. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for children.

For more information on either of these events, call 718-789-6036 or email stgeorge@att.net.

Discover Bed-Stuy is an annual event presented by the Bedford-Stuyvesant Youth, Education and Safety Task Force and Community Board 3 to expose residents of the wide range of resources available in our community. This year’s event takes place on Thursday, June 9th.
Here’s a list of workshops that are scheduled:

There’s a really cool event called Kick It! going on this Saturday at Lab 24/7, an underground space and incubator for creative projects.

Here’s the info from their website:

Kick it! is a series of demos by passionate people who are actively launching a creative project, business, community effort, etc. Based on the demos, the audience will vote for their favorite, who’ll go home with a bag of cash.

And … as an audience member, we’ll even give you an opportunity to talk about your project during our breaks, or what we’re calling “un-mingles” – mingling, with purpose.

When: May 21st @ 12:30 – 5PM (it’s an afternoon thing)
Where: Stuyvesant Ave, Brooklyn, just off the A train. Address will be emailed.
What: Demos featuring the following amazing projects:

Phillip Stearns – Presenting the DCP Series
Grrrl, We In Paris: Women, Street Art, & Activism
PRISM index – Handmade Mixed-Media Art Book
Project Neon: A Digital Guidebook to New York’s Neon Signs
Laura Checkoway’s Film: “Lucky”
The Sweat Party!

To purchase tickets and to find out more, visit the Lab 24/7 website by clicking here. Lab 24/7 always comes up with really fun and creative events. (Many of you can vouch for that!) This is definitely a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

The 6th Annual Brooklyn Blogfest is taking place on MAY 12, 2011 at 7:30 PM at The Bell House (149 7th Street between 2nd and 3rd avenues) in the Gowanus/Park Slope neighborhood. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. The ticket price is $15.

TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE HERE. 

Each year the organizers of the Blogfest schedule panel discussions as well as small group sessions called “Blogs of a Feather” that will allow you to connect with other bloggers with similar interests.  This year’s keynote speaker is Jeff Jarvis.  Jarvis is the author of What Would Google Do? He also blogs about media and news at Buzzmachine  and is director of the interactive journalism program and the new business models for news project at CUNY’s Graduate School of Journalism.

The Blogfest is such a fun event! I recommend it to anyone who blogs, anyone who is interested in blogging and anyone who wants to meet the people behind their favorite blogs.

Spring is in the air and that means it’s almost time for the 2011 Habana Works Earth Day Expo at Habana Outpost – New York’s first solar powered restaurant! Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 16th to celebrate the re-opening of the restaurant and a day of eco-friendly fun for the whole family – Habana style.

Habana Works is the non-profit branch of the Habana family, which provides free, hands-on programs that celebrate urban environmentalism in the Brooklyn community. The Earth Day Expo is an opportunity for neighbors to join in spreading the love by participating in the Earth Day program while sharing resources and ideas about sustainable living! With a wide range of activities, the entire family can enjoy Earth Day together. Parents can sip on a frozen mojito and connect with new friends while the kids get their faces painted and make recycled crafts!

Event highlights include:

The Kid’s Corner – Habana Works will kick off its Kid’s Corner season with recycled arts and crafts and a fun planting workshop for young gardeners!
The ABCs of Bees and Beekeeping – NYC Beekeeping will share the ins and outs of keeping bees using a safe and interactive glass observation hive.
NYC Compost Project Workshops – Sponsored by Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the Department of Sanitation, these fun and informative workshops will teach you how to start composting at home.
Urban Acres – Learn organic gardening tips and tricks from this local husband and wife team of edible landscapers while the kids sample delicious home-grown greens.
Green Harvest CSA – Come by for your last chance to sign up for shares of fresh, healthy food from our favorite local CSA.
Shop Green – Local vendors and designers will showcase and sell their most innovative green products and services.

For a complete schedule of events, visit www.habanaworks.org.

The 2011 Habana Works Earth Day Expo is brought to you by Habana Outpost owner and Habana Works founder, activist, artist and restaurateur, Sean Meenan. For more information on Sean’s many projects, please visit www.seanmeenan.com.

Earth Day Expo at Habana Outpost
Saturday, April 16th
12:00 – 5:00 p.m.
757 Fulton Street at South Portland
Brooklyn, NY

The Masjid Khalifah Community Center at 120 Madison Street (between Franklin and Bedford) will be hosting a disaster preparedness workshop on Saturday, April 16th from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. The workshop will cover the following topics:

* How to Prepare Your Family for a Disaster in an Urban Setting
* What Essentials are Needed for Your Home?
* Who are Your Network – Contacts?
* What is a Go-Bag?
* Are You Financially Ready?

To register call Sister Ashura 917.921-4952.  You are encouraged to bring your children 10 and up.