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Queens community singers voice their diversity and spirit at Gemini’s Lounge

By Yasmeen Persaud 

In the heart of the uproar that is Queens stands Liberty Avenue — a neighborhood which advertises a long stretch of halal carts, roti shops and West-Indian restaurants. Upon the walls on the sides of the buildings, and within the counters of mini pastry shops rests flyers that advertise local singers in the West-Indian dominated neighborhood. 

Every Monday night at Gemini’s Lounge, three international singers perform, showcasing their voice to the local community, and wearing proud hats of an ethnic enclave. Their performances represent the epitome of breaking cultural barriers and the diversity of the Queen’s community. 

Upon walking into the disco-themed and still-lively atmosphere of Gemini’s Lounge, it’s 4:30 a.m. and karaoke night is only just starting to wind down. Technically, it was supposed to be over a half an hour ago. Pakistani singer Mohammad Javed is singing in Hindi to a mostly West-Indian crowd.

“I am really inspired by the Guyanese people who really really love music, they love music and I just always mingle with them, so I’m inspired by them actually,” Javed said.

Javed credits his Guyanese friends and fellow singers around the neighborhood for his proficiency in singing. Oftentimes, singers of West-Indian descent who sing in languages they didn’t grow up speaking, like Hindi, Punjabi or Bengali, can struggle to find acceptance among audiences around here. But Javed says that shouldn’t be held against them.

“Singing is of talent, you either have it or don’t have it, that doesn’t mean Pakistanis can sing, I know millions who can’t even hold the mic, don’t judge the [Guyanese] people because they’re not from Pakistan. They’re more talented. Even they don’t even do rehearsals, or learn to go somewhere to learn the music, but they’re still so good,” he added.

Guyanese-born singer Mala R. has run into this kind of criticism herself, but she says she feels connected to the music. After all, West-Indian is still fundamentally, Indian.

“Our heritage is in India, our great grandfathers came from India and we still have that culture within us, tradition within us and that language within us, it just comes to some of us naturally,” R. stated. 

She describes that Guyanese singers sometimes don’t know the lyrics, and even make up their own pronunciation but still sing because its their passion. She takes pride in her own abilities, and even says that singing catapulted her into other forms of arts. 

“We do well in it, like about 50 percent of us do well and the other 50 just for the love of it just sing, they sing the wrong stuff, but they sing for enjoyment and feel alive. There’s so much more you can put to singing, and go higher to the level like the people in India, where we all came from anyway,” she said. 

Kalvin Eno is the third international singer who takes the stage at Gemini’s every Monday night. Eno says if West-Indian singers face resistance, it’s nothing to the reaction he gets as a Nigerian-born person singing Bollywood-style music.  

“It doesn’t really matter with the color, it’s about interest, if you have interest in something and you believe in something, I’m pretty sure you can do it, I’ve been singing here and a lot of people come out here seeing a black man seeing Indian songs, and secondly I’m not from Guyana, Trinidad, The West-Indies, they’re surprised with seeing someone of my color, and you know, they love it,” Eno stated.   

As the night drifts into the calm hours of 5 a.m., the performers allow for audience members and club goers to sing with them as the performance ends, a TV screen in the corner showing lyrics to the latest hits of Bollywood. Despite being from three different backgrounds, the three Queens community singers bring their own spirit to Gemini’s lounge and to the hearts of the world that is Queens. 

“I never miss a day here, Even if it’s snowing I’m here, even if it’s raining, I’m here, it’s all about the love, that’s it,” Eno added. 

 

With rising political oppression in countries like Venezuela thousands of immigrants or caravanning to the United States border seeking political asylum. During 2018 over 800,000 immigrants were apprehended at the U.S southwest border. Many of which have traveled thousands of miles to flee political or religious oppression, gang violence and forced labor. However, the hopes of those seeking political asylum are dampened by a new wave of U.S government policies. Over 76000 Children were apprehend, separated from their families and placed in detention facilities in 2018 by U.S Customs and Border Protection Officers. Where many are still being held without access to their parents.

As President Donald Trump steps-up border security based on the campaign promises on which he built his political career. His immigration reform policy includes massive deportation of illegal immigrants and building a wall. The president has described immigrants as rapists and criminals and referred to their countries as quote shithole countries. His critics say his hateful rhetoric has had deadly consequences in the form of mass shootings like the one at a Walmart in El Paso where a white nationalist targeted Hispanic immigrants. As a result, many immigrants are living in fear. However, there many groups advocating for the rights of immigrants. There are new types of advocate groups known as border abolitionists who believes in a world without borders. One such group are the organizers of The Open Border Conference.

The Open Border Conference is organized by the free migration project which is a Philadelphia based organization that advocates for the free migration of people across international boundaries. The conference is in its second year and is held at The New School in Manhattan. The first Conference was held in Washington D.C. Conference are held to provides an opportunity for advocates and activists to have open discussion about open borders and immigration issues. Open border conferences are one day events held in a different location each year and is by supported donation received from members and attendees. The conference is still in a stage of infancy, so organizers have not yet found a permanent home. Whether or not the conference finds a permanent home, organizers are determined to ensure it continues. In light, of current federal laws that prevents illegal immigrants from getting assistance from citizens Steven believe that groups might be the best way to go. Given that people like Scott Warren Is doing time in prison for helping an immigrant.

Organizers and patrons alike share, one radical view that all borders are inherently unjust. Therefore, the world should be free of borders and people should be allowed to move freely anywhere in the world. Steven Sacco one of the organizers and member of the board of free migration project believes that all borders hurts families and all borders separate children from families. This is why he finds what’s happening to children at the US border so disgusting and refers to it as an act of terrorism. Injustice like these, border abolitionist beliefs can only be addressed by eliminating all borders. To reduce the suffering faced by most immigrants Steven recommends immigrants should all join a group in the United States that advocates for their rights. He believes it is fundamentally important that conferences like The Open Border Conference be held to enhance awareness of immigration problems. While Steven did not divulge the location of the next conference, he did confirm that planning is on its way for the next conference.

https://soundcloud.com/user-900905446/open-border-conference

This February marks the 100th Anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance—an explosion of black American cultural pride, artistry and intellect that came out of Harlem in the 1920s. After migrating from southern states that continued to treat them like slaves, many black Americans felt empowered when they arrived in the iconic New York City neighborhood. Many game-changing works of literature, art, music and theater came out of the era. And when it comes to the music of the Harlem Renaissance, we’re of course talking about jazz. That legacy is still very much alive in Harlem in new jazz musicians, hip-hop music and modern-day blues bands.

 

I’m about a hundred blocks south of Harlem, at the Community Service Society’s Full Participation Arts Is A Human Right Conference. The spacious church has about forty people in the audience, including photographers and different people from the community as they wait for the conference to start. This second annual conference highlights the excellence of black musicians, singers, poets and speakers who are addressing concerns, as well as solutions for strengthening the black community. I am here with performance poet, author, educator and public speaker Mo Beasley, who says the Harlem Renaissance has always meant a great deal to him.

 

“When I was younger, it let me know that we had been doing amazing things as human beings first and artist,” he says. “A Harlem Renaissance writer like Zora Neale Hurston firmed my existence. I attended Howard University and we delved into that era. And the wealth of art that came out of it. There in Howard University, they taught me that art defines our existence. We, artist of African descent, had to make sure we articulate our existence like Zora did, like Countee Cullen did, like Langston did.”

 

Day two of the conference brings more musicians to the church’s stage, including the Apache Brown Band, a blues band that occasionally performs with Beasley. Jazz originated from slave work songs on plantations, which were later combined with African Rhythms, blues and ragtime to produce its unique sound. I am in downtown Brooklyn with lead singer, Apache Brown, on a chilly, sunny October afternoon before his band rehearsal. Still excited from the conference, Brown says the jazz music of the Harlem Renaissance reflected a different era than jazz’s “grandchild” hip-hop does now.

 

“I would say back then, I think, during the Renaissance, musicians started to kind of wanted to show more of an intellectual way of musicality,” says Brown. “Today in Harlem, in hip-hop, we may have regressed. You can say what you want to say, it doesn’t even have to sound a certain way.  I think it’s great but… I don’t think it has the same kind of technicalities, the same thought and energy as some of the jazz stuff did back then.”

 

Jazz certainly captured the musical vibes of the Harlem Renaissance. What better place for my next stop than Harlem’s iconic jazz club and restaurant, Minton’s Playhouse. Minton’s Playhouse was founded in 1938 by saxophonist Henry Minton. Since its opening, Minton’s has attracted a very diverse crowd who enjoy live entertainment from jazz bands, including JC Hopkins Biggish Band; they play at Minton’s every Saturday night. When the band finishes, I hang back to speak with Grammy-nominated producer, songwriter and bandleader, JC Hopkins. He says there were some greats from the Renaissance era, no doubt, but that jazz is not dead.

 

“When you think about the Harlem Renaissance, it cuts a wide spot,” says Hopkins. “I think of people like Paul Robeson as being such a brave figure of that time.  But now I feel like there’s a lot of musicians coming out of music school… Young musicians of color are reembracing Jazz, where as before, they were walking away from it. Until it all, maybe, kind of sunk in that it’s more than just, like, the music. It’s the sentiments of the songs, the romance, the style, the look…”

 

Going back to Apache Brown, he says the best way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance is by supporting the artists of today.

 

“Display our music, display our art, display our intelligence. We have a lot to offer. We have a lot of talented people in the [black] community. Definitely visit some Jazz clubs, support local musicians,” Brown adds.

 

Many Renaissance theme-based events and programs have begun since last Fall in Harlem to commemorate the 100th anniversary early next year. The Uptown Cultural Community will continue historic tours, theater, spoken word performances and literature reading programs that will provide various opportunities for Black Americans, especially the younger ones, to reconnect with their own culture.

Photoville offered a highly creative visual experience through different perspectives of various  artists at the Brooklyn Bridge Park. The design of the exhibition place was really creative, and I found the usage of containers to host exhibits very interesting.

 

We had the chance to meet photographer Ryan Christopher Jones, who took photos for The New York Times project about  the opioid crisis highlighting the personal emotions of the people suffering. He explained how we got the intimate shots without intimidating the people he was taking photos of, which he said he doesn’t like to refer as objects.

 

Additionally, I found two exhibitions highly outstanding in terms of visual representation and storytelling. The first one was Kirsten Luce’s series of photographs for the National Geographic Magazine, about animals forced to work for human entertainment. The photos were taken all around the world, and I felt like the most important thing about this project was that the photos told the story alone. Even without reading the captions, the photos were really strong and impactful. My favorite piece was the photograph of a tiger with chains on. The active struggle of the tiger was visible through a single shot, which I found very amusing. 

Another exhibition I found very inspiring was BORN FREE: Mandela’s Generation of Hope. It consisted of very powerful photos showing social change in South Africa. There was a video documentary of the people who were photographed, playing in the container. There were stories of people with very different economic backgrounds talking about their lives. The Dutch artist, Ilvy Njiokiktjien, was there when I was in the container for the second time. She said that she lived in South Africa for a few years and worked on this project during that time. Another interesting aspect of this exhibition was the fact that it was a “Bring a Free Print Home” exhibition. All the photos had many copies and were up for grabs.

 

A picture speaks for itself — Photoville was an enriching and enlightening experience.

To see how these photos were taken and curated by so many talented photojournalists and photographers was truly amazing. I attended Photoville on 9/21 and was in awe over the beautifully composed photos and articulate stories. This did not feel like an average college assignment, it felt like something much more. The last two photos taken were from two exhibits outside — #Thisis18 and The Mash Up. Although these were captivating photos, I found myself drawn to the first one in particular.

The journalism that exists at Photoville is intense, raw and real. I saw this at the first exhibit I visited. 

Upon walking into St. Ann’s Warehouse, the loud and booming atmosphere of Photoville was hushed by the heartbreak within the Journalists under fire exhibit. The name of the exhibit speaks for itself — journalists risk their lives every second of the day in order to ensure that society is conscious of the news around them. This exhibit featured the work of journalists who have been killed on duty or threatened by the government of another country. The most shocking part of the exhibit had to be the fact that the silence in the room was almost haunting. Considering the unknown whereabouts of Eritrean journalist Seyoum Tsehaye after he was jailed, anyone could see why the entire exhibit was filled with such an atmosphere. Tsehaye was a journalist who was jailed after Eritrea’s right to a free press was banned — it is unconfirmed whether or not Tsehaye is alive. It is a critical time for journalists in the United States, and this event made me feel empathetic toward those who sacrifice to produce the most informative and helpful stories. It is imperative to stand our ground as journalists in a critical time filled with the power of words and real news. 

Extra Sources:

Exhibit pamphlet

https://cpj.org/data/people/seyoum-tsehaye/index.php

As a native Brooklynite, I tend to stay away from Dumbo due to the influx of tourists, over priced eats, and hard to maneuver streets. After visiting Photoville, however, I have a newfound appreciation for the area. One of the first things I noticed about Photoville was the profound amount of diversity in the portrayed works. For the first time, I saw many people, artists as well as subjects in the art, that looked like me. 

One of the more informative and heavy works of art was organized by a group called Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality (NCF), entitled “Forced From Home.” Before entering the container, I knew after reading the title that it would be about the forced relocation and diaspora of the Palestinian people. As a Palestinian-American, I was excited to see this narrative on such a large platform. NCF featured the work of four different Palestinian women, each given the power to portray what is important to them about their village and life style. Much of what was featured included the women’s children, cuisine, and adaptations to the struggles around them. 

Another exhibit that I strongly admired was titled, “Of Love and War,” by Lyndsey Addario. This exhibit features a war torn Afghanistan, before and after 9/11. It was interesting to see the stark contrast of before and after American imperialism devastated the land of Afghanistan. 

It was amazing to have the artists there to bring life to their photos and to hear about their passions and motivations behind the work that they do. I highly recommended Photoville to my NYC based friends and will most definitely be visiting again next year!