 We were thrilled to host an evening of poetry with this amazing group of writers including Kay Bell, the 2023-2025 Bronx Poet Laureate, and author of two collections of poetry: Cry Sweat Bleed Write (Lily Poetry Review Books, 2020) & Diary of an Intercessor (Finishing Line Press, 2021). She received her MFA from The City College of New York. iamkaybell.com Ellen Kombiyil is the author of Histories of the Future Perfect (2015), and avalanche tunnel (2016). Her forthcoming book, Love as Invasive Species, will be released by Cornerstone Press in 2024. A BRIO Award winner from Bronx Council on the Arts (2022), she teaches at Hunter College. ellenkombiyil.com Lynn McGee is the author of the poetry collections Tracks Broadstone Books, 2019); Sober Cooking (Spuyten Duyvil Press, 2016), and two award-winning poetry chapbooks: Heirloom Bulldog (Bright Hill Press, 2015) and Bonanza (Slapering Hol Press, 1997). Lynn earned an MFA in Poetry at Columbia University. lynnmcgee.com Melinda Wilson is a published poet, critic and essayist. Her work has appeared in journals such as Verse Daily, The Cincinnati Review, The Minnesota Review, Arsenic Lobster, The Agriculture Reader and Coldfront. She holds an MFA from The New School and a PhD in English from Florida State University. manhattan.edu/campus-directory/mwilson02 Thanks to everyone who came out. It was a wonderful event.
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 We had such a fantastic event at Van Cortlandt House Museum! The band, Morrisania Band Project, was amazing, everyone huddled under the trees and stuck around through the short rain shower in the middle, and then danced their feet off at the end. Thanks to the Museum and Van Cortlandt Park Alliance for their support. And thank you to our wonderful community for coming out and supporting the arts and culture.  We had a fantastic turn out for Annette Back's opening of her exhibit "In Dreams" at our Gallery 505. It was a hot, steamy night and our community filled the space and spilled over to take in her gorgeous work. Everyone enjoyed Scott Bravo's music and terrific food and connecting with fellow art lovers. The exhibit is up through September 29th.  The “Wake Up Call” Red Carpet Movie Premiere was a special evening. Downey’s, our movie location, was the perfect venue for the event. The guests were treated to delicious food, live music and our movie. “Wake Up Call” was the first KRVC Productions film. We are looking forward to distributing “Wake Up Call” and producing more films through KRVC productions.  Thank you to Vivian Carter and Friends of Ewen Park for organizing such a fun event. Thanks to our community for coming out, and to Allen Gogarty and his band for the beautiful music. ALLEN GOGARTY was born into a musical family in County Meath, Ireland, and began playing various musical instruments at an early age. He began to write his own songs in his early teens. His siblings and he started a band and performed the pub circuit in Ireland and festivals in Europe. After studying at the famed Academy of Music and Ballyfermot College of Music in Dublin, Allen went out on his own, performing in Ireland and Europe. After gaining much notoriety, Allen was asked to open for both Suzanne Vega and Status Quo. Allen has lived in NYC for over two decades, playing both as a solo artist and with his powerhouse band, the Wads. He is well known for championing many benefits and fundraisers for those in need.  We discussed "Personal Librarian" by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murrary. In her twenties, Belle de Costa Greene is hired by J. P. Morgan to curate a collection of manuscripts, books, and artwork for his newly built Pierpont Morgan Library. Belle becomes a fixture in New York City society, but she must also hide her true identity and pass as white to leave a lasting legacy that enriched our nation.
Our next book club event will be September 6th. See our KRVC page.  Our second annual Riverdale Pride event was a huge success! Over 400 people attended. Thanks to Riverdale Neighborhood House for being an ally and hosting the event at their facility. All day we had live music performances by local community members including drag queens: Kelly Kaboom, Jahiyrah McQueen, Alexa DuMont, and Zalina Duval. There were over 40 vendors present. The event was supported by the NYC Mayor's Office of Community Affairs. Thanks so much to our Top Tier Sponsors including Riverspring, Rivers Edge, Compass Real Estate- Aaron and Geoff, Riverdale Country School, and Priscilla Borin Real Estate. Universal Pet Grooming hosted a Doggy Parade. People came as far as Brooklyn and Connecticut to celebrate Pride with Riverdale. Thank you to Bronx Native for coming over from The Mott Haven section of the Bronx to support! We need to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community not only during Pride month, but all year long. Now more than ever, we need to show our support and provide a more safe, and inclusive community!  Our May 2023 Monday Fundays featured live music, street performers, face painting, snacks, crafts and free books. Dozens of children attended with their parents who raved about how the events, which they call mini-carnivals, make dreaded Mondays easier. We are especially grateful to musician Ida Metsberg. Finland is known for being one of the happiest places in the world and a place of clean, pure, natural beauty. It's no surprise that Ida Metsberg, native to the land, brings deep, meaningful, vibrant, and nourishing energy through her songs. Now calling New York her home, the singer/songwriter has been bringing her light and unique perspective to the city streets and leaving people with a memorable, and lasting impression. With nods to artists like Sarah Bareilles and Anna Nalick, Ida blends Pop and Folk with intelligent, thoughtful structure and lyrics. Even songs that are more solemn and serious in tone leave you feeling hopeful and introspective. Her craft is her therapy and expression of her deepest self. Ida writes for her own healing and at times to speak her piece to people that have hurt her. This style of genuine rawness and passion resonates with anyone who has loved, lost, and can still celebrate life and look inside, honestly. Ida is notable for playing shows across New York City and with her theater background, her show is a must-watch. She can be found on all streaming platforms and is set to release new singles throughout 2023. idaofficial.com Over Mother’s Day weekend, 4Bronx held a Mother's Day celebration at The Concourse House. It was so much fun! The ladies each received a gift basket, a spa bag, donuts, and played spa bingo! They were so happy and grateful! (we do not post photos of the participants at our events at shelters)  We discussed "Open City" by Teju Cole -- Wandering along the streets of New York City after a breakup with his girlfriend, Nigerian psychiatry resident Julius reflects on this vast city he calls home. His thoughts are interrupted occasionally by the odd encounter with someone else on the street, sparking conversations on topics from Alexander Hamilton to his own past. His own personal journey resonates with feelings of both dislocation and hope, and his meandering thoughts pull us along this moving narrative. Thanks to the ladies who participated. Our next book club is June 7th, go to KRVC for all the info. We have books available. Please contact TracyKRVC@gmail.com to get a copy. |
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