It is hosted by Rainbow Families, but it looks like the gay part doesn’t come in until the end.

This is a topic that people are typically very afraid to discuss. Partly because younger folks tend to think it’s not really a problem. Partly because we’re afraid to offend someone. Partly because we just don’t know how to talk about it. So if you’re at all interested in the topic, I strongly recommend giving it a whirl.

Critical Dialogues: An Examination of Racism and White Privilege in Our Community and Our Families

A four-part training and discussion series addressing issues of racism and white privilege in our community, and in our organization. Each session builds on the other so you must be able to attend all four sessions to participate.

Part One - Monday, September 15, 2008, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
View Jamie Washington’s keynote address from the 11th Annual Rainbow Families Conference in 2006, and critically examine dominant/subordinate group issues in terms of our identities as we commence to challenge racism.

Part Two - Monday, October 6, 2008, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Join in a discussion of three short articles addressing issues of racism and white privilege, along with a brief training segment. Address how these issues impact our lives, our community, and Rainbow Families.

Part Three - Monday, November 3, 2008, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
A facilitated discussion on how to talk to kids about racism and white privilege.

Part Four - Monday, December 1, 2008, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
A final meeting to discuss how we can apply what we have learned to our own lives, to Rainbow Families, and to the LBGTQ community as a whole. This session is very applied and engaging, so feel free to bring example or scenarios that you would like to share regarding these issues.

RSVP: If you are interested in this FREE four part series, please contact Abby at abby@rainbowfamilies.org or 651-644-4848 x200 with your name, email address and/or phone number.

Location: Rainbow Families office, Griggs Midway Building, 1821 W University Avenue, #109, Saint Paul, MN 55104

Walking through the Mn State Fair midway last night, I discovered an alarming trend. I found hundreds of young men wearing backwards hats. I counted 84 in this one area alone. Here is some shaky video I took to document the event.

Unfortunately, it’s hard to make out all the hats in the crowd, but they’re there. What State Fair Fashions 2008 have you noticed?

It turns out the Daily Show has purchased some advertising in the T.C. in preparation for the RNC. 

Apparently, the sign off of I-494 reads “Welcome rich, white oligarchs.” 

It’s about time someone shows a little kindness to the wealthy running the world.

I wish I had a picture.

[Via NickBusse and PioPress RNC Blog]

After a hare of a first weekend, I’m trying to tortoise my way to the end of the Fringe. Is there really still four days left? And two of them are weekend days?

Tonight’s Fringe Central fun: DJ. Starting at midnight. Think First Avenue, not wedding. Finish your last show, head to the Bedlam for snacks, then shake your groove thang.

On to the reviews.

The Jamal Lullabies by Emily Conbere and East River Commedia
I didn’t really know what to expect from this show. All I know is if it had the name Jamal in the title, it probably had something to do with black folks and you just don’t see that that often in Minnesota, much less in the Fringe Festival. So I was interested because it was different, but I hadn’t committed to it until I saw Bill Stiteler recommend it on Twitter, saying that this particular show is not getting the love it deserved. He was totally right! So of course, I was not expecting a show about a memorial to a drug dealer named Jamal Slims Hall to be performed by four white women. But I got over that pretty quickly. The thing that really blew me away: The singing is excellent. Tight four-part harmonies (I’m in a choir, I dig that kind of stuff). And it really is funny. And touching, too. I was totally engaged throughout the entire show, and that has only happened a handful of times so far this Fringe. Recommended! Still playing at the Southern Theater on Friday, 8/8, at 10pm and on Sunday, 8/10, at 1pm.

EMISSARY’S N.O.W. by EMISSARY
We picked this one because it looked “different” and you can only handle so many one-woman monologue shows. So in a complete 180, this show has no plot. The show descriptions says it’s a “fusion of sound design, original spoken narrative as word design, live piano performance and body movement.” One reviewer called it a collage of media. The thing is, with all those aforementioned elements going on at once, I found it hard to catch it all. I gave up on trying to really understand the deeper meaning and just enjoyed the background music which was some groovy deep house type stuff. There was also a pretty cool marionette scene with a guy on stilts directing another dancer. I wanted to be the guy running the sound board, who sat with his back to the audience through the entire show. It was an experience that I’m glad I’ve had but I wouldn’t voluntarily have it again. Don’t use up your precious few remaining time slots on it.

War of Worlds: The Musical - A Tribute to Old-Time Radio by Hometown Theatre
It’s War of the Worlds, with a twist. They had the old-time radio thing down pat. My girlfriend liked the crazy scientist the best. I liked the Martians the best. Having seen the Fringe-For-All preview, I knew there was going to be a Martian, but I had to wait all the way until the end for that pay off. It was fun and easy. Nice to enjoy a show without having to think too hard. I’d say go see it, but if you have other ones you’ve been waiting for, go see those first.

Further miscellaneous observations…

Does reading a tweet count as an Overheard?

nothing like seeing Sex and the City with the housewives of White Bear Lake sitting to you thinking they should star the movie.

Would it be different if they were Edina Screamers?

If you’re going to be in the East Metro over the next few days you’ll want to check out the  Ramsey County Fair.

It all starts this evening with a parade along White Bear Avenue and culminates with the coronation of the White Bear Avenue Queen. So from today until Sunday there’ll be music, entertainment, arts and crafts, the carnival, fireworks, and a little something for everyone.

 Me? I like corn dogs,throwing darts at balloons, the ferris wheel, and people watching.

Check out events and times at the Eastside Review News.

Am I the only one that still loves an old timey carnival? 

 I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking about nice weather and being outside.

{Photo courtesy of White Pine Festival} 

As usual my wife has my back and when I arrived home I was given a little present. A brochure for the White Pine Festival.

It’s an outdoor festival billed as ‘Bringing great art & ideas together’ and it looks like a great way to spend time in some of my favorite local cities. 

Check out these venues and events.

I’m going to plan for Poems with Feelings: a conversation with Marie Howe followed by Sips & Sounds: Conversations About Music on June, 21.

You have to admit it Marie Howe has great hair.

 *Update - It’s my niece’s Science Museum Star Wars Bday on the 21’st. Now I’m looking at June 19th with Roger Bonair-Agard.

Want to come along? 

Local Radio hosts seemed to have a vendetta against local hip-hop. If you can remember Tom Barnard from KQ92 spouted off a year ago about The Twin City Celebration of Hip-Hop. He also has said other crazy crap about local minority groups which has caused some outrage. KTLK-FM’s Jason Lewis decided to go on a rant about local hip hop artist and activist Tou Saiko Lee and his work with some local sixth graders. Kyle Myhre has posted a great article about this controversy on Culturebully.com.

I am not all about being the politically correct police, but randomly spouting off about stuff you know nothing about is stupid. I am sure they do it for the entertainment value, and hopefully they can’t be that ignorant. For a country built on immigrants, even being white we don’t dismiss our culture and our traditions.

I guess he would rather have these kids hanging out the streets, then writing poetry, songs and talking about their culture.

Stop the ReRoute: taking a stand on sacred land will show at the Riverview Theater at 7pm on Thursday, May 22.

Stope the ReRoute tells the dramatic story of a community’s opposition to the State of Minnesota’s plan to drive a road through its birthplace, Camp Coldwater between Minnehaha Park and Fort Snelling - land considered historic to some and sacred to others. This inspiring film bears witness to the commitment of citizen activists to live lightly on Grandmother Earth, preserve precious natural resources, and resist car culture at the end of the Petroleum Age, as neighborhood and environmental champions, Native American activists, and young people coalesce in nonviolent civil disobedience.

Cost is $10. Doors open at 6pm, there’s “entertainment” at 6:30, and then the film screening will be followed by “honoring of activitists” and Q&A with the film’s producers.

I’m not sure if the Preserve Camp Coldwater Coalition is at all affiliated with the folks who made the documentary. A pagan activist person I know suggested that there’s not complete alignment between different groups with interest in preserving the land.

I attended a winter solstice celebration at Coldwater Spring last year.

More about Coldwater Spring

Bike/Walk Related:

• R.T. Rybak wins the Great Commuter Challenge on his bike, beating out the Ramsey County Commissioner who walked/took public transit and Roadguy who drove a car. I did not bike to work today for Bike Walk to Work Day, but I give my potential bike commute a dry run on Monday evening and may do it yet this week, since Bike Walk to Work Day is just one part of Bike Walk to Work Week.
• Minneapolis and St Paul mayors unveil community bike program. The program is called “Freewheelin” and is sponsored by insurance company Humana. “Solar-powered kiosks will be stationed throughout Minneapolis and St. Paul during the [Republican National] convention, which will be Sept. 1-4. People will be able to take bikes from these kiosks, travel anywhere and drop them off when they’re done. The only requirements will be online registration and a credit card number — not to be charged, but to hold people accountable when bikes are damaged or go missing.” 70 bikes will be left behind to continue the program after the convention and the program may expand for the following spring. IMO, going into the winter is not the best time to fire up the program, but at least it’s there.
• Cycling in the city. vita.mn on bike culture in the TC. (via east-lake)
• Bike2Benefits is a Metro Transit program somewhat similar to the commuter challenge (but focusing on biking, obviously). (via twin_cities)

The Rest:

• You know that big bronze (kind of scary) rabbit sculpture on Minnehaha Parkway at Portland? This Saturday at 10am there will be kids out there planting clay bunnies around it. Not sure why, though… (via @nxt)
• The Rake has a new Call for Artists section. Current listings are for actors for a Fringe show and exhibitions to display at various Hennepin County Library locations in Minneapolis. (via @RakeMag)
• In case you just moved here and aren’t sure what the white lights on the traffic signals are. I find it extra confusing that the white lights also blink along Hiawatha when the train is coming. Is LRT an emergency?
• Bon Iver on Pitchfork.tv (via east-lake)
• Taylor Carik = Bon Iver (I so told Taylor that months ago.) And, yeah, they do both look like every guy that hangs out at the 331 Club.
• Least Dangerous Game, everyone’s favorite Twitter hide and seek game, starts again on May 24 after its winter hiatus.
• Living on the Minnehaha Homestead has a multimedia presentation on the May Day Parade.
• Localized job boards that are not Monster/CareerBuilder/etc.
• Strib blog: “Patent Pending will provide you the latest information and commentary on the people, companies, and trends driving innovation in Minnesota. From visionary entrepreneurs to game changing technologies, this blog will offer a window into the future of Minnesota’s economy.”
• Graffiti = Killing Puppies
• Firsthand account of the immediate aftermath of an armed robbery in the parking lot of the E Lake Street Cub Foods.
• Local crazies. Fun to discuss unless they’re actually crazy.
• Best Buy sucks the big schlong.