Hip-hop and high styles on West 125th Street

By RENEE MINUS WHITE
Fashion & Beauty Editor

Whoops, hair it is! The look is big hair, tight tees and often short, slithery or full skirts and high “fly” heels at Harl3m Ink’s fourth annual Summer Stage Fashion Show, held last Sunday at the Harlem State Office Building’s Plaza.
It all works when the models are young and pretty. However, these looks are not for fuller figures, even though there were plus-size models in the show.

The sun was hot, but depending upon your spot, the afternoon’s cool breezes were enjoyable. In between fashion sets, some star rappers put the word out! Founded by Rev. Al Sharpton’s daughters Ashley and Dominique Sharpton, Harl3m Inc. produced a fabulous variety show! When the DJ played Michael Jackson’s “I Wanna Rock With You,” the already cheering audience burst into song in memory of MJ.
Hosted by Antonique Smith, star of Searchlight Pictures’ “Notorious,” and celebrity stylist Wouri Vice, this new age-inspired fashion show featured 19 segments. For their audience mix, there were styles for everyone and labeled scenes mixed with fashion and drama. Look out for designers Deranie Henderson and Styles by Chimere.

Some great hairstyles were by Jacee Allmond of Pizazz Salon, 333 Lenox Avenue, NYC. For work, there were men’s and women’s chic pants and skirt suits and outfits. For night, the gowns with tulle touches and bare jumpsuits were sexy.

Featuring 60 hand-selected models and 10 talented designers, the show was very entertaining.“We lost great legends, but don’t tell your children who they can’t be. Tell them what and who they can be. This show just shows you that all young people are not out here selling dope. Many are trying to build great lives,” preached Rev. Al Sharpton. His daughters Dominique and Ashley received keys to Harlem.

Historically, fashion has been a pivotal part of African-American culture, especially in Harlem. Over the past 10 years, Harlem has become home to a variety of big brand names and smaller entrepreneurial brands. Harl3m Ink utilizes Harlem’s fashion cache and molds the style that defines today’s urban market.

For Harlem residents, fashion fans from surrounding boroughs and stylists from the tristate area, Harl3m Ink’s fourth Summer Stage show was made possible by District Leader Teresa Freeman-Timmons, Rev. Al Sharpton and the continued support of Harl3m Ink’s staff, designers and models.

Vanessa and Angela Simmons received an award from Sister to Sister for their outstanding presence as role models in the community. Good Show!

NEWS AND NOTES

News From Around The World

By Alicia Cruz

Senior writer

theblackurbantimes.com

Shaq, Paul Robeson amongst stars named to N.J. Hall of Fame

New Jersey — New Jersey says Shaq and Bon Jovi are shining stars in the Garden State. Both are amongst 12 others including civil rights activist Paul Robeson who were named to the New Jersey Hall of Fame on Monday. The honor is meant to highlight positive contributions made to the Garden State, a state sadly known for corrupt politicians amongst other uglies. I have to agree, Shaq deserves the honor and Mr. Robeson made quite a few outstanding contributions in his time. And for those of you unfamiliar with the Bronx, Mr. Robeson has a Junior High School named for him: I.S. 183 on Morris Avenue in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx. I.S. 183 has a stellar coach, Tommy Yahn (aka the Cardinal Hayes Flash and, like myself, a Patterson Projects "alum"), who coaches both the boys' and girls' basketball teams. This Saturday, Coach Yahn is attempting a double-double where a final four is set to be played for the first time in order to determine New York City champions for grades 6-9. In Saturdays semifinals, the I.S. 183 girls will square off against M.S. 51 of Brooklyn at 1 P.M.; the I.S. 183 boys will take on Junior High School 50 of Brooklyn at 3 P.M. The winners advance to the championship round later in the day. Let's hope they both rally for leads.

Tax woes gone wild; warrant issued for 'Girls Gone Wild' founder

LOS ANGELES — A federal judge in California has issued an arrest warrant for “Girls Gone Wild” founder Joe Francis because he failed to appear at a hearing in his tax evasion case. U.S. District Judge S. James Otero issued the warrant Monday in Los Angeles.

Joe Francis (pictured left) did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment. The hearing was to address his request to hire a new attorney. Francis is accused of claiming more than $20 million in bogus business ex-penses on his corporate tax returns, including $3.8 million for a home in Mexico and $10.4 million in phony consulting services.

Another spoiled starlet strikes again
Lindsay Lohan's frame isn't the only thing that's fading — it seems her star status is too. The 22-year-old caused a ruckus while on a Delta Airlines flight from Tampa on Saturday. Apparantly, Delta was unable to provide her with a first-class seat on the already overbooked flight and the star threw a conniption fit that had passengers doubled over laughing at her. Word has it that Lin Lo stomped around and even warned a friend traveling with her: "You'd better come and visit me back there (in coach) in case I die." Poor thing. Imagine having to suffer through a flight by sitting in coach with mere mortals? And...as starlet tantrums will do, the fit earned Miss Lohan her way and she got to stay in First-class.

US seamen are being trained to fend off pirates
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — With an alarming number of tankers and cargo ships getting hijacked on the high seas, the nation's maritime academies are offering more training to merchant seamen in how to fend off attacks from pirates armed not with cutlasses and flintlocks but automatic weapons and grenade launchers. Colleges are teaching students to fishtail their vessels at high speed, drive off intruders with high-pressure water hoses and illuminate their decks with floodlights.
Images courtesy of: osmoothie.com/tag/nuclear/

Mom, dad, son put the 'Smackdown' on Md., police
SEVERN, Md. (AP) — Anne Arundel County Police said a man and his parents assaulted and tried to stab officers when they responded to a report of the family arguing. Police said a 20-year-old son and his parents were arguing in a car around 11 a.m. Sunday. When officers approached the car, police said the son assaulted the officers. After police arrested him and two more officers arrived, police said the father pulled out a butcher knife and tried to stab an officer.

Abusive mom sentenced to Life for murder of 2-year-old

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) — A mother was convicted of capital murder Monday for the death of her 2-year-old daughter, who was whipped with belts and flung onto a tile floor to teach her manners, before her body was dumped in a box in Galveston Bay. Jurors deliberated less than two hours before finding Kimberly Trenor guilty. She received an automatic sentence of life without parole. Prosecutors did not seek the death penalty. "Justice has been served today. Today it's about Riley" — the victim, Galveston County District Attorney Kurt Sistrunk said after the verdict.

Gadhafi chosen to lead African Union

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – Moammar Gadhafi of Libya was elected Monday as leader of the African Union, a position long sought by the eccentric dictator who wants to push his oil-rich nation into the international mainstream after years of isolation.
Gadhafi, once ostracized by the West for sponsoring terrorism, has been trying to increase both Libya's global stature and its regional influence — mediating African conflicts, sponsoring efforts to spread Islam on the continent and pushing for the creation of a single African government.
Still, some African leaders offered tepid praise for the choice of the strongman who grabbed power in a 1969 coup. Rights groups called him a poor model for Africa at a time when democratic gains are being reversed in countries such as Mauritania and Guinea.
He attended the session dressed in a gold-embroidered green robe and flanked by seven extravagantly dressed men who said they are the "traditional kings of Africa." Gadhafi told about 20 of his fellow heads of state that that he would work to unite the continent into "the United States of Africa."
Gadhafi arrived at the summit Sunday with the seven men, one carrying a 4-foot gold staff, and caused a stir when security officials did not admit them because each delegation gets only four floor passes. All seven "kings" were seated behind Gadhafi when he accepted the chairmanship.
"I think the coming time will be a time of serious work and a time of action and not words," he said.

Political high noon, economic midnight,’ says Rev. Jackson

By HERB BOYD and NAYABA ARINDE Special to the Amsterdam News

“While we are politically at high noon, we are economically at midnight,” said the Rev. Jesse Jackson. The renowned minister was recently in town to promote his upcoming 12th annual Wall Street Project Economic Summit and to share some of his views on the disparity between the current economic and political issues. “As President Barack is rising,” Jackson continued, “our economy is falling. The economic downturn is double trouble for us.” The “us,” Rev. Jackson, founder and president of RainbowPUSH, was referring to is Black Americans. “In the best of times, we are number one in mortalities.” His misery index included infant mortality, life expectancy, homicide and you know the drill.But most of his comments were keyed to the dismal economic picture, and at the top of his agenda was the credit crisis. “Over half of our small businesses depend on credit, and when they are unable to get credit and loans, their businesses suffer, and many of them are forced to layoff workers and eventually close,” Jackson began, as he sat in the Harlem office of the AmNewson Monday. Then came the sub-prime crisis, he continued. “We were clustered and targeted in the sense that we have to pay more for less,” Jackson explained. Unfortunately, he said, the combined credit crisis and home foreclosures did not come with a bailout. Click Here For Full Story