THE INDYPENDENT #249: AUGUST 2019 • INDYPENDENT.ORG BROOKLYN’S UNDERGROUND RAILROAD P4 HEALING MIGRANT YOUTH P12 TINY PRICKS P17 LES residents April Merlin (left) and Yvette Mercedes are helping to lead the charge to FIGHTING FOR save the East River Park. THEIR PARK SUE BRISK LOWER EAST SIDE RESIDENTS CHALLENGE CITY’S CONTROVERSIAL CLIMATE CHANGE PLAN BY JOHN TARLETON, P10 2 COMMUNITY THE INDYPENDENT CALENDAR THE INDYPENDENT, INC. 388 Atlantic Avenue, 2nd Floor Brooklyn, NY 11217 212-904-1282 www.indypendent.org Twitter: @TheIndypendent facebook.com/TheIndypendent BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Ellen Davidson, Anna Gold, Alina Mogilyanskaya, Ann Schneider, John Tarleton UM BLOCK PARTY EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Enjoy live music, John Tarleton art-making activities, food and perfor- MANAGING EDITOR: AUGUST mances. Something Peter Rugh for all ages. FRI AUG 9 BROOKLYN BAZAAR LESLIE-LOHMAN MUSEUM OF GAY CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: 6PM • $25 150 Greenpoint Ave., Bklyn & LESBIAN ART Ellen Davidson, Alina 26 Wooster St., Mnhtn Mogilyanskaya, Nicholas HISTORY: BUSHWICK BEER HIS- Powers, Steven Wishnia TORY RUN TUE AUG 13 A running history tour focused on 7PM–9PM • FREE SAT AUG 17 ILLUSTRATION DIRECTOR: Bushwick’s cultural and industrial LIT: POETS AT THE END OF THE 5PM–7PM • $10 suggested donation Frank Reynoso history, having once been the WORLD: A READING AT CAVE LIT: WRITE FOR DEMOCRACY beer-brewing center of the city CANEM An evening of readings, music, beer DESIGN DIRECTOR: and country. Open to runners and Poets at the End of the World and pie to raise funds for Common Mikael Tarkela non-runners alike and ending at a (PEW) is a collective comprised Cause North Carolina. Performanc- nearby brewery. Funds go to Mil of acclaimed poets, Ama Codjoe, es and readings by Jane LeCroy, DESIGNERS: Mundos, a bilingual bookshop and Donika Kelly, Nicole Sealey, Evie Joshua Mehigan, Oliver West and Leia Doran, Anna Gold community space. Shockley and Lyrae Van Clief-Ste- The Indy’s Peter Rugh. KCBC BREWERY fanon, who dedicate themselves to PELS PIE CO. ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER: 381 Troutman St., Bklyn social justice. 446 Rogers Ave., Bklyn Dean Patterson CAVE CANEM AUG 10–AUG 11 20 Jay St., Ste 310-A, Bklyn SAT AUG 17 INTERN: SAT & SUN, 10AM–5AM • FREE 6PM–10PM • FREE Garret Reich FOOD: BLACK VEGFEST FRI AUG 16 FILM: IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK GENERAL INQUIRIES: Vendors galore. Dead Prez 5PM–10PM • FREE [email protected] performs. MUSIC: ACCORDION FESTIVAL This adaptation of the James WEEKSVILLE HERITAGE CENTER Experience the wide range of this Baldwin novel stars Academy SUBMISSIONS & NEWS TIPS: 158 Buffalo Ave., Bklyn often-overlooked and little-known Award-winner Regina King, Cole- [email protected] instrument at this special event, man Domingo, Michael Beach, SUN AUG 11 featuring Aces of Rhythm (tango Teyonah Parris, Aunjanue Ellis and ADVERTISING & PROMOTION: 2PM–6PM • $5 from Argentina), Fedor Chistya- newcomer Kiki Layne. [email protected] MARKET: THE LIVING DEAD kov (Russian rock-and-roll), Los ST. NICHOLAS PARK MARKET Texmaniacs (Texas-Mexican Corner of St. Nicholas Ave. & St. VOLUNTEER CONTRIBUTORS: The Jersey City Oddities Market conjunto) and Alberto Jamaica Nicholas Terrace, Mnhtn Linda Martín Alcoff, Charlyne heads to the cemetery. Come for (Vallenato from Colombia). Alexis, Bennett Baumer, Sue a dozen vendors and special live BRYANT PARK SUN AUG 18 Brisk, Valerio Ciriaci, Rico entertainment. Btw 40th & 42nd Sts. and Fifth & 12PM–6PM • FREE Cleffi , Renée Feltz, Lynne THE HISTORIC JERSEY CITY & HAR- Sixth Aves., Mnhtn PARTY: SPLIT’N LANES DODGIN’ Foster, Emma Gaffney, SIMUS CEMETERY GUTTERS’ MOTORCYCLE SHOW! Esteban Guerra, Lauren Kaori 435 Newark Ave., Jersey City SAT AUG 17 Brooklyn Bowl will be jam- Gurley, Theodore Hamm, 12PM–4PM • FREE packed with cool and unusual David Hollenbach, Manvi Jalan, Sophia Lebowitz, MON AUG 12 ART: THE 29TH ANNUAL SAND vintage motorcycles, two full Derek Ludovici, Leonardo 7PM–11PM • $30 SCULPTING COMPETITION bars, food by Blue Ribbon, a March, Gary Martin, Lydia MUSIC: BLACK FLAG Grab a shovel, pails and head to live DJ and 16 lanes of bowling. McMullen-Laird, Farid Nassif, People calling themselves “Black the beach. The entire front of the venue is Brady O’Callahan, Tiffany Flag” are still making music, CONEY ISLAND reserved for motorcycle parking. Pai, Donald Paneth, Libby including guitarist, songwriter Coney Island Beach, Bklyn BROOKLYN BOWL Rainey, Mark Read, Reverend and sole continuous member Greg 61 Wythe Ave., Bkyln Billy, Chelsey Sanchez, Steven Ginn, who helped form the legend- SAT AUG 17 Sherman, Naomi Ushiyama, ary punk band in 1976 Hermosa 2PM–6PM • FREE SUN AUG 18 and Isobel van Hagen. JUSTIN DE NOOIJER Beach, California. PARTY: LESLIE-LOHMAN MUSE- 1PM–3PM • FREE VOLUNTEER DISTRIBUTORS: Erik Anders-Nilssen, Eric Brelsford, Chris & Pam Brown, Hank Dombrowski, Joseph Epstein, Kim Frazcek, August 2019 August Lew Friedman, Mindy Gershon, Tami Gold, Priscilla Grim, Laura Kaplan, Michael Korn, Jane LaTour, Dave ADVERTISE IN THE INDY Lippman, Ashley Marinaccio, UNIQUE AUDIENCE • AFFORDABLE RATES • PERSONAL ATTENTION Christine Miller, Saul Nieves, FOR MORE INFORMATION, EMAIL [email protected] OR CALL 212-904-1282 Caroline Rath, Liam Reilly, Norm Scott, Carol Smith, and THE INDYPENDENT Becky Vaughan. THE INDYPENDENT 3 IN THIS ISSUE LET HISTORY STAND, P4 A developer wants to tear down a Brooklyn building where abolitionists fought the power in the 19th century. ¡YA BASTA!, P5 New York passed sweeping housing law reforms in June, so why is Barberry Rose jacking A. JARRETT up the rent on their elderly Hispanic tenants? SOCIAL: SECURITEA TIME: FEMI- edge. Anyone is free THE NEWS IN BRIEF, P6 NIST CYBER SELF-DEFENSE to come on stage CASTLES BUILT ON SAND: Admire the The Blaz’s pusillanimous stance This social event from the CyPurr and give a presenta- temporal masterpieces at Coney Island’s annual on killer cop Daniel Pantaleo, NY Collective hopes to build a system of tion on something sculpture competition, or craft your own. pols won’t be prez and health care offl ine communal support by creat- they’re interested in for the Bronx. ing a comfortable space to discuss or passionate about. issues, share experiences, ask STARR BAR PUNKY FUNK: Always poetic, soulful and ANYTHING TO CONVICT, P7 questions and build digital agency. 214 Starr St., Bklyn fresh, Jill Scott is among the headliners of this A zealous prosecutor, a biased All while enjoying delicious tea and years Afropunk fest. judge and a shady witness landed snacks, of course. FRI AUG 23 Saul Robles in prison. Now he has BLUESTOCKINGS BOOKSTORE, 7PM–10PM • $99 a chance at freedom. CAFÉ & ACTIVIST CENTER PARTY: BUNGALOW LUAU A party spotlighting DJs who have 172 Allen St., Mnhtn Eat drink and be merry. Feast on been instrumental in shaping New BLOOD ON THE ROAD, P8 suckling pig, Hawaiian sides and York’s nightlife culture. Cars and trucks are mowing SUN AUG 18 delicious drinks. Hawaiian fi re danc- THE BROOKLYN MIRAGE down cyclists and pedestrians at 6PM–9PM • FREE ers will perform and dance through 140 Stewart Ave., Bklyn alarming rates. MUSIC: THE WAILERS’ JULIAN the night. JUNIOR MARVIN BUNGALOW BAR FRI AUG 30 SOMETHING MIGHTY THIS WAY Guitarist Junior Marvin’s fi rst 377 Beach 92nd St., Queens 8PM–4AM • $25, 21+ BLOWS, P9 recording with Bob Marley & the MUSIC: PARADISE GARAGE How eco-activists turned around Wailers, 1974’s Exodus, is widely AUG 24–AUG 25 REUNION plans to build an LNG terminal considered one of the greatest SAT & SUN, 12PM–10PM • $60 & up The mother of all underground and gave us a wind farm instead. albums of all time — in any genre. MUSIC: AFROPUNK dance music parties. Started as Marvin plays and sings the Bob This years line-up features Jill Scott, a private weekly party in SoHo in GOING AGAINST THE TIDE, P10 Marley & The Wailers hits the way FKA twigs, Leon Bridges, Gary Clark 1976, under the watchful eye of Lower East Side residents are he believes Marley intended them to Jr., Kamasi Washington, Santigold, the iconic DJ Larry Levan, it has racing against time to prevent be heard. Lianne La Havas and many more. since morphed into an annual event the city from burying East River MARCUS GARVEY MEMORIAL PARK COMMODORE BARRY PARK successfully running for more than Park in the name of fi ghting 6316 Mt. Morris Park W., Mnhtn Flushing Ave. and N. Elliott Pl., Bklyn 25 years since the Garage closed in climate change. 1987. MON AUG 19 SAT AUG 24 ELSEWHERE TREATING TRUMP’S OTHER 7PM–9PM • FREE 6PM–4:30AM • $45 599 Johnson Ave., Bklyn CHILDREN, P12 PARTY: PRESENTATION PARTY MUSIC: HEROES NYC: VICTOR After a 2,000-mile trek, family A monthly event dedicated to CALDERONE, DANNY TENAGLIA & separation and detention, the celebrating our shared knowl- OSCAR G journey to recovery begins for migrant children. STATE OF TERROR, P13 Trump uses fear of immigrants to build an authoritarian Fortress America. Here’s an antidote. TRAPPED IN MALTA, P14 Refugees fl eeing persecution are given a cruel reception on the Mediterranean island. PEOPLE AREN’T THE ONLY ONES ON THE MOVE, P16 Animals and plants are undergoing a mass migration in response to climate change. STICKING IT TO THE PRICK, P17 2019 August A new needlework exhibit memorializes the prez’s snottiest tweets. HEART, SOUL & STRUGGLE, P18 THE INDYPENDENT Two new works of fi ction tackle the tribulations of caregivers. TAKE IT TO THE STREETS, P19 Theater for the New City’s newest work of absurdity challenges TED RALL Trump… and all of us. 4HISTORY SUE BRISK HISTORY LESSON: Protesters demand that the former stop on the Underground Railroad be saved at a July SAVING 26 rally. HIRED GUNS: Bounty Hunters try to BROOKLYN’S abduct a formerly enslaved person who fl ed to the North.