Harlem Week Continues Until August 20th And Reminds New Yorkers To “Be The Change”

The 49^th annual HARLEM WEEK, presented by Amazon Access,  continues this week with live and virtual experiences with the theme, “Be the Change. Hope. Joy. Love.”

Attendees can look forward to daily events including the Youth Conference & Hackathon (8/14) and the HARLEM WEEK At Home Dance Party (kicks off 8/14-8/18); Economic Development Day, Arts & Culture/Broadway Summit and the Harlem On My Mind Conversations (8/15), HARLEM WEEK’S Annual NYC Jobs & Career Fair (8/16), Black Health Matters/HARLEM WEEK Summer Health Summit & Expo and  Advancing Access to Health Screenings in Communities of Color (8/17)  and the NYC’s Children’s Festival (8/19 & 8/20).

The celebration culminates in  grand finale events, “Summer In The City” which takes over Harlem on Saturday, 8/19 with performances from Harlem Broadway Row, the highly anticipated adult urban fashion show, Harlem Hip Hop artist CAM’RON and more. HARLEM WEEK’s final day, Sunday, 8/20, will be HARLEM DAY, the pivotal event that launched HARLEM WEEK in 1974. The day will feature GRAMMY-Award winning superstar Mary J. Blige presenting a performance by WanMor, the rising artists who are the sons of Wayná Morris, founding member of the world renowned group Boyz 2 Men, An Apollo Hour with Special with a performance by Hip Hop Artist Fabolous, an international tribute to the late Harry Belafonte, A salute to the late Heavy D with performances from Jeff Redd and Horace Brown, an appearance by DMC of RUN-DMC at the NYC Children’s Festival and more. 

The full list of events includes:

• Mon. 8/14
  • 12 Noon– 3PM Youth Conference & Hackathon  (Virtual) This conference is our youth-centered event for HARLEM WEEK! The Youth Conference will be a conversation about the Impact of Social Media on Young People discussed by Youth. The Hack-A-Thon is geared toward middle and high school students. Teams of students will be challenged to create a solution using Artificial Intelligence for the better well being of the community.  Doing so by creating an app, website or another digital solution. The teams then present their projects and the best ones will win prizes for their practicality and creativity!
  • 8/14 – 8/18 5PM – 7PM HARLEM WEEK At Home Dance Party (Virtual) HARLEM WEEK has a dance party every evening!  The HARLEM WEEK at Home Dance Party features DJs spinning a broad spectrum of music that has one thing in common: to make you want to dance!
• Tues. 8/15
  • Noon – 3PM Economic Development Day (Virtual) This event will feature key discussions on Community & Economic Development, Technology & Cyber-Security with experts in the related fields from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies to representatives from New York City & New York State Government.
  • 3PM – 5PMArts & Culture/Broadway Summit (Virtual) This summit features conversations with actors, producers, directors,  and those behind the scenes, discussing how to “Be The Change” in the theater industry and how to increase “Hope. Joy. Love” on Broadway
    • Panelists include:
• Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, Vice President for Cultural Affairs for Arizona State University and Executive Director of ASU Gammage.
• Marcia Sells, First & Current Chief Diversity Officer for the Metropolitan Opera
• Award-winning playwright and composer, Michael Dinwiddie 
• Rosalba Rolon, Artistic Director of Pregones + Puerto Rican Traveling Theater
• Actress & Playwright, Debra Ann Byrd 

• 7:30PM – 8:30PM Harlem On My Mind Conversations: Hip Hop & Fashion (Virtual) “Harlem on my Mind Conversations”  showcases spirited intergenerational conversations that span across a series of relevant cultural and historical topics with Harlem-inspired thought leaders whose work and influence significantly contribute to Harlem and the Harlem’s of the world. As we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop we take a look at the influence of Hip Hop on Fashion and Fashion in Hip Hop. Deborah Williams founder of HerGame2 and Director of the HARLEM WEEK Fashion Shows leads an All-Star Panel in this discussion. Panelists include:
  • JT Thompson, Chairman, Hip Hop Hall Of Fame
  • Elena Romero, Curator, Fresh, Fly, and Fabulous: Fifty Years of Hip Hop Style     
  • Exhibit at Fashion Institute of Technology
  • Legendary Hip Hop Artist, Big Daddy Kane
  • Karl Kani
  • Derrick Ferguson, Sean John
• Wed. 8/16
  • 10AM – 4PM HARLEM WEEK’S Annual NYC Jobs & Career Fair (City College of New York)  will feature over 40 employers and career development workshops in a number of industries. 
• Thur. 8/17
  • 10AM – 4PM Black Health Matters/HARLEM WEEK Summer Health Summit & Expo (Live/Virtual, The Alhambra Ballroom) “Where Health Meets Heritage” will address both physical and emotional wellness while bringing together like-minded people who understand and are committed to the idea that Black Health Matters! Free health screenings, prizes, Breakfast & Lunch will be provided! To register to attend go to bit.ly/bhmhwregistration
  • 7:30PM – 8:30PM Harlem On My Mind Conversations: Education (Virtual) “Harlem on my Mind Conversations”  showcases spirited intergenerational conversations that span across a series of relevant cultural and historical topics with Harlem-inspired thought leaders whose work and influence significantly contribute to Harlem and the Harlem’s of the world. This conversation on Education features Dr. Vince Boudreau, President, The City College of New York and Dr. Patricia Ramsey, President, Medgar Evers College.

• Fri., 8/19 –  Sat. 8/20
  • “Summer In The City,” (St. Nicholas Avenue Main Stage, West 135th Street bet. St. Nicholas Avenue & Frederick Douglass Blvd) which takes over Harlem on Saturday, August 19th with performances from Harlem Born and raised Hip Hop Star CAM’RON, the highly anticipated adult urban fashion show celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop, the Back-to-School fashion show, Broadway Plays and more. 
  • 8/19 + 8/20, Noon – 5PM NYC’s Children’s Festival (Howard Bennett Playground) hosts children between ages 5 to 12 years and their family members to enjoy storytelling, performances showcasing tap dancers, dance troupes, step shows, hip hop, theater, poetry, vocalists, arts & crafts, double dutch competitions, face painting, technology information, information on health services, and will feature a special appearance from DMC of RUN-DMC.
  • 8/20 HARLEM WEEK’s final day, HARLEM DAY (3 stages,West 135th Street bet. St. Nicholas Avenue & 5th Avenue), the pivotal event that launched HARLEM WEEK in 1974. The day will feature performances from Broadway plays, celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop courtesy of the Hip Hop Hall of Fame with a performance from Rob Base known for the HipHop anthem “It Takes Two”, An Apollo Hour with Special guest, Hip Hop Artist Fabolous, A Salute to the late Heavy D with performances from Jeff Redd & Horace Brown, Mary J. Blige presents A performance from WANMOR (sons of Wanya Morris, member of the international group Boyz II Men), An international tribute to the late Harry Belafonte and more.
  • 8/20 12 PM  1st Annual Harlem Teen Poetry Slam Competition Finals (Center Stage West 135th Street bet. ACP Jr. Blvd & Malcolm X Blvd) presented by Harlem Bomb Shelter and Jazzmobile with Urban Word NYC. The Harlem Teen Poetry Slam is for youth poets of all experience levels, ages 12 to 17, who live in and/or attend school in New York City. This is an exciting new HARLEM WEEK event to encourage our youth to be creative and “Be The Change”.

Over the weekend, make sure to visit the Amazon Access booth for a chance to win prizes, check out the 360-degree photobooth, and more. Children’s Festival attendees can also visit the Prime Access table to learn about Amazon Prime benefits such as savings up to 80% on prescriptions at over 60,000 pharmacies, including Walgreens, CVS, and Amazon Pharmacy, where Prime members get FREE two-day delivery. 

“Amazon Access is thrilled to be the Presenting Sponsor at this year’s Harlem Week celebration,” said Nancy Dalton, Head of Community Experience & Customer Marketing at Amazon Access. “We are excited to be here celebrating the community’s rich history and to be sharing about the programs, discounts, and features — like payment with SNAP EBT and Prime Access — that make shopping on Amazon easier and more affordable.”

All virtual events can be watched on www.harlemweek.com live or on demand.

For a complete list of events, please visit www.harlemweek.com.

HARLEM WEEK

HARLEM WEEK is an annual celebration of the best of Harlem which works to promote its rich African-American, African, Caribbean, Hispanic, and European history, as well as arts, culture, religion, business, entertainment, and sports. HARLEM WEEK began in 1974 as HARLEM DAY, a one-day event of encouragement and fellowship in Harlem for New Yorkers and beyond. Given the huge success of the celebration, additional days were added to showcase the community’s rich economic, political, and cultural history.

HARLEM WEEK 2023 Presenting Sponsors include Amazon Access and The Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce.

Sponsors

Mastercard, The City College of New York, Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment, MTA, National Park Service,  NYC & Co.,& West Harlem Development Corp. 

Co-Sponsors

Ben & Jerry’s, Carver, Chase Bank, CHICK-FIL-A, CITI, COLUMBIA UNIV, Con Edison, COCA COLA , Apollo Theatre, CROSS RIVER BANK, Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT Corp.,FDNY, HARLEM ARTS ALLIANCE, Office of Assemblymember INEZ DICKENS, HUMANA, MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING, METROPLUS, MT. SINAI, MAN BORO PRES., Municipal Credit Union (MCU)

NYC Economic Development Corp., NYPD, NYPD FOUNDATION, NY CITY TOURISM, NEDERLANDER, New York Road Runners,  Office of the NYS GOVERNOR, NYC SMALL BUSINESS SERVICES, SHUBERT, SPECTRUM, SPOT HER,

TOURO/OSTEOPATHIC MED, Urban Manhattan Empowerment Zone, UNITED WAY, WEST HARLEM DEVEL. CORP.,

WHIN, ZIPCAR 

Supporting Sponsors

DONALDSON & CHILLIEST, ENTERPRISE HOLDING Co., ELH MGMT. LLC, HADESTOWN, HARLEM HOSPITAL

NY COUNTY DA’s Office,  IEI,  LDI , LEXUS OF MANHATTAN, McDONALDS , NY LIBERTY, PC RICHARD & Son, SLUTTY VEGAN, TREBEK FOUNDATION , UFT, VISITING NURSE SERVICE, WALK TALL PRODUCTIONS/MANHATTAN THEATER CLUB, OVA LAB, OLNICK

Partners

BROADWAY League , LINCOLN CENTER, METROPOLITAN OPERA, NJPAC , SHUBERT ORGANIZATION
Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement, NAACP, ONE HUNDRED BLACK MEN

Media Partners

107.5 WBLS-FM, 94.7 The Block, WINS, WFAN-FM, WCBS-AM, FOX 5 TV, PIX-11 TV, What’s Eating Harlem, Harlem America, Spectrum NY1 News, AM New York, NY Amsterdam News, New York Beacon, NY Carib News, Harlem World Magazine, Harlem Community News, NY CHRISTIAN TIMES , Positive Community Magazine.

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