Arts & Society

Robert Devaney • September 12, 2013

More than 160 neighbors and supporters attended the 18th annual Friends of Volta Park cocktail party June 7 — always a fun affair — raising more than $25,000 toward its annual goal of $50,000 to help with park expenses. Mayor Vincent Gray, Councilmember Jack Evans and Deputy Police Chief Patrick Burke were among the guests. The group will hold Volta Park Day in October; check VoltaPark.org. [gallery ids="101398,154117,154104,154113,154110" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird •

Helen Hayes Awards nominees and supporters gathered at the Hamilton on March 18 to celebrate their fellow actors, directors, designers, choreographers and producers. TheatreWashington board chair Victor Shargai thanked John and Ginger Latham of the Hamilton and said, “I am so proud to of this community.” He urged, “I want more actors working, designers designing and musicians ‘musicianing.’ ” President and CEO Linda Levy Grossman told the nominees in 26 categories, “We believe in you, in your work in the greater power of the theatre.” The 29th Helen Hayes Awards will be held at the Warner Theatre and JW
Marriott Hotel on April 8. [gallery ids="101216,145031,145009,145026,145015,145023" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird •

GALA Hispanic Theatre hosted its annual Noche de Estrellas event on Mar. 12 to honor artistic and civic leaders. Awardees were Betti Brown, founding executive director of the Helen Hayes Awards; Candace Kattar, Founder of Identity, Inc., and Septime Webre, Artistic Director of the Washington Ballet, who expressed his appreciation for “ensuring that there is a Latin voice at the table.” Guests enjoyed a sangria reception, live and silent auctions and performances by flamenco star Edwin Aparicio and GALA’s Paso Nuevo youth among others. Proceeds support Paso Nuevo, GALA’s arts and academic enrichment program for at-risk Latino teens. [gallery ids="145052,145047,145029,145042,145036" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird •

Mayor Vincent Gray was the guest speaker at the recent Institute for Education’s “Info Breakfast,” hosted by Ambassador of Finland Ritva Koukku-Ronde. The mayor hailed his administration’s newly released District Sustainability Plan as an example of how the District is moving forward. The Embassy of Finland was the first among 60 embassies that have now signed a sustainability pledge as have all the District’s colleges and universities. For 22 years, the IFE has held regular public policy roundtable discussions with notable public figures in a non-partisan venue to promote the organization’s mission of recognizing and promoting civility and leadership. [gallery ids="101217,145048,145043" nav="thumbs"]

Robert Devaney •

As per a Washington St. Patrick’s Day tradition, Irish Prime Minister (An Taoiseach) Edna Kenny was in town to meet President Barack Obama and others, especially those of Irish descent. The American Irish Fund met March 18 at the National Building Museum to honor Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Sen. Patrick Toomey, R-Pa., U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Daniel Rooney and Irish Ambassador Michael Collins. Before a performance by flautist James Galway, Kenny touted a “celtic comeback” for Ireland. [gallery ids="119392,119365,119380,119386,119373" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird •

The Latino Student Fund (LSF) held its 11th Annual Gala at the Organization of American States of Mar. 9. LST Executive Director Maria Fernanda Borja acknowledged Honorary Patrons Ambassador of Spain Jorge Dezcallar and Mrs. Teresa Dezcallar, who hosted a reception the previous week. Wendy Thompson-Marquez chaired this year’s Gala. Co-Founder and Board Chair Rosalia Miller said “what we do best is changing lives of Latino youth in cooperation with schools.” The warmth was clear as guests generously supported the silent and live auctions to further LSF advocacy of the Latino community. [gallery ids="99631,105174,105195,105179,105191,105184,105188" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner •

Second Chance Employment Services, the nation’s first and only nonprofit dedicated to comprehensive employment-placement services for victims of domestic violence, just received recognition in the form of a provision included in the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.

For the first time since the passage of the VAWA in 1994, a provision included in Section 602 of the bill (S. 47) now allows “employment counseling, occupational training, job retention counseling, and counseling on re-entry into the workforce,” eligible for federal grant funding.

SCES’s founder and president, Dr. Ludy Green, sees the new language as a step forward for women. “Employment is a key tool to end domestic violence,” said Green. “Before it wasn’t considered something that women could use. Women can become financially independent — they don’t have to depend on welfare or their abuser.”

Victims of domestic violence are a diverse group, including the well educated. Green describes one of her favorite success stories of a woman, Betty, who obtained a master’s degree from Columbia University before finding herself in an abusive marriage.

When the family relocated to a new city and Betty became a stay-at-home mom, the abuse escalated. After her husband came close to injuring their 3-year-old son, Betty ran away from the relationship and found herself in need of a job but lacking the means to reenter the workforce, despite her education. While staying in a temporary shelter in northern Virginia, she was referred to Second Chance.

“She was a great American woman, bilingual and talented. We gave her an opportunity to work in our offices and from there she started interviewing at non-profits and landed a development position. She’s since been promoted there,“ said Green.

Green created SCES in September 2001, using her 20-year experience in human resource management, and since then Second Chance has placed 875 at-risk women in meaningful employment.The nonprofit provides training such as interview preparation and resume creation.
In addition to job placement, SCES has served 3125 in the D.C. metro area with rehabilitation services including transportation, medical and mental health services, housing, clothing, and child care services.

“When women come from an abusive situation they need a holistic approach. We don’t burden them with questions; we ask them what we can do for them,” said Green.

Since the renewal of the VAWA, the next step for Second Chance is national expansion. Currently serving seven cities in the area, Green and her team hope to expand to 52 cities across the United States through a partnership with corporate sponsor, Manpower.

“Women need jobs as a tool to be self sufficient and take care of their families,” said Green.

Second Chance Employment Services will hold its annual gala in September at the French Embassy.

For more information on Second Chance or to get involved, visit www.scesnet.org

Nico Dodd •

For a band that has been performing together for 36 years, it might be easy for every concert to become a trip down memory lane. Not so the case for New Orleans’s Dirty Dozen Brass Band, which put on the most engaging and energetic show I’ve seen at the Hamilton Live.

The stage was set with fog machines and club-style lights, and the front row of tables closest to the stage was removed to create a dance floor that was densely populated through the band’s two sets.

Dirty Dozen used a a huge range of sound to create some great polyrhythmic jamming, a New Orleans brass band with modern and creative vibe. The band is actually comprised of only seven musicians, each of whom is deft at his instruments. It’s not just progressive ideas; these guys can play. Sousaphone player Kirk Joseph uses a wah pedal to distort his sound and switched to beat-boxing later in the show. Baritone saxophonist Roger Lewis opened the second set with a reverb and echo effects to create a huge, rocking sound. At one point, Efrems Towns played trumpet and flugelhorn at the same time.

The night’s performance was co-presented by D.C. Jazz Fest and whetted my appetite for the upcoming festival in June. Dirty Dozen played at the first D.C. Jazz Fest in 2004. Festival founder and executive producer Charlie Fishman was there, taking in the first set from different vantage points around the venue. He simply said the show was “excellent.”

Covers included performances of James Brown’s “Get On Up” and the classic, “When The Saints Go Marching In,” with plenty of “Who dats?” thrown in for good measure.

Local musician Clarice Karter lent her pipes to one song and danced onstage with the group and other female fans for the band’s final number.

Dirty Dozen Brass Band will be playing its next concert on March 8 at the Manship Theatre in Baton Rouge, La. [gallery ids="101186,143183,143177,143166,143171" nav="thumbs"]

Robert Devaney •

The Light The Night Awards Party celebrated the outstanding achievements of volunteers who raised more than $2.23 million dollars during 2012 Walks throughout the Washington metropolitan area for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, which funds blood cancer research worldwide and provides free information and support services. Teams and sponsors met Jan. 31 at the House of Sweden and skated afterwards at Washington Harbour’s ice rink, one of Georgetown’s newest and most popular additions. [gallery ids="101176,142707,142691,142703,142698" nav="thumbs"]

Mary Bird •

The Women’s Board of the American Heart Association Greater Washington Region held its 64th Annual “An Affair of the Heart” luncheon, chaired by Christie Swanson, Feb. 13 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. The “fashion meets philanthropy” event benefits heart research and education and is the oldest continuously held fundraiser of any nationally recognized nonprofit group. Saks Fifth Avenue Chevy Chase presented spring 2012 fashions. Cindy Jones donated stunning floral centerpieces in honor of her late mother Ruth Atchison. [gallery ids="100504,118270,118233,118263,118241,118256,118249" nav="thumbs"]