Black Orchid will christen revitalized Parkway Theater

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One year ago, Joe Senqyr Minjares, a playwright, theater lover, and owner of Pepito’s Restaurant, bought his neighborhood theater at 48th and Chicago in Minneapolis — The Parkway Theater. His delight over the purchase is equaled today by the upcoming debut of the theater’s first live stage production. The Black Orchid: Josephine Baker, Snapshots from her Life, written and directed by Judy Cooper Lyle and produced by Phyllis Productions, opens at The Parkway Theater on June 19. “The family is extremely excited,” said Pamela Huseby, the daughter of Minjares. “To me, it seems like an opening to a new life for the theater,” Huseby said, “and being able to have this play and all the work that is being put into this. Continue Reading

Book note: New “Bodies”

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Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth is the latest in the series of books by the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective providing information about women’s health and sexuality. This book examines childbearing in depth, provides up-to-date medical information about birth in the United States today, and includes additional recommended resources for readers. Like previous books in the series, Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth features the stories of many women sharing personal experiences. The authors’ objective is to help pregnant women take care of themselves and make informed decisions from the first weeks of pregnancy through the months of early motherhood. Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Birth by the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective. Continue Reading

Answering the questions we never dared to ask

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Do you remember when you first read Our Bodies, Ourselves? I do, and I recently had the very special privilege of meeting its primary author. For more information, see ourbodiesourselves.org. I was a guest at the journalists’ dinner at the annual joint conference of the National Council on Aging and the American Society on Aging, held last month in Washington, D.C. Seated next to me was Joan Ditzion, co-founder of the nonprofit organization Our Bodies, Ourselves and co-author of the groundbreaking book of that name. Also in the Daily Planet, read Jennifer Holder on the new Our Bodies, Ourselves: Pregnancy and Childbirth.Written in 1970 by a group of women called the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective, OBOS is a source of information about health, sexuality and reproduction from a feminist and consumer perspective. Continue Reading

Compassion in medicine

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Mayo Clinic scientists, doctors and other health professionals waited April 16 under the glare of the security staff stationed in the conference room at Mayo Clinic. The excitement in the buzzing sound from everyone’s conversation was palpable, until the entry of several security men from the side door signaled the entrance of His Holiness, The Dalai Lama, head of the Tibetan government-in-exile, and a Buddhist spiritual leader. A hush swept over the room; everyone stood in eerie silence as the Dalai Lama entered with his head bowed and his hands clasped. You could have heard the proverbial pin drop as he took his position on the elevated stage. He spoke first and the audience breathed one collective sigh and smiled all together. Continue Reading

Students’ community celebration honored their elders

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An eighth-grade class in Minneapolis’ InterDistrict Downtown School (IDDS) is taking pride in their recent event — called Elders’ Wisdom, Children’s Song — for having accomplished three things; It was a successful literacy and history project for the students. It honored and celebrated the lives of three community elders. And it gave legendary local songwriter and performer Larry Long a chance to begin passing the torch to two rising local stars. On March 19, IDDS’ eighth-grade social studies class hosted a community celebration honoring three Minneapolis community elders in song, R&B and hip hop music, and poetry. The honorees were former teacher Mary Louise Walker, her husband Rufus, and Richard Shore, a volunteer tutor. Continue Reading