The Million Masks Give Away
Occupied Arts Culture & Entertainment s Plan to Mask Communities Across America
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ESSEX COUNTY, N.J., March 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ AJ Jackson, Founder & C.E.O of Occupied Arts Culture & Entertainment, a social art company which operates out of the historic First Park Baptist Church, in Plainfield. First Park was once home to a prominent Black Theatre Company during segregation. Pastor Rufus McClendon, who spear headed the joint venture between the Church and O.A.C.E contracted COVID-19 and died suddenly. This loss was felt by his family, congregation and the company he gave a home.
Tributes continue to pour in for actress Cicely Tyson. The actress died Thursday at the age of 96. She spent seven decades captivating audiences and changing the narrative for what it means to be a Black actress. Grace elegance, dignity, is what comes to mind for Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park Artistic Director Blake Robison when asked about Tyson.Tyson played a role in theater history in 1970 when she was cast as Eliza Doolittle in Playhouse s production of Pygmalion. A role that up until then had always been played by white actors. In 1970 it was very, very unusual to have a Black actor in a lead role like that. Of course, now it s much more commonplace. And so, Miss Tyson blazed the trail for, for many, many actors, Robison said. Hollywood was stuck only putting stereotypes of Black characters on screen, Robison said to explain why Tyson chose to go a different path with her acting. So you know you were a drug dealer or a gangbanger or something like that. And Cicel