culture

Nadira Simmons is a writer and digital content creator committed to preserving Black history, hip-hop history, and pop culture and finding new ways to tell stories on TV and the internet. She created “The Gumbo, an innovative space in media for the creative excellence and activism of Black women in hip-hop and a safe haven free of politics.Her book “First Things First: Hip-Hop Ladies Who Changed the Game,” published by Twelve, is a celebration of the achievements of women in hip-hop who broke down barriers and broke the mold.

“Yiddish: A Global Culture” is an acclaimed and original permanent exhibition at The Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts. It opened in Fall of 2023. The exhibition features hundreds of rare objects, family heirlooms, photographs, music, and videos that illuminate the expansive story of modern Yiddish cultural reach.Lisa Newman is director of publishing and public programs at The Yiddish Book Center. David Mazower is the center’s research bibliographer and editorial director - and is the chief curator and writer of “Yiddish: A Global Culture.”

Featuring 36 discreet natural habitats in the Hudson Valley’s Columbia County, and illustrated with over 750 full-color photographs, maps, graphs, tables, and charts, “From the Hudson to the Taconics: An Ecological and Cultural Field Guide to the Habitats of Columbia County” offers readers an in-depth look at the ecology, history, and cultural impact of natural habitats throughout the county and is the culmination of over two decades of research.This morning we welcome co-authors Claudia Knab-Vispo and Conrad Vispo.

Nadira Simmons is a writer and digital content creator committed to preserving Black history, hip-hop history, and pop culture and finding new ways to tell stories on TV and the internet. She created “The Gumbo, an innovative space in media for the creative excellence and activism of Black women in hip-hop and a safe haven free of politics.Her book “First Things First: Hip-Hop Ladies Who Changed the Game,” published by Twelve, is a celebration of the achievements of women in hip-hop who broke down barriers and broke the mold.

On Friday, August 18th, Andris Nelsons will conduct The Boston Symphony Orchestra in a program featuring works by Saint-Saëns, Simon, and Gershwin featuring soloist Jean-Yves Thibaudet on piano in The Shed at Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts.The “Simon” of those listed composers is Carlos Simon and his piece, “Four Black American Dances,” is a BSO commission. The piece celebrates the composer’s heritage and the presence of dance in Black culture as a medium for ritual, worship, celebration, and social connectivity.

Capital District Latinos has curated the West Hill Concert Series: Music is the Balm! All events will take place at Capital District Latinos Cultural Empowerment and Community Engagement Center on Central Avenue in Albany, NY.On Thursday, July 20 the Camerata Coral de Puerto Rico will perform music of the Caribbean and Latin America. The concert is presented in partnership with Albany Pro Musica. Amarilis Pagan-Vila is the Music Director and Conductor of the Camerata Coral de Puerto Rico and she joins us.

Aisha Harris has made a name for herself as someone you can turn to for a razor-sharp take on whatever show or movie everyone is talking about. In her book "Wannabe," she turns her talents inward, mining the benchmarks of her nineties childhood and beyond to analyze the tropes that are shaping all of us, and our ability to shape them right back.

Pianist Jacqueline Schwab will perform a concert entitled “Mothers and Children: A Mother's Day Concert of Hope and Peace” at the Guilderland Public Library this Sunday, May 14 at 2 p.m.Schwab’s signature piano playing features in over a dozen of Ken Burns’ documentaries, including his Grammy-winning “Civil War,” “Baseball,” “The War” and others. As a solo pianist, she has performed vintage American music in almost every state of the union. Her latest album is “I Life My Lamp: Illuminations from Immigrant America.”

The mission of The Borscht Belt Historical Marker Project is to interpret and designate places important to the Borscht Belt’s vibrant history. The first historic marker dedication takes place May 25.

The World Awareness Children's Museum in Glens Falls, New York has been a New York State Designated Charter Museum since 1995 with a mission to bring information about diverse world cultures to children in our area. The museum's collection is made of pieces from 140 countries including over 8,000 artifacts.Bethanie Muska Lawrence is the Executive Director of The World Awareness Children’s Museum.