Billy Hunter & NBA Players Association president Derek Fisher of the LA Lakers

Sure, he’s the Executive Director of the National Basketball Players Association, so he can talk about those 161 days that delayed the 2011-12 regular season and reduced it by 16 games.

But he can also talk about what it was like to play professional football with the NFL’s Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins. About forming the first major sports union to represent female athletes. About being the very first African-American to compete in the Little League World Series Championship some 50+ years ago.

He can talk about organizing boycotts of Southern universities in the 60s and their segregated stadiums. About being one of the youngest United States Attorneys in history, leading the investigation and prosecution of members of Jim Jones’ People’s Temple, the Black Panther Party and the Hell’s Angels.

He can talk about developing the preeminent high school basketball camp for the country’s top 100 high school athletes with a professional career in their future, and programs for athletes post-NBA whose playing careers are in the past. He can talk about taking on a multi-billion dollar industry and about the Feeding One Million initiative.

And he can do it all from personal experience.

Join us at 6:30 PM, Thursday, February 9, in the Harlem Branch Library Community Room, 9 W 124 Street, for Mount Morris Talks! and you can meet G. William “Billy” Hunter himself,  the man in the middle of some of the most fascinating circumstances of this century and the last, and our neighbor in Mount Morris Park.

Mount Morris Talks! is a series of conversations between the community and leaders, news makers, artists, authors and thinkers who live in the Harlem area. MMPCIA is proud to sponsor this series and offers it free of charge to the community.

Thursday, December 8
7:00 to 10:00 PM
Ristorante Settepani
196 Lenox Avenue @ W120 Street

Admission: $30
and one unwrapped toy for a child (up to age 10)
or non-perishable food items for the Food Pantry.

No host bar. MMPCIA members will receive one complimentary drink.
Join or renew when you purchase your ticket at the door.

Auction proceeds support MMPCIA, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization,
and its community efforts, especially the annual Scholarship Award
given to an outstanding Harlem high school student on the way to college.

For more information, please contact the Holiday Gala Team.

We want to be first on your
Holiday Calendar!

On Thursday, December 8th, the Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association holds its 4th Annual Holiday Gala & Fundraiser. Neighbors and friends are warmly invited to gather and kick off the holiday season with festivities, food, music and mingling—and support the community by placing bids at the Silent Auction.

The Annual Holiday Gala & Fundraiser is one of MMPCIA’s important fundraising efforts. Proceeds support the Scholarship Award given in June to a Harlem high school senior on her/his way to college; the Harlem Library; provide toys for the holidays to children in need; and help support the organization’s other community efforts set forth in its annual goals.

Bid generously and often at both our exciting Online & Silent Auctions. Find that perfect gift from among the beautiful merchandise and unique opportunities generously donated by our neighbors and businesses. The Online Auction is now open for bidding!  Be sure to take a look. Certain items will continue as part of the Silent Auction during the Holiday Gala evening.

We still need auction items! Can you donate something for the auction–on behalf of yourself or a business? Do you have a good or service to offer? Do you have a hard-to-come-by opportunity to give away?  A quality item that’s just not your style any more? It’s easy to donate–just download a Donation Form now, fill it out and contact the Holiday Gala Team for more details.

MMPCIA Annual Awards. We will present our 2011 awards recognizing special people in the neighborhood during the Gala.

The party venue is Ristorante Settepani* — the lynchpin of the Lenox Avenue Renaissance — at 196 Lenox Avenue and West 120 Street.

Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Also required for admission–one toy for a child (up to 10-years old) or canned or dry food for the food pantry. Dress is business or party attire. No host bar. Don’t forget the checkbook or credit card to settle your winnings at the Silent Auction!

*Due to unforeseen circumstances, the location of the MMPCIA Holiday Gala has changed.

Peter will share insights and adventures from his remarkable multi-faceted life at Mount Morris Talks! Thursday, November 3 at 6:30 PM.

As an inner-city teenager in Newark, Peter was an unlikely candidate for world-class fencing champion. But his mother urged him (with the addition of a $5 bribe) to take up the sport as a way of channeling his anger and giving vent to his bitterness at an absentee father, poverty and racism in a society that consistently challenged this bi-racial child of Japanese and African American parents. Little did she know this would be his first step on the path to greatness. Peter brought an unbridled intensity to the sport. This, along with discipline and hard work, propelled him to remarkable heights as an athlete and provided him with the opportunity for an education, a chance for a better future and a fierce will to win. And thus was laid the foundation for the rest of his life’s work.

Peter says, “My mother always told me to not cry, to work hard, be ethical and fight to achieve my goals. And if I should survive the fight, to get up and fight some more.”

He is imparting this same ethic to children from New York’s most underserved neighborhoods through a range of programs designed to empower inner city youth. The cornerstone of his efforts is the Peter Westbrook Foundation, with its Academic Enrichment Program that provides college and professional mentors to tutor students; the After school Leadership Program, which helps talented student athletes realize their academic and athletic dreams; and the Saturday Fencing Program, which teaches young people the sport of fencing and helps groom the next generation of champions.

This 6-time Olympian, 13-time US National Champion, author, mentor, friend and neighbor has recounted his life story in Harnessing Anger: The Way of an American Fencer. You can hear that story first-hand from the legendary Peter Westbrook himself as Mount Morris Talks. Don’t miss the opportunity to be enlightened and inspired.

Mount Morris Talks! is a series of conversations between the community and leaders, news makers, artists, authors and thinkers who live in the Harlem area. MMPCIA is proud to sponsor this series and offers it free of charge to the community.

MMPCIA presents the Third Annual Mount Morris Park Halloween Extravaganza, Saturday, October 29 from 1 to 4 PM and Monday, October 31 from 5 to 7 PM!

The Extravaganza! on Saturday–parade and all–was a tremendous success! The kids certainly did not let a little snow and rain dampen their spirits. Pictures from the event are available on Facebook: facebook.com/mmpcia.

Here’s what’s still  brewing:

Monday, October 31

5-7 PM:
Trick-or-Treating Around the Mount Morris Park Neighborhood!
The kids will enjoy climbing up and down the stoops to fill those loot bags. The Trick-or-Treat-Friendly houses will be marked with balloons. 

• Download a pdf list of participating homes.

• Or save paper and browse this Google Map from your smart phone to navigate the Trick-or-Treat friendly homes!
View MMPCIA Trick or Treat List in a larger map

All events are offered free to the neighborhood residents and friends.

Barbara Askins

If you’ve ever wandered over 125^th Street, you know that this month’s guest speaker will have a lot to say at Mount Morris Talks! Thursday, October 6 at 6:30 PM.

She is Barbara Askins, President and CEO of the 125th Street Business Improvement District (BID) in our neighborhood of Upper Manhattan.

But Barbara is not just another professional bureaucrat assigned to oversee a piece of real estate. She actually created the BID in 1993, the first and only one of its kind in the Harlem Community.

And she continues to guide its development through results-driven strategies for retail plans, rezoning for future growth and cultural sustainability — always with a focus on the interplay between science, technology and businesses to create viable, lasting solutions for transforming such a challenging urban area as 125th into a healthier commercial district.

Her efforts are paying off and the results are becoming increasingly more visible.

She was responsible for bringing into fruition the first cultural bonus incentive in NYC, to be used to shape the future of 125th Street as a cultural destination.

The American Planning Association named 125th one of the 10 best streets in the country in 2007.

Barbara recently completed her term as chair of the International Downtown Association and has served as Vice Chair and Treasurer of New York City’s BID Manager’s Association, as an adjunct professor at NYU teaching urban tourism development and as chair of Central Harlem’s Community Board 10.

She has done extensive work in several cities as a public involvement specialist, putting her commitment behind transportation, environmental and facility planning projects, reconstruction of highways and city streets, upgrading rail and bus systems, and build-out of creative public spaces, sports and convention centers.

Perfect Peace

Although business has served as the primary path for Barbara’s career, she has never lost her passion for the arts. Nine of her original works of art were revealed at the opening of Aloft Harlem – the first new Harlem hotel in over 40 years – and on display from December 2010 through September 2011.

In talking about her technique and approach to creating art, she calls it “… aggressively exploring culture, texture, shape, rhythm, relationships and the positive spiritual energies of faith, truth, wisdom, peace and love.”

“I am so fortunate to have been able to do the things I love in business and in art,” she says. “People tell me it’s great to have a hobby. But for me, artistic expression is a part of my existence.”

Come enjoy a fascinating and inspiring discussion with one of the true catalysts of Harlem’s 21st century Renaissance. Thursday, October 6 at 6:30 PM at the Harlem Branch Library, 9 West 124 Street, 3rd floor.

Mount Morris Talks! is a series of conversations between the community and leaders, news makers, artists, authors and thinkers who live in the Harlem area. MMPCIA is proud to sponsor this series and offers it free of charge to the community.

A strong neighborhood voice is important to Central Harlem.

MMPCIA’s place as neighborhood advocate continues to solidify. Our impact on the revitalization and preservation issues of our community is directly attributable to the strength of our Membership—those stakeholders who understand that it takes time, talent and treasure to stay strong and relevant.

It is in appreciation of these friends and neighbors that MMPCIA is hosting its 3rd Annual A Midsummer Night’s Picnic in the Park.

When:
Tuesday, July 19, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM

Where:
Marcus Garvey Park in the SW corner on West 120 Street

What to bring:
• A Potluck Dish to serve 8: Salads, vegetables, fruit, or desserts
MMPCIA will work the grill and provide the meat, condiments, paper goods and beverages.
• Beach mat or picnic blanket, folding chairs, hoola hoops, bug spray, etc.

More Details:
• Tickets: The Picnic is FREE to current Members and to those who renew/join us now or at the Picnic. (Individual dues is $50, Dual is $80.) Family of Members and friends who are not quite ready to join us are welcome for $10/person. Children 12 and under are free.
• RSVP: Need an idea of what food to bring? Ask us at Picnic RSVP.

We hope you’ll join us!

Chelsea Hardy

Chelsea Hardy, Harlem resident and graduate of Manhattan Village Academy on West 22nd Street in Manhattan, is the winner of MMPCIA’s 2010 College Scholarship Award and is attending Hampton University, in Hampton, Virginia.

Hampton University is “like a small community,” Hardy said. “It has a lot of old traditions. She also praises the “teacher-student connection,” saying that it is easy to talk with instructors when she has a problem, or needs clarification on an assignment.

Unlike many college freshman, Hardy has tentative plans to follow a career in fashion marketing “I’ll see if it (fashion marketing) is really what I want to do.”

If the answer to that question turns out to be yes, Hardy plans to earn an MBA, preferably from Columbia University, after graduating from Hampton. She also would like to take more classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she began taking courses in sewing, drawing and fashion design as early as the 6th grade. “I’ve always loved fashion,” she said.

Her passion for fashion has not kept Hardy from excelling in a broad number of subjects. In recommending her for college, Hector Geager, the principal of Manhattan Village Academy, described her as “a hardworking, creative and determined student” who “truly enjoyed the puzzle-like nature of mathematics.” Frances C. Bittman, Chelsea’s 11th grade advisor and teacher, called her an “avid reader” who also possesses a “flair for acting,” and praised her “confidence, intelligence, and determination.”

While at Manhattan Village, Hardy made Honor Roll every year. She also demonstrated a concern for others, working as a volunteer at Abyssinian Daycare Center. For her college essay, she created “The Harlem Adolescent Health and Wellness Page” a networking site she said was “specifically to communicate to Harlem youth the importance of healthy eating.” Hardy said she felt obligated to do the project after she read statistics regarding adolescent obesity in New York City.

Chelsea with 2010 Education Committee: Kay Logan, Natasha Reid, (Chelsea's mother, Michelle Hardy) and Patricia Pates Eaton

So, what advice might this confident, organized, talented, empathetic, and academically successful winner of the MMPCIA 2010 College Scholarship Award have for other young people in Harlem? “Hang with the right people and follow yourself, don’t follow the road others are going down,” Hardy said. “The biggest thing to do is believe in yourself, because if you can believe in yourself, you can get others to believe in you.”

Chelsea Hardy

Chelsea Hardy, the winner of MMPCIA’s 2010 College Scholarship Award, just completed her freshman year at Hampton University, in Hampton, Virginia, and is tentatively planning a career in fashion marketing.

Hampton University is “like a small community,” Hardy said. “It has a lot of old traditions. And the new friends that I made this year are (like) my extended family already.” She also praises the “teacher-student connection,” saying that it is easy to talk with instructors when she has a problem, or needs clarification on an assignment.

Hardy, a Harlem resident and 2010 graduate of Manhattan Village Academy on West 22nd Street in Manhattan, has a summer 2011 internship at JOOR, a private network allowing designers to show their collections online and interact with buyers around the clock. “I’m happy I got it,” she said of the internship. “I’ll see if it (fashion marketing) is really what I want to do.”

If the answer to that question turns out to be yes, Hardy plans to earn an MBA, preferably from Columbia University, after graduating from Hampton. She also would like to take more classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she began taking courses in sewing, drawing and fashion design as early as the 6th grade. “I’ve always loved fashion,” she said.

Her passion for fashion has not kept Hardy from excelling in a broad number of subjects. In recommending her for college, Hector Geager, the principal of Manhattan Village Academy, described her as “a hardworking, creative and determined student” who “truly enjoyed the puzzle-like nature of mathematics.” Frances C. Bittman, Chelsea’s 11th grade advisor and teacher, called her an “avid reader” who also possesses a “flair for acting,” and praised her “confidence, intelligence, and determination.”

While at Manhattan Village, Hardy made Honor Roll every year. She also demonstrated a concern for others, working as a volunteer at Abyssinian Daycare Center. For her college essay, she created “The Harlem Adolescent Health and Wellness Page” a networking site she said was “specifically to communicate to Harlem youth the importance of healthy eating.” Hardy said she felt obligated to do the project after she read statistics regarding adolescent obesity in New York City.

Because of the challenging nature of her coursework at Hampton University, Hardy held off on becoming involved in many outside activities during freshman year. “I’ve tried to focus on my subjects”, she said. “You have to manage your time well, or you can get stuck with a whole lot of stuff to do, with very little time. I’m still working on that.”

So, what advice might this confident, organized, talented, empathetic, and academically successful winner of the MMPCIA 2010 College Scholarship Award have for other young people in Harlem? “Hang with the right people and follow yourself, don’t follow the road others are going down,” Hardy said. “The biggest thing to do is believe in yourself, because if you can believe in yourself, you can get others to believe in you.”

Chelsea with 2010 Education Committee: Kay Logan, Natasha Reid, (Chelsea's mother, Michelle Hardy) and Patricia Pates Eaton

The MMPCIA $4,000 Scholarship Award began in 2009 as a way of honoring college-bound Harlem high school seniors who live in Greater Mount Morris Park/Central Harlem Community from 110th to 135th Streets between Morningside and Park Avenues.

Beginning each February, the MMPCIA Scholarship Committee reaches out to area high school teachers, guidance counselors, parents and students. The completed applications are reviewed by a neutral group of judges and one winner will be selected each year. The recipient’s award will be disbursed in the amount of $1,000 each year and renewable for up to three additional years as long as the student continues as a full time student in good standing.

Reserve tickets in advance and save 20%.

By Credit Card via PayPal:

22nd Annual House Tour Advance Tickets: $20 ($25 at the door)

Buy now and save 20%!

22nd Annual House Tour PLUS Inside & Intimate Tour with John Reddick
Advance Tickets: $40 ($50 at the door)

Buy now and save 20%!

Choose Time of Tour 12 Noon Tour $40.00 2 PM Tour $40.00

By Mail:
Send a check or money order made payable to MMPCIA and a self-addressed stamped envelope to MMPCIA, PO Box 3270, New York, NY 10027. Please indicate the order quantity of House Tour tickets at $20 each and the number of Combination House Tour/Inside & Intimate tickets at $40. Please note that orders received after Saturday, June 4, will not be mailed but will be held for pick up at the Will-Call Table at the Tour Start.

Group Rate: Groups of 10 or more please email us for Group Rates.