Official uVu Blog

Show us where Stonewall is now.

WGBH Lab Announces a new Open Call
Deadline: February 14, 2011

I'm excited to tell you about our latest opportunity for all storytellers and new media makers. In partnership with the PBS show American Experience, which is airing the film Stonewall Uprising next spring, we are asking you for videos that tell us the story about the gay rights movement happening today in your community. Help us share news about this important civil rights story by contributing your own view.

Your video could be one of five to win a $1000 prize and maybe even a chance to air on PBS after the film. Video submissions will become part of a contest and guest judges, including prominent gay rights advocates Cyndi Lauper and Dan Savage, will help decide who wins. You can find out more about them, about the application process and what makes a winning video on the open call home page. 

I can't wait to see your story.

Sincerely,
Christopher Hastings
WGBH Lab

Rolling Stones for the Holidays

December 6 at 10pm on WPBT2

Centennial Lights Up The Beach

About 50 years ago, on the exact site where I stood, Tuggle, Merritt and Melanie wondered aloud about where the boys were.  Perhaps if they had this much illumination, they'd have found them.  Probably , they only needed to cross the street and check out the Eldo Room.

 

 

 

Fort Lauderdale Beach came alive when thousands of holiday lights brightened the City’s picturesque beachfront at Light Up the Beach on Tuesday, November 23, 2010. at the corner of A1A and Las Olas Boulevard.  This year’s holiday lighting ceremony celebrated the City’s Centennial as Fort Lauderdale prepares to embark on a year of special programs, activities and events to mark its 100th Birthday in 2011.  The spectacular display of holiday lights and decorations wass highlighted by the illumination of a larger-than-life “100” to mark the City’s historic milestone.

 

Light Up the Beach was sponsored by the Beach Business Improvement District, the Fort Lauderdale Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce Beach Council.  The event was free and open to the public and featured live musical entertainment.  Elected officials, including Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler, along with local business, civic and community leaders were in attendance to kick-off the festivities.

 

“Fort Lauderdale’s magnificent beaches have always been what make our hometown so special.  On behalf of all the beach-based businesses we wish the City of Fort Lauderdale a very Happy 100th Birthday,” said Ramola Motwani, chairwoman and CEO of Merrimac Ventures and founder and event chair of Light Up the Beach.  “This year’s Light Up the Beach event is truly historic and we are proud to host what promises to be an unforgettable evening.” 

Miami Today Newsmaker - George LeMieux

During a 16-month term that is coming to an end, US Senator George LeMieux, who is being replaced in January by newly-elected US Senator Marco Rubio, took on the role of one of Florida’s two senators.

The seat was vacated by Mel Martinez who resigned in August 2009.

The freshman Congressman hit the ground running, helping to pass legislation to jump-start the economy, travelling to sister countries to strengthen trade ties and promoting job creation at a crucial time for the Sunshine State.

Mr. LeMieux worked on a legislation recently signed into law that is to help control health care fraud through a predictive modeling system, similar to what the credit card industry uses,  to prevent fraud before it starts.

During his temporary term, job creation has been another priority, as the state’s unemployment rate has reached double digits. He says since stepping in, he’s set up job fairs around the state that have led to 2,000 jobs.

“People need jobs and that's what we should be focusing on first,” he said.

Mr. LeMieux also co-authored the Small Business Lending Act, a law that is to lower taxes on small businesses to the tune of $12 billion, he said, and provide $30 billion to community banks.

“Not Goldman Sachs, but your banker down the street that you see at church and synagogue or Rotary or Kiwanis, who knows you, who knows your business,” he said. “It'll give them loans to give to small businesses and hopefully we can get these people back to work.”

This legislation included the Export Promotion Act, which aims to help train business owners to sell their products overseas.

“We know that when a business can diversify its market overseas,” he said, “they are much more resilient in the times of recession.”

Senator LeMieux discussed his accomplishments and the governmental challenges faced with Miami Today reporter Yudislaidy Fernandez at his Fort Lauderdale offices.

Burn The Floor

As part of the on going twentieth anniversary celebration of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, the center lobby turned into a ballroom for patrons and special guests before a performance of Burn The Floor, part of the Broadway series, which features Ryan And Ashleigh Di Lello from "So You Think You Can Dance."

Catch Him Here (If You Can)

Frank Abagnale, who evolved from being a brilliant young mastermind of international deception and fraud into one of the world's most respected authorities on forgery and embezzlement, told his life story  before a sold-out Forum Club of the Palm Beaches audience at the November luncheon.
 
His intercontinental saga prompted Steven Spielberg into turning Abagnale's life into the movie Catch Me If You Can starring Leonardo DiCaprio. After serving time in French, Swedish and American prisons, Abagnale has spent the past 35 years working with the FBI.  More than 14,000 financial institutions, corporations and law enforcement agencies use his fraud prevention programs.

For Empowered Woman

 

The Empowered Woman Success Summit and Expo 2010 in Miami is designed for entrepreneurs, small business owners, "solopreneurs," and even job-seekers, but the lessons and connections are good for ALL professional women.

The two-days summit took place at the Miami Science Museum.

In this series of segments:

Jessica Kizorek

The Chief, BadassBusinessWomen.org

150 students 'jazzed up" for Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra

Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra were in Miami in November 2010 for a performance for the  “I have a dream Foundation” Gala at the Fontainbleau Hotel.

Prior to the event, about 150 elementary schools students who are part of the “I have a dream Foundation” had a chance to watch the orchestra rehearsal and learn about the different instruments and sounds.

Sweet and salty treats awaited the children as they walked in the beautiful ballroom to watch the rehearsal. Mayfield greeted them with a smile and explained the difference between a solo and performance and the orchestra.

The students were thrilled to watch the orchestra in action and pretended to play invsible instruments to follow along.

Teachers also enjoyed the rehearsal as they explained how beneficial this program has been to their students.

The "I Have a Dream"  foundation ensures that all children have opportunities to pursue a higher education,  as stated on its website, "We empower children in low-income communities to achieve higher education by providing them with guaranteed tuition support and equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and habits they need to gain entry to higher education and succeed in college and beyond. By helping our Dreamers gain access to college, we are putting them on a different academic and life trajectory, while having a broader impact on the students' families and the generations that follow."

 

Lionfish - Not Just for Breakfast

Some silliness from the Changing Seas production team. Enjoy

Arts Inspire...Canvases to Life

Engaging students from Broward County Magnet Elementary Schools (Bethune Elementary, Deerfield Park Elementary and Walker Elementary) Lu Welters, Director of the Jubilee Dance Theatre and Jonathan Green, a visual artist, encourage an understanding of his work through visual arts and dance interpretation.

The Broward Center for the Performing Arts and the School Board of Broward County work together to create enriching, curriculum based arts workshops.  The workshop and student Showcase took place at the Broward Center for Performing Arts on Monday November 8, 2010.