Monthly Archives: August 2012

arts and culture

Park Slope’s Race Imboden Loses to Italy’s Baldini in Fencing Semi-Finals

US fencer Race Imboden (L) fences against Italy’s Andrea Baldini during their Men’s foil bout as part of the fencing event of London 2012 Olympic games, on July 31, 2012 at the ExCel centre in London. AFP PHOTO / ALBERTO PIZZOLI

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Park Slope’s Olympic fencing hopeful Race Imboden is hopeful no more (at least in the men’s individual foil). He was defeated in the quarterfinals of this event on Tuesday by Italy’s Andrea Baldini. Imboden was unhappy with his performance.

“I fenced really badly and he fenced excellently,” Imboden told the Associated Press. “He did what he always does and he drew me in. He fences at a really good distance and he was too good for me. He is definitely one of the best.”

 According to the Associated Press, Fencer Lei Sheng of China won the gold medal in men’s individual foil at the Olympics, beating Alaaeldin Abouelkassem of Egypt 15-13 in Tuesday’s final. Abouelkassem, who won the silver medal, is first fencer from the African continent to win an Olympic medal. Choi Byung-chul of South Korea won bronze after beating Andrea Baldini 15-14.

arts and culture, Civics and Urban Life

August 18: Fort Greene Park Summer Lit Festival

This Fort Greene event has become an important annual rite of summer in Brooklyn

A culmination of the New York Writers Coalition’s free summer-long series of creative writing workshops in the Park, the Fort Greene Park Summer Literary Festival will, for the 8th year in a row grace Fort Greene Park on August 18th. These workshops provide a safe space for young neighborhood writers to find their voices and explore all genres of creative writing.

“Once again, many of the young people that have appeared in past festivals will read again,” said Aaron Zimmerman, founder and executive director of the NY Writers Coalition.  “It’s extraordinary to see a 10-year-old reading his poems in front of hundreds of people for the fourth year in a row.”

At the festival, the young writers will read alongside three acclaimed authors, including American Book Award winner Jessica Hagedorn, author of Dogeater, Tayari Jones, author of Silver Sparrow and journalist Earl Lovelace. The Master of Ceremonies is Laurie Cumbo, director of the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA).

Should it rain, the event will move to the nearby Greenlight Bookstore (located on 686 Fulton Street), the location of the after-party where people can mingle and meet the readers.

The Fort Greene Park Summer Literary Festival is presented by NY Writers Coalition, Akashic Books, Greenlight Bookstore and the Fort Greene Park Conservancy, with additional support from Amazon.com and The Walt Whitman Project.