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I think you want to join us!

You want to join the fight for our civil liberties!

You want to make this nation better for everyone around you, not just for you!

So come join us!

We're here for you!

#CivillyEngagedTV

T-Shirts coming soon!

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Regardless of the kind of summer you're having, we're getting ready!! #CivillyEngaged #Sitcom #Dream #parkwoodentertainment #ComingSoon

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Singing legend Smokey Robinson appeared on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to testify in support of the Music Modernization Act. The legislation, which passed unanimously in the House in late April, would update copyright protections and the ways that artists are compensated for their work.

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Don't forget... it's your RIGHT not privilege!! #vote https://www.instagram.com/p/CGJEyJKFgvi/?igshid=nenf6nj6ppaw

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Doing nothing isn't an option. #SunriseMovement #SaveUSPS #StopVoterSuppression #ShutdownDC https://www.instagram.com/p/CEP_MWWpjeA/?igshid=tfygurrpxfl8

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Here are the interns behind the @lancarink Statehood Collection, now showing during the #FreeDC exhibit @dupontunderground Special thanks to @dcvote and DC For Democracy (at Dupont Underground) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9aUvfeFq_m/?igshid=1wzeltv5z7hlg

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An Exhibition which Highlights the Districts call for Statehood @dupontunderground https://www.dupontunderground.org/calendar/2020/3/6/art-activation-x-mayor-bowser-x-chris-pyrate-exhibition-amp-film-opening-reception-eycpy (at Dupont Underground) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9P-Ap9JFDU/?igshid=1btsr2xs5cl9z

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Closed out the summer with a trip to Dave and Busters! These three interns are on their way and we are happy to have played a part in their journey! Wishing them much success in their future endeavors! https://www.instagram.com/p/B0y3Ixjlz5u/?igshid=2g90rmbsuf7j

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Showing the interns how to host an event. Thanks to @hannahism101 and @timothymcmahanking https://www.instagram.com/p/B0hDB9_FJAD/?igshid=58a8e69yzfqs

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Digging deeper into the issue!! Many thanks to @agkarlracine for taking time to discuss his efforts as a #Champion for #dcstatehood https://www.instagram.com/p/B0TkasRlxht/?igshid=sdqxdlu8pgi8

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At @netrootsnation #NN19 advocating for #dcstatehood with @dcvote thanks @janelle_mendez #Showup4dc https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz0_iVZlopZ/?igshid=19k714v2ybesb

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We're at #NN19 @netrootsnation advocating for #dcstatehood with @dcvote. Stay tuned for our mini interviews with DC Residents on why we're demanding representation like every other #american!!! https://www.instagram.com/p/BzyVIYjlr4z/?igshid=x7sc2cuvdywy

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LANCAR Ink’s 2019 Interns Tackle DC Statehood

Gearing up for a new cohort of interns!! This summer we will be highlighting the DC Statehood House Hearing on July 24th and the amazing organizations fighting for fair representation in DC! Thanks DC for Democracy and DC Vote for the partnership!! 7 days and counting until our 2019 internship program commences!!! #diversity#contentthatmatters #EastoftheRiver #StandUpForDC #nonprofitlife#mediamatters

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Black Pearl Sings! Touches on Harsh, Comical Realities

Photo: Thom Goertel

DC theatergoers have rare access to what playwright Frank Higgins would consider an “authentic doorway into the past.” The Alliance for New Music Theatre has brought Higgins’ Black Pearl Sings! to life at Spooky Action Theater, exploding with songs and narratives that delicately address timely social issues while exposing the harsh, yet comical, realities of the past.  

Based on the relationships between legendary folk and blues musician Huddie William “Lead Belly” Ledbetter and Library of Congress folklorists John and Alan Lomax, Black Pearl Sings! begins in Texas during The Great Depression, where the protagonist Alberta “Pearl” Johnson (Roz White) has spent the previous 10 years in prison for pulling a Lorena Bobbitt on an abusive suitor.

The contemporary play opens with Pearl donning prison stripes and a metal ball at her feet. While working in a chain gang, Pearl wrestles with the idea of her daughter out on her own since her incarceration.

Playing opposite to Pearl is Susannah (Susan Galbraith), an ambitious Library of Congress musicologist on a prison tour collecting indigenous folk and African American slave music in the South. Entering stage left, Susannah hears Pearl singing an unfamiliar, spirit-stirring tune and requests the singer’s company.

“When people die, history is lost,” Susannah says, simplistically stating the significance and relevance of Black Pearl Sings!

After sharing their truths, the two join forces – one vowing to reconnect with her daughter and the other vowing to find the perfect song collection.

This upbeat show relies solely on the talents of these phenomenal women. Battling the whole way, the two passionately dance on couches while confronting issues of race, social narratives and perspective.

“We have treasures of which we aren’t even aware,” White, a trained musical theatre actress, explains.  “It’s important to know your worth, your history and what you have to contribute.”

White and Galbraith are one of the most dynamic duos to take the stage. The seemingly genuine quips and banter deployed onstage perfectly showcase their comedic talents and chemistry, promising to leave audiences laughing uncontrollably.  

Though the storyline dips into deeper pools of social consciousness, a light-hearted mood prevails throughout the play. The simple choreographies paired with jovial tunes make this thoughtful production a winner. It shocks and calms when appropriate and features an easy, crowd-pleasing sing-a-long.

The modest décor of Spooky Action Theater is impeccably on-brand. Notes of sawdust fill the theatre, reminiscent of industrial and rural settings.

Fortunately, this production is not modest at all. With support from the Library of Congress and the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Thomas W. Jones II applies more than 30 years of professional experience to engage audiences, using multimedia imagery to reinforce the performance.

The journeys of Pearl and Susannah are inspirational and uplifting. If you’re searching for an evening of heart-wrenching confessions, heartwarming songs and spiritual connectedness, look no further than Black Pearl Sings!

The Alliance for New Music-Theatre production of Black Pearl Sings! is showing through May 4 at the Spooky Action Theater at the Universalist National Memorial Church. Tickets are $25-$40 and can be purchased here.

Universalist National Memorial Church: 1810 16th St. NW, DC;www.spookyaction.org

Correction: A previous version of this article did not clarify that The Alliance for New Music-Theatre produced Black Pearl Sings!

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Photo: Jolie Loren Photography

For more than 20 years, John Driskell Hopkins has crafted country music hits garnering worldwide praise and respect. Popularly known for his role as one of the founding members of the Grammy Award winning Zac Brown Band, Hopkins has many tricks up his sleeve that may come as a surprise to the occasional country listener. […]