LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending Sistas' Place in recognition of and
for the preservation of this cultural institution in the heart of
Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn

WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to commend those
institutions of historical significance which add strength, vigor and
inspiration to the cultural diversity and quality of life in the commu-
nities of the State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend
Sistas' Place in recognition of and for the preservation of this
cultural institution in the heart of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn; and
WHEREAS, Sistas' Place, where culture is a weapon, opened September
23, 1995, with a tribute to John Coltrane featuring singer Leon Thomas
and saxophonist Carlos Garnett and the music has continued from Septem-
ber to May; and
WHEREAS, In the face of gentrification and loss of Black cultural
institutions, Sistas' Place remains a beacon of light for Jazz greats
and upcoming artists bringing their music back home to where it was
birthed; and
WHEREAS, Under the leadership of Tori McCarthey, Deacon Leroy Applin,
Sam Pinn and Viola Plummer, Sistas' Place was a founding member of the
Central Brooklyn Jazz Festival in 1997, the longest running community
based jazz festival; and
WHEREAS, Sistas' Place has featured renowned artists including the
late drummer Rashied Ali, saxophonist Sonny Fortune, saxophonist Roland
Alexander, saxophonist Gary Bartz; because of the atmosphere of serious
appreciation, Sistas' Place is where Reggie Workman, Jimmy Owens, Jimmy
Spaulding and Cecil Bridgewater have chosen to celebrate milestone
birthdays in performance; and
WHEREAS, It is where Brooklyn based talent such as Tulivu Donna
Cumberbatch, and Ed Stoute keep the spirit of the East alive and where
Eric Gale, Fostina Dixon and Doug Cern chose to play after being away
from Brooklyn for many years; and
WHEREAS, Sistas' Place is where Jimmy Spaulding brought a not yet
famous Grammy winner Gregory Porter, and where Cecil Bridgewater debuted
the Charane Wade, who is now performing in jazz clubs throughout the
city; and
WHEREAS, It is where Rene McClean leads groups featuring the about to
be discovered new talent such as Dezron Douglas and Corcoran Holt, and
where Anthony Wonsey, Kenyatta Beasley and Keith Loftis show that jazz
is a music with a bright future; and
WHEREAS, Sistas' Place has been supported in its work by musicians
such as trumpeter Charles Tolliver who did a benefit concert performing
John Coltrane's Africa Brass; and
WHEREAS, Sistas' Place's spirit inspired the late Jim Phillips to
write a song and is the only jazz club with its own theme song; sung by
Lil Phillips, "You Gotta Come to Sistas' Place" is played before each
set; and
WHEREAS, Ahmed Abdullah, the musical director for the last 16 years,
introduced the Satellites of the Sun festival honoring Sun Ra, featuring
many members of the Arkestra including trumpeter and painter Dick Grif-
fith; Vince Chancey, bassist John Orr, violinist Billy Bang and
Abdullah's own band DIASPORA--Dispersions of the Spirit of Ra, with
pianist D.D. Jackson, bassist Radu, trumpeters Salim Washington and Alex
Harding, Monique Ngozi Nri and the late poet Louis Reyes Rivera and
violinist Billy Bang; and

WHEREAS, Poetry has also found a home at Sistas' Place, under the
leadership of the late Louis Reyes Rivera, where twice a month writing
workshops inspired and trained writers and generated numerous books, and
special performances featuring Louis Reyes Rivera & the Jazzoets, Sekou
Sundiata, George Edward Tait, Tom Mitchelson, and Duma Ndlovu of South
Africa, the poet/playwright known throughout Brooklyn while in exile
from apartheid, who was enthusiastically received at a homecoming recep-
tion; and
WHEREAS, A blending of poetry, jazz, hip hop and live art work has
started with the performances called Messiah & Friends; the first one
was held in November 2014, bringing a new audience to Sistas' Place; and
WHEREAS, Sistas' Place hosted the premier of a play, which dealt with
drug addiction, by Marvin X about Huey P. Newtown and for a month the
performances were sold out; and
WHEREAS, Amiri Baraka, who wrote a review of the show, also performed
there numerous times with Amina Baraka and Blue Ark; and
WHEREAS, Sistas' Place has also been involved in the health of the
community, hosting an Asthma project, the Code Quarter water project,
which resulted in the banning of asthma inducing preservative from Quar-
ter Water drinks; in addition, vacant lots which were contributing to
the high rate of asthma of children on the block were cleaned up; and
WHEREAS, With the launching of the Affordable Care Act, a series of
informational meetings were held to let people know about the program
and how to enroll; and
WHEREAS, Lively discussions have occurred during book signings by
Walter Beach, Jr. on racism in sports, with Gerald Horne on "The Counter
Revolution of 1776," and Randy Weston, on the historical significance of
Bed-Stuy; and
WHEREAS, History is part of culture and Sistas' Place had the honor of
hosting Dr. Olivia Hooker, a survivor of the Tulsa Massacre, and
presented the film "Before They Die"; Dr. Hooker was honored at City
Hall as part of Women's History Month; and
WHEREAS, Other prominent visitors who have shared historic contrib-
utions have been Bobby Seale, John Carlos, Camille Yarbrough and Pam
Africa; and
WHEREAS, Sistas' Place has brought to Bed-Stuy international dignitar-
ies including the Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, the Foreign Minister of Namibia, H.E. Thandiwe, Father Miguel
D'Escoto, former Foreign Minister of Nicaragua, Ambassadors to the
United Nations from the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cuba, St. Vincent and the
.SO DOC A R637 RESO TEXT 2015
Grenadines and from the African Union; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when insti-
tutions of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens of
this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Sistas' Place in recognition of and for the preservation of this
cultural institution in the heart of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Sistas' Place.