(Repost) 1/7/21 O&A NYC LIFESTYLE: In My Father’s Footsteps

By Walter Rutledge

Walter and Barry in Snow

Every time we have a real snowstorm it brings back one the most lasting and endearing early memories I have of my father. I was six years old; we lived in a quiet residential Northeast Bronx neighborhood. (Yes there are quiet neighborhoods in New York City.) Back then we didn’t have a formal sidewalk the grassy front lawn meandered into a roughly paved street that seemed to be more dirt than asphalt. Continue reading

2/7/17 O&A NYC BLACK HISTORY MONTH INSPIRATIONAL TUESDAY: The Complicated Life of Ethel Waters

Ethel Waters was one of the first African- American superstar. An actress, singer and dancer Waters was the highest paid black actress of her era. This is her story. Continue reading

1/31/17 O&A NYC INSPIRATIONAL TUESDAY: Mahershala Ali – Male Actor in a Supporting Role (Moonlight) – SAG Awards 2017

Mahershala Ali poses in the press room with the awards for outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role for “Moonlight” and outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture for “Hidden Figures” at the 23rd annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Continue reading

1/24/17 O&A NYC INSPIRATIONAL TUESDAY: Obama Farewell Speech- Full Event (ABC News)

President Obama Farewell Address: Obama’s final speech to the public will continue a tradition set in 1796 when George Washington addressed the American people for the last time as president.  Continue reading

1/17/17 INSPIRATION TUESDAY: Excerpt From The Rosa Parks Story- Arrested


The Rosa Parks Story stars Angela Bassett as civil rights icon Rosa Parks. The 2002 CBS television movie also starred Cicely Tyson a supporting role as her mother.  The Rosa Parks Story received awards from the NAACP and the Black Reel Awards.  Continue reading

12/13/16 O&A NYC HOLIDAY INSPIRATIONAL TUESDAY: Its A Wonderful Life – Final Scenes

Inspirational-Tuesday its-a-wonderful-life-screenshot-800x430

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a man who has given up his dreams in order to help others, and whose imminent suicide on Christmas Eve brings about the intervention of his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody (Henry Travers). Clarence shows George all the lives he has touched and how different life in his community of Bedford Falls would be had he never been born.  Continue reading

12/2/16 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: A Conversation With Solomon Dumas

Shall We Dance
aaadt_solomon-dumas

Solomon Dumas is living his dream. As one of the newest members of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT), Dumas is making his New York City Center debut during the 2016 Ailey season November 30 through December 31. Dumas was bitten by the dance bug at age 12 after attending AileyCamp Chicago. Continue reading