Nora Nafaa, a graduate student from France, is doing research on the school system in Philadelphia with focus on West Philly schools. As part of the study, she is seeking parents’ input. She put together an online survey that takes only about 10 minutes to complete. The survey is anonymous (your name will not be used in the study) and Nora hopes to get most honest responses. Some of the things Nora is interested in is school choices, what help children receive at and outside of school, quality of schools, and school closings.

To access the survey, click here.
 

Love is awfully complicated and blissfully chaotic. It’s also ever-evolving, morphing into unrecognizable shapes without forewarning. In essence, love is a free-for-all.

It’s this complexity that’s at the heart of MAYA (view trailer below), Dan Papa’s first independent feature film project. Shot entirely in black and white, MAYA explores love’s profound transformation through time, and the ways people bend and react to that variance. It will premiere Sunday at the International House (3701 Chestnut St.).

“This is the sort of movie you are supposed to feel, and not necessarily understand everything. There is definitely some mystery there,” the 27-year-old writer-director wrote in an email. “Love is a universal subject all viewers can relate to. Maybe the movie will help people pay more attention to the world underneath, the fact that we are all the same at the core.”

In its own right, MAYA, which was shot on a $7,000 budget, is a quintessential Philly project. Papa used the city’s “layers of history, and the empty spaces” to serve as MAYA’s primary backdrop, with interior shots based in Cedar Park (it was also shot on a beach in Cape May.) West Philly’s “unique flavor” is also offered through local actor and Curio Theatre company member Harry Slack’s supporting role.

“Having lived in Philly almost 10 years, I feel a deep connection to certain areas,” wrote Papa, who, while currently living in the Poconos, still considers West Philly home. “It shows that living in the city is not always about brick and concrete.”

But MAYA’s mysticism transcends the screen—according to Papa, local actors Amy Frear and Dan McGlaughin, who play leads Maya and Leo respectively, started dating after filming. “I think we captured some real chemistry,” he wrote.

The screening will follow an improv performance based on the movie score featuring musicians from West Philly’s Flat Mary Road. Dock Street Brewery will provide free draft beers.

Here are the details:

Sunday, April 14, 7 p.m.
International House Philadelphia
3701 Chestnut Street
Tickets: $8 (http://maya.brownpapertickets.com/)

– Annamarya Scaccia

Maya – Trailer # 2 from Dan Papa on Vimeo.

Last fall we wrote about a new development project in Cedar Park – the conversion of an old warehouse near 49th and Pentridge into office and studio space called The Cedar Works. The renovation of the historic building at 4919 Pentridge Street, which took a full year, is now complete and residents are invited to the Grand Opening party this Saturday (Apr. 13), at 7 p.m. to check it out.

Andy Peifer, one of The Cedar Works’ owners and long-time Cedar Park resident (his family lives just around the corner), says that the 15,000-square-foot property has had occupancy since February and now has 17 of the 21 studios rented. The tenants are a mixture of artists and professionals with a variety of media and work represented: pottery, spinning and dyeing of wool, jewelry and leather working, mental health therapy, guitar building, oil painting, sketching/drawing, web development, photography, interior design, printmaking, and writing/publishing.

At the grand opening party guests can meet local artists and visit their studios and check out the new community meeting and event space. This space is also already being well used for events, such as Philadelphia Folklore Project, Honoring our Elders, etc., training (Training for Change, Action United), and meetings (Quaker meeting, AIDS Policy Project).

“We are looking forward to becoming an additional resource for the Cedar Park neighborhood,” said Andy.

For more information about The Cedar Works, visit: thecedarworks.com.
 

The Minor Threats at the PA State Scholastic Chess Championships in March.

Members of the Minor Threats, a chess club comprised of 2nd-6th graders from four West Philly schools, have just returned from the SuperNationals that took place this past weekend in Nashville, Tenn., and have some good news: the team won two trophies! Mitchell Elementary finished 28th place in the team K-5 U900 division. A team member, Tahvon Hughes, finished 35th among individuals. There were 393 kids playing in the division.

The Philadelphia Chess Society returned from SuperNationals, a tournament that only happens once every four years, with a total of nine trophies and it’s great to know that the Minor Threats, the team that so many of our readers supported with financial contributions and words of encouragement, contributed to this success (read our first story about the club and its fundraising efforts here).

Jason Bui, the Minor Threats coach, has sent us an email thanking everyone who supported his club and the Philadelphia Chess Society:

“It was truly an awesome and adventurous experience for us. On behalf of all the participating PCS clubs, students, parents and guests, THANK YOU!”
 

There is an axiom in Philadelphia (and most other cities) – as the weather heats up, so does the gun violence. Two people were shot to death last night in the city, including an 18-year-old near 54th and Chestnut. Six others were injured. An important meeting tonight at The Calvary Center (48th and Baltimore) is part of a grassroots effort to help curb gun violence in the city.

The meeting includes representatives from CeaseFire, an organization whose aim is to unite neighborhood and community groups to address gun violence, and Heeding God’s Call, a faith-based group that stands up to witness gun violence and pressures local gun stores to implement practices that will deter “straw purchases” of guns.

Tonight’s meeting runs from 6:30-8 p.m. This is the second gathering on “Addressing Gun Violence” organized by Kol Tzedek Synagogue, West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship, and Calvary United Methodist Church. All three congregations are part of POWER, Philadelphians Organized to Witness, Empower and Rebuild, an organization dedicated to opportunity and justice for Philadelphians. If you have questions, e-mail rabbi – at – kol-tzedek.org.

The shooting victim near 54th and Chestnut was riding his bike when the shooting occurred, according to reports. Police are unsure what caused the shooting and so far have no suspects. In another shooting last night, a man was shot twice in the face near 34th and Mount Vernon in the Mantua neighborhood. Police say that he is paralyzed from the neck down.

– Mike Lyons

Penn Museum is organizing two great family events this month and inviting West Philly kids and their families to attend.

Philadelphia READS! community night (free):
On Wednesday, Apr 10, Penn Museum celebrates literacy with a free community night and kickoff to a month-long book drive, from 5 to 8 p.m. The event, co-hosted by the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance’s Groundswell Initiative, will include storytelling in the galleries, dance performances, a poetry workshop, and a hieroglyph-writing workshop. Guests are asked to bring a new or gently used children’s book to contribute to Philadelphia READS, a program that provides books to educators in the city.

For more information go here.

Rome’s Birthday:
On Sunday, April 21, “All roads lead to Rome,” as the museum celebrates the founding of Rome (753 BCE) with an afternoon of gladiatorial bouts, toga wrapping, ancient hairdressing, arts and crafts, a pasta demo, pop-up poetry readings in the galleries, and a talk about Rome. This event will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. and is free with Museum admission.

For more information visit this page.