60 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • MARCH 15, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
buzz
Long Island City group looks for help to donate
beauty bags to local moms in need on Mother’s Day
BY ANGELA MATUA
amatua@qns.com / @angelamatua
A Long Island City group founded by
two mothers aiming to donate resources
and time to neighbors in need is looking
Queens cop & hip-hop legend connect Queens youth to history
BY ARIAMA LONG
editorial@qns.com / @QNS
Comics, hip-hop and community leaders
came together at the Hall of Fame
Multi-Media Studios on Feb. 28 when the
103rd Precinct and the Queens Borough
Public Library in Jamaica hosted a book
signing to celebrate the publication of
Darryl ‘DMC’ McDaniels’ self-titled
graphic novel.
Sergeant Khadija Faison, the precinct’s
community aff airs offi cer, said she saw
the event, which was called a “Celebration
of Superheroes and Black Excellence,”
as a fresh way to reach the youth in the
community during Black History Month.
Kim McNeil-Capers, director of community
engagement for Queens Library,
also worked in tandem with the precinct
to organize the event from the library’s
existing hip-hop and comics programs
for children and incarcerated individuals.
It was a three-day event that taught over
450 black and brown youths, ranging in
age from fi rst-graders to third-graders.
Th e children attended the classes on how
to create their own comics, a temporary
museum set up in the gallery space dedicated
to black superheroes, and the comic
book signing.
“We’re trying to reach out to the community
in a fun way,” Faison said. “Th e
kids come in and we ask them what’s different
about these heroes. And they say,
‘Th ey look like us.’”
Colorful, full-sized cutouts of the black
superheroes provided a vibrant contrast
against the Hall of Fame’s white gallery
walls. A storage drum fi lled with DMC
comic books sat in the middle of the
room. Prominent local artists like Faison,
DJ Chuck Chill Out and Fred ‘Bugsy’
Buggs circulated through the crowd of
about 70 to 80 people. Several of the offi -
cers in attendance not only provided
security but brought their kids as well.
Faison pointed out the image of the
female superhero Misty Knight, identifi -
able by her large afro, trademark red outfi
t and mechanical right arm. Th e character,
created by Tony Isabella and Arvell
Jones, is a former police offi cer who lost
her arm in an explosion and Faison said
Knight’s determination to continue to
help others inspired her when she was
growing up and that she hopes it will do
the same for the kids in her precinct.
Everyone in the room, from the youngest
child gripping a signed comic to the
oldest photographers snapping shots, had
a similar story.
“I wasn’t that major into comics, but I
do remember them being pretty impactful,”
said Paul Nichols, deputy chief of
staff in Senator Leroy Comrie’s offi ce.
“Which is why we’re here supporting this
kind of event. It’s important.”
McDaniels, casually dressed in a black
AC-DC T-shirt, shared his story, too.
“All I did as a kid was read, draw and collect
comic books,” he said. “I could relate
to Peter Parker. Why do you think on
every record I had to let you all know I
was from Queens?” He paused briefl y for
dramatic eff ect before answering his own
question.
“Because Peter Parker is from Queens!”
he shouted.
Sasha Kimiatek is freelance illustrator
and works with the Queens Library comics
program. She leads the kids through
sessions of storyboarding and sketching
out ideas for comics.
“Th e guest speakers, the artists. I was
really excited to see the police there at the
event because it’s important for the kids
to see that,” Kimiatek said. “Th at there’s
cops who acknowledge the children and
are actively trying to make it better.”
“It’s just amazing, I was so impressed
with the tremendous eff ort everyone put
into this program,” she said as the event
came to a close.
Photos courtesy of Ariama Long
Hip-hop legend Darryl “D.M.C.” McDaniels signs
a copy of his second volume and self-published
comic book for a young fan.
for help to make Mother’s Day special
for families currently living in local
homeless shelters.
Julz Donald started Super Community
LIC three years ago with the help of Long
Island City resident Marjorie Phillips.
Aft er leaving her job in the city to work
for herself, she began partnering with
the nonprofi t Th e Floating Hospital to
donate baby items and toiletries to local
families.
“I teamed up with a mom in Long
Island City here because we were like this
is an amazing place to live and we really
love our community and what we wanted
to do was to celebrate the community but
also facilitate ways to give back,” Donald
said. “We knew there were a lot of people
here with lots of resources — money and
time to give but not always being able to
give because it’s not facilitated for them.”
Every month, Donald and Phillips collect
items from Long Island City families
and transport them to Th e Floating
Hospital’s headquarters at 41-43 Crescent
St. Staff from the nonprofi t, which provides
healthcare services to medically
undeserved communities, then donates
them to local homeless shelters.
Last year, her group began to collect
beauty items and toiletries to create beauty
bags for Mother’s Day. Th ough the
goal was to hand out 100 beauty bags,
local residents provided enough items
and bags to hand out 450 beauty bags to
women in domestic violence shelters.
“It’s awesome,” she said. “I’ve lived here
for nearly seven years now and there’s
something very special about this community
in that everybody bands together
when anyone has an issue.”
Th e bags were also given to children in
family shelters so that they could hand
them to their mothers as gift s for the big
day. Donald said the group frequently
receives thank-you cards from mothers
and added that Th e Floating Hospital
asked her to be board member last year
aft er her work for the group.
“You and your SuperCommunityLIC
group have given the gift of humanity to
those who were on the verge of defeat and
despair,” the nonprofi t wrote in a letter to
the group. “You have literally helped to
put lives and families back together. On
behalf of the mothers and toddlers who
are residents in the family shelters we
serve; Th e Floating Hospital staff thank
you and know that your time and eff orts
are not taken for granted.”
Th is year, Donald is hosting a number
of events to collect money for the
bags and items. Th e group recently had
a bingo night and were able to collect
$1,200. Th ey gave Th e Floating Hospital
$1,000 directly and saved $200 for the
beauty bags.
On March 22, they will host a trivia
night at Woodbines at 8 p.m. to raise
money for the bags. It costs $20 to enter
and there will be prizes and drink and
food specials for all participants.
Hudson + Bleecker, a local shop that
sells makeup bags and travel accessories,
will again donate bags for the event.
Donald said her client, Unilever, is also
looking to donate items.
Th e bags usually contain shampoo,
conditioner, makeup, jewelry, nail polish
and other beauty items.
“Th e moms are never spending their
money on stuff for themselves anymore,”
Donald said. “We all know what a lipstick
can do and how it can make you feel.”
On May 6, Th e Loft LIC will host Super
Community Volunteer Day. Th e restaurant
will provide brunch from 11 to noon
and from 2 to 4 p.m., volunteers will
assemble the beauty bags. Children are
also welcome to the event.
Donald will be collecting donations
at her home at 47-20 Center Blvd. Apt.
#416 and Phillips will collect items at 155
Borden Ave. Apt. #19J.
Photos courtesy of Julz Donald
A local community group is looking for donations to create beauty bags for Mother’s Day.
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