Located in the vibrant Warehouse Arts District of downtown New Orleans, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art holds the largest and most comprehensive collection of Southern art. It has been recognized for its original exhibitions, public events and educational programs which examine the development of visual art alongside Southern traditions of music, literature and culinary … [Read more...] about Ogden Museum of Southern Art
Frenchmen Art and Books, the Young Fellaz Brass Band, and Colonization
It’s been over three months now since a firestorm erupted over the arrest of musician Eugene Grant in front of the Frenchmen Art and Books shop on Frenchmen Street. Many were shocked at a video of NOPD officers arresting Grant in front of the store and soon a narrative developed in the local and national media that vilified bookstore owner David Zalkind for calling the … [Read more...] about Frenchmen Art and Books, the Young Fellaz Brass Band, and Colonization
Rue Royale Revelers Announce New Venue for 2020 Twelfth Night Party
The Mystik Krewe de Rue Royale Revelers is pleased to announce that its seventh annual Twelfth Night Party will take place on January 6, 2020, at the Mardi Gras Museum of Costumes and Culture. Krewe Captain Frank Perez said, “This venue is perfect considering Twelfth Night marks the beginning of Carnival Season. It is also the largest venue we’ve ever had, which will … [Read more...] about Rue Royale Revelers Announce New Venue for 2020 Twelfth Night Party
Contemporary Arts Center
Many people credit the 1984 World’s Fair with revitalizing the then run-down Warehouse District, but the transformation of the old neighborhood from warehouses serving the port to what is now called the Arts District began in 1976 with the opening of the Contemporary Arts Center. Founded by a passionate group of visual artists at a time when the movement to tear down the … [Read more...] about Contemporary Arts Center
Courtney Sharp: Unsung Trans Hero
Like so many trans people, Courtney Sharp’s journey to self-realization was a long one. Growing up, she knew she was different but couldn’t quite put her finger on it. All she knew for sure was that she had better keep that difference secret. Her family was religious, and this was North Louisiana, after all. When her “difference” began to manifest, her … [Read more...] about Courtney Sharp: Unsung Trans Hero
LGBTQ Fiction and Poetry from Appalachia
LGBTQ Fiction and Poetry from Appalachia. Eds. Jeff Mann and Julia Watts. West Virginia UP. 288 pp. This collection, the first of its kind, gathers original and previously published fiction and poetry from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer authors from Appalachia. Like much Appalachian literature, these works are pervaded with an attachment to … [Read more...] about LGBTQ Fiction and Poetry from Appalachia
Drew Brees and Focus on the Family
As most Ambush readers know by now, before being injured and declared out of commission for six weeks, Drew Brees was recently crucified in some circles over his controversial video endorsing “Bring Your Bible to School Day.” As weird as that concept is (can you imagine a “Bring Your Quran to School Day”?), the content of the video is not what upset people; rather, the … [Read more...] about Drew Brees and Focus on the Family
Dr. Peter Putnum and Houma’s Connection to Stonewall
Across the street from the historic Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village in a small gated area called Christopher Park, stands the Gay Liberation Monument—a sculpture depicting a seated lesbian couple and a gay male couple standing. The couples are innocently yet affectionately touching each other. If you’ve made a pilgrimage to Stonewall, you’ve undoubtedly seen the … [Read more...] about Dr. Peter Putnum and Houma’s Connection to Stonewall
Book Review: What Rough Beast
What Rough Beast. Robert Dole. Austin Macauley Publishers, 2017. 126 pages. This is a strange, odd mess of a book. Hot and shitty? Not necessarily—but certainly weird and peculiar. What Rough Beast is marketed as a novel but it’s more of a novella, sort of. The first half reads like notes for a memoir. The second half is formatted … [Read more...] about Book Review: What Rough Beast
Critical Thinking and Democracy
Many moons ago, when I worked in academia, I taught freshman composition. Because it was a required course among all undergraduates, every professor in the English Department taught at least one composition class. Most professors hated teaching the course. They preferred to teach literature or linguistics to juniors and seniors. They viewed the … [Read more...] about Critical Thinking and Democracy