The Laurelton Friends at Queens Library decided not to depend upon a promise to fund employing instructors to teach elementary- to college-age students in the Laurelton Library’s after-school program. Instead of relying upon speculations of public funding to compensate for support staff to enhance the academic needs of students frequenting one of Queens Library’s more than 60 plus active libraries, the Laurelton Friends Board of Directors held a successful fundr-aiser in the public institution’s facility.
Kimberly Esteva, the vice president of the Friends of the Queens Library at Laurelton arrived at the idea and “An Evening of Poetry” emerged.
Esteva, known as Minister Kim, invited artists from her congregation in Queens, NY. Her biggest feat was securing legendary rapper Mikey D, the recording artist who wrote his first rhyme “Kim” and sealed his first label deal with Reality Records in the 1980s to return to his hometown of Laurelton,NY.
When Esteva, asked her third-grade classmate, Mikey D, to support her first of a series of Laurelton library fund-raisers, he not only agreed, but the former rap rival of Queens rapper LL Cool J brought to his childhood library a team of performers. Of course, the original members of Mikey D’s Main Source and the Symbolic Three were not present. Yet, the Queens battle legend enlisted a cadre of soul singers and rappers from across New York City.
Following dinner at the Laurelton Library fund-raising festival, young men associated with the enterprising establishment the Future Business Leader, ushered guests into a teen study room transformed into an upscale evening entertainment venue. There, vocalist Petawane from the legendary Team Fearless Family swayed the sold out crowd with the R&B hit “Stand By Me.” Poet Will Porter reading of “If These Were Just Words” navigated the multigenerational contingent to a better time in history, as Poet R.Q. Tek silenced the standing-room captivated group of predominantly mature viewers by molding religious words consistent of a prominent blend of a politically-appealing presentation.
Khaldun Heit-Ti Al-Shakeer, the president of the Friends of the Queens Library at Laurelton, delved into organic pure comedy, as vocalist Rebecca Soi’s confident potent guitar playing and singing soothed the intensity of the evening’s constant revelations of beauty and power delivered in a hometown performance.
Mikey D was magical from his moving celebration of “Proud To Be A Black Man” to his recently release and first live performance of “Mom’s Song,” a warmly radiant sentimental tribute to his mother, he recalled, Laurelton residents described as “fine.”
