GODDESSES: Live from San Francisco

Congratulations to Jose "Joey" Walters and Nancy Goddess for the successful cablecast of Goddesses Live from San Francisco. The cablecast was held on Tuesday August 3, 2010 from 8:00pm to 9:00pm on QPTV's Channel 34.

Joey and Nancy were attending the NAAFA (National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance) in San Francisco and were interested in doing their live call-in show from a remote location. Goddesses is cablecast live from QPTV's studio's the first Tuesday of every month.

Using his laptop and a webcam, Joey sent a live signal to QPTV via the Internet. Two Certified QPTV Producers, Jonathan Griffin and Ruben Cruz added graphics to the incoming feed before it was sent to the playback room and then out to our viewers.

The show was a great success - the first program to be cablecast on QPTV from outside New York City and from such a great distance. Once again, congratulations on a job well done.

Congratulations to QPTV Producer Mel Berkowitz

QPTV has just learned that Mel Berkowitz is a certified Ombudsman for nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and assisted living facilities in Queens. The program is part of the New York City and New York State Departments of the Aging. An Ombudsman assists in improving the living arrangements and healthcare needs of the residents and patients of these facilities. Mel spends most of his time at the Windsor Park Nursing Home located on Hillside Avenue which houses about 150 long-term care patients.

As a QPTV Certified Producer, Mel Berkowitz has created an impressive array of programs for his series Mel Berkowitz Presents. Mel has produced shows on Japanese cooking, Latin Jazz, Rock & Roll, healthcare, politics, war and religion. Watch Mel Berkowitz Presents Thursdays at 3:30pm on Channel 34 and Sundays at 10:00pm on Channel 56.

Advisory Council for Persons with Disabilities

Queens Borough President Helen M. Marshall’s

Advisory Council for Persons with Disabilities

presents its annual

DISABILITY RESOURCE FAIR

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

10 am -1 pm

     Queens Borough Hall

                      120-55 Queens Boulevard                 

      Kew Gardens, N.Y. 1 424

 Room 213

                
Get Information on . . .

. Financial, Legal & Medical Resources
. Linguistically & Culturally Sensitive Resources
. Recreational Programs for all ages
. Food Stamps

Participating Organizations:

. Queens Library

. HRA & Food Stamp Administration

. Achievers of America Softball Team

. New York City Department of Parks Aquatic Program

. Association for the Help of Retarded Children (AHRC)

. Chinese American Planning Council

. National Jewish Council of Disabilities

. Haitian Americans United for Progress Inc. (HAUP)

. Track and Field Program

. Social Security Administration

. CIDNY

. NYC Commission on Human Rights . And many others!

For additional information, please call:

718-286-2680 or 718-380-3000 ext 201

Dr. Kathleen J. Prestwidge

QPTV congratulates Dr. Kathleen Joyce Prestwidge on receiving the Borough President's Award from Queens Borough President, Helen M. Marshall. Dr. Prestwidge received the award during the African-American Heritage Awards Ceremony held at the Langston Hughes Community Library in Corona on Saturday February 20, 2010.

Dr. Prestwidge is industrious, prolific and accomplished. Since 1987 Kathleen has produced hundreds of programs about science, education, art and health. Kathleen, known to her friends as "Joyce", is a Professor Emeritus at Bronx Community College, Department of Biology. She is the recipient of numerous awards including an award from The International Women’s Day Video Festival, The Queens Center & Queens Volunteer award and QPTV’s own Sue Blank Community Spirit Award. She has also published books of poetry and science related bibliographies.

Her series, Cultural Pieces of Life, is the sine qua non of cultural diversity in Queens and shows her strong commitment not only to her community but to community television as well. Cultural Pieces of Life can be viewed, weekly, Sundays at 10:00am on Channel 35 and on Mondays at 10:30pm on Channel 56.

QPTV Producer Anna Vitale: Mindlight

"This year I celebrate my 20th year as a producer for QPTV. I have learned so much in that time about what goes into programming that attracts response and benefits viewers. The learning experience is ongoing, even after 20 years!

My first two series were "The Soul of the Artist" and "Discovering Hypnosis." These two series were then replaced by "Mindlight" and can be seen on the Internet through my website www.mindlight.net. Mindlight is a self-empowerment program that focuses on self-help, psychology, hypnosis, animal issues, activism and alternative views..

In retrospect I am so very thankful to have interacted with many creative producers too numerous to mention here as well as the patient and helpful staff members of QPTV.

A few producers who live on in my memory even though they have passed are Joan Mollison, who pursued her dream of acting through her television productions, Claire Vogel, who courageously tackled political issues in her productions and went out of her way to voice opposition to injustice, Aliye Ak an intelligent and personable producer who focused on issues regarding the Turkish culture and Carl Angeleri who, well into his 90's, continued to actively produce programs until his passing.

Along with Frans Verhagen (Ecology Today) and Claire Vogel we also were successful in bringing Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Staten Island producers together and created a public access producer organization called The Association of Cable Access Producers (ACAP). ACAP still holds montly meetings in Manhattan hosted by it's acting interim president Harold Channer. ACAP's website is www.acaptv.net.

As the result of ACAP I met producer, Vincent Gallo and we married in 2007! Vincent produced programs for ACAP (Access in Action) that tackled controversial subjects and focused on producers. He is now Mindight's Director!

To all new producers I extend a welcome and ask you to take television production seriously. Know that you have an extraordinary tool for getting information and opinions out to a public that is weary of commercial television. Public access is a strong voice that can attract attention and viewers if you use it for the greater good."

Anna Vitale, C. H.
Producer/Host "MINDLIGHT"

February is African American History Month

African-American History Month



By K. J. Prestwidge, PH.D


African-American History Month was created by Carter G. Woodson in 1926. Originally, it was a weeklong celebration which was later extended to a full month.

In celebration of African American History month we focus the spotlight on inventor, Lewis Howard Latimer. He was born in 1848 the son of George and Rebecca Latimer, two runaway slaves. In 1864 at the age of 16 Latimer, who lied about his age, joined the U.S. Navy at the time of the Civil War. Both a self-taught draftsman and inventor, Latimer executed patent drawings for Alexander Graham Bell’s telephones. In 1878 while working for the U.S. Electric Lighting Company, Lewis Latimer displayed his talent for invention by improving the carbon filament used in light bulbs. As result he joined the Edison Electric Light Co. in N.Y. and became one of the Edison Pioneers. As a result of his accomplishments at the Edison Co., he was sent to direct the electrification of a few cities including Montreal, London & Paris. In 1890, Van Nostrand Books published Latimer’s ideas on the basic principles of electricity. He died at the age of eighty in 1928. Early in his life he penned these words: “Good habits and good manners are powerful means of advancement that rarely fail to bring reward.” In 1995 his former home in Flushing, Queens was declared a New York City landmark.

Other African American Inventors of Note:

Jan Matzeliger (1852-1889) inventor of the Shoe Last, which automatically attaches the soles of shoes to the body of the shoe.

Elijah McCoy (1843-1929) devised methods for lubricating heavy moving machinery so that it no longer had to be stopped and cooled. At least 30 of his patents dealt with lubrication. The saying “I want the real McCoy“ meant that the person wanted the authentic McCoy lubricating system and not a copy.

George Washington Carver (1864? -1943), agricultural chemist who produced over 300 products from the both the peanut and the soybean. His discoveries stimulated the production of these crops and diversified the economy of the South.

Norbert Rillieux (1806 – 1894) African American who invented the multiple effect vacuum sugar evaporator used to refine sugar. His invention was patented in 1864 and was purchased and utilized by sugar refineries around the globe.

SPOTLIGHT ON: BOB CECILIO - Psychic Awakening

ROBERT “BOB” CECILIO

Bob Cecilio began his association with QPTV in 1989 when he produced the program Know Your Neighborhood. At that time Bob was an aide to Peter Vallone Sr., Speaker for the New York City Council. In 1993, from the mists of family tragedy, the Psychic Club was born. For seventeen years the club has been a resource for all things metaphysical. To further highlight the work of the organization, Bob also created the series Psychic Awakening. With this series, Bob has truly found his calling. Spiritual enlightenment, yoga, meditation, ancient wisdom, holistic health and psychic phenomenon are just a few words to describe his program. Watch Psychic Awakening Wednesdays at 6:00pm on Channel 34 and Sundays at 4:00pm on Channel 34.