Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca once said, “Besides black art, there is only automation and mechanization.”

Black Renaissance is an event taking place throughout May, celebrating black artists from the Tucson community. The ongoing event is designed to educate and enlighten attendees on black culture and its vast impact.
Founder of Black Renaissance, seanloui has lived in Tucson for years and noticed a lack of black artists represented in the city. So he felt the need to create a project to illuminate their work.

“But because of us being a minority inside Arizona and Tucson particularly, we weren’t given those chances in order to present their art so it is another opportunity for them to do so,” seanloui said.

He created Black Renaissance to bring together African-American artists from Tucson and to showcase their art, whether that be spoken word, music or visual art. He particularly emphasized bringing together artists of all backgrounds and platforms.

“I think it’s going to spotlight the amazing artists from the black community that are doing some really cool stuff and as well I think it will bring the black community closer together,” seanloui said.

Black Renaissance takes place every Saturday throughout May at Tucson’s new “art hotel,” Hotel McCoy. Each weekend will host a different art theme.

“Each night is power-packed, because it’s different and because of amazing high-level artists,” seanloui said.

May 4 is hip-hop night, featuring performances by local musicians Chakara Blu, Cash Lansky, Jaca Zulu and Kaizer.

“It’s really cool to have an event that shines light on us, like we are here, and a lot of us are artists and we do exist,” Blu said. “For me, it feels powerful.”

For May 11, the theme is spoken word. On this night, poets and comedians will take the stage and show off their talents. Featured artists are Stephanie Lyonga, Stevie Rose and many more. Lyonga  is a comedian by night. She was tagged in a post on Facebook by a friend calling all black comedians or poets in Tucson to be a part of Black Renaissance.

“I don’t tell jokes, I just go out there and pretty much tell my life story somehow it comes out funny and people laugh,” Lyonga said.

Lyonga feels she has always been partial to comedy because she loves the nature of laughter. Being ex-military, she described her life then as very strict when she was younger. Comedy was something that made her life more upbeat.

“As a black comedian myself, I’ve been in Tucson six years and there’s a handful of black comedians let alone black people period,” Lyonga said. “I haven’t really seen much of them.”

The third Saturday, May 18, Black Renaissance gives the stage to visual arts with the Black Museum. Painters, photographers and sculptors will all showcase their work. Featured artists include Allison Miller, Elizabeth Denneau, Troy Miller-Perry, FlawlessViktory, Sandra Taylor and many more.

The last night, May 25, is the final concert of Black Renaissance. Street Blues Family band and Black Caesar will close out the event. A musician himself, seanloui will also be performing his own beats and original sounds.

Next year, seanloui has plans for Black Renaissance to return to Tucson again with bigger and more exciting things to come.

“[Black Renaissance] is an appreciation for new artists, black artists, entrepreneurs, people who are starting out and doing something on their own,” Lyonga said. “People who need to be recognized, and Black Renaissance recognizes that.”

Black Renaissance takes place each Saturday in May, May 4, 11, 18 and 25 from 8 to 10 p.m. At Hotel McCoy, 720 W. Silverlake Rd. Free.

For more information, visit blackrenaissance.online

After four years of construction, Banner - University Medical Center's $446 million "Tower 1" is open and operating. The new nine-story patient tower opened on April 22, with its first surgeries taking place April 29.

The new location includes more than 200 private rooms. It also includes 20 new operating rooms, which are replacing 18 now-closed operating rooms in the original hospital building.

According to Dr. Chad Whelan, CEO of Banner - UMC, this new building is aimed to be a "21st-century academic medical center," with a focus on the latest technology.

“The new operating rooms are a fantastic way to serve the people of Arizona with the latest technology and modern facilities,” said Dr. Benjamin Lee, chief of the Division of Urology in the UA Department of Surgery.

Every year, the Pima Animal Care Center receives hundreds of calls involving pets that suffer from heat-related illnesses, injuries and even death. Many times, these tragic incidents were preventable.

With triple-digit temperatures coming in the near future, PACC has provided tips for Southern Arizona pet owners to keep their furry friends safe and cool during the hot summer months.

1. Keep your pets indoors.
This one is a no-brainer. By keeping your pets indoors during the day, they will avoid direct sunlight and scorching temperatures. If you can't keep your pets indoors, make sure there is a shaded area outside that they can access with good air flow.

2. Keep your pets hydrated.
Provide lots of clean and cold drinking water in an easily accessible, spill-proof container. Many local businesses leave bowls of water outside their stores for dogs that are out and about during the day, but don't rely on them to hydrate your pooch. Bring extra water if you plan on taking your pet out with you for a walk.

3. Provide your pets with shade.
If your pets do their business in the backyard, make sure they have all-day access to a shady spot outside your home. Keep in mind that for dogs with thicker coats, even shaded spots can be too hot during days that top 100 degrees. You can tell a dog is suffering from heat stroke if they are panting excessively or loudly, are extremely thirsty, or have a bright red tongue and pale gums.

4. Protect your pets' paws. If you wouldn't walk around barefoot on a sunny day, neither should your pet. Walk your dogs early in the morning or in the evening after the asphalt has cooled down and won't burn their paws. A good way to know whether it's safe to walk your dog is to place the back of your hand on the ground for five seconds and see if it is comfortable or not.

5. Never leave your pets inside a car. Even with cracked or open windows, and even if you parked in the shade, the temperature inside a car can become dangerously high within just a few minutes. Don't take your pets for a ride in the car if you're going to a place where you can't bring them along with you. This goes for young children as well.

If your pet is in serious trouble, call 911 or the Pima County Animal Care Center's Animal Protection Services Dispatcher at (520) 724-5900 extension 4.

Tucson-based nonprofit Save the Pets AZ will once again host its Win-A-Flight fundraiser this weekend.

The charity, which aims to save pets at risk of being euthanized in shelters around Tucson, will be giving away a Sunset Airplane ride over Tucson, featuring an experienced pilot and a free bottle of champagne.

Shelter Director Kay Garcia, who is in charge of the fundraiser, calls the event a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for dog and pet lovers.

"It's time to slip the surly bonds of earth and dance the sky on laughter-silvered wings," Garcia quoted poet John Gillespie Magee, Jr. in an email.

Interested? Purchase raffle tickets online at ThePetsAZ.com, with one ticket going for $8, or three for $20.

One winner will be selected this Saturday, May 4, giving one local person the chance to soar amongst the clouds, while supporting animals in-need at the same time. 

From Pima County Public Library: Come talk to us! We're listening!

Whether you currently use the Library or not, we hope you’ll join us at two facilitated community meetings to discuss how the Library can better serve you in the future. These meetings are free and open to the public.

Register online here

Friday, April 26, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Flowing Wells Library at 1730 W. Wetmore Road

Saturday, April 27, 10 to 11 a.m.
Valencia Library at 202 W. Valencia Road
Spanish interpretation will be provided at this session.

There are no right or wrong answers, however we do ask that you respect others' opinions, speak clearly and share your viewpoints one at a time to allow everyone a chance to participate.

A variety of topics will be covered:

• What you do at the library, including physical or digital usage
• Which locations you frequent
• How you think library spaces should change in the future
• How you anticipate your community changing and how it will impact library use
• What is the most important role of the library in the future

Feedback will be collected verbally and on paper. Surveys will be offered in both English and Spanish.

Texting while driving will soon be against the law in Arizona after Gov. Doug Ducey signed legislation banning the use of handheld mobile devices throughout the state.

“Too many lives have been lost because of texting and driving,” said Governor Ducey. “Too many families have needlessly grieved the loss of a loved one due to a preventable tragedy. I called on legislators to provide a solution that will save lives — and I am grateful for their efforts to do just that. This legislation takes important, clear and common sense steps to prevent texting and driving. I thank everyone who worked to get this legislation across the finish line and especially the Townsend family for their courage and advocacy.”

In January of 2019, Salt River Police Officer Clayton Townsend died in the line of duty after being struck by a vehicle driven by a distracted driver. Following Officer Townsend's passing, the Townsend family joined many other families in becoming strong advocates for a ban on texting while driving.

“Distracted driving has to stop,” said Toni Townsend, mother of fallen Officer Townsend. “Although we feel the pain everyday of losing Clayton, we hope that this much-needed reform can save the lives of countless others moving forward. I want to express my gratitude to Governor Ducey and to members of the Arizona Legislature for putting this ban on texting while driving on the books.”

States implementing hands-free laws have experienced 16 percent reductions in fatalities within the first two years. Studies also show that texting while driving increases the likelihood of a crash or near-crash by 23 times.

Fairgoers interested in skipping the $9 admission fee to the Pima County Fair may do so either this Sunday or next with a donation to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.

Between 10 a.m. and noon, April 21 and 28, the fair will allow free admission for three cans of food per person.

The Pima County Fairgrounds are located at 11300 S Houghton Road. Parking is available on site for a $5 fee. Shuttles are available.

Rich the Kid performs April 21, and Dia de la Banda plays April 28. More information can be found at pimacountyfair.com.

Give the gift of food and lower your library fines! From April 15 to April 30, library customers can pay overdue fines and help support the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. During Food for Fines, one dollar in overdue fines will be waived for each non-perishable food item donated at any library.

What fines can be waived?

• Only overdue fines will be waived. No lost material, damaged fees, collection agency fees, or other fees will be waived during this event.

What can I donate?

• Nonperishable items such as canned vegetables, peanut butter, cans of tuna and cereal are all welcome.

What is not accepted:

• Perishable food
• Expired food
• Opened, dented, or damaged food
• Homemade food
• Food in glass containers

What happens with my donation?

• All donations are sent to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, so your donation goes directly to your community.

What if I don't have any fines on my account?

• You can still participate!!! Your donations will be sent along with the rest of the food.

Help those in need by donating your extra health and medical supplies. World Care, a local nonprofit that works to provide basic necessities to those in need, is hosting a Medical Equipment and Supplies Donation Drive this weekend.

Since its founding in 1993, World Care has expanded its programing to include Tools for Education, Tools for Health, Tools for the Environment, Tools for Technology and Tools for Emergency Relief.

World Care works to create sustainable communities by refurbishing, reusing, recycling and redistributing goods and putting them to work helping people rather than ending up in a landfill.

In Tucson, World Care has just moved to a new location and is collecting supplies for their Medical Equipment Bank. At the bank, Tucsonans can loan out wheelchairs, walkers, commodes and other medical necessities for free as well as collecting free hygiene supplies.

To continue providing medical supplies to Tucsonans at no cost, World Care is calling for donations.

The Medical Equipment/Supplies Donation Drive will be held April 12 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and April 13 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 3029 N Stone Avenue.

World Care is asking for donations of adult diapers, hygiene supplies, wheelchairs, walkers, bedside commodes, toilet raisers, toilet extensions, shower stairs, tub transfer benches, knee scooters and more.

Do your kids have a favorite teacher? Do you know a teacher who is really making a difference in the classroom? Tucson Values Teachers, an organization focused on supporting Arizona teachers, is seeking video nominations from students.

Each month the organization runs a Teacher Excellence Award program and are currently running a special contest for Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6 to 10. Students can submit a video explaining why their teacher should be nominated and recognized. The videos can be a group or individual project and adult help is allowed.

All K-12 teachers in southern Arizona are eligible to be nominated and five teachers will be chosen for the award. Winners will receive $250 cash from Tucson Values Teachers, a $100 gift card to Office Depot/OfficeMax, a plaque recognizing their achievement, flowers, a mini bell from Ben's Bells and pizza for their class.

So, if you know a teacher who deserves to win, work with your kids and nominate now! Videos must be under a minute long and in MP4 or MOV format. Nominations can be submitted now until April 25.

Find the nomination form here.