We Speak Events
Irene Michaels To Perform As A Special Guest During The Tony Ocean Dance Party At The Taylor Street Festival Friday, August 9th, 2024 8:30 PM
Josie Music Award winner Irene Michaels will be performing as a special guest for the Tony Ocean Dance Party on Friday, August 9th, 2024 at 8:30 PM.
Irene Michaels, a timeless Chicago icon, has captivated audiences for decades with her diverse talents and positive energy. She defies ageism in the entertainment industry with grace, hard work, persistence, and natural talent, continuing to inspire at all ages.
Born in Chicago, Irene’s passion for entertainment began early, leading her to success as a singer, dancer, and model. At 21, she won “Miss Photo Flash,” launching a modeling career and a successful modeling agency.
A champion equestrian since childhood, Irene still rides and competes. She also made her mark in Hollywood, appearing in General Hospital and movies like Home Alone 2 and Killer Klowns From Outer Space.
Irene transitioned into an author and lifestyle blogger with her “ionthescene” brand, exploring beauty, luxury, and entertainment. She created her own beauty line and wrote “I On Beauty,” inspiring many, especially women over 50.
In her late 70s, Irene became a House Music Diva with the hit song “I Like Rain,” which won “Best Pop Song of the Year” at the Josie Music Awards. She signed record deals with TRAX Records and Tribeca Records, earning Grammy nomination consideration and other accolades.
Irene’s live one-woman shows in Chicago and New York sell out. She shares her life stories and inspires audiences. Her social life is vibrant and filled with high society and celebrity events. Reflecting on her journey, Irene invites us all to pursue our passions and let inspiration guide us, just as she has throughout her remarkable life.
In 1992 Maurizio was discovered when he won the runner up prize on the popular TV show Star Search and began his professional career. It was then that he decided to change his singing style from Rock to Pop and his name to TONY OCEAN (from Frank Sinatra’s portrayal of Danny Ocean in the movie Ocean’s 11). His career took a change when he did a Dean Martin impersonation at one of his shows. The owner was so impressed that he paired him with two other artists who impersonated Frank and Sammy Davis, Jr. and a show called ‘The Pack Is Back’ was born. They appeared to sellout crowds for eight months and earned the respect of critics and music lovers while performing at Piper’s Alley, a well-known Chicago nightclub.
Tony Ocean’s upbeat style embodies a time from the past that will be popular as long as we still enjoy the music of Sinatra, Martin, Davis, Darin, Tony Bennett, Tom Jones and others whose romantic songs and lyrics have affected so many of our lives through the years.
Watch Irene Michaels Perform at the Tony Ocean Dance Party at the Taylor Street Festival on Friday, August 9th, 2024. There is a $10 suggested donation.
The official website for the Taylor Street Festival may be found at https://oshows.com/festivals/
The official website for Irene Michaels may be found at https://www.irenemichaels.com
We Speak Events
Atlanta Screening of The Alabama Solution Brings Together Panel of Advocates, Leaders, and Community Voices
ATLANTA, GA — Community leaders, advocates, and residents gathered in Atlanta for a special screening of the Oscar-nominated HBO documentary The Alabama Solution, an evening centered on film, dialogue, and community engagement around issues of justice and incarceration.
Hosted at 2345 Cheshire Bridge Road NE, the event brought together organizations and community members for a formal evening of reflection and conversation following the powerful documentary. The film, co-directed by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman and co-produced by Alex Duran, offers an intimate and unfiltered look into Alabama’s prison system.
At the heart of the documentary are the voices of justice-impacted individuals Melvin “Bennu” Ray and Robert “Kinetik” Council, whose experiences shed light on the realities inside the prison system while challenging viewers to consider deeper questions about accountability, dignity, and reform.
Following the screening, a panel discussion brought together leaders and advocates working in justice reform and community outreach. The conversation was moderated by Bridgette Simpson of Barred Business, who guided the dialogue with panelists representing several organizations committed to addressing issues within the justice system.
Panelists included Gerald Griggs of the NAACP, Kimberly Jones of Fork the System, Octavious Holiday of the Positive Outreach Development Society, Kevin Marshall of The Marshall Law Group, LLC, Kathryn Hamoudah of the Southern Center for Human Rights, and Christopher Willars of The Life Unit Inc.
Each panelist offered insight shaped by their work in advocacy, legal reform, and community engagement. Their perspectives highlighted the far-reaching effects incarceration can have on families and communities, while also emphasizing the importance of awareness, accountability, and continued dialogue around the issues presented in the film.
The screening was supported by several organizations dedicated to justice and civic engagement, including One for Justice, Dream.org, Barred Business, the Southern Center for Human Rights, The Life Unit, the Center for Civic Innovation, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), and the Free Atlanta Abolition Movement.
The evening also served as a moment of connection for those in attendance, including family members and advocates whose lives have been impacted by the justice system. Through film and conversation, the gathering created space for reflection and for communities to engage with the realities highlighted in the documentary.
As conversations continued after the screening, the event underscored the power of storytelling to bring people together, raise awareness, and encourage deeper consideration of issues that often remain unseen by the public.
As momentum continues to grow around conversations sparked by the documentary, organizers are encouraging community members to take an additional step by supporting efforts aimed at protecting justice-impacted individuals from discrimination.
Advocates are currently inviting the public to sign a virtual petition card supporting the establishment of a statewide Protected Class Ordinance in Georgia, which would help ensure justice-impacted individuals are protected from discrimination in employment, housing, and opportunity.
You may find and share the virtual petition here:
Statewide Protected Class
https://www.theprotectedclassnetwork.org/sign-our-petition
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