Soapicks June 29-July 12

History Lesson
June 29

"Would America have been America without her Negro people?" asked famous scholar W.E.B. Du Bois. As we celebrate the independence of our nation this weekend, it is important to look back and honor everyone who took part in her creation. The Cincinnati Museum Center's latest exhibit, Tavis Smiley's,  America I AM: The African American Imprint, offers us a look into the imprint of African Americans on the development of the United States. This 15,000 square-foot exhibition is divided into 12 galleries that house an assembly of over 200 artifacts representing nearly 500 years of American history. Travel through time on a journey from struggle to triumph to experience how African Americans throughout history have shaped us as Americans today. America I AM is a four-year traveling museum that has allowed people from all over the United Stated to leave their own video "imprints" through one of the exhibit's interactive pieces. This piece will continue to grow as the exhibit travels from city to city, and has potential to become the largest recorded oral history project in the U.S. Don't miss the chance to not only learn the history of a highly influential group of people, but to become a part of history yourself. America I AM is now open at the Cincinnati Museum Center. Click here for ticket and time details.

#smday
June 30
I really like your Facebook, so how about coming to MySpace to get LinkedIn and play some Foursquare and don't mind my canary Twitter, he won't bite. Chances are you are a member of one, if not all, of the social networking sites mentioned. Social media isn’t just a fad, it’' a revolution of media becoming a social dialogue. So it only makes since to give social media its very own day. June 30 is now officially Social Media Day, and to celebrate, Cincinnati Social Media in partnership with Ignite Cincinnati, has organized a Mashable Social Media Day Meetup. The Meetup will take place on Wednesday June 30 at Lavomatic Café in the OTR Gateway. You're invited to Lavomatic at 5:00 p.m. to enjoy free appetizers and drinks (until the tab limit is reached) while celebrating and discussing the social media revolution. At around 6:15 p.m., it'll be time to head over to Ignite 3 at Know Theatre of Cincinnati. So what are you waiting for, tweet about the Mashable Social Media Day Meetup using the hashtag #smday and tell all your friends about this can't miss event.

All Men (and Women) Are Created Equal
July 2-4

It's time to celebrate that famous line from the Declaration of Independence with Cincinnati Equinox: Pride 2010 - three days of events aimed at providing the Greater Cincinnati LGBT community and their allies a forum for celebrating their individuality and importance with fellow Cincinnatians. Cincinnati Equinox: Pride, begins on July 2 with the Equinox Kickoff Happy Hour at Tonic on Fourth and will wrap up on Sunday, July 4, in downtown Cincinnati with the Pride Parade & Festival and plenty of fun in between. On Saturday, July 3, Cincinnati Pride will hold the Equinox Ball at the Duke Energy Center. The Pride Parade will begin at 11:00 a.m. and travel six blocks along Fifth Street from Sentinel to Race. Then immediately following the Parade head over to Fountain Square for the Pride Festival for plenty of food, drink, retail booths and live music. And it's not too late to get your Equinox Ball tickets! Click here for all  of the details on Cincinnati Equinox: Pride 2010.

Still Frame
July 8

After all the hoopla of the 4th of July settles, why not enjoy a nice, classic film. Building on their current exhibition, TruthBeauty: Pictorialism and the Photograph as Art, 1845-1945, the Taft Museum of Art is screening classic films from different genres in the series,  Shutterbugs in Cinema: Motion Pictures & Still Photographers. The film series is an exploration of how life and art intersect thru the lens of the still photographer as the leading man. Next up in the series on July 8 is the 1957 film Funny Face, directed by Stanley Donen & starring Fred Astaire & Audrey Hepburn. Funny Face tells the story of a fashion photographer who convinces a reluctant bookstore sales clerk to accept a contract as a high-fashion model. If you can't make that flick, no worries, Bridges of Madison County will be screened on Thursday July 22. Cincinnati Public Radio film critic Larry Thomas will introduce each film and lead a discussion afterward. Film screenings are free and begin at 6:00 p.m. Get there early to take in the TruthBeauty exhibit. Click here for more details.

Kick Your Heals Back
July 9

In the spirit of freedom this month, Mariemont Players Inc.  - one of Cincinnati's oldest community theaters - is taking you back to an iconic time in history, the 1960's. SHOUT! The Swingin' 60's Sensation has the music, fashion and the freedom of the "Make love not war" days. SHOUT! will feature soulful pop anthems and ballads that made household names of stars like Petula Clark, Dusty Springfield and Lulu, along with new arrangements that include such chart-topping hits as "Downtown," "Son of A Preacher Man," "Diamonds Are Forever," and "These Boots Were Made for Walkin'." SHOUT! will kickoff July 9 at the Mariemont Players Inn with an 8:00 p.m. performance and continue to bring down the house through July 25. Date and times vary; click here for full schedule and tickets.