As the year comes to a close, here is a look back at some of my creative, professional and personal high points of 2015.

Big Daddy Kane and the Juice Crew

Summerstage is a New York institution, every year throughout the five boroughs, the NY Parks Department presents free concerts and performances for the people in all five boroughs, with Central Park’s Ramsey Field as the main stage. The headliner for that day was Big daddy Kane and let me tell you the crowd got hyped when the Symphony started and then went on to lose its mind as he brought out the entire Juice crew to perform it. What makes this moment so special is that to the crowds knowledge the Symphony had never been preformed live.

DC Comics Heads West

One of the the biggest publishers in the comic book industry packed up and moved to California. As I haven’t worked there in over 15 years it didn’t affect me outside of the people that I’m still friends with, but I still had to go to the place where it all started for me as an intern at Milestone.

Black Fantastic 2015: AfroFuturism Comes to Harlem

The folks at BlackSci-Fi.com needed help covering events in New York. Some emails and a phone call later I was helping them cover the world of Blerds here in NY. My first full article Black Fantastic 2015 Afrofuturism Comes to Harlem can be found on their website.

Brooklyn Brewery Defender Beer

For all the details of this event click here.

New York Comic Con

For my full reports again go to BlackSci-Fi.com or click on the Comic Con links for Thursday/Friday and Saturday/Sunday

NY Winterfest/NY Jedi

Leading up to the opening of The Force Awakens I did another article for the good peoples at BlackSci-Fi.com about the New York Jedi, a stage combat troupe. For a bit of research I was able to watch them perform during NY Winterfest held at Resorts World Casino, as well as get to hear Nichelle Nichols, the original Lt. Uhura from Star Trek, speak about her time on the show and advice for young folk starting out as an entertainer. To learn more about the NY Jedi, read my article The Force is Strong with The New York Jedi.

And speaking of The Force Awakens, I wanted to love it, I truly did. Yeah it was fun, but it was just ok. I am disappointed not because it was bad, but because after 30 plus years, it wasn’t as great as most of us had hoped. Hopefully the nostalgia of the original movies has been expunged and J.J. can move on to making new stories with these new characters.

Celebrities are People too

Suzan Lori Parks at Book Expo

Garrett Oliver at Brooklyn Brewery

Junot Díaz at New York Comic Con

Marcus Samuelsson at Streetbird

I normally don’t step in front of the camera but over this year I had to, as I ran into these talented individuals. From left to right; author Suzan-Lori Parks, Brewmaster Garrett Oliver, author/activist Junot Díaz, and Master Chef Marcus Samuelsson.

Unicorns are Real

On the personal front of this years events, my mother had open heart surgery to fix an artery  which helps her heart pump better, many thanks to the Doctors and Staff at Mount Sanai Hospital for their excellent work.

I also got my hands on an IPad, which has helped me be a shitload more productive in my creative life, conducting interviews and having more of a presence online. The new logo was mostly done with Adobe Draw.

Lastly, I found someone crazy enough to say yes to spending the rest of their life with me and getting all my stuff when I die, so I know now that Unicorns are real.

Happy New Year, follow me on twitter @GCarmona3 and look for more in 2016. Live long, and prosper in the New Year.