Send Me an Angel

Alicia Keys – MTV Shows

Alicia Keys sings Prelude to a Kiss in honor and in love for Haiti.
And she pierces my soul. She really does.

Avatar: Not quite a revolution.

Avatar.
(Note: I give the story away, so please don’t read if you want to see the film…)

I’ve got to say…for Hollywood, this film comes very, very close to the revolutionary borderline – thought it definitely does not cross. It’s inspiring to see the essence of indigenous life painted so poetically and in 3D! The spirit and the landscape of Pandora, the Na’vi people, the language, the animals, the flora and fauna…all of it is just miraculous. It looks and feels like how life should be here on earth – at least how it exists in the minds of fantasists like myself. Avatar succeeds in honorably relaying the heart of life and love as it exists in Indigenous people. For the first half of the film, I was totally in love.
The critique of American military, big business and even scientific research is keen – a sigh of relief from the Michael Beys of the world. I’m glad the film was so clear (without being too on the nose) about dissecting the imperial process by using language contemporaries understand. Redefining the word “terrorist” from an Indigenous-sensitive lens on a blockbuster major motion picture event platform is a noble step. Throughout the film, we were rooting for the Na’vi. The big bad USA was a cruel tyrant. An evil and sick, mindless, heartless dictator of the worst kind of philosophy.
But in the end… the story was Dances With Wolves and The Last Samurai all over again. Meet these rich Indigenous people. Love them. Enter White man, give him a couple of months to get the hang of things, and bOoM! He’s running thangs, emasculating the Indigenous male characers – who consequently, all die – leaving him to, of course, become leader of these hopeless people.

It reminds me of the many wars that are going on in our world today – born of greed by way of a desire to deplete the world’s natural resources – imperialists plotting and planning an attack – sexual warfare (sleeping with the chief’s daughter) – sympathy – white guilt – NGOs and human rights organizations – the dilemma – “being the voice for the people” vs. being a microphone…

Stream of consciousness…let me explain:

I’ve seen the work of “Western” people who attempt to fight for the protection of Indigenous people. They are around, doing the hard work, and I give them much credit. But oftentimes, I’ve also seen people get on their own high horses, wanting to become saviors and Jake Sullys. They become so self righteous that they loose sight of the very people they are fighting for, and in essence, they become subtle machines of the cultural genocide they think they are trying to cure. They cannot deny the blood-work of their fathers in destroying God’s people and enforcing Eurocentrism the world over. This war is great and has been going on for a long, long time. It is simply white supremacy. In 3D.

The question I would ask Jim Cameron is: Once you recognized that you were following the formula of “white man leads the natives”, were you comfortable with the decision to stick to that theme? Are you comfortable now?

here’s a great article that goes a little deeper.

Nneka.

Yinka Shonibare, MBE

I had the pleasure of viewing the Yinka Shonibare exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum before the exhibit’s closing. A truly multi-media artist he is. Painting, sculpture, video, fashion, photography, dance…he’s not afraid to express freely, not allowing limitations of any noticeable kind. Mostly, the thing that impressed me was that he treated each work of video art with as much care and consideration one would give to a traditional painting. He inspired me and made me laugh hysterically.

He Was Talking to Me

He was talking to all of us who seek peace whether internally or internationally. It’s like Benito Juarez said, “Among individuals, as among nations, respect for the rights of others is peace”.

And speaking of quotes, I just have to highlight some of my favs from President Obama’s call-for-peace speech in Cairo. The man brought me very near tears. He speaks directly to the heart of every human being knowing full well that, if inspired, encouraged and respected, we can one-by-one paint a bold, clear vision for a better future. And live it.

Excerpts from President Barack Obama. Cairo, Egypt. June 4th, 2009:

So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace.

In this new age such attitudes are self-defeating. Given our interdependence, any world order that elevates one nation…will inevitably fail.

Whatever we think of the past, we must not be prisoners to it. Our problems must be dealt with through partnership. Our progress must be shared.

Resistance through violence and killing is wrong and it does not succeed. For centuries Black people in America suffered the lash of the whip as slaves and the humiliation of segregation. But it was not violence that won full and equal rights, it was a peaceful and determined insistence upon the ideals at the center of America’s founding. This same story can be told…a story with a simple truth. Violence is a dead end. It is a sign neither of courage nor of power…that’s not how moral authority is claimed, that’s how it is surrendered.

If we choose to be bound by the past, we will never move forward. And I want to particularly say this to young people of every faith in every country. You, more than anyone have the ability to re-imagine the world to remake this world.

It is easier to start wars than to end them. Its easier to blame others than to look inward. It’s easier to see what is different about someone then to find the things we share. But we should choose the right path, not just the easy path.

We have the power to make the world we seek, but only if we have the courage to make a new beginning keeping in mind what has been written.

People of Color Circle – Boston

Bringing ancient tradition into our everyday lives. Once circle at a time. Boston. Brooklyn.

This video is of my first participation in circle. In Boston. People often ask, “what is circle?” It’s one of those things that is both very easy and very difficult to explain. Simply, circle is a gathering of people who sit – in a circle – and discuss. Traditionally, three questions/topics are posed to the group, and one by one, every person in the circle speaks. We pass around a talking piece. Whomever holds the talking piece can hold it for as long or as short as they’d like. And while they hold the talking piece, everyone else listens actively. It’s that simple.

To go a little further, imagine a clock. From 12 to 3 o’clock is the first quarter of circle, during which time the focus is on introductions. From 3 to 6 o’clock, trust is built. From 6 to 9 o’clock we share issues of interest. From 9 to 12 o’clock is time for action. The key here is that each quarter is equally timed. A quarter can be 3 months, or it can be 3 years. The key is not to rush and to fully flesh out each stage honestly, openly and with love and hope for an ideal continuous present.
In “western” culture, when it comes to work and the workplace, we spend 12 to 1 o’clock introducing ourselves then immediately get to work from 1 all the way to 12 o’clock again. But we haven’t built any trust. We don’t even know what issues are of importance to our co-workers. We’ve barely even introduced ourselves properly.
The method of circle can be found among indigenous cultures throughout the Americas and in Africa and parts of Asia. It has maintained its place among people of color throughout the world – and is a way of life from which we all can benefit.
I’ve been part of the Brooklyn People of Color Circle since we started in October of ’07. Circle has a way of reminding me of my connectedness to the goodness of our collective spirit. It brings me closer to the flow. Sacred space. I look forward every month.

Egypt: Late 1800s/Early 1900s

Came across this while researching imagery for art direction on a music video project. Thought it was interesting…not necessarily for said music video..but just for you, blog.