SIDENOTE: It just dawned on me that I drew a capsule, but used the word “tablet.” My bad! You get the jist.
Category: Uncategorized
I cannot take complete credit for the way that I think. If I had been born to a different mother, and she had been born to racist parents – perhaps I would be a racist, too.
It’s only due to Karma (or circumstance) that I wasn’t.
I suspect that most white people come from households where racism is the norm. You may not have been exposed to blatant racism, but there are many other forms that are more clandestine. Sometimes a word need not be spoken; it’s racism, all the same. Maybe you never heard anyone use the N-word. But if your parents had racial biases, and you grew up with little to no contact with people of color, chances are you picked up on some of these notions. No fault of your own. However, no matter what your upbringing, there comes a time when you must be held accountable for your own thoughts and actions. Once you reach adulthood, there is no reason why you should not be exercising your own free will and using your better judgement.
It is not unreasonable to think most white people will have racist thoughts come into their head at one time or another, even if they know intellectually, that it is wrong. People in general, will struggle with feelings of inferiority/superiority based on skin color, because of the standard of beauty that has been force-fed to us since birth. Not only in the U.S.A., but in Latin America, the Caribbean, all over Asia, and Africa. This cockamamie idea of lighter being better has plagued the planet for centuries. Entirely too long.
Where did it come from? When I think about it, I just don’t understand. I know that when slavery began, it was a tool those involved in the slave trade used in order to feel better about the atrocities they were committing. In order to do what they did to the Africans, they had to dehumanize them, so that their consciences were a little lighter. But in other cases, and on different continents… What was it in people’s minds that allowed them to subscribe to the idea that humans with less melanin should be treated better?
It’s a mental disease, that spread like wildfire. And we still haven’t even begun to find a cure.
Now, they have come up with a pill that supposedly “treats racist thoughts.” But like any other prescription drug, I’m sure it’s only temporary and comes with a host of side effects. What is the REAL cure for Racism? IS there a cure? My idealistic/optimistic mind tells me that unselfishness, compassion, egolessness and all those other nice words can help us to rid ourselves of this illness, but I think we need to focus on the scientific aspect of it.
After a person has been thinking a way for many years, it’s very hard for them to break out of those patterns of thought. So if a white person has been looking at a person of color and seeing that individual as less than themselves, it will damn near take a miracle for them to start seeing them as equal. But I believe it is possible.
I’m a testament to the fact that you can break out of thinking a particular way, if you put forth the effort. Growing up in the church, I was riddled with fear of the devil, and going to hell for committing certain sins. After time, as I searched for the truth, I became less and less fearful, until the fear was altogether gone. I am 32 (which many would still consider young) but I try to keep my mind open to new ideas like a baby/toddler would. It’s worked for me, and I am sure it will work for others.
My advice would be to first, examine your own mind. Question everything, and ask yourself why you think the way you do. Is it because someone else told you it was the truth, and you took their word for it? Nobody says it better than MJ. Start with the man in the mirror. Change what you need to change about yourself, and once all of us do that, we can work together to change this world.
I can imagine what life would be like if we didn’t have to worry about racism, colorism, sexism, homophobia, classism, dogma and all the other -isms and -scisms. Although I know I’ll never see such a world, at least not in this lifetime, I will continue to work towards improving the situation however I can. For my nieces, nephews, little cousins, godkids, and everybody else.
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Here are the images I caught from the Salvador Dali exhibit in the Design District. My favorite was definitely the glass sculpture of Aphrodite’s lips/mouth (also the design for his perfume bottle.) Enjoy.
So, Mommy Cain (my grandmother) was telling me some great stories on the phone tonight. We were talking about Whitney, for a moment, and she was saying how she felt like Whitney was her child. Similarly, I feel like I’ve lost an older cousin, or sister.
I found out that she had passed in the worst way. I as watching CNN (something I NEVER do), but there happened to be a program on called ‘Black in America: Silicon Valley’, with Soledad O’Brown, that caught my attention. It was really interesting, but 5 minutes in, the program was interrupted by an orange “BREAKING NEWS” banner flashing across the screen. The reporter had me hanging onto his every word, wondering what the hell had happened. He finally said, “Whitney Houston has died”. I ran to the bathroom and knocked on the door, to break the news to my sister. Then I broke down.
She’s a part of me. When I first saw “How Will I Know,” I wanted to be just like her. She reminded me of the mermaid on the movie Splash. I’ve heard several people refer to her music as “the soundtrack to my youth”, and I would have to say the same. From that very first album, to the Bodyguard, to Waiting to Exhale… Her music was always present.
She will never die, because her voice runs through my spiritual veins like life-blood. Mine and millions of others. Love you, Whitney.
My conversation with Mommy Cain moved on to MJ, and she told me how the church had opposed to her preaching about him. She said she was telling people that they needed to stop gossiping and talking trash about him, and instead try to understand where he was coming from. (What problems the church would have with MJ, I do not know. But it might have been his crotch-grabbing and Thriller video… In those days they were way less accepting of those things.) Anyway, she said the Bishop told the church that she was right in what she was saying, and that they needed to take heed.
Somehow she came to the story of her encounter with God at age 5, in Oklahoma. She was walking along with some family members, kind of trailing behind, when a voice called her name from a man hole. “Cassie Mae,” the man’s voice called. She looked around, and followed the voice to the man hole. This voice told her she was called to do God’s work, as was her father (A “drunkard,” abuser, and totally against religion. He was done with the church when he found out at age 10-11 that his father was leading a double life and had another family in a different county).
She, at 5 went home, and told her father what had happened. She said he lost consciousness, and in a trance-like state, repeatedly called on the name of Jesus. Neither she, her siblings, nor mother had ever seen anything like this. When he came to, she said he just cried, and asked her mother for forgiveness, for all he had done to hurt her. He had been delivered, instantly, and had turned over a new leaf.
The family had been planning to relocate to Bakersfield, California, the next day, in fact. My grandmother’s father was a cotton-picker, and although he had been invited to Detroit, MI, to live with his mother and the rest of his family, he declined because he wanted to win the cotton-picking belt in California. Before the manhole incident even occurred, they had been packing up, selling their furniture, and preparing to leave on New Year’s.
She said that on the way to Bakersfield, from Oklahoma, her dad would preach, wherever they stopped. At service stations, rest stops, wherever. And people would gather to listen. They stopped in Phoenix, AZ, for two weeks, where he was ordained by a Bishop from the Church of the Living God Pillar Ground and Truth, who had come to hear him speak.
When they arrived in Bakersfield, they came to a place called Greenfield, which was owned by the Kern County Farmers Connection. They provided people who had just arrived with free housing, until they got on their feet. My grandmother said her father just walked through the camp talking to people, and she would follow along, until she had to go to school. He built his first church when she was seven, and she bought the ledger at Crescents, on her own. That was when she first started preaching… She signed her name in that ledger.
The rest is history. She couldn’t go on cuz she had to get off the phone and eat dinner. But I have to write down more of these stories, that’s for sure. I’m reading James Brown’s autobiography now, and he has some of the same kind of magical stories to tell. What happened to our generation? I don’t want to live in the internet-age. I want to live where spirits are alive.
I have a lot of things I should be working on, but I took a break to create this piece, because I was inspired. And when an artist is inspired, he/she should take advantage.
I was minding my own business last week, when a tweet came in from @SoulBounce, with a link to download D’Angelo’s entire performance in Paris from a few nights before. (http://soulbounce.com/soul/2012/02/cop_this_dangelo_the_testimony_live_in_paris_full_concert.php?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter) I re-tweeted, clicked on it, and found this glorious new photo of D’angelo, holding his guitar with the setting sun illuminating the background.
I said, “Oh no… I have to do a drawing of this, for real.” And I did.
This isn’t the first time I’ve done some artwork featuring D. It started in 12th grade, when I used to play my sister’s Brown Sugar cassette tape all day every day. I never went to class, so I had to take independent studies, and one of my assignments was to draw things of interest for credits. So I drew a bunch of fashion illustrations, and the cover of Brown Sugar. A few years later, when Voodoo came out, I drew a picture of D that I tore out of a magazine, framed it, and took it to his show at the Paramount Theater in Oakland. I think my cousin gave it to a bodyguard or something – I don’t remember. In any event, I hope he didn’t get it, cuz it was a hot mess.
I like this one much better. As we all know, my pieces are constantly influenced by Buddhist and Christian iconography, and this one is no exception. I’m gonna call it “Archangel Michael: The Second Coming.” The guy we call D’Angelo’s given name is Michael, and he’s something like an angel to me. Because he blessed me with his music, a gift from above. He has definitely inspired me, as an artist, and I want to be able to create – visually – the kind of magic he does – audibly.
The second coming should probably be called the Third coming, as this will be his third studio album, but, whatever. The point is, that he’s the messiah of music to me. Cuz we all know that generally, music sucks right now. So I’m counting on him to save Music. And he’s gonna do it… No sweat. Have you heard his new songs? Greatness.
Anyway, my husband (Prince) would love this. D’Angelo doesn’t give me a purple vibe (he’s more earth-toney) but you know me! I didn’t get the middle name Violet for nothin’. I just rolled with my gut instinct. At least Hendrix would be proud.
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Today marks what would be the 67th birthday of Bob Marley. Anyone who knows me knows that Bob is my hero and mentor. I also have no shame in saying he is a God to me, hence the title of this blog. (Nesta is his first name). I am fully aware that he was human, and made plenty of mistakes, but I don’t care. I still strive to live the way he did, fighting for the people and spreading a message of love through his music that has touched humans across the globe, from NYC to the most remote regions of Tibet.
I have done many paintings and drawings of Bob, but this year, I decided to go the extra mile and try my second attempt at an animation. With the help of animation guru @NickRivera, I am learning more and more about the process of animation and all the technicalities. Animation is no joke! It’s time consuming and takes real patience and dedication.
Anyway, this is my feeble attempt. It’s a very, very rough clip, but it’s slightly entertaining. Keep in mind that this is only my second time doing this, please. And you can expect more movement and less white space in the final piece.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BOB!!!!!!!
This portrait of James Baldwin was created exclusively for Son of Baldwin, the literary, sociopolitical, psychosexual, popcultural blog. Although I knew Baldwin before, I didn’t really know him, not until this tweeter brought him to the forefront of my conciousness. I’ve learned a lot by following Son of Baldwin, and urge everyone on Twitter and Facebook to do the same. Twitter: @SonofBaldwin or Facebook: www.facebook.com/SonofBaldwin.
This is a No. 2/colored pencil drawing with gold leaf. The pattern in the background was inspired by the Fulani wedding blanket on the cover of Dr. Ron Eglash’s ‘African Fractals.’
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i don’t know what brought this change about, but for the past few days i’ve been pondering about the existence of a so-called creator “God.” i’ve had similar moments before, but i think they were brought on by depression and an overwhelming feeling of helplessness. This time it is different. i’m just constantly on a search for the truth, and frankly, i would feel a little dumb praying to/praising something that wasn’t really there. i stopped believing in a God with a shape/form a long time ago, but i left the possibility open that there may be something that is responsible for the creation of the Universe.
i know Jesus (and other people like him) were born to change this world, and have a strong spiritual presence. So following him, and asking him for guidance seems okay to me. But all that business of him being “the Way,” and the ONLY way?? That’s ludicrous! Basically, you’re saying anyone who doesn’t believe Christ is the Savior is damned to Hell. That’s ignorant talk, people. And it doesn’t frighten me a bit. Maybe when i was little, and full of fear… but now? Not even slightly.
i’ve had the pleasure of meeting a lot of people from a lot of different religious backgrounds, and no one can tell me that their way of life is wrong. If the common goal is to live an upstanding life, and to treat others with love and respect, then what could be wrong with that?
i don’t know… Personally, i’m pretty much over religion. i love Buddhism – it’s the religion i feel most compatible with – but i’m cool on all the rituals and rules and things. i really appreciate the scientific nature of so many Buddhist practices, though. They teach you how to harness your own mind in a practical way; through meditation and other means, which to me is more effective than praying to God, “Lord PLEASE take this [sin] away from me!”
Most of our negative behavior is learned, and the source of all negative thought/actions lie somewhere in the human brain. It’s Neuroscience. If you have used spiritual means to rid yourself of negativity, then keep doing what you do. It works for some people. But if you are a religious person and you’re suffering from bad thoughts and things, look at it from the perspective of a psychologist. Where are these thoughts coming from? Don’t just blame it on the “Devil.” i think there are negative spirits and energies that are kind of contagious, but i don’t believe in the Devil.
Furthermore, all these religious leaders who are preaching to others, but failing to rid themselves of their own iniquities? i don’t want to hear from you. WE ALL SIN, every single day. And we all need to recognize our own power, and figure out our own problems, instead of depending on somebody to tell us how to do things. We were born with an innate knowledge of life, and how we should live it, and we need to take advantage of it. Mentors are great, but really, freedom and liberation comes when we can think for ourselves.
i could go on, but i don’t want to bore anyone. Who’s reading this, anyway? i don’t know. i don’t know anything, but my best advise to everyone is to QUESTION EVERYTHING. i won’t let anybody tell me what’s right and what’s wrong – i’ll judge for myself.
I had originally done a simple portrait of Oscar Grant for Young Gully’s ‘Grant Station Project’ tribute album. But when a friend asked to show it at an upcoming event, I decided I needed to spruce it up a little bit. Afterwards, it is to be given to Oscar’s mom, Wanda Johnson.
It’s called “Descansa en Paraiso” (thx to Tulio for the translation assistance.) Most likely, you can pick up on the Miami vibe. That golden frame behind him is a motif on the apartment building my sister lives in. And the palm trees, of course, are everywhere you look…
Rest in Paradise, Oscar…
A two-year-old child survivor of the earthquake is seen during the mourning for victims in the earthquake-hit Gyegu town of Yushu County, April 21, 2010
A lot of people don’t know it, but about a week ago an earthquake shook the “Rooftop of the World,” otherwise known as Tibet. Part of the reason you might not have known that Tibet was hit because the headlines read, “Earthquake Kills Dozens in Northwest China…”
Correct me if I’m wrong, but the region that was struck by the 7.1 quake in the Yushu Prefecture of Tibet. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yushu_Tibetan_Autonomous_Prefecture
Please visit this link as well:
http://blog.studentsforafreetibet.org/2010/04/tibet-earthquake-update-more-ways-you-can-help/
Whatever the case, the earthquake was devastating and thousands have lost their lives. People are in need of food, water and supplies (clothes, blankets, etc.) If you have any money to spare, you can donate to the organization of your choice by visiting the following link.
http://studentsforafreetibet.org/article.php?id=2189
The region that was hit also happens to be the region that His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama hails from. Amdo. He is asking the Chinese government to allow him to return, after 51 years of exile, to pray for the victims of the quake. I doubt they will be very open to this idea, but I wish they would consider it.
Fear of a possible uprising is the major issue, and measures have already been taken to keep any sort of revolutionary activity at bay. Monks that came from the monasteries to find victims, pray for them and give a proper burial have been told to go home, even though there is still much work to be done. Read this article on Yahoo News:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100421/ap_on_re_as/as_china_earthquake
I don’t know, it’s complicated. The most important thing we can do is give, even if it’s only a little. And if you can’t do that than offer a prayer to all those suffering. While we live our easy, cushy lives there are people out there starving, sometimes cold and wet, and in pain. And we have our problems but we can always go to sleep in our comfortable beds, take long, hot showers, and eat whenever we get hungry. There are children who aren’t even old enough to express their hunger, they can only cry out in pain because their stomachs are completely empty. THINK ABOUT IT!!!
Or send the following letter to your representative to support the quake victim’s rights to see the Dalai Lama.
http://blog.studentsforafreetibet.org/2010/04/quake-letter/
Thank you in advance. Please spread the word!!
