‘I’m a White Girl’: Why ‘Girls’ Won’t Ever Overcome Its Racial Problem Those who don’t get it will, for the most part, continue to not get it. The truth, distasteful as it may be to those who imagine that we live in a “post-racial” era or believe it’s small-minded to apply identity politics to art, is that we still haven’t reached a point in our history at which the discrepancies between the way people of different races (or genders or religions or sexual orientations) experience life are negligible. Read more. [Image: HBO] (via theatlantic)
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‘I’m a White Girl’: Why ‘Girls’ Won’t Ever Overcome Its Racial Problem

Those who don’t get it will, for the most part, continue to not get it. The truth, distasteful as it may be to those who imagine that we live in a “post-racial” era or believe it’s small-minded to apply identity politics to art, is that we still haven’t reached a point in our history at which the discrepancies between the way people of different races (or genders or religions or sexual orientations) experience life are negligible.

Read more. [Image: HBO]

(via theatlantic)

I, Too by Langston Hughes I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong. Tomorrow, I’ll be at the table When company comes. Nobody’ll dare Say to me, “Eat in the kitchen,” Then. Besides, They’ll see how beautiful I am And be ashamed— I, too, am America. (via blackgirlphresh) I took a History course in college, two years ago- History of African-American Literature, and it fulfilled all of my expectations.  I enjoy learning of cultures different from mine, if from another continent that’s even better. But this course, this course allowed me to sit back, and learn of a culture, my culture that many grade school systems breeze past.  The 10-week course began by describing the slave trade, in all of it’s despicable glory, the “negro spirituals,” the northern migration, and then, finally, to the Harlem Renaissance.  At the close of the course, we were instructed to write an online discussion entry on our favorite artist (or the artist that was most outstanding) and I chose Langston Hughes. I chose Hughes for more reasons than I can explain but the main one was a deep sense of understanding through time. I don’t care who you are, where you are, this culture teaches an outer-appreciation. We are taught to love this time in art, this other time in fashion, this other culture that does this better… leaving no time, no space to appreciate your own culture.  I’m not going to make this a sermon on how this certain culture has it worst off, but if you know, you know.  This course was my way of appreciating a time where we did something great, something right, something to be proud of decades later. This course was my way of appreciating my own special Black-American culture (which is different from African, African-American, Jamaican-American, etc. Educate yourself.). This course was my way of validating my existence, my make, and what I do.  I urge everyone to saturate your influences with cultures seperate from your upbringing, but also your own culture in all of it’s struggles and victories. Appreciate yourself, in everything that makes you.
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I, Too

by Langston Hughes

I, too, sing America. 
I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong. 
Tomorrow, I’ll be at the table When company comes. Nobody’ll dare Say to me, “Eat in the kitchen,” Then. 
Besides, They’ll see how beautiful I am And be ashamed—

I, too, am America.

(via blackgirlphresh)

I took a History course in college, two years ago- History of African-American Literature, and it fulfilled all of my expectations. 

I enjoy learning of cultures different from mine, if from another continent that’s even better. But this course, this course allowed me to sit back, and learn of a culture, my culture that many grade school systems breeze past. 

The 10-week course began by describing the slave trade, in all of it’s despicable glory, the “negro spirituals,” the northern migration, and then, finally, to the Harlem Renaissance. 

At the close of the course, we were instructed to write an online discussion entry on our favorite artist (or the artist that was most outstanding) and I chose Langston Hughes. I chose Hughes for more reasons than I can explain but the main one was a deep sense of understanding through time. I don’t care who you are, where you are, this culture teaches an outer-appreciation. We are taught to love this time in art, this other time in fashion, this other culture that does this better… leaving no time, no space to appreciate your own culture. 

I’m not going to make this a sermon on how this certain culture has it worst off, but if you know, you know. 

This course was my way of appreciating a time where we did something great, something right, something to be proud of decades later. This course was my way of appreciating my own special Black-American culture (which is different from African, African-American, Jamaican-American, etc. Educate yourself.). This course was my way of validating my existence, my make, and what I do. 

I urge everyone to saturate your influences with cultures seperate from your upbringing, but also your own culture in all of it’s struggles and victories.

Appreciate yourself, in everything that makes you.

(via onmyowntwohands)

Source: english.illinois.edu

Zen, jazz, & creativity: Lessons from the art of jazz

  • In structure there is freedom and spontaneity.
  • Restraints and limitations can be great liberators.
  • Don’t ever force it; be ever natural.
  • Good intentions are key. Sincerity is king, and yet…
  • It’s not about you.
  • Listen more than speak.
  • Speak only when you have something to say, and then in the most economic way possible. 
  • Your approach can be direct and subtle at the same time.
  • Fear is natural (and human), but work through it and past it. Don’t let fear hold you back.
  • Mistakes are part of it (do not worry about them).
  • Embrace the power of now, this moment.
  • Technique matters, but it’s not the most important element.
  • Make no pretenses; put up no facades. 
  • Laugh, smile if you feel like it — why not?
  • Share yourself with others; make a contribution.
  • Simplicity is supremely beautiful, yet difficult to obtain.
  • Emptiness and silence are powerful elements of expression.
  • Remove the clutter, strive for absolute clarity.
  • If you think you have mastered it, you’ve have already begun your descent.
  • Always be learning. Always be learning. Always be learning.
  • Curiosity is your greatest gift, nurture it (in yourself and in others)

(via oldsongseveryday, mnmal)

Source: digitalops

Be about it.

I am not like him.

I am not like her. 

I say what I say for a reason. Whether what’s said is literally coming out of my mouth or out of the tips of my fingers, I am aware of what I put into the universe.

Be aware.

What I say, and in turn what I do, is intentional; and sometimes it’s intentionally unintentional. I practice being as intentionally precise as I, me, my person, can be.

I say what I mean, and I mean what I say.

Be intentional.

This isn’t a lecture- I’m neither a parent or professor. This isn’t a sermon- I’ve not a degree in theology. This isn’t a reprimanding- I know not what you’ve done (or not done).

This is me, a 22 year old “young person” stating some things that seem to evade the majority of “young people.”

Be accountable- if not for anything or anyone but yourself.

Be responsible- for your every action, thought, & outward word.

Be productive- especially if you question the point of this life, make your life count.

And after those…

Be projective- if you only think about your now, you might not have a later. Project into the future. And projective your positive accountable, responsible productivity into the world and you’ll be a blessing to someone else in the most core-shaking way. Promise.

Crazy little thing called life… (cont’d)

One last thought.

You doing your best is enough. It will always be enough if you’re in the right place. Period. Your success isn’t just seen and felt by you- your boss, coworkers, friends, friends friends, family AND family friends all bask in your glory in their respective ways. Your not-doing-your-best is the same, just in the opposite direction. 

As much as I hate to admit it sometimes- No man/woman is an island.

You’re not alone! You don’t speak into a vacuum, especially if its online. You are not a tree, and this is not a damn forest- if you fall, we hear you. 

I am all for self-expression (do you not know me at all?!) but we are no longer children- I cling to no one. As weak as you may think you are, chances are there are people around you weaker.

Be strong, be brave, be inspiring- be your best you. That’s it, no one is asking you to be any more (If there is, they know where to shove it, but err on the side of safety and remind them where to shove it, in detail). The thing about being inspiring is you simply have to be yourself, your best self, and strive towards that every step of your life. 

It’s about choices. Choose the right one.

Be your best you.

The crazy little called life…

It took me a long time to really know how to categorize myself, and it wasn’t until about three years into Art School that I really felt prepared to carry that label.

I am an artist.

We are passionate, we are creators. What you create, all of what you create, which eventually becomes your entire self, thrives on this tiny entity called inspiration.

To be placed in a box and be told not to create is about as bad as being placed in a box with a person who can not create. And that is about as bad as being placed in a box with a person who does not care to create.

Inspiration for me is this intangible thing, like sleep, that you cannot live without thankfully because I cannot live without it. I feel sluggish without, completely lackadaisical, drained, pointless, and hopelessly flailing…

I’ve gotten to a comfortable point in life where a relationship without inspiration is like that, me without sleep. A person in your life who may have the hopes of being something big has a flicker of hope.  A person in your life with no hopes of being anything more than ordinary has had their pilot light of chance blown out- either by the turbulent winds of hard times, self or life inflicted, or there never was one to begin with.

Some people don’t have the fire, some people won’t have the passion, but for me it’s important to surround myself with burning people. People who walk, talk and think with a purpose, and that fire is wildly evident with every breathe. It’s not always what you wear or what you say, but how you wear it and how you say it (if you know, you know).

I will only surround myself with passionate, inspired people. One small flame plus another small flame is a bigger flame, and that’s further insurance that mine won’t be blown out.

I have to have that flame (it’s the only way I know to live), therefore I have to be surrounded by the same. An artist, a creator with no flame is just an ordinary.

Are you an ordinary or extraordinary?

“Do The Right Thing!”

I put stock in the worldly definition of karma- what comes around goes back around. It may not be today, next week or five years from now. It may hit you as you sit in your worn-in leather recliner 60 years from now, wondering why your grandson is hurting so much… It’s not always about rendering pain, it can be about not giving love.

Your actions have consequences, whether you see them or not.