Breonna Taylor was an African American woman who was a first responder. She was killed March 13, 2020 when officers executed a search warrant in her home.
Happy Birthday Breonna Taylor
beauty
Mesmerizing Images
Our world is changing. The riots in cities across the United States have me mesmerized. Anger and frustration is being released but is building up to something else.
The year 2020 is showing to be a pivotal year. It is a year unlike any I have experienced. It will be remembered as a year of impeachment, pandemic and riots. We are only half way through it.
All these images are from CNN covering the riots that have taken place in the last couple of days.
The artistic way the photographers tell the story puts the viewer front and center.
Let This Motivate You
With the Pandemic and recent killings of African Americans by police in the United States it is easy to become depressed or seek move away from this type of news. Folks want to avoid talking about it or watch something to take their minds off of it.
Resist the urge to ignore this. Now is the time to have a conversation about how you feel about injustice. It is also time to learn more about these things and how they impact you.
Art has been a great expression of how some people are dealing with unjust situations. I have found comfort in how artists use their creative minds especially to express their pain and fear and translate it onto a canvas.
George Floyd was an African American man who was arrested by Minneapolis Police on Monday, May 25. This situation was video taped by people who watched four police officers hold Floyd down. One officer had his knee on Floyd’s neck which restricted his breathing. Floyd died.
After the world watched this man die on the internet and television as the video was replayed, grief and angry filled the nation as we were faced with the chickens coming home to roost. Since then riots broke out around the city, with even a police department building being burned down.
Over the last couple of months life has become very precious as we have watched the numbers of people dying of the pandemic climb to 100,000. Yet this singular death of one man by a police officer has been the proverbial straw.
I have seen people who have been quiet during other situations like this speak loud and often. I have seen people throw themselves in between police and people they are pursuing.
If we are going to stop this, everyone has to do their part. You have to figure out where you belong and go to it. But everyone has to be a part of this if we are going to stop this. We are going to stop this.
Art of the Month
Self Confidence
Awake
Keep up with what is going on around your surroundings
They Made Brown Beautiful
My Thesis examines how African American beauty was marginalized through laws over hundreds of years. The story examines some moments in time that left a mark in history on my people. These marks shaped what we think is beautiful and continues to limit us today.
Dark skin was not attractive and over the years we have tried to convince them to lighten their skin if they want to be. In 1910s and 20s, women like Nina Mae McKinney could not play mammy roles because of her light skin and European features. She was a talented singer and dancer who scored so big the all African American movie Hallelujah (1929) that she became the first African American to be signed to a 5 year movie deal.
With this deal, she was limited to playing maids and servants. She knew she would never make it as a star being a maid so she moved to France, which welcomed her with open arms.
Nina Mae McKinney is a woman who used her talent despite what others thought. Her beauty is not only in how she looks but in how she lived. She didn’t let them stifle her talent.
The only role models little African American girls saw on the big screen in the United States were maids and servants for many decades. Generations grew up thinking beauty was for fair skinned and Flaxen hair as one author put it. We didn’t think brown skin and kinky hair had much value.
But times are changing. My new book More Than A Color will tell the story.
Discerning
Be wise with the decisions you make. Be discerning
Just Sit Down A Minute
I know some of you hate this Quarantine, but just chill for a second. This thing has created some phenomenal music moments. Admit it!
Who didn’t check out Jill Scott and Erykah Badu? That was amazing.And so many people on my timeline were into it. I remember at one point they had 625K
And now all these artists are trying to do the same thing. We are living through some of the greatest music moments. Artists are trying to find new ways to connect with their audiences and it is FYAH.
I am a big fan of Club Quarantine with DJ D-Nice. This man’s love for music is so contagious it can capture me for hours. D-Nice spins on Instagram drawing such an interesting collection of audience members who often become part of the show throughout the evening. His regulars include celebrities like Halle Berry and Donnie Wahlberg, but also regular folks who follow him too. Every session is a new adventure.
Since the Quarantine, I have listened to all kinds of artists do live performances on the internet from James Taylor to BoyzIIMen to Amy Grant to Yo-Yo Ma. There have been fun YouTube edited shows that have stretched my mind about their performances. This pandemic was the best thing to happen to them and me.
So, sit and chill and listen to some of the best music you are ever going to hear. Your favorites are doing it big. Sit. Listen. Love it.
Celebrating a Milestone
This week I celebrate graduating from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a Master of Arts degree in Journalism. I am sitting back and relishing what a life poured out to God can do.
So let me be honest. This was not on my five or ten year plan. I never dreamed it was possible, but has truly brought the verse to life that all things are possible with Him.
I will celebrate this victory each day this week. I will remember how God has been faithful in guiding me through this program in a city where I have not family or friend support. I truly trusted in Him.
Today I had ice cream. It was nice to savor the flavors of each and remember what I like about them. I mean like each of them on their own, but together it is really good.
Our lives are like one flavor of ice cream. We have plans and ideas of what we like to do. But when we give it to God and trust Him with it, He takes it to an entirely different level.
I am excited to see where I go from here.
I will spend the rest of the year explaining how African American beauty has been marginalized and how we need to appreciate our history. I am creating some art images on the subject and will have several exhibitions this year. Here is one I am working on.
It is the subject of my thesis and I have learned knowing you are beautiful is powerful. I will spend the rest of 2020 looking at different aspects of it. You can see a short video here.
Eating Fresh
Fresh fruits will give you a boost.
UPP Creative Media 