Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
My Mission Statement
Artistic Aims
Revolution is essentially a work of the human heart and spirit. As political activist Dhoruba Bin-Wahad explains, “we need to address the heart”. People get involved in struggles because of what is in their hearts. We cannot change our conditions as a people, as a movement, until we first change the condition of our hearts. The path of the artist is in essence a spiritual path which is initiated and practiced through creativity. I believe that as both artists and human beings, a sense of spirituality is essential to the process of creation. Once we heal ourselves and reach our full creative potential, we can tap into the life-force energy of Love to begin to change the world. Martin Luther King himself explains that his basic philosophical and theological orientation was completely centered around the idea of love. Love is God in manifestation. It is the strongest magnetic force in the universe and the one quality which unites us all.
I believe that art should educate, inform, organize, influence and incite to action. The artist should not only be a creative being, but a teacher of morality and a political advisor. As Artists, we must give of ourselves unselfishly to become the voice of conscience in society. All art reflects the value system from which it comes. This work is directly related to the historical, economic, educational, and social development of marginalized and disenfranchised communities.
In his essay, “The Revolutionary Theatre” Amiri Baraka explains that art should move victims to look at the strength in their own minds and bodies. Transformational Activism is the idea that we can tap into the power of mass collaboration and collective creativity to transform people into more loving, peaceful, and compassionate human beings. It is based on the idea that people need to transform on the inside as well as on the outside in order to create any meaningful change in the world. I have always believed in the power of art to transform lives and mobilize communities. Once we recognize and embrace our individual creative potential, we can then collectively explore how the Arts can be used as a vehicle for social change.
Revolution is essentially a work of the human heart and spirit. As political activist Dhoruba Bin-Wahad explains, “we need to address the heart”. People get involved in struggles because of what is in their hearts. We cannot change our conditions as a people, as a movement, until we first change the condition of our hearts. The path of the artist is in essence a spiritual path which is initiated and practiced through creativity. I believe that as both artists and human beings, a sense of spirituality is essential to the process of creation. Once we heal ourselves and reach our full creative potential, we can tap into the life-force energy of Love to begin to change the world. Martin Luther King himself explains that his basic philosophical and theological orientation was completely centered around the idea of love. Love is God in manifestation. It is the strongest magnetic force in the universe and the one quality which unites us all.
I believe that art should educate, inform, organize, influence and incite to action. The artist should not only be a creative being, but a teacher of morality and a political advisor. As Artists, we must give of ourselves unselfishly to become the voice of conscience in society. All art reflects the value system from which it comes. This work is directly related to the historical, economic, educational, and social development of marginalized and disenfranchised communities.
In his essay, “The Revolutionary Theatre” Amiri Baraka explains that art should move victims to look at the strength in their own minds and bodies. Transformational Activism is the idea that we can tap into the power of mass collaboration and collective creativity to transform people into more loving, peaceful, and compassionate human beings. It is based on the idea that people need to transform on the inside as well as on the outside in order to create any meaningful change in the world. I have always believed in the power of art to transform lives and mobilize communities. Once we recognize and embrace our individual creative potential, we can then collectively explore how the Arts can be used as a vehicle for social change.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Creative Affirmations
You are the co-creator of your life. We are all artists.
Try these creative affirmations this week:
1. I am a channel for God's creativity, and my work comes to good.
2. My dreams come from God and God has the power to accomplish them.
3. As I create and listen, I will be led.
4. Creativity is the creator's will for me.
5. My creativity heals myself and others.
6. I am allowed to nurture my artist.
7. Through the use of a few simple tools, my creativity will flourish.
8. Through the use of my creativity, I serve God.
9. My creativity always leads me to truth and love.
10. My creativity leads me to forgiveness and self-forgiveness.
11. There is a Divine plan of goodness for me.
12. There is a Divine plan of goodness for my work.
13. As I listen to my creativity I am led.
14. As I listen to my creativity I am led to my creator.
15. I am willing to create.
16. I am willing to learn to let myself create.
17. I am willing to let God create through me.
18. I am willing to be of service through my creativity.
19. I am willing to experience my creative energy.
20. I am willing to use my creative talents.
(The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron)
Try these creative affirmations this week:
1. I am a channel for God's creativity, and my work comes to good.
2. My dreams come from God and God has the power to accomplish them.
3. As I create and listen, I will be led.
4. Creativity is the creator's will for me.
5. My creativity heals myself and others.
6. I am allowed to nurture my artist.
7. Through the use of a few simple tools, my creativity will flourish.
8. Through the use of my creativity, I serve God.
9. My creativity always leads me to truth and love.
10. My creativity leads me to forgiveness and self-forgiveness.
11. There is a Divine plan of goodness for me.
12. There is a Divine plan of goodness for my work.
13. As I listen to my creativity I am led.
14. As I listen to my creativity I am led to my creator.
15. I am willing to create.
16. I am willing to learn to let myself create.
17. I am willing to let God create through me.
18. I am willing to be of service through my creativity.
19. I am willing to experience my creative energy.
20. I am willing to use my creative talents.
(The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron)
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Emmanuel Jal
Emmanuel Jal, a former child-soldier from Sudan gave an awesome performance at the "United Nations Day Concert". He is currently fasting for 365 days to raise money for the school he is building in Sudan.. a truly incredible human being..
His film, War Child chronicles the tumultuous, shocking, inspiring, and ultimately hopeful odyssey of Emmanuel Jal. A former child soldier of Sudan's brutal civil war, he is now an emerging international hip hop star sharing a message of peace for his war-torn land and beloved Africa.
In the early 1980s at the age of seven, Jal was swept into Sudan's civil war, becoming one of 10,000 child soldiers conscripted on both sides of the two decade long conflict. After being forced to do many unimaginably horrible things, he escaped the soldier's camp and trekked for four months through Africa. He was eventually found and adopted by the now legendary British aid worker Emma McCune who had married Sudanese guerrilla commander Riek Machar and convinced him to not employ child soldiers. Shortly after she adopted Jal, McCune died in a suspicious car crash, leaving Emmanuel "orphaned" once again. Jal rose from ruthless child soldier to refugee to rap star. He found his own redemption and life mission through a message of peace that represents one of the 21st centuries' most inspiring and hopeful journeys, and a metaphor for the broader African predicament.
Emmanuel's journey is, in many ways, just beginning. His dream of Gua (peace) in Sudan and prosperity in Africa is threatened by corrupt leaders, genocidal warlords, and Western indifference. Hopefully, Emmanuel's peace quest to make the world a better place through his music, activism and youth education will prove to be far more significant than Emmanuel's former war.
War Child tells the story of Jal's life through his words and music, and remarkable film footage dating back to his childhood. Even at the age of seven, Emmanuel's charisma were so evident that National Geographic focused their own 1980's reportage on him as spokesperson for the children. Today, as Emmanuel travels the World, even into the halls of the US State Department, he takes us through his homeland's tormented history of civil war, assesses the prospects for peace after the country's 2005 ceasefire agreement, highlights the increasing problem of war children, and shines light on the growing African hip hop scene that is tackling the continent's ills through its music.
About Emmanuel Jal
Emmanuel Jal (born ca. 1980), a former child soldier in Sudan, has won worldwide acclaim for his unique style of hip hop music infused with messages of peace and reconciliation. Emmanuel was taken from his family home in 1987, at the age of seven, and sent to fight with the SPLA rebel army in Sudan's bloody civil war. For nearly five years, Emmanuel carried and slept next to an AK-47 that was taller than him. He was sent to Ethiopa and Southern Sudan to fight with thousands of other children that were uprooted from their villages.
Emmanuel has been featured in Time magazine, USA Today, The Times, The Guardian, the Washington Post, CNN, Fox, VOA, BBC, MTV, and Sky amongst many other news outlets. As a spokesman for Amnesty International and Oxfam, Emmanuel has held two press briefings at the United Nations in New York making him the first hip hop artist to do so. He also addressed congressional staffers on Capitol Hill about the plight of the people of Darfur and the pressing need for an international response to stop the genocide. Emmanuel has won an American Gospel Award, as well as a community service award in Kenya for his work promoting peace among youth. He has also recently been nominated for the MTVu Good Woodie Award given to activists for their commitments to social causes affecting the greatest change in the world.
His autobiography, "War Child: A Child Soldier's Story", will be released by St. Martin's Press in February 2009. His most recent album, "Warchild" was released on 12 May 2008 on the Sonic360 label (distributed by ADA Global) with additional production and mix by Neal Pogue (who had done work for various major artists including Outkast, Talib Kweli, and Pharoahe Monch).
Emmanuel recently performed at The V Festival in the UK, the Greenbelt Festival, and the first Black Ball in the UK for Keep a Child Alive (Alicia Keys foundation). He met with Nelson Mandela and performed at the tribute concert for his 90th birthday at Hyde Park in London. Emmanuel is currently touring the East Coast of North America speaking and performing at Colleges and Universities throughout the region.
About Gua Africa US
GUA Africa US' mission is to work with individuals, families and communities to help them overcome the effects of war and poverty. Each of our projects focus on providing an education to children and young adults who would otherwise be denied such opportunity. Currently our work is in Kenya and Sudan, however in the future we would like to expand into other areas of Sub-Saharan Africa - working with other experienced partner organizations where ever opportunities arise.
By supporting the film, you also help support Jal's lifelong dream of Gua, or peace, in Africa. Five percent (5%) of gross revenues of the filme go towards Gua Africa, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping communities in Sudan and Kenya overcome the effects of war and poverty through education.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Marcel Diallo
Thanks to my girl @BlankBareClean who told me about Marcel Diallo, an incredible Social Entrepreneur. Check him out:
Friday, October 9, 2009
Jimmy Choo for H&M
because "saving green" is the best way of "going green"..
I'm a little bit more excited about this "artistic collaboration" than most.
Starting November 14th, (lady's best friend) designer Jimmy Choo will bring its international glamour and covetable shoes and bags to selected H&M stores. It is the first time that H&M is collaborating with an accessories brand, and to celebrate Jimmy Choo will extend its design vision for this collection to women’s clothing to complement the accessories. Further exciting news is that this collaboration includes a men’s collection of shoes, bags and accessories. Now if only I had a boy of my very own to dress.. Click here to view the entire press release.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Anti-Matter
There is matter and there is anti-matter.
They both are basically the same.
They both are energy.
Anti-matter is the same as normal matter except for the fact that they both have opposite charges.
Instead of positive protons and negative electrons,
Anti-matter has negative protons and positive electrons.
When the two collide they instantly annihalate each other creating pure energy.
The energy is used to create more of like kind, be it positive or negative.
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it simply changes form.
An expanding bubble of radiation
A single flash of light.
Like a Super-Nova
A cosmic twin of opposite form we create with every thought.
There's no "atmosphere" in space.
Matter is ten times more powerful than it's counterpart, Anti-Matter.. which yields 100% efficiency.
2012:
A shift in Earth's magnetic field may not necessarily cause...
Atomic explosions in space
But a centering of our hearts around a common area of interest..
Love.
Love has the power to shift the moon and the stars.
Love, pure positive power, must always be the center of our motivation.
-- Post From My iPhone
They both are basically the same.
They both are energy.
Anti-matter is the same as normal matter except for the fact that they both have opposite charges.
Instead of positive protons and negative electrons,
Anti-matter has negative protons and positive electrons.
When the two collide they instantly annihalate each other creating pure energy.
The energy is used to create more of like kind, be it positive or negative.
Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it simply changes form.
An expanding bubble of radiation
A single flash of light.
Like a Super-Nova
A cosmic twin of opposite form we create with every thought.
There's no "atmosphere" in space.
Matter is ten times more powerful than it's counterpart, Anti-Matter.. which yields 100% efficiency.
2012:
A shift in Earth's magnetic field may not necessarily cause...
Atomic explosions in space
But a centering of our hearts around a common area of interest..
Love.
Love has the power to shift the moon and the stars.
Love, pure positive power, must always be the center of our motivation.
-- Post From My iPhone
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Health Care Monologues
Click here to check out the article featured in Sunday's New York Times Magazine! I am quoted on Page Four woot! woot!
So I must say.. I was slightly ecstatic when I got the news that Anna Deavere Smith recommended me to be interviewed for this feature article in New York Times Magazine. Although it is only just a quote.. uh.. it is the New York Times!! This is just the first of many times my name will grace the pages of the New York Times.. it all starts with a tiny thought.
And if the Universe could not have more perfect timing Anna invited me to come and see her new show "Let Me Down Easy" on Sunday as well. She has such an incredible talent. When I think of the idea that there is something that each of us is designed to do that no one else can do.. I think of her. She can "become" not "play" up to 30 characters at a time! Men and women.. from all walks of life.. REALISTICALLY. She truly is a gem. I have so much more to say.. but I encourage you to read the article!!!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
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