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[Mos Def - Quiet Dog Bite Hard (right-click and "save-target-as" to DL)]
Black Dontae’s latest album, The Ecstatic is real smoove-like. As much as I think he’s a talented singer, I’ve missed his lyricism since Black on Both Sides, something awful. This is just a little sample of his latest freshness to 2-step to on another manic Monday.
U stay classy(?) internets,
senbei
[DemocracyNow Interview w/ Amy Goodman pt. 1]
Read the rest of this entry »
[Cornel West w/ Tavis Smiley on Music]
Music at its best…is the grand archeology into and transfiguration of our guttural cry, the great human effort to grasp in time our deepest passions and yearnings as prisoners of time. Profound music leads us–beyond language–to the dark roots of our scream and the celestial
heights of our silence.-Cornel West
His autobiography, Brother West: Living & Loving Out Loud just came out. Cop it HERE!
Working my hardest to live & love out loud,
C
p.s.
[Cornel West w/ Amy Goodman on DemocracyNow]
I’ve have GOT to think up a way to get out of my Public Policy seminar from 4-7pm, because Wednesday, November 4th, SFSU will be providing FREE screenings of ridculously talented filmmakers, Tadashi Nakamura’s “A Song for Ourselves” (about revolutionary Japanese American artist, activist, & educator Chris Iijima) & Eric Tandoc’s “Sounds of a New Hope” (about O.G. LA/BAY Hip-Hopper, educator, cultural worker, activist, Kiwi Illaphonte). Know about MassMovementTV!
Hoping I won’t be stuck in class,
C
p.s. If you are a student in Dr. Ueunten’s AAS335: Japanese American Personality course, you can get extra credit for attending the screening and writing about these films! Holler at me in class for details.
[Nas on CNN: "Open Letter to Young Warriors in Chicago"]
16-Year-Old Honor Student Derrion Albert Beaten to Death in Roseland
By Kristen Mack and Stephanie Banchero
(via Chicago Tribune)
The Agape Community Center in Roseland has long been a sanctuary, a refuge for students who want to finish their homework, take Bible study courses or simply escape the chaotic streets in their Far South Side community. Read Entire article.
——-
Albert’s being beaten to death was caught on videotape and sh*t still seems to be perpetually hitting the fan. Our democracy is broken when babies are being killed by their elders and/or each other. But if you took the time to read this post, you probably already knew that. I am working to acknowledge that much of the relative safety from threat of violence I possess today came through certain degrees of unearned privilege.
Derrion Albert, Oscar Grant, my childhood best friend J, my homeboy’s big sister, my homegirl’s boyfriend, 3 of my former students, and countless others remind me to examine and interrogate my positionality in efforts to redistribute resources. The more I’ve studied this country, the more blatant it appears that we are all setup from birth to occupy positions that are literally destined for us. This doesn’t mean those who are middle-class or wealthy didn’t/don’t work hard, but at the same time, SAT scores can be directly relegated to one’s income.
While “rags to riches” stories from Jay-Z, Oprah, and even Obama fly at us through the window of pop culture, I can’t forget that these are all exceptions to rule. Derrion Albert was an exception to the rule himself as an Honor Student and undoubtedly headed to higher education. Despite “pulling himself up by his bootstraps,” his environment in America as a working-class American of African heritage still destroyed him. What also f*cks with me is whether this would have gotten any coverage whatsoever, had he not been an “honors student.” Does a childs ability to succeed academically make them a higher priority in our conscience than those who don’t? I am unclear how much more of this madness needs to happen before our government steps in (as it did with predominantly white/middle-class Columbine HS) to say, “enough is enough.”
I am thinking almost constantly these days about how to best support white people (and myself) in acknowledging privilege and moving past guilt, to redistributing resources; and how to best support Asian Americans (including myself) in examining how the “model minority” myth is a direct attack on Black and Latino Americans, as well as poor/working-class Southeast Asian, Pacific Islander, East Asian, South Asian, and white Americans. This is and has been at times a very painful process, but as I watch the violent and morbid internet videos of Derrion Albert and Oscar Grant from my cushy chair, my pain seems to literally “pale” in comparison.
Democracy inaction,
C
p.s. As I’m writing this just now, my dear homegirl is texting me to tell me that her boyfriend (a Black man) was just pulled over handcuffed and had an assault rifle pointed at his head by Police who thought he “fit the description of two Mexicans in a silver car.” FUCK.FUCK.FUCK.FUCK.
[CYPHER IN GREEN]
Dr. Jeff Duncan-Andrade is the Professor of my Raza Studies 580: Educational Equity course and has been nothing short of awe inspiring in the process of my education. He is a masterful educator, capable of speaking to any person of any age. I appreciate his no bullsh*t approach to everything he addresses and the ways he consistently is thinking about the current and future babies. In the short time I’ve come to know him, he’s assisted me in a lot of ways regarding my personal priorities for the future. He has worked in the Oakland Public Schools for almost 20 years and his works Note to Educators: Hope Required When Growing Roses in Concrete, & Gangstas’, Wankstas, & Ridas: Defining, Developing & Supporting Effective Teachers in Public Schools have been published in the Harvard Educational Review and International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education.
Heartbreaking news…
R.I.P. Gina Hotta
Apex ExpressBy Wayie Ly
One of the original founders and main hosts of Apex Express, Gina Hotta passed away of a heart attack early this morning. She is our “Mama G”, as we would often call her. Gina was right there in the beginning, when right after 9-11, she and a small group of individuals, saw the need for a program on KPFA that brings news and culture from an Asian American point of view. She is a pioneer in that sense. She made the space and airwaves available for at least one hour a week for the voices of those speaking about Asian American issues and events to be heard.
She contributed her own time and funds to have an Apex Express website, knowing that it was imperative to be online, as well as on the air. She spent hours coordinating, setting up guests, conducting interviews, editing interviews, and working with many over the years to make Apex Express what it is today.
On behalf of all the volunteers past and present of Apex Express, we will send our condolences to Gina’s family.
Gina, I only got to hang with you a few times but you were/are such a kind, beautiful and caring soul and I am grateful to have crossed paths with you. Thank you sincerely for loving our community so much, and for so long. You will continue to live in my thoughts every Thursday evening at 7pm.
With deep respect and gratitude,
Colin
*My own reiteration of Dr. Duncan-Andrade’s (Professor of SFSU’s “RAZA580: Educational Equity” course) breakdown of “Macro” & “Micro Agressions” from Frantz Fanon’s world/life/game-changing book, Black Skin, White Masks*
Frantz Fanon was a fucking groundbreaking and revolutionary dude. He was a clinical psychologist who worked with people of African heritage in French Algiers, and documented the ways that oppression and muscle tension were directly correlated. He found that when African heritage people were surrounded by Europeans in Algriers, that their muscle tension would increase. If you imagine a rubber band twisting tighter and tighter it will eventually snap. What he put into words was the fact as oppressed people become wound tighter and tighter they too, eventually end up “snapping” in an inevitable release.
“Iron” Mike Tyson’s style of fighting is representative of what Franz Fanon labeled “Macro-Agression.” In his hey-day, Tyson was a “make-one-wrong-move-and-you’re-done” type of fighter who was (in)famous for ending fights with a single shot to the dome. An example of this “macro-aggression” could be anything from Chinese American Vincent Chin being beaten to death by white auto-workers for being “a Jap who was stealing American jobs in the auto business,” to Oscar Grant being kneeled down on the ground by Police and executed in front of a crowd at Oakland’s Frutivale BART station.
Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s (that fight was aiight – Marquez is over the hill) style of fighting is representative of what Fanon labeled “Micro-agression.” He beings with a shot to the kidney. Wait. Dance. Shot to the jaw. Dance. Wait. Wait. Shot to the eye. Wait. Shot to the ribs…and so on. Mayweather Jr. wears his opponents down until they have absolutely nothing left.
Fanon wrote that it was these “micro-agressions” that chipped away at oppressed people, caused them to tense and tighten over and over until they “snapped” – on themselves and/or others (usually loved ones and/or people within their own community).
Talk about some culturally relevant education! Professor Jeff Andrade: Master muhf*ckin Sensei/Pedagogue.
Keep your gloves up.
Love.
C
I am blessed to know some truly incredible people…
The homie Patrick “DJ P.Sani” San Juan works for AACE TS in San Francisco.
AACE TS is a program that identifies, selects and assists low-income youth ages 11 and older that have the potential to be the first generation in their family to attend college. We support middle school and high school students to continue their education and encourage high school students and adults to enroll in a 4-year institution or postsecondary program.
Celebrate with us the AACE-TS 30th Anniversary fundraiser event @ Poleng Lounge (1751 Fulton St, SF), Thursday, August 27th, 6-10 pm
There will be:
* Performances: Mighty Joe and Broken Halos (UCSC alumni) and DJs spinnin’ all night:
- j fish
- p.sani
- jocson
* Free food, Light appetizers will be served!
–>Grilled edamame, wings, etc.
A percentage of the bar tab will go directly to AACE TS.
Donations are also highly encouraged.
Come through and support good people working to close the OPPORTUNITY gap in Public Education!
_______
My homie Xandra “lachicaboom” Ibarra is an amazing/brilliant artist, scholar, and pedagogue and her organization, Kaleidoscope is doing some truly revolutionary and groundbreaking expression.
Kaleidoscope’s mission is to entertain and cast light on the knowledge, actions, and transformations that pertain to people of color performance and race-positive sexuality. The broad range of performances from drag to burlesque, song to aerial art, promises to be erotic, sexy and witty! Join us on September 26, 2009 at 8pm at the Brava Theater on 2781 24th Street in San Francisco as we represent and transform burlesque as it is and was. Kaleidoscope entertains, inspires, and arouses. Enjoy the nation’s best in burlesque and buy your tickets now at www.brownpapertickets.com.
Xandra writes:
For the past two years, Kaleidoscope has brought together women, men and trans performers of color from Venezuela, Mexico, Canada, Los Angeles, New York, Detroit, San Francisco, Seattle, Tucson and Atlanta. Kaleidoscope is an annual national people of color cabaret and festival. It is the first of its kind in burlesque specifically because it is dedicated to showcasing performers of color.
Kaleidoscope’s mission is to entertain and cast light on the knowledge, actions, and transformations that pertain to people of color performance and race-positive sexuality. It is
about the politics of a people of color performance movement, about how people of color define and shape our liberation in an art form that has traditionally used our bodies as props and our images for profit. This show is a platform for us to reclaim our images and our sexualities, our goal is to politcize and enrich the neo-burlesque movement.
In the past, Kaleidoscope has been sponsored by Communities Against Rape and Abuse, INCITE!, Northwest Network for LGBT Survivors of Abuse, Seattle Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, and EntreHermanos. This year we are honored to be fiscally sponsored by Communities United Against Violence. With the support of these organizations Kaleidoscope has flourished and become a venue for discussions that complicate desire and use burlesque as a tool to embrace the liberating possibilities of sexuality.
Now to be perfectly honest, when I used to think of burlesque, I imagined Grandpa Simpson headed to the old saloon in Shelbyville to watch skinny white women show him their knickers.
This isn’t the first time my homie X has flipped the script on me/the world and made us all think deeper and differently about power, self-determined liberation, and what honest expression in art can look like.
On September 26, 2009, be in the Sucker Free City and check out some mind-blowingness of incredible proportions HERE.
_______
Un Mundo Mejor Es Posible,
C
[Maya Angelou talking about when she met 2Pac]
One of my mentors told me about this video and it is truly moving to me. To know that she met Tupac in the midst of him being involved in an altercation is one thing, but to know that her speaking sweetly to him made him weep openly and uncontrollably is an incredible reminder. It is a reminder that there are hundreds of thousands of young men of color who are capable of remarkable greatness, being lied to and being led to doubt their sense of self-worth. Some reading this won’t require that reminder because of the world they operate within daily, and if this is the case, I hope these videos serve as a testament to the strength and resilience of youth and the wisdom and brilliance of elders.
[2Pac's Malcolm X Dinner Speech, circa 1992]
“I’m so ahead of my time, my parents haven’t met yet…”
Rest In Power,
C
