Musings: The Ujamaa Effect (or lack thereof)

Since my return, I've been to at least three different festivals so far; two that I participated in as a vendor, and one that I just attended (and illegally vended).  With the first two, I helped to (imho) heavily promote those events because I was actively participating in them as a vendor.  The third was one that I was just hoping to attend, and be able to enjoy as an attendee.  With the activism that I do in/for the literary arts, I don't get the opportunity to attend and enjoy these events as I would like to.

What really disturbed me was the lack of commerce and support being given by the attendees with the vendors present.  The attitude that you sensed from the crowd was really a superficial one; they just came to show up, and show off.  They wanted to give the appearance of being so damn deep and cultural, but didn't really support the vendors that were there, myself included.  Certain attendees acted like they couldn't give you the time of day; as if you were beneath them.

#1-  If you're a female, I AM NOT trying to get with you!  I'm trying to make a sale.  This is how some of us make our livelihood(s).  We can't step up our game if you don't financially support us.  Our products cost money to make/purchase, vending fees have to be covered, travel expenses need to be addressed, etc.

#2-  If you don't support the vendors, they won't be able to participate in events like this.  If they don't participate in events like these, the organizers can't organize these events.  If the organizers can't put together these types of events, THEY WON'T EXIST ANYMORE!!!  Do you see a pattern forming here...?

#3-  You're NOT that deep or cultural.  You come to these events 'playing' African, wearing your 'African' costume.  You come to these events frontin' like you so damn deep and cultural, when after the event is over, you go back to being your ignorant, ratchet-ass self.  You're more willing to come out of pocket to buy some $1000 smartphone, or $250 pair of shoes/sneakers, but wanna bitch at a vendor to pay $10 for a fucking book, DVD, or CD?!

#4-  Not saying that there should be a dress code, but HTF you gonna come to a 'cultural' event dressed like anything?!?!  Your booty cheeks are hanging out of your shorts, you're wearing the tightest dress(es) known to man, or you're wearing little to nothing in way of clothing attire.  C'mon...really?!  But you so damn deep and African...

#5-  If you have NO intention of buying anything, YTF you bother coming out?!?!?!  That's a waste of everyone's time.  Cultural events like these are not about you being seen; it's about supporting the cause/purpose of the event, and supporting the businesses/entrepreneurs participating in the event.

We can't complain about not having such-and-such business(es) in our neighborhoods if we don't support our own businesses/entrepreneurs.  We can't complain about having 'alien' businesses in our communities if we don't support our businesses first and foremost.  The power of economics and spending habits speaks volumes to your priorities, and economic power and political influence.

If you have a nickle-and-dime mentality, you're gonna get nickel-and-dime results.

Think about that.... 

Reflections: Musings of a Prodigal Son

So...I've moved back to my hometown of Brooklyn.  I've been back for almost two months now.  I've seen a lot of the changes that have been happening here since I've been gone for the last 7-8 years...

And I DON'T like what I see.

None of these changes were made to benefit the people who were originally here; they were made to benefit the Manhattanites who can no longer afford to live in Manhattan, and the newly arrived transplants who disrespectfully carry themselves as if they are originally FROM here.

You're NOT!!!  Stop fakin' the funk!!!!

A lot of this is what I was fighting against before I moved out of the state.  I saw the handwriting on the wall, so to speak, and saw that people just weren't prepared for what was coming, nor were they interested or inclined in trying to fend it off.  It frustrated me beyond belief, and totally burned me out, among other personal issues that I was dealing with at the time.  It got worse almost immediately after I left.

I've only been gone a short time.  I would understand if I'd been gone a good 10+ years; progress and change is inevitable.  BUT...I've only been gone a short amount of time.  I walk around the neighborhood I grew up in, and don't even recognize it.  The borough that I love has lost it's flavor; it's become so stagnant.  All you see around the way are these mainstream big box stores. The local mom-and-pop shops are falling/have fallen to the wayside. You have interloping transplants boguarding and regulating as if they're actually from here, and putting a kibosh on any and all cultural activities that have been going on in our communities for decades before their arrival.

I DO see people keeping up the fight.  Brothers and sisters are out there trying to maintain our cultural and artistic spaces, or are trying to create new ones for us.  The supreme need is the support of the community so that these traditions and institutions can never be lost to us ever again.  They can try to push us out; I think that it's about time that we started to push back.

When our neighborhoods were defunct and crime ridden, they didn't want to have anything to do with us.  Now that we've brought our communities back, they want to leech onto our space, claim them for their own, and push us out.  They abandoned us with 'white flight' back in the day, and left us to our own recourse, suffering with our lack of capital and resources.  Once we brought our communities back, through grit and determination, investing in our own ethnic arts and businesses, now they want a piece of the action, and take over by pricing us out.  I've recently been to Downtown Brooklyn; it looks like a little Manhattan.  That disgusted me beyond belief.  Brooklyn has IT'S OWN identity; we DON'T NEED nor WANT to be another Manhattan.  Take that bullshit back where you came from!

Now that I'm back, I must help to do my part to keep that original part of us alive.  This cookie cutter persona that permeates throughout this city of great originality must be discarded!  WE are the trendsetters.  WE are the originators.  WE are the ones that set the standards for others to follow across the country, and the world.  WE are the innovators of fashion, music, arts, and style.  We were NEVER followers; we are leaders!

To our youth...step it up, and think outside the box!!  To our elders...provide that proper guidance that our youth need.  This mockery of who we are cannot stand for much longer.  Let's be the trendsetters and innovators that we truly are.  Fuck chasing the almighty dollar; your due compensation will surly come in due time.  Besides, having a lot of money doesn't make you right, nor make you the best.

Reclaim that Brooklyn steelo.

Holla at ya boy!!!!

43rd Annual International African Arts Festival

Brooklyn's prodigal son will be participating in this year's 43rd annual International African Arts Festival, located at Commodore Barry Park in BROOKLYN, NYC!!  I will have a table in their Sankofa section, selling copies of all three of my book titles, along with a fellow comrade and author, Robert Oriyama'at selling copies of his book "Heaven O Hell: Black Omen".

This will be my first MAJOR event to vend at, and I am very excited.  I've always attended the IAAF, and always loved it every time I went.  I would always meet so many different people and entrepreneurs there.  Their products were always well worth the purchase, and have always valued everything I've ever bought from there.  It will now be my greatest honor to be a part of this festival as a vendor.

International African Arts Festival will be held from July 3-6, 2014, located at Commodore Barry Park on Navy Street.  The festival will run from 10am to 9pm all four days.  For more information, please go to their website at www.iaafestival.org, or email the organizers at info@iaafestival.org.

Hope to see you all there!  SPREAD THE WORD!!!!!

Afro Latino Festival NYC 2014

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!!!!!

Brooklyn's prodigal son will be RETURNING for the SECOND annual Festival AfroLatino NYC!  It was such an honor for me to be asked to participate in the inaugural festival last year, and I am SO pleased to be asked to return!  PLEASE spread the word, and COME OUT AND SUPPORT!!!

Saturday, June 28, 2014
12pm to 6pm
Brooklyn, NYC
[Ocean Ave and Prospect Pl, by Parkside Avenue "Q" train entrance.]

 BE THERE!!!!!

Proyecto Mas Color: Media campaign for inclusion

I feel SO fortunate when I am able to come across fellow Afro Latin@s that are doing their thing as far as representing four our people, and fighting to create change!  I came across this, and befriended the hermanita (and her sister) who are behind this campaign.

Victoria Arzu is a young Afro Latina fighting for our equal representation on the "Big Two" Spanish-language networks here in the United States; Univision and Telemundo.  She has taken her campaign viral, called Proyecto Mas Color (Project: More Color!)' and also has a petition set up on Change.org to fight against this under-representation of Latinos of Color, specifically Afro Latinos, on the 'Big Two' channels.

Here is the encompassing video to help support their campaign:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoynWkeColI

PLEASE help to spread the word, and support their campaign.  If you are on Facebook, please like their page, and share their video throughout your various social networks.  Also, don't forget to sign their petition in Change.org.

Keep the fist raised!!!

Abdias Nascimento Series: Political Resistance, Art, and the Sacred

Continuing the series on the influence of Abdias Nascimento, brought to you by the Afrolatin@ Project/Proyecto Afrolatin@ and the Caribbean Cultural Center and African Diaspora Institute (CCCDAI), this latest discussion will be held:

June 13, 2104
Aaron Davis Hall/ City College of New York
160 Convent Avenue
6:30pm to 8:30pm

FREE and open to the public

Afro/Latino Magazine Parade & Festival 2014

Reading, PA stand up!!!!

Afro/Latino Magazine Parade & Festival
June 14, 2014
@ the American Legion
237 N. 3rd Street
Reading, PA 19601

Looking forward to actually attending this event this year!  This will be my first time coming out to support.  Will be rolling with two of my comrades, my fellow scribes.  Won't be vending, but I just wanted to come out and support.  :)

Hope to see you there!!