Happy Holidays! 

And a special shout out to all the men being held against their will in shopping malls across the nation.

lol

See these and more hilarious pics of miserable men at miserable_men on instagram.

This bigger than life horse sculpture measures 384 feet long x 85 feet high and is completely made of snow. It is to be featured in the China Harbin International Snow Sculpture Art Expo in Harbin, China beginning on Dec 28.

photo cred

One of my favorite features on Beyonce's game changing new album is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Her rousing feminist speech is sampled on "Flawless." The excerpt below:

“We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller

We say to girls – you can have ambition, but not too much

You should aim to be successful but not too successful otherwise you will threaten the man

Because I am female I am expected to aspire to marriage

I am expected to make my life choices always keeping in mind that marriage is the most important

A marriage can be a source of joy and love and mutual support

But why do we teach girls to aspire to marriage and we don’t teach boys the same?

We raise girls to see each other as competitors not for jobs or for accomplishments,

Which I think can be a good thing

But for the attention of men

We teach girls that they cannot be sexual beings in the way that boys are

Feminist: A person who believes in the economic, social and political equality of the sexes.”

Inspire the TRIBE started as an outlet for me.

It served as a place where I could post my innermost thoughts, poetry and dope things that inspired me, and if someone else happened to stumble upon it, (It was completely private for the first two years. Only two of my friends even knew it existed) that was cool too. Since going public it has become so much more. ITT still serves as an outlet for me.. a place to turn when I want to be creative and share my findings/ creations with the world, but it has become more than that. This year I created a new branch of the site in the form of a tee/ sweatshirt line, We the TRIBE, and watched the movement spread across the country and internationally! Major. (We the TRIBE = the free-thinkers, doers, movers and shakers. )

I'd like to thank all of you who continue to check back seeking inspiration and continue to support. I have a lot planned for the new year. More posts, more content.

 

I don't know why it took me so long to start venturing out into the local art scene that DC has to offer. It seems like we always feel like other cities have so much more to offer without even giving our hometown a chance. On Tuesday I checked out a new open mic spot, The Dunes DC, which is basically a tricked out art gallery. The feature poet was Angel Nafis, from Ann Arbor, Michigan, who was absolutely brilliant. I didn't get to record because I have completely run out of storage on my phone.. so I will link back to some of her work in a later post. I also had the pleasure to meet Pages, an extremly taleneted poet (pictured photobombing in the second to last photo), who swore that the next time he saw me he'd be sure to make me read one of my pieces lol. I guess I'll have to stay ready.

The Dunes DC hosts a poetry slam every Tuesday at 8pm.

( SIDE NOTE: I also noticed that I'm starting to recognize a lot of the same faces from poetry slams that I've been to prior. Does that mean I'm turning into a regular? )

Life is beautiful

I've been on a salad kick lately. I can't get enough. It feels good to eat healthy. 

Please support my cousins first cinematic short, "The B Word," under their newly formed production company, Celistan & Co Films. They are more than half way to their $5,000 goal. So proud of them! A message about the project below:

“THE B WORD” is a cinematic short narrative depicting two sisters on conflicting paths; both leading to a destructive cycle of fear, blame and uncertainty. The story is set around the disease of “Bulimia Nervosa”, and how it’s debilitating factors can transform a sisterly bond into one of dysfunction; ultimately becoming unhealthy and toxic. This short is a fictionalized take on a growing epidemic in our community that has yet to be addressed on a grand scale.

The estimated cost to produce the “The B Word” is $5,000. Of course, in order to bring this groundbreaking and socially conscious short to the masses, we need your help. We setup a Kickstarter campaign and invite you to generously donate to our project. Please understand in order to bring this effort to the community, we need your help and support; any funding or awareness you can contribute is appreciated. In order to receive the requested amount of $5,000, we must reach or exceed our goal. All monies will be used for production cost such as gear, crew, locations, etc.

Awareness is priceless. “The B Word” hopes to start a conversation in the African-American community regarding bulimia. Gone is the time where we ignore the “elephant” in the room. Too long have we ignored our physical and mental health issues while eradicating our youth and children’s futures. Please donate to a cause close to our hearts and lets begin to start the conversation.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/321151899/the-b-word

"Thoughts on an Airplane Napkin"

So fucking noisy

The chatty 20-something's surrounding on this plane

Chatter on and on about their happy go lucky lives

Phil can't wait to surprise his girlfriend in Atlanta

And Kat just got promoted at her job...

The plane bounces along 

Engine roars outside my window

Sun beams in my eyes

But no sound louder than the thoughts clouding my mind

I hate feeling anxious. 

Only certain people have this affect on me

Or should I say person

The plane makes its bouncy descent down the runway 

We're up next

And next for me is reuniting with you

The same you who still has the ability to make me feel

after all this time,

... against my will.

Because my will isn't free with you

It's been nine months since I've touched your skin

And as I sit here writing this 

I can't help but wonder will it feel the same?

What will I say, 

What will you say?

Our conversations have been few and far between as of late

I'm to blame.

It seemed easier to run from you then to be sucked back into your web 

But here I am.

On this plane.

Waiting.

Walking a thin line,

knowing there's a chance I can get tangled up again 

Waiting.

to travel clear across the country

In search of a break from the reality that's overwhelmed me 

Because that's all it'll be

Distraction...

Or will it?

A taste of a fantasy 

long shot down 

a coma

But it's still breathing..

Lift off.