Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Courageous Creativity

I've been feeling kinda punky lately.  I'll tell you more about it very soon.  However, the tide is turning inside of me. When I read this Facebook post yesterday from my friend and colleague, NaTonia Monet Harrison, my mood AND motivation took a big swing up.  I think it will inspire many of you as well.

NaTonia is asking for donations to her latest self-created project, #Unbooked, and I am shamelessly assisting her.  Anyone who is this honest and daring merits our support.  You know the drill. Do what you can.

Here's her post:

Have you ever put yourself out there?

Make yourself vulnerable enough to share what's of value to you with the world?
Maybe you have, maybe you haven't but we can agree it's hella hard to do.
I've always wanted to create and be free with my purpose in life without having the many negative judgments: "is it good?" "Is it actually funny" "what's my mom going to think?" "Am I embarrassing myself? "What if no one likes it?" "But she is a girl." "She should just stick to dancing and singing." But she is black."
Now, more than ever I feel a need to put art in the world, no matter if the form is in dance, painting, or heck, a comedy series. And it took a lot for me to put my anal judgments of myself aside to put this out there. And now I'm asking for your help.
Please help me to finish creating #UNBOOKED
***it's written
*** the filming is done
Now is the hardest part; the editing.
I often don't like asking for help. With the first series THE GREAT BLACK WAY, I tried to do everything - post, filming on my own and it was insane. The wise part of me knows that is foolish, if you don't ask the answer is always no, And I also know it takes a village. With the political climate today especially with people of color, I feel it's important to get the art out and let it speak.
As an artist of color, creating work is just one way I like to think of as resisting! Resisting a society that judges, trolls, and that wants us to think our differences aren't beautiful and to find supremacy in a skin color, sexual orientation, gender preference or way of life.
This is my way of putting myself out there, and asking for my art, and my heart.
Thank you.
Love always,




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