mind chatter

we're moving!

2007-01-14T15:08:00.000-05:00

Follow me to peer into my kitchen window. That's my new blog.

If I've inadvertently forgotten to add your link to my sidebar, email me or leave a comment.

See you soon!

afternoon tea, slow food miami style

2007-01-06T12:38:00.000-05:00

Slow Food Miami
www.slowfoodmiami.com

Sunday, Jan 21, 2007, 4-6 pm
Launching 2007: A Royal Afternoon Tea
Theine Tea Salon
119 Madeira Ave, Coral Gables

Reserve your place at the tea table directly with Theine by calling 305-774-0228.

From 4 to 6pm at Theine, Coral Gables' most authentic tea salon, join us for Afternoon Tea, a satisfying selection of delicious teas, savories and sweets. This first gathering of 2007 is chance to relax together in an atmosphere that is decidedly, and deliciously, different from the hectic pace of the Miami winter months. The $45 cost includes gratuities. Theine will donate a portion of the proceeds to Slow Food Miami education programs. For those of you who haven't been to Theine, learn more about the Theine concept, Chef Kyra White and the tranquil setting at www.theineteasalon.com

Please consider staying for a brief organizational meeting after the tea if you are interested in a leadership role with Slow Food Miami.

Reservations required. Contact Theine directly at 305-774-0228. RSVP by phone only, please!

Urban Bush Women Needs YOU

2007-01-05T09:02:00.000-05:00

JOIN URBAN BUSH WOMEN IN MAKING SOUL-STIRRING, MIND CHALLENGING, FIERCELY PASSIONATE ART...ALL AROUND THE WORLD!
Dear friend and believer in transformative art,
Many of you received this appeal via traditional post. However, in this new year, we could not resist temptation to recount where we've been and where we are going. We also wanted to give you, our loyal fans, another opportunity to contribute to Urban Bush Women's success by making an online donation at http://urbanbushwomen.pmailus.com/pmailweb/ct?d=CgN8hwAOAAEAAAH9AAD4sA.
Urban Bush Women are passionate about the power of dance to transform lives, tell untold stories and engage communities with their own destiny. Urban Bush Women are on a journey to inspire, educate, and challenge audiences through dance, spoken word and music. Here are some of the places our journey has taken us in the past year... and a few new places we intend to visit in the upcoming year. JOIN US!
Sincerely,
Tammy Bormann, Chair, Board of Directors

my stuff, your stuff

2006-12-28T10:22:00.000-05:00

Buy my stuff!

Grad school is really tough on the wallet, so I've decided to start selling some things on Amazon.com. My seller nickname is my_stuff_your_stuff, so go and check it out.

Here are some items I posted today:

Raw: The Best of Lady Saw [Audio CD] Lady Saw Used from $11.00

Broken Silence [Explicit Lyrics] [Audio CD] Brown, Foxy Buy New $12.00

Take a Joke America [Explicit Lyrics] [Audio CD] Mencia, Carlos Buy New $12.00

tags: music for sale amazon

ban on "natural" hair

2006-12-22T09:13:00.000-05:00

(picture from http://www.howtodread.com/dreadlocks.html)

January 1st "extreme" and "fad" hairstyles like cornrows, twists, locs, mohawks and afros are banned from the police dept. People with locs are forced to cut their hair off and women with natural hair are forced to either straighten or shave their heads. I find this to be extremely racist against black people considering locs, cornrows, twists and fros are worn by mostly Blacks. The sad thing is this was set in place by a BLACK mayor and BLACK police commissioner.

Their excuse: The police would "blend in" with the criminals.

Now if you all care about equal rights (despite of how you wear your hair) I suggest you sign this petition. We cannot allow these kinds of regulations to perpetuate internalized racism. There is nothing that dictates that "straight" hair is more "normal" or less offensive than natural hair, except our socialization process.

Please help by signing the petition at the site below.

http://www.petitiononline.com/baltpd/petition.html

tags: hair black law

protecting equality

2006-12-19T09:47:00.000-05:00

LANSING VOTES TO PROTECT GLBT PEOPLE

(Lansing-MI) - Tonight the Lansing City Council voted unanimously to pass a human rights ordinance that bans discrimination within the city, including discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Today, Michigan's Capital City, became the 14th municipality in the state to outlaw discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) people when the city council voted unanimously to support a human rights ordinance. The ordinance bans anti-gay discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations. It also includes local protections based on race, religion, sex, weight, and other characteristics.

"Today is a great day for everyone who lives or works or even passes through, Lansing," said Sean Kosofsky, Director of Policy for Triangle Foundation, Michigan's leading civil rights organization for GLBT people and their allies. "The unanimous vote by city council, should send a loud message that discrimination has no place in Lansing."

Anti-gay discrimination is still legal in the State of Michigan, because the State's civil rights law, The Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, does not prohibit discrimination based on "sexual orientation" or "gender identity or expression." Fourteen cities have gone the extra step of banning such discrimination, within their borders.

Anti-gay activists from the American Family Association - based in Midland - have threatened to repeal the protections for GLBT tax-payers and residents of Lansing.

"This ordinance is like a holiday gift to the entire Lansing community. It is a shame anti-gay extremists from outside Lansing want to divisive and mean-spirited agenda to Lansing," continued Kosofsky.

The other Michigan cities with protections for GLBT people are: Detroit, Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Douglas, Birmingham, Oak Park, East Lansing, Grand Rapids, Saginaw, Flint, Huntington Woods, Ferndale and Grand Ledge.

tags: equality glbt law

gift ideas

2006-12-12T17:23:00.000-05:00

While trying to finish up exams and prepare for the numerous holiday parties just around the corner, I have found myself in a quandary over holiday gifts. I came upon this website/store uncommon goods. They have really cute stuff, and an abundance which fits into my price range of under $25.

tags: holidays gifts websites

Role of Arts in a Time of Crisis

2006-12-08T11:07:00.000-05:00

(click post title to link to video and text)

Mary Schmidt Campbell, Dean of the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, presented this keynote address at a conference last year in Brazil, called "Performing Heritage." In this keynote speech, she addresses the role of arts, the public intellectual and response to government and political policy. There is a full text and video of her address, available at the link above.

Ayanna turned me on to this series of conferences called Encuentros, which are really a mix of academics and arts. The next one is taking place in Argentina, and focuses on body politics. The deadline for proposals is January 15, 2007, and you can access info at this website.

tags: art call for artists intellectuals

Scratch and Sniff Art Exhibit

2006-12-07T17:12:00.000-05:00

(click post title to read entire story)

My partner sent me this article about a really inventive idea for an art piece. I only wish I had thought of it first. Read on . . .

Exhibit captures the 'smell of fear'

RODRIQUE NGOWI,
Associated Press Writer
Wed Dec 6, 6:17 PM ET

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Masahiro Sugiyama walked up to the gallery wall, gently scratched the paint and cautiously moved closer to capture the smell that many would try to avoid or mask with deodorants under normal circumstances.

A potent odor similar to that of an unwashed male armpit wafted from the wall, a scratch-and-sniff exhibit that captures the "smell of fear" as part of a show at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology exploring how artists use modern technology in creative work.

"This is not the kind of place where you you'd want to stay for long," MIT graduate student Sugiyama, 28, said of the artwork created by Norwegian artist and researcher Sissel Tolaas.

tags: art art event

Life in the Fast Lane

2006-11-27T13:23:00.000-05:00

Stephen Crowley/The New York Times
Gloria Castillo, 22, works from 10:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. at a Burger King in West Dallas, earning $252 a week before taxes. She and her husband, who have two boys ages 7 and 8, work different shifts.

(click post title to view read article and view video on nytimes website)

From the car window, the whole fast-food experience is a numbing routine. Pull up. Order from the billboard. Idle. Pay. Drive away. Fast food has become a $120 billion motorized American experience.

But consider the life inside that window on Loop 12 in West Dallas. There is a woman with children and no health insurance, undereducated, a foot soldier in the army of the working poor. The fry cook sneezes on the meat patties. Cigarettes go half smoked. Cameras spy on the employees. Customers throw their fries and soft drinks sometimes because they think it’s funny.

tags: immigration jobs texas american poor

fyi: travel regulations

2006-11-22T08:21:00.000-05:00

So, I am finally getting out of Ann Arbor for a little bit to visit some family :) I haven't gone anywhere in a while, so I wanted to be sure I was up to date on all the latest travel regulations. After hearing that they threw away this little girl's peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I had to go to the source. I don't know about you, but I always bring my own food, water, etc to the airport cause everything is way overpriced AND gross. It looks like I can still bring food, as long as none of it is liquid-like, but no water. I am already feeling parched!

Click the title link to see all prohibited/allowed items. I won't poke fun now, but some of them did make me laugh. Ok, I'll tell you one that did - the gel bra! hehe. Luckily, you are allowed to wear this through the security area.

Have a great weekend!

tags: travel

Crash: Girl Art Party, Miami

2006-11-15T08:41:00.000-05:00

tags: art miami call for artists eve interrupted women

immigration: these arguments incense me

2006-11-14T09:44:00.000-05:00

How does this make any sense? (click title of post to read full article from USA today)

"City Council members (in a suburb of Dallas, Texas) unanimously approved fines for landlords who rent to illegal immigrants, making English the city's official language and allowing local authorities to screen suspects in police custody to check their immigration status."

English is used here as an indicator of legal citizenship status. How does that make any sense? I know a lot of people back home in Miami that speak very little, or poor English, and are fully legal citizens. Talk about politicizing and criminalizing language! Arguments like these really incense me, because they terrorize people. Then, the advocates wonder why people get angry and get into fights. Hello! I'm angry, and I don't even have to worry that anyone's going to come knocking on my door to see whether or not I speak English, and then use that against me in terms of immigration status.

Then, there's that part about landlords being fined for renting to illegal immigrants. Now, I understand, as a property owner, that it is my responsiblity to be sure that there is, like, no drug ring action happening in my condo, and that I get my rent check on time. But, how does a mere landlord gain the credentials and reponsibilities of an immigration officer? That is not my job, and it is not the job of any landlord in Texas (well, I guess now it is!). See, it just doesn't make any sense.

All of these policies come out of fear. Fear of what? Fear that their city is going to "become Hispanic." Well, they should've realized a long time ago that that city that they think is "theirs" doesn't really "belong" to anyone. It is not their job to "make it white." And, if they really want to see whose land it is, then it is definitely not historically theirs. Texas, before it belonged to the US, was most assuredly part of Mexico. And, before it was part of Mexico, it belonged to the indigenous people who lived there.

That's the end of my rant for today . . .

tags: immigration language texas english spanish

the Bluest Eye: Detroit this weekend

2006-11-13T14:44:00.000-05:00

The Bluest Eye is playing at Plowshares Theater through the end of this weekend. Don't worry about getting a bad seat because it's general admission! I just bought my tickets, and I am super excited to see this adaptation of Toni Morrison's book. Here the description from the theater's website:

Eleven year-old Pecola Breedlove has desired the love of her family and friends all her young life. Instead, she faces constant ridicule and abuse. Blaming her dark skin, Pecola prays for blue eyes - as blue as Shirley Temple's. Everyone adores little blue-eyed girls. Her prayers are granted in the most poignant way. The Bluest Eye is the heartrending story of a young black girl's tragic coming of age in 1941 Ohio. Toni Morrison’s poetic and piercingly relevant debut novel is brought to the stage with loving care by playwright Lydia R. Diamond.

tags: theater women art toni morrison detroit black

Shorts on the Beach (films, that is)

2006-11-07T16:34:00.000-05:00

tags: film miami art

NYC makes gender a personal choice

2006-11-07T15:40:00.000-05:00

Read the article linked above. NYC now makes it possible for transgendered people to "change" their legal gender with or without undergoing surgery. This has many interesting implications for the use of the words 'sex' and 'gender' in society, well in NY anyway, and how people perceive themselves v the way the world interprets them. But, what I am unclear of is, does this mean that there are still only two legal genders, male and female? What if a person rejects both of those categories?

tags: new york gender transgender language

a poem to kick your butt to the polls!

2006-11-06T17:05:00.000-05:00

a poem from Staceyann Chin on tomorrow's necessity . . . I have already sent in my absentee ballot, so you all go on and exercise that right.

Why the Fuck Should I Vote in 2006? (only a portion, go to her myspace to read the whole thing)
by Staceyann Chin (www.myspace.com/staceyannchin)

Less than twenty-four hours

left

before the mid-term elections

the weeks have tricked us

into days/the moment

descends and my fingers itch

for a poem

a great rage to inspire you

to rise you up

early or late tomorrow

to go vote

for Katrina

and the ill winds that flapped

incumbent at the throats of old women

who marched in Selma

for the children who will never know

the New Orleans into which they were born

for Alabama

and Georgia

for Tennessee

Missouri

New York City and how this town

has become a place

only the wealthy can enjoy

vote against these small boxes we pay

entire months wages for

every month

I have to cut something else

snip

snip

snip away at the doors Black teenagers can walk through

pile all the Puerto Ricans on top of each other

call them Mexicans

because you don't know better

if your mother is Dominican

if your father is from Barbados

your older brother is still in Belize

grandfather is in Nigeria

if your maternal grandmother is Jamaican

if you have never seen the city where your people are from

white as a WASP and liberal

or independent

or you used to be republican

Go Vote

tags: vote poem art staceyann chin culture

being a woman artist

2006-10-18T08:51:00.000-04:00

Guerrilla Girls
Originally uploaded by 16_sparrows.

i am supposed to be working on writing my NSF grant, and instead i got lost looking at flickr photos. but, this has some bearing on the subject of what it means to be a caribbean woman artist, so i thought i would share.

tags: women art artists guerilla girls

weekly recipe: honey-glazed tofu with bok choy

2006-10-17T18:24:00.000-04:00

glazed tofu in pan
Originally uploaded by thinkist.

I just finished yet another paper, and my reward is a blog post. Maybe that sounds lame, but hey, you gotta have something to look forward to. And, maybe some of you will benefit . . . works out all the way around!

So, here is an awesome recipe from >poco-cocoa

I have made so many things from her blog. This honey-glazed tofu was so yummy! I made the bok-choy too, but forgot to take a picture once everything was plated.

Enjoy!
Gingered Bok Choy

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced ginger (one small piece)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (2 medium cloves)
1 head bok choy, sliced, stems and leaves separated
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1/3 cup chopped cilantro

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and saute 1 to 2 minutes, until garlic is just golden. Add bok choy stems, soy sauce, and water, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until stems are just tender. Add bok choy leaves and cilantro, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Serve with tofu and brown rice.

Makes 2 to 3 servings.

Source: poco-cocoa.

Honey-Glazed Tofu

1 (12-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained, blotted dry, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon sriracha sauce (you may want to add more, mine wasn’t spicy at all)

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu in one layer, and cook without stirring for 4 to 5 minutes, or until bottoms are lightly browned. Flip pieces over and brown at least one other side, about 4 to 5 minutes more.

While tofu is cooking, whisk together remaining ingredients. Once tofu is browned, add honey mixture to the pan. Shake and stir until the tofu is evenly coated, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until the sauce thickens up a bit and glazes the tofu.

Makes 2 to 3 servings.

Source: poco-cocoa.

poco-cocoa's original post

tags: food tofu honey vegetarian bok-choy recipe

a girl like me

2006-10-09T08:48:00.000-04:00

read this opinion piece, by Leonard Pitts in the Miami Herald. it's associated with this video by Kiri Davis. she's a 17 year old who made a short film about the self-image of young black women. in this short film, which is part of the media that matters film festival, davis investigates self-image, beauty and how young women understand their own histories. she also recreates a 1930s "doll test" which engages young children to express the ideas and stereotypes they've already been shaped by.

soon to come on this blog (i will try. grad school work is keeping me far away from blogging.)
-a weekly recipe so long overdue, i should just call them "monthly"
-why do we still have a holiday called "columbus day?"
-what i learned from sandra cisneros

thanks for hanging in there. meanwhile, i'd like to let you know that comments really motivate me, so keep 'em comin',

tags: art video black women self-image history film

Sandra Cisneros and Ruth Behar, Ann Arbor

2006-09-22T17:20:00.000-04:00

Thursday, September 28, 7:30pm, in the Rackham Auditorium

The Hispanic Heritage Month 2006 Keynote Address will feature Sandra Cisneros on “Why I’m Not Hispanic.” Sandra Cisneros is a novelist, poet, short story writer, and essayist whose work gives voice to working-class Latino and Latina life in America. Her lyrical, realistic work blends aspects of “high” and popular culture. Her work includes the novels: The House on Mango Street (1983) and Caramelo (2002), Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories (1991), poetry: Bad Boys (1980), My Wicked Wicked Ways (1987), and Loose Woman (1994), a children’s book Hairs/Pelitos (1994), and Vintage Cisneros (2003), a compilation of her works. In 1995 Cisneros was awarded the prestigious MacArthur Foundation Fellowship and in 2003 she received the Texas Medal of the Arts. She lives in San Antonio, TX, where she has created the Macondo Foundation, a unique writers workshop with a Latino focus and a commitment to community service.
Followed by a light reception and book signing by Sandra Cisneros.

Friday, September 29, 11am-1pm, in 3512 Haven Hall

Talking in our Pajamas: A Conversation Between Sandra Cisneros and Ruth Behar. Dressed in their pajamas, author, Sandra Cisneros and U-M Professor of Anthropology and Women’s Studies, Ruth Behar will have a public conversation. They will discuss a range of topics, including writing, books, and being Latinas, topics which they have been talking about for over a decade. A continental breakfast will be served.

tags: art art event writers ann arbor latina cuban ann arbor latina cubana chicana ruth behar sandra cisneros author women

Calling All Dancers! A Space of Your Own (new york)

2006-09-15T15:18:00.000-04:00

This is a great opportunity to have an office and get the guidance needed to run a professional dance company. Here are the details:

DNA Subsidized Administrative Space Program

Dance New Amsterdam (DNA) is a unique arts organization that provides an arena where dancers at all levels of training, from novice through professional can study, create and perform. DNA's mission is to provide the tools and support necessary for artists to establish viable, healthy long-term lives as dancers. DNA acts as a laboratory in which ideas and vocabularies are exchanged and where artists may present their work before audiences.

Dance New Amsterdam's Subsidized Administrative Space program (SAS) was created and designed for dance artists and choreographers seeking to establish themselves in New York City but have been unable to find affordable administrative rental space given the current New York City real estate market.

Dance New Amsterdam's SAS program provides up and coming choreographers as well as established choreographers and companies dedicated administrative office space located within the executive offices of Dance New Amsterdam at a subsidized rental rate. For those applicants selected Dance New Amsterdam will provide access to the following.

:: Office hours 9:00am - 8:00pm* (Monday - Saturday)

:: Private cubicle with lockable storage and file space

:: Computer with internet access and printer

:: Phone with a private extension and receptionist

:: Office supplies**

:: Fax and photocopying**

:: Access to DNA facilities including conference room for private meetings, rest rooms, locker rooms, kitchen and faculty lounge

:: Approximately two hours weekly of private consultation with DNA staff in finance, development and marketing***

:: Access to potential teaching and performance opportunities.

*Flexible schedules available
**Limited to availability and usage
***By appointment only

DNA's community of artists, dancers, musicians, patrons and students provides a stimulating environment for SAS participants. Resident companies will receive professional guidance based on an initial annual assessment of each company's unique challenges, goals and objectives. Directors of SAS companies will be given special consideration for employment within DNA's school programs including the Modern Guest Artist Series.

Applications for the SAS program will be reviewed by the senior staff of Dance New Amsterdam as well as an independent panel of six dance educators and administrators. Selected choreographers and companies will begin their administrative residencies in November 2006 by signing a one year rental contract with the opportunity for extension when applicable.

The Application & Selection Process

Choreographers and companies interested in seeking approval should provide the SAS committee with a brief narrative that should include the following information.

:: Name of Company or Individual

:: Non-Profit/Corporate status and organizational chart*

:: Mission Statement

:: Brief History: biography of body of work, recent accomplishments

:: Current Fiscal sponsorship

:: Funding history and current fiscal sponsorship

:: Financials (annual budget)*

:: HR manual and EEO policy guidelines*

:: Administrative Goals: strategic plan or outline of intended goals during artist/company's residency in the SAS Program

*when applicable

The SAS committee will choose a group of semi-finalists with the final selection by the Executive Director. Selection will be based upon need, a clear mission and a history of completed projects. Consideration will be given to successful informal showings, presentations in small venues and ongoing consistent development of work.

Emerging dancer artists and companies without an extensive history of performances or general body of work will also be considered for participation and are strongly encouraged to apply

Deadlines for Submissions: October 13, 2006

Send proposals via email to:

SAS Program
development@dnadance.org

Proposals can also be submitted by US mail or Fax:

SAS Program
Dance New Amsterdam
280 Broadway 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10007
Attn: Development Department

Fax: 212-625-8313

No Phone Calls Please

tags: dance dancer office call for artists new york artist

favorite yoga pose: Janu Sirasana

2006-09-14T10:06:00.000-04:00

I get these daily emails from Yoga Journal, which I think are really great. They remind me of things to focus on, and also things I can "let go" of. I meant to post one email that was titled "mind chatter!" But that's beside the point. My point today is that Janu Sirasana is one of my favorite poses. It's easy to do, and when done properly, uses your whole body to twist slightly and fold forward. Make sure to spend the time getting into proper position and avoid just collapsing forward.

Here's the info from Yoga Journal:

Tune Your Hamstrings

Think your hamstrings are too tight to forward bend? Then Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Pose) is the pose for you. This asana is attainable even for those with little flexibility. Its benefits-mental clarity, improved digestion, decreased stress-make it a welcome addition to any practice.

Janu Sirsasana is easier than other forward bends because it allows you to stretch one leg at a time-it cuts the resistance you may feel in your hamstrings when you fold forward in half.

Here's how to try it:

Sit upright with your legs extended on the floor in front of you. Bend your right knee up to the ceiling and pull your heel in toward your buttocks. Let your knee open out to the right until it touches or almost touches the floor. Place the sole of your right foot on your left thigh and flex your left foot. Twist toward your left leg and hold your thigh, ankle, or foot with both hands (or you can hold on to a strap wrapped around the left foot). Inhale and lengthen your spine, then exhale and gently fold deeper into the pose. Remain for five to 10 breaths, then switch sides.

Janu Sirsasana is a calming, cooling pose. As it becomes more comfortable to perform, you may find yourself ready for more challenging forward bends.

Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Pose)
http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/476_1.cfm?ctsrc=nldn

Long and Strong
http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/1849_1.cfm?ctsrc=nldn

tags: yoga asana janu sirasana stretching health body

A Ban on Skinny?

2006-09-12T17:16:00.000-04:00

Skinny models wearing thin in fashion shocker By Andrew Hay
Tue Sep 12, 11:43 AM ET

MADRID (Reuters) - The world's first ban on overly thin models at a top-level fashion show in Madrid has caused outrage among modeling agencies and raised the prospect of restrictions at other venues.

Madrid's fashion week has turned away underweight models after protests that girls and young women were trying to copy their rail-thin looks and developing eating disorders.

Organizers say they want to project an image of beauty and health, rather than a waif-like, or heroin chic look.

But Cathy Gould, of New York's Elite modeling agency, said the fashion industry was being used as a scapegoat for illnesses like anorexia and bulimia.

"I think its outrageous, I understand they want to set this tone of healthy beautiful women, but what about discrimination against the model and what about the freedom of the designer," said Gould, Elite's North America director, adding that the move could harm careers of naturally "gazelle-like" models.

Madrid's regional government, which sponsors the show and imposed restrictions, said it did not blame designers and models for anorexia. It said the fashion industry had a responsibility to portray healthy body images.

"Fashion is a mirror and many teenagers imitate what they see on the catwalk," said regional official Concha Guerra.

The mayor of Milan, Italy, Letizia Moratti, told an Italian newspaper this week she would seek a similar ban for her city's show unless it could find a solution to "sick" looking models.

QUALITY, NOT SIZE

The Madrid show is using the body mass index or BMI -- based on weight and height -- to measure models. It has turned away 30 percent of women who took part in the previous event. Medics will be on hand at the September 18-22 show to check models.

"The restrictions could be quite a shock to the fashion world at the beginning, but I'm sure it's important as far as health is concerned," said Leonor Perez Pita, director of Madrid's show, also known as the Pasarela Cibeles.

A spokeswoman for the Association of Fashion Designers of Spain, which represents those at Madrid fashion week, said the group supported restrictions and its concern was the quality of collections, not the size of models.

Eating disorder activists said many Spanish model agencies and designers oppose the ban and they had doubts whether the new rules would be followed.

"If they don't go along with it the next step is to seek legislation, just like with tobacco," said Carmen Gonzalez of Spain's Association in Defense of Attention for Anorexia and Bulimia, which has campaigned for restrictions since the 1990s.

Free Tuition to Harvard and More Opportunities!

2006-09-09T10:37:00.000-04:00

1.
"O" The Oprah Magazine
is looking to hire Fall Interns in the Fashion & Style Departments.
Candidates must be highly organized, detail-oriented and
able to juggle multiple tasks at once.
Prior internship experience preferred, but not required.
This opportunity is available for college students in need of
credit hours and recent graduates who are available
to start immediately, full-time from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm,
5 days a week.
Send resumes with a cover letter to:
Cindy M. del Rosario, Associate Editor
O, The Oprah Magazine
1700 Broadway, 38th floor NY, or call 212-903-5149.
_____________________

2.
Verizon
is looking for students who are 2004-2005 graduates of
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).
If you know of someone graduating from a HBCU this year with
a degree in Engineering, Computer Science and Technology, Information
Technology, General Business, Finance or Marketing,
please have them forward their resume to: melissa.w.langham@verizon.com
to
be considered for career opportunities with Verizon!
_____________________

3.
The Women's Technology Program at MIT
is a 4-week summer residence program to introduce
high school girls to electrical engineering and computer science.
If you know a girl who is currently a high school junior who
demonstrates math and science ability and an interest in
finding out about EECS, please encourage her to visit
our website for more information and for an application form.
(Applications were due Feb 3, 2005.)
Still, explore possible exceptions: http://www.mit.edu
Our classes are taught in a supportive environment by
a staff of women MIT PhD candidates and undergraduates.
The full-time academic program includes hands-on experiments
and team-based projects in computer science,
electrical engineering, and mathematics
No prior experience in computer programming, physics, or electrical
engineering is expected, but applicants typically have strong academic
records, especially in math and science.
_____________________
4.
HARVARD'S TUITION ANNOUNCEMENT
Harvard University is offering free tuition for students that have
a family income below $40,000. If you are a mentor or have nieces
and nephews who might be interested,
please give them this information.
If you know any one/family earning less than $40K with
a brilliant child near ready for college, please pass this along.
The prestigious university recently announced that
from now on undergraduate students from low-income families can
go to Harvard for free!
No tuition and no student loans!
To find out more about Harvard offering free tuition for families making
less than $40,000 a year visit
Harvard's financial aid website at:
http://adm-is.fas.harvard.edu/FAO/index.htm or call the school's
financial
aid office at 617-495-1581.

tags: internship college tuition oprah job verizon harvard mit women low income hbcu student

Cadre Artists' Grant

2006-09-08T10:13:00.000-04:00

cadre Visual Artists' Grant
Applications now being accepted!
We're very excited to begin accepting applications for the first cadre art grant. Applications may be submitted September 1 through November 1, 2006.

To date we have collected more than $2000 for the first round of grants!!!!!

If you have made a donation, you are already eligible to apply; if you haven't yet, please make a donation ($10 is the minimum donation) to apply (see details below).

All applications must be sent to cadreartgrant@yahoo.com and must include:

· An artist’s statement (300-500 words; no c.v.'s, please!)

· A description of what you plan to do with the grant (300-500 words)

· Your estimated need for your particular project (you can ask for any amount up to the current total collected for the grants)

· A URL for a blog or website containing your work

All images must be submitted as a blog or website* (no attachments or mailed applications will be accepted) to eliminate the administrative costs of postage and paperwork and submission costs for the artist (no more slides!). Applications must include at least 5 but no more than 20 examples of work. All applicant URLs will be posted on the grant's website for viewing by donors and the selection committee (see details below).

* If you don’t already have a website or blog, you can set up a free blog at blogger.com (if you’re a PC user), a not-free blog at typepad.com (if you’re a Mac user), a free blog at WordPress.org (don’t know if it favors PC or Mac), or you can even simply set up a free photo page at flickr.com. We’re sure there are other options out there, too—look around!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FAQs

1. What methods of payment do you accept?

We accept:

money orders/cashiers' checks
personal checks (Please make all checks payable to Carla Williams or Deirdre Visser. See question#3 for details.)
cash
PayPal (click donation button below)
Donations can be sent to:

cadre
p.o. box 720066
san francisco, ca 94172-0066

2. Can I be automatically set up to make a monthly donation?

Yes! Click here to sign up for an automatic $10 per month payment plan.

3. Are donations tax deductible?

Not at this time. The reason checks are to be made out to one of us is that we have opted not to seek 501(c)(3) non-profit status at this time. It's time-consuming and involved, and for now, we wanted to keep it as simple as possible and to operate like a clearing house for donations—money in, money out. The only deductions being taken are fees for Paypal donations.

4. What kinds of art does the grant support?

This is a visual arts grant—works in all media are eligible. While we don't support traditional performing arts projects, we do support performance artists. You can always E-mail us if you have any questions.

Suggested Donation Amount: $10.00 USD

For more detailed information about the grant, click here.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use the link below to forward this E-mail far and wide!

Warm regards,

(Carla Williams and Deirdre Visser)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

email: cadreartgrant@yahoo.com
web: http://www.carlagirl.net/cadre/cadreartgrant.html

tags: art grant call for artists

weekly recipe: dual dinner (veg and non-veg)

2006-09-03T12:12:00.000-04:00

For this week's recipe post, I thought I would include recipes which can easily be adapted to suit vegetarian or non-vegetarian dietary choices. See, I am vegetarian and my hunny, well, she's not. And, while she does enjoy all the veggie food I cook, once in a while, I like to surprise her with something she'd really like (well, not quite a hamburger!) - salmon.

The recipes for this week are Spice-Crusted Tofu (or Salmon), adapted from poco-cocoa, and Black-Eyed Peas with Rainbow Chard, adpated from Cooking Light.

For the tofu or salmon, follow the recipe above with slight alterations for the salmon.

Salmon Alterations to Tofu Recipe
1. Dust the spice-mixture on the salmon in a foil-lined pan.

dusting the salmon
Originally uploaded by thinkist.

2. Bake at 350 degrees F, until almost done. Not completely, since you will be baking for slightly longer in the next step.
3. Pour honey and lemon mixture over salmon and bake 5 more minutes, or until cooked to your liking.
4. Then, sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and enjoy with greens!

Black-Eyed Peas with Rainbow Chard

4c vegetable broth
3c water
2c fresh black-eyed peas
2T butter
2c finely chopped red onion
1lb coarsely chopped rainbow chard (or any other chard if you can't find rainbow)
1/2t pepper
1T hot sauce

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a Dutch ove; bring to boil.
2. Redcue heat and simmer, partially covered for 30 mins or until tender (ok, mine took @ 45 min to 1 hr!)
3. Remove from heat.
4. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion. Saute 5 mins.
5. Add chard and pepper. Saute 3 mins or unitl wilted.

cooking greens
Originally uploaded by thinkist.

6. Stir in vinegar.
7. Add onion mixture to peas. Stir.

Hope you enjoy this week's recipe posting.

tags: food recipe dinner vegetarian tofu salmon weekly recipe

Call for Artists: Immigration Art via Mail Project

2006-08-28T11:25:00.000-04:00

While purusing this month's Fresh Art (the Florida Arts Education Magazine), I came upon this very interesting "call for artists." It's a multi-media based project in which artists send in their interpretation of immigration. It is open to all artists in all media. Read more below, and check out the blog for what's been sent in so far.

Here's the description from Sophie Blachet, of Art Vitam.

SEND ME SOME MAIL ART!!!

Mail Art Project 31.12.06/Immigration
P.O BOX 975
Miami Beach, FL 33119

MAIL ART CALL

MAIL ART PROJECT 31.12.06/Immigration
Sophie Blachet, director of Art Vitam and Valeria Pouza, independent curator, are seeking Mail Art works for an ongoing Mail Art Project book on the theme of immigration.

The Mail Art Project will proceed in two phases:

Phase One
The Mail Art Project will collect over a period of six months beginning in June 2006, a range of mail art works sent royalty free to be published in book form. Only 100 works will be chosen for inclusion in the book entitled “Mail Art Project 31.12.06/Immigration”.
All works will be, however, exhibited online at http://ganthine.blogspot.com
Deadline for the project is 31 December 2006.
Phase Two
Beginning of January 2007, Blachet and Pouza will choose 100 works received for publication in the book.
Selected artists will be contacted either by regular mail, e-mail or phone by the end of January 2007.

The Details: The Mail Art Project 31.12.2006/Immigration
Theme: Immigration. Coming, going, staying, living, borders, boundaries, legal, illegal… it’s your call.
Format: Anything goes, from postcards, envelopes, to large format works on board and works on paper.
No entry fee.
Works will be juried, and not returned but exhibited and documented online.
Deadline: 31 Dec 2006

The Book
The book will include one full page reproduction of the work with description of the work, name of artist and artist details (in three languages).
Each selected artists will receive a book.
Printer to be announced

If you are interested in participating, please send works to:
Mail Art Project 31.12.06/Immigration
P.O Box 975
Miami Beach, FL 33119 USA

For more information please contact
In English/French: sophie (AT)artvitam.com
In Spanish/ Español: mailart(AT) artvitam.com

tags: art mail call for artists gallery

weekly recipe(s): cookies

2006-08-27T10:54:00.001-04:00

This week, I made two different types of cookies when I couldn't decide what to bring to my host's house. I was torn, chocolate, not chocolate, what if someone doesn't like nuts? Growing up in a house of very picky eaters, I can dream up more dislike than you can imagine. So, I settled on two recipes I found at Martha Stewart's website: Ginger Lemon Cookies and Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti. I made some adjustments to my liking. They turned out great, and were really a good complement, in terms of flavor and look, to one another. Enjoy! And, let me know how they turn out.

Ginger Lemon Cookies

ginger lemon cookies, 2006
Originally uploaded by thinkist.

Makes 3 dozen (if you measure VERY precisely when shaping cookies, and stick to small cookies!)

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 large egg
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup crystallized ginger, cut into 1/8-inch dice

1. Heat oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment; set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl twice. Add egg; mix on high speed to combine. Add zest; mix to combine.

2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, ground ginger, baking soda, salt, and crystallized ginger; add to butter mixture. Mix on medium-low speed to combine, about 20 seconds.

3. Using two spoons, drop about 2 teaspoons of batter on baking sheet; repeat, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 7 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Verdict: Great ginger taste. Maybe would've been even better with some white chocolate chips. Very light, airy cookie. They go very well with tea.

Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti

Makes about 12
These biscotti are baked for a shorter time, making them softer than the traditional version.

chocolate pistachio biscotti pistachios, 2006
Originally uploaded by thinkist.

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for baking sheet
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for baking sheet
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup shelled pistachio nuts (unsalted)
1/2 cup carob chips

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Butter and flour a baking sheet; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs; beat until well combined, scraping down sides of bowl if necessary. Add flour mixture, and stir to form a stiff dough, as seen in picture. Stir in pistachios and carob chips.

chocolate pistachio biscotti dough, 2006
Originally uploaded by thinkist.

3. Transfer dough to prepared baking sheet; form into a slightly flattened log, about 12 by 4 inches. Bake until slightly firm, about 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300º.

4. On a cutting board, using a sharp serrated knife, cut biscotti diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices. Arrange biscotti, cut sides down, on baking sheet, and bake until crisp but still slightly soft in the center, about 8 minutes.

Verdict: They turned out so much better than I expected. The carob chips tasted great. They were very yummy with coffee the next morning for breakfast :)

chocolate pistachio biscotti1, 2006
Originally uploaded by thinkist.

tags: sweets cookies ginger lemon chocolate pistachio nuts biscotti tea coffee recipe food weekly recipe

kvetching, art and cooking - September events at Books & Books

2006-08-21T19:02:00.000-04:00

Below is a list of events that I would DEFINITELY attend if I were in Miami. They include a linguistic exploration of Yiddish, a celebration of Cuban poetry (including my talented advisor, Ruth Behar), tragic photographs, Queer humor and a self-assigned cooking project. Go to the Books and Books website to see all of the events.

Sunday, September 10, Coral Gables, 4pm
In the popular imagination, Yiddish is an ancient language with many ways to express grumbling, hand wringing and displeasure, full of earthy attitudes and vulgar humor. While that's all true, it's not a complete picture. In Born to Kvetch: Yiddish Language and Culture in All of Its Moods (Harper Perennial, $13.95), author and expert Michael Wex takes a probing look at just what makes Yiddish, the principal spoken language of the Jews for over a century, so original, so resilient - and so full of complaint. Almost impossible for a non-Jew to learn or understand, Yiddish started out as a bastardized version of German to give voice to systemic exclusion and exile. Born to Kvetch explores Yiddish in relation to nature, food, childhood, courtship and marriage, sex (setting the record straight on the difference between shmuk and puts, both part of the colloquial vernacular, neither for use in mixed company!) and death, all topics worthy of a good kvetch. Armed with stories, anecdotes and perfectly delivered punch lines, Wex strikes a skillful balance between the somber and the comical aspects of his subject matter. 4pm

Wednesday, September 13, Gables
Burnt Sugar Caña Quemada: Contemporary Cuban Poetry in English and Spanish (Free Press, $14) brings us the sights, sounds, and rhythms of Cuba, revealed in the evocative works of some of the finest Cuban and Cuban-American poets of the twentieth century, including Gustavo Pérez Firmat, José Abreu Felippe, Enrique Sacerio-Garí, Reinaldo Arenas, Heberto Padilla, Pablo Medina, Agustín Acosta, Angel Cuadra, Eugenio Florit, Severo Sarduy, Virgil Suárez, Sandra M. Castillo, Lissette Méndez, Ruth Behar, Rita Geada, Belkis Cuza Malé, Ricardo Pau-Llosa, José Kozer, Orlando González Esteva, Uva de Aragón, Adrián Castro, Carolina Hospital and Armando Valladares, among others. Bestselling translator Lori Marie Carlson and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Oscar Hijuelos have created an intimate collection of some of their favorite modern poems, all of which are informed by cubanía -- the essence of what it means to be Cuban. Stirring, immediate, and universal in its sensibility, Burnt Sugar is a luminous collection lovingly compiled by two of the world's foremost authorities on the subject. This event is presented in collaboration with the Florida Center for the Literary Arts and the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center (FIAC). 8pm

Thursday, September 21, Lincoln Theatre, 541 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach
Joel Meyerowitz is an award-winning photographer whose work has appeared in over 350 exhibitions in museums and galleries around the world. His work is in the collection of the MOMA, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and many others. After the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York on September 11, 2001, nobody who was not directly involved in the recovery effort was allowed on the Ground Zero site. Journalists were included in this ban, but, with the help of the Museum of the City of New York and sympathetic city officials, Meyerowitz became the sole photographer granted unimpeded access to the site. For eight months, at all times of the day and night, he photographed “the pile” as the WTC came to be known, and the 800 people a day that were working in it. Influenced by Walker Evans and Dorothea Lange’s work for the Farm Security Administration during the Great Depression, Meyerowitz knew that if he didn’t make a photographic record, there would be no history. His work is contained in a major new book, Aftermath (Phaidon, $75) that features, for the first time, the vast archive of his unpublished photos from Ground Zero. Join us for an unforgettable program, Ground Zero Through the Artist’s Lens: An Evening with Joel Meyerowitz. FREE tickets for this event are available at all Books & Books locations, beginning September 1st. 7:30pm

Thursday, September 28, Miami Beach
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic (Houghton Mifflin, $19.95) by Alison Bechdel (the author of the long-running comic strip, Dykes to Watch Out For) takes its place alongside the unnerving, memorable, darkly funny family memoirs of Augusten Burroughs and Mary Karr. It's a father-daughter tale pitch-perfectly illustrated with Bechdel's sweetly gothic drawings and- like Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis- a story exhilaratingly suited to the graphic memoir form. Meet Alison's father, a historic preservation expert and obsessive restorer of the family's Victorian house, a third-generation funeral home director, a high school English teacher, an icily distant parent, and a closeted homosexual who, as it turns out, is involved with male students and a family babysitter. Through narrative that is alternately heartbreaking and fiercely funny, we are drawn into a daughter's complex yearning for her father. And yet, apart from assigned stints dusting caskets at the family-owned "fun home," as Alison and her brothers call it, the relationship achieves its most intimate expression through the shared code of books. When Alison comes out as homosexual herself in late adolescence, the denouement is swift . . . graphic . . . and redemptive. This event is presented in collaboration with the Miami-Dade Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and Design Within Reach. 8pm

Saturday, September 30, Gables
On a visit to her childhood home in Texas, Julie Powell pulls her mother's battered copy of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking off the bookshelf. And the book calls out to her. Pushing thirty, living in a run-down apartment in Queens, and working at a dead-end secretarial job, Julie Powell is stuck. Her only hope lies in a dramatic self-rescue mission. And so she invents a deranged assignment: in the space of one year, she will cook every recipe in the Julia Child classic, all 524 of them. How hard could it be? With fierceness, irreverence, and unbreakable resolve, Powell learns Julia Child's most important lesson: the art of living with gusto. Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously (Little, Brown & Co., $13.99) is "a feast, a voyage, and a marvel," says Elizabeth Gilbert, author of The Last American Man, for anyone who has ever cursed at a cookbook or longed for a more delicious life. Tonight, the Café at Books & Books Coral Gables will offer a Julia Child-inspired menu to celebrate the author’s reading. Powell’s visit last year was cancelled because of Hurricane Wilma, so we are hoping to make it up to her during the paperback tour. Please join us! 7pm

tags: yiddish books miami coral gables books and books cuban poetry cooking julia child alison bechdel joel meyerowitz photography 9 11

peaches, waffles and very busy hands

2006-08-20T14:23:00.000-04:00

Waffles with Blueberry and Red Currant Sauce
Originally uploaded by creampuffsinvenice.

Due to my move up north, I have come to the realization that my cooking is WAY better than most of the restaurants here! Big statement from someone who loves to go out to eat, as much as I like to cook.

So, I've been in the kitchen cooking up a storm, and cranking out some great food. I've been experimenting with recipes to adapt to new ingredients and my new vegetarian, almost leaning vegan, food preferences.

I went to the bookstore to get a glimpse inside some veggie cook books, and I was disappointed in that arena too. Where are all the pictures? I need pictures!

With that said, I will start posting, once a week, about a new recipe. This may or may not turn into a separate food blog ( don't know that I have THAT much time on my hands).

Weigh in, and let me know what you think.

Here's my very best recipe for Vegan Waffles with Peach Syrup (adapted from The New Vegan cookbook)

Notes: Make the syrup while making the waffles, so everything is ready at the same time. The picture included in this post is not my own, but it is a wonderful picture of waffles, so there you go! More of my own pictures when I finish moving in:)

Yield: @6 belgian waffles, depending on size of waffle iron

WAFFLES

1 1/3 c soymilk
1 1/2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4c whole wheat flour
1/2c cornmeal
3/4 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t cinnamon
3 T canola oil
2 T lite pancake syrup

Directions:
1. In a 2c liquid measure, combine the soymilk and the lemon juice. Set aside, and don't worry, the curdling is expected.

2. Sift the flour, cornmeal, salt, bakin soda, baking powder, and cinnamon into a large bowl.

3. Stir the oil and maple syrup into the soymilk.

4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour in the liquid ingredients. Stir with a fork just until blended. The batter should be medium-thick, but still pourable. Add more soymilk or flour to get it to the right consistency.

5. When the waffle iron is ready, mist with pan spray. Pour a generous 1/2 c of batter onto iron and bake till crisp. It usually takes mine about 5 -6 minutes.

6. Transfer to wire cooling rack, serve warm. ( I often reheat mine in the waffle iron because I like my waffles steamin hot :)

SYRUP
1 peach
1 T apricot jam
1 T lemon juice
1/4 c lite syrup
1/4 to 1/2 t pepper

1. Blend ingredients in a food processor or a blender.

2. Transfer to a small saucepan, and bring to a boil.

3. Reduce to simmer and cook 15 minutes.

4. Strain through a sieve. (Not absolutely necessary if you don't feel like it, but it gives it a much more silky consistency)

the Verdict:

I have made these 3 times in the 3 weeks we have lived in our new house. In Lisa's words, "they're a keeper!"

I love to freeze any leftovers and pop them in the toaster for a weekday breakfast, yummy, yummy :)

ENJOY!

waffles breakfast brunch vegan recipe peach syrup

Castro turns 80

2006-08-16T13:25:00.000-04:00

(In a photo released by a division of Fidel Castro's personal support group, he holds a copy of the Aug. 12 edition of the Communist Party newspaper. It was impossible to confirm the authenticity of the photograph.) from the NYtimes

On August 13, 2006, Fidel Castro turned 80. Figures that he's a Leo.

He released a statement and a picture explaining that Cuban people should brace for the worst. Maybe more was said and I missed it in the news, but what is his opinion of the worst? US invasion? His death? Constant badgering by journalists who "have the right to know and report on Cuba."

Meanwhile, photos that are being taken and released from Cuba, show a nation of empathetic people, hoping for the well-being of their longtime leader.

Castro ill, future uncertain

2006-08-01T11:02:00.000-04:00

Fidel Castro has recently turned over "temporary power" to his brother, Raul, as he has fallen ill and must undergo surgery. He has explained his illness is a result of stress due to recent world affairs and travels. Castro has NEVER turned over power! Even when he fell, and shattered his kneecap, he was still the man in charge. What does this mean for the future of Cuba? The people of Cuba? And, what will exiles, who mainly live in Miami, do now and in the future?

Well, from what I have been watching on the news, Miami's Cubans are celebrating as if they "have won the world cup" (Associated Press). Watch the video on this page.

Politicians in Miami have been plotting for the demise of Castro since he took power in 1959. Now, the US government has officially come out with the Compact with the People of Cuba. It is basically a written plan that says the US government will "help" the Cuban people with medical supplies, food and other goods should they "ask" for help.

What the US government and Miami Cuban exiles fail to consider is the thoughts and feeling of those people actually still living IN Cuba. In my opinion, it is their decision; not mine, not the US government, and NOT Cuban exiles. I understand the connection to Cuba, but they made a decision to leave, and make a life in a different country. To most who left, the measure of success is how many material goods they can acquire. In Cuba, there must be a different measure: life, family, leisure time. They cannot acquire material goods, but SO WHAT!

And, what is the reaction in Cuba today? From what I have seen on the news, it is "business as usual." What? No protests? Revolts? Revolution? Wouldn't this be the time, if they so desire, to pressure Castro out of power? Not happening . . .

More to come, as I process and collect thoughts and info.

Tracked pictures

2006-07-20T09:32:00.000-04:00

Here are a few from the first two nights. More after my big move up north . . .

$15,000 Grant for Activists of Color

2006-07-17T12:32:00.000-04:00

Activists of Color Invited to Apply for Alston/Bannerman Fellowship Program
Deadline: December 1, 2006

The Alston/Bannerman Fellowship Program
( http://www.alstonbannerman.org/ ) is committed to advancing progressive social change by helping to sustain long-time activists of color. The program honors those who have devoted their lives to helping their communities organize for racial, social, economic, and environmental justice, and provides resources for organizers to take sabbaticals for reflection and renewal.

Each year, ten organizers of color are awarded the Alston/Bannerman
Fellowship and receive $15,000 to take sabbaticals of three months or more.

To qualify for an Alston/Bannerman Fellowship, an applicant must be a person
of color; have more than ten years of community organizing experience; be
committed to continuing to work for social change; and live in the United States or its territories.

Beyond the basic eligibility criteria, the Alston/Bannerman Program seeks
applicants whose work attacks roots causes of injustice by organizing those
affected to take collective action; challenges the systems that perpetrate
injustice and effects institutional change; builds their community's capacity for self-determination and develops grassroots leadership; acknowledges the cultural values of the community; creates accountable participatory structures in which community members have decision-making power; and contributes to building a movement for social change by making connections between issues, developing alliances with other constituencies, and collaborating with other organizations.

Both full-time and part-time or volunteer activists are eligible to apply.

Visit the Web site of the fellowship program for complete program details,
eligibility information, and application procedures.

From,
Bailey
bbarash productions, LLC
1875 McLendon Ave, NE
Atlanta, GA 30307
404-373-8246
fax: 1586-816-2924

Tulips in NYC, April 2006

2006-07-11T15:20:00.000-04:00

Tulips in NYC, April 2006
Originally uploaded by miami tru.

Trying out flickr. I tried it a long time ago, it froze, i gave up. Here I go again. Let's see how it works.

karma art

2006-07-11T10:30:00.000-04:00

Artist, lara stein pardo, is seeking some good karma artists to help deconstruct Tracked. Tracked is a performance installation piece which has been on view at the Art Center since July 4. There will be three more performances, and then I need to take this baby down. I'd really appreciate any help I can get with tearing it down, and hauling the materials away. In exchange, I can offer you some paint, some wood, good times, free parking, and of course, good karma.

Date: July 19, 2006
Time: 10 AM - it's done (the more people the better! and faster!)
Place: 924 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, FL, 33139, Art Center, 2nd Floor

Please RSVP to let me know what time you plan to arrive, what tools you are bringing, and what materials you'd like to reserve. I'll pay for your parking if you RSVP :)

Here are a couple of pictures of the piece:

H.O.P.E for Darfur

2006-06-28T09:29:00.000-04:00

H.O.P.E for Darfur
is part of Human Rights First. The acronym stands for Help Organize a Peace Envoy.

These pendants are courtesy of the artist, Janna Weinstein, who has created and donated these pieces to Hope for Darfur. Each one is $50, and the site explains that 80% of the profit will go directly towards the campaign for peace in Darfur.

Take a minute or two and browse the site, sign the petition and learn more about another tragic moment in our history. Buy a necklace and make your outward "never again" statement. That statement does not only apply to the Jewish Holocaust, it means that NEVER AGAIN should we, as people living in comfort, sit idle as people are suffering and dying around the world.

I like that they are using art as activism. It is huge that this artist is donating her time to create all of these pendants. Leave a comment when you receive yours - maybe send a photo!

Tracked: Performance Installation - Almost here!

2006-06-27T13:20:00.000-04:00

I've gotten some great response to my performance installation which is opening next week. I'm working on the invitation and submitting info for the press release. Here's a sneak peak at the invite.

Tap me on my shoulder, and tell me . . .

2006-06-21T13:34:00.000-04:00

that my plane bound for home has arrived. - paraphrased quote from Richard Blanco, poet and civil engineer

I was struck by his precise descriptions about home, place, identity and being a poet. I have been trying to find the interview on NPR's site, so that I could listen to it again more carefully. While I was tempted to pull off to the side of the road to take notes, I made do by writing without looking.

He is a poet and a civil engineer who was born in Cuba, and lived in Miami for a while before living in Connecticut. I have been grappling with many of the ideas he spoke of in this interview, and had a long discussion about the issues with my hunny (who is from Trinidad). Blanco's new book is Directions to the Beach of the Dead. No time for fancy linking, just follow this link to read more about him and his work: http://www.richard-blanco.com/Directions_to_the_Beach_of_the_Dead.php .

For lack of time, and being bummed about not finding the interview, I will list some thoughts:

1- When you are exiled from the country where you were born, does your new city/country become your home?

2- What becomes of the place you called home, previously?

3 - What are the reasons people are exiled from a home country? And, why do some feel they can never go back? (politics, business, religion, sexuality)

4 - Is there some common feeling among exiles, such as an overall sense of displacement no matter where they live after leaving the home country?

5- While many people who leave Latin America and the Caribbean arrive in Miami, to what extent is Miami part of the Lat. Am/Caribbean imaginary?

6 - Can a new location ever replace, in the mind of the exile, the idea of home? Does anyone ever come to claim a new location as "home?" Does this relegate the country of birth to merely a place of origin, with no attachments?

7- To what extent does family ties in another country affect an exiles' ability to restablish "home" in a new location?

Any thoughts, from exiles or otherwise, I would love to hear your feedback.

BabLar @ NYC Pride - Invitation

2006-06-12T12:25:00.000-04:00

I received this evite from my subscription to Staceyann Chin's mailing list. I wish I was going to be in NYC later this month to support and join in on the action. Passing it along to all of you, in the hopes that someone will carry my spirit there. . . let me know . . .

Host: Marta, Andrea and Staceyann
Location: Pride March Starting Line5th Ave and 52nd Street, New York, NY View Map
When: Sunday, June 25, 12:00pm

Dear friends,

We would like to extend an invitation to all of you to march with a collective of Black and Latina Lesbians and our allies in the Annual New York City Gay Pride Parade on Sunday, June 25th 2006. This invitation is open to official or unofficial groups, organizations, and individuals who wish to march and support the issues that our collective will be highlighting on this day. For more information, please see BABLAR's (Black and Brown Lesbians against Racism) statement of intent which you should receive via email. If you are interested in marching or helping with this event, please respond to this e-mail indicating your particular interest. You may also send any inquiries to bablar2006@gmail.com. Feel free to circulate this e-mail to all who may be interested. HAPPY PRIDE! Marta, Andrea and StaceyannBabLar: Black and Brown Lesbians Against RacismWe are Black and Latina lesbians committed to highlighting issues of race and racism as they pertain to Black and Latina women, and girls, and how those issues are addressed in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Community.We begin with the premise that women, and therefore lesbians, are still OPPRESSED. As Black and Latina Lesbians, our issues are specific to us and simultaneously connected to the larger Black and Latino communities.It is the duty of the LGBT community to address issues affecting Black and Latina lesbian communities. Our issues are often invisible within the larger discourse about LGBTQ issues.

Tracked - a performance installation

2006-06-07T12:22:00.000-04:00

On July 4, 2006, I will present a performance installation, entitled Tracked at Art Center/South Florida’s window at 924 Lincoln Road. This piece will cost approximately $1160 to construct. I am reaching out to people that I know would support this type of artistic creation in our community. With your sponsorship, I will be able to bring this project to fruition. Below is a description of the project, and how you can help.

Tracked is a performance installation which seeks to address the way that people are tracked, traced, tapped and ultimately trapped by government and commercial surveillance. This site specific work consists of a wooden maze, vertically facing Lincoln Road. From the pedestrian mall, viewers will be able to watch as the artist crawls, climbs and attempts to navigate the maze. This navigation is akin to our movement in our everyday lives. Everywhere that we go – the grocery store, the gas station, a café – we leave behind a trail which can detail the pattern of our lives. The trail is in the form of a credit card swipe, a telephone call, or a zip code given to a store clerk. In this constructed maze, the feeling of being trapped by this trail is heightened due to the space confinement. Using the body as part of this performance installation, viewers can connect on a personal level, and draw parallels to the way their own lives are tracked by a variety of sources. Tracked will open on July 4, 2006, at 7PM with a premier performance. It will run through July 18, 2006, with performances every Tuesday and Thursday at a TBD time.

How you can help: (send payment via paypal - donation button to the right)

Sponsorship ___$50 ___$100 ___$150 ___$200 $ _____(other)

How would you like to be recognized in the advertisements? (name or company name/logo)

If you have a logo, please send it to lara_steinpardo@hotmail.com.

I thank you for your support, and I look forward to seeing you at opening night. If you have any questions for me, please call 305-775-9683 or email. If you would like to speak with the Art Center, please contact Claire Breukel - 305-674-8278, or cbreukel@artcentersf.org.

Why be an Optimist?

2006-05-30T09:38:00.000-04:00

Memorial day never used to mean much to me. I am against the war, and do not hold too much weight for the overall good of the military. However, with the passing of both of my grandfathers in the past year, I had to pause to at least think about what it meant to be part of the military. They, of course, had no choice, but to be in the military. My paternal grandfather, was, as I like to call him, a reluctant soldier. He didn't want to be where he was, but he figured he'd make the best of it. He took these amazing candid photographs of fellow soldiers totally goofing around!

My maternal grandfather had a lung condition and was forbidden to participate in combat. He was a weatherman, and absolutely loved it. That was what we connected about when I was a kid - the weather. And, people joke about discussing the weather, but with him, it was the greatest way to spend an afternoon.

My maternal grandfather was in the Optimist's Club, and for the longest time, I thought this was something like a Rotary Club, a civic organization of some sort. Recently, at a bed and breakfast, I was drinking tea out of a mug, and it was imprinted with the Optimist's Creed. What? It's really about being an optimist!

So, I thought again about both of my grandfathers and how they really did look to the bright side of things. I felt that on this Memorial Day, (well, a day after), I would post this creed in their honor, and try to live a little of it.

Optimist's Club Creed
Promise yourself . . .

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something of value in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only the best, to work only for the best, and to expect the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistake so the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit presence of trouble.

note from a student

2006-05-24T09:01:00.000-04:00

I've been quiet on here, but super busy otherwise. School is wrapping up, and I only have a day and a half left as a high school teacher. Now it's starting to hit home . . . it's bittersweet to say the least. I hope that I can keep up with some of my former students.

Here's what one of the said, as a comment on my website.

hi ms. s! i see that you're doing a wonderful job with your web page and i wanted to drop by and say hi and to say that i'm really going to miss you this next school semester. you're the best! don't forget me and thankyou for opening my world even more to art.'] your student, Vicky Quintana

Thanks, Vicky!

Hurricane Preparedness

2006-05-16T18:11:00.000-04:00

How do you know when it's almost Hurricane Season? When, at 1 PM students peek outside the classroom door and are afraid they signed up for night school. Oh, and when the news media starts showing more satellite pictures like this one from the Miami Herald (5/16/06).

For the past two days the earth has poured down, gusted winds and even hailed all over the Miami area, and left many wondering if they're prepared for the upcoming Hurricane Season. I, a Miami native, feel like I've got a handle on it. I know what to do, when to do it, and I DO IT! This is not one of those things you can procrastinate about. If you aren't prepared for a storm, it's still coming. The good news is that there is a lot people can do now to help themselves out during a storm. It really scares me to think that folks still believe that zig-zagging masking tape over their windows will prevent anything! So, if you read this, pass it along and spread the knowledge. Help each other stay safe and be prepared.

There are several sites you can go to for a lot of information (weed through what you know, and you'll get some good tips)
National Hurricane Center
FEMA (I know, I know, but it has some info)
Florida Disaster Site

Here's what my family and I do:

1. Get together a Hurricane Kit,yes an actual bag, box or something, which includes food and water for 2 days of more, for each person, flashlights, batteries, battery-operated radio/tv, an old-fashioned plug-into-the-wall phone, sanitary items (wipes, tampons, toilet paper), and games (Cranium and Uno are my favorites).

2. Close the shutters early.

3.When you hear that a storm is coming, fill up your gas tank, and keep filling it up until you are home for the duration of the storm.

4. Pick a location where everyone in your family will go when a storm is coming, and go there ASAP.

5. Charge cell phones, laptops and cameras so you can still use them after the power is out. Last year my power was out for two weeks! And, dammit, I need to take pictures. Seriously, though, you'll want your cell phone,laptop and camera operational for use after the storm.

HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK IS MAY 21 - 27

caribbean woman writer as scholar

2006-05-10T09:40:00.000-04:00

The Caribbean Woman Writer as Scholar: Imagining/Theorizing/Creating
May 30 - June 3, 2006, Hollywood, Florida

At the end of this month, I will be presenting a paper at the Caribbean Woman Writer as Scholar Conference, put together by African New World Studies at FIU. I have received the preliminary program and it looks to be a jam packed conference with presentations, art, performance and good company. Some of the topics include: Caribbean Spirituality; Race, Nation and Imagination in Caribbean Women's Writing; Zami, Sexuality and the Politics of Desire; Beyond the Mother Construct; Language, Voice and Caribbean Women Writers; and Unpacking Masculinities.

Here is a brief description of my presentation:

The Rests between the Beats: Addressing the Silencing of a Voice

In addressing the systematic silencing of Caribbean women, we often look to the outside world for rationale. However, just as internalized racism causes much harm, so too does internal silencing. For women who self-identify as artists, scholars, writers or activists, the time in between “productive” activity can produce a heavy burden. These women may feel a loss of self-esteem, self-worth or direction. Or, they may simply abandon their passion along the way. This work in progress attempts to uncover women’s views on this silent period, and how their internal dialogue is exists with societal systems of racism, sexism and homophobia. This work will be part of a larger work in which I address the ways in which Afro-Caribbean women utilize their bodies to explore theories on exile and displacement.

artists' exchange: create and share

2006-05-08T13:46:00.000-04:00

A fellow artist and I discussed swapping pieces of work. Well, actually, she brought it up and I was hesitant. I thought, "Give away my artwork, why the heck would I do that?" Later on, I realized that she had a point, we could all benefit by sharing our work with fellow artists. I see two primary reasons: 1) Community is hard to come by,and 2) my old work ends up sitting in a box in my studio. Instead, I'd like to get in out there into the world again, and bring someone else's work into my home and small art collection.

So, this is my proposal, and it is limited to visual artists, at this point in time. Find one piece of work in your studio, and exchange it with another talented artist for one of theirs. There aren't necessarily any size limitations, but the artist is responsible for shipping of the work, therefore it may be worthwhile to pick an unframed work, and let the other party handle that. The work should be something that you consider some of your best work, not something headed for the trash (although maybe to some self-deprecating people, that is their best work, and they just are too hard-headed to see it . . . but that's another discussion for another day). This swap is limited to those who view themselves as professional artists (meaning that in your head, or in reality, that is your primary occupation). In this way, we can ensure the highest quality of the work to be swapped, and artists won't feel jipped out of their hard-produced work.

Once you get your artist swap partner, send or deliver the work to them by June 9 (sooner is ok, later is not!) Please only sign up if you feel you can commit to sending a fellow artist one piece of work by the deadline. It would be a shame to have a one-ended swap and a sad artist.

And, by the middle of June, each of us will have a new piece of artwork by a talented artist. How's that for starting an art collection and community building at the same time?!

Get started, create and share
You'll need to set up a free swap-bot account and enter the password "artist" to join the swap, as it is not a public swap.

Email me with any questions or concerns:
reachout@larasteinpardo.com

Travel and Research in Cuba Threatened

2006-05-04T09:59:00.000-04:00

In a ridiculous attempt to ban intellectual pursuits and creative knowledge, Florida's Legislature has approved a ban on travel to Cuba by students and professors. While they say that this only applies to those trips using certain funds, it includes nearly all possibilities a student or professor has - grants and even private donations! Private donations! That means that they are legislating organizations which are not even technically under governmental authority.
But, that point is merely an adjunct issue to the main issue- Why place this ban on research, education and outreach? Many important projects take place in Cuba, and Florida has a particularly important role to play in keeping up with Caribbean nations - blockade or not. Their rationale is that Cuba is a "terrorist state," and the money will benefit this "terrorist nation." That is really a load of garbage. What it is doing is keeping knowledge about Cuba out of the US, that is the true intention. People fear what they do not know, and this is a propagation of that intention.

I urge you to write to dissuade the governor from passing this bill. Without the ability to pursue research or other creative/intellectual endeavors, we are only hurting ourselves with self-imposed ignorance.

My senior thesis was on Judaism in Havana, Cuba. A photo series can be viewed on my website. I completed this research at the University of Colorado with the support of the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Grant. Through this research I was able to add to the body of knowledge on Judaism in Cuba and the state of Cuba after the Special Period. It was an important step in the foundation of the work I plan to do while working towards my PhD in Anthropology at the University of Michigan. It is unfortunate that I am so happy to leave Florida for my education, but it would be impossible for me to enjoy the intellectual and creative freedom that I would have in almost any other state. Why does Florida want to push out scholars and artists?

OK- HERE IS THE HERALD ARTICLE FROM TODAY'S PAPER . . .

FLORIDA LEGISLATURE
School trips to Cuba face ban Legislation banning college and university students and professors from traveling to 'terrorist nations' -- including Cuba -- is headed to the governor.
By JENNIFER MOONEY PIEDRA
jmooney@MiamiHerald.com
TALLAHASSEE - A bill aimed at banning public and private universities and community colleges from sponsoring trips to Cuba and other nations labeled as ''terrorist'' by the U.S. State Department cleared both chambers of the Legislature and is on its way to the governor.

The plan, which is the brainchild of Miami Republican Rep. David Rivera, will block the schools from using state funds, private donations and grants to ``implement, organize, direct, coordinate, or administer activities related to or involving travel to a terrorist state.''

That's bad news for students like Brett Jestrow, who says he could not have written his doctoral dissertation on plants native to Cuba without doing research in the island nation.

The 27-year-old South Miami resident was able to go there in 2004, study at the National Botanical Gardens in Havana, work with Cuban botanists and drive around the country looking for different plants -- all possible because of a $1,000 grant from the Cuban Research Institute at Florida International University.

''Taxpayer money should not be used to support or subsidize terrorist regimes -- period,'' Rivera said. ``Particularly when America is fighting a war on terrorism.''

Under the plan, colleges and universities in Florida -- both public and private -- would not be allowed to send students, professors or other faculty members to Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria.

Rivera made no secret of the target of his legislation.

''Its practical impact in Florida will focus squarely on one country -- Cuba,'' he said. ``Cuba has been a sponsor of terrorism. The Castro dictatorship is a force for evil.''

School administrations, Rivera said, would be responsible for enforcing the law.

For the University of Miami, that is not a problem.

''There is no question the University of Miami would always be compliant to any bill or law that is passed,'' said Margot Winick, a university spokeswoman.

Even if the governor signs the bill into law, professors and students still could travel to terrorist nations -- but they would have to pay out of their own pocket.

Critics of the measure say it is ''political demagoguery'' and that Rivera, a Cuban American, is trying to use anti-Castro legislation to appeal to the emotions of voters.

''His record representing his district has been rather poor,'' said Lisandro PÃ©rez, a professor at Florida International University and former director of FIU's Cuban Research Institute. ``It's reprehensible that Rep. Rivera uses Cuba and this issue to further his political career.''

Perez, who regularly travels to Cuba for research using grant money, said he will continue his studies, regardless of any changes to the law.

''My research is on Cuba and if I need to go, I will go,'' he said. ``I'm not going to change my behavior because of a ridiculous law.''

The push by Rivera was fueled by the January arrests of FIU professor Carlos M. Alvarez and his wife, Elsa, an FIU counselor. The couple is accused of being unregistered agents for Cuba.

Rivera tried passing a similar bill two years ago, but it was killed in the Senate.

This session, the Senate bill won unanimous approval April 27 and the House version also had unanimous support during its final vote Wednesday.

Despite the country's communist regime, students and professors who conduct research in Cuba say they have a right to go.

''It would be a real drag, a real drawback if students couldn't go to Cuba,'' said Jestrow, who spent a month conducting research on the island as an FIU student. ``For some people, it's really important to go there.''

Go Back to Mexico? thoughts on a Day of Action

2006-05-02T09:44:00.000-04:00

“Go back to Mexico!” That’s what one of my students heard while she was on Spring Break.
“But, I’m not Mexican,” she replied.
“You’re a beaner.”
“What is that? I’m Cuban, not Mexican.”

Identity is important in every person’s life. It is also important to realize when everyone needs to come together for something larger than an individual’s country of origin. And, this does not mean giving up that identity. It means realizing that amongst the many differences there are also a load of similarities.

Miami had fewer protesters than every major city in the United States. In a city where most of the population was born in Latin America or the Caribbean, one would think that people would turn out in droves when asked to support immigrants’ rights. However, a disappointingly low 10,000 spread among 4 separate protests was all Miami could muster. Denver had 75,000 people, Oakland with 17,000 and New York and LA each gathered a whopping 400,000 people.

So, why the low numbers in Miami? Despite cries to come together as one large “American” immigrant community, the answers lie in countries of origin. There is no shame in identifying country of origin. It does not imply dissent, when used to express identity.

Our largest immigrant community, Cuban Americans, unlike Haitians, Mexicans and others, have rights and benefits thrown upon them in Miami. In the hotly debated "Wet Foot/Dry Foot" policy, any Cuban who reaches land is eligible for political asylum in the US. This policy does not apply to any other people who attempt the same dangerous pursuit. Namely, it does not apply to Haitians, who are the second largest group to attempt long sea voyages to Miami in search of asylum. If they are caught, they are first held in horrible prison-like conditions, and then sent back to Haiti. But, I digress. To be sure, there are many immigration issues which are not only unfair, but also unjust. Primarily responsible for low numbers in Miami, low Cuban turn-out.

Why Miami immigrants did not feel part of yesterday's Day of Action? Cuban Americans already benefit from the unjust system in place now. Haitians have a lot to lose by gathering in large numbers to protest the US government, and I do not think many felt safe enough to take bold actions. As Marlene Bastien, executive director of Haitian Women of Miami, explains, Haitians attempted to boycott shopping, but went to work "because they don't know their rights" (Herald article 5/2/06). Unlike Cubans, Haitians feared being fired from work, found out as illegal, being viewed as illegal even if they are not, and need to keep up a good public image.

Across the country it seemed that there was an idea that this Day of Action was aimed solely at Mexican Americans. I do not believe this to be the intent, but many here in Miami may have felt that this was not their issue to debate. There was a belief that traversing the waters from Latin America, the Caribbean or other country to the US is not the same as crossing a “land border.” But, borders are borders, and they come in many sizes, shapes and spaces. Crossing them requires different tactics of negotiation and risk, but they are being crossed, no less.

Portrayed as a Mexican American issue, many rallies addressed issues of farming and work in related fields. Here in Miami, there are many Mexican American immigrants who do work in farming. They work in Homestead and turned out for the rallies and protests. Many of the growers were in favor of the Day of Action, and gave their employees the day off. (This gesture, I think, has much to do with their need for labor at cheap rates. If their workers are legalized, then they would ultimately face less risk of punishment for hiring “illegal” workers.) In fact, according to the front page article in the Herald today, this was the largest rally in Miami, with 5,000 people.

(from BBC, Homestead Protest)

Finally, what goes unrecognized are the thousands of people who are “in limbo” – not with papers, but not without. Many of these people have been waiting patiently for years on end for their day to come, for immigration officials to send them their precious promised documents. I know many people in this situation, and they do not have the same concerns as those who have come on a more “illegal” basis – ie rafting, swimming, running to shore. These people have tried to pursue all “legal” lines of residency and citizenship, and yet still await any official action. Herein lies the dilemma. If some sort of “legalization” occurs, will it provide any benefit to those people still waiting in line? Or will they be asked to take a back seat, and wait patiently for a few more years while they process everyone else? These are major questions which need to be addressed before any official immigration action can be taken by Congress. And, these people need to stand up and let themselves be heard as well.

It thrills me to see so many people stand up, nationwide, and demand to be heard. This is only one step, and cannot possibly stand for every voice. Miami, in particular, is in a unique situation, with people coming from many countries trying to form this diverse city.

participants needed: performance art

2006-04-28T08:14:00.000-04:00

My friend, and talented artist, Ayanna Jolivet McCloud is creating a performance piece for Diaspora Vibe Gallery. She sent this to me and others requesting participants for this piece. Let her know, directly, if you are interested. Her email address is archipelaga@gmail.com.

Loosing Ground, 5 x 7 inch, Digital Print(2005) from a peformance at Diaspora Vibe

PLEASE FORWARD & POST to artists, students, and community members:

---------
CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS (MIAMI, FL)

Artist Seeking Participants for Performance Installation at gallery on
Friday, June 9, 7-9 pm and rehearsal on sat, May 13, 1-2pm. Looking
for everyday people, performers, artists, actors, non-creative types,
mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, all ages, body types, genders.
Prefer people of color. All participants will receive photo
documentation and an immeasurable amount of gratitude from the artist.
This is a very simple and very inactive performance. Participants are
asked to simply lie on the gallery floor and stand up every 15
minutes. The performance is for 2 hours. This is nonpaid, but is truly
a unique experience to put on your resume and a great way experience
art. Participants will be acknowledged in online catalogue.

To participate send name, email, phone to: archipelaga@gmail.com

About Performance:
Goofer Dust is a performance installation by Ayanna Jolivet Mccloud
exploring memory, time travel, and Afro-Diasporic ritual. In this
newly created work, images, video, sound, and live bodies are
interwoven to reveal rituals of dreaming and the inconsistencies of
time. Using the body as an ephemeral object, Goofer Dust, frames the
body's relation to time, space, itself, nature, the community and the
celestial. Goofer Dust will be presented as part of the Off the Wall:
Experimental Lab Series at Diaspora Vibe Gallery on Friday, June 9,
7-9 pm. An online catalogue with images and text will be presented on
labotanica.org.

Amber Sharp's "Triple Minority" - Best Short In MGLFF

2006-04-25T11:30:00.000-04:00

At it's east coast premier, this was the first film I have seen at this year's Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival that truly caught my attention. It was definitely a relief, in a way, since I am her official "Miami Host." I have to say that after watching the films in the Shorts Program, What Girls Like, on Sunday evening that I was beginning to wonder if the short format is viable. On Monday at Cries of Freedom, the Shorts Program for films by African American women, I was thrilled to see some great pieces.

Amber Sharp wrote and directed "Triple Minority." This 15 min short is about a Black woman named Clair who seeks to negotiate familial ties, religion, and years of ostracism from family and church brought about after she "comes out of the closet." Her partner, Rebecca, has a powerful role in the film as confidant and heroine - unwilling to lose her love to society's norms.

Amber Sharp, Photo from Triple Minority Website

When speaking with Sharp, she explains that this film is not autobiographical, but of course, there are elements "which I can relate to, as most Black women can." In the Q&A following the film, she explains that she comes from a "dysfunctional family and had to learn to just leave the garbage behind." In this film, Clair tries to deal with her family's dysfunction at the encouragement of her partner, Rebecca. Eventually, though, she does chose herself and her love for Rebecca over family and church acceptance in a bittersweet ending that had me nearly in tears. Despite the short nature of the film, it is easy to get emotionally involved with the characters and wish them well when it's over.

Interestingly enough, the title "Triple Minority" comes from a scene that was ultimately cut. Coming from the film program at University of Southern California, "we had strict time limitations . . . every film had to be 12 1/2 minutes." Her partner and producer, Seema Gaur, explains that Sharp had to petition for the extra time to extend her film to 15 minutes. After comparing this film, with other shorts, I tend to agree with those strict time limits. It forces the filmmaker to narrow in on their artistic voice and the actual story they want to tell. As Sharp says, "get in, tell the story, get out . . . that's pretty much how I am anyway."

As for what she'll do next, Sharp plans to write a television series and is already busy working on a pilot. She tells my partner and I that we might end up being part of composite characters in an upcoming project. Wow! That's great. Can't wait to see us on the big screen. Although we probably won't be able to tell which character we are, since as most writers do Sharp takes a little something from someone interesting and blends that into a character. Gaur,also a middle school therapist, commends her style and the "way her mind works . . . it's fascinating . . . you know, tonight, she'll go back and get right on her laptop and start writing."

I am fully impressed with the work of Sharp thus far, and look forward to whatever she pursues in the future.

missing miami already

2006-04-23T12:25:00.000-04:00

It won't be for another few months until I leave town for Ann Arbor, but I'm already pining away for that sabor Miami. It's something that's hard to explain until you've experienced it, and even then it's easy to take it for granted once you've got it. Miami is unlike anywhere I've ever been - sort of a awkward combination of everything I've ever seen in another country. It doesn't come together easily by any means. People are angry here, people can be hostile towards those who aren't from the same country, but every now and again there is a break through.

Today on a stroll down Lincoln Road after my yoga class, I overheard two men talking, in Spanish (I'll write it in English):

"Can I have one of those," one man says pointing to the other's cigarette.
The other man reaches to his pocket to give him one, and says,"What country are you from?"
"I am Bolivian," the man replies.
"Oh, I am from Uruguay," he smiles and lights the cigarette for his new compatriot.

While simple, this kind of exchange made me smile. Two men, who don't know each other, share something. In the process they learn where one another are from. Even if this exchange never moves beyond knowing the others' country of origin, something is gained - a knowledge that there are so many people living in Miami who are from somewhere else and each has their story to tell.

Miami truly fascinates me and I will miss so many things about it's sabor (flavor).

And the list begins: (in no particular order)Let me make a disclaimer: this is by no means comprehensive, and I am not including anything which specifically deals with missing certain people...trying to stick to experiences.
1. The sunrise over the Julia Tuttle Causeway
2. Arepas in any grocery store
3. Israeli cheese has just appeared in the "new" Publix on the Beach
4. Sweaty yoga (just cause it's hot outside)
5. Cuban spanglish
6. Brazilian Portuguese
7. Sports beach (3rd and the sand)
8. Yoga on the beach
9. the Boardwalk and the Sweat Sisters
10. 30 min flight to the Bahamas
11. driving to Key West
12. Ethnic Bakeries (Haitian, Jamaican, Argentinean, Jewish, Cuban) run by those people
13. Creole radio on NPR
14. the Venetian Causeway
15. Palm Trees
16. Cafe con Leche from anywhere, not just a cuban restaurant
17. preparing to hunker down for a low-grade hurricane
18. the hurricane kit my hunny has so dutifully prepared
19. south pointe park and the pier
20. that Epicure has turned from a store for little Jewish old ladies into a gourmet market for everyone

More to come. . .

job posting: education outreach - fairchild

2006-04-18T14:35:00.000-04:00

Not much time to write, but I got this email about a job and it seems great. Here's the email I received:

Dear Educators,

Many of you know Bridgette Michaels -- a valued colleague in the Fairchild Challenge program. She has worked tirelessly with Netiva Kolitz to coordinate the High School Challenge over the past two years. We are sad to announce that Bridgette will be leaving Fairchild to move with her family to Anapolis, Maryland. Bridgette is a much respected colleague, and she will be missed.

This leaves us with a position to fill, and an opportunity to infuse the program with new talents and perspectives. The position description for an Education Outreach Coordinator is attached. The person in this position will work closely with Netiva Kolitz to coordinate the High School Challenge program, and will work fluidly with the rest of the Fairchild Challenge team, as well. Please help us spread the word, and forward the attached position description to interested colleagues.

We plan to have the candidate selected by the end of May, so please don't wait if you know anyone who might be interested. Questions can be directed to Dr. Cynthia Klemmer, Manager of the Fairchild Challenge program, at (305) 667-1651 x 3354 or cklemmer@fairchildgarden.org.

Thanks very much for your help in getting the word out!

Sincerely,

Cindy, David, Netiva, and Eva
The Fairchild Challenge Team

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
10901 Old Cutler Road
Coral Gables, FL 33156-4233
(305) 667-1651 x 3354
www.fairchildgarden.org

lila downs rocks miami

2006-04-10T14:57:00.000-04:00

Lila Downs, Mansion, South Beach, FL, April 9, 2006

Last night Lila Downs performed to a disappointingly small audience at Mansion on South Beach. The lack of turn out, though, is not a reflection of her talent as an artist. Put on by the same folks (Easton Bravo Productions) who organized last year's Latin Funk Festival, the line up also included local bands like Locos Por Juana.

Downs' combination of intellect and artistry lend to an experience for the mind, ears and eyes. She sing melodies which incorporate socio-historical knowledge, while using her body to express the many characterizations of the songs - from protagonist to lazy politicians. She consistently enagages the audience in Spanish and English and leaves little doubt in my mind that we have yet to see the last of Lila Downs in Miami.

For more information on Lila Downs check out:
her interview and sound clips on NPR

Art Blogging Forum . . . a bust? not necessarily

2006-04-07T08:33:00.000-04:00

Last night's Art Blogging Forum at the Miami Beach Library was a good start to a conversation that artists and bloggers should be having. And, in an interesting twist to the typically cyber-world, we had the conversation in person!
It was definitely more of a panel than a dialogue and only a few audience members managed to get any words in edge wise. I think most were concerned about the strict time limitations which was made VERY clear. "The library is closing at 8:30, so we need to end promptly at that time." In fact, the library does not close until 9:00 PM. While I was unable to continue on to Parilla's for more discussion, I am glad that I went to listen in on the start of the discussion about Art, Blogging, Intention, Responsibility, Media, and more.

A few statements remained on the forefront for me, mostly because I disagree with their inherent assumptions:

1) Art is a free-for-all, and consequently art blogging is a free-for-all.
2) Blog v Print Journalism - how they are similar.
3) An artist uses the content of blogs (their own or others) to inform their art.

Today I will address #1 Art is a free-for-all, and consequently art blogging is a free-for-all.

Art is in NO way a free-for-all. I am an artist and I certainly don't feel like a kid running wild in the playground. If art was in fact a free-for-all, then art would really have no standards of quality or artistic integrity. Additionally, this statement does not take into account the systems at play in the world of art making, namely museums, critics, money, etc. These systems of power hamper the free-for-all nature which is a false belief about art making, viewing, selling.

Art blogging - not a free for all either. I don't consider myself an art blogger, as I typically write about whatever random thing I feel like. However, those that do consider themselve "art bloggers" certainly wouldn't just "have at it" with no sense of structure. Or, if they do, I am certainly not reading them because it would just be too annoying to read through poor grammar, sentence structure and incoherent thought patterns.

Where there is some freedom is in the nature of blogging. For one, it's FREE. Yup, nice perk. I can get on here and say what I want with minimal effort. So, it enables me to be more free than on my website. On the website, I have to plan and present myself well. But, again if it was just random rattlings of my mind and boring explanations, then there would be no readership. And, those that consider themselves art bloggers need to have some readership, or it becomes merely a journal.

At a later date, I will address points #2 and #3.

For a detailed account of last night's forum, visit Greener Miami. Rebecca took pictures and created a live blog for the first hour.

Other sources for thoughts on the panel:
Critical Miami
Art Blog
TNFH
Tu Miami (en espanol)

Gettin Funky in Miami, Latin Style

2006-04-04T09:55:00.000-04:00

website updates and Spring show

2006-03-27T10:58:00.000-05:00

So, I've been quiet on here because I've been paying my neglected website some attention. It's still in progress, don't think that'll ever stop, but check it out. I'm adding new images and writing soon. I am super thrilled with the work Kathy has done on the design.

Here's a sneak preview of some work that will soon be appearing on the site . . .

Yerba Buena in Miami

Gusman Theater Post

Door in Santiago de Cuba

And, my work will also be in a show next weekend. Here's the invite:

lost and found

2006-03-08T20:37:00.000-05:00

I was doing some photo filing, and I came across this image. It was taken during the making of project/kria. That's me there in the background, and Lissette in the front. What an awesome experience to have such wonderful people help me to create images which had haunted me. Just wanted to share one from the archival lost and found.

The series that became of this private performance are the visual outpourings of a "near car accident." A piece of road debris flew up from the pavement on the highway and catapulted through my windshield. Luckily, it lodged itself on the dash, and I was okay. Needless to say, I was shaken. For weeks, everytime I closed my eyes, I saw flashes of the photographs I needed to create. There are several times when I have had such clear ideas of what I needed to do, and this was one of them. Within 3 weeks of the incident, the project was complete. My intention was to create the visions that I had; only later on did I complete an analysis of the symbology and name the piece.

Looking for a Forum

2006-03-08T14:31:00.000-05:00

The panel takes place on Thursday, April 6th, 7 to 8:30 pm, at the Miami Beach Regional Library auditorium, 227 22nd Street, Miami Beach. Mark your calendars!

Looking for a Forum:
Art bloggers and artists on writing art and culture in Miami

Topics:

The impact of blogging and online communication on critical discourse around art and culture in Miami—why is it significant?
How writing about the art of a community helps create that community’s sense of itself—or does it? Including comparisons between print vs. web formats
Addressing and identifying the different arts sub-communities in the city
Cross-pollination—how blogs are creating a space where people in the same city interact who might never do so in real life
Bloggers’/writers’ role in documenting the local art scene
Blogs as artistic infrastructure
Accessibility issues – are there barriers to participation in these conversations?

Participants:
Franklin Einspruch, Artblog.net
Alesh Houdek, Critical Miami
KH, The Next Few Hours
Onajide Shabaka, Miami Art Exchange
Alfredo Triff, Tu Miami Blog

Moderator: Helen L. Kohen, Director of the Vasari Project and Art Critic Emeritus for The Miami Herald

Organized by Denise Delgado, Curator, Miami Dade Public Library System

Do you know tea?

2006-03-07T14:04:00.000-05:00

Well, it appears that even though I thought I was well versed in tea, I didn't get 100%! Humph. I better keep drinking, and try again. Check out the Tea Association's website and try the tea test for yourself. Let me know how you score.

kids and candy

2006-02-14T14:41:00.000-05:00

Aren't they cute? These are the Valentine's Grams that the Cultural Arts Club sold for its very first fundraiser! Inside these bundles are sweet candy and a nice little handmade card. Each gram was personally delivered to each student's homeroom by a member of the Club.I still have to do the final tally, but we are definitely not in the red. With only about 12 members, these kids made, sold and delivered grams to about 200 other students.

Not that the Hallmark holiday is worthy of all this effort, but the students are. And, getting lots of yummy candy to eat for the past week has been an added perk.

Despite all the hassles that come with being a high school teacher, the students in the Cultural Arts Club make my job worth it. Their smiles, motivation and ideas light up this place like nothing before. No, not even launchcast can make my classroom that fun!

women's bean project

2006-02-07T15:39:00.000-05:00

Just had to share. This is great organization that's actually DOING something to help "the cause." I bought the above pictured gifts for two of my profs that I'm assuming wrote outstanding letters of rec for grad school :)

A nice gift and a good cause....what could be better?

Here's a brief description of what they do :

For 16 years the Women's Bean Project has helped women break the cycle of poverty and unemployment. We teach workplace competencies for entry-level jobs through employment and by teaching job readiness and life skills in our gourmet food production business.

to get me through the day

2006-02-07T15:18:00.000-05:00

posted by Keri Smith, some thoughts that made me feel good about myself today. . .

January 20, 2006
insights from a hangover

a rather hopeless morning begins with me feeling "under the weather" because I consumed too much wine at a dinner party last night. I always beat myself up when that happens, because I know all too well having spent many months in the hospital with my mom that there are so many people out in the world who struggle with genuine illnesses every single day, and here I am doing it to myself.

overindulgence. a dirty word. so I sleep a little longer than usual. I try to keep some tea down and remind myself that I am human and prone to make mistakes now and then.

it is only in the last two years that I have really embraced my mistakes. picked them up off the dirty floor and hugged them for all I am worth. Not just the mistakes, but the insecurities, the fears, the junk. What does it mean to love those bits of yourself that you think are ugly?

For my whole life I have had difficulty looking at photos of myself. It was as if that person could never be enough for me, I did not want to see any of my flaws (or the things I percieved as imperfect). Now as I sit here at this cluttered desk (nursing a headache), I liken it to the process of creating a piece of artwork, and being willing to make work that is imperfect and flawed. This morning I was reminded of an article I wrote in "Living Out Loud", entitled "how to wreck a sketchbook". I feel another article coming on right now along the lines of "how to take bad photos of yourself". How to really look at those photos and let them be. How to love that image flaws and all. Yeah it looks like I have a double chin and a huge nose, and I don't know why I ever thought that skirt looked good on me. fuck it. that is all of me. Yes I can love me when the situation is favourable and flattering, and everything is just so, but can I love me when things are messy?

there is me the beautiful, inspired, kick-ass, full of life woman. and there is me who had too much to drink and wishes she could take back the last 12 hours, in her pyjamas that smell like cereal and milk. and there is the me that worries if people see a bad photo they might not like me as much, I will be taken off the list of "beautiful people they know", and put onto the list of "people who look unique".

all of me.

and if you want to work on embracing these things in yourself I suggest you go spend some time with some woman friends who will look at photos of you and see your real beauty (the stuff you can't see because of all your shit), and they will tell you about the little details, how your personality was captured by the way you tossed your head or held a glass, or how your eyes lit up for an instant and they saw your soul flood out. And if you are lucky, if you allow yourself (even if you really don't like the photo and want it burned), you might for an instant be able to see what they are seeing. you might start to realize that the real essence of you has nothing to do with what you are wearing or what your hair was like that day.

It is possible to love the bad photos. I'm actually thinking of creating a new gallery for them in my house.

Some little pangs of hunger start to creep in. a good sign I am on the road to recovery.

In Motion In Miami - Beyond the History Books

2006-02-01T13:13:00.000-05:00

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division

Henry T. De La Beche, Notes on the Present Condition of the Negroes in Jamaica (London: Printed for T. Cadell, in the Strand, 1825)

BLACK HISTORY Exhibit dramatizes how black flight benefited U.S.A traveling exhibit showcases how 400 years of black migration has influenced life and history in the United States, including South Florida. BY ANDREA ROBINSON

The black migration experience in America often is defined by the voyage from West Africa to bondage on Southern plantations, or the mass flight of men and women from poverty in the South to chase dreams of prosperity in Northern factories.
But what about the voyages of Haitians fleeing violence on rickety boats in search of a better life in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, or Bahamians who arrived in the 19th century to develop Key West and Miami? Even less is known about the journeys of African Americans who fled this country's slavery for freedom in Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and even Africa.
Just in time for Black History Month, an exhibit from the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York opens today in Overtown that expands the boundaries of black Americans' migration patterns over the last 400 years.
The exhibit, In Motion: The African American Migration Experience, traces 13 migration patterns of black people in this country, starting with the transatlantic slave trade and ending with the more recent journeys of Haitians to South Florida in search of freedom and opportunity.
The exhibit, which opens today at the Lyric Theater, grew out of a website project and art show created at Schomburg more than a year ago. This marks the first time the exhibit has traveled outside the New York center.
Schomburg Director Howard Dodson said the project's purpose is to educate children and adults beyond the traditional history lesson about the voyage of slaves from Africa to the West Indies and the United States.
''It gives us an alternative way of thinking and writing about African-American history,'' Dodson said. ``In fact, the individuals involved in the migratory movements are history makers in a major way. They redefined the history of America as a whole.''
The show will be in Miami through May 31, to celebrate Haitian Heritage Month. Dodson said those dates were purposefully selected, given the area's diversity of black people.
''Our agenda is to foster a greater level of understanding among the African people in Miami,'' he said. ``Miami is a microcosm of the African diaspora.''
The exhibit caught the eye of Miami City Commissioner Michelle Spence Jones, who viewed it last year during a trip to New York while she still worked as a senior aide on the staff of Mayor Manny Diaz. She was floored by the images and the connections to South Florida.
''We need to bridge all of the various communities together,'' she said.
Spence Jones asked Dorothy Jenkins Fields, founder of the Black Archives Research Foundation of South Florida, if she'd be interested in hosting the show.
The original project, funded by a $2.4 million federal grant, tracks the circular migration patterns of blacks in, out and back into the United States in 13 categories.
Included in the project are a website, a book published by National Geographic and lesson plans for schools. The website has close to 17,000 pages of essays, manuscripts and maps, and 8,000 photographs that trace the movements of about 35 million people of African descent.
Dodson said he hopes the exhibit and the website give viewers, particularly blacks, a better understanding of the importance of black migration in the United States.
``They should understand how they dispersed throughout the United States and transformed themselves and their communities.''

student inspiration

2006-01-12T15:17:00.000-05:00

As I did not "plan" to be a teacher, a lot of the work I do can be very frustrating for me. I was used to making my art, doing my research and most unaccustomed to teaching 180 people basic photography. But, here I am a year and a half later, and at least once a day a student comes along whose smile can remind me why this turmoil is a good thing.

With all that said, I have two things to share. First, after my friend Kathy introduced me to Keri Smith's work via her blog, I just had to try some of her creativity exercises out with my classes. Since the students keep a journal, I decided to the 100 ideas. The kids each picked one square out of a bag and had a week to complete the task. I'll get some digital photos up here soon. Some of them are hilarious. Try some of her activities out for yourself; they're great!

Secondly, this week I took about 20 students to the Miami Art Museum to see the Ana Mendieta exhibit. Great! Thrilling! Immense! are they words that come to my mind. While there, my students collectively created a poem, and I want to share it:

different
enlightening
amazing
Mother Nature
life
transforming
heritage
creator
expressive
nurturing
unique
extravagant
creepy
mysterious
sorrow
heartfelt
mother
Cuba

creative capital announces the winners! no, not me :(

2005-12-14T15:20:00.000-05:00

Creative Capital has announced their choices for th Professional Development weekend in January. Sadly enough, my name did not make it on that list. I think I'm the prime candidate for some professional development - young artist, teaching others...anyway, not how they saw it. Here's the letter - mom, it's one more rejection letter to pin to the wall...is it full yet?

The panel for the Creative Capital Professional Development Program, chaired by Councilor Steve Alexander, met on Tuesday, December 13th, to select the participants for the program's 2006 cycle. The competition both in terms of the number of applications and the quality of submissions was particularly strong this year. As the program is limited to 15 participants, applicants who were not selected for this cycle are encouraged to try again for 2007.
The following artists were selected:

Letty Bassart, choreographer
Franklin Einspruch, visual artist
Orlando Garcia, composer
Marjorie Klein, writer
Vivian Marthell, visual artist
Charo Oquet, visual artist
Karen Peterson, choreographer
Tall Rickards, visual artist
Juan Sanchez, playwright
George Sanchez-Calderon, visual artist
Matthew Schreiber, visual artist
Augusto Soledade, choreographer
Barry Sparkman, visual artist
Ray Sullivan, choreographer
Helena Thevenot, choreographer

The workshop will take place Friday, January 20 from 6 PM to 9:30 PM; Saturday, January 21 from 9 AM to 6 PM ; and Sunday, January 22 from 9 AM to 5 PM. It is absolutely imperative that all participants be available for the entire weekend. Please plan to be on time.
We are currently negotiating for a downtown location for the workshop, but will most likely host the program in our offices on the 6th floor of the government center. Further information regarding the logistics for the weekend will be forwarded to you directly from the Creative Capital Foundation.
I would appreciate a "reply" email from the participants as an assurance that this email was received.
Please forgive the informality of this notice. I am resorting to email as the fastest and most efficient means of communicating with you. Congratulations to all and a sincere thanks to everyone who applied.
Rem

more thoughts on recent murder

2005-12-13T14:42:00.000-05:00

Take a look at Schwarzenegger's written response to the clemency request. Pay specific attention to the last page or so when he explains that it was William's book dedication which
"casts significant doubt on his personal redemption." The list includes Nelson Mandela, Angela Davis, Malcolm X, Assata Shakur, Geronimo Ji Jaga Pratt, Ramona Africa, John Africa, Leonard Peltier, Dhoruba Al-Mujahid, George Jackson, and Mumia Abu-Jamal. I hope other people are seriously questioning this written response as well. It is so flawed. Shouts racism, violence and misrepresentation. It makes me sad, mad, enraged that even a nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize cannot prove a person's contribution to society.

the long goodbye . . . timeline of an execution

2005-12-13T11:14:00.000-05:00

Tookie's Long GoodbyeTimeline of an execution, quote by quote
by Chanel LeeDecember 13th, 2005 9:36 AM

See also:
The Rules of Redemption How could 'Tookie' Williams have convinced the Governor? by Nick Sylvester
April 29, 1993—At the Hands Across Watts peace summit between members of the Bloods and the Crips, convicted murderer Stanley Tookie Williams delivers a videotaped message from San Quentin’s death row to hundreds of gang members gathered in a Los Angeles hotel ballroom. "Working together,” he tells them, “we can put an end to this cycle that creates deep pain in the hearts of our mothers, our fathers, and our people, who have lost loved ones to this senseless violence.”
April 13, 1997—Williams posts an apology for his previous gang activity on www.tookie.com, lamenting, “When I created the Crips youth gang. . . in South Central Los Angeles, I never imagined Crips membership would one day spread throughout California, would spread to much of the rest of the nation and to cities in South Africa, where Crips copycat gangs have formed. I also didn't expect the Crips to end up ruining the lives of so many young people, especially young black men who have hurt other young black men. . . . So today I apologize to you all—the children of America and South Africa—who must cope every day with dangerous street gangs. I no longer participate in the so-called gangster lifestyle, and I deeply regret that I ever did. . . . I pray that one day my apology will be accepted. I also pray that your suffering, caused by gang violence, will soon come to an end as more gang members wake up and stop hurting themselves and others. I vow to spend the rest of my life working toward solutions."
August 1997—PowerKids Press publishes Williams’ series of children’s books. Co-written with author Barbara Cottman Becnel, the books offer children alternatives to gang violence. “If you're going to teach a child, teach him properly,” Williams will say to Mother Jones in 2001. “My books, they are about instilling confidence, trying to convince youngsters that they have the potential to succeed in life, and that they don't have to succumb to the stereotypes.”
November 18, 2000—Swiss Member of Parliament and death penalty opponent Mario Fehr nominates Williams for the Nobel Peace Prize. United Nations General Secretary Kofi Annan ultimately takes the prize in February 2001; Williams would receive five more Nobel nominations, including one for Literature, the latest coming on December 8. "Everybody is not loved and everybody is not hated. . . . I didn't nominate myself," Williams tells the Contra Costa Times shortly after news of the nomination breaks. "I let the merits of what I do speak for itself. My main objective is to convince kids that the gang life is a cause-less cause. I try to apprise them of the fact that there are other ways."
September 10, 2002—The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejects the appeal of his death sentence, but suggests Williams apply for clemency from Gray Davis, then governor of California. "Although Williams' good works and accomplishments since incarceration may make him a worthy candidate for the exercise of gubernatorial discretion, they are not matters that we in the federal judiciary are at liberty to take into consideration," Judge Preston Hug writes in the majority opinion.
October 11, 2005—The United States Supreme Court denies Williams’s appeal without comment, setting his execution for 12:01 a.m., December 13.
November 30, 2005—Williams speaks to WBAI’s Amy Goodman from prison in one of his final interviews. “I continue to live my life day by day, or shall I say, minute by minute, hour by hour, and day by day, as I have been doing since my redemption,” he tells Goodman on Democracy Now! “It has nothing to do with a cavalier attitude. It has nothing to do with machismo or manhood or some pseudo code of the streets, which I formerly used. It has to do with my faith in God and my redemption. . . .I don't fear this type of stuff. I'm at peace. And when you maintain this sense of peace and you live by truth, by integrity, these things don't bother me. It doesn't.”
December 11, 2005—The California State Supreme Court denies a plea to grant a stay of execution and reopen Williams’s case, asserting in its ruling that he “has not made a prima facia showing that his claims, whether viewed individually or in aggregate, could meet the statutory requirements of both due diligence and clear and convincing evidence of actual innocence."
December 12, 2005—Seven months after it rejected Williams’s final appeal, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denies a request to issue a stay of the execution—but again suggests that Williams seek clemency.
December 12, 2005—Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger denies clemency hours later, saying, "After studying the evidence, searching the history, listening to the arguments and wrestling with the profound consequences, I could find no justification for granting clemency. The facts do not justify overturning the jury's verdict or the decisions of the courts in this case. The possible irregularities in Williams' trial have been thoroughly and carefully reviewed by the courts, and there is no reason to disturb the judicial decisions that uphold the jury's decisions that he is guilty. . . and should pay with his life."
December 12, 2005—Attorneys for Williams file a last-ditch appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, hoping to win a stay of his execution. The high court rejects the appeal without comment.
December 13, 2005—Stanley Tookie Williams dies in California’s San Quentin Prison after receiving a lethal injection. He was 51 years old. According to the Los Angeles Times, he told friends he wasn't afraid of death. Witnesses to the killing told the paper it took 10 minutes to locate a vein, and that among his last words were these: "Still can't find it?"

stanley "tookie" williams and the soul of the country

2005-12-13T10:56:00.000-05:00

Crips Co-Founder Williams Put to Death

Stanley Tookie Williams was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize five times while in prison for murder. California Department of Corrections

NPR.org, December 13, 2005 · SAN QUENTIN, Calif. (AP) -- Convicted killer Stanley Tookie Williams, the Crips gang co-founder whose case stirred a national debate about capital punishment and the possibility of redemption, was executed Tuesday morning.
Williams, 51, died around 12:35 a.m. after receiving a lethal injection at San Quentin State Prison, officials said.
The case became the state's highest-profile execution in decades. Hollywood stars and capital punishment foes argued that Williams' sentence should be commuted to life in prison because he had made amends by writing children's books about the dangers of gangs and violence.
In the days leading up to the execution, state and federal courts refused to reopen his case. Monday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger denied Williams' request for clemency, suggesting that his supposed change of heart was not genuine because he had not shown any real remorse for the countless killings committed by the Crips.
"Is Williams' redemption complete and sincere, or is it just a hollow promise?" Schwarzenegger wrote. "Without an apology and atonement for these senseless and brutal killings, there can be no redemption."
Williams was condemned in 1981 for gunning down convenience store clerk Albert Owens, 26, at a 7-Eleven in Whittier and killing Yen-I Yang, 76, Tsai-Shai Chen Yang, 63, and the couple's daughter Yu-Chin Yang Lin, 43, at the Los Angeles motel they owned. Williams claimed he was innocent.
Witnesses at the trial said Williams boasted about the killings, stating "You should have heard the way he sounded when I shot him." Williams then made a growling noise and laughed for five to six minutes, according to the transcript that the governor referenced in his denial of clemency.
Williams was the 12th person executed in California since lawmakers reinstated the death penalty in 1977.
About 1,000 death penalty supporters and opponents gathered outside the prison to await the execution. Singer Joan Baez, actor Mike Farrell and the Rev. Jesse Jackson were among the celebrities who protested the execution.
"Tonight is planned, efficient, calculated, antiseptic, cold-blooded murder and I think everyone who is here is here to try to enlist the morality and soul of this country," said Baez who sang "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" on a small plywood stage set up just outside the gates.
A contingent of 40 people who had walked the approximately 25 miles from San Francisco held signs calling for an end to "state-sponsored murder." Others said they wanted to honor the memory of Williams' victims.
Among the celebrities who took up Williams' cause were Jamie Foxx, who played the gang leader in a cable movie about Williams; rapper Snoop Dogg, himself a former Crip; Sister Helen Prejean, the nun depicted in "Dead Man Walking"; and Bianca Jagger. During Williams' 24 years on death row, a Swiss legislator, college professors and others nominated him for the Nobel Prizes in peace and literature.
"There is no part of me that existed then that exists now," Williams said recently during an interview with The Associated Press.
"I haven't had a lot of joy in my life. But in here," he says, pointing to his heart, "I'm happy. I am peaceful in here. I am joyful in here."

yogini props

2005-12-09T16:48:00.000-05:00

While I've been doing some holiday shopping I've come across some great yoga stuff, and I wanted to pass the info along.

Intent is an online shop that one of my yoga teachers, Paul turned me on to. They have these great utility type yoga bags that are just great for the "active yogi/ini."

And, Slainte is a very cool woman run gig out of San Fransisco. They have beautiful bags, like the one I got for myself which is pictured here. Jill, the proprietor has all kinds of great fabric that she uses to make these bags. Each one is unique, depending on what's available. It looks so nice, I can't wait to get it and finally have a place to put my yoga bag while it rolls around in my car!

today show annoyance

2005-12-09T16:37:00.000-05:00

I was watching the Today Show a couple of days ago as I usually do in the morning, and the most annoying thing ever happened. Christie Brinkley and Cheryl Tiegs were being interviewed by Katie Couric on how 5o is the new 30. Ok, I could work with that title. I think that 50 is definitely still young, and I know lots of 5o somethings that are great. But, these two women just went and screwed the whole thing up. They proceeded to say how it was ok to turn 50 nowadays because there are great skin products out there which can help take away wrinkles. Plus, there are lots of other non-invasive procedures currently which save women from having to "go under the knife." Well, thank god there are face creams out there and botox so I don't have to look my age! What's wrong with women who are 50, and so what if they look like they are 50?! These two women are no role models for me. Smiles, skin and hair from bottles and jars. No thank you.

There was one hilarious thing that happened . . . as the models were talking, Katie Couric interrupted, and said, Wait, aren't we supposed to be encouraging women to look great at their age, not despite of it. And the models continued that technology was so advanced that we didn't have to worry about looking old anymore. Well, I've got news for them - they did look old. And they looked like were trying too damned hard to fight time.

Now, I know that coming from a 25 year old, all this rambling may not mean much, but I hope that somewhere out there women can stop fighting and start living. When will we get it through our minds that looking good has so many variations?

thanksgiving remarks and pumpkin bread recipe

2005-11-24T18:47:00.000-05:00

It's been while since I posted, and it seems fitting to me that it's on Thanksgiving. Those of you that know me know that's it's been a tough year for me. Just a week ago, I lost my grandfather only three months after losing my other grandfather. I wasn't sure how I'd feel today, a day when I was supposed to be happy, but I am actually doing alright. Both of my grandfathers were such great men, and they really did live their lives according to their own plans. Each one in their own way. Today, on Thanksgiving, I am happy for what I have learned and inherited from them. I am happy to still be around now, learning as much as I can from my family, friends, and every new person I meet on my adventures. And so ends this note. . . with a recipe for Pumpkin Walnut Bread . . .

Pumpkin Walnut Bread
Makes 1 loaf.
pumpkin, sectioned and boiled (you'll need flesh about the size of a sweet potato)
4 cups flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp easy blend yeast
2/3 c walnut pieces
1 1/4 c warmed milk
salt and pepper
extra flour for dusting
oil for greasing

1. Boil the pumpkin sections and scoop out the flesh.
2. Sift together flour and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in the yeast. .
3. Add the pumpkin and mix. Add salt and pepper
4. Make a well in the center, and pour in the milk. Mix.
5. Turn dough out and knead 5 mins.
6. Put into bowl, and cover with oiled plastic sheet. Let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
7. Punch down, and knead a few mins.
8. Place in pan, cover and let rise 1 hour or until doubled in size.
9. Place in 400 degree oven for 25 mins.
10. You'll know it's done when it's golden brown, and when you knock on the top it sounds hollow.

Enjoy, and let me know what you think.

busy bee

2005-11-04T14:41:00.000-05:00

I am definitely too busy to sit on here and write, but it is a nice diversion. It's Friday! Yeah, I guess. It was nice having a shorter work week than normal, except for the fact that I have a lot of work to do. Two days was not enough time to get it all done. I'm applying to about 8 schools, and it's so tedious keeping track of what goes where and who I've spoken to about what!

I am excited for tonite's performance by Guillermo Gomez-Pena. (see last post for specs) They keep announcing it on NPR, and I try to use that energy to push through this paperwork.

Next week I'm headed out to visit UCLA and UCSD. Two very exciting places with top-notch grad programs . . .

two great artists here!

2005-11-02T10:23:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I'm really thrilled that two great artists are going to be visiting Miami, despite all the chaos caused by Hurricane Wilma. First, Yvonne Rainer will be here, tomorrow, Thursday, at Florida Atlantic University. She's a dancer turned filmmaker with some very interesting critiques. There is so much to say about her, but I won't put it all here. If you just type her name in to google, you'll get a ton of info!

Journey from Berlin/1971

Guillermo Gomez Pena, a performance artist and activist will be at Florida International University, South on Friday, November 4 at 8pm. This is a spectacular event to come to Miami considering his critical viewpoints, and Miami's notoriously right-leaning tendencies. I most interested in his perspective on displacement and how that feeds into performance. Additionally, I am excited to see his work in person, as until now, I have only read about it. If you are interested in reading about his work, there is a lot of good discourse out there. Hopefully, when I start a PhD program in the Fall, I will be one of those people adding to the available knowledge.

2005-11-01T10:35:00.001-05:00

cousins romping through debris ridden backyard
lsp

2005-11-01T10:35:00.000-05:00

lara near the miami river
lsp

back to . . . well something

2005-10-31T08:44:00.000-05:00

My family and I have checked out of the hotel we were using as our hurricane recovery zone. They got power back yesterday. I still don't have any. Lisa's place does, and so we're sleeping on her couch. Things could be worse, but they're not the most comfortable to say the least. Public schools are closed till Wednesday, and that's been my only saving grace. By Tuesday, I'll need to start getting ready to jump back on track to teach.

The Herald has had some good commentary articles on the divide between the haves and the have nots. I'll link some here for you to read. I definitely felt that distinct divide right away. While I was in the hotel room, overlooking the ocean, I was watching a television that explained it was a warzone outside. People waited hours for ice and water. There were lines forming in the middle of the night for gas stations that were rumored to have power. I'm so glad that Lisa always wants to be hyper-prepared. We each had full tank of gas, enough water to last us, oh, about 6 months, and plenty of dry goods. There was no way I ws going out there! I wondered about the people that were there . . . did they all really NEED to be there? Were they there because they got caught up in the frenzy? Did they understand that this supply was for people who could not have afforded, or were not able to provide this for themselves or their families? I don't think that was really explained.

Here is a link to one of Herald OpEd pieces: (try to find the links to the rest later . . . they were great)

Bush's Rejected Speech about Wilma

Wilma, Wilma

2005-10-28T17:46:00.000-04:00

My family and I still have no power at home. Luckily, we are fortunate enough to have the means to stay in a hotel and eat out every meal. I can only imagine those people looking into their pantries to pull out white bread and beans, again!

I have been going easy on the driving. I will not wait in a three hour line for overpriced gasoline.

More later . . . off to pick up my sweetie.

welcome

2005-10-27T17:08:00.000-04:00

Welcome to a new way to learn about all of my adventures, research and artistic endeavors!