Latin Reminisces
Being back from tour feels weird every now and then. On tour one wakes up in a different place with different people almost everyday. Something new is seen constantly and distinct words and thoughts enter ones ear on an ever increasing basis. Here at home base...things aren't like that. The same faces are seen and similar thoughts and opinions prevail. The excitement of uncertainty is quelled by this regularity of everyday scenarios. The excitement of not knowing who I'll meet or what I'll do 24 hours a day is what I'll miss the most. Interestingly, the uncertainty of our daily lives on tour is one of the things that often disturbed me the most. Not knowing when, where or how we'd pay for food, gas or other necessities on certain days made my brain want to leap out of it's skull. Sleeping arrangements didn't bother me much because I always knew that our home away from home was there (our Tour Bus). Showers was also a major concern of mine but we always found a way to get showers, food and anything else we needed. This fact left me with the knowledge of something we're reminded of on each and every tour we do. As long as we're doing what we believe in... we will somehow be o.k. Now if I could just find a way to incorporate that into the everyday regularities of life ll.
I strive each and every day to learn something new that I can pass down to others. Each day on tour was no different and the experiences I gained from being on the Front Lines tour will inevitably now be passed on to the youth I work with and the peoples I perform for. For the ability to do so I thank all of you that helped the Front Lines Tour get on its way and those of you that helped keep it going till the very last moment.
Peace, Paz, Salaam and once again THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.
Your Master Blogger
-Latin
Monday, September 15, 2008
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Reminiscing on the Tour Experience
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We're back home safe! After an arduous journey throughout the U.S. we now often reflect on the day to day occurrences we experienced on a tour that ended up changing our lives. As Ernesto Guevara De La Serna wrote to his mother after having traveled throughout South America; "Yo... ya no soy you" (I am no longer I) I myself feel the same way. Reading the below entries from each member of the ReadNex you'll see that I'm not the only one who feels this way. For now we have entries from Decora and Free. Soon we'll have a few others. Having come home we've encountered a number of things that need to be handled but be sure to check back for other entries coming soon.
Peace, Paz, Salaam
Latin
P.S. Thank you for lending your eyes to our words throughout our experience.
Never again will I take the words Front Lines for granted. As one of the artists on the 2008 Front Lines Tour I experienced the United States in a way unexpected prior to setting out. On July 10TH I thought I would leave home and visit places where people were anviled with adversity to the point of submission, hoping for a change to come . I thought I would speak with people whose hopes were railroaded by the train of disenchantment. Whose dreams would be morphed into a distant fantasy because of our governments policy marginalizing the space between them and justice. Although I encountered many people who were fatigued by the issues they were facing, the overwhelming fragrance of people with hope flooded my nose and opened my eyes to something totally different.
I found people in the lower ninth ward who gave me inspiration to continue on as an artists and spread the word of what I know to be true. I spoke with people in Whitesburg, Kentucky whose perspective was more well rounded then that of a traveling man. I was taught the true meaning of patience by a man in Fresno California who at the age of 38 has 11 children and does side jobs for a living. Although every second spent with me was a dollar lost, he still took the time to teach me the ways of life. Yet most importantly I learned to listen. I learned to listen by a woman from a community organization in Atlanta Georgia. A man at his home in Juarex, Mexico. A woman giving a speech from the Navajo Nation in New Mexico. And a 12 year old in break dancing in the street in San Francisco, California....
These folks are a small amount of those hundreds of people who blessed me with the power to listen. Had I not learned this early on in the tour I might not have seen the true beauty of our people. The smiles hidden in frowns, the music hidden in heartbeats keeping rhythms of love, for family, friends and even 9 strangers on a tour across the nation. One of the most powerful tools in constructing a better world is listening. Without listening we will continue to play the same songs over and over again, not realizing that the lyrics weren't even written for us but instead about us. How can the world be changed if the song we've been singing is only a preconceived notion about us but not the truth, by us. The power of listening is so high on the list of the universe that even the stars gaze at it. What was once a dream did not become a fantasy instead it became a reality. All of this because I learned to listen, Thank You
Revolution Begins With Self
Decora
Peace,
Decora
ReadNex Poetry Squad
Music Will Move A Nation!
I'm ready…..
I'm ready to go the distance. I have been equipped with faith, patience, intellect, humility, and ginger ale. My experience on the Front Lines Tour has been life altering. The person I was I no longer am. I have grown through the people I've met and the bond that was created with the other eight members and the experiences we shared as a nuclear family on our magic school bus. We set out on this journey to mend the severed edges and communities within our nation, little did we know (myself especially) that we were learning to mend the severed edges within ourselves. As usual, I over-packed and realized that later on in the tour (after our magical school bus died on us) that maybe 5 pairs of sneakers was a bit excessive. Especially when they are all in boxes. Needless to say 5 ½ weeks later after we started tour I was paying Fed-Ex shipping fees.
The tour started out in Brooklyn and it was a fitting kick off because I learned that Hip Hop has become a universal tool and can unify all types of people; no matter what race,age, gender or sexual orientation. Two graff artist were enamored by our tour bus and decided to add to the beautiful artwork that Corey did just days prior. In Kentucky we had a jam session with a banjo player… Me of all people, a girl from Fort Greene, BK jamming with a banjo. If it weren't captured in pics no one would ever believe it to be true. Our stay in Kentucky was an eye opener to environmental issues and social justice issues. I couldn't help but be amazed by the effects the coal mining industry and the close proximity to maximum security prisons would have on this small town in Kentucky. There were so many incidents on tour that were clear signs of some sort of divinity that I cant help but sit back and reflect and feel blessed.
When the bus broke down in Fresno, California it literally put the tour at a stand still. We had a number of occurrences where we almost didn't make it, but the transmission dying solidified the fact that we had to make some crucial decisions. Fresno was not a planned spot on the tour but it was definitely one of the communities we sought out to reach at the beginning of this tour. Our visit was unexpected but fortunately for us we were well received. The artist network out there was small but so organized and efficient that we were able throw together a show and feature at another show the following night. Thanks to the many donations and merchandise sold we were able to get to the Bay Area and continue the tour on foot. Honestly, I cant imagine not having experienced the tour and I am so grateful for it all. I have a lifetime of experience from 7 incredible weeks on the road performing, facilitating workshop and absorbing others cultures.
Your Sister in the Struggle,
FreeFlowin
We're back home safe! After an arduous journey throughout the U.S. we now often reflect on the day to day occurrences we experienced on a tour that ended up changing our lives. As Ernesto Guevara De La Serna wrote to his mother after having traveled throughout South America; "Yo... ya no soy you" (I am no longer I) I myself feel the same way. Reading the below entries from each member of the ReadNex you'll see that I'm not the only one who feels this way. For now we have entries from Decora and Free. Soon we'll have a few others. Having come home we've encountered a number of things that need to be handled but be sure to check back for other entries coming soon.
Peace, Paz, Salaam
Latin
P.S. Thank you for lending your eyes to our words throughout our experience.
Never again will I take the words Front Lines for granted. As one of the artists on the 2008 Front Lines Tour I experienced the United States in a way unexpected prior to setting out. On July 10TH I thought I would leave home and visit places where people were anviled with adversity to the point of submission, hoping for a change to come . I thought I would speak with people whose hopes were railroaded by the train of disenchantment. Whose dreams would be morphed into a distant fantasy because of our governments policy marginalizing the space between them and justice. Although I encountered many people who were fatigued by the issues they were facing, the overwhelming fragrance of people with hope flooded my nose and opened my eyes to something totally different.
I found people in the lower ninth ward who gave me inspiration to continue on as an artists and spread the word of what I know to be true. I spoke with people in Whitesburg, Kentucky whose perspective was more well rounded then that of a traveling man. I was taught the true meaning of patience by a man in Fresno California who at the age of 38 has 11 children and does side jobs for a living. Although every second spent with me was a dollar lost, he still took the time to teach me the ways of life. Yet most importantly I learned to listen. I learned to listen by a woman from a community organization in Atlanta Georgia. A man at his home in Juarex, Mexico. A woman giving a speech from the Navajo Nation in New Mexico. And a 12 year old in break dancing in the street in San Francisco, California....
These folks are a small amount of those hundreds of people who blessed me with the power to listen. Had I not learned this early on in the tour I might not have seen the true beauty of our people. The smiles hidden in frowns, the music hidden in heartbeats keeping rhythms of love, for family, friends and even 9 strangers on a tour across the nation. One of the most powerful tools in constructing a better world is listening. Without listening we will continue to play the same songs over and over again, not realizing that the lyrics weren't even written for us but instead about us. How can the world be changed if the song we've been singing is only a preconceived notion about us but not the truth, by us. The power of listening is so high on the list of the universe that even the stars gaze at it. What was once a dream did not become a fantasy instead it became a reality. All of this because I learned to listen, Thank You
Revolution Begins With Self
Decora
Peace,
Decora
ReadNex Poetry Squad
Music Will Move A Nation!
I'm ready…..
I'm ready to go the distance. I have been equipped with faith, patience, intellect, humility, and ginger ale. My experience on the Front Lines Tour has been life altering. The person I was I no longer am. I have grown through the people I've met and the bond that was created with the other eight members and the experiences we shared as a nuclear family on our magic school bus. We set out on this journey to mend the severed edges and communities within our nation, little did we know (myself especially) that we were learning to mend the severed edges within ourselves. As usual, I over-packed and realized that later on in the tour (after our magical school bus died on us) that maybe 5 pairs of sneakers was a bit excessive. Especially when they are all in boxes. Needless to say 5 ½ weeks later after we started tour I was paying Fed-Ex shipping fees.
The tour started out in Brooklyn and it was a fitting kick off because I learned that Hip Hop has become a universal tool and can unify all types of people; no matter what race,age, gender or sexual orientation. Two graff artist were enamored by our tour bus and decided to add to the beautiful artwork that Corey did just days prior. In Kentucky we had a jam session with a banjo player… Me of all people, a girl from Fort Greene, BK jamming with a banjo. If it weren't captured in pics no one would ever believe it to be true. Our stay in Kentucky was an eye opener to environmental issues and social justice issues. I couldn't help but be amazed by the effects the coal mining industry and the close proximity to maximum security prisons would have on this small town in Kentucky. There were so many incidents on tour that were clear signs of some sort of divinity that I cant help but sit back and reflect and feel blessed.
When the bus broke down in Fresno, California it literally put the tour at a stand still. We had a number of occurrences where we almost didn't make it, but the transmission dying solidified the fact that we had to make some crucial decisions. Fresno was not a planned spot on the tour but it was definitely one of the communities we sought out to reach at the beginning of this tour. Our visit was unexpected but fortunately for us we were well received. The artist network out there was small but so organized and efficient that we were able throw together a show and feature at another show the following night. Thanks to the many donations and merchandise sold we were able to get to the Bay Area and continue the tour on foot. Honestly, I cant imagine not having experienced the tour and I am so grateful for it all. I have a lifetime of experience from 7 incredible weeks on the road performing, facilitating workshop and absorbing others cultures.
Your Sister in the Struggle,
FreeFlowin
Monday, August 11, 2008
STUCK IN FRESNO, CALIFORNIA!
Today we reach the four week mark of the Frontlines Tour, which kicked off on July 10th in Brooklyn at a community Block Party. I jumped on the refurbished 32-passenger school bus when the tour hit Atlanta, the city I stay in now (although I am a native Bostonian). The Frontlines Tour consists of 8 people: 4 Poet/MCs, 1 DJ, 2 Interns and 1 Producer. The whole Frontlines concept is based on the grassroots organizing idea. We are going around the nation to various communities where we are linked up with a community organization that shows us the real issues of their community. Through those organizations we do youth workshops showing youth the positive power of Hip Hop and expression. At night we perform, and 75% of the proceeds raised go back to the host organization. The last 25% of the money raised goes straight into our 5 miles a gallon gas tank, and into our food fund. NONE OF US ON TOUR ARE GETTING PAID. I just had to be CRYSTAL clear about that factor. The group on tour is the ReadNex Poetry Squad, a conscious Hip Hop Poetry group formed from a club that was started at Orange County Community College. They are for lack of a larger vocabulary on my part, and amazing group. Each individual adds to the group in a unique way: H2O, the DJ is calm and help keeps the group focused and chill through the more trying times, Cuttz, Poet/MC, is an amazing actor and teacher, Latin, Poet, is a hilarious comedian, and also has a passion for youth, Free, Poet, is an aspiring civil rights lawyer who believes in organizing communities, and Decora, Poet/MC, is a naturally dedicated and ambitious leader essential to the group, Graham is a genius producer, and Jamaal the other intern is an amazing do-it-yourself man, without him on the trip we would have been broken down way before we reached the west coast, and I add an outside organizing view, and refreshed energy since I got on a week later than the rest of them. We sleep, work and eat together; actually we are stuck together for about 23.5 hours a day. So it gets a little crazy at times, its challenging, but have gotten back what we put forth, and we have all grown from the experiences and the people we have met along the way.
We were in Los Angeles for 3 days, working hard on performances and at Venice Beach. We met a lot of cool people in LA, and heard some amazing poets spit their stuff. Our next stop was in Sacramento, at Wine and Words, a bi-weekly venue that celebrates the culture an darts in Sac-town over some delicious wine. It was an event that had been planned and promoted for months. While passing a fruit farm we noticed our tour bus had started puffing out white smoke. So we pulled over on highway 99, and saw that our transmission fluid had leaked out, which is an ongoing problem for us. Decora and Jamaal run 2 miles to the nearest exit to get some transmission fluid for the bus. On the way back Jamaal was able to get a ride back with a kind man who overheard our troubles at the store. We put in the 11 gallons of transmission fluid and started back on our way to Sacramento.
We started back on Highway 99 and found that our bus couldn't push past 2nd gear, and going 30 miles an hour on a California highway is something I would not recommend anyone doing. We were able to get to Fresno, and pulled into the AutoZone on the corner of Lee and California St. Our car stopped completely right as we pulled up the parking lot ramp, so we had to get out and push. We got our workout, pushing the bus, yes I said BUS, around the parking lot. As this was going on I was racking my brain trying to remember the number for Eddie, the 2008 YP4 fellow I had met and connected with during the '08 Fellowship summit earlier this year in January. I finally found his voicemail, pressed 8 for a callback, and after the third call Eddie picked up. I told him our situation, where we were and I was relieved when he said he would see me in 15 minutes. He was going to give 2 of us a ride to the nearest car rental place so we could make our way to the Sacramento show we were running late for.
Eddie rolls through with his friend Mike and they instantly lift our mood, we are talking and laughing, and working on fixing the mess at hand. Eddie and Mike take Free and Decora to the Budget where we rent a 7-passenger SUV for us to drive 3 hours to our show. They leave, and we hope that some miracle will stop time so we can make it to Sacramento on time. While we are waiting for them to come back, a mechanic comes by and tells us he will help us out, Cuttz and him spoke in Spanish, and we found out that the problem wasn't the lack of transmission fluid, our problem was the transmission itself; it was completely done. The mechanic tells us we can go to his house and he will look at it. H2O, Jamaal, Latin, Cuttz and I push the tour bus, which only moves by momentum, while Graham drives. When we get to the mechanics house we are greeted by his 9 children and other neighborhood kids who are ecstatic to see our tour bus, decked out with graffiti and hip hop icons such as Nas, Tupac, Biggie and more park on their street. We show them the bus, talk with them and start to pack our bags; depending on how much room the DJ equipment takes up, we will see how many people will make the trip to Sacramento. As I put my sneaker into the trash bag I am using to carry my things, Eddie, Mike, Free and Decora pull up. They jump out and we all work hard and fast to get all of the equipment, merchandise and personal begins into the new vehicle. As were packing in the car, Mike is cheering us on: "Come on y'all!! Hurry up you got a show to make!!!" So we finish up, figure out that 7 of us can fit, and collectively decide that Graham; king of the Couch Surfing world will stay behind in Fresno. We said all our "Goodbyes" and "Thank Yous" to Eddie and Mike and pulled off from the Mechanics house, tired, but ready for the show.
Eddie and his boy Mike really pulled through in our time of need. They drove us around the city, helped us rent a car, donated money, and bought us water. Me and Eddie were talking about the whole experience, and how everything happens for a reason. Our tour bus may have broke down, and we may all be broke now, but we were in a city where people helped us out. The connection I made with Eddie through YP4 was priceless, and served me, and the whole Frontlines Crew in a real-life situation. I wanted to write this story for people to see the opportunity, and networking connections made through Young People For. I also wanted to thank Young People For, because I keep learning first hand how valuable the fellowship really is. Thank you Eddie, Mike and Young People For, for the hand you held out to me, and the rest of the group.
As I finish the story up I want to let you know that we are still stuck in Fresno, after three powerful days in Sacramento. We have to return the rental in a few hours and as I am typing, Jamaal and Decora are on their way to the tow company so they can tow our bus. The first mechanic fell through and after throwing down our personal money, we still need to raise about $900 to get the transmission fixed at the new auto mechanic company we are going to use. We are in a bind because in 2 days, on August 13th we need to be in Salt Lake City, to drop off one person at the airport, and pick up another at noon. Its an 18 hour drive to Utah from Fresno, and right now we have no gas money. If you are able to donate money or help us out in any way, and if for some reason you have an extra transmission we could use, we would graciously appreciate it.
You can donate directly to our Pay Pal account:
www.myspace.com/frontlinestour scroll down past the tour image and click donate. This money will go directly to us, and will help us make it to Salt Lake City, and continue the tour. For more information on the tour and the group visit us at:
www.frontlinestour.com www.myspace.com/readnex And if you want to connect with me personally, have any questions or ideas, please feel free to call me at 857-222-3554 or email me at
lutejuntos@gmail.com All support is appreciated and needed at this time.
Much Love and Respect to all,
Lute Juntos (Struggle Together)
Peace,
Corina McCarthy-Fadel
Get more from your digital life. Find out how.
We were in Los Angeles for 3 days, working hard on performances and at Venice Beach. We met a lot of cool people in LA, and heard some amazing poets spit their stuff. Our next stop was in Sacramento, at Wine and Words, a bi-weekly venue that celebrates the culture an darts in Sac-town over some delicious wine. It was an event that had been planned and promoted for months. While passing a fruit farm we noticed our tour bus had started puffing out white smoke. So we pulled over on highway 99, and saw that our transmission fluid had leaked out, which is an ongoing problem for us. Decora and Jamaal run 2 miles to the nearest exit to get some transmission fluid for the bus. On the way back Jamaal was able to get a ride back with a kind man who overheard our troubles at the store. We put in the 11 gallons of transmission fluid and started back on our way to Sacramento.
We started back on Highway 99 and found that our bus couldn't push past 2nd gear, and going 30 miles an hour on a California highway is something I would not recommend anyone doing. We were able to get to Fresno, and pulled into the AutoZone on the corner of Lee and California St. Our car stopped completely right as we pulled up the parking lot ramp, so we had to get out and push. We got our workout, pushing the bus, yes I said BUS, around the parking lot. As this was going on I was racking my brain trying to remember the number for Eddie, the 2008 YP4 fellow I had met and connected with during the '08 Fellowship summit earlier this year in January. I finally found his voicemail, pressed 8 for a callback, and after the third call Eddie picked up. I told him our situation, where we were and I was relieved when he said he would see me in 15 minutes. He was going to give 2 of us a ride to the nearest car rental place so we could make our way to the Sacramento show we were running late for.
Eddie rolls through with his friend Mike and they instantly lift our mood, we are talking and laughing, and working on fixing the mess at hand. Eddie and Mike take Free and Decora to the Budget where we rent a 7-passenger SUV for us to drive 3 hours to our show. They leave, and we hope that some miracle will stop time so we can make it to Sacramento on time. While we are waiting for them to come back, a mechanic comes by and tells us he will help us out, Cuttz and him spoke in Spanish, and we found out that the problem wasn't the lack of transmission fluid, our problem was the transmission itself; it was completely done. The mechanic tells us we can go to his house and he will look at it. H2O, Jamaal, Latin, Cuttz and I push the tour bus, which only moves by momentum, while Graham drives. When we get to the mechanics house we are greeted by his 9 children and other neighborhood kids who are ecstatic to see our tour bus, decked out with graffiti and hip hop icons such as Nas, Tupac, Biggie and more park on their street. We show them the bus, talk with them and start to pack our bags; depending on how much room the DJ equipment takes up, we will see how many people will make the trip to Sacramento. As I put my sneaker into the trash bag I am using to carry my things, Eddie, Mike, Free and Decora pull up. They jump out and we all work hard and fast to get all of the equipment, merchandise and personal begins into the new vehicle. As were packing in the car, Mike is cheering us on: "Come on y'all!! Hurry up you got a show to make!!!" So we finish up, figure out that 7 of us can fit, and collectively decide that Graham; king of the Couch Surfing world will stay behind in Fresno. We said all our "Goodbyes" and "Thank Yous" to Eddie and Mike and pulled off from the Mechanics house, tired, but ready for the show.
Eddie and his boy Mike really pulled through in our time of need. They drove us around the city, helped us rent a car, donated money, and bought us water. Me and Eddie were talking about the whole experience, and how everything happens for a reason. Our tour bus may have broke down, and we may all be broke now, but we were in a city where people helped us out. The connection I made with Eddie through YP4 was priceless, and served me, and the whole Frontlines Crew in a real-life situation. I wanted to write this story for people to see the opportunity, and networking connections made through Young People For. I also wanted to thank Young People For, because I keep learning first hand how valuable the fellowship really is. Thank you Eddie, Mike and Young People For, for the hand you held out to me, and the rest of the group.
As I finish the story up I want to let you know that we are still stuck in Fresno, after three powerful days in Sacramento. We have to return the rental in a few hours and as I am typing, Jamaal and Decora are on their way to the tow company so they can tow our bus. The first mechanic fell through and after throwing down our personal money, we still need to raise about $900 to get the transmission fixed at the new auto mechanic company we are going to use. We are in a bind because in 2 days, on August 13th we need to be in Salt Lake City, to drop off one person at the airport, and pick up another at noon. Its an 18 hour drive to Utah from Fresno, and right now we have no gas money. If you are able to donate money or help us out in any way, and if for some reason you have an extra transmission we could use, we would graciously appreciate it.
You can donate directly to our Pay Pal account:
www.myspace.com/frontlinestour scroll down past the tour image and click donate. This money will go directly to us, and will help us make it to Salt Lake City, and continue the tour. For more information on the tour and the group visit us at:
www.frontlinestour.com www.myspace.com/readnex And if you want to connect with me personally, have any questions or ideas, please feel free to call me at 857-222-3554 or email me at
lutejuntos@gmail.com All support is appreciated and needed at this time.
Much Love and Respect to all,
Lute Juntos (Struggle Together)
Peace,
Corina McCarthy-Fadel
Get more from your digital life. Find out how.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Another Breakdown
Bus break down # 2 Repair #4
We just left Flagstaff, Arizona and the tour bus broke down. Our journey began after we left Bess's apt. She lives in a huge house and rents a little cottage on the side for herself. We were supposed to do a workshop for her last time we were in Arizona but it didn't work out due to a miscommunication on the orgs part. She stayed in touch with us though and mentioned that we could stay where she was staying if we needed a spot to lay our heads. She also told us of a local venue called Apple Sauce tea house that gets a good crowd.
The day had been spent at the Grand Canyon and we were all exhausted and hungry. We hadn't eaten anything except for breakfast. Breakfast has been eaten in Utah which is also where we spent the night. WOW this is a lot of back tracking...don't worry I'll get to the break down soon. You know whaaat I'll start in Utah. We spent the night in a KOA (Camp Grounds of America) where we parked and got some rest. Decora and Jenny put up their tent and camped out next to the bus. There was a spout where we could get water to brush our teeth and a bathroom a few steps away. There were showers near by as well but they were closed until 7:00am. We all got some sleep and in the morning took some showers in the showers that were there. Then we took a hike of the area which was full of soft red dirt and spectacular views that continued onward till the eyes could no longer see. Most of us only had chancletas on our feet that some of slowed us down. I decided to take my chancletas (slippers) off and go it barefoot. It brought back memories of my years in Puerto Rico which put me on a nice spiritual high.
Afterwards, we headed to a nearby restaurant for some much needed comida (food). There Decora talked to the managers and they were kind enough to discount our food 30% (they also gave us some free Navajo Fried Bread) which helped us out a lot. We've been in Navajo country for the past couple of days since we entered New Mexico and performed at the concert deep in the desert. Jenny will be writing about that experience soon.
While in Navajo country we learned a few Navajo words like dooda (no) and yeahha (thank you). The people there had a look in their eyes that penetrates ones soul. With every look one could see the pain and centuries of suffering that they have endured. It was a clear reminder of the atrocities and lies this country has and continues to commit against the indigenous peoples of this vast land. The Navajo Nation was once a strong a powerful nation of people. Now for centuries many of them survive by selling necklaces and bracelets on the side of the roads that tourists frequent. This practice has been going on since the roads were made of dirt and the travelers rode by on horses. The Navajo Nation continues to be soverign and strong with a people of a humble and true spirit. However, the process of Americanization has indeed changed much of what once was.
After eating at the restaurant we stopped along side the rode at some of the many souvenir tables to get things for friends, family and ourselves. Further down we stopped at a spot that claimed to have real dinosaur tracks and even some fossils. We checked it out under the scorching sun and saw some amazing things as our guide Freddie showed us around. There were some velociraptor , delopasaurus, triceratops, T-rex, teradacticle and even some saber tooth tiger tracks. Two of the coolest things were the actual fossils that we saw (can't recall from what dinosaur) and the dino poop. Or as I call it doop. The area was an ancient beach in which there was once a vast fresh water ocean (now just miles and miles of red rock) that served as a refuge for many of the dino's coming to get some water. It was a real cool experience and I even brought some doop with me lol.
After that we stopped over by the the "Little Colorado River" that had carved out some canyons and we took some pictures. A while later we finally arrived at our destination the Grand Canyon. Let me tell you this thing was Grand alright. It was an absolutely enormous area that went on for what seemed to be an eternity. We walked around for a while and felt the strong winds that have caused much of the carving out of the canyon itself. We didn't spend much time there because we had to get to Flagstaff and check out an open mic where we could make some money to put gas in the bus. When we got to Flagstaff DJ H20 stayed at the place we he showered up and rested, Jenny and Graham went to do the groceries and the ReadNex (with both interns) headed for the event. The venue had about 20-30 people and we were all hungry and tired. The host of the open mic was pretty cool and he set us up as the closing act. Before we went up J-Man hit the mic with an amazing piece about Chains and Change. Afterwards the host introduced us and we all got up the and performed our little hearts out. The crowd seemed blown away and one by one thanked us for coming after the performance. We made enough money to be back on the road the next day and headed home for some comida that Jenny was cooking.
Dinner (it was now 11PM and we hadn't had a meal since breakfast) wasn't ready yet so some of us chilled worked or napped. Jenny promised me that I'd be woken up when dinner was ready so I headed for the cama (bead). I fell asleep soon after I hit the bead and woke up hours later. I noticed that DJ H20 (we shared a room) was still asleep and decided to go downstairs to see if the food was ready. When I got there I noticed that everyone had eaten and gone to bed. I began to see red strewn across the walls as I slowly became angrier than a Bobby when he realized Whitney was holding out. Flames began to fly from my skull and I searched the kitchen for food. I was HUUUNNNNNNGRRRYYYY! After a few tense minutes of searching I found some Salsa and crackers. I ate some of the crackers but each bite became more painful than the last due to my fillingless tooth (it fell out a day after I had been to the dentist) After a few minutes of pain I headed upstairs angry at my tooth and the fact that no one had woken me up. The next morning Corina walked into the room to wake up DJ H20 (the interns fear waking me because I can be a bit cranky in the morning...ok I'm downright cruel but it gets better after I wash my face) and I asked her why no one had woken me up. DJ H2O mentioned that he'd tried but that I was in deep sleep and didn't move. He said he even shook me and nothing happened. Needless to say breakfast conversation was rather entertaining when we all discussed (hysterically laughing at times with tears in our eyes) what happened last night and how the fear in Corina's eyes when she accidently woke me up. I'd just like to state that my morning crankiness is something that I've been working on since our "Brinding the Gap Tour in London...unfortunately not much success has been attained at this moment. At least I gave the interns an apology ahead of time before jumped on the tour...lol.
After breakfast we all packed and hit the road. This brings us to our latest breakdown. A few miles into the highway (literally about 10-15 mins from the house) Free yells out; There' s white smoke coming out of the bus!...those that weren't driving all looked back and mentioned the same. White smoke coming out the back of the bus is not a good sign for all of you that are wondering. We stopped the bus to check it out but the way it was stopped part of it was in the way of the freeway. I opened the back door to see to make sure we were the ones smoking without realizing that somehow Graham was on the floor under the bus (how he did that with no one noticing is amazing to us all). When he got up to stand he slammed his head so hard on the bus that he rolled about two feet backwards on the floor. Decora hadn't realized what had happened and he yelled out that he was going to back up...while backing up. We all screamed STOP to prevent Graham from being run over by the bus. Graham got out of the way but when Decora tried to reverse the bus again it wouldn't move. Some of us had to get out and push the bus to the side of the road. I'm sure we looked real cute and safe pushing the bus on a busy highway while Graham rubbed his head and some stayed in the bus to direct us (I'm being sarcastic of course). When we got to the side of the highway we realized that the white smoke was coming from the middle of the bus and not the back. White smoke, from the center, and a disabled vehicle are all signs of transmission trouble. Upon further inspection our resident mechanic (J-Man) discovered that the hose that sends transmission fluid to the transmission had become loose and was leaking fluid. A short discussion took place and Graham and Decora decided to walk back into town to find some transmission fluid. In the meantime J-man would reattach the hose and the rest of us would sit in the bus laughing at our situation. Well...we weren't chosen to do that but we all believe that it was the right thing to do. Decora and Graham had to cross the highway and get to the other side in order to get back into town. In town they found a spot to get transmission fluid and headed back.
While they were away we continued laughing and increased the laughter when hail the size of pebbles began to fall. The hail was then followed by a sudden torrential downpour We all got into a deep conversation and for some reason I jumped in (totally and completely off subject) and said; It doesn't matter though...as you long as you've got love any relationship can work out. Within approximately 3 mins of stating that an M.C. we met at the N.M. Dooda Desert Rock concert pulled up in front of us and started walking towards us. He was on his way to L.V. and then to home to Cali aftrWe all smiled and said wassup as he came on the bus to ask how we were all doing. He offered to pick up Decora and Graham up but they had already called Bess and she was driving them back. He stayed and chatted with us about some deep stuff. All of us thoroughly enjoyed his company. He had a genuine spirit and a real heart that was clear and evident in his speech. When Graham, Decora and Bess got back they all greeted each other. Bess gave him a big hug because they knew each other and hadn't seen each other in a while. While the M.C. stayed and chatted with us 3 beautiful little children would stick their heads out of the window and he would yell at them to get back in while we laughed. Tiwaeis the mother of the children (her name means thoughts is wind and elements signz)was in the passenger seat not feeling well. Cuttz gave the M.C. some natural remedies to give to her while we spoke with him (Cuttz has been natural remedy "GURU" on this journey). Bess left soon after dropping Decora and Graham off because she had to get back to her day. The M.C. went back to his car and brought back a shell, eagle feather and some sage. He had been the one that blessed the space at the Dooda Desert Rock following native indigenous tradition. He asked for a lighter and told us that he would like to bless the bus and that he was going to begin on the outside and then come inside. Before each step he explained the tradition to us, what he was doing and where he had received each item. He then began chanting and went around the bus. He then made his way inside and blessed the bus as well as each one of us individually. When he was done he asked if we had a container to put the extra sage and ashes in for us to keep. Afterwards we all thanked him and said our goodbyes. He walked to his vehicle looked got in and came back. This time he brought with him a small eagle feather and a red string. He gave it to us and explained that the eagle is sacred in Native American traditions and that it would guide us on our journey. We all gave another set of thank yous and goodbyes.
As his car pulled away we all reflected on what had happened in the past few hours. We also noticed that although hail and a downpour had fallen neither Decora nor Graham had gotten wet. We all prepped up and got back on the road to California where we had an event scheduled for that night in L.A.. We got to the event late but Poetri (well known Def Poet from that was on Broadway's Def Poetry Jam) let us go on and made us the feature. The place was PPPPAAAACCCCKKKEEEED! We got out the bus, used the bathroom and got on the stage to perform as if we were ancient spirits coming to bring knowledge to the people. The crowd went insane with each piece and we made enough donations and merchandise sales to get some food and head over to Decora's cousin's house. When we got there we all collapsed on the beds, fouton's and floors we found and woke up in the morn barely recharged.
This was an amazing day for us all that served as a reminder that as long as we are doing what is just and right the power above us will always guide us in the direction we need to be in. By the way...do you recall how I mentioned that out of no where in our moment of need I stated that all we need is love...well...the M.C. that came and graced us with his blessings, energy, motivating words, spirit and love...is named L.U.V...LUV! "Ask and Ye shall receive" my brothers and sisters.. "Ask and Ye shall receive!
-Latin
We just left Flagstaff, Arizona and the tour bus broke down. Our journey began after we left Bess's apt. She lives in a huge house and rents a little cottage on the side for herself. We were supposed to do a workshop for her last time we were in Arizona but it didn't work out due to a miscommunication on the orgs part. She stayed in touch with us though and mentioned that we could stay where she was staying if we needed a spot to lay our heads. She also told us of a local venue called Apple Sauce tea house that gets a good crowd.
The day had been spent at the Grand Canyon and we were all exhausted and hungry. We hadn't eaten anything except for breakfast. Breakfast has been eaten in Utah which is also where we spent the night. WOW this is a lot of back tracking...don't worry I'll get to the break down soon. You know whaaat I'll start in Utah. We spent the night in a KOA (Camp Grounds of America) where we parked and got some rest. Decora and Jenny put up their tent and camped out next to the bus. There was a spout where we could get water to brush our teeth and a bathroom a few steps away. There were showers near by as well but they were closed until 7:00am. We all got some sleep and in the morning took some showers in the showers that were there. Then we took a hike of the area which was full of soft red dirt and spectacular views that continued onward till the eyes could no longer see. Most of us only had chancletas on our feet that some of slowed us down. I decided to take my chancletas (slippers) off and go it barefoot. It brought back memories of my years in Puerto Rico which put me on a nice spiritual high.
Afterwards, we headed to a nearby restaurant for some much needed comida (food). There Decora talked to the managers and they were kind enough to discount our food 30% (they also gave us some free Navajo Fried Bread) which helped us out a lot. We've been in Navajo country for the past couple of days since we entered New Mexico and performed at the concert deep in the desert. Jenny will be writing about that experience soon.
While in Navajo country we learned a few Navajo words like dooda (no) and yeahha (thank you). The people there had a look in their eyes that penetrates ones soul. With every look one could see the pain and centuries of suffering that they have endured. It was a clear reminder of the atrocities and lies this country has and continues to commit against the indigenous peoples of this vast land. The Navajo Nation was once a strong a powerful nation of people. Now for centuries many of them survive by selling necklaces and bracelets on the side of the roads that tourists frequent. This practice has been going on since the roads were made of dirt and the travelers rode by on horses. The Navajo Nation continues to be soverign and strong with a people of a humble and true spirit. However, the process of Americanization has indeed changed much of what once was.
After eating at the restaurant we stopped along side the rode at some of the many souvenir tables to get things for friends, family and ourselves. Further down we stopped at a spot that claimed to have real dinosaur tracks and even some fossils. We checked it out under the scorching sun and saw some amazing things as our guide Freddie showed us around. There were some velociraptor , delopasaurus, triceratops, T-rex, teradacticle and even some saber tooth tiger tracks. Two of the coolest things were the actual fossils that we saw (can't recall from what dinosaur) and the dino poop. Or as I call it doop. The area was an ancient beach in which there was once a vast fresh water ocean (now just miles and miles of red rock) that served as a refuge for many of the dino's coming to get some water. It was a real cool experience and I even brought some doop with me lol.
After that we stopped over by the the "Little Colorado River" that had carved out some canyons and we took some pictures. A while later we finally arrived at our destination the Grand Canyon. Let me tell you this thing was Grand alright. It was an absolutely enormous area that went on for what seemed to be an eternity. We walked around for a while and felt the strong winds that have caused much of the carving out of the canyon itself. We didn't spend much time there because we had to get to Flagstaff and check out an open mic where we could make some money to put gas in the bus. When we got to Flagstaff DJ H20 stayed at the place we he showered up and rested, Jenny and Graham went to do the groceries and the ReadNex (with both interns) headed for the event. The venue had about 20-30 people and we were all hungry and tired. The host of the open mic was pretty cool and he set us up as the closing act. Before we went up J-Man hit the mic with an amazing piece about Chains and Change. Afterwards the host introduced us and we all got up the and performed our little hearts out. The crowd seemed blown away and one by one thanked us for coming after the performance. We made enough money to be back on the road the next day and headed home for some comida that Jenny was cooking.
Dinner (it was now 11PM and we hadn't had a meal since breakfast) wasn't ready yet so some of us chilled worked or napped. Jenny promised me that I'd be woken up when dinner was ready so I headed for the cama (bead). I fell asleep soon after I hit the bead and woke up hours later. I noticed that DJ H20 (we shared a room) was still asleep and decided to go downstairs to see if the food was ready. When I got there I noticed that everyone had eaten and gone to bed. I began to see red strewn across the walls as I slowly became angrier than a Bobby when he realized Whitney was holding out. Flames began to fly from my skull and I searched the kitchen for food. I was HUUUNNNNNNGRRRYYYY! After a few tense minutes of searching I found some Salsa and crackers. I ate some of the crackers but each bite became more painful than the last due to my fillingless tooth (it fell out a day after I had been to the dentist) After a few minutes of pain I headed upstairs angry at my tooth and the fact that no one had woken me up. The next morning Corina walked into the room to wake up DJ H20 (the interns fear waking me because I can be a bit cranky in the morning...ok I'm downright cruel but it gets better after I wash my face) and I asked her why no one had woken me up. DJ H2O mentioned that he'd tried but that I was in deep sleep and didn't move. He said he even shook me and nothing happened. Needless to say breakfast conversation was rather entertaining when we all discussed (hysterically laughing at times with tears in our eyes) what happened last night and how the fear in Corina's eyes when she accidently woke me up. I'd just like to state that my morning crankiness is something that I've been working on since our "Brinding the Gap Tour in London...unfortunately not much success has been attained at this moment. At least I gave the interns an apology ahead of time before jumped on the tour...lol.
After breakfast we all packed and hit the road. This brings us to our latest breakdown. A few miles into the highway (literally about 10-15 mins from the house) Free yells out; There' s white smoke coming out of the bus!...those that weren't driving all looked back and mentioned the same. White smoke coming out the back of the bus is not a good sign for all of you that are wondering. We stopped the bus to check it out but the way it was stopped part of it was in the way of the freeway. I opened the back door to see to make sure we were the ones smoking without realizing that somehow Graham was on the floor under the bus (how he did that with no one noticing is amazing to us all). When he got up to stand he slammed his head so hard on the bus that he rolled about two feet backwards on the floor. Decora hadn't realized what had happened and he yelled out that he was going to back up...while backing up. We all screamed STOP to prevent Graham from being run over by the bus. Graham got out of the way but when Decora tried to reverse the bus again it wouldn't move. Some of us had to get out and push the bus to the side of the road. I'm sure we looked real cute and safe pushing the bus on a busy highway while Graham rubbed his head and some stayed in the bus to direct us (I'm being sarcastic of course). When we got to the side of the highway we realized that the white smoke was coming from the middle of the bus and not the back. White smoke, from the center, and a disabled vehicle are all signs of transmission trouble. Upon further inspection our resident mechanic (J-Man) discovered that the hose that sends transmission fluid to the transmission had become loose and was leaking fluid. A short discussion took place and Graham and Decora decided to walk back into town to find some transmission fluid. In the meantime J-man would reattach the hose and the rest of us would sit in the bus laughing at our situation. Well...we weren't chosen to do that but we all believe that it was the right thing to do. Decora and Graham had to cross the highway and get to the other side in order to get back into town. In town they found a spot to get transmission fluid and headed back.
While they were away we continued laughing and increased the laughter when hail the size of pebbles began to fall. The hail was then followed by a sudden torrential downpour We all got into a deep conversation and for some reason I jumped in (totally and completely off subject) and said; It doesn't matter though...as you long as you've got love any relationship can work out. Within approximately 3 mins of stating that an M.C. we met at the N.M. Dooda Desert Rock concert pulled up in front of us and started walking towards us. He was on his way to L.V. and then to home to Cali aftrWe all smiled and said wassup as he came on the bus to ask how we were all doing. He offered to pick up Decora and Graham up but they had already called Bess and she was driving them back. He stayed and chatted with us about some deep stuff. All of us thoroughly enjoyed his company. He had a genuine spirit and a real heart that was clear and evident in his speech. When Graham, Decora and Bess got back they all greeted each other. Bess gave him a big hug because they knew each other and hadn't seen each other in a while. While the M.C. stayed and chatted with us 3 beautiful little children would stick their heads out of the window and he would yell at them to get back in while we laughed. Tiwaeis the mother of the children (her name means thoughts is wind and elements signz)was in the passenger seat not feeling well. Cuttz gave the M.C. some natural remedies to give to her while we spoke with him (Cuttz has been natural remedy "GURU" on this journey). Bess left soon after dropping Decora and Graham off because she had to get back to her day. The M.C. went back to his car and brought back a shell, eagle feather and some sage. He had been the one that blessed the space at the Dooda Desert Rock following native indigenous tradition. He asked for a lighter and told us that he would like to bless the bus and that he was going to begin on the outside and then come inside. Before each step he explained the tradition to us, what he was doing and where he had received each item. He then began chanting and went around the bus. He then made his way inside and blessed the bus as well as each one of us individually. When he was done he asked if we had a container to put the extra sage and ashes in for us to keep. Afterwards we all thanked him and said our goodbyes. He walked to his vehicle looked got in and came back. This time he brought with him a small eagle feather and a red string. He gave it to us and explained that the eagle is sacred in Native American traditions and that it would guide us on our journey. We all gave another set of thank yous and goodbyes.
As his car pulled away we all reflected on what had happened in the past few hours. We also noticed that although hail and a downpour had fallen neither Decora nor Graham had gotten wet. We all prepped up and got back on the road to California where we had an event scheduled for that night in L.A.. We got to the event late but Poetri (well known Def Poet from that was on Broadway's Def Poetry Jam) let us go on and made us the feature. The place was PPPPAAAACCCCKKKEEEED! We got out the bus, used the bathroom and got on the stage to perform as if we were ancient spirits coming to bring knowledge to the people. The crowd went insane with each piece and we made enough donations and merchandise sales to get some food and head over to Decora's cousin's house. When we got there we all collapsed on the beds, fouton's and floors we found and woke up in the morn barely recharged.
This was an amazing day for us all that served as a reminder that as long as we are doing what is just and right the power above us will always guide us in the direction we need to be in. By the way...do you recall how I mentioned that out of no where in our moment of need I stated that all we need is love...well...the M.C. that came and graced us with his blessings, energy, motivating words, spirit and love...is named L.U.V...LUV! "Ask and Ye shall receive" my brothers and sisters.. "Ask and Ye shall receive!
-Latin
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Jenny on New Mexico
The Beat Goes On
Hello, this is Jenny your guest blog author for the Front Lines Tour. I met up with the tour in Phoenix, and I'll be flying out of LA in a few days. All I can say is that being on the road makes crazy people even crazier (let Cuttz out of the bus and he will run 100 miles per hour up a vertical cliff), but that it's been all in all, mad fun. Beautiful sights, good people, and just a little too much road food (when I get home no one will cut me off from gas station pickles!) I hope I can be as witty and entertaining as your master blogger Latin – here goes.
We pulled in to the Dooda Desert Rock Camp around 5 pm on Saturday, after driving 10 miles down a dirt road in the middle of the New Mexico desert. Latin got the fun of driving down the bumpy-ass road that we thought would never end and throwing all of us all over the bus. When we got there we were too nervous to pull the bus down this steep hill to the parking area so we left it perched on the top of a hill before a beautiful backdrop of colorful cliffs, making for an amazing bus picture (see the pictures!).
Honestly, when we looked out I was a little concerned - even though it was supposed to be a big music festival, there were only about 10 cars. But in the next 24 hours we would learn so much from many amazing people, while telling our own stories and fulfilling the true mission of the Front Lines Tour.
When we first walked up Elouise Brown, the President of Dooda Desert Rock, was speaking on stage. Dooda Desert Rock was formed to stop a proposed coal power plant that would wreak environmental havoc on Navajo lands. "Dooda," pronounced "dough-da," means "no" in Navajo. The group is truly grassroots; although held together by a few local residents of the Navajo Nation, they have made great strides in the last 2 years and have so far held off the building of the power plant. The supporters say it will bring jobs to the Navajos, but according to the old ranchers at the site, they don't want those jobs- they just want to work on the land. Their struggle is such an important one, because there is so much money (3.2 billion dollars) and power (the Navajo Nation President supports the power plant) literally fighting them. Helicopters fly over their camp when they have events, and if they leave for a few days their property gets vandalized. Despite all of the resistance, Elouise and her family and supporters refuse to give up. During one of her inspirational speeches, she talked about sacrifice for the cause, and the need to keep pushing no matter what. "Sometimes I think I am crazy for continuing this fight," she said. "And then I realize I am crazy, but it is a good kind of crazy."
The ReadNex performed both days of the festival. The first day's set was a full and energetic one, with the crew performing "Youth," "COCA," Ready for War," and a full set by DJ H20. There was a man who was recording the whole event with super amazing professional equipment (the footage is so beautiful it looks like there is a fake background! Look for it soon.) The second day they performed some acapella poems and then Decora and Cuttz started off a freestyle session that lasted about 30 minutes. They were joined by Luv from LA and I think it was the funnest freestylin they've ever done. They had the crowd cracking up and in awe by the time they were done.
The other artists ranged from traditional Native music to contemporary hip hop and poetry. The bus from the Longest Walk got in the second day, and they all told their stories on stage. It was amazing to make the connection between the hip hop storytelling culture, based on the African griots, and the Native American tradition of storytelling. All there was to do there, really, was talk and listen, share and receive gifts.
During the hot sunny day Decora, Graham and I wandered off and found a clay mud pit, and let our inhibitions go until we walked back to camp covered head to toe in silty clay mud. At nighttime you could have found Cuttz and Graham exploring the surface of Mars, and the rest of the crew chillin in the bus watching Family Guy.
Despite the conditions that come along with being in the desert, like the lack of showers, excessive heat, and cactus needles that always seem to find your feet, I think it was a truly inspiring stop on the tour.
Before I left I asked Elouise for some fliers, so I could read more and maybe spread information about their struggle when I get home. To my surprise, they didn't have any. I guess I know for sure how I am supposed to share their story.
Check out Dooda Desert Rock and please support in any way you can!
-Jenny
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Awaited Mexico Blog
Corina's Mexico Experience
So we went to mexico with Maria. Twice. We went at night when we visited some amazing people who are doin amazing work. And again the next day when we walked to the border, paid 30 cents and crossed over the bridge from El Paso, Texas into Juarez, Mexico. It was amazing for me to see all of the revolutionary artowrk that was done along the border. It truly is another world down there. When we got in Juarez we were greeted by many people who were workin hard on the street to make ends meets, selling candy, jewelry and other goods. These are beautiful people who are struggling much due to capitalism, and many other forms of oppressions that have worked to destroy the Mexican people. Our host, Maria, lead us aroudn the city, through the markets and the store. We ate and were waitedon by a beautiful and sweet teenage girl who was laughing as some of us struggled to order our meal in spanish.
Maria was telling us about the dissapearances of the women in Juarez. Thousands of women in the recent years have disapeared to late be found raped and dea near the border. These women are young, Mexican workers in the Maquilladores (sweatshop factories) that have over powered and over populated Juarez. These maquilladores were built in the 1960s as an alternative tot he border worker act. Where Mexican workers were previously allowed into the US to work long hours on short visas, these Maquilladores allowed the US coporations and buisnesses to build their factories on Mexican land and pay there workers a fraction of what they had previsouly been forced to pay them when they worked in the US. These women workers that are disappearing are not going unnoticed, no matter how hard the Mexican government tires to hide. While we were walking we passed a few of the memorials for the women; a pink square painted on a surface with a black cross in the middle. This got to me, becuae these women are my age, and rape is used universally as a way to degrade, dehumanize and destroy a culture. These missing Mexican women are peoples daughters, sisters, wives, mothers, girlfriends, lovers and friends...and they are gone. It makes me sad and mad at the same time.
So after our lay in the bordertown of Juarez, we started on our way back, payin the 30 cents to get back over the bridge into El Paso. We had to wait in a line where we were right next to about 100 male deportees from aroudn the US being deported back into Mexico. These men were being forced to all fit in a small trailer with no air conditioner or air flow, on a day that was unbearibly hot, with temparutres at least 105. They were tagged on their arm and mistreated by the guards. They were stripped of their personhood, and made into animals being hauled to the farm. That scene was disturbing to see the mistreatment of "illegal people." No human being is illegal, no matter where they are from or where they live in the present; no human being is illegal. Maria was really upset by the whole scene, because for her this really hit home. She is from El Paso and grew up on the border and she knows whats its like to live in the border community.
To end this blog I want to say that my experience in Mexico made we want to organize outside of our border...sin fronteras..no borders. We should work to learn, connect and work with others that live in another community. When we tear down physical borders we are able to tear down the borders of hatred. So, work on yourself as a bordertown, and see if you can break down your own border. Thank you to all of the amazing people in our stay in El Paso, in Mexico and on the way there.
--
One Struggle. One Love.
-Corina
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Fundraising!
Last Night's (8/1/08) Fundraising
On the bus traveling down a long and lonely road in New Mexico I write you all about yesterdays' fundraising efforts. As mentioned in the previous blogs we a very low on funds and each day finds us working harder to make enough money to get to the next spot. We had hoped that we'd make enough money before the trip so that we could focus on working with communities and performing. However, that wasn't the case. In reality we were only able to raise a fraction of the amount that we needed for this trip. When we realized our situation back home it wasn't a difficult decision to make. Go anyway! Go because we will learn more than any classroom could ever teach us. Go because men, women and children are waiting for our words. Go because some of those children will be inspired by our having gone, words or lives. Go because if we do not go and reach out to these communities and help out... who will? Go because our words have the power to create and we as a people must finds ways to do just that in order to counteract the destruction that exists in our world. That's why we spent all of yesterday fundraising. To continue what we've set out to do.
We picked up Jenny (Decora's Queen) in Phoenix the other and set out to to Whole Foods. Whole Foods is an organic foods supermarket that has been donating food to us along the way. Decora had called and the one in Phoenix was nice enough to set us up with a bag of groceries. PB&J here we come! After we picked up the food we headed towards the YMCA we had been at the previous day getting a workout to keep ourselves fit on this journey of ours. There, Graham had spoken to someone about a teen event happening the next day. The organizer of the event said that it would be cool if we came out and had DJ H20 spin with a possibility of a performance to raise some funds.
When we got to the YMCA we set up and DJ H20 started to spin. In the meantime Decora and Jenny headed towards something called First Fridays. First Friday apparently attracts tons of people for various art displays, street performers and vendors. Decora found a good spot for us to set up and we headed over there after the event in the YMCA. Larry and his family came too.Larry is the Couch Surfer that put us up for two nights. Couch Surfing stems from a website (couchsurfing.com) where people connect online and stay at each others places instead of going to hotels. The idea is to save money and also create an interaction where one can learn from each other by "interacting with the locals". When we got to the area where First Friday is held it was packed full of hundreds of people. Decora was there and he guided us to park in front of an art gallery called Inn Studio. The artist's name is Michael David Little and he had some great work on display. People take houses and display their art all throughout the house. It was a pretty cool concept and the streets were lined with other artists doing the same.
We learned that we only had a half hour before the noise ordinances went into effect so we had DJ H20 setup his equipment right in the bus. With one of the speakers blasting outside. While he spun on the ones and two's I hyped the crowd and mentioned that we had CD's for sale and were accepting donations. Crowds surrounded the bus before DJ H20 and I could even set up the equipment. They were all checking out the bus and trying to figure out what was going on. DJ H20 did an amazing set and we both had intermittent crowds surrounding the bus while he DJ'd and I lured them over on the mic. We made some more donation money while there and sold some merchandise as well(CD's and Shirts). The cops came around at 10pm (time noise ordinances went into effect) and told us we had to shut down. We did as soon as we could because there was a "Couch Surfing" party going on a few minutes away. Larry had put us on to it and we figured it could be another fund raising opportunity. Indeed it was. This house was PACKED full of people. Apparently it was a bday party for one of the people that lived at the house and word got around that there was a Hip Hop group from NY soon to be rocking the mic. The DJ there (DJ Noah) was off the chain and soon after we got there he passed on the equipment to DJ H20. He had the people dancing and groovin to his mixes while I (and on occasions Decora) reminded the crowd that we were accepting donations. A couple of hours later we got the crew ready (I gave a shout out to Free while on the mic because she was sleeping on the bus) and had the crowd movin with a couple tracks. While that went on I woke up (accidently scared her too) Corina who helped out by passing around the bucket and collecting money. After our performance we took some showers at that house and got back on the road. This time to New Mexico.
-Latin
On the bus traveling down a long and lonely road in New Mexico I write you all about yesterdays' fundraising efforts. As mentioned in the previous blogs we a very low on funds and each day finds us working harder to make enough money to get to the next spot. We had hoped that we'd make enough money before the trip so that we could focus on working with communities and performing. However, that wasn't the case. In reality we were only able to raise a fraction of the amount that we needed for this trip. When we realized our situation back home it wasn't a difficult decision to make. Go anyway! Go because we will learn more than any classroom could ever teach us. Go because men, women and children are waiting for our words. Go because some of those children will be inspired by our having gone, words or lives. Go because if we do not go and reach out to these communities and help out... who will? Go because our words have the power to create and we as a people must finds ways to do just that in order to counteract the destruction that exists in our world. That's why we spent all of yesterday fundraising. To continue what we've set out to do.
We picked up Jenny (Decora's Queen) in Phoenix the other and set out to to Whole Foods. Whole Foods is an organic foods supermarket that has been donating food to us along the way. Decora had called and the one in Phoenix was nice enough to set us up with a bag of groceries. PB&J here we come! After we picked up the food we headed towards the YMCA we had been at the previous day getting a workout to keep ourselves fit on this journey of ours. There, Graham had spoken to someone about a teen event happening the next day. The organizer of the event said that it would be cool if we came out and had DJ H20 spin with a possibility of a performance to raise some funds.
When we got to the YMCA we set up and DJ H20 started to spin. In the meantime Decora and Jenny headed towards something called First Fridays. First Friday apparently attracts tons of people for various art displays, street performers and vendors. Decora found a good spot for us to set up and we headed over there after the event in the YMCA. Larry and his family came too.Larry is the Couch Surfer that put us up for two nights. Couch Surfing stems from a website (couchsurfing.com) where people connect online and stay at each others places instead of going to hotels. The idea is to save money and also create an interaction where one can learn from each other by "interacting with the locals". When we got to the area where First Friday is held it was packed full of hundreds of people. Decora was there and he guided us to park in front of an art gallery called Inn Studio. The artist's name is Michael David Little and he had some great work on display. People take houses and display their art all throughout the house. It was a pretty cool concept and the streets were lined with other artists doing the same.
We learned that we only had a half hour before the noise ordinances went into effect so we had DJ H20 setup his equipment right in the bus. With one of the speakers blasting outside. While he spun on the ones and two's I hyped the crowd and mentioned that we had CD's for sale and were accepting donations. Crowds surrounded the bus before DJ H20 and I could even set up the equipment. They were all checking out the bus and trying to figure out what was going on. DJ H20 did an amazing set and we both had intermittent crowds surrounding the bus while he DJ'd and I lured them over on the mic. We made some more donation money while there and sold some merchandise as well(CD's and Shirts). The cops came around at 10pm (time noise ordinances went into effect) and told us we had to shut down. We did as soon as we could because there was a "Couch Surfing" party going on a few minutes away. Larry had put us on to it and we figured it could be another fund raising opportunity. Indeed it was. This house was PACKED full of people. Apparently it was a bday party for one of the people that lived at the house and word got around that there was a Hip Hop group from NY soon to be rocking the mic. The DJ there (DJ Noah) was off the chain and soon after we got there he passed on the equipment to DJ H20. He had the people dancing and groovin to his mixes while I (and on occasions Decora) reminded the crowd that we were accepting donations. A couple of hours later we got the crew ready (I gave a shout out to Free while on the mic because she was sleeping on the bus) and had the crowd movin with a couple tracks. While that went on I woke up (accidently scared her too) Corina who helped out by passing around the bucket and collecting money. After our performance we took some showers at that house and got back on the road. This time to New Mexico.
-Latin
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