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