Lots of Lovin'

This week I've been SUPER busy. Caught up in some projects, some Manifesto, some getting my Nerd on at school, Absorbing it all. I'm in love... with where God has placed me. I can't believe the amount of goodness I was able to absorb this week. Though it wasn't all entirely gravy it was good.


For ONE and basically all... MANIFESTO. I can't stress it enough. I never got a chance to check out Manifesto before, and like I said a few posts ago, I decided to volunteer this year and get involved as a way to check it all out, and meet people, give back, feel more awkward and spread some lovin'.



I got my heart broken when I found out Bilal got a severe athsma attack and cancelled. And How I missed the "Made You Look" art show yesterday, Jean Grae and other manifesto things, for a variety of reasons, :( ... Not to mention that yesterday I got virtually slapped in the face with a class that demands an 80 page (group) paper that's due in 2 months!, in a class that I don't necessarily need to graduate, but I feel like I might need when I 'get out there'.



(sigh)... What to do.


But back to happier thoughts... The discussions, the information I've been gathering all week, from a combination of my classes, my meetings, overhearing conversations, and other critical dialog regarding the Youth, regarding urban arts, post-secondary, Michaelle Jean... I saw Hope then despair. First Hope because of what came out of each thing I heard, and the very fact that it was all about having a safe space to discuss concerns about Young people, this generation, and future generations, in Canada and elsewhere, the inclusion of young people in the political arena (voting, lowering tuition, ect..) ...Then Despair, because I know this discussion needs to be done on a wider scale... I kept thinking that there's no way I would ever get an opportunity to hear conversations like these, and ideas like these if I didn't have the guts to move out of Calgary, step out of my comfort zone and volunteer and support this initiative. This conversation has to continue beyond this week... and needs to be sparked everywhere.

... I dunno...


Among many of the conversations I had this week was the topic of change and taking action. I feel like whenever I address the topic of creating change, I quickly get overwhelmed. When I say change I mean social change regardless of scale. Whether it be through the small decision of speaking out when you see injustices... or pain out-loud... express the frustrations you have with higher authority, or your own behaviour, actions... or innactions. I don't consider myself to be a pessimistic person, but when I think of the world, and think of how it is, and the change that is necessary to make it better for us all, I sigh very heavily. lol... The idea of social change is very daunting to me.



Earlier I wrote a long essay about hip hop, and how it's not enough to produce change, and every time I read it, I remember having trouble formulating my thesis, because at the time though I believed that Hip Hop had everything to create change, in an academic setting I felt awkward expressing it, because I wanted to get an A, so I tweeked it and ended it, how I ended it. ... and I got an A. ... smh. Maybe this compromise is the problem.

We're all culprits of the system through our complicity. Like our subconscious is consciously walking around proud with a black strip over our eyes roaming.. Midnight marauding like a tribe of bandits.

Hip Hop is love. It's an artform and has its politics. But most of all it has to do with lots of Lovin' (Yes, I too hear Pete Rock & CL Smooth ..lol)... and because people listen, and that it's more than just music. Legendary Bambaataa called it a movement when it was in its infancy. I find it strange to call it music sometimes, when it's a fusion of people crying, screaming for help, dying, laughing, talking, joking, celebrating, cussing, showing off, dissing and much more... But maybe it's a beauty of it all.



If love is your movement.
Stand up. Love Hard. Stand Tall. Walk tall. Pain outloud. Say Something. Stand for something. and Be about it.