The View - Unbought & Unbossed

The Domino Effect.....

2006-04-17T07:59:00.000-04:00

For the past couple of weeks, I've been doing some thinking and writing about the Domino effect. Yesterday as I finished my current book, I found a short passage that managed to articulate what was on my mind in 22 words, then all the material I've written, crossed out, and deleted over the past few weeks. Sometimes you just have to be short, concise, and to the point:

"Choices. Decisions. Life is simply a collection of choices and decisions, and everyone's life is a reflection of their decisions and choices."

Unfortunately in life there are no "re-do's", only new beginnings and the exploration of the unknown.

Interlude: Image

2006-03-02T17:15:00.000-05:00

"It doesn't suprise me that people can't see beyond my image. It's amazing but i can understand it. Thats what image is for. But it's never a problem for me. it's only a problem for them. I don't really care. I do what i want Regardless."

-Grace Jones

The Voice within......

2006-02-06T11:54:00.000-05:00

The Voice within……..

The power of Shango is about perseverance. Knowing that anything that your going through, you can make it to the end. We’re all born with a personal power, which is all we have in life, so its not something you should give away easily.

Take a moment…….

Turn off your radio, television, or any other device that is making noise.

Put your right hand over your stomach with your left hand on top of the right.

Close your eyes and ask yourself the following question.

“What is it that you need to let go of, in order to hold on to your own personal power?”

Take a minute and just listen for what your spirit is telling you. Once you hear it, move your hands from your stomach to your heart. Breathe In…..and then Breathe Out……

I Like Your Smile........

2005-12-29T15:02:00.000-05:00

What's in a smile I asked one day?
Just what does a little smile say?

The Black Period...........

2005-12-19T01:58:00.000-05:00

"This special need
That's within' us
Brings out the best
Yet worst in us......"
-Janet Jackson "Velvet Rope"

Black has always been a interesting color to me. Despite it's negative conotations (blacklist, black humor, "black death", it also denotes strength and authority and gives the feeling of perspective and depth. Black is also associated with fear and the unknown. It is for these many reasons and more that I chose to refer to this time as the black period as I reorganize and process some of the things going on in my life at the moment. In dealing with these issues i'm finding that they are bringing out both the best and worst in me.

I now know why the caged bird sings....

2005-10-26T17:57:00.000-04:00

Strenghth, Courage, & Wisdom

Work In Progress

Today's Playlist

Lord I'll Go......Clark Sisters
Rocketship.....Donnie
Heard a Word.....Michelle Williams
You know that I love you.....Donell Jones
Orange Moon......Erykah Badu
In the Morning.....Mary Mary
Fly Like a Bird.....Floetry
Brown Skin....India Arie
Maybe Tomorrow.....The Jackson 5
Fallen....Mya

Something to Think About.......

2005-09-30T20:02:00.000-04:00

"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all."
-Oscar Wilde

Are you living, or just existing?

HIStory..........

2005-09-18T18:20:00.000-04:00

Me Hiking in the Hollywood Hills this weekend at Sunset....

HIStory

Every day create your history
Every path you take you're leaving your legacy
Every soldier dies in his glory
Every legend tells of conquest and liberty

Don't let no one get you down
Keep movin' on higher ground
Keep flying until
You are the king of the hill
No force of nature can break
Your will to self motivate
She say this face that you see
Is destined for history

I forgot Michael got down like this yall......Do you remember the time? Whats your favorite Michael Jackson song?

Young, Gifted, and Black

2005-08-30T01:47:00.000-04:00

Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
five hundred twenty five thousand moments so dear
five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
how do you measure? Measure a year

in daylights
in sunsets
in midnights
in cups of coffee
in inches
in miles
in laughter in strife

in five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
how do you measure a year in a life

-Rent

I’ve been thinking a lot about how do you measure a year in a life? It’s interesting to have this conversation with my parents when at 23 my white collar world of salary, 401K’s, sabbaticals, full health care coverage, and limitless travel have already exceeded their expectations of who I would become in the world as they try to keep up and understand the world through my eye’s as I experience things that they have dreamt about.

How do you measure a year in a life? Is it by the achievements of your past, or the endless possibilities that lie in the future?

It’s very easy to get caught up in being “Young, Gifted, and Black” as Nina Simone once sang. To my other brothas & Sistas who carry the torch of being “Young, Gifted, and Black”, I challenge you to accept the responsibility to continually lift as we climb through the various socio, economic, and cultural spheres in society as well as not to forget the pioneers who paved the way for us, and those who still await liberation from the systemic and institutional oppression that exists in our day to day life today.And from which we TOO cannot escape no matter how many zeros are in your salary, how fine your hair is, the number of rooms in your house, or which car you choose to drive today.

The Poem of a "Black Radical"

2005-08-26T13:59:00.000-04:00

I've been thinking a lot about this concept that black people are more homophobic than other racial/ethnic groups. Personally as a Black Gay Man I don't believe that to be true, but i do think there are elements of our culture and traditions that prohibit us from fully exploring the intersections of race, gender, and sexual orientation.

As i've been doing more work in the South, and write this in a starbucks in Houston, TX, i find myself having more conversations with lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgender black folk, folks that look like me, except they believe that they are inherently bad. The result of which is this quasi tango between sexual identity, sexual practice, and sexual behavior that leads to the justification of their very existence as this idea of "Loving the sinner, but hating the sin"

When i have these conversations, i often think of June Jordan and "Poem About my Rights":

"We are the wrong people of the wrong skin on the wrong continent. . . .

I am not wrong: Wrong is not my name

My name is my own my own my own

and I can't tell you who the hell set things up like this

but I can tell you that from now on my resistance

my simple and daily and nightly self-determination

may very well cost you your life."

Where do we find the strength, courage and conviction to say "I am not wrong"?

Where do we find the strength, courage and conviction to claim our name and who we are as our own?

When we will realize as a community that our own lack of resistance and self-determination may very well cost us our lives?

Will it take another missing generation of our community to finally wake up?

First Taste........

2005-08-08T23:48:00.000-04:00

Do you remember that first hint of awareness?

That first taste of something delicious and strange?

Like water on parched lips and your very first sip of champagne?

Remember how in one fleeting moment everything changed?

Brand New Day............The Spirit of Black Pride

2005-08-03T22:50:00.000-04:00

Detroit Black Pride

Everybody look around-
'cause there's a reason to rejoice
You see-
Everybody come out,
And let's commence to singing joyfully...

Everybody look up-
And feel the hope
That we've been waiting on-
Everybody's glad
Because our silent fear
And dread is gone...

Freedom you see,
Has got our hearts singing so joyfully
Just look about
You owe it to yourself
To check it out

Can't you feel a brand-new day?
-The Wiz

Over the past month during my "hiatus" from blogging so much has happened...I've moved back to NYC, began living in a new apartment with a new roommate, Luther died, relationships have come and gone, etc.. I'm now at a place where I can take a moment and breathe and reflect, and one of the things on my mind is "The Spirit of Pride". One of the benefits of being one of two black men at a National LGBT group is that you become the orgs ticket to everything and anything "Black" including, but not limited to creating a presence at black prides across the country. Reflecting back on my itinerary; Philly, San Juan, NYC, LA, Detroit, and soon to be Atlanta.......i'm quickly realizing that I've had the honor to bear witness to an element of our culture that main stream forces would have us believe is non-existent.........The Spirit of Black Pride

I chose to open this posting with a portion of the lyrics of "Brand New Day" from The Wiz because it manages to encapsulate what The Spirit of Black Pride means to me, as well as the cultural impact these celebrations are forging. What many people don't know about this song is that it was written and performed by Luther Vandross. I've always believed that his inspiration for the song was that of his desire to come out as a black gay man and derived rom the the cultural and societal pressures and traditions that kept him in the closet.

The reality is that society is facing a brand new day. One where black men, women, transgender, and other gender revolutionaries are creating a visible presence and voice that can no longer be ignored or denied. Over the past year i've witnessed the right wings use of People of Color religions, political, and opinion leaders to divide and rally anti gay sentiment within communities of color. Their use of gay marriage disguised as Traditional Values and Morals has been a theme that has lead to devastating results and affect far more than the issue of marriage equality. These anti-gay campaigns also perpetuate anti-gay stereotypes that fuel bigotry and the ultimate destruction of our community. The time is now for our community to stand up and share our stories, and to show our pride because very similar to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Our Silence will Equal our Death.

Your know your a HOT MESS when.........

2005-05-20T02:05:00.000-04:00

You fall asleep on a plane, wake up, and have no idea what city your in. It's been 5 days, and 3 trips since my last post. When we last left off, I was just leaving Vegas, and since then I went to lobby legislators in Sacramento, hosted an event in LA, and now find myself in DC a.k.a "Chocolate City" (Does DC still have this title?) to help renegotiate my union contract. Believe it or not (some non-profits are unionized).

Upcoming Tour Dates

2005-05-10T03:22:00.000-04:00

Downtown Long Beach

My apologies, for the lag between my posts, I've been working insane hours down in Long Beach, CA over the past few weeks making sure that Salle Mae gets her check at the end of each month....But from here on out I'll make an attempt at being more consistent. So much has happened since my initial post that I might have to hit yall up with a "bonus hour", except I promise to stay on point and focused unlike a certain radio talk show personality on WBLS. I'm not even going to front like i don't listen online to the Wendy Williams Experience everyday from 11am-3pm PST. Does anyone know if she is still doing specials for VH1?

But anyway..........Here is what i know of my schedule over the next month or so as of now. Bring them calendars out and lets plan accordingly. If i'm in a city near you, def holla at your boy..

May
1st - 9th Long Beach, CA
9th - 11th LA
12th - 13th Las Vegas
14th LA
15th - 16th Sacramento, CA
17th - 18th LA
19th - 22nd DC
23rd LA
24th - 25th NYC
26th - 31st San Juan, Puerto Rico

June
1st NYC/LA
2nd - 21st LA (This definitely will change)
22nd- 27th NYC