Hello Music Chums and Friends,
Life has brought me to a beautiful place it appears and I am so thankful for it… I have found myself working in one of the Bay Area’s many great cities, Richmond, at one of the dopest youth center you will ever find, Ryse. I have a lot to learn about Richmond because I am not from there, but as I spend more time in its communities and with its youth, artists, activists and warriors, I am coming to love the city in (and for) which I work more and more every day. Here I go on a rant about it… if you want to hear some of the wise words spoken by some of the people that I see everyday, please learn something about a city whose circumstances are extreme and whose people are powerful.
Richmond locals have lived amongst things that many others do not; social, environmental, racial and class injustice along with a cycle of violence that begins and ends at the root of the problem… that in this country, poor communities of color are far more ignored by the state than other cities…not given healthy food options or clean air to breath in… or adequate education or the right to feel safe in your own community… Its not always like this, but the numbers add up the way they do. The lives & realities of people on this planet, in this country and society differ vastly in fairness. But we all know life’s not fair so lets continue…
This city is what some call hood, and where young genius minds dream up ways to elevate themselves to the life that they know exists just outside of their realities…. but wasn’t handed to them upon birth (and sometimes feels is not even in reach of grabbing)… Working with these young dreamers is quite a trip and blessing for me. I am a dreamer too, and still young, but am an outsider with a backpack full of privileges that I carry into their community daily.. I’m learning how to be the most empowered version of myself instead of being how they (the forces of power) wanted me to be; ignorant, arrogant, naive, and oppressive. And I am definitely not perfect at it, no one is…But whoever is reading this… wherever you are at with your own story unfolding itself… I just want you to promise that you will TRY to be the best citizen of this world possible… that you will be juste and honest and passionate and fight for equality and check (and double-check) those around us that are not doing so with their lives. And most importantly, that we’re checking ourselves. Please do not think about white college students working with youth in “under-served” cities and neighborhoods as being a “good thing”, or a charitable thing. Like Teach For America, like any program that does this work. I’m not saying its bad, I’m just saying if you’re not from a community like this make sure you talk about it in a revolutionized way… The power imbalance remains and I get to go home feeling “good” about myself? Nope.
I am lucky to be there in Richmond, learning about the world through young people. We live in a world where people are in constant emergency mode all the time based on their social and economic circumstances. And I don’t know where I am going with this rant, and I am sorry to sound angry, but we should be! I just want to see people taking off their blinders.. I want to see people SEEING. Because growing up, I have come to understand that there was very much NOT SEEING going on in my community… and that is something that I have to learn to accept and understand about our society.
THAT BEING SAID…I’ll stop preaching and say a quote that my mom always said, You catch more flies with honey than vinegar. I know by being bitter I will not catch as many flies as if I am positive, so let me leave you by saying THANK YOU, for reading this… for supporting me…
Have a beautiful holidays everyone.. Please have a meaningful one! Soak up people you love or even the material possessions you love, it is your time to love. (just don’t forget about the lesson that we learned in the movie, “The Story of Stuff” in reference to consuming and wasting SO DAMN MUCH during the holiday season).
SOrry about my rants.. but if you liked it than we should hang out and rant our selves into a state of actually changing the world! Ahhh, imagine that…
Very much love to You, stay tuned =)
xoxox
EmMoldy Music
