The Emmett Till Moment

When will we reach our collective "Emmett Till Moment" in regards to violence in our communities?

Dr. Mae Jeminson's Powerful TED Address

http://www.ted.com/talks/mae_jemison_on_teaching_arts_and_sciences_together.html

Dr. Mae Jemison begins this presentation before TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Conference in 2002 with quotes from Alice Walker, Zora Neale Hurston, and goes on to mention Frantz Fannon. This is the definition of having an African-centered consciousness. Her normative positions start from her own cultural experiences letting these expressions move into a broader conversation concerning the myopic ways in which we approach education.

She argues that we teach science and the arts together, rather than teaching them as some disparate subjects confined to either hemisphere of the brain. Intuitive can apply to science, just as much as analytical can apply to creative fields. She is able to seamlessly weave her cultural and philosophical disposition into an address before attendees who more than likely are not of African-descent without coming off as the "angry black woman" or the "belligerent Afrocentrist." It wasn't an attacking posture that she assumed, it was an enlightening posture that affirmed the people that she quoted, while not asking for validation.

And a bit more on TED according to their site:

TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader. Along with the annual TED Conference in Long Beach, California, and the TEDGlobal conference in Oxford UK, TED includes the award-winning TEDTalks video site, the Open Translation Program, the new TEDx community program, this year's TEDIndia Conference and the annual TED Prize.

Skate Board Beef

Skateboarders Vs. Rappers
Question. Would skaters feel the same way about a nonprofit that is trying to work on programs that use skateboarding to reach kids? Is there a difference between Pharell and Lupe's "violations" that upset the skateboard community?

Adinkra Symbols

Dreaming Out Loud is founded upon an idealistic vision that is grounded in the realities of everyday life. Our culture is exemplified by a collection of African symbols known as Adinkra. These symbols come from the Akan – one of the larger ethnic groups in West Africa – who live in southern Ghana and southeastern Cote d’Ivoire.

The Adinkra symbols are used most often during funerals, serving as reminders of divine providence and the wisdom inherent in the fundamental virtues of life.  Literally the word Adinkra means “a message one gives to another when departing.” The symbols are woven or printed onto cloth that is worn during the solemn occasion of one’s transition to the “afterlife.” The grieving person conveys a message to the departing soul that reflects the Akan’s communal values and worldview.

These multi-layered parables and philosophical concepts express a cultural posture centered on the quality of human relations, spiritual upliftment, and character building. As such the Adinkra symbols are woven into the fabric of Dreaming Out Loud’s culture and provides the context for our daily work.