Watts Can't Stop But The Riots Can

I met playwright Donald Jolly at the world premiere of his play Riot/Rebellion, a depiction of the Watts Riot of 1965. What struck me most was that I knew this guy was too young to have been there, yet his familiarity with the incident and decision to premiere it at the Watts Village Theater gave a knowledgeable and nostalgic temperament to this heart rendering presentation. Being a part of that era, and having participated in the 1968 riots in Chicago, it did my heart good to know that the underlying and not often discussed reasons for those uprisings were not forgotten. I will have interviewed Donald on the radio by the time this blog is posted, but you can contact me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com if interested in hearing his story as told by him.

To our youth I say learn who you are by way of those who have gone before you. To those of us in our prime I say allow those not yet where we are, an opportunity to learn not just what happened with us, but also the reason why.  Donald talked to about 10 people who were there when the Watts Rebellion took place, and spent 2 years developing a personal relationship and garnering pertinent information that was grounded in credibility rather than speculation. His actors were a mixture of those who lived during that time and of those who had not yet been conceived, with both groups presenting to the audience a collaboration of personal depictions of a time that should not be forgotten. The truth is that the rebellious consciousness that existed then is still exists today because the conditions that caused it have not gone away. We all have a role in the decision of where do we go from here, and only the recognition of and commitment to our 'oneness' will develop and maintain a positive direction.

From the 'Hard Scrabble' riot in Providence, Rhode Island in1824 till the Oakland riot in Oakland, California in 2009, there have been a total of 245 documented racial or ethnic riots in the world. America is first with a total of 125 and the United Kingdom second with 30. Two of the so called leaders of the so called free world, whose history is steeped in racial and ethnic animosity. People don't rebel just cause it's hot, or throw rocks because they're "…like monkeys in a zoo", as Watts police chief William H. Parker is alleged to have said. People rebel against what they feel is not right. Something is wrong ya'll. Something that was going on in Rhode Island in 1824 is still going on today. I, for one, am grateful that Donald Jolly and others are reminding us that we have work to do, but we all need to realize that doing the same thing expecting different results is regarded as insanity. We need to stop supporting an individualistic, hierarchical mindset, both inside and outside of our respective ethnicities, and start looking at how to establish a 'we're all in this together consciousness. Only then can we be proactive in regard to stopping the cause of rebellion, rather than reactive to the riots that ensue.

I thank Donald Jolly, Director Barbara Roberts, all the cast and crew, and give a special thanks to the Watts Village Theater Company for giving others an opportunity to explore and be exposed to what's really going on and fostering an initiative to be a positive part of it. We learn by listening to each other ya'll, so access http://wattsvillagetheatercompany.ning.com/ and go to one of the 4 remaining performances of this wonderful presentation. I implore all of you who can, to take advantage of an opportunity to be educated...to be inspired...to be entertained…all at the same time.

I'll Holla…





To comment or respond click on the word comments at the bottom of the page or email me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com.

Do You Know Nicole?

The theme of my radio show is ‘Things you might not have heard from people you might not know’. The underlying reason for this theme is that although we might not hear from folks we have never heard of, it does not negate the significance of what they may have said or done. The purpose of the show is to allow some of their voices to be heard and some of their endeavors shared. Nicole Mitchell, someone you might not know, is our upcoming guest.  What I’d like to do is share a few things I’ve heard, that because of her modesty, you might not otherwise hear.

Nicole was born in Syracuse, New York and moved with her family to a neighborhood in Anaheim, California at the age of 8. Being one of the very few children of African American descent in that area, her elementary and high school experience was riddled with both overt and subtle racial animosity that she still recalls from time to time. Not only did she devise a means of dealing with the years of being referred to as ‘Spider Web’, because of the texture of her hair, or being constantly called the N word.“  Her beige exterior did not adequately reflect her  “I’m proud of being black…. don’t get it twisted attitude”, and she grew stronger in what would become a precursor to and preparation for the trials and tribulations that lay ahead. Probably most disheartening was Nicole’s being only 16 when her mother transitioned. No longer a child, not yet a woman, she consciously resolved to continue her mother’s artistic path, through music.  “There’s something I’m supposed to do she vowed. I’m going to have to do it on my own, but Anaheim is not the place I’m going to do it in.

She continued her education at UC San Diego and augmented her flute playing skills by playing music on the streets of La Jolla. Adorned in eveningwear, this young performer astounded the passers by with the virtuosity displayed through both her classical and jazz renditions. She subsequently moved to Oberlin College in Ohio and later to the city of her mother’s birth, and the place where that something she felt she had to do took on a more recognizable form. Chicago was now the hometown of Nicole Mitchell.

While living in Chicago Nicole accomplished her educational goals, taught for years at several Universities, while playing the piccolo with the Chicago Sinfonietta. She still performs with the several jazz bands she started while living there, served as the first and only female president of the almost 50 year old Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, has been and is still recognized for the past 4 years as the world’s best jazz flutist by the Jazz Journalists Association and Downbeat magazine.  Not to mention that on one of her many trips to Europe she was approached by a college student in Italy who wanted her to sign an Italian magazine that had her picture on the cover.

You may have heard some or none of these things, but what you might not have heard is the fact that she’s more respected and renown in Europe than she is in her hometown. You might not have heard how some folks in Chicago tried to sabotage her classical concert career because a black woodwind player was rare and not readily accepted. You might not know that the jazz arena is still male dominated and female performers, with the exception of vocalists, are at times looked upon with disdain and oftentimes scrutinized in terms of their ability and success. Did you know that her avant-garde musical approaches ruffled the feathers of a more conservative Chicago college administration? Were you aware that her first encounter with Chicago’s finest was being arrested in downtown Chicago and charged with a noise violation. Accolades on the one hand, rejection on the other, and in spite of it all, her resolve is still reflective of the Maya Angelou mantra “… Still I’ll rise”.  

Well, that’s enough for now and I hope you guys have realized that my intent for both this blog and the radio show is to unveil the unknown. Like Nicole, we all have a place on this planet and we all have something to give. We need a platform for doing so and Nicole Mitchell is one who has made that platform for herself because, rather than opting to have her dream deferred, she chose to develop and maintain a consciousness committed to doing what she has been put here to do. When you hear her play her piccolo or flute, when you listen to an orchestra perform one of her composition, be aware that you’re witnessing a ‘heart form’, not an art form; and that Nicole’s intent is to inspire you to continue doing whatever it is that you do to contribute positive energy to this universe in which we all reside. All I have left to say right now is, “Play on Nicole…Play on.”

I’ll holla 

To comment or respond click on the word comments at the bottom of the page or email me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com.

WHY AND WHEN THE REVOLUTION COMES

The term revolution itself is an alarming yet accurate expression of how a necessary change can be implemented. It is common knowledge that most people of the world are dissatisfied with our economic, social, political, and yes even spiritual conditions; and that we are either wondering or working on what can be done to make things better or at least tolerable. We're experiencing shootings, looting, occupying, downsizing, sitting in, shutting down, and all other forms of revolutionary responses to the sense of 'not enough' that confronts us. All of which is adding fuel to the fire of despondency and hopelessness. From the homeless and the hungry, to the wary and well off; from the laborer in the corporate factory to the official in the governmental chamber, we are looking for a means of either making it better for ourselves or garnering at least a response from someone who can. The problem is that none of these means are working as we think they should and albeit revolution implies the employment of drastic measures, its far reaching effects sometimes make it the only means available for meaningful change.

As far back as 40 AD when the Trung sisters led a three year uprising of the Vietnamese people against Chinese domination, up until today when a civil resistance uprising that started in 2011 is still going on in Bahrain, some form of revolution has been employed to secure a brighter future for the groups represented.  We can look at this country's Revolutionary War, or even the Occupy Wall Street experience, and rightfully surmise that from one end of the spetrum to the other a physical means of initiating change is highly favored. However, we should realize that revolution, in a physical sense,  is simply a manifestation of a particular state of mind, and that an alteration in our communal consciousness can also create and sustain a condition of revolutionary proportion. After all, the way we think constitutes our actions, and if we think that our present day conditions are not as they should be, then we have already substantiated why we need a revolution. The question then becomes when, if ever, will we have an interior uprising in the way we think.

The fact of the matter is that we think in terms of lack rather than abundance. We focus more on what we don't have individually,  than on what we do have collectively. You see until we see life for what it is rather than what we think it should be, revolution will continue to be a necessary occurrence. The entire universe is set up with more than enough for all, and until we look at ourselves in terms of 'we' rather than 'me', in terms of all families rather than just mine, there's never going to be enough because we are only focusing on what 'I' need rather than working with what 'we' already have.

The why of revolution is that something is going to happen if current conditions are not acceptable to all. The when factor comes into play when one or more make a decision to implement a change in these conditions. The means by which the change takes place is left to the inclinations of the participants, and the outcome dependent on the attitude of those affected by the transformation. The primary objective, rather intended or not, is to have a common acknowledgement and acceptance of the fact that unless each and every one of us is ok with our situation, none of us ever will be. 

It is my contention that true revolution must first take place in our consciousness on an individual and then collective level. We must recognize and accept the fact that change is always and every where, so why and when the revolution comes is not nearly as important as "What we gon change about ourselves to support a beneficial change for all?" An attitude adjustment, on the part of all of us, can negate the why, when, and even the need for a physical rebellion, but a personal transformation is a must if we are to effectively deal with the why and when of future conflicts. Things, right now, just ain't right, but if we each make a meaningful change on the inside, we'll be prepared for the revolutions yet to come, no matter in what form they might appear.

I'll holla…





To comment or respond click on the word comments at the bottom of the page or email me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com.

THE BILLION DOLLAR BLOG

One of the questions I ask my radio interviewees before the show is: "What would you do with a billion dollars?" The answers range from "I would buy my mother a house" to "I would feed the children in North Korea." We all might have a basic idea of what a billion dollars can do, and I'm sure most of us wouldn't mind finding out. Oprah Winfrey is actually living that experience and we're pretty much aware of some of the ways in which she's putting her money to use. Be that as it may, I believe that every one of us would be able to envision what we would do with that kind of money, so let me pontificate, in a minute, on what I foresee doing with my first  billion.

First let's bring the significance of having a billion dollars to the neighborhood. A person having that amount of money would be able to spend $1,000 an hour, every hour on the hour, for over 114 years. One could buy a total of 3,703 houses (for $270,00 each) which is an equivalent of purchasing 74 houses in each of the 50 states. An automobile aficionado could buy 20,000 motor vehicles costing $50,000 a piece. Invest that billion dollars at only 0.5% interest and one could earn hundreds of millions in the first year. That's a lot of money and it's incomprehensible to me how the U.S. government has an annual budget of almost 4 trillion, which is over 1 billion dollars a day, and still owes China and Japan over a trillion a piece. The majority of us can't even imagine what a billion dollars looks like, but I'm sure we can learn, from the mistakes of others, how not to go into debt once we get it.

What I'm going to do is to buy enough land to establish a retreat site for a yet undetermined number of families. It will be a free six month to one year program, with the option of staying indefinitely, and each family will having their own personal residence.  While residing on this site, we will all participate in growing our own crops, raising our own livestock, building and managing our own schools, hospitals, and businesses, and all within the realm of the governmental policies of that as of yet undetermined locale. All of our constituents must adhere to the tenets of our governing body, and must refrain from lying, stealing, killing, sexual misconduct, and the taking of intoxicants that lead to recklessness and irresponsibility. There will be no set religious doctrine and/or denominational adherence, yet each person must be in accordance with some set of spiritual principles that require one to treat all others with love, honor, and respect. While in residence, and/or in good standing while in abstention, all members, of every age, will jointly own every economically related component situated on the premises, and will be directly involved in all aspects of both social and governmental undertakings.

Now this probably sounds like the conversation of a Socialistic idealist, or maybe even a Utopian fanatic. Be that as it may, it's our money and that's how we gon roll unless something better comes along. Check out the future blogs, maybe a couple of the radio shows and let me know of your ideas and what your plans are looking like, and in that way you'll be kept aware of what's going on at this end.

I'll Holla…





To comment or respond click on the word comments at the bottom of the page or email me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com.

OUR REASON FOR RAPPING

We might not intend or even desire to be, but we are all rappers. Before DJ Kool Herc, Gil Scott-Heron rapped…and before him was the comedian Rudy Ray Moore, and others like King Pleasure who used syncopated phrases to convey a message. Grand Master Flash and others certainly helped bring it to broader recognition as an art form, but 'rapping', in its rawest form, is still the act of conveying a message. It's been around a long time and if you've ever attempted to verbally get a point across, you can consider yourself as a rapper of some sort.

I had the opportunity to interview two up and coming admitted rappers, Omar Zuhair and Zachariah Fahmi, whose intents are to share their gifts with others. They believe that the current world consciousness of greed and selfishness needs to be adjusted, and that they are agents of positive change in that arena. Each of them is talented in their own right, yet feel that working together will exponentially increase the effect they have on those whose lives they touch. These guys are 18 and 21years of age, have no agent, no manager, and no producer, and are employing their own resources to record, produce, and distribute their first recorded message at no cost to the consumer. Once this is done, they will offer affordable performances to both exhibit their talents and to spread the messages inherent in their songs. These two young men have proclaimed themselves rappers, are bound to the commitment of conveying their messages, and have each dedicated themselves to doing so in what they feel is a positive and beneficial manner.

Now for those of us who sometimes view rappers as profanity driven, thug attired conveyors of meaningless lyrical compositions; let's put our opinions aside for a moment and take a look at our role in relation to the big picture. First of all, most people on this planet are displeased with what they view as problems, and are embracing whatever provides them with a sense of peace and well being. Be it food, drugs, or some form of entertainment, we are all seeking a means for getting out of the 'mess' we too often see ourselves in. We look at rappers as purveyors of negativity, yet don't consider that they too are trying to get out of their own as well as the worldly mess most of us see ourselves in. They, for one, are using their marketable skills as a means for doing so. Isn’t it conceivable that the rest of us can at least 'rap' to one another about devising a means to help those whose intent is to help others. Doesn’t it seem only right for us to stop running from the mess we assume others are making, and participate in doing what we can to help clean it up. We can all rap so let's work on changing our lyrics from blame and condemnation to acceptance and participation. Let's start looking more at self and perhaps adjusting our attitudes in regard to how we view others.

Again, we are all rappers even if we 'ain't gettin paid'. Each and every one of us has a message, so let's start conveying messages of hope and endless possibilities whenever the opportunity to do so presents itself. It's all about intent and if we just desire that our words make a meaningful difference, they ultimately will and we can all get paid in allotments of peace, of harmony, and of love.

I'll holla…

To comment or respond click on the word comments at the bottom of the page or email me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com.

WHO ARE YOU AND WHY

Isn't it amazing how we ask younger folks what their plans are for the future and yet we reach the ages of 30 through 90 and still have no fixed idea of what we're going to do with our lives. The best answer I've heard to this date about future plans was from a retired guy. When I asked him what he was doing now that he had retired he said "I don't do anything and I don't do that till 12 noon." Well, some of us haven't accepted our lives as such, so what is it we should be doing? It's not an easy thing to figure out, let alone make manifest, but our first objective should be to prioritize our search methods and begin with at least considering two questions…"1. Who I am?" and 2. Why am I here?" Before making a decision in regard to what we're going to do, it's important that we at least have some idea of what it is we're working with.

As for me, I retired from Ford Motor company five years ago, and since that time I've worked as an 'in school suspension' facilitator at a Chicago high school, a teacher with the Chicago Public School System, and a director at the Lighthouse Youth Center. Since moving to California I've written over 40 blogs, started writing my first book, and am in my third week as a radio talk show host. Sounds busy for sure but let me assure you that my working is just one of the means I use to stay centered. Let it be known right now that from time to time I question who I really am, and I still reflect on whether I'm actually fulfilling my purpose for being here. What works for me, beside staying busy, is that I try and surround myself with those who seek and accept the truth about themselves, I try and do things that I feel contribute to the welfare of others, and I purpose to participate in moments of stillness where I can hear the voice of wisdom and truth. Don't get it twisted though, my life is not free of uncomfortable situations nor is it devoid of personal debris, but of one thing I am sure…I'm on the path and I'm experiencing the joy that's an integral part of the journey.

So who am I? I'm a manifestation of the One. Why am I here? To give of myself, however I can, for the benefit of others or who I call the 'WE'. It's a simple task, but it's not easy because I complicate it with thinking too much and dwelling too long on how I'm going to go about completing it.  However; if I've learned nothing else, I know that persistence and perseverance are the keys. This life is all about being who we are unless we find that it's hurting others. It's about continuing to do what we do until something happens or we decide to do something else. As far as I'm concerned there is no 'right' way of doing it. We each have to do what is comfortable for us and of some value to another. Who I am today is not who I was yesterday and might not be who I am tomorrow, and as you can see, what I might do can go from one extreme to another. Nonetheless; every day is the first day of my life and today is the day I'm going to be who I am, and do what I can... for the 'WE'. That 'WE' is you and it's always up to us to be who we are and to do what we do. Hopefully; in some way, even our choice to do nothing, will play a pivotal role in making manifest the purpose of the 'One'.

I'll holla.


To comment or respond click on the word comments at the bottom of the page or email me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com.

MUSIC MOVES THE UNIVERSE

Since the beginning of our existence music has always been present. What does music do? Playwright William Congreve in 

his 1697 play the 'Mourning Bride', expressed that music has a soothing effect. In the 1977 movie, 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' it was demonstrated that the sound of music could possibly initiate communication between mankind and beings from another planet. Just the other day I was on 4th Street in Long Beach and asked three students what music did for them. Jada of Long Beach College said that music was 'healing'. Eron, also of Long Beach College. said it was dependent on the situation. whether 'bumping some track music' while rolling in his car, or behind closed doors with friends listening to Erykah Badu. Ky, of Cerritos College, said that "Music connects.. all of us, around the world, in different ways." Now whether the foregoing statements are applicable to you or not…it goes without saying that music moves all of us in some form or fashion. Whether we want to turn it up, turn it down or turn it off…all music is going to elicit some type of response. It stands to reason that music is an integral part of our very existence, so the question is: What do we do with it?

My wife Nicole spoke at the TEDX conference in Costa Mesa a couple of weeks ago and said, "...we are all connected... to those outside of us, no matter how different they appear." This same mindset was resonated by our friend Ky when she commented that 'music connects'. Hopefully, it is the intent of every musician and all other purveyors of music, to connect every member of their respective audiences...one to another. Nicole continued her talk by saying, "When I forget me something really special happens." There's indeed something about music that allows you to forget everything, including yourself and whatever else might be on your mind. There's also something about music that causes you to do what I call 'Go In' and stay there until you're either distracted or ready to come out. When you're listening to music with others and they unawaringly 'Go In' with you... that's when the connection occurs …that's when we start feeling that 'something really special' is taking place.

Once I really started enjoying life, my appreciation for the arts escalated, and my connection to others, through music, reached an all time high. Communication, in any form, is the one medium that allows us to maximally connect. Whether it be through verbal or written conversation; visual arts or musical performances; communication is a viable means of reconciling with self and interacting with others. The intent of course, no matter how we go about implementing it, is for all of us to recognize and accept our 'Oneness'. I'm at a place now where I love life and live it to the fullest. Sharing this passion with others is what I do, and until I learn how to play my guitar well enough to perform, running my mouth is how I do it. Let it be known however, that music is just as important to me as words, and listening to others through music is a marvelous means for maintaining my connection to all of you.

Music has always been here and is here to stay…What you gon do with it?

I'll Holla.




To comment or respond click on the word comments at the bottom of the page or email me at grace.calvin187@gmail.com.