Today I got my first pair of granny glasses. Yep, knew it was comin... lotsa folks younger than me have had theirs for a while now. Baby sis thinks I'm a wimp 'cause she's had hers her whole life. Don't get me wrong, I'm so happy to actually be able to see small stuff close up again. But wow. The actual process of finding out that my body's officially on the other side of that hill... well... it's not a subject that's very popular - and especially not for a female to write about - unless you're writing about how to stop the inevitability of aging. But I say, let's hear it! All that stuff still stuck in the taboo categories of the 1890s. It's 2016 now, let's act and write like it. The glasses are still making me feel a bit seasick, but it sure is nice to see like a superhero again, even if I do feel like I'm seeing through a bubble.
On Prince:
So while I sit here and write, many friends and colleagues back in the Twin Cities are attending a block party at Sabathani Community Center in honor of our artist. It's been interesting, conceptualizing just how powerfully art can act as a catalyst for emotional, social, individual and collective change. And realizing how all the different parts of the production and consumption of art work together to form a lasting impact on people over time. Its an area I've never given much thought to: concept, funding, production, post-production, editing, marketing, outreach, evaluation, finance... it's mind boggling to actually think of all those pieces of the "success" puzzle. But it's also super exciting that we all can take a little piece of this model and apply it to the work we do in our families, communities and neighborhoods. I am still sad, and so happy to receive this gift of insight from a guy I never knew, but who was always there, teaching through challenging in a beautiful, masterful way what I think about men, women, relationships, gender, music and gender roles. The funny thing is, I generally pay as little attention to popular culture as possible, but this guy even challenged that, and while I still mourn his loss, I sure am glad that we had the chance to have him with us in the soundtrack to our lives. My tribute to Prince: Purple Sky Bubbles.
On reflecting:
Spent the start of this month still realizing all the things that were going on for us in 1986. Not only the birth of the Belize Association of Florida, but the birth of my baby sis, Reina. And an awesome move from South Florida to Southern Ontario, a little town about 20 minutes North of Niagara Falls, once the terminus of the underground railroad, St. Catharines. It's a bustling little metropolis, home to the Georgia Pacific paper company, and yes, your professional and personal paper needs may still be met by a factory there. My early teen years were filled with volleyball, visits to the Falls, lots of time with my beloved grandparents, and volunteering on the fundraising team of the local historical society, now the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Center. My role: IMP (that's Important Museum Person, by the way!) Funny that now, my sister Adrienne and I continue our family's tradition of promoting education, art and civic engagement through our work in the museums field, almost 30 years later.
On kites & kids:
And finally, an update on the spread of kite fever... this month the African American Research Library celebrated kite month with a series of kite making workshops, kite flying festival and a month long exhibit of kites in their museum. It was amazing to see the skills of kite engineers from all over the Caribbean demonstrate their favorite tricks of the trade and share stories of childhood memories where all children learn technology, math, physics, geography, and science by playing! At the conclusion of a month long standardized testing season, happy Dia de los Ninos to all our young people - we love you!
And by the way:
Happy International Workers Day & May Day to everyone out there, struggling for balance, equity, dignity and sustainability in their life. Congrats to one of my favorite old collaborators, In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre for appearing in CNN's article on May Day - lookin forward to seeing the pics tomorrow - have a great one! Florida - let's organize!
