June 2020 — The Basemnt

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A Nature Un-Nurtured: the Black Imagination in this Moment

I look in the mirror and ask myself, am I this way because of you or in spite of you?

I can’t speak to my mother for 5 minutes nowadays without her reminding me of how much I look just like you. I often wonder how she feels when she says this; her tone an imperceptible mixture of adoration and frustration that leaves me longing for an opportunity to know what she sees.

For black boys, our imagination is a lifeline. It provides us a vision and sense of self outside of the images that are represented in the media or the messages that are perpetuated in schools. But when it comes to you, I was never able to conjure up any images, and instead was left with feelings of anger, abandonment, or embarrassment.

This nature of mine that has gone unnurtured for decades has left a bittersweet taste that I’ve gotten used to. When pondering upon my reflection, I take pride in the man I’ve become without you, yet I can’t help but wonder how your presence would have changed the fuzzy image staring back at me.

Art provided another lifeline, as I fused the images and messages of my favorite musicians, athletes, and actors together into some form of a Frankenfather that I could follow. Their songs of struggle were my soundtrack, their athletic feats gave me something to aspire to out in my driveway, and their special episodes about absent fathers provided me with the validation that I was not alone.

Yet right now, with everything going on, I feel more alone than ever. There’s a you-sized void that can no longer be filled with distractions, and I have accepted that. There are greater factors at play, and it is time that we open our eyes to an understanding that our current circumstances are a result of deliberate action, and therefore necessitates that a greater amount of energy and resources are put in place to eradicate the barriers that so many have worked hard to create.

Our imagination and our art must continue to be a source of power and pride, not our demise. Now more than ever these lifelines are vital, for they capture the true representation of our beautifully complex existence; one that will not be simplified into images of victimhood or anarchy. Know that your creations take on a new meaning to black boys like me, bringing much needed clarity and definition to a visage I am only truly beginning to perceive.
I am this way because of you.

I am this way because of all of you. Happy Father’s Day.
Rest in Peace to George Floyd, and to every life that has been taken at the hands of systemic violence.
Our black lives will always matter.

CHANGE by Pixie Henson
I’ve been in a state of mourning. I’ve spent the month writing, listening, reading, and learning. This long and sweet playlist is a product of the time. I am striving to be the best version of myself. I have hope for a better world. We must educate ourselves and demand significant change

"Power conceded nothing without demand. It never did and it never will." Frederick Douglass

Beauty in the Struggle by Dele Johnson

To be black in this world is bittersweet. There are emotional highs and depressing lows. Our lives ebb and flow. These songs mirror my own black experience (a mixed-race, son of a Nigerian immigrant). Touching on a full range of music across the last 50 years, these songs, to me: are BLACKNESS

How Are You? by Demetrius Beckham

“How Are You Feeling?”

A quick 5-minute scroll down any newsfeed would have you convinced it is indeed the end of days. Global pandemic, widespread racial uprisings, tanking economy and laughable leadership. What more could be added to the mix?

But more than ever, now is a time for us to lose focus. To abandon our faith and succumb to the narrative of our inevitable suffering. They want to see us slip and fall. To finally be overcome by the pressure.

And so I challenge you all today, my Black brothers and sisters, and friends alike: Let’s take a moment or several, to pause and reflect on how we’re doing, how far we’ve come and the love that still exists despite it all. Let’s grab hold of that love, pour it onto ourselves and then share it with those we care most for.

Now can also be a time of healing. You’re allowed to take several moments to ask yourself, “How am I feeling?” It’s a start.

Flo w Bo by Bo

A collection of assorted sounds and wavelengths. seasonality and moods abundant. feelings and thoughts connected. drift in and out. be vulnerable.

FATHERS
Dumas Haddad

FATHERS” is a powerful film that interrogates and challenges stereotypes surrounding the role of the black father in modern society.

Define Beauty
Rhea Dillon

This film highlights the beauty and importance of Afro hair at every step of it's wash-to-style process

Jeremy Snell
Boys of Volta

Lake Volta is the largest man-made lake in the world. Spanning across half of Ghana, its surface is scattered with eerie tree trunks emerging from glassy waters. The trafficking of children and child labor in this region has a lot to do with the complex economic and social history of the Ghanaians residing around the lake. Young children are targeted for fishing because of their mobility and small hands for untangling nets. This series hopes to capture some of the solitude and innocence of young children entrapped in this reality.

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