talking bout some good hair

Yesterday I randomly run into a Starbucks in Soho and I do something a native NYC gal never does. Introduce myself to a celebrity.
"Excuse me, but are you Nelson George?" (if you don't know, google a brother, he's dope)

He is, and we have a little conversation then he mentions that I look familiar. Turns out, I'm in a new documentary he helped produce "Good Hair". Back in '07 Chris Rock came into my hair braiding spot and filmed me while I was getting my hair done. I looked a mess, too bad they couldn't get footage of me when I was done!
This joint needs to hurry up and get opened up to major release. And when it does, please don't hold me accountable for the state of my hair, I was transitioning from the creamy crack.

straight la

just got back from vacation in LA and while I was there after dinner at Roscoe's this throw back came on the radio. The lyrics are too real and almost of a bygone era. Yes its indeed problematic - a study in the often nihilistic, misogynistic, violent celebration of swagger seen all too often in the music I love. Yet the artists don't pull the lyrics out from random. The city is sunny, but its street life is all too real for too many. Easy recorded the realness surrounding him.

we've got a lot of work to do, if only to make sure that in another 20 years we don't hear lyrics like these anymore.

whose kids? our kids.

By now you've heard about the stimulus bill - what's in and what's out. Education always gets the short shift, because according to a few short sighted politicians education spending does not create jobs nor immediately boost the economy. Please relay that message to the millions of teachers nation wide, your favorite sis and my older sister included.

I find myself in a frenzy over what next fall will bring - will I be employed? Will I be able to afford my apartment? Will I have to get a little job at a coffee shop or bookstore to tide me over (a fine way to use my degree indeed). But I'm young and single and thankfully my momdukes won't let me go out like that. What of the educators who depend on their salaries to support families and other loved ones? Are we really willing to see 3 million jobs go up in smoke?

There is no national security or future without a solid education made accessible for all children. I for one am damned tired of education being forgotten and seeing our schools run on less and less. If Bloomberg's plan to layoff 15,000 teachers goes through if the city faces budget shortfalls, class sizes will soar to upwards of 50. And thats just the start. Kids don't get another shot.

So if you're in the NYC area come through to the Fair Budget Rally, Thursday March 5th, 4pm at City Hall.
Call and email your US Senators, or write your representative. Volume gets heard! Remember that the government works for us not the other way around. Refuse to sit idly by, we need each other.

FDR didn't go it alone and Obama cannot produce miracles. But we can.

my born day

I've been at this for 23 years now.
and its only getting better...

roots rock

Ever since my homegirl Gudrun sent me the link to download Esau Mwamwaya's mixtape with Radioclit, I've been steady bumping it everywhere I go.

"Kamphopo " is the answer you've been looking for.

the center of the universe

Brooklyn = the illest borough, black history, American heritage, hip hop, cool beats, gbks, bamboo hoops, timbs, NorthFace,uptowns, Park Slope moms, herbal deadheads (of all races), street hustlers selling all things Obama, Caribbean tanties, abuelitas, bodegas, the Chinese food joint, laundromats, the train station, double dutch, sitting with sisters on the stoop.

Simply put Brooklyn is the heart of the heart and everywhere I want to be.
The recession can't stop me from being a globe trotter, I have NYC.

get tickets to this.

at the end of the showing at the ifc, the director and former banana republic employee barry jenkins asked the audience to spread the word about the film if we liked it. and if we didn't to just keep quiet. well, i loved it. so hurry up and see this, because tyler perry isn't the only black man who makes movies.
medicine for melancholy = mad good