Our voices are the most precious tools to express what we feel, what we want and what we intend. Our actions are the most valuable form of expression to tangible outcomes that are a manifest extension of us. We must remember together we can, when we can not alone. There is a stronghold of community and understanding - for we are far more alike than not. We all experience similar if not the same things through various experiences and circumstances on various spectrums of existence. However, there is severe divide between cushioned realities and those born into less fortunate situations. The bottom line is that this circumstance of contrasting realities is that opportunity and equity need to be reviewed and reassessed in the areas that it is needed. Specifically, in relation to necessities and resources to health, housing and job security - economic and political policies affect all of us. Through the empowerment and magnification of our voices, our representations and our spaces in the areas of the arts, politics and economy is where the solutions lay.
It is up to us to critically digest and analyze what is in condition and what is in circumstance. What is just and what is not. It is up to us to stand for our truth, for our freedom and liberation. Justice is fair, just behavior and treatment. If we are all able to see the power in unity and connection in the compassionate nature of the belief in humanity and equity that which is a human right - not a proposition of discussion or alteration in economic or political agendas that fail to recognize our human condition and well-beings. That is what this all is - but also a call to discussion and reflection; through community affairs, grassroot governance from the people to create the foundational framework of operational functions of organization in which communities operate, live and prosper. What is socialism ... a call to those underserved and unseen - in true definition according to google : "a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community". When we cut out the middle man of corporate greed and disproportionate distribution of wealth, we will see community growth and resilience. When we support local, artisanal enterprises and most importantly black owned businesses, we empower those marginalized in economic gains and introduce conscious consumerism that powers micro-economies. A grassroots organization of support of our neighbors and community, whenever we can, however we can - this is the call to action, a call to needed improvement for and of the welfare for us all.
Class
Class is a construct to the socioeconomic standing and characterization within the systemic structure of capitalism. A division created to have losers so winners can collect inflated revenue and capital gains. Class is a set of conditions and labels for systemic categorization of opportunity, ultimately, as it determines one's access to health, education, housing, and social and economic resources - the definitive drivers of social and economic mobility. America is a classless society as it is systemically constructed to split groups of people depending on their socio-economic standing, and if we have an imaginary middle class because the majority of Americans are in debt and do not actually own more than half of the things they have, ie. homes, cars and educations - (as they are on loans and credit cards), then we really only have the marginal divide of disproportionate wealth of the rich 1% and everybody else.
Conscious Rise
Consciousness is based upon the ultimate ability of how one perceives & connects through their own understanding of another to another. What ignites the spark to a greater knowing and waking of our sleeping consciousness?
By instilling emotion, empathy and feeling - this may just be the ultimate key that could save all of humanity as we know it. Away from social constructs of political and economic agendas - away from law and closer to the underlining truth of all that is our humanity. It should not be a matter of how the narrative of condition is constructed and expressed to the perceiver, but instead the true essence of intention and isolation of the very factors that contribute to the outcomes that are wanted and needed.
Media holds the ultimate power of creating perception. The goal is to widen the perspective through human connection, education and acknowledgment by the way of representation and respect to and of all individuals - especially those marginalized, unseen and unheard.
There is a need - now more than ever - for people to begin critically analyzing their lives, their social constructs and institutional systems through their affiliations and actions, on the personal, social and political levels of the engaged self. The aim is to see the domino effect, the collective web of impact through their personal actions and lack thereof - this is true consciousness.
Glory Within
Often times we get placed in boxes that are misrepresentations of who we truly are. If we are not grounded enough in our beings or staying true to ourselves - we become what we are written off as being. The power to self identity, expression and representation is a human right. We cannot let pre-conceived notions turn us into pre-determined dispositions. To liberate oneself there is a need to own one's voice, narrative, presence and space.
Perspective Builds
To define themes and principles is a way to unlock the way that we see, understand and perceive the world.
The understanding comes through either experience and knowledge accumulation. The evolvement of words has changed and grown with the culture in which it lives, a product of time and influence. The way we look to define and use that word or words aligns to our consciousness. By breaking each word down and principle down by definition enables and opens individuals up to the multi-verse of possibilities to understanding of their perception on the multiple layers the interpretation can be explained and understood. As meaning is placed upon the probability of collated influences that one knows or comes to know of it - new or old. The interpretation that is based on more than one meaning is the parallel of possibilities of finding the origins and roots to that theory. Perspective is how one perceives, connects through their own understandings of another to another - what causes the connection, the link? Emotion connects us through the understanding of the mind, body and soul. Inevitably becoming a nature of getting away from law and toward art - not the form but the truth.
Media for instance create perceptions by the way of tapping into the individual psychology and social psyche. There is a need for people to begin critically analyzing their lives and their set of rules, laws self imposed or conditioned through space and time.
Field Study
Subject Coverage : The Widening Gap: Economic Inequality Town Hall
Event : Panel discussion at Bric Media - Brooklyn, NY Take aways, thoughts, next steps The Deputy Mayor of the Strategic Policy Initiative, J. Phillip Thompson had the best alarming call to action by stating the truth that which identifies our current political environment of a “broken democracy”. He confirmed that which we truly know and understand, our answer and solution lies among the people. The key is there, within the margins and space of those which are disqualified from participation and mobilization in the political and economic domains due to their identity in relation to their race, class, gender, sex and religion among numerous other identifiers that make us unique individuals. The undeniable hope is that we can unify by aligning on the efforts of truth and representation for all to come together as a force that is powered by numbers. I believe this is popular discourse, knowledge is power. Educating the masses on what is the current systemic failings that we are living within defines the opportunity for growth, resilience and change. We are all here together, whatever the topic of opposition and inequality and inequity is - it is a call to all for compassion and humanity - a justice for all. The economy is political, it is now just as much as it was during the establishment of it. It is also social as a means to evolution and the barriers to it. Democracy is an elective government that should be representative of the people… not the economic - business structures - that upholds the foundations of Capitalism. That is the ultimate disconnect of our current democratic environment. There is no democracy if that democracy favors monetary gains over humanity and human condition. We have a vicious and unjust cycle of an economy that upholds certain individuals - feeding money into politics, the politics of favoritism upholding policies that favor the individual donors and grant provider’s personal agendas. Fed and fueled by greed. I am not talking about a complete shutdown-shakeup — just justice. Bringing people into the equation of fair treatment in the economy, an equal opportunity through targeting issues that disable the marginalized and keeping those marginalized within those margins. The outdated preconceived notions of the ideal status quo agendas marginalize many and silences the masses through the elimination of priority attentiveness and response. Missing history, records and facts of marginalization and unjust treatment - covers up the track records of those taking advantage of the democratic structure and the constitution itself. Why do we have a disproportionate economy? This is nothing new, however it is critical to expose the new formations of such an entities evolve in this modern age. The power and solution can and will be among the people by using tools and resources that connect and empower us all - the ultimate power of the internet and the beauty of social interaction and connection is the bridge to alteration and change of dominate top-down power structures. Taking power back from the oligarchy of the wealthy elites that are abusing power that is supported by their bank accounts over the political process disables the lower and imaginary middle class citizens. What kind of world do we want to create for our children and the generations to come? Do we want to celebrate the next generation by establishing a hopeful and opportune world of the raised standards of living that cater to individuals and not power structures that have disabled and immobilized us from freedom to be politically and economically free. “Equal opportunity doesn’t fix anything until we address unequal obstacles” of today.
