MONTH THREE of being on Patreon! Thank you so much for being my art patron!
March has flown by, and there's new spring energy that I've been feeling! This month has been filled with collabs and many introductions to other creatives. It reminds me that sometimes it's good to do solo work (and its needed), but it's also good to be reminded of how kind and generous other Chicago artists are. That kindness and generosity propels me to be the same for others.
Word:
DISCOMFORT. Pt 4.
Continuing my exploration of race and microagressions, this month has had one focus: I/we need to address that sugary coat of language that covers systematic prejudice. So many things are said with good intentions and politeness, but the content is stricken with evil dehumanizing assumptions and attacks. Microagressions can be SO aggressive. I/we need to speak up when those comments are made, because true peace and freedom usually is uncomfortable.
VISUAL:
Article:
"The Sugarcoated Language of White Fragility"
by Anna Kegler // Huffpost
As Vernā Meyers says, “not enough White people have done their work”:
After all the resources spent and goodwill extended, many white people, in exasperation, ask me why we haven’t gotten further in racial understanding or increasing the diversity in our workplaces and lives. Sometimes, they don’t like my response. I tell them what I have come to believe. Not enough white people have done their work: the work of seeing the barriers to true meritocracy, the work of putting themselves in the shoes of black people to learn more about their experiences and perceptions, the work of understanding how being white has shaped their worldview and self-perceptions, and the work of gaining the skills of deciphering and managing cross-racial and cultural dynamics. That’s a lot of work, but without it you cannot create fundamental change in your sphere of influence.
BOOK:
GWENDOLYN BROOKS. Sometimes I need to take a break from reading long form, and poetry just hits the spot. This book addresses racial issues, gender issues, relationships so well. My heart would burst and break reading this book.
PODCAST:
This month was filled with so many AMAZING podcast episodes. You need to listen to these now.
Movie:
MEMORY MONDAYS:
This particular #TWmemorymonday piece is very personal to me, and even thinking about it now...it makes me mad. How we use "compliments" or sugary language can hold such weight and do so much damage. READ about my story and this piece I painted inspired by it.
Video:
MTV Decoded: Are all Asians Rich?
WATCH IT. Talking about offensive "compliments," this one rings too true.
Connection:
This month my heart has been bursting, because I got to meet so many new fellow creatives and artists. It's so good to know really know that I'm not alone, and that there are so many generous and truly kind people out there. A few that I met and some that I worked with are: Liz Flores, Laura Rose Davis, Ashlee Eland, Bjork Amundsen, Hannah Leadley. Check them out!