damali ayo • gazing through big black eyes

This blog has moved

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 02:06:56 GMT

Please visit the new blog at: http://damaliayo.blogspot.com/

and you’ll find three new posts on Barack Obama, Racism and much more.

You can also get the blog posts and much more on my Facebook fan group.

See you on the web!

damali ayo Returns to the Stage to Talk About Racism

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:27:08 GMT

I’m Back!
damali returns to the stage to stir things up about racism once again.

I am writing today to announce that after a few months off the racism-lecture circuit, I am returning to the stage to continue this much needed dialogue.

This year, I hit a wall of intense burn-out. There were many factors involved in my decision in April to take my leave from the battle to fight racism, but over the last six months, I’ve watched where our country is going in the new-found “age of Obama.” What I’ve seen and experienced has been profound. This conversation is needed now more than ever. This is an incredible opportunity to examine the way racism works in our country.

Earlier this month as I was photographing some of the Panhandling for Reparations performers a nearby woman, who could not stop laughing, kept saying “things are changing...one of them is about to be president.” This summed up the situation so clearly. Yes one of “them” is about to be president, so soon, none of “them” will need to be listened to any longer.

But then, what made the the timber of this time so clear to me was a simple gesture that occurred while I was walking my dog in my neighborhood one afternoon.

A man yelled “nigger” at me.

And it was here that I realized the dual level of what we will be dealing with in this new “changed” time.

I need to be with you in this conversation continuing the work I do to help people find the tools to advance their understanding of race, and to connect and learn from each other.

Let’s do this together by bringing me to your community or school to present the tools of the I Can Fix It conversation, to talk about my experience as an artist and racism educator, and to help generate dialogue in your world. In appreciation for your welcoming me back, I would like to connect personally with anyone who brings me to talk. If you help to organize my visit to your community, I would include in that visit a personal chat over coffee with you and a group of your friends.

You might be asking, “what happened to CROW Clothing?” Well, the economy happened to CROW. Sadly we launched just as things started going downhill and we were not able to get the backing we needed to continue past our proof-of-concept phase. We were not alone, two other eco-clothing companies in Portland alone closed this summer as well. It was a wonderful effort, and brilliant experiment and all of us who were involved can leave saying that we created a “first” in the world- the first sliding-scale clothing company. For this we are proud.

If you would like to bring me to your school or community, drop a line to damali@damaliayo.com. I look forward to seeing you all once again.

Yours always,

damali

Please also JOIN THE NEW BLOG at http://damaliayo.blogspot.com

Switching Blogs

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 03:13:37 GMT

Hey everyone-

I’m moving my blog to http://damaliayo.blogspot.com/.

It’s just time for a change.

Come with me....!

You can also find the blog at http://damaliayo.com, of course.

Thanks!

damali

Each One Teach One

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 17:35:51 GMT

Hello incredible people.

I’ve recently begun Yoga Teacher Training and it’s been an incredible experience. Today I was inspired to create a means to assist with the cost of the training but also to help grow the number of black yoga teachers. So, I created this ChipIn to help me raise the $1750 I have left to pay for my training, and an additional $500 for to jump start a ChipIn fund for a the training for another black yoga teacher, they will in turn, raise their training fee plus $500 to start the next person on their road and so on.

I hope you will join me in this exciting venture to spread yoga and diversify the faces of those leading classes and this movement.

If you are a student of yoga who is ready to become a teacher and want to be the next one in line in this fundraising process, drop me a note at damali@reinventfitness.com.

Any amount will have an impact, on my heart and on the lives of those I will have the honor to teach. Thanks so much for any support you can give!

To contribute and to read a personal note about how Yoga has affected my life, please visit: http://damali.chipin.com/each-one-teach-one

damali

damali speaks at PSU on Tuesday Sept 30th: "Feminist Perspectives in Pop Culture" lecture series Subject: damali speaks at PSU on Tuesday Sept 30th

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:15:14 GMT

Hello Portland Folks,

It is an honor to invite you to a rare talk I am giving next week at PSU.

Kick off to:
Bitch Magazine’s “Feminist Perspectives in Pop Culture” lecture series

http://www.wrc.pdx.edu/shesheet/wordpress/?p=242

This will be a candid look at my life as a social change artist. I will share my motivations, my journey, childhood photos and talk about where I’ve been, where I’m going and how I think others can continue the work I’m doing. I would really love to see you there, at this special occasion and a wonderful open-hearted conversation.

September 30th Tuesday, 7pm
Portland State University
Smith Memorial Ballroom 1825 SW Broadway
the cost is $10 at the door, all proceeds going to bitch magazine, the sponsor.

Feel free to blog and cross-post this event.

Please also visit: http://fixracism.com for info on an exciting training I’m holding in October. I would love to have you be a part of it.

damali

I Can Fix It! Speaker Corps- Sign Up Now! I Can Fix It! Speaker Corps I Can Fix It! Speaker Corps I Can Fix It! Speaker Corps- SIgn Up Now!

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 03:57:29 GMT

Please Join Us in this Exciting Event!

This powerful and effective presentation gets people to challenge racism on a very plain and basic level that they cannot avoid. Sometimes controversial, always entertaining, this guide and the presentation has been used in communities around the globe. Now you can disseminate this guide yourself.

damali trains new speakers to give her talk on 10 practical solutions for how to create healthier, more productive racial interactions. The training will be in in Portland, Oregon. Friday, participants get to enjoy damali’s humor and style as they see her give the presentation in it’s full glory. Saturday we work together to insert our own stories and experiences into the presentation to make it your own. The following Saturday we reconvene after trying the presentation in the world, and discuss challenges, further questions, and receive certification. Facilitation and presentation skills will be covered. PowerPoint slides, audio and visuals will be given as part of the training. Participants will be given a certificate of completion and encouraged to bring the talk to schools and communities.

Dates (The training takes place over three sessions):
October 17, 6-9pm
October 18, 8am -1pm
October 25, 8am -1pm

Location: Portland, OR
If you would like to bring this training to your area and have an group of 10-20 people, we would love to come to you!

Cost: $250
Participants will be certified to give the I Can Fix It! presentation and can charge for this service. Scholarship are available.

Bring:
Your sense of humor, your stories and your heart.

Further information and APPLICATION available here:
Website:
http://fixracism.com/

Blog:
http://fixracism.blogspot.com/

Email:
speakercorps@fixracism.com

The Second Annual National Day of Panhandling for Reparations is October 10, 2008

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:32:07 GMT

Hello Everyone!!!

It’s that time of the year again....yes indeed. The leaves are getting ready to turn, the Summer harvest is in, Columbus is just about to “discover” “America” and we are taking to the streets to panhandle for reparations!

Last year over 70 people in 20 states sat out on street corners with homemade signs, cups, and banners and collected and distributed hundreds of dollars in reparations.

“It was panhandling, it was performance art - and it was a political statement about the legacy of slavery and reparations for black people.”
- The Associated Press on the 2007 event

This year we are doing it again.
OCTOBER 10, 2008
Any corner you pick.
Any time you pick.
Take Pictures and send them to reparations@damaliayo.com

Sign up now, get your Panhandling for Reparations Kit, t-shirts and much more at http://reparationsday.com

Tell your friends!!

Catch Me If You Can!

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:16:02 GMT

Catch Me If You Can!
damali’s Upcoming Speaking Engagements

Autumn has arrived full throttle in Portland and has me excited for a new year of talks, presentations and workshops. I can’t wait to get on the road and see all of you from the stages and classrooms of your communities.

A few highlights:

September 6th I will be speaking at the Portland Creative Conference, on the genius of fashion and my personal creative process as a designer, artist and creative thinker. You can attend the conference at a discounted rate because you know me. Just enter the code SPEAKER for your registration and you’ll get $30 off your fee. ($69 for the day). The day proves to be worth it with a host of amazing speakers inspiring you about the creative design process.

Bitch Magazine has asked me to kick of their inaugural season of the “B-word” speaker series. That talk will be at PSU on September 30th. Should be damali at her most open. Definitely worth catching.

I’m also excited to speak at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Februrary. More details on that as the date approaches.

But mostly, I’m excited to find out where else I can go this year, meaning to you! I would really love to re-visit some of the campuses I’ve met over the last few years and bring new talks and energy to your communities. I’d also love to visit some of the places and people on this list that I haven’t met yet. This year starts a new relationship between me and SpeakOut.org as well as a return to self-representation which means I have a lot more flexibility with my schedule. Please drop me a note if you are interested in having me come for a visit.

Below are some topics that I’d love to bring to your community.

PRESENTATIONS

The Good Fight:
My life as a Social Change Artist
damali shares her inspirational journey through her many creative solutions to societal problems. This talk gives you living flaga sense of how all issues are connected, from the US revolution, to racial issues and reparations, to fashion and eco living. This talk shows each member of the audience that there are many ways to make a difference in their world. It is truly an entertaining and inspiring evening.

Change You Can Wear:
The Economy’s First Sliding Scale Clothing Company
Why create an eco-friendly clothing company that sells clothes on a sliding scale? What kinds of challenges do you face in this process? Is it possible to create social change through the capitalist economy? Is fashion radical or is it oppressive? Is community real? damali examines all these questions as she shares her path to creation of CROW Clothing, a truly 21st century business that challenges all the rules.

Living the Green Life
damali shares her user-friendly strategies for living a life that is gentle on the earth, easy on the budget, and rewarding to the spirit. Not your typical take on “green talk” damali shows, from racism to recycling, why “living right is living well” in all aspects of your life.

TRAININGS

I Can Fix It! Speaker Corps
damali passes the race-relations torch by training new speakers to give her talk on 10 practical solutions for how to create healthier, more productive racial interactions. Trainings will include a kit with all needed powerpoint slides and audio. First training is October in Portland, OR. Apply Now You can also arrange for a Speaker Corps Training in your community.

How to Make Conceptual Art
Participants design their own conceptual art projects through this interactive team-oriented workshop.

Yoga
In addition to giving a talk to your community, damali shares her love and ten-year practice of yoga in an hour long class. damali welcomes all interested parties as she leads you through a basic yoga practice that will leave you feeling more energetic, stretched, refreshed, and centered.

More info on all of these presentations and more at damaliayo.com

I’d love to see you.
To bring damali ayo for a presentation or training please contact:
damali@damaliayo.com
OR
programs@speakoutnow.org

Speaking Engagements

September
6- Portland Creative Conference: Fashion Keynote, Portland OR
30- Bitch Magazine Feminism and Pop Culture Series, Portland State University, Portland OR

October
(tba)- I Can Fix It Training Corps, Portland, OR apply now
21- Rockford College, Illinois

February
9- National Underground Railroad Museum, Cincinnati, OH

Next up...Your School or Center. Let’s work together to bring me to you!

Project Runway Green Fashion Episode!

Sun, 27 Jul 2008 19:02:12 GMT

Every season of project runway (and I’ve watched them all twice) has had challenges where they deal with uncommon fabrics. One of my favorite season three challenges was when they took the contestants to a recycling center and had them compose outfits from the “waste” materials they found there. That brought a win to the fabulous Michael Knight and a pass-over-but-should-have-won to the genius and overall winner of the season Jeffrey Sebelia. Michael created a lovely ensemble from peanut sacks with a wrap made of plastic bag. Jeffrey created an incredible dress out of paper, but, in my opinion did not win because he used so much paint to create the final product (including the cutest tromp l’oeil belt) while Michael used the products as-is.

This season, project runway made the leap from recycled materials to “green fabrics”. Interestingly enough, I didn’t know they were going to do this when I blogged last week on the EcoMetro Blog about sustainable fabrics. Guess I must have the finger on the pulse…

The episode was a bit of a disappointment, mostly because the designers complained about the fabrics the entire time, didn’t even call them by their proper name and in the end created some butt-ugly garments, giving the impression that green fabrics are hopeless and frustrating. I for one wish they had saved this challenge until they had weeded out some of the less-top-notch designers among the bunch.

But I’m thrilled they included it. It shows that green design is really garnering a place not only in the design world, but among Hollywood folks, who are all big fans of the show, It was also a relief to see that it illuminated some of the key challenges faced by eco-designers.

The challenge allowed the models to shop for the designers instead of the designers themselves, and the garment at had was to be a cocktail dress, for a young hip woman (the model herself). It was great to have the models shop based on what they liked- as the consumer is such a key part of the design process. On arriving at Mood Fabrics in LA, the models discovered what all eco-designers do- a bunch of jersey knits, obnoxiously bright colors, and three colors of hemp-silk (a natural beigey shade, black and a copper). Several models chose the hemp silk (shiny!) and returned with the same fabrics for several of the designers.

I happen to have some of that copper hemp-silk hanging in my studio in consideration for my fall designs. I’ve decided not to use it, not because of the problems it posed on the show, but because I’ve been told by the supplier that it is in limited quantity, and it’s also quite expensive. This too was an issue for the Project Runway challenge as many models arrived with only 2 yards of the fabric and thus several very short dresses were created. The fact that I actually have a sample of the fabric that they used on Project Runway for a challenge shows me how limited the supply of sustainable fabrics are.

***spoiler alert*** if you haven’t seen the episode, watch it on YouTube,
because I’m about to tell you who won.

In the end, one designer emerged way beyond the rest. Suede, who oddly talks about himself in third person, did a beautiful design that tickled the pants off of guest judge Natalie Portman, who looked like she was ready to peal the thing off the model and take it home. This design, by the way, will be sold on BlueFly.com, and if the work entailed is any indication, it’s not going to be cheap. Suede won because he wasn’t at all intimidated by the fabrics. He mixed the light hemp-silk with a red jersey knit, and didn’t exclude the jersey as “non-high end” as other designers did. He finished with a toile (which I question the sustainability of), and created a cute little number that even Heidi Klum would wear (if she were ten years younger, she claimed). His model, who had shopped solely on her taste, was thrilled with the product. The designers who argued and fussed with the hemp-silk, which even Michael Kors called “satin,” were foiled not by the fabric but by their own lack of courage and imagination.

This is exactly the challenge facing sustainable design. There’s tons of jersey fabric, much of it in ugly colors. In current design jersey is often limited to causal clothing (as one PR designer put it “this is t-shirt”) and frequently sewn overseas. Designers and production houses alike have become as spoiled on petrol as have American drivers. Several sewing houses I interviewed to sew my garments complained about the jersey and the organic factor blaming their sewing mistakes on “this fabric...this fabric.” Two refused to handle jersey at all and one sated “no one sews jersey anymore except in Asia.” However when you move into wovens- the selection becomes even more limited, in style and supply.

This is also why sustainable designers are some of the most creative types around. Working with limited resources is what every Project Runway challenge is about and those of us in sustainable fashion do that every day that we sit down to create a new garment for our collections. It’s an incredible and fulfilling challenge but not for those short on ideas, patience, or courage. As Matisse once said “creativity takes courage” and that is what Suede showed in his incredible creation in this episode. He also did it all without panic or complaint.

I’m excited that this episode aired, though I wish they had done more to explain and showcase the fabrics, and that they had highlighted some of the really good designs that came out of the challenge- as there were several that were innovative, chic and highly wearable. I hope that this helps textile designers see that the demand for eco-friendly fibers is high and that the selection increases as a result of this fantastic exposure.

I also hope that Project Runway continues to examine eco-friendly design in their line-up of challenges. I’d love to help them do a “scrapology challenge” where they are required to make a new garment out of all the scraps that they didn’t use from the previous several challenges. It would be a great way to show that re-using and conserving are as much a part of eco fashion as are hemp, soy and bamboo.

To read more, see and shop for sustainable fashion, please visit my clothing line CROW Clothing.

damali on NPR

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:03:51 GMT

Today my essay on recycling can be heard on line. It airs on the NPR program “Tell Me More” tomorrow.

The Potential for a New Life

This is a part of the historic This I Believe series started by Edward R. Murrow and revived by Jay Allison. It was an absolute honor to be included.

In the essay I talk about how recycling became a way of life for me, not just a token action that one can take on a weekly basis. It may help many of you to understand and develop a personal connection with why I made the change in my life and career that I recently made.

I hope you enjoy it. It’s touching to me because I talk about my sweet doggie, Stevie and today is her birthday!

So please join me in recycling....we can start with the cover of this weeks New Yorker! ;-)

damali

ps: My eco-justice clothing line, CROW Clothing is offering July ePromos for joining our social network or our facebook group. You can learn about them on our blog at crow-clothing.com Join our mailing list there as well!

Sharing the Love

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:04:59 GMT

This was a really really nice note sent to me by a member of my list.
Thank you Tom!
You keep me inspired to keep looking for ways to get things moving in this world.

damali

-----

Dear damali, I have something beautiful to share with you.

http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=148028

This is a clip of the Colbert Report from January, when the writers
strike was happening, and Colbert invited Andrew Young on the show to
talk about how Young and Colbert’s father settled a strike in the 60’s
in Charleston. It’s a beautiful example of mutual respect and
admiration to achieve resolution of a conflict, and if you’ve not seen
it, please do watch.

I sent it to you because I respect and admire you very much, for all
you’ve done in the past with art and activism. You’re an example to me
that one person can and does make a difference for positive change!

Congratulations on CROW, I know it is going to grow and flourish under
your guidance to become another reason for Americans to hope that
together we can and will fix what’s wrong with this nation. You totally
rock.

Sincerely,
Tom in Sheboygan

Speechless

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:49:14 GMT

It’s still sinking in.

this morning i woke up and checked the news to see if it were still true.
it is.

We’ve waited for a leader like this for a long time.
And he’s here.

I do think it is tragic and embarrassing to the spirit of democracy that HRC won’t concede, and i truly worry about her vindictive streak and worry that she would actually campaign against Obama. And i truly truly hope that he does not offer her the vice president seat. Although a few wise presidents (A. Lincoln among them) have included their competition close and in their cabinet, i just don’t think her behavior warrants it.

One other thing that i think is really important for those people who read this list to help m e to put out there- is this hard line drawn between “educated” and “working class” in the way the press talks about the difference between who votes for Clinton and Obama. Let’s not take away the power of our education, and how hard so many of us have worked for it by assuming that being educated strips away our working class, poor, struggling or middle class backgrounds. Infact, it is often that precise background that has made so many of us fight hard and long to earn (and pay for ) those educations. Many of us live with lots of debt, not in affluent luxury as we work to pay off those educational debts. It’s time for the real educated americans to stand up, speak out and tell this country who we really are. If not, the divide between rich and poor is going to be not only an economic one, but one we assume is part of our intrinsic nature- unchangeable, and definitive.

Obama might be popular with us “educated folks” because he like us has worked his life to achieve his educational goals and to put his education to work. I know that at my college, most of us with student loans also carried two or three majors and two or three jobs (i my self had two majors and three jobs). Let’s speak up and show the country that we are not a nation divided by education or class- that many of us span the demographics they keep trying to separate from each other. That our families- in one family alone i have relatives who are judges to in jail, academics to addicts, phd’s to pregnant teens, and everyone in between. THAT is the real america, and from what I have seen- that America is voting for Obama.

guess i’m not so speechless afterall....

please cross/re-post.

damali

Church of Truth

Sun, 01 Jun 2008 04:29:08 GMT

I’m not a Christian.....but sign me up for this guy’s ministry!

speak, man, speak!

I know that Obama resigned from this Church because of all the controversy it’s generated recently. I’m just sad that we have become so week of moral fabric that we now dismiss the truth as mere controversy, when it is the truth and a truth that needed desperately to be said. Instead we call for sanctioning, punishing and ostracizing those that speak the truth, but i suppose, Jesus would not be surprised at this.

What i find actually offensive is Hillary’s terrible hiding behind accusations of sexism, rather than standing up and examining the blatant lies that have been a part of every step as her campaign, and admitting that she deserves to be called out for her behavior. In fact, the press and the public has been more than generous with her- as Keith Olberman pointed out (see my last entry) people have forgiven her for a heap of transgressions.

As a life-long feminist, I want to make perfectly clear that there is nothing sexist about this election process, or anything this man says.

I for one, am glad he said it.

damali

What needs to be said.

Tue, 27 May 2008 23:16:44 GMT

i was beyond words to respond to Hillary Clinton’s evoking Bobby Kennedy’s assassination in conjunction with the current presidential race.
Olberman gets some of what I wanted to say....

Happy Earth Day!

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:40:29 GMT

Hey Y’all!

It’s Earth Day!
and in oregon it is cold, rainy, blustery and i want to curl up and watch a movie with my dog.
what are you doing to celebrate?!

In honor of the day i want to share with you my passion for loving the planet and the people on it.
take a look at some of the many things i’ve done to “eco-fit” my life here: http://damaliayo.com/pages/ecoliving.htm

Redbook Magazine found this page and interviewed me about it. The article should come out in July!

Enjoy!

damali

Welcome to My World

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:25:31 GMT

Hello friends and fans-

A part of my work that i don’t enjoy as much as others is the regular arrival of hate mail in my inbox.
I’ve often thought about sharing the messages with you, but have decided against it because i instead, choose to buffer you from that. If i choose to be a public figure fighting against racism, then i’ve accepted the responsibility of fielding reactions to my work.

To hell with that.

Here is one of the kinder (by far) emails I receive when people don’t approve of me. It arrived this morning April 16, 2008.
I pass it on to you because i simply don’t have a response for this person as to why talking about racism isn’t beating a dead horse.
Perhaps you have an answer for him/her.

As the writer included his/her contact information, and since i have a disclaimer on my web site (from where he or she wrote me) that i may use any correspondence in art works, i am passing this along to you. Please send the writer a response so that a dialogue may occur. Since you are not the one being personally addressed, you may have more objectivity and grace than i might.

for the record: here is the interview to which the email is a response.

Feel free to cross post.

damali

--------------------------------------

From: “Ross Bowler” <RossB@tds.net>
To: <info@damaliayo.com>
Subject: On Point Interview

I was so, so disappointed to hear the absence of substance in your message.
You pound regrettable cliché’s into the ground. Instead of advancing
thought, you mire us in the embarrassment of our past. Visiting your web
page I see the promotion of a product that has no purpose or value.

You showcase the ignorance of an unenlightened populace. Please consider
ignoring the ignorance and spotlighting the emergence of enlightenment and
ideas - black, white, yellow, gay, --who cares -- knowledge and insight
should rule. You beat a sad, unfortunate, unforgivable, dead horse.

Please produce an insight!

Ross Bowler
(608)833-7793
rbowler@2ndmarketcapital.com

Five Things you may not know about me (aka damali overshares)

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:29:48 GMT

Hello Friends, Fans and All!

I have been wanting to do a “five things” post for a while now and this morning this one seems like the right thing to do. Here is a chance to get to know me when I’m off-stage, off-line, and not being your “race activist artist.” There’s a lot more to each of us and so I thought I’d share a bit more about who I am outside of the “race dialogue.” I hope you enjoy. Note, there is a hint in the text below about a big announcement coming up in May!

1. I am a Domestic Diva
When I am not kicking ass on the lecture circuit about racism, I love to be home and in my garden. I hand sewed the pillows and curtains and decorations all over my house. I even made my own wallpaper for my kitchen. I grow my own food all summer and spend the summer drying tomatoes and making and freezing soups and saags to eat all winter.

2. I live with PTSD and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
In 1999 I was sexually assaulted by a man I had only met one time before. He was an acquaintance of my friends. That was a huge learning experience and had a deep impact on my life and my understanding of my self. What it took me years to realize was how my body handles trauma. I saw the recognizable signs like being afraid, flashbacks and weight gain, but what I didn’t notice was that i was slowly developing a deep case of Chronic Fatigue. Eventually I would have such intense episodes that I could barely get out of bed to get the mail. These would last for two days at a time. It took me years of tests to figure out that it was not physical illness, but rather something I had to heal within myself. In a place of emergency where I couldn’t leave my bed for nearly two weeks, I opted for medication to get me back on my feet. This literally saved my life. Last year, I decided to go to a natural approach and took my health on full steam. I started doing Neruofeedback and EMDR, supported with a course of exercise, diet change, and getting deeply in touch with my body, with smashing results. I haven’t had an episode since starting that approach. I know it will be a lifetime relationship with myself to stay well, but I now feel i have the tools to do that. This has led me to a real passion for health, fitness, exercise and nutrition and I find myself wanting to help other people heal their traumas with similar methods.

3. I am Eco-Passionate (aka I’m a dirty hippie)
Yep, when I’m home you can find me wandering around the garden, turning compost and wiping my hands on my favorite gardening skirt. This fall I asked all my neighbors to give me their raked leaves and I built a sheet mulched garden on the side of my house. I think they think I’m crazy. They see me eating things out of the garden and wonder what it is. Nearly everything I grow is edible or medicinal. I compost everything. I have a minor obsession about water and funnel my rainwater into the land around my house and into the garden, which means using less water in the summer for growing. I could go on and on....but you can read all about that by clicking on the recycling symbol on my web page. If you’re in portland I may see you this summer. I’ve applied to be on the “gardens of natural delights” tour here in portland in july, and hope that i’ll have the chance to show off my obsessive eco-ways to everyone who visits on that day.

4. Jobs I’ve had:
House painter, retail- new age store, retail-cd store, bank teller, figure model, clothing designer assistant, physiology laboratory assistant, financial manager at a non profit, diversity trainer, art camp teacher, theatre company founder, assistant director, performance teacher, tarot card reader, life-coach, reiki master, set designer, actor. I’ve never been able to get a job as a waitress, not sure why.

5. Job’s I fantasize about when I think about leaving the “race game” behind:
Stand up comedian, tattooer, personal trainer, interior designer, clothing designer, model (yeah, too late for that), personal recycling consultant, rescue dog foster mom, nun (not kidding), yoga teacher, person who lives in a tent in my friend’s back yard.

Well, that’s a brief window into my world. I hope it’s been a useful, fun and inspiring trip for you!

Feel free to respond or react to anything I’ve shared, esp your eco passions, struggles with chronic illness and jobs you wish you had!

Warmly.

damali

Keith Oberman gives it to HRC

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:44:03 GMT

Well, I never thought I’d be citing Keith Oberman, but i thank him for this open letter to Hillary Clinton regarding Geraldine Ferraro. It’s always good to see white people step up and say what needs to be said to change the course of racism in our culture:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/23601329#23601329

Backing up Barack: On Racism

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:38:22 GMT

We’ve seen in the last primary cycle some ugly tactics used to created doubt in the mind of the American public. I actually saw an interview on 60 minutes where one man said “i heard that Obama doesn’t know the National Anthem, won’t put his hand on a bible and is a Musilm.”

The tactics and rumors are absolutely absurd and patently racist. The saddest part is that Americans are particularly prone to falling for that kind of deception.

The interviewer just looked at the man and said “You know that none of that is correct, right?” When asked about it, Obama had the same response....”Did you correct him?” His approach, though it may fail ultimately, is to opt for the honest truth and the real story. He refuses to play these spin-games and his supporters admire him deeply for it. The thing that scares me the most is that these are the leaders we have systematically destroyed over the course of our history. (I just watched an amazing documentary of Bobby Kennedy in action during the Universty of Alabama desegregation).

One of the things i found really interesting in the last week was an interview i saw on Charlie Rose with three British journalists. their comment on the “Obama in Muslim dress” picture was “We wished there were pictures of more American presidents like this.” They really saw it as a wonderful and diplomatic gesture worthy of a world leader.

They also said that Europe has “Obama Fever!” that he represents everything they love about america.

If only our own citizens were as smart......

Here are two new essays on the election by my favorite white anti-racist, Tim Wise:

Tim writes:
They are my two latest essays: the first addresses white support for Barack Obama and what it does (and, importantly, doesn’t) mean about race in the U.S. The second looks at, and responds to, the increasingly common refrain I’m hearing from many whites, to the effect that black support for Obama is reverse racism (I know, I know, sigh...). It also addresses more generally the difference between black and brown solidarity and white racial solidarity, for example, which is actually an important issue above and beyond this election, and which lots of white folks seem to have trouble with.

Anyway, thanks and pass ‘em around!

Uh-Obama: Racism, White Voters and the Myth of Color-Blindness
http://www.lipmagazine.org/~timwise/Obama.html

Another Batch of White Whine: Obama, Black Voters and the Myth of Reverse Racism
http://www.lipmagazine.org/~timwise/Obama2.html

Thanks Tim.
Your work makes my work so much easier some days.
and thank you to the white people who have stepped up to their responsibilities and risen to fight racism. I look forward to wholly passing this particular torch to you one day.

best,

damali

Belated Birthday Post

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 04:57:06 GMT

Hello all!

i was on the road last week for my birthday and sent this to my email list. now that i am back, i’m able to post it on my blog.....

the one birthday present i ask from you is that if i’ve made a difference in your life, let me know. Sometimes the good news doesn’t get through as much as the challenges and criticisms.

cheers!
damali

--------

February 26, 2008

Today is my birthday and as you know, I like to send you an offering of one kind or another on this day. Today’s offering is pretty simple as I’m sick in bed (although not my own bed, I’m giving two talks this week) and finding ways to keep change going even through the muscle aches.

I gave Rent-a-Negro.com a bit of a facelift. It needed it! So with some nips and tucks, I’ve brought it current. I added some pictures from the book and fixed the broken rental form link. It’s up and running again with a fresh new attitude. Check it out at http://rent-a-negro.com. Remember to refresh your browser or clear your cookies so you see the new version.

Also, I asked my genius assistants, Heather and Grant to assemble some cross-issue links that I could send out to the list. Though I’ve been fighting racism since I was 4, my true passion is connecting races across groups and social change across issues. We have to work together and work for each other if we are going to make any real progress in this world. So here is a *start* on getting our knowledge and support cross-polinated:

They aren’t in any specific order- since our issues are all connected and overlapping, so are these links.
If any of the links fail to work when you click them- google the title and you’ll find them! Thanks!!

NewsMap : A visual Look at the news http://www.marumushi.com/apps/newsmap/newsmap.cfm

Blackademics http://blackademics.org/

Reappropriate - political and pop culture criticism blog focusing on race and especially Asian and Pacific Islander issues http://www.reappropriate.com/index.php

Expanding the news lens through ethnic media http://news.ncmonline.com/news/

Every year, with the publication of its “Top Ten” Most Underreported Humanitarian Stories, Doctors Without Borders spotlights 10 humanitarian crisis that have received little or no attention from the media. http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news/topten/index.cfm

Latino Pundit http://www.latinopundit.com/

Human Rights Campaign: http://www.hrc.org/ Essential LGBT resource

Rant Collective: anti-oppression principles and practices. http://www.rantcollective.net/article.php?id=17

So you think you’re an anti-racist? 6 critical paradigm shifts for well-intentioned white folks. http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/resources/paradigmshifts_race.html

10 codes of ethnics for white people in hip-hop. http://www.daveyd.com/commentarywhitelikeme.html

Going Green:A Guide to Eco-living and Activism from an African American Perspective http://blackandn2green.blogspot.com/2008/01/eco.html

Hip Hop Caucus: http://www.hiphopcaucus.org/ Good resource that has information about all of our causes

Southern Poverty Law Center: http://www.splcenter.org/ Great resource on racism and immigration injustice, including info on current civil rights litigation and news stories about racial injustice

Sustainable South Bronx: http://www.ssbx.org/ Kick ass project in the south bronx that combines environmental justice and anti-racism

Ella Baker Center for Human Rights: http://ellabakercenter.org/ Combines racial justice with environmentalism.

1 Sky: http://www.1sky.org/ Provides info on environmental issues but also gives people ways to mobilize and participate

Of course, there are tons of more issues to include, so please don’t consider this a comprehensive list. Heather, Grant and I expand it daily. This i’s just a beginning of expanding the tree that we are all growing together. Consider it....inspiration! I’m sure you have plenty of links to add, so send them our way and we’ll keep a good list compiled. I”ll add them to my web site in a few weeks.

I hope you have a wonderful day and find a special way to pamper yourself today- give yourself a gift on my birthday!

warmly,

damali

Backing Up Barack: ¿Si Se Puede?

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:17:24 GMT

¿Si Se Puede?

With the Texas Primary coming up next week, the “Latino vote” is definitely on my mind.

There has been a lot of coverage about the black and Latino vote. This is of course a great thing. (I’ve also been tickled by the reports asking white men if they will vote their race or gender- ps, most of them are simply voting for the best candidate, Obama).

I have to openly confess that I”m a bit baffled by voters of color who are supporting the Clintons. I need to take a moment to say here, as stated brilliantly on the Reapropriate Blog http://www.reappropriate.com/ (thanks Jenn), don’t make the same mistake that underrepresented voters made with Clinton in 1992. Bill Clinton rode into the white house on a wave of African Americans and LGBT voters. Only weeks after he was elected he was reneging on the promises he made to these two communities, the promises that garnered their votes. Every day of the Clinton administration we woke up to terrible policies that had detrimental affects on marginalized communities in this country. NAFTA, welfare ‘reform’, “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” lifting of internet pornography restrictions, and Hilary’s once tried and never tried again health care reform left many of us stranded since that fateful election. Bill Clinton was not a “black president” he was not a friend of minorities, he was not a radical reformer. He was a disaster. His presidency caused some of the deep seated issues that we are now having to redress today.

(I mean, really what kind of democracy names and supports a policy “don’t ask don’t tell?” Just think about that language and how it undermines citizen participation.)

So I ask the Black and Latino/a voters who are still reluctant to support Obama (call out to Delores Huerta) What (or who) are you waiting for???!! Are our self-criticisms and internalized oppressions at such a high level that we cannot see this amazing leader standing before us? Is his brown skin actually deterring brown skinned people from voting for him? At times it seems so. I can’t imagine a greater tragedy of the American legacy of racism. It’s time to take the risk to support someone who actually is who he says he is, who does what he says he will do, and to stop putting our votes behind a family of people who will use us and discard us. I urge you to vote strong. If there is ever a time to vote for “your own,” this is it.

And yes, as people of color- we must see each other as a community or we will never....never make the kind of progress we deserve.

Please feel free to repost.

Dose of Reality Update

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 19:16:45 GMT

I am really sad to let you know that Dose of Reality has been going through some difficult sabotage by the video editor that I hired to improve the quality of the show. Indeed he did improve the quality of the show but has failed to deliver the episodes and now has refused to finish our contract. I am trying to get my footage back from him so that I can complete the episodes and get them to you. My sincere apologies for my absence on YouTube and on the video page. This did not turn out as I had planned at all. I am working daily on getting this resolved and will let you know as soon as things are back on track!

till then, check out my other video playlists on my site!

peace be with you,

damali

New Dose: Heroes

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 18:33:55 GMT

Hey Everyone-

There’s a new Dose of Reality on my site now.
check it out on the video page of damaliayo.com

damali

Backing Up Barack: Much Needed and Well Said

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:36:29 GMT

This article in Alternet today
Obama Takes on Homophobia, Anti-Semitism and Xenophobia at MLK’s Church
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/74424/

one commenter asked about the Obama Facts- i could list them here but you’d be better to simply go to his web site where you can find anything and everything he has to say on his positions and record. In fact, we’d all benefit from doing that for all the candidates. I know that’s what they did in Iowa (so say the interviews) and look who came out on top!

damali

Backing Up Barack : Hillary Goes Too Far

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 20:20:16 GMT

I pass along this message from Lonee Hamilton from the “Black Folks for Obama” Listserv:

Sen. Clinton has pulled out all the stops today. I have to say, I really did not think her campaign would stoop this low. Nor did I think I could ever rely on Fox News for anything enlightening. But please see the attached link:

http://bourbonroom.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/01/07/clintons-candid-assessment/

In an interview with Fox News, Sen. Clinton says, among other things, that it is Lyndon Johnson, and not MLK Jr., who actually deserves the credit for “getting things done” with respect to the civil rights movement.

I need not editorialize; the comment speaks for itself.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think the Clinton campaign would become this desperate, this quickly...