Cat and mouse

Hi everyone,

How are the costume ideas coming along? Anyone want to share ideas of what they've been working on so far? I'm excited about this project but I hope I can finish my idea in time or else I'll feel silly walking in a parade looking like a goof, which may be the result regardless, haha :)

For the readings this week, I felt like The Art of Protest went nicely in-depth about the "black power" movement. I found the phrase 'black aesthetic' to be rather interesting to coin how the movement geared itself. The techniques used are works of performance art because the Black Panthers incorporated courtroom dramas and plays that followed the law so well that true identities were unknown.

I also felt it was important to bring up rap and hip-hop culture during this time and afterwards. Acts like Public Enemy, Tupac, Salt n' Pepa and Queen Latifah had much to say on the issues affecting them. I wonder if anyone saw that one episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air where Will felt empowered by reading about Malcolm X that he was ready to leave in order to protest. It was important to see that his character understand the gravity of the situation and to use his frustration constructively to make a point rather than create more havoc in the streets.

When I read the section on black men being exempt from military service, I had to think of Muhammad Ali who was formerly Cassius Clay until he converted to Islam. It's interesting how the world is connected. I feel also that the role of feminism and the power of the female flourished due to these expressive acts. Black women today speak their mind and I think this is a result of the movement.

As for In the Making, after reading just a couple paragraphs on Arnaldo Morales, I know that I've connected with his work more than any other artist in this book. I think at some point in our lives that we should wake up and have an epiphany about where we are and where we're going.

The final thoughts on opposites was particularly powerful: "Panic meets pleasure. Danger conspires with excitement. Aggression motivates rehabilitation. Pain is linked to sensuality. These unlikely mergers create awareness of the widespread ambivalence over presumed taboos and accepted behaviors."

True that, homie.