2013 was many things but boring, it was not. It’s hard to believe that so many awesome experiences were jam packed into a 12-month calendar period but apparently, that is the case. Sometimes overachievers are so focused on the end goal, with that tunnel vision that we suffer from, we rarely take a step back to marvel at all we’ve accomplished to date. I believe it was some smart famous dead person that said something about life not being about the destination but the journey…oh yeah, Ralph Waldo Emerson. With that said, one of my objectives for 2014 is to appreciate the moment by taking stock of what’s happening NOW. And the most recent moments bka last year’s highlights, I’d like to share with you. As a journey in collective excellence, I’d encourage you to create your own list and feel free to share with me! I’m always down for bucking somebody up because ultimately, the best way to hype up yourself is to hype up somebody else.
P.S. The “Thanks for the ride lady” is not mine but from Creepshow 2. Don’t know if you ever saw that scene where the white lady driver ran over this Black guy hitch-hiking in the middle of the night in a wooded area. Anyway, that’s his line, not mine. 🙂
- Centennial Anniversary of DST | Washington, DC: As a woman who crossed the burning sands at Alpha Chapter on the campus of Howard University in Spring 2000, I was elated to join thousands upon thousands of my sorors in celebrating the centennial anniversary of our illustrious organization, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
- Andy Warhol Curatorial Fellowship Dutch Caribbean Excursion | Aruba, Curacao, Suriname: In 2012, I was awarded with a 2012-13 Andy Warhol Curatorial Fellowship to investigate Dutch Caribbean Art for a forthcoming exhibition. With the support of that fellowship, I lived in the Netherlands for four months in Fall 2012. In March and April, accompanied by Don Fela Ford who documented the experience for me, I traveled to Aruba, Curacao and Suriname, meeting with artists, scholars and cultural activists. The highlight of the trip was traveling 2 hours by car and 2 hours by boat up the Suriname River to spend a few days with the Samaaka Maroons who have lived independently since their foremothers and fathers deserted Dutch plantations a few centuries ago.
- Pretty Period | Philadelphia: Dr. Yaba Blay (author of One Drop: Shifting the Lens On Race), had me photographed by Anne Marie Blake for her next project “Pretty Period.” It was the photo shoot of a lifetime, to say the least.
- Reel Sisters Film Festival | Brooklyn: On October 12, I participated in the panel “Defining Myself for Myself: Women of Color Make Documentary Films” at the 16th Reel Sisters Film Festival. My co-panelists included Dr. Marta Moreno Vega and Christine Turner and was moderated by Leslie Fields-Cruz of the National Black Programming Consortium.
And what a year it was, indeed! Congratulations and thank you – you’re very inspiring. Great work.
Thanks so much Lorie!
Check out The Greatest Salesman in the World if you haven’t read it already. That’s what I’m currently reading (from the Self-Improvement files).
I will check it out. Thanks!