A guide to new celebrants!

Yes, it is once again Kwanzaa time!  Time to eat benne cakes, roll out the Mkeka, set up the Kinara, light the Mishuma Saba, pass around the Kikombe Cha Umoja,and reflect on the Nguzo Saba!
Hooray!

Before we begin...

Kwanzaa is not a Christmas substitute for African Americans...Kwanzaa doesn't have anything to do with Christmas at all.

Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday.  Kwanzaa is not about religion!

If that is what Kwanzaa is not, then what is it?  Well, it is easy enough to explain.  Kwanzaa is the African American Festival that occurs at the end of the year.  It was originally created by Dr. Mulana Karenga in the late 1960's.

A picture book about the spirit of Kwanzaa!

Why have an African American inspired celebration?

African Americans have been an integral part of the history of America since the beginning.  Despite that, there are no national celebrations that recognize the contributions of African Americans to our country.  There have been and still are African American inventors, soldiers, entrepreneurs, cowboys, farmers, firemen, and America even has a black president.   In the '60's and all through my childhood, as a matter of fact, there was no acknowledgement that African Americans had much impact on the country at all before Martin Luther King was born!  Kwanzaa has two main components that encourage celebrants to consider their place in the world as well as reflect on the contributions of African Americans.  The first is the Nguzo Saba, and the second are reflective readings.


Kwanzaa is a truly American celebration.  it is based on First Fruits celebrations in different parts of Africa, but it is not like any of them.

So, That's as much history as I'm giving!  Now, on to the steps!

First you need a mat of some sort of natural fibers.

MKeka (M-ke'-kah) - this mat is the foundation of your Kwanzaa display and it is the foundation that we use to build our lives.  It represents the African American culture and traditions.

Mishuma Saba (Mish-oo'-ma So'-bah) - The candles.  Three green, three red, and one black.  These are the colors of the African American Flag.  The red is for the blood we all share no matter where our ancestors were born, the green is for the hope of new life and a better world, and the black is for the color of the African American ancestral heritage.

Kinara (kin-are'-ah) - The candle holder.  The proper way to set up the Kinara is to put three red candles on the left, three green candles on the right and the black candle in the middle.  You light the black one first.  On the second day you light the red one.  On the third day you light a green one.  You continue to alternate between red and green for the remainder of the festival.

Muhindi (moo-hin'-dee) - These are ears of corn, there should be one for each child in the home.  The corn should be dried.

Mazao (mu-zow') - These are fruits and vegetables added to the Mkeka that represent crops, the bounty of the earth, good things and plenty.

Kikombe Cha Umoja (ki'-cOm'-bA chah' oo'-mO-jah) - The unity cup.  We drink communally from this cup as well as pour a libation for the ancestors.  Honoring the ancestors, those who came before us is an important aspect of Kwanzaa.

Now that the Mkeka is set up it is time to get on with the celebration!

You can give Zawadi, (zu-wo'-dee), which are small presents, typically handmade, but they can also be things like books, but gifts are not the main thrust of Kwanza.

We begin our Kwanzaa day with the words, Habri Gani! (Hu-bar'-ee go'-nee).  It means what's the news?  The answer is the principle or Nguzo Saba of the day.  So what are the seven principles of Kwanzaa?  Here they are.

Umoja (oo-mO-jah) - Unity.  We must stand together if we are to overcome our difficulties

Kujichagulia (coo'-gee-chah-goo-lee-ah) - Self-Determination.  We must not let anyone else decide who we are.  We must speak for ourselves and not let others speak for us.  Just because someone says you are lazy or useless or worthless does not mean it is true!

Ujima (oo-gee'-mah) - Cooperative Work and Responsibility.  We must work together to build the world of which we wish to be a part.  We must look after each other and understand that we are responsible to ourselves, our families and our communities.

Ujamaa (oo-jah'-mah) - Cooperative Economics.  We shop at stores owned and run by African Americans to make sure that we are supporting small business.  (My family has opened this out to all small businesses in our area.  Mom and pop are under attack from Big Box.  Support small businesses when you can.)

Nia (nee'-uh) - Purpose.  We must move through our lives with purpose and we must understand that our lives have purpose.  Approach your life with goals and actions that help you achieve good things.

Kuumba (k-oom-bah) - Creativity.  Leave the world a more beautiful place than when you found it.

Karamu (kAr'-um-moo) - The feast of Kwanzaa where you eat traditional African American foods, sing, dance, tell stories and celebrate!

Imani (i-mah'-nee) - Faith.  You must have faith in yourself and in the hope that we can build a better world.  (You can apply this to religious faith if you like, but my family does not)

The last part of the celebration deals with reflection.  You can do readings of African American artists, poets, teachers, and philosophers.  You can discuss how you plan to make the Nguzo Saba a reality in your life.  You can talk about what you have done in the past year to live up to the principles of Kwanzaa.  That bit is up to you.  Here are some readings to get you started.

Maya Angelou

Lanston Hughes

Frederick Douglas

Martin Luther King

Oprah 

Barack Obama

Phyllis Wheatley

I'm sure you can find a Kwanzaa celebration live or virtual in your community this week!

Happy Kwanzaa!

Things I Forgot....

I love my gorgeous silver hair!

I lost track of lots of things over the last year and a half.

- I forgot that the world is really big

- I forgot how much fun it is to "play" with people in person.

- I forgot that hearing a room full of adults who have no connection to storytelling not only fall in love with it, but be transported by it is like jumping over the moon.

- I forgot that I really, desperately need to have physical contact with other storytellers. 

- I forgot that I really, desperately need to have physical contact with other writers.

Stenciled on the crosswalks!

- I forgot how much this work is like my blood. Without it...

- I have missed being transported while I sit with others
!

- I have missed being with people who work in story who are not storytellers!

- I have missed being...well...plugged into life.

I'm in Florida  at the NCSL - The National Conference of State Legislatures

I was on a panel with Dr. Ben Sawyer

I don't remember the world being this big.

I don't remember the world being this small.

I don't remember ever wanting to weep simply at the fullness of being alive.

I Ubered for the first time.

I spoke to legislators about the power of story.

The room turned out not to be big enough!

The world is still spinning and we still have a chance to make it a place we can all share.

Today, I spent an hour with Republicans and Democrats who came to listen to Ben Sawyer and I talk about stories. 

I told a roomful of lawmakers they better not think about cutting funds to libraries.

I told a roomful of lawmakers that I wasn't less of an American because I like fancy cheese.

We laughed, listened, and shared ourselves for an hour and nobody have a damn where we were from, what our history was or how we got there. We were all Americans and we were all there to find ways to go forward. 

I love stories. At least I didn't forget that.

I also love trying fancy new food at shishi restaurants! I didn't forget that either!

Scallops and Shrimp from Anchor and Brine. This was soo good!

Happy Living to Tell -

Touring Post Covid - Part 2 I Forgot How Hard Touring Is On The Body!

 

As the world opens, and we all start moving cautiously back towards our touring lives, I would like to offer some thoughts:

1. I have lost my touring callouses!

Over the last almost two years, my commute has been very simple. I've gotten my power cord, my mac, and headed upstairs to what has become my studio.

I plug in my laptop, go into the closet and change into a performance shirt, and take my place in front of a camera. Check to see if I need to touch up my nail polish, and make sure I have any material I need for whatever meeting or presentation I have to attend.

Then, I sign off, put my t-shirt or whatever back on, go downstairs and make a cup of tea. Very simple.

I am no longer as prepared as I once was to leave my house 24 hours ahead of time to be somewhere.

What used to be a pretty easy day trip - eight hours - seems like an extremely long drive!

2 - I have forgotten how to pack efficiently.

I have a go bag. It lives in my closet. When I have to go on tour, I grab it, a few outfits and I'm out the door. 

Apparently, over the last almost two years, I have had occasion to go into my go bag, and get things. Mouthwash, toothpaste, melatonin here and there, and all sorts of random things. I've also changed most of my electronics, and I don't have backup cords for most of them.

When I set off to Toledo, I got there and discovered I was woefully underprepared to be anywhere! I need to rethink my travel bag, but my motivation to do so is very low. For starters, I only have a couple more out-of-town shows coming up over the next couple of months. Second, who knows how many I will have over the spring, and there is no telling if we will be in full swing next summer.

So, procrastination has set in.

3 - To mask or not to mask???

I am pretty far from most of my audiences, so I don't mask. When I taught, I was masked in the classroom. I don't know how effective I am as a storyteller with a mask on my face. So much of what I do is expressions. 

So far, I've performed without the mas, and sign books and teach with one on. I also bump elbows...but since I've always done that in flu season, that's not all that different.

4 - The idea of touring is both tiring and exciting.

I forgot that when I tour, I am not bothered by dishes, sweeping, and all of the things that require upkeep! I'm also gluten-free. I have forgotten how hard it can be to find food in some communities. Sigh.

5. Oh, and I seem to have forgotten that I am prone to insomnia when I disrupt my sleep cycle, do a lot of driving, or have shows late in the evening!

Note to self! Remember you need to have your routine aromatherapy in your go-bag so you can use them to trigger your sleep cycle...

6. I'm kinda loving all of these virtual and pre-recorded shows!!!!

7. I miss live audiences!!!

8. All of this is so exhausting and STRESSFUL! 💀💀💀💀💀

In other words, it might take some people a little bit of practice to get back into touring, and that's okay.

Some people may be loving it! That's great.

Some people might decide it isn't worth it anymore. That fine.

As we move into the next stage of whatever this is, be kind to yourself. Go at your own pace. Nobody's journey is yours.

Enjoy the ride. 

Happy telling!

Touring Post Covid Part 1 - COVID Left A Mark On Kids

 

I just did my first multiple-day tour. of 2021. It included three days of residency work at The Toledo School for the Arts. 

It is a pretty amazing school. I had a great time touring the school, getting to know some of the kids, and staff.

I performed my creepy fracturings of Hansel and Gretel - I Am Gretel and Hungry - for the high school creative writing track, and I did Through Their Own Eyes - the history program where I talk about American history through the folklore and stories of African Americans - for the eleventh grade.

I was in class with sixth, seventh, and eighth-graders.

I got home last night...I'm tired! I need my touring chops back right now! Ahhhhh!

I'm writing this in two parts because each of the things I want to say about this process deserves its own post 

The educators at TSA were wonderful. They shared observations with me about the kids, and I shared what I noticed. Between us, I came away with a better appreciation of working with kids who have been out of school in one way or another for almost two years.

I saw a post on FB that put the whole COVID school situation in perspective - 

Depending on the grade - This is the last year a child had a potential "normal" school experience

Kindergarten - Never

1st - Never

2nd - Preschool

3rd - Kindergarten

4th - 1st Grade

5th - 2nd Grade

6th - 3rd Grade 

7th - 4th Grade

8th - 5th Grade

9th - 6th Grade

10th - 7th Grade

11th - 8th Grade

12 - 9th Grade

Thinking about it this way makes some of what I saw in the middle school classroom make way more sense.

1 Almost all of the students struggled with using descriptive language. - 

We played rock, paper scissors anything in all of the classes. Sometimes, the students would embody something that the other participants in their groups did not recognize. When that happens, you have to explain what you are and what you do. The first choice almost all of them made when their peers couldn't understand something was to reach for an iPad or a phone so they could show them a picture. I stopped then and told them they had to describe it. The first time it happened in every single class, the students looked at me in absolute disbelief. 

We had fun in the classes, but they struggled with descriptive language, and some of them got very frustrated. They enjoyed the game, however, and by the end, they were settling into having to pull on their own vocabularies. A few of them did try to sneak their phones into the game, but their teammates helped put a stop to it!

 

2. They were having trouble socializing -

Some of the behavior I expect when I am working with elementary school students materialized in the classroom. They couldn't find partners easily because they were hesitant to work with people they didn't feel they knew well. They were still worried about working with someone of a different external gender, they were closed off and wary of people.

Some of the behavior you expect from fourth or fifth graders where groups of girls or boys shut out people who were not their friends was still happening in certain situations. They were much less tolerant of students who were a little more eccentric - which is not typical of arts schools - and the eccentric kids weren't necessarily trying to work with anyone - something else atypical of arts schools. The administrators had noticed this as well.

3. One of the administrators told me the students were doing destructive TikTok challenges like "Vandalize your School Bathroom". They had never done things like this before at TSA. They've spent far too much time absorbing social media uninterrupted for over a year.

4. Physically, they were much less sure of themselves - 

Usually, at performing arts schools, by the time you get to year 2, the students who want to perform have chosen their tracks, and they are eager to perform and learn new techniques. I was surprised at how 

Masks Mounted as Trophies!

tentative the second years were. I had to scale back my plans after the first day.

5. Once We Got Into It They Were Really Happy

The beginning of this residency was tricky, but once we got settled, we had a wonderful time. It was great. The kids enjoyed the exercises, the teachers enjoyed the exercises, the kids got into it and brought their own twist into the exercises, and storytelling and interactive play as well as lovely bouts of improvisation that had us all laughing and applauding broke out all over the place.

I am not one for teaching. It is my kryptonite at times, but I left on Wednesday wishing I could have stayed until Friday.

The teachers have already decided they are going to continue to use the exercises I showed them and work on the stories. 

It was a great experience. I don't have any more teaching on the schedule this year...at least, I don't think I do, but if I end up in a classroom again, I will be interested to see how far the students have come after this wild ride Covid created.

Happy Teaching!

Imposter Syndrome and the Independent Artist

Have you ever been performing and had a random thought go through your head? Something along the lines of "I can't believe this is my life! This is my job! I get paid to do THIS!:

Those are moments filled with gratitude and disbelief. It is one of those "I am so lucky!" moments.

Yes, I said lucky. 

How many people take that leap, throw caution to the wind, cut the ties that bind you to the settled, the expected, the routine, and hurl their bodies, economic well-being, and future into the abyss that is the gig economy? Now, how many of them are successful after doing so?

Successful? What does that mean?

Maybe success means you work really hard to identify a market, create content for that market, market to that market, perform at a level necessary to continue to work in that market, make contacts in that market, and work really hard over many years to develop a reputation in that market.

Maybe it means you spend years working on your craft as a writer, submitting work, and continue to come up with pieces that sometimes get published.

Maybe it means spending years honing your craft, working your art form, and finding the work rewarding.

Wait a minute...does any of that sound like luck?

That is some serious hard work and dedication.

Superstar Status is something different. Superstar status is often due to luck and timing, but that isn't the same thing as being successful or good at your work as an artist.

So, for the rest of this post, we are going to dispense with the word luck in the sense of whim, or accident, or just happenstance. 

My mother explained luck to me like this -

Luck and Opportunity are 99% preparation.

The example she gave to shore up this statement?

- Imagine if the philharmonic called me and said, "Miss Gwen, the first chair cellist has broken her arm and we need someone to fill in. We will pay you a million dollars to step into this role and tour through Europe for the next six months. Say yes, and the ticket is on the way." You know what I would say? I

Photo by Henry Dick on Unsplash

would say, "Wow, thank you, but I can't do this. I don't know how to play the cello." That would be a great opportunity, and I would be lucky to be asked, but because of my lack of preparation, I could not take advantage of that opportunity. - Thanks mom

Now, let's get into the Imposter Syndrome.

Imposter Syndrome happens when others see you as successful, knowledgeable, competent, and able - but you don't see yourself that way.  You often think of your success as undeserved or just dumb luck. You are convinced that any moment the rest of the world is going to look at you and see you as you fear you are.

You might have experienced Imposter Syndrome If:

source

You undersell yourself because it feels uncomfortable or unworthy to own or articulate your accomplishments. Maybe they aren't all that impressive.

You are convinced that someone is going to show up and say, "Ha! You are not as good or accomplished or able as you thought!"

Your mistakes consume you and seem to be huge, while your accomplishments are written off as something anyone could do.

Imposter syndrome can make you work harder and feel less accomplished at the same time!

Do you recognize yourself in any of that? Do you see yourself dismissing the things you've done?

Jimmy Breslin

 Imposter Syndrome has all sorts of physical and emotional effects on a person. 

1. Stress

2. Anxiety

3. Helplessness

4. Burn Out

5. Isolation

I wonder if Imposter Syndrome is just a thing many artists have to face at some point or other. The very nature of what we do lends to the whole "Do you like me? Am I doing a good job? What can I do to get better? Do I have enough work?" and that can cycle into doubt and worry. 

Do we measure up? Which brings up the question...to whom? Who are we measuring up to? We are all individuals. My career is not yours, and yours is not and can't be mine. 

Comparing ourselves to other artists and what they are doing is not a way to really know how you are doing in this business. 

Compare yourself to where you started and where you are. Consider where you want to go. Yeah, I know, that's not always easy.

My favorite line from Evita is 

- Sometimes it's very difficult to keep momentum if it's you that you are following -

As independent artists, we are holding the ladder as well as climbing it. This can make everything feel a bit unstable at times.

So, some helpful tips when Imposter Syndrome hits!

1. Sit down and write out all of the things important to you that you have accomplished with your art without comment about how you feel about them. Now, check out the list. YOU did that.

2. Talk to a friend or colleague about how you feel. 

3. Journal about how you feel, or record it on your phone and listen back to it. When you hear yourself talking yourself down or questioning what you have accomplished, defend yourself.

4. Remind yourself why you chose to become an artist and list the things you love about what you do.

5. Give Yourself a Break! We're all human. We all have moments. Don't be embarrassed about feeling sad, or inadequate, or anything else. You are not alone. Go back to suggestion #2.

6. Forgive Yourself. Artists are nothing if they aren't hard on themselves. Being human is messy, but there is no other alternative.

7. Life gives you opportunities to learn things. That's what happens when you make a mistake. Learn from it and go back to number 6.

8. Tell yourself you are brilliant. Go ahead. Do it right now. OUT LOUD!

9. Tell yourself you are talented. Again. OUT LOUD!

10. Tell yourself you have more to share and more to learn. 

Be gentle with yourself if you spiral into Imposter Syndrome. It can sneak up on you. Don't keep it inside and let it brew. You may be an independent artist, but you are not alone. 

If you are interested in joining a group of artists that meet every Monday to discuss the ins and outs of choosing to be a gig artist of any kind, Artists Standing Strong Together is a great community resource. 

I highly recommend checking them out. Well, check us out. I co-founded the group with the amazing
Sheila Arnold. 

Sheila Arnold

So, stick out your chess, take a deep breath, and be who you are without apology!

Happy Gigging!

Wanna Make Money In Your Sleep? Keep Dreaming!

 

My son, Devin

At some point last week, I was chatting with someone about storytelling. I have no idea who it was because I chat with lots of people about storytelling.

The person in question said something in passing that didn't strike me until days later, which is why I can't remember who said it. It might have been my daughter.

"If your business isn't taking advantage of the digital angle of work, you are just leaving money on the table."

At the beginning of 2020, I would have shrugged that off and thought about how we are storytellers and our work is in person.

From Peachtree Press

I would have been justified in saying that, except for one thing: I am a huge fan of making money in my sleep!

I define that as having projects out in the world that continue to bring in cash without you having to monitor them all of the time. 

For me these income streams include:

1. Books 

Which reminds me - I have a new book that dropped on September 1st!

2. MP3 Tracks

But that was pretty much it.

Then, March of 2020 hit. I wouldn't say I discovered Youtube, but let's just say I spent more time watching videos than I ever had. 

I watched videos about things I never even had any interest in. 

I fell in love with everything from Flat Earth Debunking videos to Reptile Keepers. I got hooked on several Youtubers who are all about Brexit, and I watched themed channels about anything my little heart desired.

I had a great time. Now I have a Youtube habit I need to curb. Sigh.

Anyway, some years ago I had this idea for a Youtube series that I never bothered to pursue. I realized that even as I was putting my ideas together I didn't have the capability to do it without some serious help. I had some vague ideas about getting my family members to help, but it never really got off the ground.

Here, in the fall of 2021, I have discovered that not only do I possess the required skills there isn't any reason not to shoot it and put it online.

Except for the fact that when it comes to diving into projects like this I am a huge procrastinator.

So, the other night I called my son and asked him if he would compose a lullaby for me. This is what he sent me.  

It is perfect for the little series I want to do! Then, I started thinking of the possibilities of what I could do with the series, and who might want to listen to it, and then...well, I figured the sky was just the beginning.

So, I told The David what I was thinking about doing, and he did one of those "Wait a Minute! Do you have a plan for this, or were you just going to throw it up on Youtube and see what happens?"

Well, yeah.

I mean, I have some ideas, some basic plans, tons of potential content, and a lullaby. What else do I need? 

In case you don't know, this is what happens when you live with your business manager. 

So, I did some thinking about what I am willing to do and what I have time to do. How to connect it to the people who might most enjoy it, how to do the initial spreading of the word, and how to monetize it effectively.

Then I thought about all of the ways I might start getting a following by using some of my more traditional marketing techniques, thinking about how many episodes I would have to upload, the schedule of release, the editing, possibly offering Patreon activities, and on, and on, and on....the whole thing became overwhelming because I can honestly say I have no interest in monitoring a Youtube channel.

I mean, I am not looking to add another element to my calendar that drains time out of my schedule. Why even begin something that will require this much tending? It isn't like I'm not busy!

I got myself worked up and then I just stopped and started laughing at myself. 

What am I so worried about?

You do a thing on youtube and you see what happens.

I know someone will watch it because that's the nature of Youtube, but it isn't like this is going to become my main source of income or anything like that! 

So, I am just going to go for it and enjoy the process. 

Will this new series turn into another source of income? Ummm, possibly, but I will definitely learn something, and on the other side of it, I will free up space in my brain for another project. (Originally I had written "probably not" but when I read it to The David he suggested turning probably not into possibly. That guy even believes in me when my syntax doesn't!")

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to have breakfast, go to the gym, vacuum the house, clean the bathrooms, and all of the other things I can think of rather than start recording for what I know will probably take me three weeks of solid shooting before I have the whole series done.

I am nothing if not a procrastinator!

Still, I have a timetable now, and that's more than I had two days ago.

So, thanks to The David, and Devin, I am one step closer to making that sweet, sweet Patreon Youtube money in my sleep...someday. 🤣🤣🤣

Happy Dreaming!

When Life Imitates Teaching - The Process In the Pudding!

 

I had my first live show of the 2021 - 2022 season at a community event!

It was part of the Lollipop series at Carrboro Parks and Rec!

I was not as prepared as I usually am. I could feel the rust.

I walked out of the house and realized I'd forgotten to paint my toenails. Of course, I had. When is the last time an audience saw my toes?

I painted my nails on the way there as The David drove.

six people came to the show not counting The David and the organizer.

All six members of the public sat right in the front row.

There were two women who knew each other and their daughters who seemed to be about three came in holding hands. There was also a dad and his daughter. She was four.

It took me about thirty seconds to realize that the two ladies and their daughters didn't speak English.

Welcome back to live telling!

I told a story called Silly Annabelle which is highly participatory with sound and movement. There is lots of repetition, and once you learn the patterns, you can figure out what happens next.

The four-year-old and her father who were able to follow the tale were very participatory. They beautifully modeled the way to interact with the storyteller. 

The non-English speakers participated as well. They waved their hands in the air, danced with the dragon, shook the trees, clapped, considered, and made all of the right sounds. They even learned most of the refrains by the end and said them more or less as they clapped, or danced around.

The David and the organizer were in the back of the room. They could only see the back of the six participants. 

When the show was over, and the six people were packing to go, I thanked everyone for coming, and I spent a few moments communicating with the two ladies. They were from Japan. That was all they could tell me. 

Source

The organizer came over to speak to everyone and that is when she found out they couldn't speak much English. She was shocked because of how participatory they were.

As we left the venue, I told The David that it was interesting that my first show back - just for kicks - most of my audience had no idea what I was saying. 

He looked at me quizzically. "What do you mean?"

"The two ladies and their children didn't speak any English."

"Are you sure?" he asked. "They were participating really well."

"I spoke to them. I know they weren't completely sure what I was saying."

He raised his eyebrows. "You couldn't tell that from the back. They participated with everything!"

Source

It was only after the fact, that I realized I'd just exemplified the workshop I'd given the weekend before.

I was speaking with English teachers from all over the world who were teaching English to children in Tunisia. They are working in a program called American Corner Tunis.

I sent them an hour-long pre-recorded workshop, and I joined the workshop at the end for a Q&A. The students enjoyed the workshop, and they were very excited about working on their new skills and using more storytelling in the classroom.

Not one of them questioned whether or not it would be a useful tool, and all of them appreciated how storytelling could both inform and shape how they worked with their students from the little ones all the way up to high school.

I have done a number of workshops about using storytelling with audiences who might not speak English. We learn from each other how to make a story work across cultural and language divides. (I am going to stop using the word barriers when I think about how we communicate with people who have different life experiences from us.) When I was putting the workshop for Tunisia together I had a moment. It has been a while since I was telling in person. Zoom doesn't give you the same kind of feeling with an audience.

I was concerned that I would be very rusty in person, and in some ways I am. Still, the process I have lived with for thirty years on how to deal with various audiences and find ways to meet them where they are and communicate is still part of me.

The temperature is dropping.

Schools are making their arrangements.

Bookstores are calling for appearances

Conferences are tentatively trying in-person gatherings.

Me? I'm getting ready to socially distance embrace audiences. 

This season is going to be amazing - No matter what happens!

Happy Telling!

For a bit of fun, here is another blog I did about communicating across the language divide.

What is your 2021 - 2022 COVID Performance Plan?

Nobody would accuse me of being a technophile. I am not computer savvy. Nobody would have accused me of being a videographer either. 

In fact, there are many things I am not...or perhaps I should say "was" not before the 2020 - 2021 performance season.

Then, wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles! A new vaccine made with old research that got new funding unfurled before us! 

 

 We were saved! All we had to do was innoculate the world! This is what we'd been waiting for, right?

Apparently, only some of us were waiting for it. 

Either way, the world is open before us once more. Everyone wants the old normalcy to begin. Let's go back into schools, play festivals, and other types of venues all over the country.

The David and I are facing the exact same question we had last year.

Is it safe?

Apparently, that depends on who you ask.

So, how much are you gambling? What is the difference between hope and preparation? Does anything we do matter? Can we keep ourselves and our audiences safe? What is our part in any of this? 

Regardless of what the venues do, what are you doing?

Have you put any policies in place for your business? 

What are the circumstances under which you mean to go into venues? 

Do you have some plans for practice and procedures? 

Are you building those into your contracts?

The David and I are putting together our 2021 policies. I suspect they will change as more and more people contact us for in-person work. So far this fall we have been asked to participate in the following types of work:

1. In-person shows in schools - I would be performing for hundreds of people at once

2. In-person shows at conferences. I would be running a one hour workshop with about sixty people

3. In person residency - Three days of hands-on contact with about one hundred middle and high school students for four hours each day

4. In-person shows at small venues

5. Live-Virtual and Pre-recorded shows.

Our Plan?

1. Whenever possible, weather permitting, we are encouraging school assemblies to be done outside. That many people squeezed into a multipurpose room or gym in a system where vaccination is optional and most of the people in the room aren't even eligible to be vaccinated does not seem like a good idea to me. I will bring my sound system, so we will need access to electricity.

2. I am not sure I will be flying this year. We are going to have to make that decision soon, however.

3. All of the venues we've book who have asked for in-person shows understand that there is a caveat for me being there. It will depend on what their personal COVID situation looks like. If by the time the show comes up on the calendar, half the school is out with COVID, then we might have to pass on that venue. So far, everyone has been understanding.

My biggest fear this year is not me getting COVID - I am vaccinated, my husband is vaccinated, all of my family and friends are vaccinated, and I will be in line for that booster shot.

My concern is that I could be a major disease vector.

Bee with full pollen sacs

Think about it like bees visiting flowers. I could end up with a mild or a-symptomatic case of COViD. If that happens, every single time I go into a school, I could be a problem.

If I ever even once thought a teacher or a child ended up in a hospital or a morgue because of me.... 

That doesn't change the fact that I still have to make a living -

This is how we mean to proceed:

1. I will be masked until I perform...maybe even as I perform, if it doesn't interfere with my mic, which I will check soon, I may remain masked as I perform.

2. I will continue to do the elbow bumping, though, in my defense, I have always done that during flu season. People have always thought it was weird, but now, the times have caught up with me.

3. We will continue to monitor my own health circumstances even as we keep an eye on the counties and schools I will be visiting.

That's where we are now.

What about you?

What are your performance, teaching, audience plans and procedures for 2021?

Day 4: A New Generation: The Teenage Social Justice Warriors

 I am good at talking myself out of work.

Anybody else have this problem?

I am good at listening to a client, realizing that I know someone else who would do a better job or be a better fit, giving the client the other artist's name and number, and hanging up the phone.

I'm looking at you, Linda Gorham.

I am good at listening to a client, realizing they need something different, and sending them off in a direction that is not as profitable for me.

This is one of the reasons The David talks to clients and not me. He has way more faith and confidence in my being the right person for the job than I do!

Even so, there are times when he gets a call that requires me to speak directly to someone who wants to book an event.

This happened a few weeks ago.

The David handed me the phone and there was a bubbly woman on the other end who worked at a high school. 

Somebody at her school had seen Chairs In The Trees, and was certain that it would be perfect for their school. I assured her it would.

Then she proceeded to tell me it was their Black History assembly, and after the set she wanted me to lead the students in a discussion of social justice today.

I stopped her right there, suggested she get someone from their local community like an Alderman or something to speak to them. 

She stopped me and said the kids were already planning to interview African American leaders from the community to find out what they thought about social justice. They were going to play the clips during the assembly.

I told her about an event I'd gone to in the past where High School students had created a "Colored Museum". They'd filled a space with the history of African Americans who'd contributed everything from inventions, scientific breakthroughs, and social justice movements to our culture.

She thought that was a great idea.

I then pointed out that Chairs In The Trees was an hour-long program. We couldn't do the entire show.

She was disappointed.  We kept talking

By the time we were done, I'd agreed to tell a fifteen-minute story at some point during the event. I'd also managed to structure it and suggest how she could incorporate the various elements the kids brought to the table so they'd have a cohesive program. She was pleased.

I gave the phone back to The David.

I'd talked her out of a show doing an hour. I was going to be a moment instead of the main event. I was pretty sure it was the right thing to do.

On Friday, February 12th, I attended the show.

I have never been so glad to have talked myself out of work in my life.

The event was amazing.

It started with the student body president - a stunning African American young woman - telling her classmates that she wanted them to listen with an open mind and consider the stories and ideas they were going to be hearing.

Her counterpart - another stunning African American young woman - explained that all of us are programmed to believe things that might not be true. She said that this isn't usually malicious, but a product of where people were raised, having an adverse encounter with someone, or cultural misunderstandings.

The only way to break through institutionalized racism and misunderstandings is to listen to people

source

Then, they released the Kraken.

The students merged personal narrative, poetry, their thoughts about social justice, equality, and equity into an amazing presentation that sent me into tears, made me cheer, and had me howling like a crazy lady with pride. 

What did they cover?

Natural Hair -

I met black girls who - by the age of sixteen - had come to love their natural hair. These young ladies told stories about being teased, or not seeing enough images of little girls like them with natural hair wanting to change themselves to look like what they thought "beauty" or "normal" was supposed to be. They ended up putting harsh chemicals in their hair because they wanted it to be "straight". 

They spoke of how the societal norms of what constitutes beauty made them unhappy with their bodies, skin, and hair.

They ended by explaining that with the positivity of friends, family, and teachers, they'd come to see that their natural hair was beautiful.

My daughter rocking her natural hair! 

They had fabulous hair!

Then, I learned about The Crown Act. It is a piece of legislation that is being sponsored by Dove soap to counter the discrimination that black women experience because of their natural hair!  The research on this was shocking to me. 

I had never encountered this because I don't work in an office.

The next topic had to do with body shapes.

Have you heard the term "thick" girls?

It is a term that I have heard to describe girls who are large and curvy. I was going to link to some articles or something, but most of the images are about women who have traditionally not been thought of as beautiful because of their large sizes posing in very...sexy poses. 

There is a reclamation of body positivity from these grown women. I am all for that. When a girl is young, it causes a completely different problem.

One of the young women used it yesterday. She called herself a thick girl.

This soft-spoken, dark-skinned Sophomore spoke of how when they were in elementary school they wore uniforms. She was always larger than most of her peers, and it was always hard to get the sizes she needed. When she got to middle school, she could wear what she liked, but she was often sent home because her clothes were inappropriate or she was given a sweatshirt so she could "cover up".

She has shapely legs and curves everywhere and has had since she was pretty young.

It was only later she understood that leggings on a skinny girl were okay, but if she wore them, she was acting too "grown" or it was "distracting". She spoke about the sexualization of young black girls.

She didn't understand what was happening when she was younger. She didn't understand why people kept telling her she was trying to be too "grown".

She shook her head. "I am the quietest person. I like to sit in my room and read, I'm always up under my momma, I like to talk to my friends and goof off. I'm a great student. I wouldn't stay out late, I don't drink, or do drugs, or even use foul language. I don't even have a boyfriend, I've never been kissed, but I'm "grown".

She ended her segment with, "I am not the problem here!"

Then - 

Well, then something happened that had me in tears for a bit.

This sixteen-year-old gentleman played a video of a poem he'd written. I'm not going to try to explain it.

Just watch:

I cried, I was angry, I was impressed, I was proud, and I was hopeful

I immediately asked if I could share the video and he said yes.

I switched my view to gallery and watched all of these young people from every possible type of family in America watching this assembly.

They were as enraptured by what they were seeing as I was. They sent out that silent applause emojis, commented in the chat, and let their voices be heard.

Then, suddenly, it was my turn. I did a quick variant of The Men of Kent Street, and went back to watching the kids work it!

This Graphic Made an Appearance

Their staff advisors also go into the mix. They asked the kids questions about social justice issues and then had them respond in the chat at once like a waterfall. 

Everyone would type something and then wait. Then, the advisor would say, Niagra - which has to do with something I'd never heard of before, and will be subject of a blog post in the near future - and we would all push send at once. The replies would cascade into the chat. It was powerful to see these young people

The Niagara Movement

expressing fury, dismay, and sadness for the struggles of their classmates. Struggles that many of them didn't even know were an ongoing thing.

The next student talked about microaggressions and the way language is used to belittle African Americans by suggesting that they can be dismissed, separated from other black people, or categorized as "different" if they are educated. She is a well-spoken black girl who particularly hates being called "articulate". She asks, how many kids do you say that to? What makes me different from my white peers who speak a certain way? 

(Now, to be fair, she was a fabulous speaker and she was very well-spoken! Most kids her age probably don't have that much command of themselves, but her point was well taken!)

It was an hour of pure magic!

I stayed 'til the end and thanked the students for the amazing presentation.

Later, in the kitchen, I was trying to explain what had happened to my husband and son. I broke down in tears. 

2021 has been a very challenging year for me emotionally.

I was on such pins and needles during the last part of 2020, I don't think I sat with any emotions -aside from anger - for months.

Now, in this time, when things are starting to resolve and life might be trying to find itself back to something I recognize as normal, I realize I am deeply sad. 

The sorrow I have been carrying for separated families, children locked in cages, the horrific murder of George Floyd, the BLM protests that rocked the entire world as people marched for justice in cities from almost every place on the globe to the insurrection that could have destroyed our fragile democracy has finally come for me. 

I have been overwhelmed with grief, hopelessness, and despair that we are going to have to litigate my right, the rights of my children, and perhaps my grandchildren to live with equity in America all over again. I have been feeling rather lost. It seems like there is no end to this war where one side is saying  - I'm human! All I ask is that you treat me as such! and the other side saying, "You are asking too much! Be thankful we aren't just shooting you on sight! 

Yesterday? Yesterday I saw the next generation of leaders step up and speak out in a way that didn't happen when I was a kid.

Yesterday? Yesterday I saw a group of young people lead their classmates into a discussion on the difference between equity and equality and why that matters.

Yesterday? Yesterday I wanted to drive to Fayetteville, NC, station myself outside each and every one of these young people's homes, and announce to the world that anyone coming for any of these hopeful sparks had to go through me first.

Day 1: Telling My Ancestor's Story

Day 2: The Historical Lens Was Cracked!

Day 3: I Couldn't Be Prouder - Reframing What It Meant To Be A "Slave"

Day 4: A New Generation: The Teenage Social Justice Warriors

I Couldn't Be Prouder - Reframing What It Meant To Be A "Slave"

 One of the things that used to cause me no end of shame and discomfort when I was in middle school and high school was the discussion of slaves in America.

There were many things they could have been called.

The Myth of the Happy Slave

Kidnapped Enslaved Africans.

People.                                 

Kidnapped Enslaved People.

Enslaved for Generations.

Denied basic humanity for Generations.

Raped, Beaten, Worked, Violated, Experimented upon, and Viewed as Property for Generations.

How was it faced in my history books?

Ha! Got you! It wasn't faced at all.

Slavery was usually dealt with using as little language and discussion as possible. The books downplayed it when it was discussed.

Oh, they said that not all slave owners were mean. They assured us that slaves were valuable and so it would not have made sense to treat them badly. Oh, yes, there were some terrible slave owners, but not all of them were bad.

I have no doubt that my classmates were telling themselves that if they'd lived in those times, they would have been "good" slave owners.  They never would have beaten their slaves.

Some probably were certain they wouldn't have had slaves at all, and I am sure some of them would not have. 

Some no doubt were certain they would have been part of the Underground Railroad, and perhaps they would have been.

What none of them took into account - mostly because our textbook didn't deal with it at all, was what the enslaved people thought of this whole situation.

Oh, and that's a thing I should discuss if you've never heard me bring it up in the past.

I would like to respectfully submit that from here on in we should always refer to the state of living for those people abducted and forced away from their homes as enslaved.

The word "slave" suggests that a person is a thing. Being a slave in the context of early American history is like a brand. It suggests that this was a natural state of being for the captured Africans. It is like that big scarlet letter. Trust me. My classmates were being told that I was a descendant of slaves.

You don't need another party to be a slave. If you are in someone's custody, they own you. Being free is not your natural or normal state.

The word "enslaved" suggests that somebody is actively doing something to you.

As opposed to saying that Africans were slaves and that is a mark against us as a people, I should endeavor to say that they were enslaved. Enslaved is an active thing. It requires an enslaver. Without an enslaver, the enslaved are free. 

I wonder what my classes would have been like if instead of talking about Southerners and "their slaves", how it would sound if we'd been taught about "Enslavers and their victims."

Substitute Enslavers for Southerners, and I suspect those kids who looked at me out of the sides of their eyes when someone said, "slaves" would have instead stared down at their textbooks and hoped I wasn't looking at them as "enslavers". I also wish the textbooks had been more clear about how truly evil it was. 

I was not the one who should have been ashamed of my ancestors in that situation. They hadn't done anything wrong or immoral.

So, just to bring the point home, this is what happened.

- The enslavers removed the youngest, strongest men women, and children from West Africa for three hundred years.

- It is estimated that over the three centuries of human devastation - fifteen to twenty million Africans were abducted from their homeland.

- We will never know how many of these people were murdered during transport from Africa to the Western World, but it is estimated to be at least one million. (Yes, murdered. The process of transporting them, and the way they were transported led directly to their deaths) - and yes, I'm still salty about this.

The Upshot?

In Africa -

For three centuries the Western World removed their youngest, strongest, brightest, and most promising people. 

Cultures collapsed -

Families were destroyed -

People lived in perpetual fear -

Progress stagnated -

Traditional ways were abandoned and lost -

The people were devastated, scattered, and traumatized - REPEATEDLY for three centuries

In America -

Imagine that you have rounded up the youngest, strongest, most able men, women, and children you could find. You put them in pens.

Some of them are not going to survive that. The strongest will. The most cunning. The ones who have the most will to live. The angriest.

Put them on ships and send them across the ocean.

Some of them are going to die. Who will survive? The strongest. The most cunning. The ones who have the most will to live. The angriest.

Now, you are on the other side of the ocean. What have you got left?

The Strongest of the strong

The Most Cunning of the cunning

The Most determined to live

The angriest damn people on the planet

The ones who were able to reach inside of themselves and find a reason to go on whether it was through music or stories or hope

That is a pretty intense group of people. 

That is the group that the enslavers in America tried to keep like livestock.

When you look at it like that, then lots of things make sense.

These were not a group of people who'd been beaten down and dominated.

This was a group of people who had figured out how to survive. 

Phyllis Wheatley - First black Poetess in America

Harriet Tubman comes from This!

Sojourner Truth comes from This!      

Frederick Douglass comes from This!

Madam CJ Walker comes from This!

Phyllis Wheatley comes from This!

All of the glorious, brilliant, determined, angry, stubborn, hopeful, beautiful black men, women, and children who have the blood of survivors running through their veins come from this!

I come from this. 

That is who I am.

And I couldn't be prouder.

Day 1: Telling My Ancestor's Story

Day 2: The Historical Lens Was Cracked!

I Couldn't Be Prouder - Reframing What It Meant To Be A "Slave"

Day 4: A New Generation: The Teenage Social Justice Warriors