a reminder that Pittsburgh is also in Pennsylvania and there are organizers here who deserve some credit for what’s happening statewide, too. PGH is wildly racist and segregated and blue regardless because of HARD WORK. stop leaving it out of the convo.
vaaast majority of this crowd don’t know nann about HBCUs or our marching band culture or how Black folk pledge or that we have our own national anthem or...I’m sitting here trying to think of what other vantablack thing will happen next. Beyonce did this for the crowd at home
THERE ARE BLACK PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE
imagine white gentrifiers calling this statement—displayed as part of a public art series—racist, and then complaining until it was removed. ya know, same way Black folk have been systematically scrubbed from the neighborhood in question.
in short: without Philly AND Pittsburgh PA would not be blue. damn near everything in between us (a five hour-long drive, for the record) is called Pennsyltucky for a reason.
it’s arguably more difficult to galvanize here because Pittsburgh *isn’t* Blackity Black. it’s actually the hardest place in the country for Black women specifically to thrive. yet Black women are leading here and helping to deliver these victories. don’t omit that shit.
ayyye, it me. I’m proud of this piece. I could easily write another 2,000 words about Apeshit and Blackness as art and how we as Black artists and curators make and interact with art on our own terms.
I went through what felt like 500 rounds of interviews and test projects with Google - all the way to the on-site in Mountain View - and still didn’t get the gig. even though I reportedly dazzled. so. that’s all I got. I’ve been burnt out on tech as an industry for years now.
cool, Brooke, but my series, AMERICAN WOMAN (
@americanwmnproj
), which features Black American women exclusively, has been out for about 18 months now. .
ya girl has a NY Times byline. I’ve been a photographer for 5 years, had a lot of wins, & photographed some amazing people, but to reach this level with the amazing Dr. Kishana Taylor (
@KYT_ThatsME
), co-lead organizer of
@BlackInMicro
, is a pinnacle.
today marks the 5 year anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting. as someone who has spent so much of my life in gay clubs and venues and been a Black queer person for my entire life, I just want to hold space for this tragic anniversary.
when my dad died I couldn’t function normally for over a year. resigned from my job. Sha’Carri won the 100m dash a week after her mom died. you’ll never ever catch me chastising or being disappointed in that young lady.
I spy Lina Iris Viktor’s work or influence/homage (amongst other artists, too, i.e. Yayoi Kusama) in this new SZA x Kendrick video. gorgeous and inspiring.
FANS TURN ON WILLIE: Country singer
@WillieNelson
was called just about every name in the book after announcing he's playing during an upcoming rally for Texas Democratic Senate candidate
@BetoORourke
.
what is Blacker than Nina Simone, really? that’s the part I woke up on—imagine me watching that gorgeous interpretive dance and then the lights came back up and a whole fucking marching band was on stage; I gagged
I know it’s much “cooler” to care about Black people in more predominately Black cities, but at least pretend enough to signal boost what’s happening to Black folk in Pittsburgh. or does Damon have to write about it on VSB first? JK/NK.
cover designed by me.
thanks to everyone commenting about liking the cover. wish y’all would’ve known this is my artwork before all these shared, but...now ya do.
y’all I have an exhibition opening June 2022 at
@mattressfactory
. I’m so exciteddddd. gotta cut back on DJing a bit to focus on it. interdisciplinary realness 🙏🏾
this photo was taken at the March on Washington in ‘63 and published by US News & World Report. the man closest to the camera with his feet in the water—my daddy. way before my birth, of course, but this is what I come from: an activist. happy father’s day, dad. miss you 🖤
honored to accept the Advancing Black Arts in Pittsburgh 2020 grant to fund the AMERICAN WOMAN full-length documentary. in addition to footage I've been shooting since 2016, I'll be re-interviewing participants + adding 3 new cities. YAS!
press release:
hey, people-pleasers: you attract takers. those who will be over you entirely the second they don’t get whatever they feel entitled to from you.
the more you try to do dope shit for them, the more vindictiveness they’ll show you when you stop.
🌠
I’m beyond heartbroken. a celebrity, a superhero, but before all that Chad was my friend. years + careers separated us, but I love him just as much as I did when we were acting together at Howard. I believed we would reconnect one day & reminisce. still do.
rest in power, king.
*adds ESPN to list of bylines*
to coincide w/the 25th anniversary of the WNBA, bball legend Pam McGee is highlighted as the first former player to have kids in the WNBA (Imani) AND the NBA (JaVale) 🏀
“WNBA’s 25 Most Defining Milestones” is up now: