Here I am Sunday morning with a bit of a headache from some exuberant celebrating with the BGI C4 and C6 Alumni last night and I decided to capture history. Right here, right now by live blogging from my final social media class giving the coursework and my classmates a collective good bye hug and kiss as we wrap for the Fall quarter 2009 at Bainbridge Graduate Institute. I thought it would be appropriate to share some of our closing thoughts about using the social web for social change class. I think we all feel empowered to express ourselves and our developing change agent rebel yell with the personal branding exercise that was ultimately represented in each of our respective blogs and sustainability topics. The branding exercise was sheer power, after all we are going to be marketing ourselves for life. Hip hop namaste would not exist without the creative outlet the class has provided for me to live my authentic self out loud on my journey to peace. And by the way we made a kick ass video in 3.5 hours yesterday check it out, social media for social change video Fall 2009.
Noteworthy Quotes
"cloud jedi" - Gifford Pinchot III
"when in doubt live blog it" - Three Grooves
"Social media FBI surveillance for Black Friday" - Melissa Dingmon
"A brown woman leading three white men"-browngirlgoesgreen
To close today my creativity and right lively hood has been awakened and continues to elevate and here is an impromptu piece of art, sustainability, and consciousness that came out of my creativity and right lively hood presentation. My trust and the bonds cemented through sharing with my BGI family is helping me to transmute darkness into light. Free.
transformative grace
impromptu power of beingness
multiple intelligences reach up
to the light
grounding into the darkness of the womb
rebirth
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Buy Nothing Day
So far my buy nothing day has been great and celebrated it from midnight until 5 am this morning at my friend's house Erin and Christian Behr my ambassadors of hope for Haiti. Not only are they my favorite couple to stay up late night with they are amazingly fun and I can even lurk in the corner at their house with my ever present computer typing away on some damn grad school paper AND socialize. Serious multitasking I know. I am so looking forward to Christmas break. Anyhow we had wonderful conversation filled with ideas of how we pledge to buy nothing today and even deeper conversations about how we are going to unite in one force field of change fueled by Haitian art furthering my vision of the contribution of creativity and culture. Our future together is so damn bright I am still blinking from the brilliance of possibility. Love infinite. In the next several days video footage and photos should be coming in from the Eat, Drink, and Save the World crew. And please keep checking back to this blog and our web site to see the progression. Feedback always welcomed and encouraged.
art. consciousness. sustainability. namaste.
MP
art. consciousness. sustainability. namaste.
MP
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Eat, Drink, and Save the world!!
SLOW FOODS THANKSGIVING 2009
Slow Foods and Buy Nothing Day have intersected and culminated in Mauri Parks and Miriam Easley's Social Media project for Using the Social Web for Social Change. We are two 2010 BGI graduate C7 hopefuls that are great friends, Islandwood roommates, and budding change agents who want to influence our sphere of influence and encourage you to practice your sustainability leadership skills within your own sphere of influence this holiday season. Pay it forward sustainability style. Thanksgiving is a harvest of food and blessings. Let's celebrate that together!
Instructions:
Eat, drink, and Save the world! No action is too big or small, Yes we can!
EAT & DRINK locally; engage in meaningful conversation among friends on Buy Nothing Day November 27th otherwise known as "Black Friday"
No matter how you get involved let us know your plans
Leave a comment on hip hop namaste or greengov
Action Ideas:
Engage in a national twitter online live feed on Friday BND hosted by Adbusters #BND09
Engage a perfect stranger with the a provocative question around consumerism, sustainability, and climate change and post the question in your social media network
Send us your photos
Send us a video log
Post your own blog and link to our blog or eat, drink, and save the world website
Pledge to do your own event
Stay tuned. Tomorrow the website will be unveiled. Keep checking in on our blogs for more information.
Ride the swell of a collective consumer consciousness social media project. Love and gratitude.
Mauri and Miriam
Please respond here:
hip hop namaste
greengov
mauriparksbgi@gmail.com
easleyme@gmail.com
Slow Foods and Buy Nothing Day have intersected and culminated in Mauri Parks and Miriam Easley's Social Media project for Using the Social Web for Social Change. We are two 2010 BGI graduate C7 hopefuls that are great friends, Islandwood roommates, and budding change agents who want to influence our sphere of influence and encourage you to practice your sustainability leadership skills within your own sphere of influence this holiday season. Pay it forward sustainability style. Thanksgiving is a harvest of food and blessings. Let's celebrate that together!
Instructions:
Eat, drink, and Save the world! No action is too big or small, Yes we can!
EAT & DRINK locally; engage in meaningful conversation among friends on Buy Nothing Day November 27th otherwise known as "Black Friday"
No matter how you get involved let us know your plans
Leave a comment on hip hop namaste or greengov
Action Ideas:
Engage in a national twitter online live feed on Friday BND hosted by Adbusters #BND09
Engage a perfect stranger with the a provocative question around consumerism, sustainability, and climate change and post the question in your social media network
Send us your photos
Send us a video log
Post your own blog and link to our blog or eat, drink, and save the world website
Pledge to do your own event
Stay tuned. Tomorrow the website will be unveiled. Keep checking in on our blogs for more information.
Ride the swell of a collective consumer consciousness social media project. Love and gratitude.
Mauri and Miriam
Please respond here:
hip hop namaste
greengov
mauriparksbgi@gmail.com
easleyme@gmail.com
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
blackface transformed to hip hop peace
As the exuberance of children at play left the co-op preschool room, I switched on the radio to NPR just in time to hear Talk of the Nation. The topic was blackface. You know. The ol' timey minstrel shows featuring white people with black painted faces and exaggerated lips looking absurdly out of place and just well...offensive? Here is the definition directly from the NPR's website, "Blackface — white actors in black make-up, perpetuating over-the-top stereotypes of African Americans — was traditional in theater and the movies in the days of segregation."
photo by wikimedia commons
Whenever I saw reference to this as a young girl in a historical context yet with no mention of how WRONG it felt in my solar plexus, I immediately felt immense shame and was completely horrified at the caricature of my ancestors. Angry yet no voice. No outlet to speak or process what I intuitively knew had violent undertones of injustice yet lacked the world experience at age 10 to express the angst that flared up persistently and hardened into ugly emotions as the years ticked by. These caricatured black people were seperate but equal and good enough to sow the fields, wipe the butts of privileged white children, and provide human labor literally the blood, sweat, and tears of the ancestors built the economic infrastructure of this country. Here began my first conceptualization of the American caste system that is thriving, alive and well to this very day. As a girl I silently felt muzzled into submission to accept this strange theatrical social norm of Jim Crow days during the brief chapter about slaves and the Civil War. Really it is amazing to me that my very own father experienced Jim Crow. Absolutely mind boggling. We have come so far yet have many many metaphorical miles to go on this journey towards peace regarding race and class in America.
And I digress...what I really felt inspired to share today was an infusion of hope that the Tedx Anchorage talk that I attended last weekend. My vision of the world was validated by someone I admire greatly. Awesome. Phenomenal. Inspiring. Off the hook! Solutions to my angst were prolific and allowed me to step into a new mental space cultivated by the one and only Hon. George Martinez a political activist and founding member of hip hop association and global block. My parting words tonight will be those of the Global Block Mission statement.
Our Mission
The Global Block harnesses the spirit of innovation, creativity and activism at the core of the Hip-Hop movement to empower youth and transform communities across the globe.
Picture my black face replacing the ridiculousness of the ol' time minstrel show blackface. I am hip hop. Watch me fly away on the wings of innovation and creativity. I will rize above, my third eye pulsing with the drumbeat of the ancient heartbeat.
photo by wikimedia commons
Whenever I saw reference to this as a young girl in a historical context yet with no mention of how WRONG it felt in my solar plexus, I immediately felt immense shame and was completely horrified at the caricature of my ancestors. Angry yet no voice. No outlet to speak or process what I intuitively knew had violent undertones of injustice yet lacked the world experience at age 10 to express the angst that flared up persistently and hardened into ugly emotions as the years ticked by. These caricatured black people were seperate but equal and good enough to sow the fields, wipe the butts of privileged white children, and provide human labor literally the blood, sweat, and tears of the ancestors built the economic infrastructure of this country. Here began my first conceptualization of the American caste system that is thriving, alive and well to this very day. As a girl I silently felt muzzled into submission to accept this strange theatrical social norm of Jim Crow days during the brief chapter about slaves and the Civil War. Really it is amazing to me that my very own father experienced Jim Crow. Absolutely mind boggling. We have come so far yet have many many metaphorical miles to go on this journey towards peace regarding race and class in America.
And I digress...what I really felt inspired to share today was an infusion of hope that the Tedx Anchorage talk that I attended last weekend. My vision of the world was validated by someone I admire greatly. Awesome. Phenomenal. Inspiring. Off the hook! Solutions to my angst were prolific and allowed me to step into a new mental space cultivated by the one and only Hon. George Martinez a political activist and founding member of hip hop association and global block. My parting words tonight will be those of the Global Block Mission statement.
Our Mission
The Global Block harnesses the spirit of innovation, creativity and activism at the core of the Hip-Hop movement to empower youth and transform communities across the globe.
Picture my black face replacing the ridiculousness of the ol' time minstrel show blackface. I am hip hop. Watch me fly away on the wings of innovation and creativity. I will rize above, my third eye pulsing with the drumbeat of the ancient heartbeat.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Saturday, November 14, 2009
execute
The duality in meaning and juxtaposition of reasoning is just another reflection within the kaleidoscope of possibility that rotates in front of me. Constantly shifting yet staying the same with the stunning beauty of creating new shapes and patterns with the glee of a child. On the bus to channel rock Taj Johns a brilliant woman with a voice of liquid sunshine told a story about multi-perspectives. After reflecting upon the parable about a seal that was the first time that I considered it could be okay to actually hold darkness and light at once, instead of just merely vacillating between the two. Throughout my journey to peace all these 32 years of my life so far, I always observed the duality in the natural world and of the emotion of man. Comedy. Tragedy. And the struggle it brings.
execute: ex.e.cute
To put to death
To make or produce (as a work of art) especially by carrying out a design
And this is exactly what I plan to do. Integration of opposition.
It is just since Sunday morning BGI closing circle that I have felt this amazing sense of peace that is settling over my skin like the silent snowfall that glitters efeferesenctly back up to the artic heavens of my home in Girdwood, AK. I choose to savor this and go forward holding the sacred feeling near, the seat of source within my solar plexus that shines as bright as the sun. Holding space amongst chaos. Thriving with the most intense duality of the pressure cooker of modern times. Those within my sphere of influence congregate into a force field of change agents emanating light, the tipping point slides near.
execute: ex.e.cute
To put to death
To make or produce (as a work of art) especially by carrying out a design
And this is exactly what I plan to do. Integration of opposition.
It is just since Sunday morning BGI closing circle that I have felt this amazing sense of peace that is settling over my skin like the silent snowfall that glitters efeferesenctly back up to the artic heavens of my home in Girdwood, AK. I choose to savor this and go forward holding the sacred feeling near, the seat of source within my solar plexus that shines as bright as the sun. Holding space amongst chaos. Thriving with the most intense duality of the pressure cooker of modern times. Those within my sphere of influence congregate into a force field of change agents emanating light, the tipping point slides near.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Sacred Elixir
In the soft sunlight of Sunday morning circle, an amazing sense of calm and peace continues to descend through today as the tiny million pieces of self realign with true purpose. I felt completely compelled to honor my dear friend Simon Goland Sunday morning in circle and again here in the immortality of cyberspace. I am just really overcome with the urge to give voice to how absolutely grateful that I am for his invaluable support as I harvest the courage to live the life I deserve. I laid down my dagger of destruction and brandished a new sword, shiny and glistening, to not behead my opponent, rather to slay my own demons. A shadow was lifted off of my heart through my connection with him, after all I do think of him as the Chosen One. And after some wee bit of polishing off of my heart with intention, I was able to transform the dull surface into a glistening jewel of valor and love, the authenticity of our collective community practice seeking out internal peace and fierce right lively hood. It is second nature for us to feel the pulse of social justice and transformational consciousness spike through our veins, a fabulous competitive factor of the program. Faculty and students alike come together at Bainbrige Graduate Institute, ferverently rewriting the next act in the hero's journey. Initiation has proven to be wicked hard and often dark and scary.
" To be human is to become visible while carrying what is hidden as a gift to others." -Wythe
After my first year with time to reflect, I have such a rich deep understanding of the power of BGI. Such a profound feeling like floating on the air giddy with the possibilities in the face of rapidly approaching death tolls and the worst darkness and fear the world has ever known. And to even compound the profundity of the self discovery is the realization of the powerful significance of relationship and love infused into the ecosystem of humanity of the best sustainable MBA program. Ever. Wanting to feel connected I surfed Simon's blog and was struck by the timeliness of an old post written in February 2009 feels like it was written just for me months later, I love how words endure What to remember when waking. The dia de los muertos theme to the weekend literally and metaphorically was transmuted by an amazing sacred elixir of true deep love and appreciation for each other. After a week of celebration in their honor, the ancestors left behind a parting gift, a deep experience of connectedness as One consciousness. Sunday morning as the ancestors retreated back across the mirror back into the Invisible they were sure to bid us farewell in morning circle with the protagonist brotherly love center stage and so intoxicating. consciousness evolution in progress...
" To be human is to become visible while carrying what is hidden as a gift to others." -Wythe
After my first year with time to reflect, I have such a rich deep understanding of the power of BGI. Such a profound feeling like floating on the air giddy with the possibilities in the face of rapidly approaching death tolls and the worst darkness and fear the world has ever known. And to even compound the profundity of the self discovery is the realization of the powerful significance of relationship and love infused into the ecosystem of humanity of the best sustainable MBA program. Ever. Wanting to feel connected I surfed Simon's blog and was struck by the timeliness of an old post written in February 2009 feels like it was written just for me months later, I love how words endure What to remember when waking. The dia de los muertos theme to the weekend literally and metaphorically was transmuted by an amazing sacred elixir of true deep love and appreciation for each other. After a week of celebration in their honor, the ancestors left behind a parting gift, a deep experience of connectedness as One consciousness. Sunday morning as the ancestors retreated back across the mirror back into the Invisible they were sure to bid us farewell in morning circle with the protagonist brotherly love center stage and so intoxicating. consciousness evolution in progress...
In that first
hardly noticed
moment
to which you wake,
coming back
to this life
from the other
more secret,
moveable
and frighteningly
honest
world
where everything
began,
there is a small
opening
into the new day
which closes
the moment
you begin
your plans.
What you can plan
is too small
for you to live.
What you can live
wholeheartedly
will make plans
enough
for the vitality
hidden in your sleep.
To be human
is to become visible
while carrying
what is hidden
as a gift to others.
To remember
the other world
in this world
is to live in your
true inheritance.
You are not
a troubled guest
on this earth,
you are not
an accident
amidst other accidents
you were invited
from another and greater
night
than the one
from which
you have just emerged.
Now, looking through
the slanting light
of the morning
window toward
the mountain
presence
of everything
that can be,
what urgency
calls you to your
one love? What shape
waits in the seed
of you to grow
and spread
its branches
against a future sky?
Is it waiting
in the fertile sea?
In the trees
beyond the house?
In the life
you can imagine
for yourself?
In the open
and lovely
white page
on the waiting desk?
- David Whyte
hardly noticed
moment
to which you wake,
coming back
to this life
from the other
more secret,
moveable
and frighteningly
honest
world
where everything
began,
there is a small
opening
into the new day
which closes
the moment
you begin
your plans.
What you can plan
is too small
for you to live.
What you can live
wholeheartedly
will make plans
enough
for the vitality
hidden in your sleep.
To be human
is to become visible
while carrying
what is hidden
as a gift to others.
To remember
the other world
in this world
is to live in your
true inheritance.
You are not
a troubled guest
on this earth,
you are not
an accident
amidst other accidents
you were invited
from another and greater
night
than the one
from which
you have just emerged.
Now, looking through
the slanting light
of the morning
window toward
the mountain
presence
of everything
that can be,
what urgency
calls you to your
one love? What shape
waits in the seed
of you to grow
and spread
its branches
against a future sky?
Is it waiting
in the fertile sea?
In the trees
beyond the house?
In the life
you can imagine
for yourself?
In the open
and lovely
white page
on the waiting desk?
- David Whyte
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