SIERRA DEMULDER BRINGS HOME 2009 NATIONAL POETRY SLAM CHAMPIONSHIP!!!

Sierra DeMulder,

You have transformed beyond any of our imaginations. Somewhere in Florida, you have altered the wind's electricity. My only regret is that I was not there to witness the eruption in your belly. I can only imagine your excitement. Your long awaited moment has transfixed itself in the present.

I truly hope that this opportunity or rather this achievement will keep motivating you to push forward. You have changed our lives. Now, you are changing others. Don't lose your truth. Continue to fly love. Just remember...you never needed a tangible existence to prove your worth. However, use it to remind you how great you are and all that you are capable of.

The Collective is so proud.

-Fascious

P.S. How come I didn't get this "mass" text that you apparently sent everyone else? What's really good!??

A WALK AROUND THE CORNER...

Today was Chris' birthday

a really close friend of mine

who I've known since I was about 5 years old

it is always refreshing to see him

as he had a big influence on me growing up

and has always put me on revolutionary thought

he was the first person to put me on Che

and I wasn't even out of High School

he was always passing me books

like, "Yo...you gotta read this!!!"

wise dude who walks rigid lines in all atmospheres

grew up kicking it with Dead Prez

while working with international scientists and professors

at the American Museum of Natural History

a rare combination of street and intellect

we went for a walk around the neighborhood

and spoke about his homeland of Guyana

and how he got family in the UK

a dark skinned brother from Guyana

with relatives in the UK???

ignorantly, I couldn't understand

how he had relatives spread out like that

until he told me how his ancestors were colonized by Britain

and that's why his parents have such a strong hint

of Patwa in their accent

because the British used slaves from the Caribbean

to produce cheap labor and pretty much...

the same story that goes for all people of color

the enslaved mated with the colonized

the story of our past

we got into even deeper conversations how the FBI

uses drug money to fund their operations

how they let you sell as much as you can

let you make as much as you want

until they're ready to raid your crib

when they do...

they basically take that money

and put it right back into operations

a crazy circle of evil cycles

most of we spoke about:

from why he believes Malcom X really died

to real estate subsidization

has left me trying to visualize that next step

that next stage of consciousness

understanding that we are all currently functioning

on different levels

of that same consciousness

hoping a future near will provide

NY INTERNATIONAL LATINO FILM FESTIVAL CLOSES!

After a week of working with the Latino Film Festival, I am so full of new thoughts, ideas, and hope. I met so many amazing people and I am truly inspired by all that I have witnessed. Got to see some dope films. One in particular, Benjamin Bratt's "La Mission" was really powerful and shed light on some important issues that take place in our communities everyday. I actually got to sit in his seat during the film and politicked with some big names in the industry. John Leguizamo came through for his film "Where God Left His Shoes" and even Whoopi Goldberg dropped in to watch a movie. "Don't Let Me Drown" was a tight film that played on Dominican Night in Washington Heights. "Kiss of Chaos" was another interesting one featuring a very respectable cast of talent.

"Machetero" left me with mixed feelings. I was looking so forward to seeing the film but by the end of it, I feel that it used the word Machetero in a way that propensiated an unwanted stereotype. Unwanted for me anyway. The idea of revolution is a heavy topic. Serious revolution that is. Machetero refers to the idealogy of fighting for Puerto Rico's independence. However, I think they extended its use in a way that can be misconstrued by children who are not as aware of the historical figures often quoted in the film. Everything has context. I just think they took things too far by waving guns at the camera and having a Puerto Rican strapped to a bomb with the name of Jihad on the screen. I disagree with their approach but respect their attempt to speak up for themselves. I met the director and he seemed to be a cool cat. I'm honestly still trying to marinate my thoughts.

Other than that, most of the other films that I wanted to see, I only got to watch in 15-20 minute intervals. I was often too busy running to make moves for the next film coming in. Working with the festival turned out to be really fun. Lots of laughs and good moments. Mainly because the NYILFF staff was composed of people who were honestly incredibe and beyond hospitable. Overall, I'm grateful. Looking forward to next year's festival. Much Love & Light.