Call It A Renaissance

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Fa-ha-ri: (noun)

Dignity, respect, a good reputation, derived from the language of KiSwahili.

Li-ber-tad: (noun) Spanish for FREEDOM! The Fahari–Libertad is committed to printing the political, social, and economic views and concerns regarding people of color here at SUNY New Paltz. Is it published in the spirit of cultural unity as well as bringing about the spiritual unification of all people. The main goal of the Fahari–Libertad is to enrich and educate all with knowledge and enlightenment. We accept anyone who is truly committed to these goals to work with us.

Mission

To seek knowledge, truth and unity with pride.

Contact Us

The Fahari-Libertad SUNY New Paltz Student Union Building, Rm. 323 New Paltz, NY 12561 Email: faharilibertad@gmail.com Facebook: Fahari Libertad Magazine Blog: faharilibertad.blogspot.com Copies of The Fahari-Libertad can be found in the SUB, the MLK Center, the Black Studies Department, The Lecture Center, and the Fahari Office (SUB 323), along with various residence halls.

The Fahari-Libertad is currently seeking staff writers, copy editors, layout editors and photo editors. A major/minor in Journalism/English is NOT a requirement. Please inquire via email at faharilibertad@gmail.com

Fall 2011 Meetings Thursdays @ 9:00pm Student Union Building 416 Special thanks to the Department of Black Studies and all of our brothers and sisters who submitted articles, cartoons and poetry for showing the support needed to publish this magazine.

60 FAHARI

LIBERTAD 1

FAHARI-LIBERTAD THE FAMILY President Faisal Awadallah Editor-in-Chief Shatera Gurganious Vice-President Krystal Millier Layout Editor Euclyn Williams Cover Design Judea Costes Historian Jada Young Secretary Josette Ramnani Public Relations Janea Thompson Tanique Williams Council or Orgs. Representatives Makeba Hall-Wilson Emily Imbert Staff Writers Lindsey Romain Jay Herrera Brittany Askew Nicole Janine Roger Whitson Mosi-Chachawi Guest Writers/Contributors Dey Armbrister Dr. Karanja Keita Carroll Timothy W. Jess K. John Shultz Jaquaya Grant Kimberly Rivas-Adames Alumni Contributors Regina Rivers Saki Rizwana Darvin Loredo Mark A.G. Butler II

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2011 Next Issue Deadline

November 17th, 2011 (Tell ‘Em Why You Mad)

2 FAHARI

LIBERTAD 59

FAHARI-LIBERTAD

CALL IT A RENAISSANCE INSIDE THIS ISSUE 04 From the President's Desk 05 From the Editor-in-Chief‘s Desk 06 From the Vice-President‘s Desk Call It a Renaissance 08 Campus Life OTC = Out The Closet 10 The Music Industry Reloads: It‘s Not Dead Because We Didn‘t Kill It! 12 Welcome Back, New Day Ensemble!

13 The Future: Genius Sounds Family 16 Feature: LPREZZ 17 Feature: Esency 20 We‘re Back at It! 21 Black Art[ist] Profile: The Nickey Black Interview 22 Hip-Hop and the ―Anti-Blackness Antagonism What the 3@$%?!

26 HBO‘s ‗Latino List‘ Shows Complexities of Being Latino in the U.S. 28 For All the Troy Davises…

29 Do Unto Others…

30 Ethnoculturism 32 It‘s All About the Melanin 34 Student Orgs Turn New Paltz ‗Blue and Orange‘ 36 The Simpler Days 38 Life After New Paltz

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2011

58 FAHARI

Poetry Corner 42 43 47 48 52 53 54

He‘s Not Mine, But I Still Belong To Him Fouth of July Sonnet of a Nervous Breakdown The Origin of Things Black Slavery This Ain‘t Revolution ¿Por que tu no entiendes?

LIBERTAD 3

FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK As Salaam Alakum readers, Our theme for this issue is Black Art (Renaissance.) We are taking Art back to black. Art along with history has been white washed by the Eurocentric society. The origins of Art is Afrika, we people of color need to find our creative spirit and be the black artists that we were born to be.

Over this summer my brother’s and I formed an artist collective called Nu Age Shaman Manifestations. It is a community of people expressing various aspects of life and the experience of it through the arts, music and all creative explorations. Through appreciation of the collective influences of knowledge and wisdom of all cultures, creeds and walks of life, Nu Age Shaman creates an environment of free conscious expression and open eyes, hearts and minds! Nu Age Shaman’s slogan is: “WE R ART, in all aspects. ART IZ US, in all aspects! BE FREE. BE U.” Nu Age Shaman mission is to allow people to break free from the "norm" by providing an alternative outlet of free choice and expression. We will do this by showing others different ways of thinking and living, so that they may do the same and be open to the possibilities both known and unknown to the everyday person. In hope that we may all live in peace, love and kindness. May all be well forever! This art group has allowed me to create beauty through art, these manifestations are a direct connection to the divine. Our manifestations are cosmological and not cosmetically. Art is sacred and should be treated as such.

Salaam, Faisal Awadallah President, Fahari-Libertad

The little girl hides in the closet The dark being her only comfort She watches from the cracked hole As her dad beats her mom She can see her mom’s fear embedded in her sad brown eyes She sees the tears flowing down her mother’s face Mingling with the blood that is now on her skin Later on that night as the world quiets down She walks to her room as silent tears fall down her face Her father spots her, looks at her with a sense of disgust She knows what he is going to say ―Stop crying‖ he says, his lips firm, ―or I will beat you‖ The little girl feels anger boil inside her But stays quiet from the fear that she feels Making herself invisible not only from his gaze But she feels herself disappear as well The teenage girl looks at her reflection And sees a face of disgust She thinks my thighs are too fat.

My stomach needs to be flat.

My hair needs to be straight I need to be more pretty in order for Ken to love me back Sadness swarming inside her like a hurricane it can’t be stopped She has no control.

She feels herself disappearing She walks to the bathroom, Sticks her finger down her throat.

She watches the food flow back out.

Once she is done she walks back to the mirror To become invisible to the world once again The woman looks at the man As she holds her wife’s hand ―We can’t give you the baby‖ the man says ―Why not?‖ she asks the man ―Because‖ the man says ―We don’t want you To teach little girls that it is ok to kiss other girls‖ Feeling the anger create a storm inside her The woman stands up and yells ―Who gave you the power to tell me what I am and what I can be What choices I make in a partner do not define me. ―As a Girl!

As a Woman As a Mother!‖ With that she grabs her wife’s hand Leaving the man in stunned silence

By Kimberly Rivas-Adames She holds her head up high Breaking the cycle of invisibility.

Once and for all!

Invisible Women

4 FAHARI

LIBERTAD 57

FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHEIF’S DESK

Memories of Valor

By Kimberly Rivas-Adames

―Valor, Valor,‖ she yells at her teenage son, ―How is your girlfriend?‖ she asks him. ―I don't have one, Mama.‖ ―Why not?‖ she pushes ―Because my boyfriend‘s name is Kevin, Mama.‖ ―Valor, stop this phase right now!‖ ―It's not a phase.‖ ―I blame this on your father; he didn't teach you how to be a man.‖ Rolling his eyes he kissed her forehead and left. ―Valor, Valor,‖ she yells at her now dead son, She cradles him tightly to her chest, as his boyfriend cradles her.

Their sobs rock their bodies. she grabs a letter trapped in Valor's cold hands, opens it, and reads: ―Dear Mama, Sorry I chose to leave, but I felt like I had to.‖

56 FAHARI

One of my favorite things about the Fahari-Libertad Magazine is that we support art in all forms.

Creative expression is a right that we all have and I find it to be one of the most beautiful mechanisms that humans possess to relate to one another. The most beautiful thing about art is that it constructs an atmosphere for anything to be created. I believe that beauty can be found in almost anything.

Sometimes in our everyday lives we don’t have a chance to express how we feel and art is a way to get that out. Whether it be through playing music, painting, drawing, dancing, singing or my favorite, writing, creating art is the ultimate form of expression. If I couldn’t express myself through words or my voice, I’m not sure how I could cope with life. I love how every emotion can be channeled into art in some way. Whether its joy, rage, despair or anything else, there is a space for art to be created from it.

―Valor, Valor,‖ she yells at her son, ―Stop playing with your sister‘s Barbies.‖ ―Real boys play with trucks, not dolls.‖ His young lip quivers, his blue eyes fill with tears.

He walks out the room in shame as his mother stares. ―Valor, Valor,‖ she yells at her young son, ―What would you like to be when you grow up?‖ ―A nurse,‖ he answered without much thought His mother laughed and said ―My little man, you can't be a nurse.‖ ―Why not?‖ he asked confused. ―That‘s a job for girls, not boys.

What about being a marine?‖ ―OK Mama,‖ he agreed

Hello Beautiful People,

―Tidal waves were crashing around me; there was no room for air.

Your waves swallowed me like a big hungry monster, the ocean beating like a wild beast ready for attack, the trees‘ winds sang with fear, the world spun faster around its axis, robbing me of air.

All I ever wanted was your approval; To see me as I am, To be a good man, but now it‘s too late.

I can't live in a world filled with hate.

Sincerely, Valor‖

She closes the letter and lets her tears run down.

All she ever wanted was normalcy for her son.

Now, all she has left are memories.

Memories of Valor.

Music has been an integral part of me and how I relate to the world. When I can’t articulate how I feel, I use other artists’ words and voices as vehicles for my own expression. Vivian Green says it perfectly in her song "Music" from A Love Story.

As far back as I recall You've played a major part Inspired me to see my place in life You give me reason to create Every day is brand new There's something you introduce And you've touched me in those places That no one but you can reach You take me to this high I feel like I can fly the melodies you send me the music of my heart the music of my mind the music of my soul, the music in me Peace & Blessings Shatera Gurganious Editor In Chief, Fahari-Libertad

LIBERTAD 5

FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT’S DESK Happy Fall, lovelies!

You know what I love about art? Well, it's that it encompasses so many things. Many people, when they think of art, only think about visual arts. So think graphic design or a bunch of old paintings by a bunch of old white guys. Then they will think about plays (once again by white people) or singing (by more white people). Now me, art is an amazing form of creative expression. When I think of art, I focus on culture, more importantly our culture, as people of color, which is often overlooked. I write it, I dance it, I sing it (although I can't do the last two all too well).

So when this topic came up for our newest issue, I got a bit excited. A little too much. Bit off a bit more than I could chew as far as topics that I wanted to write about. So much so that I only ended up writing one of them (eh, life happens. I am still a student). But the excitement is still there! As I read through the articles that I'm sure you're going to love (*ahem*) you get to sample so much of what it is that our people have to offer: actors, writers, rappers, poets. The list goes on....

And you gotta admit, the cover pages are pretty good too. There goes more art!

We as a people have managed to create new and innovative ideas. Or managed to reinvent what was already there before us.

¿Por que tu no entiendes?

By Jay Herrera

Si tu supieras todo, no se te fuera tan difícil entenderme. Tu me das la sensacion de suicidarme. Siempre tu encuentras la forma de insultarme. Yo no causo ningunos de tus problemas, estoy cansado de oír el mismo tema. Tu estas en perfecta condiciones no estas enferma. Para de actuar el papel de víctima, para de ser la misma. Tu tienes que acepta que tu causas mucha controversia. Tu eres amada por todo tus hijos pero tu siempre te olvidas que somos diferentes. Como somos diferentes, somos incomparable.

Man, you just gotta love our minds. That ambition...

Yo de Los tres, soy el que mas ha trabajado para ser estable. Pero lo que yo hago no es

“Ambitious Girl Pt 2”- Wale

palpable. Ya es tiempo que cortes el cable. Yo no soy propiedad tu ya, cuando aceptes eso

Consider this my reiteration Miss, I wanna read into your nature like the deepest of liter-ature Miss, I'm tryna be in your space without being in the way of your dreams and education Let me say this The realest bitch in the room Her living situation ain’t too good So her living begins in June Miss, couldn't get those Jimmy Choos because tuition was due Miss, wherever you SAT I wanna ACT, like, I wanna get into you, no particular school Miss made some new friends, step on a cruise Miss AKA, Miss Crimson and Cream, Miss Unaffiliated But whatever it is I just hope you pledge to your dreams Forever my queen....

Hotep! See you next issue. Chile, I got some words for that one.....

Krystal Miller Vice President, Fahari-Libertad

todo sera amable. Madre no es la que gobierna, si no la que te ayuda a su hijo encontrar todo disponible. No me limites, porque si yo quiero yo llego al cielo. Para de ser egoísta, porque tu corazón se convertirá en hielo. No te insulto cuando te digo que eres recta para ti. Pero si tienes que aprenderé a diferenciar quien esta para ti y quien no. Tu pasa por las mismas angustias porque no has arreglado tus caprichos. Tu mereses el mundo pero yo también valgo. Yo no me quejo de que eres mala madre porque no lo eres. Tu no lo sabes todo porque tu nada mas ha vivido tu vida. Todos tus concejos están afectada por tus experiencias. Tu estas traumática por drogas porque sabes que la droga casi te quito la vida. Pero todo el mundo es su propio individuó, no vamos actuar distintos.

Algunos vamos a salir recto porque tenemos el derecho. Tienes que acepta lo que no puedes cambiar, porque en mi caro tu no vas a manejar.

By Lindsey Romain

6 FAHARI

LIBERTAD 55

You can take a grape and make a raisin, Wax and make a candle, A girl and make a woman.

That girl turned into a woman will have The smile that melts hearts.

The voice that speaks many tongues.

The intelligence to move mountains.

And enough courage, At the end of the day To face her fears.

You can take cream and make butter, Wood and make a desk, A boy and make a man.

That boy turned to man will now have The strength to carry the weight of others on his shoulders.

The eyes that see past a surface stain.

The mind that has an imagination close to infinity.

And enough pride, To never expect less for himself.

You can make a woman out of a girl, Tell her all the right things to do, But never tell her what not to do.

So like a woman she learns on her own.

While this man is made out of a boy, He learns how to fight off temptation, Never expecting, Better yet neglecting everything a man should be.

CALL IT A RENAISSANCE

By Lindsey Romain

54 FAHARI

LIBERTAD 7

Campus Life OTC = Out The Closet

By Tanique Williams

To come out of the closet: to make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret.

#CAMPUSLIFE is the first collection from the ―Out The Closet‖ brand. Though ―out the closet‖ is a phrase most people commonly relate to sexuality, and though sexuality was the original intent for the brand, its sole purpose is to promote self-expression, individuality, creativity, and simply loving who you are and the skin you‘re in — or as OTC‘s founders would say — ―loving the ‗shirt‘ you‘re in.‖ OTC has redefined the phrase, giving it a broader and more encouraging meaning.

The #CAMPUSLIFE collection is a line tailor made for the college experience, and is a line created by college students who are very familiar

8 FAHARI

This Ain’t Revolution

with the ins and outs of college life. #CAMPUSLIFE ―represents new experiences one may encounter daily while living on a college campus,‖ according to the brand‘s Tumblr page. OTC‘s founders understand that whether you are a commuter or living on campus, balancing responsibilities while investing in your future is a challenge. As a student dealing with #CAMPUSLIFE, ―you are exposed to education, knowledge and even success, but as an individual, you are exposed entirely; dealing with diversity, sexuality, social and personal issues.‖ The brand‘s main founder, Jaquaya Grant says that around this time last year is when she first had the idea of creating her own clothing line and that she knew it would have to be something bold and different. ―I thought to myself,‖ she says, ―clothes come out of the closet,‖ which was an obvious yet clever name for the brand. After all, the idea is that today‘s society is too cluttered with trends and complicated fashion. ―People just follow trends, people are repeating,‖ says Grant, who says that coming out the closet means being yourself. Grant says that the idea is to bring it back to the basics. ―Classic shit; classic clothing you could just throw on with whatever you want,‖ she says. #CAMPUSLIFE came about when a friend of Grant‘s said that a phrase ―vampire life,‖ made popular by rapper Jim Jones annoyed her, especially seeing it all over Twitter.

By Josette Ramnani

This ain't my revolution more of a scene than a dream one last struggle before devolution "maybe things aren't as bad as they seem..."

This ain't my revolution it's yours to possess a phase to look back on instead of a life in progress.

This ain't my revolution cuz if it was there would be intellects and anarchy instead of hipsters and hypocrisy.

This ain't your revolution you can't fight the world with eyes closed at some point you have to put it down before it starts to decompose.

This ain't your revolution because you don't know what it's about you don't know what you want or how to get it all you know is you're devout.

So how's your revolution?

Too much truth to digest, too many lies to eradicate, too much fear to suppress?

You keep going left just to end up on the right tell me what lies do you tell yourself to help you sleep at night?

This ain't our revolution because it doesn't exist we wade in complacency no need for force, we won't resist.

This ain't a revolution that can only happen from within so concerned with the world without we forget to purge our sins.

This ain't my revolution mine was over before it began it's in the past of my future lives it's buried in the sand.

LIBERTAD 53

By John A. Shultz (Georgia Southern University)

Campus Life OTC = Out The Closet

Black Slavery

By Tanique Williams

Heaven is at full Capacity Occupied by shortened lives, lost dreams, heartless tragedies Parents burying children seems to be society’s norms Blacks killing Blacks Never mind right from wrong, It's the strong who live long Weak gone Soon as the dust settles on the guns that were drawn Call me irrational, Even Crazy I sure do long for those days of slavery Minus whips and chains, long days on the plains Love to have my shirt soiled brown from growing grains Rather than soiled red from holding a loved one’s remains Imagining how it feels working as a group in rags burying seeds in the ground As opposed to looking my best while watching another casket go down Slavery symbolized blacks together fighting for one another Freedom was gained now we kill each other, disregard for sisters and brothers Never once have I dreamed so bad it cost me my life Martin Luther King died for us, Put blacks as a whole before his kids and wife Seeing the world now, guns, knives, personalities cold as ice I wonder if he would do it again if given the chance to dream twice Could I survive slavery?

Maybe Next time you hear a mother scream "MY BABY" Think about what I said And you tell me if I’m still Crazy

52 FAHARI

Grant expresses that simple clothing is good because it‘s something people could relate to. She says that people can add their own personality to the line. ―The person‘s identity isn‘t lost with the clothing,‖ she says. She feels that ―expression is needed now more than ever,‖ given the technological era we‘re living in where Twitter, Facebook, instant and text messaging seem to be overpowering verbal communication. ―People seem to lack emotion, they don‘t express themselves as they once did,‖ she says, ―people text more than talk; communication is lost.‖ Before college, Grant says that she never stayed up until 5 a.m. ―People struggle everywhere but when you‘re away at school you‘re on your own,‖ she says, ―people who live on campus deal with different things.‖ Though she could see why OTC would be looked at as a movement, Grant hopes to grow as a business. ―I want it to succeed and do well just like any other clothing line,‖ she says.

OTC‘s founders have a mission of getting the #CAMPUSLIFE line on campuses all across America, but for now they are selling them locally and are telling friends to tell a friend about the line. Grants says that the #CAMPUSLIFE tees have received good reviews from the students of SUNY College at Old Westbury.

Shirts currently only come in black and white.

Grant says that she and her team are working on their blog and brainstorming on new ideas. ―Brainstorming and working and brainstorming,‖ she jokes. As of now, the #CAMPUSLIFE line has only a variety of tshirts available, but Grant says that cups and hoodies are well on the way.

There‘s one shirt that has #CAMPUSLIFE written on the front and on the back there‘s a question mark. Grant says the question mark represents the uncertainty people feel when they first go away to college. ―You think you know what you want to do, but after time it becomes confusing,‖ she says. She says that the question mark also represents room for growth; a person being able to mold and shape themselves as the person they want to be, ―and being proud of the person that you are,‖ she says.

The #CAMPUSLIFE tees are sold for $30 each and orders can be placed at campuslifeotc@gmail.com. Also, be sure to check out the OTC Tumblr page to see the variety of tee‘s for sale and also to learn more about the brand at http://campuslifeotc.tumblr.com/.

By Josette Ramnani

―#CAMPUSLIFE is not JUST a phrase for those who attend school. It is the idea of allowing yourself to evolve and not being afraid of that change.‖ LIBERTAD 9

Witness MyDidn’t GrowthKill It! The Music Industry Reloads: It’s Not Dead Because We Darvin “The Truth” Loredo - Alumni Contributor A Black Agenda Radio commentary by BAR editorByand columnist Jared A. Ball Prof. AJ Williams-Myers told me, Mr. Loredo sometimes we laugh/to keep from crying/I was laughing then/damn he wasn’t lying/I had to shoot to keep from dying Monopolies get over like fat rats no matter what the overall state of the economy – because they control the entire process. Competition is a farce, and the music industry is no different. “This is the kind of rivalry the powerful like. Coke and Pepsi, Democrats and Republicans, it assures success in the illusion of choice.”

“The music industry won’t just die a slow natural death.”

Look around and you will find no shortage of people describing what they call “the death of the music industry.” Music sales are down and, therefore, the industry is done. On the political Left this is a great thing occurring as the result of homogenized music not appealing to audiences who along with artists are increasingly using the internet to revolutionize music distribution which offers more opportunity for communities to determine artist popularity. On the political Right this is the obvious result of street corner bootleggers and internet pirates terrorizing innocent artists and the legitimate business practices of record labels. But the fatal flaw in either analysis is that they’re nearly exclusively focused on sales, which ignores the social nature of profit or, in this case, the benefit derived from controlling popularity. Besides, the music industry won’t just die a slow natural death. We have to kill it.

A drop in overall sales says nothing about who owns what is sold or made popular through dominant media outlets. It also says nothing of how much money is still generated by those sales or who gets all of it. Sound familiar? Think Obama and austerity or Wisconsin and union worker cutbacks. Maybe an even better analogy is the 31 NFL owners who tell 2500 players that getting 50% of generated revenues is fair.

That’s why they can afford a lockout. Sales can drop and they will be fine since they get most of what is sold. The music industry is the same, in fact, it is worse considering the benefits accumulated by the owners go far beyond money. Besides, if the industry were truly in such shambles and the risks were so great why are so many of the wealthiest individuals, private equity groups, conglomerates and banks all fighting so hard for their share of it?

“Sales can drop and they will be fine since they get most of what is sold.”

The music industry is fine financially. In fact, digital sales are improving and some now claim that those sales and other merchandising are “more than offsetting” declines in CD sales. Plus, plenty of folks appear to be happily buying in and swapping jobs and all making tons of cash while maintaining absolute control over popularity. This week it was

10 FAHARI

By Jaquaya Grant

I’m here still trying/years after graduation/still some things have no explanation/ Wanna figure out my life’s equation/I’ve broken hearts without intention/not convinced by first impressions/witness my growth/mind has expanded/childish thoughts I left them stranded in the hood/now is all good/educated in more levels than I should/got a degree but a degree in what? /struggle internally/clouded mentally/the man in the mirror my worst enemy/seen through concrete eyes/of battles fought/witnessed many souls bought/sat in a classroom thinking and thinking/education is guaranteed/left wondering what did I learn? / What did I really learn? / What’s the value behind the journey? /all I wanted then was to get with any girl/that made me horny/ Dang doubt hit me, dear Lord I kneel here before thee/ what will I do with the gifts you have granted me? /Witness my growth up up and away/ yesterday is gone I’m different today/Witness my growth/took a step and then an oath/got me a few uniforms and weapons to defend my home/not the dream my mama had envisioned/for me when she kissed me goodbye before prom/the story goes on and on/half of my soul is gone but my spirit is intact/almost brand new/I don’t need a legacy/I only want to make an impact/ in You/Witness my growth/and The Truth/now matured/in 2003 I was green/then I was hood kid/witness my growth/ now I take care of soldiers, sailors and Marines/and believe me racism is overrated because I’ve seen plenty bleed the blood I’ve bled/witness your growth/get it in your head/old ideas need to get dead/get ahead/will you have a path? YES/ but which one? / Learn and teach one/speak out loud and reach one/words reach masses no excuse/so what you gon’ do? / I can get heavy like metal/got confidence like a sea of pebbles/ I stepped up a few levels/never ready to settle/still a hot spitter/call me Mr. Boiling Tea Kettle/R.I.P. Prof. Margaret Wade-Lewis/she told me Mr. Loredo you write so vividly and fluid/ Witness my growth always for the people like the Fahari/who cares about Gucci and Prada/I miss a class taught by Prof. Karanja Carroll or Prof Kaba/Witness my growth like a pine tree/this is free entertainment/avoid mental enslavement/I got taught so by homeless who ran barefoot upon the pavement/on my own since big momz/kicked me up out my basement/brought you this refreshment/look at yourself outside yourself/love you before anyone else/is not about money but what you believe is the meaning of wealth….

Fahari/Libertad I love you and miss You.

Prose Poem For Langston Hughes

By Roger Whitson

In 1921 Missouri's Jim Crowed son – Langston Hughes published "The Negro Speaks Of Rivers‖ – In The Crisis – Working as a dishwasher, busboy – And at other menial jobs – Mr. Hughes paid his dues – He is most famous for his poetry – In which the rhythms of Africa speak – In which he gives voice to the voiceless – The disenfranchised black – The poor – The downtrodden and meek – He was called the poet of the proletariat – For Reffered bywhite Dr. Karanja Keita Carroll he knew, he grew like a flower from the working class – And in so many words, told capitalists to kiss his ass – Go Wall Street Protestors!

LIBERTAD 51

Fair exchange no robbery The Music Industry Reloads: It’s Not Dead Because We Didn’t Kill It! But life doesn't care about balance

A Black Agenda Radio commentary by BAR editor and columnist Jared A. Ball And her sister you should meet Her name is defeat

Look Back Armstrong and Hughes sparked the fuse Fusion of poetry, music, dancing, and paintings The influence is my muse We heard about Harlem Rainbow of blacks created a problem Lack of innovation we solved em’ Sweet trumpets instead of tea and crumpets Deep words uplifting the new Negroes New Negroes the ironic heroes Harlem Renaissance plus one from zero Moving forward toward excellence Success was our sentence Flashback 1920’s – 2011 give them reverence Frustrated with the past having temperance Sing and dance to the cadence of happiness Renaissance our time Renaissance Primetime Renaissance our shine Renaissance to our ancestors Renaissance to our peers Renaissance because of Hughes and Armstrong Renaissance today because they Renaissance yesterday Renaissance today so we will Renaissance tomorrow

~sneakerbox~

The feeling she provides Is The same feeling why I cry The same feeling why I strive I swear She's my personal drive But damn!

I haven't seen success lately Not since we spoke over a glass of red wine She told me to be patient everything Happens within due time I replied Silence scares me Only because once upon a time The patience that u speak of pierced me I need you immediately We could make love so passionately You and me together We'll give birth to victory

Doug Morris, the super CEO music executive, who jumped from the number one music label in the world, Universal Music Group (UMG), to take a turn running number two, Sony Music Entertainment (SME). He isn’t alone. In fact, it is being said that this means a bitter “rivalry… for artists and executives” between the two music industry giants. And sure it is. This is the kind of rivalry the powerful like. Coke and Pepsi, Democrats and Republicans, it assures success in the illusion of choice. And in each case, even when sales or votes are off, the top executives make plenty of financial and social capital.

How bad can it be? Sony routinely has 60-80% of the most popular songs on radio each week and it is said that Doug Morris will now make $10 million a year. And for even the number three of the Big 3, Warner Music Group, its top executives Edgar Bronfman, Jr. and Lyor Cohen made a combined $83 million between 2005 and 2010 even as their company lost more than $400 million.

And it’s not just these individuals. They are the executive fronts for so many interlocked individual, corporate and banking entities precisely because of the financial, but even more so that social capital, that cultural control offers. And now, predictably, sales are going back up and so did Universal Music’s revenues go up two percent in 2010. And remember, that only represents six percent of their parent company Vivendi’s total holdings. Vivendi’s revenues went up six percent by itself in 2010 to roughly $40 billion. And better still, with Universal artists like Lil’ Wayne and Nicki Minaj on the radio 10,000 times a week who has to worry about hearing from Lah Tere or Skipp Coon?

That also means no more Public Enemy or Bob Marley either. And that is, for them, priceless.

I need you to visit me Only you can deliver me From all this misery...

Reffered by Dr. Karanja Keita Carroll

By Jaquaya Grant

50 FAHARI

LIBERTAD 11

Welcome Back, New Day Ensemble!

By Jada Young

the Black world's powers of creation the Black man's penis

No fathers

means divine procreation the king of southern Egypt wore a white crown keep listening and

just mothers.

By Jay Herrera

you will catch your mouth

New Paltz has hit the jackpot this semester with the rebirth of New Day Ensemble (NDE). NDE is best and most traditionally known for its annual rendition of ―A Day of Absence,‖ the play which inspired Black Solidarity Day . VP of Programming Laneesha Bacchus has, with the help of a loyal and dedicated e-board, rebirthed this 37 year old organization which has had its difficulties staying afloat in the past few years. For the sake of providing history to it, New Day Ensemble was founded in 1974 by a former adjunct professor of the Black Studies Department named Rodney Douglas. At its essence, NDE is a performance artsbased organization whose primary focus is the Afrikan Diaspora through drama, music and dance. This mission of New Day is to gather student actors color to present dramatic performances to the New Paltz campus.

It is arguably through the performances of New Day Ensemble that the participants of Black Solidarity Day remain grounded in the history and legacy of what the day is about.

This is done through the performance of ―A Day of Absence.‖ In the play, an entire town of Black people randomly disappear and the White citizens must get through their lives without the presence of people of color. The lesson learned for the townsfolk and for the audience is that without the people of color in our communities, its normal functions are impossible, thus showing our value. We are very proud and excited to bring back New Day Ensemble to New Paltz with the hope of making it bigger and better than it has been before! Look out for us! For inquiries about NDE, feel free to direct your questions to faharilibertad@gmail.com

when you learn that the central government in Egypt was known as the White House sharpen your eyes and tune your ear so you'll know what you see understand what you hear your god Osiris was restored to life long before Buddha long before Christ and today what you call the Madonna and child is but the first black family worshipped along the Nile and when you feel the spirit the holy ghost you should know that it started at Abydos where god Osiris' body was laid the holy land where Africans prayed minute by minute hour by hour as you lose your history you lose your power so sharpen your eyes

Where I’m from, what you find yourself surrounded by are young mothers. Luck was always on your side if you had a mother and a father nurturing you at home. Mothers or fathers always caught stoned because the struggle was too strong. It's crazy how you define yourself a big time hustler but never assumed the responsibilities of being a father. The roles of right and wrong are switched because everyone gives up and find themselves ditched. But it doesn't matter because poverty is a free gift everyone receives. You either take it or you run the opposite way because you don't want to be like all them thieves. This leaves you stranded with many overwhelming obstacles that mentally seem impossible to conquer.

But if you let the negativity take over, everything will turn into more of a disaster.

Stand strong because if you don't your obstacles will only prolong. That's when you choose to fight the battle of restoration because too much is still left undone.

Everyone finds themselves stuck, leaving them sprung. Sprung on a feeling you can never trust because they seek individual successes, that lead them to later riches. But they forget what purpose motivated them to progress. It started when we were kids and we promised each other, that we would never treat each other less. Because together we would share and help others reach their own destined wealth.

and tune your ear so you'll know what you see understand what you hear.

12 FAHARI

LIBERTAD 49

The Origin of Things

by Ancestor Listervelt Middleton Referred by Jada Young

Look around you, Black child Your creation is everywhere Though painted, distorted and given new names They bear your prints just the same so sharpen your eyes and tune your ear so you'll know what you see understand what you hear You were the first to write the first to read humanity sprang from your black seed

The New Theater and New Paltz Student Association presents:

STAG Written by Jerome A. Parker Directed by Nicole A. Watson Starring: Joniece Abbott-Pratt* Okieriete Onaoudouwan* Brandon Dirden* *Appears courtesy of Actors Equity Association FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH @ 530pm and again 8pm McKenna Theater SUNY New Paltz Campus Near Sojourner Way and Southside Loop, New Paltz, NY (Park in Elting Main Parking Lot 5) Tickets: $7 Students, $14 General Admission To reserve tickets send name, phone, show time, and # of tickets to thenewtheater@gmail.com.

for 110,000 years you were here alone and then the Caucasian man was born behind the ice inside the cold a chill set in this new man's soul other minds have been credited with the things they learned from you Newton, Pythagoras, Kepler and Galileo too so sharpen your eyes and tune your ear so you know what you see understand at you hear you made the serpent the symbol of the healing arts and African justice was goddess Maat who weighed herself

In Jerome A. Parker's one-act STAG, memories and prayers of Rose provide a window into her and Stag's gritty life.

Rich with celestial reverence and set in a downcast community sick of the fortune of the stars, STAG tells the onthe-other-side-of-the-railroad tracks story of Rose and Stag where the memories and desperate prayers of Rose provide a window into their gritty life. Directed by Nicole A. Watson (Women's Project, New Dramatists), Jerome A. Parker (The Public Theater, Los Angeles Theatre, Old Vic-London) turns his sights once again on the downtrodden, the lost children, and, inevitably, the hope for our society to get out of this mess we are in. Featuring: Joniece Abbott-Pratt (Yale Rep, Hartford Stage), Okieriete Onaoudouwan (The Public Theater, La Jolla), and Brandon Dirden (New York Theatre Workshop).

Artistic Producer: Andre Alexander Lancaster Casting: Chie Morita Fights: Corey Pierno Graphics: Crystal Worrell Lights: Greg Solomon Set/Costumes: Meagan Miller-McKeever Sound: David Corsello Stage Manager: Daniel Douress*

against the African soul, truth and justice blindfold, the George Washington monument is yours too a copy of the Egyptian Tekenu a symbol of 48 FAHARI

SUNY New Paltz co-sponsoring organizations: African Student Union, All People United, Black Student Union, Black Week, Drama Therapy Club, Fahari-Libertad Magazine, New Day Ensemble, New Paltz Comics Unleashed, Residence Hall Student Association and WNPC-TV. Box Office/General Questions? Contact us at thenewtheater@gmail.com.

Website: www.facebook.com/thenewtheater

LIBERTAD 13

THE FUTURE Good music gives a great feeling, and gives something new and fresh with an old school feel. The new music coming along these days in hip-hop has become less about fast money, women and cars. It has come back to what it has always been about: talent, skill, and harmless competition and respect for each other. The more I listen to rap, the more futuristic it becomes but also more meaningful. Who ever said hip -hop is dead or dying definitely is not listening to the up and coming artists of today. Genius Sounds Family’s music is all about not only resurrecting hiphop but taking what hip-hop was and making it better.

Sounds like a renaissance of hip-hop and that’s what their music is all about.

Listening to GSF you can hear Wu-Tang Clan and A Tribe Called Quest in their music, but by the end of their mixtape you know that you were listening to Genius Sounds Family. Their story telling is so vivid and clear and the messages that they all deliver are something different and relatable. At the end of listening to the mixtape, your fingers will press replay and your mood will totally change. It’s that feel good music these artist bring along with a story, great flow, and message all in the mix. Its bringing you back to old school in 2011. All hailing from different places and possessing different flows, this group’s music has everything to offer. Meeting the group personally was a great experience. They collectively all have their own style, flow, and personality. It’s less of a group and more of a family. A family trying to make great music, tell a story, and make a difference while not trying to be like anyone else. The group explains it all:

How did you come up with the name?

Well RED came up with the idea back in high school, and with the backing of fellow classmate Noah Bility, he ran with it.

Sonnet of a Nervous Breakdown

I riffle my pockets and my wallet, Frantically, but I cannot find my mind.

I bite my nails. My stomach's in a bind.

Whether I lie down stand up or I sit, I'm miserable. But where do I turn For peace of mind? I want to start cursing And never stop and pound walls with my fists.

Will I end up drooling in a nursing Home? And what is the gist of all of this?

My nerves are as tight as a diva's jeans.

I drive thru red lights and I stop on green.

I cannot make my words say what I mean.

I think I whisper but really shout And feel that I'm boxed in with no way out.

Roger Whitson

Who influences your music?

Artists such as Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, & Nas have a heavy influence on us.

People with lyrical ability and a strong understanding of how to tell a story have the biggest impact.

What is your favorite time in the short life of hiphop?

If you mean as far as a career goes, the come-up is the best part. It's the hungriest point in an artist’s career. It really shows their strength and where they come from.

Where do you see your music taking you?

We never know where we're going to end up with this.

We're at the bottom right now so anywhere else will be up. As far as dreaming big, we would love to travel the globe. I'm sure people outside of the U.S. would be down to hear us.

Everybody has a story or a message, what's yours?

Our message collectively is that hip-hop never truly died. It’s just being conveyed the wrong way, and we're here to help fix that. Simple and plain.

Don't tell me you love me Don't tell me you need me

I just want your body

Don't ask me out on a date Don't ask me to chill

I just want your body

Don't tell me your dreams and aspirations Don't tell me about the future you see for us

I just want your body And nothing else

Shatera Gurganious

What does GSF mean to you?

GSF is a family first before the music. A group of life lovers. People who enjoy everything because we know we aren't promised a tomorrow.

14 FAHARI

LIBERTAD 47

Your body, Like mine Is the most artistic machinery made.

It wasn't until I saw your body for that is was, Your skin inked with art, Complexion so subtle, Lips so soft with words you spit, Your voice so divine, An ass so round and big, Bigger than mine stirred humorous jealousy.

That I realized that Sex is art.

Our sex, at least, Is art.

Your body is art, My body a fine piece of art And together we make a prestigious sculpture.

Us together, We made art.

Shadow painting on the wall, With no paint.

Music made with no instruments.

And a theatre production acted out so naturally, No script, Just a connection between two artists.

We made art.

Every time was so different, And every time deserved a standing ovation, Encore!

We made Art. You were my muse And I was yours.

Inspire me babe.

Once more.

Artistic Machinery

By Jess K.

Untitled timothy w.

Land of the free home of the brave that’s what most believe this country became but how can that be after all we gave after all we did and yet it still seems the same all the people who fought just to end up in graves and still after all this time it’s the taste of equality we crave but on our people their blood left a stain and if we no longer continue to fight their deaths wud be in vain and the way we behave wud only deprave and defile their names the malcolm x's and martin luther's the coretta scott's and rosa parks which is why we shud make a change because their legacies shud 4eva be engraved in the hearts of all after the paths that they paved so we shud all strive to make their dreams come true but only if more people really knew the truth bcuz most people believe that this country became the land of the free and the home of the brave but what i really see this country to be is the land of the thieves made by the slaves

Alpha @AlphaMemphisGSF

WellRed Noahbility @NoahBility

SOUL (@gsf_soul)

@GSF_wellRED

Interested in Genius Sounds Family?

Check them out here: Mixtape: geniussoundsfamily.bandcamp.com/ Facebook: facebook.com/GeniusSoundsFam Tumblr: fuckyeahgeniussoundsfamily.tumblr.com/ Twitter: @GeniusSoundsFam

46 FAHARI

LIBERTAD 15

By Euclyn Williams Now in keeping with this issue’s theme, Fahari-Libertad went out and found musicians/artists that are on their grind and making their own footprint in the industry.

We’re so used to hearing from artists that have “hit it big,” now it’s time to hear something a little different.

Louis or LPREZZ as he is branded, is a rapper/producer from my hometown of Elmont, New York. Now you might think that he is getting this feature simply because we share the same ZIP code, but I assure you that this is not the case. Talent recognizes talent, and this dude is a tremendous one. Known for transcending genres and art forms, LPREZZ and his band P.O.E. are artists you’ll definitely enjoy getting to know.

Q: For people who don’t know you, how would you introduce/describe your sound?

A: Looking to stay clear of conventional genre definitions, P.O.E and LPREZZ incorporated all of our musical inspirations into one melting pot of sound. With deep roots in hip-hop, our drums maintain a bombastic thump, while the guitars, bass, and keyboard borrow heavily from funk, soul and rock music. The result is a musical styling that can be aggressive and somber, reflective and straight forward all at once.

Q: Now you’re in a band. People of Exile? How did that start? Where did you all meet?

A: Yes, I’m currently apart of the "People of Exile" band. Long story short, my brother a.k.a. "Warwic" a.k.a. the "Bass guitarist" of the band, and the two other members, "Hathaway" a.k.a. the "Drummer/Writer" and "H" the "Singing/Lead Guitar" player. We all grew up together and have known each other since elementary school. They formed their own group of hip-hop music back in 2003. But at that time they were only rhyming over samples they chopped up and made into beats. (Yes everyone in the group knows how to rap, lol). But it was back in 2010 when they took notice of the fact that I too had been producing my own records as well as rapping on them. After gaining some internet attention and bringing in listeners from all over the world, they came to me and asked if I would want to be their Lead Vocalist in the Band. I surely agreed to it with no question. Being that I also play the piano, I became the "keyboard" player on the few songs they produced which didn't have me on as lead vocals. We had a great 2011 with our album being on iTunes, Amazon, and other online websites that sell albums. We have performed in plenty of bars where many other greats have performed, and including going international and performing in Montreal, Canada where we happened to land two Radio Station interviews. I am still currently with them slowly working on our follow up record to our recent EP release of "Leaving with Gail," but on the side, I am still doing my own thing 16 FAHARI

maintaining my presence in the internet world and releasing my own EP with Hathaway sometime by the beginning of next year.

LPREZZ

Q: Where did the group name come from?

A: The Group name, "People of Exile" is the name they went by but abbreviated it into P.O.E. since they first created their group. The name came from the fact that they felt exiled, as in they're basically in their own lane and different from the norm – going against the grain!

Q: Where do you see the band/your music individually going?

A: Well, being that everything has been done independently, and I mean everything! We see ourselves touring all over the world, doing shows and selling albums through an Indie label. Now for me, LPREZZ I see all of that plus more, I wanna really take over!!

Letter from Would-Be Casanova

Q: How do you feel about the state of popular music as It Is now?

A: In terms of the "popular" music and where it is, I can't really complain, you know. Because it’s like now all you need to have is someone you know who can get you in the industry. Its sort of like they don't bother going out and finding talent anymore. I'm talking ‘bout the individual artists out there, the bands, and groups out there that have pure talent but will never be noticed because of their appearance as well as the fact that they just don't have the connection to get them to the right people/right ears. I feel artists who really work hard have more of a story to tell, rather than the overnight artists who had the direct connection. As far as the ones with talent who have the recognition and who are successful, it feels good to know they made it; they are the underdogs! That's who I root for and who I represent. The worst part about it all, honestly, is the fact that some artists paid to get as far as they are, paid for views on YouTube, followers on Twitter, likes on Facebook, radio spins, paid for their position, etc.

Nothing is real, I would feel better about myself & what I do knowing that my hard work and real good music got me to where I am, rather than in the back of my mind knowing that half my fans are robots.

By Roger Whitson Lye with me my turtle-dove and I'll be your faithful love.

Some profess their love in prose but I am not one of those.

I will court you with my art and use ruse to win your heart.

But all my leers and my winks, you put down as mere high-jinks.

Though Cupid is less than kind, many think I've lost my mind.

Since you give no recompense, I, too, question my good sense.

LIBERTAD 45

ESENCY

Nothing in 2 Weeks

By Reggy Rivers, Alumna Writer

On the way back from Elmont, I (theoretically) made a quick stop in the Bronx to bring you this next artist.

Known as Estanler to the SUNY New Paltz campus, Esency has been doing music from his early days.

Q: For people who don’t know you, how would you introduce/describe your sound?

A: I describe my sound as something very different, because what I like to do is spend my time listening to everyone that has been successful in music...I try to do what everyone else is not doing. I’d like to describe myself as something different, something well organized overall.

I haven’t written a poem in two weeks and this could be for many reasons.

I come home exhausted mentally, emotionally, and physically. Spiritually I struggle to stay awake because misleading leads to confusion and confusion leads to frustration and frustration leads to one doing and saying things out of that frustration because of the confusion brought about from the misleading…something. The propaganda is frustrating in most, if not all, parts of my soul. So, we just reject the most important idea and cause pain in a lost effort to disprove what has already been proven true.

I haven’t written a poem in two weeks.

The plaque caked up in my literary veins strike pain in my hand and holds it steady when all I want to do is just let it all out. It’s like high school again, trying to tell the cutest guy how much I adore his light bright smile and hypnotizing effect on my soul. Just to find out that he’s no better than the class bully, kicking down those who couldn’t live up to his standards & scoffing at outdated incompetence. Then 10 years later at the reunion party, you find out that he lost his looks, friends, peace of mind, the love of his life and his kid. And all that he has to look forward to are his child support payments.

I haven’t written a poem in two weeks.

And I can’t figure out for the life of me what it means to be human. People try to hurt you with words just to see how you react. Cowards use weapons because they’re not strong enough to use their own words. And the person with enough thinking ability is strong enough to walk away from the ignorance completely. Sadly, this person is perceived as something of a wuss; a menace to their idea of common sense.

Ruthless, useless, shameless excuses. Suffocating me with political nooses. And no, I’m not talking about any candidate; I don’t rest my faith on that race. Everybody thinks they have control but they don’t comprehend what to do with it. So they just go on and start abusing it. Trying to reassure the masses that no one is losing it.

Job well done playing the illusionist.

I’m tired in most, if not all, parts of my soul. Watching both the pleasing and discomforting unfold. And after two weeks, I’m shocked to believe that there is nothing left for me to speak.

44 FAHARI

Q: Does it fall under any genre?

A: Yeah, I would say mainly it would fall under Hip-Hop overall, just because Hip-Hop is where I get to organize and put together almost a little bit of everything. Whether it’s rap, or a little bit of R&B, without the track or whatever sound being specifically rap.

Q: Who are your influences?

A: My influences would be classic artists such as Usher, R. Kelly, Michael Jackson. Because I am a fan of those that are currently known as the best at the very moment. I think I learn most from older sounding artists like John Legend, because those are the kinds of artists that really made sure they crafted their material.

Q: How did your music begin?

A: It basically began in high school. I had this class where they taught the students to use the program “Fruity Loops” to make beats. So I started overall as a producer, which now comes to my advantage because I didn't really have to reach out to anybody in order to learn about the music or to have someone produce for me. Before I started writing music or songs I already had the bass, which would be the music or instrumental. So it basically started from there and it skyrocketed. I met a couple of other people that were already involved with music/industry. So as time went on I just became closer and closer to music. I came to learn more about it and actually love it even more because once you learn what it takes to put a song together it sound way more beautiful in the end.

Q: What do you look for in a collaborator?

A: When I collaborate with a person, I don't look for anything specific. I do like people who are actually really good in the sense that it makes me feel challenged just because it makes me better at what I do. You know if I have someone as good as me or if I have someone better than me because then it pushes me to the limit, to exceed my limit. When I look for a collaboration I look for someone focused in what their gonna do and not just collaborate just to collaborate. It doesn't have to be

By Euclyn Williams specific.

However they express their music it doesn't matter to me as long as they actually do it as perfect as they can. As long as they try and put effort in perfecting their craft.

Q: Where did the your name come from?

A: When I first began, there was the one guy who was like a close family member who was already doing music and his name was Chemmi and we both started producing music together as collaborations in terms of producing songs for other individuals. So we thought about a name, we made up a whole bunch of names but “S.N.C.” stuck out, because the acronym included both of our names. But as time went on there was a lot of “haterism” as I like to call it. And I was always the guy that would sit behind after studio sessions just sitting there, not touching anything, just listening. And as more people started liking the music we were producing he wanted to take me out of the picture. So when that happened, I kept on producing. I kept on doing my own thing. And then I met Tony, who I consider my music mentor, and started wondering why I wasn't around as often. I explained the situation and he said “I’m going to set up a studio session just for you. You come do your thing and don’t worry about anybody else.”

And after having my own time in the studio, thanks to him, I created new music, and was like “why not go with the name that was already in my blood.” I bumped into the word “essence” in the dictionary, and then decided to change the acronym into the name “Esency.”

Q: Where do you see your music going?

A: Honestly I don't have a vision as to where it’ll go. But I do see it reaching a lot of people, especially those who have seen and have witnessed my grind. Because, my thought at first was how can I get people to like my music?

But then the more I started doing music, I learned that music is to me what it is to me, so I’m expressing to you what I want in my song. I’m not just going to make a song just for the public just to satisfy them. I’m going to express whatever I want to in my music, and hopefully they’ll like it.

Continued on Page 18 LIBERTAD 17

Continued from Page 17 For more on these artists...

Q: How do you feel about the state of popular music as it is now?

A: Popular music? I don’t know. I feel like there’s a lot of confusion in the industry. Money is the root of all evil. So people have slid away from music that will live on forever, instead their focus is whatever will be hot on the radio today. They don't put as much thought and effort into what’s being put into a verse. People like to listen to what is out now – bubble gum music.

Q: Now aside from producing/rapping/singing, what other talents do you have?

A: I do most of my graphics. And I would also like to direct/produce or even write for film as well.

Q: What do the Black & Latin arts mean to you?

A: Black and Latin arts are our culture. They’re both different, where both Latin and Black come from.

Where we would take things that may be perceived as stereotypical, we’d still embrace it because at the end of the day it represents us. Or at least in a positive way we’d try to paint that picture of why we love our culture or what that culture is…

18 FAHARI

LPREZZ: Facebook.com/LPREZZ Twitter.com/LPREZZ www.reverbnation.com/lprezz Esency: Twitter.com/esency Esencymusic.com

All I hear is pop pop getting nervous mistaking them for gun shots forgetting today is a celebration and they just fireworks but can’t get the vision of out my head of my nigga Tony getting shot up. Damn living in this damn world is straight up confusing walking from the one life of being safe into the life of another constantly looking over my shoulder. All I ever wanted was out of my hood but these strings keep pulling me back attached to my ankles feeling like shackles I’m a slave to streets like my ancestors were to their white owners! Lincoln can’t save me now and Harriet Tubman can’t help me escape from this torture. It’s only a notebook and a dream. A prayer and a chance that’s all God really has laid out for me. So I look into the sky and tell my angels hi and pray they always look after me. All while I’m living this double life all but trying to strive even with these heavy shackles on me. Feeling like I owe em my life and everything but a diploma has always been my grandma’s dream for me. So with my mind on the streets I leave behind Sidney and set my heart on the future that lays in front of me I wonder while I’m on this crossroads how can I ever let go of the life that has made me! No, it hasn’t phased me obviously because I wouldn’t be schooling and be laying right next to Tony. If only I chose to get in that car full of running emotions and rage, wanting to take the life of the nigga that took away his. If only I decided that after the funeral, I was going to let my life go that easily. Just the flashbacks of watching him fall, pool of blood rushing down the floor, his last grip I felt it and his last breath I heard him! So if only I took those visions and let them damage me! I would be right next to Tony, six feet under cold leaving my family behind empty, and lonely wondering what ifs. My heart to fend for herself and deal with other men that will never love her like me!

Pop pop! Body shaking flashbacks of that day and my life that could’ve been and that would have never had a chance to leave. POP POP! Closing my eyes to making the right decisions, because now I had two lives I had to be living, the one of my brother who laid cold in my arms, and the young man who was given the chance to survive.

LIBERTAD 43

He was my heart He was my angel Keyword: was.

I‘ll never know what could‘ve been I can only reflect on what happened.

LPREZZ: He is my inspiration Facebook.com/LPREZZ He is still the love of my life.

It hurts Twitter.com/LPREZZ because he doesn't even know it. www.reverbnation.com/lprezz I can still hear his voice His palm in mine.

Esency: His face on my cheek.

I want to hold him one more time.

Twitter.com/esency

Esencymusic.com

There‘s no one comparable There‘s no time like the time we shared.

Keyword: no He was never mine, It was just an illusion I was what he wanted...then.

She‘s what he wants now.

I remember being his lover Looking into his eyes. Feeling him burn into my soul I remember matching his rhythm, The words ―I Love You‖ expounding out of my chest.

I remember the presents, I remember his presence Coming to my door in the middle of the night, him wishing our beds weren't separate.

I‘m sure he hasn't told her who I am yet, she still greets me with a smile.

I can‘t stand to be around him Living my life on his terms Should I stay love's prisoner, or cut my loses and move on?

It sounds easier from the outside looking in.

But he‘ll always have that piece of me...

Illustrations by: Mark A.G. Butler II 42 FAHARI

LIBERTAD 19

The world created by half a millennium of European conquest requires that Blacks be portrayed as non-human – which is why ―we must begin to destroy the world.‖ That world works 24-7 to destroy Black people through the pervasive commercial imagery of ―anti-Blackness.‖ These relentless assaults are more about enforcing the racial order, than monetary profit.

Hip-Hop and the “Anti-Blackness Antagonism”

by BAR columnist Jared A Ball, Ph.D. Referred by Dr. Karanja Keita Carroll

“Only two corporations own

minimally 80%, and usually upwards of 95%, of all the songs making the top 20 spins list on radio.”

In our recent discussion with author Frank Wilderson about his new book Red, White & Black: Cinema and the Structure of U.S. Antagonism, he described a situation where a rabid philosophy of ―AntiBlackness‖ demands that the nation‘s popular culture depict Black people as ―non-human.‖ Not for mere material gain, as many suggest. It is beyond that. James Baldwin described this by saying that ―I exist so that you can know that you are alive,‖ or, ―when a White man calls me nigger I ask why he needs me to be one.‖ This is why Wilderson chooses the philosophical description of ―antagonism‖ which means a permanency that cannot be dealt with using our current set of tools.

This is not an issue of legislation, or some failing of an otherwise perfect democracy to be corrected by a vote. Wilderson is asking us think beyond the current world which has d e f i n ed Blackness, permanently, as the slave, the ―non20 FAHARI

human,‖ whose presence can only be to serve and define the presence of others.

We are, as Malcolm X said, ―America‘s problem.‖ But not simply as an issue of economic exploitation, or as Wilderson says, ―a threat to some aspects of the world. We are a threat to the cohesion of the world itself.‖ And this is why he says antagonisms have no ―conceptual resolution‖ in the way that conflicts do.

And this is also why Frantz Fanon, quoting Aime Cesaire said that we must ―begin to destroy the world.‖ Wilderson‘s examples include popular films such as Monster’s Ball and Antwone Fisher.

But hip-hop and R&B lovers need not wait for the more intermittent film industry to see Wilderson‘s points in action. Each week, and with a volume and popularity unmatched even by film, popular rap music becomes a bludgeon in the hands of this philosophy of ―Anti-Blackness.‖ And were we to do Wilderson‘s point justice more of us would highlight with more regularity the fact that the portrayal of Blackness in popular culture is not about making money, it is not simply a business decision and it is certainly not because it is what we want.

THE POETRY CORNER LIBERTAD 41

Reviewing the annual reports of these companies shows that in 2009 while Universal Music Group may be the largest music company in the world, it accounted for only 14% of its parent company‘s total revenues. The second largest, Sony Music, only accounted for 6% of the overall sales for Sony Corporation. And by the way, the third largest music company, Warner Music Group, is run by three private equity groups who, combined, manage funds of well over $110 billion. They don‘t need popular culture for money. They need it to protect their sense of self and the just nature of their exploitation.

The world created by half a millennium of European conquest requires that Blacks be portrayed as non-human – which is why ―we must begin to destroy the world.‖ That world works 24-7 to destroy Black people through the pervasive commercial imagery of ―anti-Blackness.‖ These relentless assaults are more about enforcing the racial order, than monetary profit.

“Popular rap music becomes a

bludgeon in the hands of this philosophy of „AntiBlackness.‟” Any given week only two corporations, Universal Music Group and Sony Music, own minimally 80%, and usually upwards of 95%, of all the songs making the top 20 spins list on radio. Through ownership and selective promotion via payment to radio stations these companies assure that their songs, and only their songs, are played as many as 20-40,000 times per song, per month. This means a UMG or Sony Music song is playing on commercial radio every minute of every hour of every single solitary day. This means no time for news and certainly no time for other songs.

Look up the lyrics of any of these songs and the function they play is clear. This week‘s most played song is by Sony artist Usher with lyrics that are only about a woman droppin it and poppin it on a dance floor. It was played 6859 times last week alone. And, again, this is not about money.

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This is why we don‘t see different kinds of films being promoted and why rap albums that have a different content are never on the radio. Mos Def has been in films that have grossed hundreds of millions of dollars around the world. But he is never on the radio. Common also has a budding movie career and has been an ―Artist of the Year‖ award recipient but he too is rarely on the radio. It has nothing to do with quality of the art or what an audience is clamoring for. Audiences want what is promoted. Dead Prez has a new album out, and its free. But it also has songs calling for radical political organization and that encourage rappers to study ―Malcolm, Garvey, Huey…‖ and, therefore, will never be on the radio. Not because people don‘t want to hear it or won‘t buy it but because culture truly in the hands of the enslaved means more Malcolms, Garveys, Hueys and Harriets, Assatas and Claudias. It means an end to the world as we know it and an end to the world as it is known to those espousing a prevailing ―non-human… Anti-Blackness.‖

LIBERTAD 21

We’re Back At It!

By Krystal A. Miller

I live in an environment where people are dyin’ n’ from disease and greed with bullets flyin’ in, where some give up and even don’t try again, and we’re looking at the sky screamin, ‘God, why again…’

-Deep Down in My Soul

On October 11, 2011 BET premiered its newest sitcom called "Reed Between The Lines."

Before it's premier, people have tried to compare this show to the Cosby's....

People also assumed that, because of Tracee Ellis Ross, that it would have similar characteristics as Girlfriends.

And although both of those shows were amazing in their own right....

This show is different. And because of that some were disappointed when it premiered.

Now I watched the first two episodes and I enjoyed it. Very much.

It was refreshing and you could see the love between the characters.

The story line is about this married couple who both hold doctorate degrees raising a family in a New York suburb.

No it isn't laugh out loud funny. And it's not serious enough to be a drama. But I feel, as the series grows, so will the characters.

22 FAHARI

Was this better than Single Ladies (VH1)? Yeah.

But mostly because it had a different appeal. This is very much a family show, like the Cosby's or Moesha. Single Ladies is for grown folk.

Let's give this show time to properly develop.

With that, we know that this show is dependent on its viewers so that means we need to tune in every week to see what happens next.

Because the last thing I would want is for this show to be cancelled before it's time. Everyone keeps complaining about how there are no positive images for Black families on TV and the only hope we had was Tyler Perry (no offense to Perry, keep on hustlin'). And I'm sure people will be giving numerous side eyes because it's on BET. Give them a break, at least they're trying.

As I said, this show was a refreshing break on this stretch of Reality TV nonsense that has been happening for the past few years.

I'll still be tuning in every Tuesday.

Will you?

actions as an alumna of New Paltz and as an elder of the Fahari family. We looked to those who came before us to acknowledge their hard work and dedication and now it’s our turn. So, for those who will be leaving the physical space that is New Paltz and Fahari, remember that you wouldn’t be who you are without those around you. And find your bliss, but make sure it’s bliss that can be shared by your community and benefits everyone. Just because you graduate doesn’ t mean you no longer have to think about family. So, look forward to getting those emails and contribute in whatever way you can. As for me, I will be keeping everyone up to date with plenty of commentary (hopefully) and doing my part in producing future issues.

“All of my heart You hold in your hands I’m yours to command …

All of my soul is naked before you But what can I do There is nothing I can do I, I feel so beautiful With you in my life” — I Remember

I love my Fahari family. I am always here for you because I wouldn’t be here without you. Thank you for asking me to contribute.

Thank you for remembering me. Thank you for making my life beautiful. I love you all!

Lauryn Hill is currently playing in the background (as usual) and her words seem appropriate for how I’m feeling thinking

htp

about my Fahari family: LIBERTAD 39

Ever since I joined the Fahari way back when, I’ve been looking forward to writing this particular piece. You see, it’s the first time I get to write something as a New Paltz alumna. I used to be one of those people that sent out e-mails to alumni asking for contributions to the magazine and now, I get to be on the receiving end of those emails!

That’s probably the coolest thing about leaving New Paltz. You see, it’s not just an e -mail asking me to do something I probably don’t have time for. It’s current Fahari members reminding me of my duties — to my friends, my family and this great organization that’s really shaped a big part of my undergraduate experience. It’s a way for me to stay connected to this group of people and this place that was such a huge part of who I am and, more specifically, where I am!

Saki Rizwana, President 2009–2010, Alumna Contributor

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I am currently enrolled in the graduate program at the University of Texas at Austin studying Design. I know for a fact that I would not be here had it not been for New Paltz. The classes I took, the people I met, the family I created for myself, all fueled my activist spirit that encouraged me to pursue graduate education and also gave me the theoretical grounding to produce design work that goes beyond aesthetics.

This magazine was a wonderful way for me to combine my passion for design and my passion for doing work that would be relevant to communities of color. The Fahari was the first place where I realized the potential design has to create venues for social change and the responsibility I have as a designer of color to create these spaces. And it’s these ideas that propel my

Black Art[ist] Profile: The Nickey Black Interview

By Regina Rivers, Alumna Writer

I live in an environment where people are dyin’ n’ from disease and greed with bullets flyin’ in, where some give up and even don’t try again, and we’re looking at the sky screamin, ‘God, why again…’

-Deep Down in My Soul Albany poet Nickey Black is not your average hip-hop artist. Why? In the words of Fahari alumnus Vixon John, Mr. Black has TMI (too much information) on topics that are too often ignored.

“If I can change anything in my community, which is a very difficult task, it would be the thinking,” Black admits. “It needs to be more positive, productive, and pleasant. It’s just what too much hate, jealousy, gossip, and violence in my community, and unity doesn’t exist.” If you listen to tracks, like “Deep Down in my Soul” and “Sistas in the Hood Cry,” you can’t help but put yourself in the situation and start digging deep into your own soul.

Among the various problems that plague society, Black lyrically expresses what he feels in his soul and hopes that people will appreciate his creativity overall.

“My inspiration comes from real life experiences, whether it’s mine or others,” Black said.

“I’m just taking life day by day. No one is promised tomorrow is a motto I live by.” Except for his music, Black doesn’t get caught up in dreams and goals for himself, but he does hope the best for his children.

Black is a proud father of two; an 18-year-old daughter attending Hudson Valley Community College and a 6-year-old son in the first grade.

Black has been writing since the age of 12.

Growing up with disco fading out and the origin of hip-hop beginning, beat boxing and free styling came with the territory. Black feels that the culture back then was good.

“We*Black people+ get recognition for hiphop but not for rock n’ roll,” Black said. While he likes to listen to Kanye West and Jay-Z, most music is not what is used to be. Hip-hop sensibilities prevail across the nation and around the globe but also compromise social conscience and artistic innovation

(Appiah and Gates, Jr, 279). Black’s music is a form of Black art, but not swag music. It’s more genuine hiphop, with songs that can make you wither dance and have a good time or start a movement. Despite his rhythmic wordplay, a common challenge that comes up is his age.

“Hip-hop culture doesn’t have a great deal of respect for people my age (38) who are seeking to become successful in the *art+ form,” Black said. Age ain’t nothing but a number, life is a dance floor, and anyone can be the music. When you get a free minute, search up the name Nickey Black on Soundcloud.com. Black also just came out with a mixtape that he’s selling for $1 and just trying to create a buzz for himself (and despite the recession, I’m sure y’all got a dollar in your dorm hall or bedroom somewhere…just sayin!). The artists who are trying to make things happen for themselves are not alone.

“I seek advice from others who help me out,” Black says. “It’s hard for me to give advice to someone trying to make it happen like I’m trying to make it happen. It’s a flooded market and so many are doing the same thing. It’s very competitive and we all wanna win.”

*Arts and Letters: An Ato-Z reference of Writers, Musicians, and Artists of the African American Experience, edited by Kwame Anthony Appiah and Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Running Press Philadelphia, PA, 2004

LIBERTAD 23

The Simpler Days

By Shatera Gurganious, Editor -in-Chief

Illustrations by: Mark A.G. Butler II 24 FAHARI

penny candy store. We would all come back home with bulging paper bags that were filled to the brim. Saturday afternoons were filled with trips to the library and ice cream shop. Every little thing excited me until I received a little bit more excitement than I bargained for.

One Sunday morning, Grandma complained about not feeling well. Feeling the responsibility of being the oldest of all the cousins, Shante and Tiqua told Grandma to go to the doctor. A week later, I was wishing Grandma had taken their nine year old advice. One morning I woke up and instantly knew something was wrong. I went to go use the bathroom but the toilet was filled with vomit and feces. I had always been terrified of that toilet. It wouldn‘t ever flush right and it always gave me problems. But that morning, I knew something had gone awry. So instead of using the bathroom, I tried to lie back down on the living room floor. But something was stirring inside of me that made it difficult for me to rest. I took a look at my Grandma, and what I saw was not Dorothy Mae Grady Gurganious. All I saw was a shell. I ran into the back room and prayed as hard as I could. I asked God not to let my Grandma die. I pleaded with Him and asked for her to be alright. Somehow that little seven yearold girl knew; I had a deep gut feeling that Grandma was leaving.

Shante came into the room and told me to come out and talk to Grandma. I hesitantly walked out while Tiqua was clutching onto her and Aunt Toni was on the phone. Chill bumps covered my body and I ached from a place I had

never felt before. That woman sitting on the couch was not my Grandma. She mumbled incoherently, her eyes bulged, she was gone. The ambulance came and carried her off, and somehow I knew I would never see Grandma again. And I didn‘t. All of the grandchildren were sent to another relative‘s house. The details of that night are a blur. The next morning Daddy called and by the tremble in his voice, I knew.

Grandma was gone. For the first time in my short seven years of life I heard my father cry.

It shattered me. The man that was my protector, the smartest, strongest man that I had ever known was broken.

At that instant, so was I. I lost more than just my Shatera with her grandmother grandmother that day. I lost my youthful innocence and trust in the thought that everything was alright. Fourteen years have passed since then, and I have had time to heal. But pieces of me are still left scattered throughout the simpler days of my youth that I left behind in Castle Hayne.

LIBERTAD 37

The Simpler Days

By Shatera Gurganious, Editor -in-Chief My youth was filled with memories of summers spent away from home. Since I was a baby, every summer I would go to Castle Hayne, North Carolina to visit my Grandma and family.

My sister and I would get to see my aunts and cousins. With all of us together, there was always a story to tell and the summer of 1997 was no different. We all had our fun, running around as children like to do. But we also experienced a tremendous loss that would change our lives forever.

After the school year ended, I was elated in anticipation to go down South. I couldn‘t wait to go and be with my father. About six months prior to that summer, my parents split up and Daddy moved to Castle Hayne to stay with his family. My sister, Shante, and I could hardly

Shatera with her cousins playing dress up.

wait to reunite with our father. By the time we arrived in North Carolina, our father had completely involved himself in the southern culture. It was a treat for me to see him in that element.

I loved being in the South. Life went at a slower pace; I was no longer in a rush. People 36 FAHARI

took their time to say ―hello‖ and just ―shoot the breeze.‖ I enjoyed this; the fast paced life I left behind in Brooklyn was a sharp contrast. What I loved most about North Carolina was the simplicity of everything. The simple memory of just waking up to breakfast still lingers in my mind. One morning, I woke up to the smell of fresh cut grass. We were all sprawled out on the living room floor, with our legs haphazardly lying around, peeking through the sheets. I smelled bacon and looked up to see Grandma making breakfast in the kitchen. I got up to wash my face and brush my teeth and when I returned from the bathroom, Shante and my cousin Tiqua were awake. I tried to run to Grandma to get a kiss, but they beat me to her. She laughed at our little competition for attention and gave us all a big hug and kiss. The remainder of that day is a blur to me now. Sometimes I wish I could remember some of the simpler things. But I am thankful for the memories I can recall, such as the eventful weekends we had.

Friday nights were my favorite. I always knew when Daddy got paid because when he got off of work he would order Dominoes and buy a big gallon of ice cream. We played The Game of Life, Monopoly, Pay Day and a bunch of card games as Daddy would devour an entire pizza pie by himself. Saturdays were even more eventful. Shante and I, along with our cousins Antiqua and Zuri, were recruited as car washers.

We would wash either Grandma‘s, Aunt Toni‘s or Aunt Tangie‘s car and each get paid five dollars. I remember just how excited I was to get so much money. With that amount, the possibilities were endless when we visited the

WHAT THE #@$%?!

INSERT FOUR LETTER EXPLETIVE OF YOUR CHOICE

LIBERTAD 25

HBO’s ‘Latino List’ Shows Complexities of Being Latino in the U.S.

By Jorge Rivas Referred by Saki Rizwana, President 2009–2010, Alumna Contributor Director and photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, the man behind HBO‘s series of documentaries ―The Black List,‖ has adapted his signature short oral history interview style to create the ―The Latino List.‖ ―The Latino List‖ is made up of 16 short interviews that feature successful and prominent Latinos. The film is an ―ongoing exploration of who we are, where we come from and what it means to be a Latino in the United States today,‖ says narrator and interviewer Maria Hinojosa.

The 16 different interviews include a wide range of Latinas and Latinos working in different fields, including: writer Sandra Cisneros; ―Ugly Betty‘s‖ America Ferrera; NASA astronaut Jose Moreno Hernandez; ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero; radio host Eddie ―Piolin‖ Sotelo (who‘s credited for the enormous turnouts in 2006‘s May Day immigration marches); U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor; and Yoruba Belief systems scholar and activist Dr. Marta Moreno Vega.

The interviews are all beautiful, both visually and in terms of content.

They‘re all very simple set ups, with the 26 FAHARI

interviewee in front of the camera with one light that‘s slightly too bright as they look directly into the frame. The whole scene gives the viewer the impression that they‘re having a one-on-one conversation with the subject.

Of course, some people are better storytellers than others, but every single one of the interviews is touching.

America Ferrera talked growing up in Los Angeles‘ San Fernando Valley and watching ―Full House‖ and ―Fresh Prince of Bel Air.‖ ―I didn‘t feel different until someone made an effort to point it out to me,‖ she said.

Ferrera shares what it was it was like to be a young Latina going into auditions and having to deliver lines after you get the ―polite face,‖ a face that she describes as ―yes, we‘re gonna sit through this audition but we‘re never going to call you back.‖ (Have you read Why Ugly Betty was a really big deal?)

NASA astronaut Jose Hernandez talked about picking fruits and vegetables from the fields, and how his father admonished him that he‘d be doing it the rest of his life unless he studied hard in school.

Piolin, the radio personality LIBERTAD 35

Student Orgs Turn New Paltz ‘Blue and Orange’

Five Student Organizations Unite to Create Homecoming Weekend

By Dey Armbrister

Students from Culture Shock Dance Troupe, Shades Step Team, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. congregated in the Student Union Building Atrium on Friday, September 29 to discuss the planning of an event contrary to New Paltz’s culture.

Once again, the assorted organizations are coming together to host the fourth annual Blue and Orange Weekend, which is our homecoming weekend—minus the football team. Since its genesis in 2008, the event has steadily grown in success. The weekend of events promote unity not only amongst the diverse organizations and those off campus who come to support, but for the Black and Latino demographic on and off campus as well.

At first, it started off as a joke between some of the alumni who were previously a part of the mentioned clubs and organizations. However, after noticing all of the talent and the need for a united event for the Black and Latino community on campus, they began working towards turning the joke into a reality.

For the past three years, Blue and Orange Weekend occurred during the first weekend of November in the fall semester. This year, however, Blue and Orange Weekend will run from Thursday, November 10 to Sunday, November 13. With such events as the festivities hosted by the two Greek organizations and Culture Shock’s yearly movie-themed dance competition, Dance Evolution, students and off-campus visitors from all over New York bring the New Paltz campus a breath of fresh air and liveliness.

A change in the line-up of events also makes this year’s Blue and Orange Weekend unique. Envied Fashions’ fashion show—the weekend’s final event for three years in a row—decided to move to December, and in its place Shades Step Team will host their first annual step competition titled Beyond the Beat. The New Theater is making their debut to the Blue and Orange line up as well with their STAG stage play, adding an element of theater to the weekend’s events.

Being a part of Culture Shock myself, it is safe to say that we in conjunction with the other organizations aim to continue the legacy that our alumni started. Having our team form a committee with the likes of Shades, the Kappa’s and the Alphas allows us to do just that; we’re keeping the legacy alive. Blue and Orange Weekend is not only a union, but it is a celebration of the union. For a weekend, everyone sets aside time to come together and enjoy the company of their peers, as well as display the myriad talents that we offer to our campus. With the participation of the Black and Latino community, instead of being seen as separate entities we are seen unified under the colors of Blue and Orange.

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behind one of the country‘s most popular radio show, talks about crossing the border without papers and feeling a helicopter‘s light shining on his back.

And scholar Dr. Marta Moreno Vega talks about why she stopped worshiping a white God. ―I was born Catholic, and my parents claimed to be Catholic, and I understood that if the God and Goddess that I was looking at did not look like me, my mother, my grandmother, my uncle, my father—my children would never feel sacred and we‘d never have the power to achieve what we needed to achieve,‖ Moreno Vega says in her interview.

The documentary isn‘t without its flaws. The director did a good job at selecting people from a wide spectrum — those from across Latin America and of varying sexes and professions. But it‘s important to note that the majority of subjects are all light skinned. (Important to note, but not surprising because those are the Latinos who get elected for office and selected for television.)

Many of them also tout personal responsibility for their success. Only one subject, Dr. Moreno Vega, made it clear that she faced institutional racism when a principal at her elementary school kept her from taking a test for advanced students. Her story alone is worth turning into the documentary.

The 4-5 minute stories are compelling and they illustrate the complexities of life many Latinos in the U.S. face. These tales are extraordinarily important in an age when Latinos are the fastest growing ethnic group in the country and states like Arizona and Alabama are creating anti-Latino laws.

HBO‘s ―The Latino List‖ premiered Wednesday, September 28 at 9pm on HBO Latino and Thursday, September 29 at 8pm on HBO. An accompanying photography exhibit is currently on view at the Brooklyn Museum. The show includes a few additional figures including my favorite light-skinned Salvadoreña Christy Turlington. (Her mother is a Salvadoran of English descent.)

Lastly if you‘re wondering if the director dealt with any Reynas, he did.

Only one famous ―wise Latina,‖ Justice Sonia Sotomayor made GreenfieldSanders and his crew go to her.

photo source - Marta Moreno Vega (Photo by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders)

LIBERTAD 27

For All the Troy Davises…

By Jada Young It’s All About the Melanin

By Jada Young

When are we going to start this revolution?

Allow me to rephrase that… What will need to happen for all our people to REALIZE that revolution is NEEDED? When I say our people, I specifically mean people of color, the disenfranchised and those who have continuously been trapped by this white dominated, unjust, unfair, immoral system of government that we have in this country.

If Troy Davis is any indication (not that there haven’t been many indications prior to him and not that there won’t be any now that he’s gone), this system hates us. It has been designed for our impending failure.

It has been set up to exploit us and then demonize us in the process. Then, we are fed with distractions so that we are fooled into complacency. We know all this. Even if you haven’t been specifically educated about the complexities of white racism, you know it. You feel it. You live it. So let’s do something about it. We do not have to live blindly in a country or within a system that clearly does not value us. Think about the lineage of people we come from! Our identity is not based on being the descendants of slaves like some people want us to believe. We come from beauty. Think of Kemet. Think of the Haitian Revolution. Think of the Civil Rights Movement. Think of the Black Power Movement. Think of the Black Arts Movement... I could go on for pages.

28 FAHARI

I recently learned in one of my International Relations classes about what is known as Dependency Theory. Dependency Theory is basically when a “core” country (a wealthy, “developed” country) is depended on by a “periphery” country (a poor, “underdeveloped” country). That might sound normal and unproblematic, except within this process, the core country “enriches” the periphery at the very expense of the periphery! An example of this can be country X promising military support for country Y and in that process, takes country Y’s oil resources and then aids in the building of a dictatorial government for the poor country.

Simply, the core country “helps” the periphery country but does not allow for it to grow and develop on its own and the periphery is trapped in this cycle of constant dependence. The core country also takes advantage and exploits the periphery country, leaving it in worse conditions than it was before entering into this cycle. International Relations experts identify 3 basic reactions that countries have had to this Dependency trap: revolution, “just living with it,” and focusing on the causes.

This Dependency trap is clearly what happens in the United States in the white-black dynamic. Black people were forcefully brought here and have been since dependent on American systems and politics to sustain our lives. We have been constantly exploited and victimized and how do we solve this? WE NEED A REVOLUTION. We have already been “just living with” our oppression and inequality, and we can pin-point the cause of it as being directly connected to the European worldview, so now the solution HAS to be Revolution. I clearly am only one person and my chanting and screaming (no matter how loudly) will do nothing to change the deep complexities of oppression and injustice. That’s why we need to stand together in solidarity and we’ll get the change we seek and we can get it as soon as you like!

Eminem took the music of Black people and became more marketable because of his skin color. There is no denying that he has talent; of course he does.

What he can do with words and the sounds of words is talent, but had he been a Black man, I think he would have been struggling for fame instead of being revered as one of the best.

My final example might be a controversial one. Some of ya’ll might stop reading this article entirely. But it must be said. Think about Madam Adele. She, for me, is one side of the same coin as Eminem. I’m not explicitly saying that she took the music of Black people and reached her fame from it, but that conclusion can definitely be made by listening to her. Adele has one of the most beautiful voices I have heard in popular music. Of course she does. But, I would argue that her level of fame was reached because she is a

white woman who has the soulful sound of Black people. Had a Black woman sounded the same, the hoopla surrounding her would be nonexistent. It’s not a rare occasion to see a Black woman with soul. But it is a rare occasion to see a white person with as much soul as Adele has. So the shock and awe of Adele plays a large part in her fame and success. I also recognize that Adele is in fact from the UK – England to be exact, and some people might be confused by my using her as an example in reference to this country and what it deems popular.

But, England has its own racial inequality issues; its racial hierarchy also puts Black people (and the lower class, too) on the bottom of the spectrum.

Plainly, there is nothing in this country that can be separated from its connection to race and racial issues.

Music is sadly one of them. I ask that you recognize that listening to and admiring the music of the Eminems, Adeles and Beatles of the world, is very much an example of admiring (or perhaps imitating?) the imitator, but also realize that there is a nice sense of pride to be felt when you know that the originality, creativity and talent of Black people cannot be denied. We’re so talented that we have been imitated for millennia. Clearly, it’s all about the melanin.

LIBERTAD 33

It’s All About the Melanin

By Jada Young

Sorry to be blunt, but white people have been copying us (Black folk) for as long as I can remember back into my history knowledge bank.

They, for example, have taken our spiritual beliefs and created entire religious institutions with it, they have copied our morals, and now, more contemporarily, our music. Look at Elvis, look at the Beatles, and look at Eminem. The saddest part of this is the fact they (white people) have stolen our ideas and cultural practices and have had the nerve to claim them as their own! When you think of any form of currently popular music in this country, chances are, it has been in some way shape or form inspired by Black people and/or Black culture.

Think about Jazz, Blues, Hip Hop, R&B, Motown, Rock & Roll… need I go on?

If we go back to my examples, we can see this even more clearly. Elvis (and The Beatles—we can lump them together for the sake of this point) were influenced by the Black music scene.

Think back into history now. During the 50’s and 60’s, the bigoted tendencies of white people were much more overt than they are today and a large chunk of the country was 32 FAHARI

segregated. Accepting Black music (and having to pay Black people for their talent) was unthinkable to a lot of the mainstream white people of this time.

So what did they do? They stole it. Elvis took his inspiration from Black performers and copied and imitated them. Think back to the videos you might have seen of Elvis gyrating his hips and thrusting his pelvis. Where do you think he got that from?! The music of The Beatles was also inspired largely

by Black music.

They were largely inspired by the music of Chuck Berry, Little Richard, etc. and used what they saw from the Black people at the time and made it more marketable for white audiences. Whether this was a conscious, actively planned scheme, I do not know. But it is what happened.

Now, Eminem. I would argue that he is another prime example of this. He took the music of Black people and got rich off of it. His whiteness played a role in the level of his fame of course, because when you think about it, a large demographic portion (the exact percentage is disputed) of Rap music patrons are white. Some listeners of mainstream music would claim that Eminem took Black people music and ―did it better…‖ Uh… no!

Do Unto Others…

Saki Rizwana, President 2009–2010, Alumna Contributor

A significant issue that seems to plague communities of color is the idea of authenticity. We’re always so concerned about whether every individual can ―represent the race,‖ community and people or not. This seems to trouble people of color on all levels of society. It doesn’t matter whether you’re in the sports industry or work at a post office, whether you’re an artist or work at the mall, it always seems to fall on us to be the perfect representations of our group.

So, how does this limit who we are and how we identify ourselves? Personally, I find it to be extremely restrictive. I am forever having to think about whether my actions are too stereotypically Asian or not. And, if what avenue do I take once that question is answered — do I follow the stereotype or consciously go against it? What if what I want to do aligns with the stereotype? Answering these questions for every move you make is exhausting! Then Sadly, this becomes second nature to us because, again, we speak for everyone that looks like us, right?

All of this is to say that we shouldn’t turn this on each other and marginalize individuals because they aren’t ―authentic.‖ We should be critical of people and understand the context they

are coming from instead of holding them to these group identities that, for the most part, were not even created by members of the group. I mean, really, did Asians choose to become the ―model minority‖? I don’t think so. So, let’s stop judging everyone using a scale that isn’t even relevant and understand people and their actions on a deeper level. Just because someone looks a certain way doesn’t mean they identify themselves in that way or that their experiences are reflective of the group that they look like they belong in.

I know this might sound like I’m preaching political correctness, which I’m definitely not. I simply encourage everyone to understand a person’s context and understand how their particular context guides them to make the decisions they make and live the way they do. Understanding people on a deeper level can help us build stronger communities and so do the work that needs to be done in our communities. So, let’s start looking at people for who they are so they can see us for who we are. Follow the golden rule, right? Do unto others as you would have done unto you. htp

LIBERTAD 29

Ethnoculturism

By Josette Ramnani

This country has a dangerous thread of ethnocentrism that begins at its founding and is still being upheld today.

Sometimes this ideology, which seems to have a strong hold on a powerful minority in this country, is hard for us liberal multiculturalists to conceive of. In the decades following civil rights, many of us began feeling that the fight was over, that all people enjoyed equal rights and therefore bigotry would soon be stamped out. We quickly immersed ourselves in the other camp, which believes in equality and valuing exposure to other cultures with an almost amnesia towards our very recent and even current reality of violent ethnocentrism. Only a couple of years ago Black people were being lynched in the South and their conviction – less murderers were free to continue heinous crimes of a similar nature. Or that not too many years before that, while we were fighting World War II, which is now instantly associated with the Holocaust, Japanese Americans were being put in internment camps on the west coast.

Then there is also the fact that women for a long time had virtually no rights and were considered the property of their husbands and before that, their fathers. Let’s not forget about slavery, which next to the genocide and herding of Native Americans is the biggest stain on our nations history. Add to that discrimination against Irish Americans in the 19th century, a long history of fear toward Mexicans, which manifests now in the immigration battle, and the systematic inequality that Blacks and other ethnic groups still face, we have ourselves a long history of violent oppression, the ramifications of which are still prevalent.

Yet progressives in this country 30 FAHARI

often talk about these atrocities as if they are stories from antiquity, as if our country has surpassed ethnocentrism and is now so diverse that racism and discrimination have been erased and all that is left are the faint remnants of it. We do have a Black president after all. Something tells me however that the fight is not over, and to truly eradicate this strain of thought would require an ideological upheaval of epic proportions, as this ideology is the one adopted and practiced by those in power, whether it is because of their passionate hatred or simply for the means of gaining economic and political power, or both.

How many of us, in this country, are truly progressive? Sometimes I feel living in New York gives us some false conception of what the rest of the country truly believes, and lets face it, New York isn’t all that progressive either. I went to school with plenty of bigots and I imagine that ideology has only gained more traction with age.

I often wonder to myself if it came down to it, would I fight or flight. Do progressives have it in them to fight for this country? Is there enough of us that we could win? Are we willing to compromise our peaceful instincts to fight the oppression that has left us disempowered?

Is it worth it? The cause is but is the nation? So many in this country have a blind love of it they cannot stand to hear a criticism of it. Then there are others who

love it, and because of that love they point out where it needs improvement. From both camps there are people who praise the country for its history and its progress and its democratic ideals. But our history is not so great. We committed a variety of crimes against humanity here and abroad. We denied equality and still do to the queer community, and to others via economic resources. Our political debates focus on single issues, legislation is rarely passed, and most of which that does have very little consequence. Even the founding fathers, who politicians systematically ass kiss, are not people to be wholly proud of. They owned slaves for one. They didn’t want a democracy because they thought the people too incompetent to make choices for their best interest. And they sought to ensure that the rich stay rich, and that the poor majority did not have the ability to threaten that. The consequences of this thought process is the reality we live in today. We chalk it up to the times and yet do not make substantial changes to the creed we still operate on. We have public education; the people don’t have to be stupid. The system keeps them that way. There’s money to be made; people don’t have to be poor, but someone profits off of their poverty.

Racism and oppression corrodes the very system we operate in, and then we wonder why no change has been made.

each other like pawns in the hands of the same people who have been running our country since its founding: old, white men with lots of money. And they have allies.

WE are not the 99% when it comes to ideals. Some who economically fall into the 99% do not socially or historically align themselves with our interest. They’re more apt to choose the side of the oppressor. For those of us that do believe in progress, in equal distribution, and equality and justice, we must find the strength to overcome our differences and fight a common enemy, which will no doubt be a difficult and violent fight. Or we must decide if this country really is the land of the free and the home of the brave, and have the strength to leave it if it is not.

Don’t blame your president, who is relatively weak in scope. Blame your history. Blame your institutions. Blame your textbooks. Blame your parents. Blame yourself. We allowed this to happen.

Granted the people who stand up often get rolled over, but if enough of us stood up would it be possible? I believe we are the majority, we have just been split into factions over menial issues; played against LIBERTAD 31

Ethnoculturism

By Josette Ramnani

This country has a dangerous thread of ethnocentrism that begins at its founding and is still being upheld today.

Sometimes this ideology, which seems to have a strong hold on a powerful minority in this country, is hard for us liberal multiculturalists to conceive of. In the decades following civil rights, many of us began feeling that the fight was over, that all people enjoyed equal rights and therefore bigotry would soon be stamped out. We quickly immersed ourselves in the other camp, which believes in equality and valuing exposure to other cultures with an almost amnesia towards our very recent and even current reality of violent ethnocentrism. Only a couple of years ago Black people were being lynched in the South and their conviction – less murderers were free to continue heinous crimes of a similar nature. Or that not too many years before that, while we were fighting World War II, which is now instantly associated with the Holocaust, Japanese Americans were being put in internment camps on the west coast.

Then there is also the fact that women for a long time had virtually no rights and were considered the property of their husbands and before that, their fathers. Let’s not forget about slavery, which next to the genocide and herding of Native Americans is the biggest stain on our nations history. Add to that discrimination against Irish Americans in the 19th century, a long history of fear toward Mexicans, which manifests now in the immigration battle, and the systematic inequality that Blacks and other ethnic groups still face, we have ourselves a long history of violent oppression, the ramifications of which are still prevalent.

Yet progressives in this country 30 FAHARI

often talk about these atrocities as if they are stories from antiquity, as if our country has surpassed ethnocentrism and is now so diverse that racism and discrimination have been erased and all that is left are the faint remnants of it. We do have a Black president after all. Something tells me however that the fight is not over, and to truly eradicate this strain of thought would require an ideological upheaval of epic proportions, as this ideology is the one adopted and practiced by those in power, whether it is because of their passionate hatred or simply for the means of gaining economic and political power, or both.

How many of us, in this country, are truly progressive? Sometimes I feel living in New York gives us some false conception of what the rest of the country truly believes, and lets face it, New York isn’t all that progressive either. I went to school with plenty of bigots and I imagine that ideology has only gained more traction with age.

I often wonder to myself if it came down to it, would I fight or flight. Do progressives have it in them to fight for this country? Is there enough of us that we could win? Are we willing to compromise our peaceful instincts to fight the oppression that has left us disempowered?

Is it worth it? The cause is but is the nation? So many in this country have a blind love of it they cannot stand to hear a criticism of it. Then there are others who

love it, and because of that love they point out where it needs improvement. From both camps there are people who praise the country for its history and its progress and its democratic ideals. But our history is not so great. We committed a variety of crimes against humanity here and abroad. We denied equality and still do to the queer community, and to others via economic resources. Our political debates focus on single issues, legislation is rarely passed, and most of which that does have very little consequence. Even the founding fathers, who politicians systematically ass kiss, are not people to be wholly proud of. They owned slaves for one. They didn’t want a democracy because they thought the people too incompetent to make choices for their best interest. And they sought to ensure that the rich stay rich, and that the poor majority did not have the ability to threaten that. The consequences of this thought process is the reality we live in today. We chalk it up to the times and yet do not make substantial changes to the creed we still operate on. We have public education; the people don’t have to be stupid. The system keeps them that way. There’s money to be made; people don’t have to be poor, but someone profits off of their poverty.

Racism and oppression corrodes the very system we operate in, and then we wonder why no change has been made.

each other like pawns in the hands of the same people who have been running our country since its founding: old, white men with lots of money. And they have allies.

WE are not the 99% when it comes to ideals. Some who economically fall into the 99% do not socially or historically align themselves with our interest. They’re more apt to choose the side of the oppressor. For those of us that do believe in progress, in equal distribution, and equality and justice, we must find the strength to overcome our differences and fight a common enemy, which will no doubt be a difficult and violent fight. Or we must decide if this country really is the land of the free and the home of the brave, and have the strength to leave it if it is not.

Don’t blame your president, who is relatively weak in scope. Blame your history. Blame your institutions. Blame your textbooks. Blame your parents. Blame yourself. We allowed this to happen.

Granted the people who stand up often get rolled over, but if enough of us stood up would it be possible? I believe we are the majority, we have just been split into factions over menial issues; played against LIBERTAD 31

It’s All About the Melanin

By Jada Young

Sorry to be blunt, but white people have been copying us (Black folk) for as long as I can remember back into my history knowledge bank.

They, for example, have taken our spiritual beliefs and created entire religious institutions with it, they have copied our morals, and now, more contemporarily, our music. Look at Elvis, look at the Beatles, and look at Eminem. The saddest part of this is the fact they (white people) have stolen our ideas and cultural practices and have had the nerve to claim them as their own! When you think of any form of currently popular music in this country, chances are, it has been in some way shape or form inspired by Black people and/or Black culture.

Think about Jazz, Blues, Hip Hop, R&B, Motown, Rock & Roll… need I go on?

If we go back to my examples, we can see this even more clearly. Elvis (and The Beatles—we can lump them together for the sake of this point) were influenced by the Black music scene.

Think back into history now. During the 50’s and 60’s, the bigoted tendencies of white people were much more overt than they are today and a large chunk of the country was 32 FAHARI

segregated. Accepting Black music (and having to pay Black people for their talent) was unthinkable to a lot of the mainstream white people of this time.

So what did they do? They stole it. Elvis took his inspiration from Black performers and copied and imitated them. Think back to the videos you might have seen of Elvis gyrating his hips and thrusting his pelvis. Where do you think he got that from?! The music of The Beatles was also inspired largely

by Black music.

They were largely inspired by the music of Chuck Berry, Little Richard, etc. and used what they saw from the Black people at the time and made it more marketable for white audiences. Whether this was a conscious, actively planned scheme, I do not know. But it is what happened.

Now, Eminem. I would argue that he is another prime example of this. He took the music of Black people and got rich off of it. His whiteness played a role in the level of his fame of course, because when you think about it, a large demographic portion (the exact percentage is disputed) of Rap music patrons are white. Some listeners of mainstream music would claim that Eminem took Black people music and ―did it better…‖ Uh… no!

Do Unto Others…

Saki Rizwana, President 2009–2010, Alumna Contributor

A significant issue that seems to plague communities of color is the idea of authenticity. We’re always so concerned about whether every individual can ―represent the race,‖ community and people or not. This seems to trouble people of color on all levels of society. It doesn’t matter whether you’re in the sports industry or work at a post office, whether you’re an artist or work at the mall, it always seems to fall on us to be the perfect representations of our group.

So, how does this limit who we are and how we identify ourselves? Personally, I find it to be extremely restrictive. I am forever having to think about whether my actions are too stereotypically Asian or not. And, if what avenue do I take once that question is answered — do I follow the stereotype or consciously go against it? What if what I want to do aligns with the stereotype? Answering these questions for every move you make is exhausting! Then Sadly, this becomes second nature to us because, again, we speak for everyone that looks like us, right?

All of this is to say that we shouldn’t turn this on each other and marginalize individuals because they aren’t ―authentic.‖ We should be critical of people and understand the context they

are coming from instead of holding them to these group identities that, for the most part, were not even created by members of the group. I mean, really, did Asians choose to become the ―model minority‖? I don’t think so. So, let’s stop judging everyone using a scale that isn’t even relevant and understand people and their actions on a deeper level. Just because someone looks a certain way doesn’t mean they identify themselves in that way or that their experiences are reflective of the group that they look like they belong in.

I know this might sound like I’m preaching political correctness, which I’m definitely not. I simply encourage everyone to understand a person’s context and understand how their particular context guides them to make the decisions they make and live the way they do. Understanding people on a deeper level can help us build stronger communities and so do the work that needs to be done in our communities. So, let’s start looking at people for who they are so they can see us for who we are. Follow the golden rule, right? Do unto others as you would have done unto you. htp

LIBERTAD 29

For All the Troy Davises…

By Jada Young It’s All About the Melanin

By Jada Young

When are we going to start this revolution?

Allow me to rephrase that… What will need to happen for all our people to REALIZE that revolution is NEEDED? When I say our people, I specifically mean people of color, the disenfranchised and those who have continuously been trapped by this white dominated, unjust, unfair, immoral system of government that we have in this country.

If Troy Davis is any indication (not that there haven’t been many indications prior to him and not that there won’t be any now that he’s gone), this system hates us. It has been designed for our impending failure.

It has been set up to exploit us and then demonize us in the process. Then, we are fed with distractions so that we are fooled into complacency. We know all this. Even if you haven’t been specifically educated about the complexities of white racism, you know it. You feel it. You live it. So let’s do something about it. We do not have to live blindly in a country or within a system that clearly does not value us. Think about the lineage of people we come from! Our identity is not based on being the descendants of slaves like some people want us to believe. We come from beauty. Think of Kemet. Think of the Haitian Revolution. Think of the Civil Rights Movement. Think of the Black Power Movement. Think of the Black Arts Movement... I could go on for pages.

28 FAHARI

I recently learned in one of my International Relations classes about what is known as Dependency Theory. Dependency Theory is basically when a “core” country (a wealthy, “developed” country) is depended on by a “periphery” country (a poor, “underdeveloped” country). That might sound normal and unproblematic, except within this process, the core country “enriches” the periphery at the very expense of the periphery! An example of this can be country X promising military support for country Y and in that process, takes country Y’s oil resources and then aids in the building of a dictatorial government for the poor country.

Simply, the core country “helps” the periphery country but does not allow for it to grow and develop on its own and the periphery is trapped in this cycle of constant dependence. The core country also takes advantage and exploits the periphery country, leaving it in worse conditions than it was before entering into this cycle. International Relations experts identify 3 basic reactions that countries have had to this Dependency trap: revolution, “just living with it,” and focusing on the causes.

This Dependency trap is clearly what happens in the United States in the white-black dynamic. Black people were forcefully brought here and have been since dependent on American systems and politics to sustain our lives. We have been constantly exploited and victimized and how do we solve this? WE NEED A REVOLUTION. We have already been “just living with” our oppression and inequality, and we can pin-point the cause of it as being directly connected to the European worldview, so now the solution HAS to be Revolution. I clearly am only one person and my chanting and screaming (no matter how loudly) will do nothing to change the deep complexities of oppression and injustice. That’s why we need to stand together in solidarity and we’ll get the change we seek and we can get it as soon as you like!

Eminem took the music of Black people and became more marketable because of his skin color. There is no denying that he has talent; of course he does.

What he can do with words and the sounds of words is talent, but had he been a Black man, I think he would have been struggling for fame instead of being revered as one of the best.

My final example might be a controversial one. Some of ya’ll might stop reading this article entirely. But it must be said. Think about Madam Adele. She, for me, is one side of the same coin as Eminem. I’m not explicitly saying that she took the music of Black people and reached her fame from it, but that conclusion can definitely be made by listening to her. Adele has one of the most beautiful voices I have heard in popular music. Of course she does. But, I would argue that her level of fame was reached because she is a

white woman who has the soulful sound of Black people. Had a Black woman sounded the same, the hoopla surrounding her would be nonexistent. It’s not a rare occasion to see a Black woman with soul. But it is a rare occasion to see a white person with as much soul as Adele has. So the shock and awe of Adele plays a large part in her fame and success. I also recognize that Adele is in fact from the UK – England to be exact, and some people might be confused by my using her as an example in reference to this country and what it deems popular.

But, England has its own racial inequality issues; its racial hierarchy also puts Black people (and the lower class, too) on the bottom of the spectrum.

Plainly, there is nothing in this country that can be separated from its connection to race and racial issues.

Music is sadly one of them. I ask that you recognize that listening to and admiring the music of the Eminems, Adeles and Beatles of the world, is very much an example of admiring (or perhaps imitating?) the imitator, but also realize that there is a nice sense of pride to be felt when you know that the originality, creativity and talent of Black people cannot be denied. We’re so talented that we have been imitated for millennia. Clearly, it’s all about the melanin.

LIBERTAD 33

Student Orgs Turn New Paltz ‘Blue and Orange’

Five Student Organizations Unite to Create Homecoming Weekend

By Dey Armbrister

Students from Culture Shock Dance Troupe, Shades Step Team, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. congregated in the Student Union Building Atrium on Friday, September 29 to discuss the planning of an event contrary to New Paltz’s culture.

Once again, the assorted organizations are coming together to host the fourth annual Blue and Orange Weekend, which is our homecoming weekend—minus the football team. Since its genesis in 2008, the event has steadily grown in success. The weekend of events promote unity not only amongst the diverse organizations and those off campus who come to support, but for the Black and Latino demographic on and off campus as well.

At first, it started off as a joke between some of the alumni who were previously a part of the mentioned clubs and organizations. However, after noticing all of the talent and the need for a united event for the Black and Latino community on campus, they began working towards turning the joke into a reality.

For the past three years, Blue and Orange Weekend occurred during the first weekend of November in the fall semester. This year, however, Blue and Orange Weekend will run from Thursday, November 10 to Sunday, November 13. With such events as the festivities hosted by the two Greek organizations and Culture Shock’s yearly movie-themed dance competition, Dance Evolution, students and off-campus visitors from all over New York bring the New Paltz campus a breath of fresh air and liveliness.

A change in the line-up of events also makes this year’s Blue and Orange Weekend unique. Envied Fashions’ fashion show—the weekend’s final event for three years in a row—decided to move to December, and in its place Shades Step Team will host their first annual step competition titled Beyond the Beat. The New Theater is making their debut to the Blue and Orange line up as well with their STAG stage play, adding an element of theater to the weekend’s events.

Being a part of Culture Shock myself, it is safe to say that we in conjunction with the other organizations aim to continue the legacy that our alumni started. Having our team form a committee with the likes of Shades, the Kappa’s and the Alphas allows us to do just that; we’re keeping the legacy alive. Blue and Orange Weekend is not only a union, but it is a celebration of the union. For a weekend, everyone sets aside time to come together and enjoy the company of their peers, as well as display the myriad talents that we offer to our campus. With the participation of the Black and Latino community, instead of being seen as separate entities we are seen unified under the colors of Blue and Orange.

34 FAHARI

behind one of the country‘s most popular radio show, talks about crossing the border without papers and feeling a helicopter‘s light shining on his back.

And scholar Dr. Marta Moreno Vega talks about why she stopped worshiping a white God. ―I was born Catholic, and my parents claimed to be Catholic, and I understood that if the God and Goddess that I was looking at did not look like me, my mother, my grandmother, my uncle, my father—my children would never feel sacred and we‘d never have the power to achieve what we needed to achieve,‖ Moreno Vega says in her interview.

The documentary isn‘t without its flaws. The director did a good job at selecting people from a wide spectrum — those from across Latin America and of varying sexes and professions. But it‘s important to note that the majority of subjects are all light skinned. (Important to note, but not surprising because those are the Latinos who get elected for office and selected for television.)

Many of them also tout personal responsibility for their success. Only one subject, Dr. Moreno Vega, made it clear that she faced institutional racism when a principal at her elementary school kept her from taking a test for advanced students. Her story alone is worth turning into the documentary.

The 4-5 minute stories are compelling and they illustrate the complexities of life many Latinos in the U.S. face. These tales are extraordinarily important in an age when Latinos are the fastest growing ethnic group in the country and states like Arizona and Alabama are creating anti-Latino laws.

HBO‘s ―The Latino List‖ premiered Wednesday, September 28 at 9pm on HBO Latino and Thursday, September 29 at 8pm on HBO. An accompanying photography exhibit is currently on view at the Brooklyn Museum. The show includes a few additional figures including my favorite light-skinned Salvadoreña Christy Turlington. (Her mother is a Salvadoran of English descent.)

Lastly if you‘re wondering if the director dealt with any Reynas, he did.

Only one famous ―wise Latina,‖ Justice Sonia Sotomayor made GreenfieldSanders and his crew go to her.

photo source - Marta Moreno Vega (Photo by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders)

LIBERTAD 27

HBO’s ‘Latino List’ Shows Complexities of Being Latino in the U.S.

By Jorge Rivas Referred by Saki Rizwana, President 2009–2010, Alumna Contributor Director and photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, the man behind HBO‘s series of documentaries ―The Black List,‖ has adapted his signature short oral history interview style to create the ―The Latino List.‖ ―The Latino List‖ is made up of 16 short interviews that feature successful and prominent Latinos. The film is an ―ongoing exploration of who we are, where we come from and what it means to be a Latino in the United States today,‖ says narrator and interviewer Maria Hinojosa.

The 16 different interviews include a wide range of Latinas and Latinos working in different fields, including: writer Sandra Cisneros; ―Ugly Betty‘s‖ America Ferrera; NASA astronaut Jose Moreno Hernandez; ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero; radio host Eddie ―Piolin‖ Sotelo (who‘s credited for the enormous turnouts in 2006‘s May Day immigration marches); U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor; and Yoruba Belief systems scholar and activist Dr. Marta Moreno Vega.

The interviews are all beautiful, both visually and in terms of content.

They‘re all very simple set ups, with the 26 FAHARI

interviewee in front of the camera with one light that‘s slightly too bright as they look directly into the frame. The whole scene gives the viewer the impression that they‘re having a one-on-one conversation with the subject.

Of course, some people are better storytellers than others, but every single one of the interviews is touching.

America Ferrera talked growing up in Los Angeles‘ San Fernando Valley and watching ―Full House‖ and ―Fresh Prince of Bel Air.‖ ―I didn‘t feel different until someone made an effort to point it out to me,‖ she said.

Ferrera shares what it was it was like to be a young Latina going into auditions and having to deliver lines after you get the ―polite face,‖ a face that she describes as ―yes, we‘re gonna sit through this audition but we‘re never going to call you back.‖ (Have you read Why Ugly Betty was a really big deal?)

NASA astronaut Jose Hernandez talked about picking fruits and vegetables from the fields, and how his father admonished him that he‘d be doing it the rest of his life unless he studied hard in school.

Piolin, the radio personality LIBERTAD 35

The Simpler Days

By Shatera Gurganious, Editor -in-Chief My youth was filled with memories of summers spent away from home. Since I was a baby, every summer I would go to Castle Hayne, North Carolina to visit my Grandma and family.

My sister and I would get to see my aunts and cousins. With all of us together, there was always a story to tell and the summer of 1997 was no different. We all had our fun, running around as children like to do. But we also experienced a tremendous loss that would change our lives forever.

After the school year ended, I was elated in anticipation to go down South. I couldn‘t wait to go and be with my father. About six months prior to that summer, my parents split up and Daddy moved to Castle Hayne to stay with his family. My sister, Shante, and I could hardly

Shatera with her cousins playing dress up.

wait to reunite with our father. By the time we arrived in North Carolina, our father had completely involved himself in the southern culture. It was a treat for me to see him in that element.

I loved being in the South. Life went at a slower pace; I was no longer in a rush. People 36 FAHARI

took their time to say ―hello‖ and just ―shoot the breeze.‖ I enjoyed this; the fast paced life I left behind in Brooklyn was a sharp contrast. What I loved most about North Carolina was the simplicity of everything. The simple memory of just waking up to breakfast still lingers in my mind. One morning, I woke up to the smell of fresh cut grass. We were all sprawled out on the living room floor, with our legs haphazardly lying around, peeking through the sheets. I smelled bacon and looked up to see Grandma making breakfast in the kitchen. I got up to wash my face and brush my teeth and when I returned from the bathroom, Shante and my cousin Tiqua were awake. I tried to run to Grandma to get a kiss, but they beat me to her. She laughed at our little competition for attention and gave us all a big hug and kiss. The remainder of that day is a blur to me now. Sometimes I wish I could remember some of the simpler things. But I am thankful for the memories I can recall, such as the eventful weekends we had.

Friday nights were my favorite. I always knew when Daddy got paid because when he got off of work he would order Dominoes and buy a big gallon of ice cream. We played The Game of Life, Monopoly, Pay Day and a bunch of card games as Daddy would devour an entire pizza pie by himself. Saturdays were even more eventful. Shante and I, along with our cousins Antiqua and Zuri, were recruited as car washers.

We would wash either Grandma‘s, Aunt Toni‘s or Aunt Tangie‘s car and each get paid five dollars. I remember just how excited I was to get so much money. With that amount, the possibilities were endless when we visited the

WHAT THE #@$%?!

INSERT FOUR LETTER EXPLETIVE OF YOUR CHOICE

LIBERTAD 25

The Simpler Days

By Shatera Gurganious, Editor -in-Chief

Illustrations by: Mark A.G. Butler II 24 FAHARI

penny candy store. We would all come back home with bulging paper bags that were filled to the brim. Saturday afternoons were filled with trips to the library and ice cream shop. Every little thing excited me until I received a little bit more excitement than I bargained for.

One Sunday morning, Grandma complained about not feeling well. Feeling the responsibility of being the oldest of all the cousins, Shante and Tiqua told Grandma to go to the doctor. A week later, I was wishing Grandma had taken their nine year old advice. One morning I woke up and instantly knew something was wrong. I went to go use the bathroom but the toilet was filled with vomit and feces. I had always been terrified of that toilet. It wouldn‘t ever flush right and it always gave me problems. But that morning, I knew something had gone awry. So instead of using the bathroom, I tried to lie back down on the living room floor. But something was stirring inside of me that made it difficult for me to rest. I took a look at my Grandma, and what I saw was not Dorothy Mae Grady Gurganious. All I saw was a shell. I ran into the back room and prayed as hard as I could. I asked God not to let my Grandma die. I pleaded with Him and asked for her to be alright. Somehow that little seven yearold girl knew; I had a deep gut feeling that Grandma was leaving.

Shante came into the room and told me to come out and talk to Grandma. I hesitantly walked out while Tiqua was clutching onto her and Aunt Toni was on the phone. Chill bumps covered my body and I ached from a place I had

never felt before. That woman sitting on the couch was not my Grandma. She mumbled incoherently, her eyes bulged, she was gone. The ambulance came and carried her off, and somehow I knew I would never see Grandma again. And I didn‘t. All of the grandchildren were sent to another relative‘s house. The details of that night are a blur. The next morning Daddy called and by the tremble in his voice, I knew.

Grandma was gone. For the first time in my short seven years of life I heard my father cry.

It shattered me. The man that was my protector, the smartest, strongest man that I had ever known was broken.

At that instant, so was I. I lost more than just my Shatera with her grandmother grandmother that day. I lost my youthful innocence and trust in the thought that everything was alright. Fourteen years have passed since then, and I have had time to heal. But pieces of me are still left scattered throughout the simpler days of my youth that I left behind in Castle Hayne.

LIBERTAD 37

Ever since I joined the Fahari way back when, I’ve been looking forward to writing this particular piece. You see, it’s the first time I get to write something as a New Paltz alumna. I used to be one of those people that sent out e-mails to alumni asking for contributions to the magazine and now, I get to be on the receiving end of those emails!

That’s probably the coolest thing about leaving New Paltz. You see, it’s not just an e -mail asking me to do something I probably don’t have time for. It’s current Fahari members reminding me of my duties — to my friends, my family and this great organization that’s really shaped a big part of my undergraduate experience. It’s a way for me to stay connected to this group of people and this place that was such a huge part of who I am and, more specifically, where I am!

Saki Rizwana, President 2009–2010, Alumna Contributor

38 FAHARI

I am currently enrolled in the graduate program at the University of Texas at Austin studying Design. I know for a fact that I would not be here had it not been for New Paltz. The classes I took, the people I met, the family I created for myself, all fueled my activist spirit that encouraged me to pursue graduate education and also gave me the theoretical grounding to produce design work that goes beyond aesthetics.

This magazine was a wonderful way for me to combine my passion for design and my passion for doing work that would be relevant to communities of color. The Fahari was the first place where I realized the potential design has to create venues for social change and the responsibility I have as a designer of color to create these spaces. And it’s these ideas that propel my

Black Art[ist] Profile: The Nickey Black Interview

By Regina Rivers, Alumna Writer

I live in an environment where people are dyin’ n’ from disease and greed with bullets flyin’ in, where some give up and even don’t try again, and we’re looking at the sky screamin, ‘God, why again…’

-Deep Down in My Soul Albany poet Nickey Black is not your average hip-hop artist. Why? In the words of Fahari alumnus Vixon John, Mr. Black has TMI (too much information) on topics that are too often ignored.

“If I can change anything in my community, which is a very difficult task, it would be the thinking,” Black admits. “It needs to be more positive, productive, and pleasant. It’s just what too much hate, jealousy, gossip, and violence in my community, and unity doesn’t exist.” If you listen to tracks, like “Deep Down in my Soul” and “Sistas in the Hood Cry,” you can’t help but put yourself in the situation and start digging deep into your own soul.

Among the various problems that plague society, Black lyrically expresses what he feels in his soul and hopes that people will appreciate his creativity overall.

“My inspiration comes from real life experiences, whether it’s mine or others,” Black said.

“I’m just taking life day by day. No one is promised tomorrow is a motto I live by.” Except for his music, Black doesn’t get caught up in dreams and goals for himself, but he does hope the best for his children.

Black is a proud father of two; an 18-year-old daughter attending Hudson Valley Community College and a 6-year-old son in the first grade.

Black has been writing since the age of 12.

Growing up with disco fading out and the origin of hip-hop beginning, beat boxing and free styling came with the territory. Black feels that the culture back then was good.

“We*Black people+ get recognition for hiphop but not for rock n’ roll,” Black said. While he likes to listen to Kanye West and Jay-Z, most music is not what is used to be. Hip-hop sensibilities prevail across the nation and around the globe but also compromise social conscience and artistic innovation

(Appiah and Gates, Jr, 279). Black’s music is a form of Black art, but not swag music. It’s more genuine hiphop, with songs that can make you wither dance and have a good time or start a movement. Despite his rhythmic wordplay, a common challenge that comes up is his age.

“Hip-hop culture doesn’t have a great deal of respect for people my age (38) who are seeking to become successful in the *art+ form,” Black said. Age ain’t nothing but a number, life is a dance floor, and anyone can be the music. When you get a free minute, search up the name Nickey Black on Soundcloud.com. Black also just came out with a mixtape that he’s selling for $1 and just trying to create a buzz for himself (and despite the recession, I’m sure y’all got a dollar in your dorm hall or bedroom somewhere…just sayin!). The artists who are trying to make things happen for themselves are not alone.

“I seek advice from others who help me out,” Black says. “It’s hard for me to give advice to someone trying to make it happen like I’m trying to make it happen. It’s a flooded market and so many are doing the same thing. It’s very competitive and we all wanna win.”

*Arts and Letters: An Ato-Z reference of Writers, Musicians, and Artists of the African American Experience, edited by Kwame Anthony Appiah and Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Running Press Philadelphia, PA, 2004

LIBERTAD 23

We’re Back At It!

By Krystal A. Miller

I live in an environment where people are dyin’ n’ from disease and greed with bullets flyin’ in, where some give up and even don’t try again, and we’re looking at the sky screamin, ‘God, why again…’

-Deep Down in My Soul

On October 11, 2011 BET premiered its newest sitcom called "Reed Between The Lines."

Before it's premier, people have tried to compare this show to the Cosby's....

People also assumed that, because of Tracee Ellis Ross, that it would have similar characteristics as Girlfriends.

And although both of those shows were amazing in their own right....

This show is different. And because of that some were disappointed when it premiered.

Now I watched the first two episodes and I enjoyed it. Very much.

It was refreshing and you could see the love between the characters.

The story line is about this married couple who both hold doctorate degrees raising a family in a New York suburb.

No it isn't laugh out loud funny. And it's not serious enough to be a drama. But I feel, as the series grows, so will the characters.

22 FAHARI

Was this better than Single Ladies (VH1)? Yeah.

But mostly because it had a different appeal. This is very much a family show, like the Cosby's or Moesha. Single Ladies is for grown folk.

Let's give this show time to properly develop.

With that, we know that this show is dependent on its viewers so that means we need to tune in every week to see what happens next.

Because the last thing I would want is for this show to be cancelled before it's time. Everyone keeps complaining about how there are no positive images for Black families on TV and the only hope we had was Tyler Perry (no offense to Perry, keep on hustlin'). And I'm sure people will be giving numerous side eyes because it's on BET. Give them a break, at least they're trying.

As I said, this show was a refreshing break on this stretch of Reality TV nonsense that has been happening for the past few years.

I'll still be tuning in every Tuesday.

Will you?

actions as an alumna of New Paltz and as an elder of the Fahari family. We looked to those who came before us to acknowledge their hard work and dedication and now it’s our turn. So, for those who will be leaving the physical space that is New Paltz and Fahari, remember that you wouldn’t be who you are without those around you. And find your bliss, but make sure it’s bliss that can be shared by your community and benefits everyone. Just because you graduate doesn’ t mean you no longer have to think about family. So, look forward to getting those emails and contribute in whatever way you can. As for me, I will be keeping everyone up to date with plenty of commentary (hopefully) and doing my part in producing future issues.

“All of my heart You hold in your hands I’m yours to command …

All of my soul is naked before you But what can I do There is nothing I can do I, I feel so beautiful With you in my life” — I Remember

I love my Fahari family. I am always here for you because I wouldn’t be here without you. Thank you for asking me to contribute.

Thank you for remembering me. Thank you for making my life beautiful. I love you all!

Lauryn Hill is currently playing in the background (as usual) and her words seem appropriate for how I’m feeling thinking

htp

about my Fahari family: LIBERTAD 39

Reviewing the annual reports of these companies shows that in 2009 while Universal Music Group may be the largest music company in the world, it accounted for only 14% of its parent company‘s total revenues. The second largest, Sony Music, only accounted for 6% of the overall sales for Sony Corporation. And by the way, the third largest music company, Warner Music Group, is run by three private equity groups who, combined, manage funds of well over $110 billion. They don‘t need popular culture for money. They need it to protect their sense of self and the just nature of their exploitation.

The world created by half a millennium of European conquest requires that Blacks be portrayed as non-human – which is why ―we must begin to destroy the world.‖ That world works 24-7 to destroy Black people through the pervasive commercial imagery of ―anti-Blackness.‖ These relentless assaults are more about enforcing the racial order, than monetary profit.

“Popular rap music becomes a

bludgeon in the hands of this philosophy of „AntiBlackness.‟” Any given week only two corporations, Universal Music Group and Sony Music, own minimally 80%, and usually upwards of 95%, of all the songs making the top 20 spins list on radio. Through ownership and selective promotion via payment to radio stations these companies assure that their songs, and only their songs, are played as many as 20-40,000 times per song, per month. This means a UMG or Sony Music song is playing on commercial radio every minute of every hour of every single solitary day. This means no time for news and certainly no time for other songs.

Look up the lyrics of any of these songs and the function they play is clear. This week‘s most played song is by Sony artist Usher with lyrics that are only about a woman droppin it and poppin it on a dance floor. It was played 6859 times last week alone. And, again, this is not about money.

40 FAHARI

This is why we don‘t see different kinds of films being promoted and why rap albums that have a different content are never on the radio. Mos Def has been in films that have grossed hundreds of millions of dollars around the world. But he is never on the radio. Common also has a budding movie career and has been an ―Artist of the Year‖ award recipient but he too is rarely on the radio. It has nothing to do with quality of the art or what an audience is clamoring for. Audiences want what is promoted. Dead Prez has a new album out, and its free. But it also has songs calling for radical political organization and that encourage rappers to study ―Malcolm, Garvey, Huey…‖ and, therefore, will never be on the radio. Not because people don‘t want to hear it or won‘t buy it but because culture truly in the hands of the enslaved means more Malcolms, Garveys, Hueys and Harriets, Assatas and Claudias. It means an end to the world as we know it and an end to the world as it is known to those espousing a prevailing ―non-human… Anti-Blackness.‖

LIBERTAD 21

The world created by half a millennium of European conquest requires that Blacks be portrayed as non-human – which is why ―we must begin to destroy the world.‖ That world works 24-7 to destroy Black people through the pervasive commercial imagery of ―anti-Blackness.‖ These relentless assaults are more about enforcing the racial order, than monetary profit.

Hip-Hop and the “Anti-Blackness Antagonism”

by BAR columnist Jared A Ball, Ph.D. Referred by Dr. Karanja Keita Carroll

“Only two corporations own

minimally 80%, and usually upwards of 95%, of all the songs making the top 20 spins list on radio.”

In our recent discussion with author Frank Wilderson about his new book Red, White & Black: Cinema and the Structure of U.S. Antagonism, he described a situation where a rabid philosophy of ―AntiBlackness‖ demands that the nation‘s popular culture depict Black people as ―non-human.‖ Not for mere material gain, as many suggest. It is beyond that. James Baldwin described this by saying that ―I exist so that you can know that you are alive,‖ or, ―when a White man calls me nigger I ask why he needs me to be one.‖ This is why Wilderson chooses the philosophical description of ―antagonism‖ which means a permanency that cannot be dealt with using our current set of tools.

This is not an issue of legislation, or some failing of an otherwise perfect democracy to be corrected by a vote. Wilderson is asking us think beyond the current world which has d e f i n ed Blackness, permanently, as the slave, the ―non20 FAHARI

human,‖ whose presence can only be to serve and define the presence of others.

We are, as Malcolm X said, ―America‘s problem.‖ But not simply as an issue of economic exploitation, or as Wilderson says, ―a threat to some aspects of the world. We are a threat to the cohesion of the world itself.‖ And this is why he says antagonisms have no ―conceptual resolution‖ in the way that conflicts do.

And this is also why Frantz Fanon, quoting Aime Cesaire said that we must ―begin to destroy the world.‖ Wilderson‘s examples include popular films such as Monster’s Ball and Antwone Fisher.

But hip-hop and R&B lovers need not wait for the more intermittent film industry to see Wilderson‘s points in action. Each week, and with a volume and popularity unmatched even by film, popular rap music becomes a bludgeon in the hands of this philosophy of ―Anti-Blackness.‖ And were we to do Wilderson‘s point justice more of us would highlight with more regularity the fact that the portrayal of Blackness in popular culture is not about making money, it is not simply a business decision and it is certainly not because it is what we want.

THE POETRY CORNER LIBERTAD 41

He was my heart He was my angel Keyword: was.

I‘ll never know what could‘ve been I can only reflect on what happened.

LPREZZ: He is my inspiration Facebook.com/LPREZZ He is still the love of my life.

It hurts Twitter.com/LPREZZ because he doesn't even know it. www.reverbnation.com/lprezz I can still hear his voice His palm in mine.

Esency: His face on my cheek.

I want to hold him one more time.

Twitter.com/esency

Esencymusic.com

There‘s no one comparable There‘s no time like the time we shared.

Keyword: no He was never mine, It was just an illusion I was what he wanted...then.

She‘s what he wants now.

I remember being his lover Looking into his eyes. Feeling him burn into my soul I remember matching his rhythm, The words ―I Love You‖ expounding out of my chest.

I remember the presents, I remember his presence Coming to my door in the middle of the night, him wishing our beds weren't separate.

I‘m sure he hasn't told her who I am yet, she still greets me with a smile.

I can‘t stand to be around him Living my life on his terms Should I stay love's prisoner, or cut my loses and move on?

It sounds easier from the outside looking in.

But he‘ll always have that piece of me...

Illustrations by: Mark A.G. Butler II 42 FAHARI

LIBERTAD 19

Continued from Page 17 For more on these artists...

Q: How do you feel about the state of popular music as it is now?

A: Popular music? I don’t know. I feel like there’s a lot of confusion in the industry. Money is the root of all evil. So people have slid away from music that will live on forever, instead their focus is whatever will be hot on the radio today. They don't put as much thought and effort into what’s being put into a verse. People like to listen to what is out now – bubble gum music.

Q: Now aside from producing/rapping/singing, what other talents do you have?

A: I do most of my graphics. And I would also like to direct/produce or even write for film as well.

Q: What do the Black & Latin arts mean to you?

A: Black and Latin arts are our culture. They’re both different, where both Latin and Black come from.

Where we would take things that may be perceived as stereotypical, we’d still embrace it because at the end of the day it represents us. Or at least in a positive way we’d try to paint that picture of why we love our culture or what that culture is…

18 FAHARI

LPREZZ: Facebook.com/LPREZZ Twitter.com/LPREZZ www.reverbnation.com/lprezz Esency: Twitter.com/esency Esencymusic.com

All I hear is pop pop getting nervous mistaking them for gun shots forgetting today is a celebration and they just fireworks but can’t get the vision of out my head of my nigga Tony getting shot up. Damn living in this damn world is straight up confusing walking from the one life of being safe into the life of another constantly looking over my shoulder. All I ever wanted was out of my hood but these strings keep pulling me back attached to my ankles feeling like shackles I’m a slave to streets like my ancestors were to their white owners! Lincoln can’t save me now and Harriet Tubman can’t help me escape from this torture. It’s only a notebook and a dream. A prayer and a chance that’s all God really has laid out for me. So I look into the sky and tell my angels hi and pray they always look after me. All while I’m living this double life all but trying to strive even with these heavy shackles on me. Feeling like I owe em my life and everything but a diploma has always been my grandma’s dream for me. So with my mind on the streets I leave behind Sidney and set my heart on the future that lays in front of me I wonder while I’m on this crossroads how can I ever let go of the life that has made me! No, it hasn’t phased me obviously because I wouldn’t be schooling and be laying right next to Tony. If only I chose to get in that car full of running emotions and rage, wanting to take the life of the nigga that took away his. If only I decided that after the funeral, I was going to let my life go that easily. Just the flashbacks of watching him fall, pool of blood rushing down the floor, his last grip I felt it and his last breath I heard him! So if only I took those visions and let them damage me! I would be right next to Tony, six feet under cold leaving my family behind empty, and lonely wondering what ifs. My heart to fend for herself and deal with other men that will never love her like me!

Pop pop! Body shaking flashbacks of that day and my life that could’ve been and that would have never had a chance to leave. POP POP! Closing my eyes to making the right decisions, because now I had two lives I had to be living, the one of my brother who laid cold in my arms, and the young man who was given the chance to survive.

LIBERTAD 43

ESENCY

Nothing in 2 Weeks

By Reggy Rivers, Alumna Writer

On the way back from Elmont, I (theoretically) made a quick stop in the Bronx to bring you this next artist.

Known as Estanler to the SUNY New Paltz campus, Esency has been doing music from his early days.

Q: For people who don’t know you, how would you introduce/describe your sound?

A: I describe my sound as something very different, because what I like to do is spend my time listening to everyone that has been successful in music...I try to do what everyone else is not doing. I’d like to describe myself as something different, something well organized overall.

I haven’t written a poem in two weeks and this could be for many reasons.

I come home exhausted mentally, emotionally, and physically. Spiritually I struggle to stay awake because misleading leads to confusion and confusion leads to frustration and frustration leads to one doing and saying things out of that frustration because of the confusion brought about from the misleading…something. The propaganda is frustrating in most, if not all, parts of my soul. So, we just reject the most important idea and cause pain in a lost effort to disprove what has already been proven true.

I haven’t written a poem in two weeks.

The plaque caked up in my literary veins strike pain in my hand and holds it steady when all I want to do is just let it all out. It’s like high school again, trying to tell the cutest guy how much I adore his light bright smile and hypnotizing effect on my soul. Just to find out that he’s no better than the class bully, kicking down those who couldn’t live up to his standards & scoffing at outdated incompetence. Then 10 years later at the reunion party, you find out that he lost his looks, friends, peace of mind, the love of his life and his kid. And all that he has to look forward to are his child support payments.

I haven’t written a poem in two weeks.

And I can’t figure out for the life of me what it means to be human. People try to hurt you with words just to see how you react. Cowards use weapons because they’re not strong enough to use their own words. And the person with enough thinking ability is strong enough to walk away from the ignorance completely. Sadly, this person is perceived as something of a wuss; a menace to their idea of common sense.

Ruthless, useless, shameless excuses. Suffocating me with political nooses. And no, I’m not talking about any candidate; I don’t rest my faith on that race. Everybody thinks they have control but they don’t comprehend what to do with it. So they just go on and start abusing it. Trying to reassure the masses that no one is losing it.

Job well done playing the illusionist.

I’m tired in most, if not all, parts of my soul. Watching both the pleasing and discomforting unfold. And after two weeks, I’m shocked to believe that there is nothing left for me to speak.

44 FAHARI

Q: Does it fall under any genre?

A: Yeah, I would say mainly it would fall under Hip-Hop overall, just because Hip-Hop is where I get to organize and put together almost a little bit of everything. Whether it’s rap, or a little bit of R&B, without the track or whatever sound being specifically rap.

Q: Who are your influences?

A: My influences would be classic artists such as Usher, R. Kelly, Michael Jackson. Because I am a fan of those that are currently known as the best at the very moment. I think I learn most from older sounding artists like John Legend, because those are the kinds of artists that really made sure they crafted their material.

Q: How did your music begin?

A: It basically began in high school. I had this class where they taught the students to use the program “Fruity Loops” to make beats. So I started overall as a producer, which now comes to my advantage because I didn't really have to reach out to anybody in order to learn about the music or to have someone produce for me. Before I started writing music or songs I already had the bass, which would be the music or instrumental. So it basically started from there and it skyrocketed. I met a couple of other people that were already involved with music/industry. So as time went on I just became closer and closer to music. I came to learn more about it and actually love it even more because once you learn what it takes to put a song together it sound way more beautiful in the end.

Q: What do you look for in a collaborator?

A: When I collaborate with a person, I don't look for anything specific. I do like people who are actually really good in the sense that it makes me feel challenged just because it makes me better at what I do. You know if I have someone as good as me or if I have someone better than me because then it pushes me to the limit, to exceed my limit. When I look for a collaboration I look for someone focused in what their gonna do and not just collaborate just to collaborate. It doesn't have to be

By Euclyn Williams specific.

However they express their music it doesn't matter to me as long as they actually do it as perfect as they can. As long as they try and put effort in perfecting their craft.

Q: Where did the your name come from?

A: When I first began, there was the one guy who was like a close family member who was already doing music and his name was Chemmi and we both started producing music together as collaborations in terms of producing songs for other individuals. So we thought about a name, we made up a whole bunch of names but “S.N.C.” stuck out, because the acronym included both of our names. But as time went on there was a lot of “haterism” as I like to call it. And I was always the guy that would sit behind after studio sessions just sitting there, not touching anything, just listening. And as more people started liking the music we were producing he wanted to take me out of the picture. So when that happened, I kept on producing. I kept on doing my own thing. And then I met Tony, who I consider my music mentor, and started wondering why I wasn't around as often. I explained the situation and he said “I’m going to set up a studio session just for you. You come do your thing and don’t worry about anybody else.”

And after having my own time in the studio, thanks to him, I created new music, and was like “why not go with the name that was already in my blood.” I bumped into the word “essence” in the dictionary, and then decided to change the acronym into the name “Esency.”

Q: Where do you see your music going?

A: Honestly I don't have a vision as to where it’ll go. But I do see it reaching a lot of people, especially those who have seen and have witnessed my grind. Because, my thought at first was how can I get people to like my music?

But then the more I started doing music, I learned that music is to me what it is to me, so I’m expressing to you what I want in my song. I’m not just going to make a song just for the public just to satisfy them. I’m going to express whatever I want to in my music, and hopefully they’ll like it.

Continued on Page 18 LIBERTAD 17

By Euclyn Williams Now in keeping with this issue’s theme, Fahari-Libertad went out and found musicians/artists that are on their grind and making their own footprint in the industry.

We’re so used to hearing from artists that have “hit it big,” now it’s time to hear something a little different.

Louis or LPREZZ as he is branded, is a rapper/producer from my hometown of Elmont, New York. Now you might think that he is getting this feature simply because we share the same ZIP code, but I assure you that this is not the case. Talent recognizes talent, and this dude is a tremendous one. Known for transcending genres and art forms, LPREZZ and his band P.O.E. are artists you’ll definitely enjoy getting to know.

Q: For people who don’t know you, how would you introduce/describe your sound?

A: Looking to stay clear of conventional genre definitions, P.O.E and LPREZZ incorporated all of our musical inspirations into one melting pot of sound. With deep roots in hip-hop, our drums maintain a bombastic thump, while the guitars, bass, and keyboard borrow heavily from funk, soul and rock music. The result is a musical styling that can be aggressive and somber, reflective and straight forward all at once.

Q: Now you’re in a band. People of Exile? How did that start? Where did you all meet?

A: Yes, I’m currently apart of the "People of Exile" band. Long story short, my brother a.k.a. "Warwic" a.k.a. the "Bass guitarist" of the band, and the two other members, "Hathaway" a.k.a. the "Drummer/Writer" and "H" the "Singing/Lead Guitar" player. We all grew up together and have known each other since elementary school. They formed their own group of hip-hop music back in 2003. But at that time they were only rhyming over samples they chopped up and made into beats. (Yes everyone in the group knows how to rap, lol). But it was back in 2010 when they took notice of the fact that I too had been producing my own records as well as rapping on them. After gaining some internet attention and bringing in listeners from all over the world, they came to me and asked if I would want to be their Lead Vocalist in the Band. I surely agreed to it with no question. Being that I also play the piano, I became the "keyboard" player on the few songs they produced which didn't have me on as lead vocals. We had a great 2011 with our album being on iTunes, Amazon, and other online websites that sell albums. We have performed in plenty of bars where many other greats have performed, and including going international and performing in Montreal, Canada where we happened to land two Radio Station interviews. I am still currently with them slowly working on our follow up record to our recent EP release of "Leaving with Gail," but on the side, I am still doing my own thing 16 FAHARI

maintaining my presence in the internet world and releasing my own EP with Hathaway sometime by the beginning of next year.

LPREZZ

Q: Where did the group name come from?

A: The Group name, "People of Exile" is the name they went by but abbreviated it into P.O.E. since they first created their group. The name came from the fact that they felt exiled, as in they're basically in their own lane and different from the norm – going against the grain!

Q: Where do you see the band/your music individually going?

A: Well, being that everything has been done independently, and I mean everything! We see ourselves touring all over the world, doing shows and selling albums through an Indie label. Now for me, LPREZZ I see all of that plus more, I wanna really take over!!

Letter from Would-Be Casanova

Q: How do you feel about the state of popular music as It Is now?

A: In terms of the "popular" music and where it is, I can't really complain, you know. Because it’s like now all you need to have is someone you know who can get you in the industry. Its sort of like they don't bother going out and finding talent anymore. I'm talking ‘bout the individual artists out there, the bands, and groups out there that have pure talent but will never be noticed because of their appearance as well as the fact that they just don't have the connection to get them to the right people/right ears. I feel artists who really work hard have more of a story to tell, rather than the overnight artists who had the direct connection. As far as the ones with talent who have the recognition and who are successful, it feels good to know they made it; they are the underdogs! That's who I root for and who I represent. The worst part about it all, honestly, is the fact that some artists paid to get as far as they are, paid for views on YouTube, followers on Twitter, likes on Facebook, radio spins, paid for their position, etc.

Nothing is real, I would feel better about myself & what I do knowing that my hard work and real good music got me to where I am, rather than in the back of my mind knowing that half my fans are robots.

By Roger Whitson Lye with me my turtle-dove and I'll be your faithful love.

Some profess their love in prose but I am not one of those.

I will court you with my art and use ruse to win your heart.

But all my leers and my winks, you put down as mere high-jinks.

Though Cupid is less than kind, many think I've lost my mind.

Since you give no recompense, I, too, question my good sense.

LIBERTAD 45

Your body, Like mine Is the most artistic machinery made.

It wasn't until I saw your body for that is was, Your skin inked with art, Complexion so subtle, Lips so soft with words you spit, Your voice so divine, An ass so round and big, Bigger than mine stirred humorous jealousy.

That I realized that Sex is art.

Our sex, at least, Is art.

Your body is art, My body a fine piece of art And together we make a prestigious sculpture.

Us together, We made art.

Shadow painting on the wall, With no paint.

Music made with no instruments.

And a theatre production acted out so naturally, No script, Just a connection between two artists.

We made art.

Every time was so different, And every time deserved a standing ovation, Encore!

We made Art. You were my muse And I was yours.

Inspire me babe.

Once more.

Artistic Machinery

By Jess K.

Untitled timothy w.

Land of the free home of the brave that’s what most believe this country became but how can that be after all we gave after all we did and yet it still seems the same all the people who fought just to end up in graves and still after all this time it’s the taste of equality we crave but on our people their blood left a stain and if we no longer continue to fight their deaths wud be in vain and the way we behave wud only deprave and defile their names the malcolm x's and martin luther's the coretta scott's and rosa parks which is why we shud make a change because their legacies shud 4eva be engraved in the hearts of all after the paths that they paved so we shud all strive to make their dreams come true but only if more people really knew the truth bcuz most people believe that this country became the land of the free and the home of the brave but what i really see this country to be is the land of the thieves made by the slaves

Alpha @AlphaMemphisGSF

WellRed Noahbility @NoahBility

SOUL (@gsf_soul)

@GSF_wellRED

Interested in Genius Sounds Family?

Check them out here: Mixtape: geniussoundsfamily.bandcamp.com/ Facebook: facebook.com/GeniusSoundsFam Tumblr: fuckyeahgeniussoundsfamily.tumblr.com/ Twitter: @GeniusSoundsFam

46 FAHARI

LIBERTAD 15

THE FUTURE Good music gives a great feeling, and gives something new and fresh with an old school feel. The new music coming along these days in hip-hop has become less about fast money, women and cars. It has come back to what it has always been about: talent, skill, and harmless competition and respect for each other. The more I listen to rap, the more futuristic it becomes but also more meaningful. Who ever said hip -hop is dead or dying definitely is not listening to the up and coming artists of today. Genius Sounds Family’s music is all about not only resurrecting hiphop but taking what hip-hop was and making it better.

Sounds like a renaissance of hip-hop and that’s what their music is all about.

Listening to GSF you can hear Wu-Tang Clan and A Tribe Called Quest in their music, but by the end of their mixtape you know that you were listening to Genius Sounds Family. Their story telling is so vivid and clear and the messages that they all deliver are something different and relatable. At the end of listening to the mixtape, your fingers will press replay and your mood will totally change. It’s that feel good music these artist bring along with a story, great flow, and message all in the mix. Its bringing you back to old school in 2011. All hailing from different places and possessing different flows, this group’s music has everything to offer. Meeting the group personally was a great experience. They collectively all have their own style, flow, and personality. It’s less of a group and more of a family. A family trying to make great music, tell a story, and make a difference while not trying to be like anyone else. The group explains it all:

How did you come up with the name?

Well RED came up with the idea back in high school, and with the backing of fellow classmate Noah Bility, he ran with it.

Sonnet of a Nervous Breakdown

I riffle my pockets and my wallet, Frantically, but I cannot find my mind.

I bite my nails. My stomach's in a bind.

Whether I lie down stand up or I sit, I'm miserable. But where do I turn For peace of mind? I want to start cursing And never stop and pound walls with my fists.

Will I end up drooling in a nursing Home? And what is the gist of all of this?

My nerves are as tight as a diva's jeans.

I drive thru red lights and I stop on green.

I cannot make my words say what I mean.

I think I whisper but really shout And feel that I'm boxed in with no way out.

Roger Whitson

Who influences your music?

Artists such as Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, & Nas have a heavy influence on us.

People with lyrical ability and a strong understanding of how to tell a story have the biggest impact.

What is your favorite time in the short life of hiphop?

If you mean as far as a career goes, the come-up is the best part. It's the hungriest point in an artist’s career. It really shows their strength and where they come from.

Where do you see your music taking you?

We never know where we're going to end up with this.

We're at the bottom right now so anywhere else will be up. As far as dreaming big, we would love to travel the globe. I'm sure people outside of the U.S. would be down to hear us.

Everybody has a story or a message, what's yours?

Our message collectively is that hip-hop never truly died. It’s just being conveyed the wrong way, and we're here to help fix that. Simple and plain.

Don't tell me you love me Don't tell me you need me

I just want your body

Don't ask me out on a date Don't ask me to chill

I just want your body

Don't tell me your dreams and aspirations Don't tell me about the future you see for us

I just want your body And nothing else

Shatera Gurganious

What does GSF mean to you?

GSF is a family first before the music. A group of life lovers. People who enjoy everything because we know we aren't promised a tomorrow.

14 FAHARI

LIBERTAD 47

The Origin of Things

by Ancestor Listervelt Middleton Referred by Jada Young

Look around you, Black child Your creation is everywhere Though painted, distorted and given new names They bear your prints just the same so sharpen your eyes and tune your ear so you'll know what you see understand what you hear You were the first to write the first to read humanity sprang from your black seed

The New Theater and New Paltz Student Association presents:

STAG Written by Jerome A. Parker Directed by Nicole A. Watson Starring: Joniece Abbott-Pratt* Okieriete Onaoudouwan* Brandon Dirden* *Appears courtesy of Actors Equity Association FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH @ 530pm and again 8pm McKenna Theater SUNY New Paltz Campus Near Sojourner Way and Southside Loop, New Paltz, NY (Park in Elting Main Parking Lot 5) Tickets: $7 Students, $14 General Admission To reserve tickets send name, phone, show time, and # of tickets to thenewtheater@gmail.com.

for 110,000 years you were here alone and then the Caucasian man was born behind the ice inside the cold a chill set in this new man's soul other minds have been credited with the things they learned from you Newton, Pythagoras, Kepler and Galileo too so sharpen your eyes and tune your ear so you know what you see understand at you hear you made the serpent the symbol of the healing arts and African justice was goddess Maat who weighed herself

In Jerome A. Parker's one-act STAG, memories and prayers of Rose provide a window into her and Stag's gritty life.

Rich with celestial reverence and set in a downcast community sick of the fortune of the stars, STAG tells the onthe-other-side-of-the-railroad tracks story of Rose and Stag where the memories and desperate prayers of Rose provide a window into their gritty life. Directed by Nicole A. Watson (Women's Project, New Dramatists), Jerome A. Parker (The Public Theater, Los Angeles Theatre, Old Vic-London) turns his sights once again on the downtrodden, the lost children, and, inevitably, the hope for our society to get out of this mess we are in. Featuring: Joniece Abbott-Pratt (Yale Rep, Hartford Stage), Okieriete Onaoudouwan (The Public Theater, La Jolla), and Brandon Dirden (New York Theatre Workshop).

Artistic Producer: Andre Alexander Lancaster Casting: Chie Morita Fights: Corey Pierno Graphics: Crystal Worrell Lights: Greg Solomon Set/Costumes: Meagan Miller-McKeever Sound: David Corsello Stage Manager: Daniel Douress*

against the African soul, truth and justice blindfold, the George Washington monument is yours too a copy of the Egyptian Tekenu a symbol of 48 FAHARI

SUNY New Paltz co-sponsoring organizations: African Student Union, All People United, Black Student Union, Black Week, Drama Therapy Club, Fahari-Libertad Magazine, New Day Ensemble, New Paltz Comics Unleashed, Residence Hall Student Association and WNPC-TV. Box Office/General Questions? Contact us at thenewtheater@gmail.com.

Website: www.facebook.com/thenewtheater

LIBERTAD 13

Welcome Back, New Day Ensemble!

By Jada Young

the Black world's powers of creation the Black man's penis

No fathers

means divine procreation the king of southern Egypt wore a white crown keep listening and

just mothers.

By Jay Herrera

you will catch your mouth

New Paltz has hit the jackpot this semester with the rebirth of New Day Ensemble (NDE). NDE is best and most traditionally known for its annual rendition of ―A Day of Absence,‖ the play which inspired Black Solidarity Day . VP of Programming Laneesha Bacchus has, with the help of a loyal and dedicated e-board, rebirthed this 37 year old organization which has had its difficulties staying afloat in the past few years. For the sake of providing history to it, New Day Ensemble was founded in 1974 by a former adjunct professor of the Black Studies Department named Rodney Douglas. At its essence, NDE is a performance artsbased organization whose primary focus is the Afrikan Diaspora through drama, music and dance. This mission of New Day is to gather student actors color to present dramatic performances to the New Paltz campus.

It is arguably through the performances of New Day Ensemble that the participants of Black Solidarity Day remain grounded in the history and legacy of what the day is about.

This is done through the performance of ―A Day of Absence.‖ In the play, an entire town of Black people randomly disappear and the White citizens must get through their lives without the presence of people of color. The lesson learned for the townsfolk and for the audience is that without the people of color in our communities, its normal functions are impossible, thus showing our value. We are very proud and excited to bring back New Day Ensemble to New Paltz with the hope of making it bigger and better than it has been before! Look out for us! For inquiries about NDE, feel free to direct your questions to faharilibertad@gmail.com

when you learn that the central government in Egypt was known as the White House sharpen your eyes and tune your ear so you'll know what you see understand what you hear your god Osiris was restored to life long before Buddha long before Christ and today what you call the Madonna and child is but the first black family worshipped along the Nile and when you feel the spirit the holy ghost you should know that it started at Abydos where god Osiris' body was laid the holy land where Africans prayed minute by minute hour by hour as you lose your history you lose your power so sharpen your eyes

Where I’m from, what you find yourself surrounded by are young mothers. Luck was always on your side if you had a mother and a father nurturing you at home. Mothers or fathers always caught stoned because the struggle was too strong. It's crazy how you define yourself a big time hustler but never assumed the responsibilities of being a father. The roles of right and wrong are switched because everyone gives up and find themselves ditched. But it doesn't matter because poverty is a free gift everyone receives. You either take it or you run the opposite way because you don't want to be like all them thieves. This leaves you stranded with many overwhelming obstacles that mentally seem impossible to conquer.

But if you let the negativity take over, everything will turn into more of a disaster.

Stand strong because if you don't your obstacles will only prolong. That's when you choose to fight the battle of restoration because too much is still left undone.

Everyone finds themselves stuck, leaving them sprung. Sprung on a feeling you can never trust because they seek individual successes, that lead them to later riches. But they forget what purpose motivated them to progress. It started when we were kids and we promised each other, that we would never treat each other less. Because together we would share and help others reach their own destined wealth.

and tune your ear so you'll know what you see understand what you hear.

12 FAHARI

LIBERTAD 49

Fair exchange no robbery The Music Industry Reloads: It’s Not Dead Because We Didn’t Kill It! But life doesn't care about balance

A Black Agenda Radio commentary by BAR editor and columnist Jared A. Ball And her sister you should meet Her name is defeat

Look Back Armstrong and Hughes sparked the fuse Fusion of poetry, music, dancing, and paintings The influence is my muse We heard about Harlem Rainbow of blacks created a problem Lack of innovation we solved em’ Sweet trumpets instead of tea and crumpets Deep words uplifting the new Negroes New Negroes the ironic heroes Harlem Renaissance plus one from zero Moving forward toward excellence Success was our sentence Flashback 1920’s – 2011 give them reverence Frustrated with the past having temperance Sing and dance to the cadence of happiness Renaissance our time Renaissance Primetime Renaissance our shine Renaissance to our ancestors Renaissance to our peers Renaissance because of Hughes and Armstrong Renaissance today because they Renaissance yesterday Renaissance today so we will Renaissance tomorrow

~sneakerbox~

The feeling she provides Is The same feeling why I cry The same feeling why I strive I swear She's my personal drive But damn!

I haven't seen success lately Not since we spoke over a glass of red wine She told me to be patient everything Happens within due time I replied Silence scares me Only because once upon a time The patience that u speak of pierced me I need you immediately We could make love so passionately You and me together We'll give birth to victory

Doug Morris, the super CEO music executive, who jumped from the number one music label in the world, Universal Music Group (UMG), to take a turn running number two, Sony Music Entertainment (SME). He isn’t alone. In fact, it is being said that this means a bitter “rivalry… for artists and executives” between the two music industry giants. And sure it is. This is the kind of rivalry the powerful like. Coke and Pepsi, Democrats and Republicans, it assures success in the illusion of choice. And in each case, even when sales or votes are off, the top executives make plenty of financial and social capital.

How bad can it be? Sony routinely has 60-80% of the most popular songs on radio each week and it is said that Doug Morris will now make $10 million a year. And for even the number three of the Big 3, Warner Music Group, its top executives Edgar Bronfman, Jr. and Lyor Cohen made a combined $83 million between 2005 and 2010 even as their company lost more than $400 million.

And it’s not just these individuals. They are the executive fronts for so many interlocked individual, corporate and banking entities precisely because of the financial, but even more so that social capital, that cultural control offers. And now, predictably, sales are going back up and so did Universal Music’s revenues go up two percent in 2010. And remember, that only represents six percent of their parent company Vivendi’s total holdings. Vivendi’s revenues went up six percent by itself in 2010 to roughly $40 billion. And better still, with Universal artists like Lil’ Wayne and Nicki Minaj on the radio 10,000 times a week who has to worry about hearing from Lah Tere or Skipp Coon?

That also means no more Public Enemy or Bob Marley either. And that is, for them, priceless.

I need you to visit me Only you can deliver me From all this misery...

Reffered by Dr. Karanja Keita Carroll

By Jaquaya Grant

50 FAHARI

LIBERTAD 11

Witness MyDidn’t GrowthKill It! The Music Industry Reloads: It’s Not Dead Because We Darvin “The Truth” Loredo - Alumni Contributor A Black Agenda Radio commentary by BAR editorByand columnist Jared A. Ball Prof. AJ Williams-Myers told me, Mr. Loredo sometimes we laugh/to keep from crying/I was laughing then/damn he wasn’t lying/I had to shoot to keep from dying Monopolies get over like fat rats no matter what the overall state of the economy – because they control the entire process. Competition is a farce, and the music industry is no different. “This is the kind of rivalry the powerful like. Coke and Pepsi, Democrats and Republicans, it assures success in the illusion of choice.”

“The music industry won’t just die a slow natural death.”

Look around and you will find no shortage of people describing what they call “the death of the music industry.” Music sales are down and, therefore, the industry is done. On the political Left this is a great thing occurring as the result of homogenized music not appealing to audiences who along with artists are increasingly using the internet to revolutionize music distribution which offers more opportunity for communities to determine artist popularity. On the political Right this is the obvious result of street corner bootleggers and internet pirates terrorizing innocent artists and the legitimate business practices of record labels. But the fatal flaw in either analysis is that they’re nearly exclusively focused on sales, which ignores the social nature of profit or, in this case, the benefit derived from controlling popularity. Besides, the music industry won’t just die a slow natural death. We have to kill it.

A drop in overall sales says nothing about who owns what is sold or made popular through dominant media outlets. It also says nothing of how much money is still generated by those sales or who gets all of it. Sound familiar? Think Obama and austerity or Wisconsin and union worker cutbacks. Maybe an even better analogy is the 31 NFL owners who tell 2500 players that getting 50% of generated revenues is fair.

That’s why they can afford a lockout. Sales can drop and they will be fine since they get most of what is sold. The music industry is the same, in fact, it is worse considering the benefits accumulated by the owners go far beyond money. Besides, if the industry were truly in such shambles and the risks were so great why are so many of the wealthiest individuals, private equity groups, conglomerates and banks all fighting so hard for their share of it?

“Sales can drop and they will be fine since they get most of what is sold.”

The music industry is fine financially. In fact, digital sales are improving and some now claim that those sales and other merchandising are “more than offsetting” declines in CD sales. Plus, plenty of folks appear to be happily buying in and swapping jobs and all making tons of cash while maintaining absolute control over popularity. This week it was

10 FAHARI

By Jaquaya Grant

I’m here still trying/years after graduation/still some things have no explanation/ Wanna figure out my life’s equation/I’ve broken hearts without intention/not convinced by first impressions/witness my growth/mind has expanded/childish thoughts I left them stranded in the hood/now is all good/educated in more levels than I should/got a degree but a degree in what? /struggle internally/clouded mentally/the man in the mirror my worst enemy/seen through concrete eyes/of battles fought/witnessed many souls bought/sat in a classroom thinking and thinking/education is guaranteed/left wondering what did I learn? / What did I really learn? / What’s the value behind the journey? /all I wanted then was to get with any girl/that made me horny/ Dang doubt hit me, dear Lord I kneel here before thee/ what will I do with the gifts you have granted me? /Witness my growth up up and away/ yesterday is gone I’m different today/Witness my growth/took a step and then an oath/got me a few uniforms and weapons to defend my home/not the dream my mama had envisioned/for me when she kissed me goodbye before prom/the story goes on and on/half of my soul is gone but my spirit is intact/almost brand new/I don’t need a legacy/I only want to make an impact/ in You/Witness my growth/and The Truth/now matured/in 2003 I was green/then I was hood kid/witness my growth/ now I take care of soldiers, sailors and Marines/and believe me racism is overrated because I’ve seen plenty bleed the blood I’ve bled/witness your growth/get it in your head/old ideas need to get dead/get ahead/will you have a path? YES/ but which one? / Learn and teach one/speak out loud and reach one/words reach masses no excuse/so what you gon’ do? / I can get heavy like metal/got confidence like a sea of pebbles/ I stepped up a few levels/never ready to settle/still a hot spitter/call me Mr. Boiling Tea Kettle/R.I.P. Prof. Margaret Wade-Lewis/she told me Mr. Loredo you write so vividly and fluid/ Witness my growth always for the people like the Fahari/who cares about Gucci and Prada/I miss a class taught by Prof. Karanja Carroll or Prof Kaba/Witness my growth like a pine tree/this is free entertainment/avoid mental enslavement/I got taught so by homeless who ran barefoot upon the pavement/on my own since big momz/kicked me up out my basement/brought you this refreshment/look at yourself outside yourself/love you before anyone else/is not about money but what you believe is the meaning of wealth….

Fahari/Libertad I love you and miss You.

Prose Poem For Langston Hughes

By Roger Whitson

In 1921 Missouri's Jim Crowed son – Langston Hughes published "The Negro Speaks Of Rivers‖ – In The Crisis – Working as a dishwasher, busboy – And at other menial jobs – Mr. Hughes paid his dues – He is most famous for his poetry – In which the rhythms of Africa speak – In which he gives voice to the voiceless – The disenfranchised black – The poor – The downtrodden and meek – He was called the poet of the proletariat – For Reffered bywhite Dr. Karanja Keita Carroll he knew, he grew like a flower from the working class – And in so many words, told capitalists to kiss his ass – Go Wall Street Protestors!

LIBERTAD 51

By John A. Shultz (Georgia Southern University)

Campus Life OTC = Out The Closet

Black Slavery

By Tanique Williams

Heaven is at full Capacity Occupied by shortened lives, lost dreams, heartless tragedies Parents burying children seems to be society’s norms Blacks killing Blacks Never mind right from wrong, It's the strong who live long Weak gone Soon as the dust settles on the guns that were drawn Call me irrational, Even Crazy I sure do long for those days of slavery Minus whips and chains, long days on the plains Love to have my shirt soiled brown from growing grains Rather than soiled red from holding a loved one’s remains Imagining how it feels working as a group in rags burying seeds in the ground As opposed to looking my best while watching another casket go down Slavery symbolized blacks together fighting for one another Freedom was gained now we kill each other, disregard for sisters and brothers Never once have I dreamed so bad it cost me my life Martin Luther King died for us, Put blacks as a whole before his kids and wife Seeing the world now, guns, knives, personalities cold as ice I wonder if he would do it again if given the chance to dream twice Could I survive slavery?

Maybe Next time you hear a mother scream "MY BABY" Think about what I said And you tell me if I’m still Crazy

52 FAHARI

Grant expresses that simple clothing is good because it‘s something people could relate to. She says that people can add their own personality to the line. ―The person‘s identity isn‘t lost with the clothing,‖ she says. She feels that ―expression is needed now more than ever,‖ given the technological era we‘re living in where Twitter, Facebook, instant and text messaging seem to be overpowering verbal communication. ―People seem to lack emotion, they don‘t express themselves as they once did,‖ she says, ―people text more than talk; communication is lost.‖ Before college, Grant says that she never stayed up until 5 a.m. ―People struggle everywhere but when you‘re away at school you‘re on your own,‖ she says, ―people who live on campus deal with different things.‖ Though she could see why OTC would be looked at as a movement, Grant hopes to grow as a business. ―I want it to succeed and do well just like any other clothing line,‖ she says.

OTC‘s founders have a mission of getting the #CAMPUSLIFE line on campuses all across America, but for now they are selling them locally and are telling friends to tell a friend about the line. Grants says that the #CAMPUSLIFE tees have received good reviews from the students of SUNY College at Old Westbury.

Shirts currently only come in black and white.

Grant says that she and her team are working on their blog and brainstorming on new ideas. ―Brainstorming and working and brainstorming,‖ she jokes. As of now, the #CAMPUSLIFE line has only a variety of tshirts available, but Grant says that cups and hoodies are well on the way.

There‘s one shirt that has #CAMPUSLIFE written on the front and on the back there‘s a question mark. Grant says the question mark represents the uncertainty people feel when they first go away to college. ―You think you know what you want to do, but after time it becomes confusing,‖ she says. She says that the question mark also represents room for growth; a person being able to mold and shape themselves as the person they want to be, ―and being proud of the person that you are,‖ she says.

The #CAMPUSLIFE tees are sold for $30 each and orders can be placed at campuslifeotc@gmail.com. Also, be sure to check out the OTC Tumblr page to see the variety of tee‘s for sale and also to learn more about the brand at http://campuslifeotc.tumblr.com/.

By Josette Ramnani

―#CAMPUSLIFE is not JUST a phrase for those who attend school. It is the idea of allowing yourself to evolve and not being afraid of that change.‖ LIBERTAD 9

Campus Life OTC = Out The Closet

By Tanique Williams

To come out of the closet: to make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret.

#CAMPUSLIFE is the first collection from the ―Out The Closet‖ brand. Though ―out the closet‖ is a phrase most people commonly relate to sexuality, and though sexuality was the original intent for the brand, its sole purpose is to promote self-expression, individuality, creativity, and simply loving who you are and the skin you‘re in — or as OTC‘s founders would say — ―loving the ‗shirt‘ you‘re in.‖ OTC has redefined the phrase, giving it a broader and more encouraging meaning.

The #CAMPUSLIFE collection is a line tailor made for the college experience, and is a line created by college students who are very familiar

8 FAHARI

This Ain’t Revolution

with the ins and outs of college life. #CAMPUSLIFE ―represents new experiences one may encounter daily while living on a college campus,‖ according to the brand‘s Tumblr page. OTC‘s founders understand that whether you are a commuter or living on campus, balancing responsibilities while investing in your future is a challenge. As a student dealing with #CAMPUSLIFE, ―you are exposed to education, knowledge and even success, but as an individual, you are exposed entirely; dealing with diversity, sexuality, social and personal issues.‖ The brand‘s main founder, Jaquaya Grant says that around this time last year is when she first had the idea of creating her own clothing line and that she knew it would have to be something bold and different. ―I thought to myself,‖ she says, ―clothes come out of the closet,‖ which was an obvious yet clever name for the brand. After all, the idea is that today‘s society is too cluttered with trends and complicated fashion. ―People just follow trends, people are repeating,‖ says Grant, who says that coming out the closet means being yourself. Grant says that the idea is to bring it back to the basics. ―Classic shit; classic clothing you could just throw on with whatever you want,‖ she says. #CAMPUSLIFE came about when a friend of Grant‘s said that a phrase ―vampire life,‖ made popular by rapper Jim Jones annoyed her, especially seeing it all over Twitter.

By Josette Ramnani

This ain't my revolution more of a scene than a dream one last struggle before devolution "maybe things aren't as bad as they seem..."

This ain't my revolution it's yours to possess a phase to look back on instead of a life in progress.

This ain't my revolution cuz if it was there would be intellects and anarchy instead of hipsters and hypocrisy.

This ain't your revolution you can't fight the world with eyes closed at some point you have to put it down before it starts to decompose.

This ain't your revolution because you don't know what it's about you don't know what you want or how to get it all you know is you're devout.

So how's your revolution?

Too much truth to digest, too many lies to eradicate, too much fear to suppress?

You keep going left just to end up on the right tell me what lies do you tell yourself to help you sleep at night?

This ain't our revolution because it doesn't exist we wade in complacency no need for force, we won't resist.

This ain't a revolution that can only happen from within so concerned with the world without we forget to purge our sins.

This ain't my revolution mine was over before it began it's in the past of my future lives it's buried in the sand.

LIBERTAD 53

You can take a grape and make a raisin, Wax and make a candle, A girl and make a woman.

That girl turned into a woman will have The smile that melts hearts.

The voice that speaks many tongues.

The intelligence to move mountains.

And enough courage, At the end of the day To face her fears.

You can take cream and make butter, Wood and make a desk, A boy and make a man.

That boy turned to man will now have The strength to carry the weight of others on his shoulders.

The eyes that see past a surface stain.

The mind that has an imagination close to infinity.

And enough pride, To never expect less for himself.

You can make a woman out of a girl, Tell her all the right things to do, But never tell her what not to do.

So like a woman she learns on her own.

While this man is made out of a boy, He learns how to fight off temptation, Never expecting, Better yet neglecting everything a man should be.

CALL IT A RENAISSANCE

By Lindsey Romain

54 FAHARI

LIBERTAD 7

FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT’S DESK Happy Fall, lovelies!

You know what I love about art? Well, it's that it encompasses so many things. Many people, when they think of art, only think about visual arts. So think graphic design or a bunch of old paintings by a bunch of old white guys. Then they will think about plays (once again by white people) or singing (by more white people). Now me, art is an amazing form of creative expression. When I think of art, I focus on culture, more importantly our culture, as people of color, which is often overlooked. I write it, I dance it, I sing it (although I can't do the last two all too well).

So when this topic came up for our newest issue, I got a bit excited. A little too much. Bit off a bit more than I could chew as far as topics that I wanted to write about. So much so that I only ended up writing one of them (eh, life happens. I am still a student). But the excitement is still there! As I read through the articles that I'm sure you're going to love (*ahem*) you get to sample so much of what it is that our people have to offer: actors, writers, rappers, poets. The list goes on....

And you gotta admit, the cover pages are pretty good too. There goes more art!

We as a people have managed to create new and innovative ideas. Or managed to reinvent what was already there before us.

¿Por que tu no entiendes?

By Jay Herrera

Si tu supieras todo, no se te fuera tan difícil entenderme. Tu me das la sensacion de suicidarme. Siempre tu encuentras la forma de insultarme. Yo no causo ningunos de tus problemas, estoy cansado de oír el mismo tema. Tu estas en perfecta condiciones no estas enferma. Para de actuar el papel de víctima, para de ser la misma. Tu tienes que acepta que tu causas mucha controversia. Tu eres amada por todo tus hijos pero tu siempre te olvidas que somos diferentes. Como somos diferentes, somos incomparable.

Man, you just gotta love our minds. That ambition...

Yo de Los tres, soy el que mas ha trabajado para ser estable. Pero lo que yo hago no es

“Ambitious Girl Pt 2”- Wale

palpable. Ya es tiempo que cortes el cable. Yo no soy propiedad tu ya, cuando aceptes eso

Consider this my reiteration Miss, I wanna read into your nature like the deepest of liter-ature Miss, I'm tryna be in your space without being in the way of your dreams and education Let me say this The realest bitch in the room Her living situation ain’t too good So her living begins in June Miss, couldn't get those Jimmy Choos because tuition was due Miss, wherever you SAT I wanna ACT, like, I wanna get into you, no particular school Miss made some new friends, step on a cruise Miss AKA, Miss Crimson and Cream, Miss Unaffiliated But whatever it is I just hope you pledge to your dreams Forever my queen....

Hotep! See you next issue. Chile, I got some words for that one.....

Krystal Miller Vice President, Fahari-Libertad

todo sera amable. Madre no es la que gobierna, si no la que te ayuda a su hijo encontrar todo disponible. No me limites, porque si yo quiero yo llego al cielo. Para de ser egoísta, porque tu corazón se convertirá en hielo. No te insulto cuando te digo que eres recta para ti. Pero si tienes que aprenderé a diferenciar quien esta para ti y quien no. Tu pasa por las mismas angustias porque no has arreglado tus caprichos. Tu mereses el mundo pero yo también valgo. Yo no me quejo de que eres mala madre porque no lo eres. Tu no lo sabes todo porque tu nada mas ha vivido tu vida. Todos tus concejos están afectada por tus experiencias. Tu estas traumática por drogas porque sabes que la droga casi te quito la vida. Pero todo el mundo es su propio individuó, no vamos actuar distintos.

Algunos vamos a salir recto porque tenemos el derecho. Tienes que acepta lo que no puedes cambiar, porque en mi caro tu no vas a manejar.

By Lindsey Romain

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LIBERTAD 55

FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHEIF’S DESK

Memories of Valor

By Kimberly Rivas-Adames

―Valor, Valor,‖ she yells at her teenage son, ―How is your girlfriend?‖ she asks him. ―I don't have one, Mama.‖ ―Why not?‖ she pushes ―Because my boyfriend‘s name is Kevin, Mama.‖ ―Valor, stop this phase right now!‖ ―It's not a phase.‖ ―I blame this on your father; he didn't teach you how to be a man.‖ Rolling his eyes he kissed her forehead and left. ―Valor, Valor,‖ she yells at her now dead son, She cradles him tightly to her chest, as his boyfriend cradles her.

Their sobs rock their bodies. she grabs a letter trapped in Valor's cold hands, opens it, and reads: ―Dear Mama, Sorry I chose to leave, but I felt like I had to.‖

56 FAHARI

One of my favorite things about the Fahari-Libertad Magazine is that we support art in all forms.

Creative expression is a right that we all have and I find it to be one of the most beautiful mechanisms that humans possess to relate to one another. The most beautiful thing about art is that it constructs an atmosphere for anything to be created. I believe that beauty can be found in almost anything.

Sometimes in our everyday lives we don’t have a chance to express how we feel and art is a way to get that out. Whether it be through playing music, painting, drawing, dancing, singing or my favorite, writing, creating art is the ultimate form of expression. If I couldn’t express myself through words or my voice, I’m not sure how I could cope with life. I love how every emotion can be channeled into art in some way. Whether its joy, rage, despair or anything else, there is a space for art to be created from it.

―Valor, Valor,‖ she yells at her son, ―Stop playing with your sister‘s Barbies.‖ ―Real boys play with trucks, not dolls.‖ His young lip quivers, his blue eyes fill with tears.

He walks out the room in shame as his mother stares. ―Valor, Valor,‖ she yells at her young son, ―What would you like to be when you grow up?‖ ―A nurse,‖ he answered without much thought His mother laughed and said ―My little man, you can't be a nurse.‖ ―Why not?‖ he asked confused. ―That‘s a job for girls, not boys.

What about being a marine?‖ ―OK Mama,‖ he agreed

Hello Beautiful People,

―Tidal waves were crashing around me; there was no room for air.

Your waves swallowed me like a big hungry monster, the ocean beating like a wild beast ready for attack, the trees‘ winds sang with fear, the world spun faster around its axis, robbing me of air.

All I ever wanted was your approval; To see me as I am, To be a good man, but now it‘s too late.

I can't live in a world filled with hate.

Sincerely, Valor‖

She closes the letter and lets her tears run down.

All she ever wanted was normalcy for her son.

Now, all she has left are memories.

Memories of Valor.

Music has been an integral part of me and how I relate to the world. When I can’t articulate how I feel, I use other artists’ words and voices as vehicles for my own expression. Vivian Green says it perfectly in her song "Music" from A Love Story.

As far back as I recall You've played a major part Inspired me to see my place in life You give me reason to create Every day is brand new There's something you introduce And you've touched me in those places That no one but you can reach You take me to this high I feel like I can fly the melodies you send me the music of my heart the music of my mind the music of my soul, the music in me Peace & Blessings Shatera Gurganious Editor In Chief, Fahari-Libertad

LIBERTAD 5

FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK As Salaam Alakum readers, Our theme for this issue is Black Art (Renaissance.) We are taking Art back to black. Art along with history has been white washed by the Eurocentric society. The origins of Art is Afrika, we people of color need to find our creative spirit and be the black artists that we were born to be.

Over this summer my brother’s and I formed an artist collective called Nu Age Shaman Manifestations. It is a community of people expressing various aspects of life and the experience of it through the arts, music and all creative explorations. Through appreciation of the collective influences of knowledge and wisdom of all cultures, creeds and walks of life, Nu Age Shaman creates an environment of free conscious expression and open eyes, hearts and minds! Nu Age Shaman’s slogan is: “WE R ART, in all aspects. ART IZ US, in all aspects! BE FREE. BE U.” Nu Age Shaman mission is to allow people to break free from the "norm" by providing an alternative outlet of free choice and expression. We will do this by showing others different ways of thinking and living, so that they may do the same and be open to the possibilities both known and unknown to the everyday person. In hope that we may all live in peace, love and kindness. May all be well forever! This art group has allowed me to create beauty through art, these manifestations are a direct connection to the divine. Our manifestations are cosmological and not cosmetically. Art is sacred and should be treated as such.

Salaam, Faisal Awadallah President, Fahari-Libertad

The little girl hides in the closet The dark being her only comfort She watches from the cracked hole As her dad beats her mom She can see her mom’s fear embedded in her sad brown eyes She sees the tears flowing down her mother’s face Mingling with the blood that is now on her skin Later on that night as the world quiets down She walks to her room as silent tears fall down her face Her father spots her, looks at her with a sense of disgust She knows what he is going to say ―Stop crying‖ he says, his lips firm, ―or I will beat you‖ The little girl feels anger boil inside her But stays quiet from the fear that she feels Making herself invisible not only from his gaze But she feels herself disappear as well The teenage girl looks at her reflection And sees a face of disgust She thinks my thighs are too fat.

My stomach needs to be flat.

My hair needs to be straight I need to be more pretty in order for Ken to love me back Sadness swarming inside her like a hurricane it can’t be stopped She has no control.

She feels herself disappearing She walks to the bathroom, Sticks her finger down her throat.

She watches the food flow back out.

Once she is done she walks back to the mirror To become invisible to the world once again The woman looks at the man As she holds her wife’s hand ―We can’t give you the baby‖ the man says ―Why not?‖ she asks the man ―Because‖ the man says ―We don’t want you To teach little girls that it is ok to kiss other girls‖ Feeling the anger create a storm inside her The woman stands up and yells ―Who gave you the power to tell me what I am and what I can be What choices I make in a partner do not define me. ―As a Girl!

As a Woman As a Mother!‖ With that she grabs her wife’s hand Leaving the man in stunned silence

By Kimberly Rivas-Adames She holds her head up high Breaking the cycle of invisibility.

Once and for all!

Invisible Women

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LIBERTAD 57

FAHARI-LIBERTAD

CALL IT A RENAISSANCE INSIDE THIS ISSUE 04 From the President's Desk 05 From the Editor-in-Chief‘s Desk 06 From the Vice-President‘s Desk Call It a Renaissance 08 Campus Life OTC = Out The Closet 10 The Music Industry Reloads: It‘s Not Dead Because We Didn‘t Kill It! 12 Welcome Back, New Day Ensemble!

13 The Future: Genius Sounds Family 16 Feature: LPREZZ 17 Feature: Esency 20 We‘re Back at It! 21 Black Art[ist] Profile: The Nickey Black Interview 22 Hip-Hop and the ―Anti-Blackness Antagonism What the 3@$%?!

26 HBO‘s ‗Latino List‘ Shows Complexities of Being Latino in the U.S. 28 For All the Troy Davises…

29 Do Unto Others…

30 Ethnoculturism 32 It‘s All About the Melanin 34 Student Orgs Turn New Paltz ‗Blue and Orange‘ 36 The Simpler Days 38 Life After New Paltz

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2011

58 FAHARI

Poetry Corner 42 43 47 48 52 53 54

He‘s Not Mine, But I Still Belong To Him Fouth of July Sonnet of a Nervous Breakdown The Origin of Things Black Slavery This Ain‘t Revolution ¿Por que tu no entiendes?

LIBERTAD 3

FAHARI-LIBERTAD THE FAMILY President Faisal Awadallah Editor-in-Chief Shatera Gurganious Vice-President Krystal Millier Layout Editor Euclyn Williams Cover Design Judea Costes Historian Jada Young Secretary Josette Ramnani Public Relations Janea Thompson Tanique Williams Council or Orgs. Representatives Makeba Hall-Wilson Emily Imbert Staff Writers Lindsey Romain Jay Herrera Brittany Askew Nicole Janine Roger Whitson Mosi-Chachawi Guest Writers/Contributors Dey Armbrister Dr. Karanja Keita Carroll Timothy W. Jess K. John Shultz Jaquaya Grant Kimberly Rivas-Adames Alumni Contributors Regina Rivers Saki Rizwana Darvin Loredo Mark A.G. Butler II

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2011 Next Issue Deadline

November 17th, 2011 (Tell ‘Em Why You Mad)

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LIBERTAD 59

Fa-ha-ri: (noun)

Dignity, respect, a good reputation, derived from the language of KiSwahili.

Li-ber-tad: (noun) Spanish for FREEDOM! The Fahari–Libertad is committed to printing the political, social, and economic views and concerns regarding people of color here at SUNY New Paltz. Is it published in the spirit of cultural unity as well as bringing about the spiritual unification of all people. The main goal of the Fahari–Libertad is to enrich and educate all with knowledge and enlightenment. We accept anyone who is truly committed to these goals to work with us.

Mission

To seek knowledge, truth and unity with pride.

Contact Us

The Fahari-Libertad SUNY New Paltz Student Union Building, Rm. 323 New Paltz, NY 12561 Email: faharilibertad@gmail.com Facebook: Fahari Libertad Magazine Blog: faharilibertad.blogspot.com Copies of The Fahari-Libertad can be found in the SUB, the MLK Center, the Black Studies Department, The Lecture Center, and the Fahari Office (SUB 323), along with various residence halls.

The Fahari-Libertad is currently seeking staff writers, copy editors, layout editors and photo editors. A major/minor in Journalism/English is NOT a requirement. Please inquire via email at faharilibertad@gmail.com

Fall 2011 Meetings Thursdays @ 9:00pm Student Union Building 416 Special thanks to the Department of Black Studies and all of our brothers and sisters who submitted articles, cartoons and poetry for showing the support needed to publish this magazine.

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LIBERTAD 1

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