ordinary thoughts: familiar foes
Buen día, happy Wednesday. Monday was MLK Day, the only federal holiday designated by Congress as a National Day of Service. While organic acts of kindness and assistance should always be encouraged, it’s more vital now than ever that we pay close attention to the modern challenges that are hindering racial justice, equality, and equity.
We encourage everyone to take some time this week and beyond, to learn about the true significance of Dr. King’s legacy. The adjacent circumstances we face should inspire further education on components such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Emmett Till Antilynching Act, and the constant battle for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Let us celebrate him properly not only by reposting pictures, speeches, and quotes but by implementing his teachings as we attempt to conquer the opposition at hand.
- Isaiah & Cybele
why we’re still waiting
It normally takes a gruesome assassination or decades of public defamation before heroes are granted their always-too-late flowers of praise and appreciation.
stories that have our attention
At 25, Artist Oscar yi Hou Has Already Had a Solo Museum Show—And Written a Memoir
The young artist’s mid-20s have been marked by a number of major milestones. Last year, he published an eponymous collection of poetry, essays, and memoir with James Fuentes gallery that posed the question: “What is art after representation?”
For his first solo museum show at the Brooklyn Museum, “East of sun, west of moon,” which ran until this September, he acted as the de facto curator, selecting works, writing wall texts, and fleshing out a thesis. With his premise outlined across museum walls, yi Hou freed himself from the burden of having to explain himself going forward.
Now, he’s beginning preparations for an upcoming show with James Fuentes in New York next fall. “My life this past year has been undergoing a state of expansion,” yi Hou says. What’s next? “I’m going to contract—hunker down and attune myself to the pleasure of painting.”
A gentle soul in an oppressive land – Bonnie’s story of life in America
A short film - In his accomplished documentary portrait Figs (2023), the US director Sterling Hampton IV shares the life story of an 81-year-old Black American woman named Bonnie Sharpe, set against scenes from a family reunion with her four remaining siblings. In soothing tones, Sharpe recalls growing up in Alabama when segregation was still law before moving to New York and then California, where she ultimately found success as a teacher and author.
Throughout the film, Sharpe’s gentle narration is interrupted by jarring glimpses of US racism, which has shaped so many of the contours of her experience. Through his subject and thoughtful treatment, Hampton IV finds the story of a life that’s at once ordinary and extraordinary, lived with a gentle yet profound dignity amid inescapable systems of oppression.
Why Some 40 Million People See Katt Williams as An American Treasure
Did Katt learn to read at the age of 3? Is the Illuminati actually a real thing? Did Harvey Weinstein sexually proposition him? Did he say no to $50m three times? Are weapons systems running off of regular wi-fi? The January 3 discussion lasted nearly three hours, with Williams holding nothing back when it came to his upbringing, decades-long career and beefs with other well-known comedians.
It resonated so incredibly with viewers because Williams unapologetically told his truth, regardless of how wild or unbelievable or raw it came across—consequences be damned. By channeling his inner gangsta, he has endlessly inspired folks with quotable gems (“You having a natural allegiance to losers is not like you”) and solidified morality (“It’s God’s side and the other side”).in other news...
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pa' la cultura
cultural trivia
Question: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. earned his doctorate from which of the following schools?
Howard University
Morehouse College
Boston University
North Carolina A&T
song of the week
Song of the Week is chosen from subscriber submissions, as we pay close attention to the latest exceptional output of music from artists who remain slightly under the radar.
Song of the Week:
Lose You - by UNA MIA, released in 2023.
words of wisdom
In memory and celebration of the life of MLK, today’s quote is from the great leader himself.
Cultural Trivia Answer
The answer, ladies and gentlemen, is… *Drum roll please*
3. Boston University
“In 1955 we both graduated from Boston University: Dr. King had a doctorate in Systematic Theology and I had a master’s degree in Theology.”
-Rev. David Wesley Briddell, friend and classmate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.