Artifacts from the streets of Philadelphia

BLOG ENERGY HAS MOVED

2009-06-21T07:45:00.000-07:00

I am currently channeling all of my blog energy into my new project... please stay connected by checking out www.messagesinmotion.com
THanks!

Immigrant Voices conference

2009-04-26T18:51:00.000-07:00

This weekend I was very fortunate to be a part of Voces Inmigrantes Latinas, a conference about grassroots Latino immigrant media produced throughout the States. Of course, I am neither Latina nor an immigrant, but the issues which impact these communities resonate strongly with me. The sheer luck of being born in this country, provides me with opportunities simply not available to many people at this moment in history. Borders have always been crossed, and people have always migrated, probably most notably, 'my people,' the wandering Jews.

"You are my other me"

A few of the groups that presented spoke of the role of indigenous culture in their organizational philosophy. A group that impressed me very much was from Minnesota, called Main Street Project. They spoke about situating their work in the context of Communication as a Human Right, according to the Geneva Convention.

Lacking a better way to organize this as a succinct yet comprehensive post, I'm going to copy down some notes and thoughts and leave it at that...

- 'we are not just volunteers, we are engaging in guerilla media warfare'

- no cult of personality- no individual hierarchies-

How do we organize around collective values when we live in an individualistic society?

Family prisons in Berks County, too- it's not just Texas!

- concrete work toward education- talk with people, whatever opportunity, take it

- 'the life of one is the life of the other'

'Let's not ask, what are our issues, rather, What values do we share, and What do we believe in?'

- use humor to engage difficult conversations

-we need a historical context to the immigration narrative

-'identity is power- culture is a weapon' ' we are cultural organizers'

- media work has roots in traditional knowledge- we must understand media in relation to knowledge creation and structures of power.

'information is not neutral'

-one community- multiple spaces- multiple selves

-'professionalization reproduces a system of dependency'

La Nueva Raza / Austin, TEXAS- 100% volunteer run print publication and multimedia portal
http://www.larazaunida.com/

Radio Callejera/ New Haven, CONNECTICUT -pirate radio from below. 'Don't hate the media, create them for free'
http://www.unidadlatina.net/

VozMob / CALIFORNIA - cell phone stories for Day Laborers in LA (and you too)
http://vozmob.virishi.net/en

Main Street Project / Minneapolis, MINNESOTA - digital storytelling and educational project
http://mainstreetproject.org/programs/rural_media_justice.html

WRTE Radio Arte / Chicago, ILLINOIS - bilingual youth run radio!
http://www.wrte.org

Somos un Pueblo Unido / Santa Fe, NEW MEXICO - breaking the official immigration discourse
www.somosunpueblounido.org

JUNTOS: La Casa de los soles / Philadelphia, South Philly centro de encuentro
www.vamosjuntos.org

Proyecto Sin Fronteras / Philadelphia, Digital Stories- computer training en el norte
http://www.proyectosinfronteras.org/

The Internet Is...

2009-04-13T12:12:00.000-07:00

Today in my Media and Culture class I showed Michael Wesch's Anthropological Introduction to YouTube. It sparked a lot of interesting conversation and led to an activity in which I asked all of them to respond to the sentence "To me, the Internet is..."
I encourage you blog readers, whomever you maybe, to leave me a comment in which you also respond. I'm thinking about doing more recordings on the street targeted to older adults, because I have a hunch the responses will be very different...

Not your grandmother's seder

2009-04-07T20:03:00.000-07:00

Tonight I attended a Ritual Seder hosted by the Philadelphia Jews for a Just Peace. Outside the Israeli Embassy at 8pm about 30 people huddled closely together to reflect upon the meaning of Passover, and particularly to mourn the massacre at Deir Yassin, a Palestinian village destroyed in the attacks of 1948. The event was organized as a vigil to remember the atrocities committed against the people of Palestine. The overall tone of the evening was not about political debate, but rather one of reflective presence; embracing the strengths of Judaism, and its culture of life long learning and questioning. Although I left around 10, the activities continued into the evening with a teach-in and discussion and early morning events also followed.

After lighting the candles, we said a blessing for water, instead of wine.

Next we spoke about the barriers that may have blocked us from being here tonight, or generally may hold us back from being fully engaged in our lives. We washed away these fears, frustrations and feelings. I washed away my hesitation to speak of these issues with my family, for fear of seeming uninformed or simply not wanting to push a sensitive issue.

We spoke of the addition of the orange to the Seder plate, to represent those traditionally excluded from fully participating in Jewish practice-women, lesbians, homosexuals. As I had noted earlier, the group that was present was predominately women and queer young folks. I enjoyed the watching the oldest woman of the group across from me, barely express her discomfort in the cold while we all squirmed and shivered. Mendal asked us to note who was absent and ask why. Historically men receive credit for shaping history, while the most vulnerable and marginalized voices remain on the front lines of these difficult struggles.

The typical green dipped in salt water represents the tears of the Jewish slaves in Egypt,
"our tradition tells us to taste our tears, but it doesn't tell us to taste anyone else's tears."

The Seder is built around a serious of four questions asked by children regarding the rituals and practices. In lieu of asking the standard questions, we recited 10 unspoken questions regarding the myths around the State of Israel and its founding. Myths about the barren and empty land that awaited the Jewish people; myths about the confluence of Zionism and Judiasm; myths about the denial of the Arab population within Israel...

One of the last rituals involved the hardboiled egg. In this seder, the egg represented rebirth, springtime, and the opportunity to commit oneself to something for the coming year.
I spoke of being mindful of my instincts and trusting myself- not questioning my thoughts based on the doubts of others.

Next year may the world share this simple truth:
"All land is holy, and all people are chosen."

New park in town!

2009-04-04T13:45:00.000-07:00

After much speculation about the triangular piece of land across from our house at 6th and Christian, it has been confirmed that the Bella Vista Neighborhood Association is negotiating with the current owner and the city to officially recognize this area as a 'city park.' Having been a gas station at one point, it is not viable to build on the land, nor plant a garden, so we are working to secure funds to landscape, install benches, etc. Today was the first official planting with an apple tree donated by Nutter in the center, wildflowers sprinkled throughout, and a few donated plants and shrubs. For more information, check out the website.

Exhibit Corpse

2009-03-30T15:19:00.000-07:00

My housemate Aggie has been developing this community poetry project titled Exhibit Corpse, named after the Surrealist drawing game, Exquisite Corpse (also recently adapted as a drinking game, we learn). The idea is simple, you start with a line of your choosing, in this case it has been "She thought she kept." From there the next person contributes a line, and the person that follows only receives the previous line and adds their own. This very simple formula has been a great way to meet people in the neighborhood. While many are happy to give a line and be on their way, many others share stories about their antique businesses, recent evictions, bipolar disorders, aspiring careers, and much more. Once the lines are collected, they are redistributed line for line in the neighborhood; posted on light posts and stop signs for all to ponder. Stay connected to the project as it grows: exhibitcorpse.wordpress.com

A Trip to the Lehigh Valley

2009-03-29T12:58:00.000-07:00

Last night I went up to Bethlehem to celebrate my grandmother's 85th birthday with my family.
While it was great to reconnect with my relatives, many of whom I have not seen in years, one of the surprise highlights of the night was the visit from the singing energizer bunny.

Another nice gesture came from my uncle Teddy, our family's "claim to fame." In 2006 he was elected to serve as a Florida state senator, and he is probably the only one in the family with a wikipedia entry, although we could change that! His official birthday proclamation revealed many interesting details previously unknown to me about my grandmother.

Other family fun facts include, the recent venture eweddingteam, the social networking site for wedding parties started by Donna and my web team cousins, Adam and Randy.
http://www.eweddingteam.com/

While Aunt Suzanne surely captured many fine details in her photos, here is one memorable moment in which all the siblings were united once again...

Spring!

2009-03-29T12:33:00.000-07:00

This lovely Cherry tree was planted in front of my house last year. I'm happy it survived its first winter and was eager to bloom early this spring. Today I noticed many happy bees feasting on its yummy nectar. Spring is in the air!

Cooking with Laura and Carlos

2009-03-29T11:19:00.001-07:00

How to impress your friends with an authentic Mexican spread.
The menu:
Salsa- 2 types red and green (full instructions to come)
Nopales (cactus) salad with red peppers
Mexican rice (tomatoes, garlic, onion, rice)
Refried Pinto Beans ( blended and spiced with a pinch of clove, cinnamon, ginger and epazote)
Black Beans (crushed up with cumin and epazote)
Homemade tortillas (maseca corn flour and water-easy!)

Dinner Party Concert series

2009-03-12T12:32:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday March 10, we hosted a lovely United Nations dinner party, with a menu as diverse as its attendants. While I did not get the cooking or the conversation on tape, I did perk up in order to capture the post dinner concert, in which Adam Brodsky- extreme folk musician extraordinare, challenges Azar, a classically trained Azerbaijani violinist to an improv jam session, the first one in his life. To find some bit of common ground, Adam starts out with his self composed tune, Rasputin. Azar is a fast learner.

and a solo break....

Later on we had an iron musician strum off, in which we selected a tune for them to hear by ear, and gave them a few minutes to practice the tune. Aggie selected Hurricane by Dylan, which gave Adam the advantage, but Azar was quick to pick up the violin section. An impressive grand finale, but not on tape.

Matty eats an apple

2009-03-12T12:15:00.000-07:00

At what age does a kid's every action stop becoming novel? Over the last 2 and a half years I have watched our neighbor Agnes's son Matty grow from a mumbling formless creature into a sharp little boy with a rapidly growing vocabulary. "The courtyard baby" as we think of him freely travels between our houses, and since we don't have to change his diapers, it's always a joy to have him around.

Artifacts from March 5th

2009-03-05T18:31:00.001-08:00

A few things I noticed on the way to the subway today:

This week, a late snowfall covered the city. It's still too icy to ride my bike, so I've been back to my routine of walking 20 mins to the South Street station, listening to back logs of The World Technology Podcast, which never disappoints.

Septa is depressing. Like my neighbor Agnes always says, if you want to feel better about yourself, just take a look at the people that pass by riding on a Septa bus. The subway is another story, less depressing, but more unsettling. Yesterday the Broad Street line was closed at noon because a 16yr old kid jumped in front of the train and killed himself. It's stifling in the stations, they often smell like urine, and people spit freely right on the platform- could they at least lean over into the tracks?
Today I watched a girl eat a whole bag of sunflower seeds, dumping fistfulls of shells onto the floor.

Needless to say, I saw this scrawled on the post, I cautiously leaned up against while waiting for the train this morning.

Paper Mache - HOW TO

2009-03-03T10:32:00.000-08:00

Here is a simple how to guide for making alebrijes aka awesome paper mache creatures.

1. Construct a frame using recycled paper towel holders, plastic bottles, wire, cardboard.
Make sure your frame is stable. Use tape to reinforce parts.

2.Prepare the mix. 3 cups water:1 cup flour Mix together in a pot on the stove, bring to a boil.

3. Keep stirring to remove clumps, until it reaches a milky liquid (some clumps are fine!)

4. Let cool. Watch your favorite TV show.

5. Tear up pieces of newspaper and cover both sides with flour mixture, apply to your frame. Start with the parts that need to be the most stable first. Continue dipping and pegging until it is completely covered. Save the mixture in a container where it won't be mistaken for food!

6. Let it dry overnight and it will be ready to paint the next day. If you want to add more details, reinforce or refine the shape, just take your extra mixture and keep working. To dilute mixture, just add a bit of water and reheat.

ENJOY!

Check out these sites for examples of awesome alebrijes!

and of course, one day we'll get here:

Karaoke Remix

2009-03-02T17:05:00.000-08:00