Shooting Middle Fingers to Status Quo
Side stepping traditional visions of leadership, From Afros To Shelltoes: Art, Action, and Conversation (FATS) remixes popular education, southern grandma tales, and good old common sense into a progressive series of cultural programs advocating practical strategies for social change, personal development, and emotional healing.
The brainchild and personal mantra of award winning writers/community activists Edward. M. Garnes, Jr. and Sugar Johnson, FATS is a community arts collective delivering educational, counseling, and event planning services, namely, identity focused workshops, panels, townhall meetings, seminars, and artist residencies. Our initiatives fearlessly confront divides between elders and hip hop heads.
Be it fashioning hip hop centered programming for the National Black Arts Festival, training and placing over 700 college students throughout New Orleans, Mississippi, and Alabama as organizers of the alternative spring break Katrina on the Ground, or bum rushing stages with the likes of Nikki Giovanni, The Last Poets, and Spike Lee we are about the business of solutions.For booking hit us at [email protected] here to join our mailing list!!!!
Major Folks Think We Cool
Get Your Own! | View SlideshowWe Have Worked With:The Last Poets--Amiri Baraka--Nikki Giovanni-- Jessica Care Moore Poole-- Spike Lee-- M1 of Dead Prez-- Nappy Roots-- Kenny Burns--Shannon McCollum--Joie Lee--Little Brother-- Bob Holman-- Tony Rich-- Faith Evans-- Killer Mike--21st Century Foundation--National Urban League--NAACP--Fulton Country Arts Council--Auburn Research Library
Our Events Change Lives
Our productions include: Dave Chappelles Block Party---- www.katrinaontheground.com--North Carolina Central Univ Hip Hop Summit---State of Black Men National Tour Kick Off--Hands on Atlanta MLK Service Summit--Urban World Film Festival,--The National Black Arts Festival
Ed Garnes Addresses Mental Heatlh, Blk Luv, and Hip Hop on Brand Newz with Chris "Play" Martin
Ed & Sugar Discuss N Word On RandomShow
FATS Regular Nigga Photo Shoot by Shannon McCollum
We Are Not Tight Asses
In Red Kool Aid Terms, Ed and Sugar are two cool ass dudes who luv art just as much as sweet tea, enjoy fish fry fridays, spit life into mics, encourage freedom/self luv, make down payments on dreams, and employ grandma's common sense.
We Been In Films
Sugar Johnson -Dave Chappelle’s Block Party (2006) Ed Garnes- Finally Saying What I Really Mean (2006)