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I am not a black nationalist because I have a black arts event. There is a festival highlighting white art and culture every weekend. The one weekend in Aurora, where small businesses owners and artists of color come together to support each other and the community, is the weekend I get hate emails. I get more notes on this page from white people who are offended because they feel alienated. Good. I feel alienated everytime I try to show my art.
I guess white people think its a great compliment to represent young African American women in contemporary art. Fuck that. I'm always black and I always will be no matter how much I paint. Why can't I just be a poet? Why is there a Black bestseller list and The White One? People come to the art shows and point at the pictures and comment on how exotic the viewpoints are.
Its called SOUL motherfucker. I had to bleed a lot to get this magnificent. Its intimidating to put together ground breaking shows with your friends at 18. Its hard to look in the mirror and try to fit into your own big shoes when you start an arts festival from shoe strings and ass crack and a little bit of hope for flavor. Its hard to come back to the regular world.
Every year, people tell me what should be better. There should be more flyers, more entertainment, more vendors, more gospel more more more! And I agree. Here is what I need more of:
I need more vendors to pay for their booths and pay for them by the initial deadline. I love to and will not hesitate to help my community but my community has to give back. I can't buy flyers if ya'll don't pay for your booths.
I need volunteers who don't smoke weed on the festival site during the event. period
I need folks of all cultures to come out and support small business!
There's a lot more that I need. Right now, I need $100. If you got me, holla. <