IBS Interview Podcast: Aloma Marquis

October 1, 2023
Black Summit Interviews
Season 2, Episode #1 - Aloma Marquis

In this podcast episode, Grace Lawrence interviews ALOMA MARQUIS:  

Aloma Marquis was born and raised in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1953 and attended several universities and colleges around the country before graduating with a BA in Political Science and Urban Studies in 1986 from California State University at Dominguez Hills.  After working for almost  fifteen years  in the field of law enforcement, she left to honor her calling as a fine artist that initially surfaced at age twelve. Eventually, she earned a Master of Arts (MA) in painting with a minor emphasis in drawing in 2003 and a Master of Fine Art (MFA) in the same disciplines in 2005 from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas where she subsequently taught a variety of studio arts and Art Appreciation classes for almost 14 years before retiring in December 2019.

In 1990, along with Pat Reid-Porter, Marquis co-founded The International Black Summit (IBS). The IBS is a safe space where people of Black African descent can explore what it means to be human and avail themselves of course work and tools that can support them in bringing " into being their vision(s) for the Black community and the world.”

She is the founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Unleashed100, LLC,  formed in September, 2020.  Unleashed100, LLC is a transformational education and creativity company that specializes in faith-based personal life coaching (Stone Jar Coaching)  and business development coursework. Unleashed100, LLC also houses the Marquis Multimedia arm that manages the sales and development of her fine art practice: original drawings, mixed media works on board and paper, sculptures, handmade artist books, and installations.  

During the interview, we ask our guests about their lives and careers, with a focus on how they effectively use the Summit Tools and Distinctions in all aspects of life. 

For more information about the International Black Summit, please go to:

Website – blacksummit.org
Twitter – @blacksummit
Facebook – facebook.com/blacksummit/
IBS News Sign-Up – bit.ly/IBS-signup
IBS Annual Summit Event Registration – blacksummit.org/ase

The views and opinions expressed by the person interviewed are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the International Black Summit.

Transcript

[THIS TRANSCRIPT HAS NOT BEEN EDITED NOR PROOFREAD]

00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:09.000
Hi, everyone. Welcome to the International Black Summit Interview podcast, Season Number 2.

00:00:09.000 --> 00:00:21.000
We are kicking off this second season with all of you tonight. For those of you who are familiar with the International Black Summit, you know that we are an organization that was created in 1991.

00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:30.000
And our purpose is to provide an opportunity for participants to bring into being their vision for the black community and the world.

00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:36.000
If you are new to us and you'd like to find out more and just invite you to check us out on our website at Blacksmith.

00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:41.000
Dot org or you can go to any of our social media, our YouTube channel, Twitter. Pick talk.

00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:53.000
We're all over the place. You can find us. So tonight we're kicking off season number 2 with a fantastic guest, Aloma Marquis, one of the co-founders of the International Black Summit.

00:00:53.000 --> 00:01:12.000
And I just want to say a little bit about Aloma Marquis. And give you just a taste, just a small taste of who she is and what she brings and has brought to the International Black Summit over all of these years.

00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:32.000
And one of the reasons that we love having this podcast is the purposes for us to really have an opportunity to engage with current and former facilitators and participants of the International Black Summit to find out about how they use the summit distinctions and summit tools in their lives in their careers and in their communities.

00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:37.000
So a little bit about  Aloma  Marquee. I'm just going to read her bio here.

00:01:37.000 --> 00:01:57.000
Aloma Marquis was born and raised in North Philadelphia. Pennsylvania in 1,953 and attended several universities and colleges around the country the United States before graduating with a BA in political science and urban studies in 1,986 from California State University at Dominguez Hills.

00:01:57.000 --> 00:02:08.000
After working for almost 15 years in the field of law enforcement, she left to honor her calling as a fine artist that initially surfaced at age 12.

00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:21.000
Eventually, she earned a Master's of Arts in Painting with a minor emphasis in drawing in 2,003 and a master of fine arts in the same disciplines in 2,005 from Stephen F.

00:02:21.000 --> 00:02:35.000
Austin State University and in Nakadochas, Texas, where she subsequently taught a variety of studio arts and art appreciation classes for almost 14 years before retiring in December, 2,019.

00:02:35.000 --> 00:02:42.000
1,900, and 90, along with Pat Reed Porter, Marquiko founded the International Black Summit.

00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:58.000
And the IVS is a safe space where people of black African descent can explore what it means to be human and avail themselves of course work and tools that can support themselves in bringing into being their visions for the black community and the world.

00:02:58.000 --> 00:03:08.000
Aloma Marquis is also the founder and chief executive officer of unleashed 100 LLC, which was formed in September.

00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:17.000
And unleashed 100 LLC is a transformational education and creativity company. That specializes in faith-based personal life coaching.

00:03:17.000 --> 00:03:26.000
Stone, stone jar coaching. And business development coursework. Unleashed 100 also houses the marquee multimedia arm that manages the sales and development of her fine art practice.

00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:40.000
Original drawings, mixed media works on board and paper, sculptures. Handmade artist books and installations.

00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:54.000
I'm really, really excited to invite  Aloma  to join me now and just for us to have a wonderful exploration into her initial participation in the creation of the International Black Summit.

00:03:54.000 --> 00:04:04.000
As well as how she has used the tools and distinctions of the International Black Summit. In her life in all kinds of ways in her community in all kinds of ways.

00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:09.000
In her career over the years. So, Aloma, if you could join me now in our. What Glenn and I like to call our virtual studio.

00:04:09.000 --> 00:04:20.000
Unfortunately, those of you who have being with us before, you'll know that my co-host Glenn is missing.

00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:27.000
He is not able to be with us tonight, but he's with us in spirit. So,  Aloma  and I will be.

00:04:27.000 --> 00:04:40.000
Engaging in this wonderful conversation together. So, Joy, if you could set, set, Helloa up to be able to turn on her video and join.

00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:51.000
Yes, she's gonna turn her video on.

00:04:51.000 --> 00:05:00.000
You know, it's interesting. Over the years I've had so many opportunities to hear from both  Aloma  and Pat about how they originally conceived of the idea of the International Black Summit.

00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:16.000
Just share a little bit about this while, while  Aloma . as  Aloma begins to join us once she's able to turn on her video.

00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:30.000
And when I initially heard about it, it was just this interesting conversation of them being together. Oh, there she is, Aloma.

00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:31.000
Hey, you are.

00:05:31.000 --> 00:05:44.000
There she is, great. Welcome, welcome. Yeah, welcome, welcome, welcome. I was just talking about the the original creation of the International Black Summit that first idea that you had with Pat Report.

00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:52.000
If you could say a little bit about that as we lead into actually looking at the DECLATION of the International Black Summit.

00:05:52.000 --> 00:05:53.000
So welcome, welcome.

00:05:53.000 --> 00:06:00.000
Okay. Thank you very much and thank you so much for. Asking me to be here with everybody tonight.

00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:13.000
And thank you everybody for coming. All of my friends are here. Well, back in 1990. And I just completed a course, landmark education course.

00:06:13.000 --> 00:06:21.000
Was 9 or 10 months this course. And well, I completed it maybe a year before, as a matter of fact.

00:06:21.000 --> 00:06:29.000
Pat Lee Porter had just completed it. And, once a month, you have to journey to Houston from wherever you were.

00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:35.000
And she came to Houston and she stayed at my town home. And I had never met Pat.

00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:43.000
Before you for that course. And I was out of town, as matter of fact, when she came first the first weekend.

00:06:43.000 --> 00:06:50.000
I just left my keys at the Houston Center and said, okay, this human being who's staying at my house hear the keys and I was in the FBI at the time so that was pretty.

00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:58.000
That was a breakthrough for me to trust anybody enough. That's some complete stranger stay in my house.

00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:02.000
Okay.

00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:03.000
Okay. Yeah.

00:07:03.000 --> 00:07:09.000
And, so that's our pet. Not yet. I said this tickles me every time I think about it.

00:07:09.000 --> 00:07:10.000
And.

00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:13.000
Okay. I still don't know if I have that kind of trust to let a complete stranger stay in my house.

00:07:13.000 --> 00:07:15.000
Okay.

00:07:15.000 --> 00:07:16.000
I here's the keys. I still don't know if I have that kind of trust to let a complete stranger stay in my house.

00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:18.000
Okay.

00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:20.000
I here's the keys to my house. Go on. Knock yourself. I don't know if I have that, that's pretty amazing.

00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:30.000
Especially for this one. And, so 9 times, you know, Pat would come down once a month for each session.

00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:48.000
Of this particular course. And at the end of it, it was a graduation. And, so Lindsey, her husband at the time who was his now cast, you know, passed on a while ago, he was Mayor of Highland, Fargo, was he becoming the Mayor of Highland Park?

00:07:48.000 --> 00:08:02.000
One of the 2, I think he was. Actually, no, he was working to become campaigning to become mayor of Highland Park, Michigan, where Pat lived, Highland Park, Detroit.

00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:10.000
And so he came and you know, and they stayed and my then husband. And I were separating.

00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:21.000
So they came, stayed with us and on the day of Pat's graduation. We had the.

00:08:21.000 --> 00:08:29.000
It's just a little self ceremony. And then after that, we would all congregated at a restaurant was Papados.

00:08:29.000 --> 00:08:33.000
Restaurant on West Timer and I think with Fountain View. This is where it was located.

00:08:33.000 --> 00:08:49.000
And it was a big group of us. And the thing that was really amazing about all this is that course had probably the highest number of people of African descent who have ever participated in it.

00:08:49.000 --> 00:08:50.000
Interesting.

00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:56.000
And I was a shock. I had no idea that this mean there were this many graduates of that particular course.

00:08:56.000 --> 00:09:07.000
So we all got together at that Papados and why we were waiting for a table at the bar because they were Oh gosh, it must have been 12 of us, something like that.

00:09:07.000 --> 00:09:22.000
And we were waiting for a table. And just let me back up a little bit between. My leaving my home and going to the restaurant wasn't that far, but Pat and I solved every single problem on the planet.

00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:25.000
Okay. You solved every problem on the planet. Why do we still have some problems, Yeah.

00:09:25.000 --> 00:09:35.000
Good. Every problem on the planet. Well, that's cause people went out. Okay.

00:09:35.000 --> 00:09:36.000
Hmm.

00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:42.000
So, you know, I just got to thinking and I just, I was just, it was so great.

00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:53.000
To have a conversation with somebody, you know, you had similar tools and, like minds and like commitments to have a conversation, having conversations for possibility.

00:09:53.000 --> 00:09:54.000
I mean.

00:09:54.000 --> 00:10:01.000
So let me ask you this, what was the problem that what was the problem that the international Black Summit was designed to solve?

00:10:01.000 --> 00:10:05.000
Was it, was it one of the things that was designed to solve one of those multiple problems you were solving?

00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:21.000
Well, not, no, for myself, you know, when I originally got to the restaurant and just I was so, oh gosh, invigorated and so I was so oh oh gosh, invigorated and so excited and so full of energy just by being in conversation with Pat.

00:10:21.000 --> 00:10:27.000
And I asked everybody to gather around and I said, this is what I, this is what I want.

00:10:27.000 --> 00:10:33.000
And this, this will answer your question, I hope. I want a whole room for the black folk.

00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:42.000
Who have done this work. Get in the room, close the door. Because we have tools to handle our individual stuff.

00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:44.000
Get in the room, close the door. Okay. It was land. Landmark.

00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:53.000
And this work I just want to clarify at the time. At the beginning, yeah, was actually having completed the landmark forum.

00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:54.000
Gotcha.

00:10:54.000 --> 00:10:59.000
Exactly, that was it. The course that we were, she was graduating from was another course.

00:10:59.000 --> 00:11:02.000
Called productivity, service and well-being. And, that's, and I just said, will you play with me?

00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:18.000
That was it. I saw it wasn't to solve a particular problem. Since I was 4, you know, just going back and looking at my life and assessing my life and cataloging my life and just investigating my life.

00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:32.000
I realized that I've had a core vision since I was 4 to unleash my God-given potential.

00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:42.000
And to have all, you know, all and that is my vision, my personal vision, and I codify a world where all needs are met and God given potential unleashed.

00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:46.000
Yeah, I couldn't have come up with that. Encapsulated that in language when I was 4.

00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:48.000
Great vision.

00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:56.000
Yeah, that just I tell you since I was 4 I can pinpoint the that it started to coalesce as that.

00:11:56.000 --> 00:12:03.000
And I said, okay, these are the people. This is the opportunity. It's, you know, it was one of those things.

00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:09.000
If I missed this, I don't know if I'll ever get another opportunity with people. So equipped.

00:12:09.000 --> 00:12:19.000
And really really still on fire for serving other people because everybody in in those choruses that I had encountered had some type of commitment like that.

00:12:19.000 --> 00:12:32.000
To serve people. Serve community and. That was really it. It was to provide a space where people could encounter, investigate their humanity.

00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:37.000
And remove every obstacle. Move obstacles, not necessarily everyone, but whatever prevented them from unleashing their guide-giving potential, whatever they were called to do, whatever that was.

00:12:37.000 --> 00:12:53.000
I know. That was none of my business. Unleashing it providing what I was called to do is provide a space where people could free themselves up.

00:12:53.000 --> 00:13:02.000
So that they could. Dive into. Formulate, fulfill and implement a vision.

00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:13.000
That's so. Powerful, you know, it's interesting as somebody who has participated in the International Black Summit, I can, as you're speaking.

00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:23.000
I'm thinking of examples that I know. Of people who have. Being able to use the International Black Summit to do just that.

00:13:23.000 --> 00:13:24.000
Hmm.

00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:30.000
You know, to free themselves up so that they can, so that they can fulfill on what they're committed to in their lives.

00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:31.000
Yes.

00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:37.000
And so that they can. Fulfill on their visions or or begin the journey to fulfill on their visions.

00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:38.000
Yeah. Yeah, amazing.

00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:48.000
And one of the things that we discern, you know, visions. When everybody can see themselves and say my particular vision or yours.

00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:56.000
Then you've got a, you know, a good chance you've got an authentic vision and it may take more than a lifetime to fulfill it.

00:13:56.000 --> 00:14:01.000
And upon, you know, my death, it doesn't mean I didn't fulfill it because I died.

00:14:01.000 --> 00:14:10.000
Is this so expansive? It can include. Anybody at any stage, you know, at any time in any place.

00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:16.000
So yeah, that was my original intention for this summit and still is.

00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:22.000
Interesting. You know, it's like Martin Luther King said, right? With his vision.

00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:23.000
Except.

00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:27.000
I may not get there with you. But it doesn't mean that he wasn't the creator of the holder of that vision at that time.

00:14:27.000 --> 00:14:33.000
And in spirit in some way, he is getting there with anybody who just, you know, puts a toe forward.

00:14:33.000 --> 00:14:36.000
Hmm.

00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:43.000
In furtherance of implementing their vision. He's there, his spirit is there. So, you know, that's the faith that had me.

00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:45.000
Yeah.

00:14:45.000 --> 00:14:53.000
Hey, ask people to come. And those were the words I use come play with me. I had no idea what.

00:14:53.000 --> 00:15:03.000
Well, it look like or anything? Not, what did I know? I just knew that spirit t me on the shoulder and said ask the question will you fly?

00:15:03.000 --> 00:15:06.000
Will you do this thing? And.

00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:15.000
So what was the connection to, because my understanding was that it was initially started in a conversation about black men and black women.

00:15:15.000 --> 00:15:16.000
Yeah.

00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:27.000
So what was the connection to the conversation about black men and black women and then this? Outgrowth into the summit which is not specifically about relationships between black men and black women in particular.

00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:38.000
That was, Pat's commitment. Was really about empowering. Relationships between black men and black women.

00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:44.000
My, vision is I share it with you. Was, you know, what I just shared.

00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:55.000
Providing. A space where people could do what they needed to do and that particular vision. Yep. Get after it really black men and black women. Yep, this is the place to come.

00:15:55.000 --> 00:16:02.000
Do that. To come work create what there is for you to create, to get clear and clear yourself.

00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:16.000
So that you can hear what life in the spirit saying to you because we one of the summits might have been the second one in Highland Park.

00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:17.000
Oh, I didn't know that.

00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:20.000
It was entirely about that. And they were, yes. Yes, and there were breakthroughs.

00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:27.000
Oh, I can't even begin to tell you. The conversation, the way, you know, ways in which people got healed.

00:16:27.000 --> 00:16:36.000
And I assert. That out of those conversations, particularly in that summit. There was generation of healing happening.

00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:53.000
Can you give me a flavor of that as somebody who was not there back in 1991 and 1992 and you know like that particular summit when people were having those kinds of breakthroughs, particularly specifically speaking to the relationship between black and men and black women.

00:16:53.000 --> 00:16:57.000
Do you do you recall sort of some of those examples or

00:16:57.000 --> 00:17:03.000
Well, you know, and I made good things. I promise you, I will get things out of order, not make it a will.

00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:06.000
Yeah.

00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:16.000
If the in the creation of the summit. To begin with, you know, and the first summit out of which the declaration came.

00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:28.000
There were major conversations that bubbled up to the surface where people had the room just the same what was so and a great deal of great deal of them, to say, centered around relationships.

00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:33.000
We're human beings because that's what we that's what we have is who we are.

00:17:33.000 --> 00:17:44.000
And that progression, it just It just got clear that that was the conversation that needed to be had and it just went that way.

00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:59.000
And some at this particular summit. People stood up and they shared from their lives about their relationships, the condition of them, their longings for.

00:17:59.000 --> 00:18:08.000
Things that hadn't been said, things that we've been carrying along. As burden. For generations.

00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:21.000
And the entities that sometimes existed between. Black men and black women individually and how those entities got created. You know, like they're not given.

00:18:21.000 --> 00:18:30.000
There are conversations and behaviors that got created. And one of the pivotal moments was when.

00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:42.000
The the brothers in the room. You've got all of them. See, I may, it may be a little out of whack, but this was the sense I have remembering it.

00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:48.000
Put us in the middle. All, all the women. We didn't know what was going on.

00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:55.000
Put all of us in the middle. And they ring themselves around us.

00:18:55.000 --> 00:18:56.000
The beautiful image.

00:18:56.000 --> 00:19:00.000
And they called us Queens.

00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:06.000
Are you the one who coined Colin, Colin people, Queens?

00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:07.000
Yeah.

00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:19.000
No, not me. I don't know who that was, but God bless him. It was.

00:19:19.000 --> 00:19:20.000
Oh.

00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:21.000
And they call celebrated us as queens. I am talking. Acknowledgement of one side down the other side, inside and out round and round.

00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:31.000
I mean. And that was such a huge breakthrough and you know, we in turn. Gathered the brothers together.

00:19:31.000 --> 00:19:32.000
Hmm. Hmm.

00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:44.000
And acknowledge them. For everything. In the face of everything that, you know, black men and black women had to deal with.

00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:54.000
And we started, you know, and one of the things I remember, this was my experience that a spirit of forgiveness began to be present.

00:19:54.000 --> 00:20:03.000
Yeah, you could ask for and get forgiveness, not only for just individual things, just a class.

00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:06.000
Asking for and seeking and giving forgiveness on behalf of. A group of people. It was just extraordinary.

00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:18.000
Hmm. I I am a little bit flabbergasted that I have never heard this story before.

00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:25.000
I've heard so many stories from the history of different annual somebody events. I've never heard that one stories from the history of different annual somebody events.

00:20:25.000 --> 00:20:33.000
I've never heard that one before and it's shockingly beautiful to me. And and I'm what I'm really present to.

00:20:33.000 --> 00:20:34.000
Hmm.

00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:45.000
Is the leadership of the men. To initiate that conversation. By starting the conversation, placing the women in the middle, and taking their stand as men around the circle.

00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:59.000
You know, holding the community. And leading that conversation. And then women then being, you know, able to drop into a space where they could then reciprocate.

00:20:59.000 --> 00:21:01.000
You know, do you think that that conversation would have been able to have been triggered by the women in the room or?

00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:10.000
Do you think it was necessary for the men to initiate that conversation.

00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:17.000
I don't know that it's an either or it was such the conversations, the space of the summit.

00:21:17.000 --> 00:21:26.000
You know, is one of integrity and being true to oneself is one's word, keeping you word that type of thing, and telling the truth.

00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:33.000
You know, in a later summit, one of the distinctions is the, The stank naked truth.

00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:37.000
Not stink, stank. It's a whole different order. Yeah. Well, it's one of my face.

00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:44.000
One of my favorite distinctions. Okay.

00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:45.000
Okay.

00:21:45.000 --> 00:21:51.000
Thank naked truth. I used that one to the bone. And, in that space. Things came up.

00:21:51.000 --> 00:22:05.000
People were telling it. And many so many people were telling you were telling the stank naked truth about their relationships.

00:22:05.000 --> 00:22:06.000
Hmm.

00:22:06.000 --> 00:22:10.000
That I think that spirit just coalesced in the room. And it wasn't as though one group, you know, a group of people had to or didn't.

00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:16.000
It just. Coalesced and it for because there was a volatile there was some volatile moments before then.

00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:17.000
Hmm.

00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:26.000
It was history that had to come up and it came up and had to be spoken about. And I mean, it was spoken about to the bone.

00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:27.000
Hmm.

00:22:27.000 --> 00:22:33.000
So being able to be with. There's a book that I really love Arnold.

00:22:33.000 --> 00:22:38.000
What is his name, Mendel? Sitting in the fire.

00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:39.000
Hmm.

00:22:39.000 --> 00:22:46.000
One has to be able to sit in the fire of conflict and let it burn. Until it burns itself out.

00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:48.000
Hmm.

00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:58.000
So there's nothing left of it but ashes. And that's what. That's what happened in the room.

00:22:58.000 --> 00:23:11.000
It was that, the ability to sit in the fire of centuries. Of relationship. And you know, given our history as.

00:23:11.000 --> 00:23:25.000
Betrayed and and enslaved people. There were a lot to say about relationships over time. So how things like that seem to happen in the summer, at least this is how I experience it.

00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:31.000
Is that, you know, I just say I credit it all to the Holy Spirit. That's where I come from.

00:23:31.000 --> 00:23:40.000
And that spirit just arises. And people say yes or no to it. And.

00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:48.000
Enough people said yes. And just went with it, not knowing. What the outcome was going to be.

00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:58.000
It was a self-organizing. Occurrence in the moment. No predicting it. None of that.

00:23:58.000 --> 00:24:20.000
Beautiful. Yeah, I mean, I wasn't there for that particular. Experience, but the summit annual event is definitely an experience.

00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:21.000
Hmm.

00:24:21.000 --> 00:24:23.000
And so I have experienced similar types of transformative moments. At different annual summits than I that I've attended over the years and when you talk about there being a particular energy.

00:24:23.000 --> 00:24:32.000
A particular vibration, a space that you call the Holy Spirit that other people may call something else. But a space that shows up.

00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:45.000
A divine direction. That shows up in the space. And and moves us all as a as a unit and as a community.

00:24:45.000 --> 00:25:04.000
To a whole new. Realm. So, yeah, it's one of the beautiful things of the International Black Summit and it's one of the reasons why it's so difficult.

00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:05.000
Hmm.

00:25:05.000 --> 00:25:09.000
To explain to people who have never experienced it. What that annual summit event is like. Because it's because it's so much in that space that is not.

00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:18.000
Not a space that most of us. In rep.

00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:19.000
Eggs, yes.

00:25:19.000 --> 00:25:23.000
Hey, Giller Life spent a lot of time in. So let me ask you. Sorry, go ahead.

00:25:23.000 --> 00:25:26.000
No, go ahead. I could talk forever.

00:25:26.000 --> 00:25:53.000
Yeah. So I think this would be a good time to actually generate the declaration of the International Black Summit like as you said you engaged with in this conversation with Patricia Reed Porter and you created a conversation that led to the first International Black Summit annual event and at that event that first event the declaration of the International Black Summit was created.

00:25:53.000 --> 00:25:54.000
Yes.

00:25:54.000 --> 00:26:04.000
So I just think it would be great to. To just ground ourselves in that declaration. Joy, is it possible to bring that declaration upon screen?

00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:09.000
Oh, you know, phone. Thank you, thank you.

00:26:09.000 --> 00:26:14.000
Thank you. Hello, would you be willing to generate that declaration?

00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:28.000
Good morning. The Declaration of the International Black Summit. We declare ourselves. Our community and all communities whole and complete.

00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:40.000
There is nothing to do except be. We assert that we are responsible for generating community as possibility and distinction.

00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:54.000
We listen for and grant being. To the possibility and creation of unpredictable results. Our conversation of, about, and for those of African descent.

00:26:54.000 --> 00:27:05.000
Is one of power, self-generation, abundance, responsibility, unity and integrity. With the possibility of being.

00:27:05.000 --> 00:27:13.000
We stand for the expression of our spirituality. Ending the murders of our men, women, and children.

00:27:13.000 --> 00:27:23.000
Building economies responsible for funding our community. Maintaining wellness of being in our bodies. Providing human services.

00:27:23.000 --> 00:27:34.000
Establishing nurturing relationships. Altering the conversation of who we are in the media, empowering our youth.

00:27:34.000 --> 00:27:43.000
We declare that our community manifests itself in the world. As a contribution in the transformation of the universe.

00:27:43.000 --> 00:27:53.000
Atlanta, Georgia. October seventh, 1991. To the north, south. The east and the west.

00:27:53.000 --> 00:28:15.000
Within and without. Wherever people of African descent reside. A moment of silence, please.

00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:21.000
Thank you.

00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:22.000
No.

00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:35.000
Thank you. Thank you. You so I want to ask you looking at that declaration and your experience with the International Black Summit over the years.

00:28:35.000 --> 00:28:45.000
Do you have favorite part of the declaration or a favorite tool or distinction from the International Black Summit.

00:28:45.000 --> 00:28:49.000
That you tend to lean on more than others.

00:28:49.000 --> 00:28:56.000
Well, the, the, allowing for the possibility and creation of unpredictable results.

00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:57.000
Hmm. Okay. Yeah.

00:28:57.000 --> 00:29:04.000
That one quite a bit. Yeah. And.

00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:07.000
Let's see.

00:29:07.000 --> 00:29:08.000
Oh my.

00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:11.000
And how do you use that one? How do you use that one? In your life. How does it show up?

00:29:11.000 --> 00:29:20.000
In the face of whatever is some circumstance that's difficult. And maybe mightily so. So I'm a fine artist.

00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:29.000
I've been a fine artist since I was conceived. And knew about it, come really to find out that that was so when I was 12.

00:29:29.000 --> 00:29:38.000
So the listening for being. In the arts, a person who is a practitioner. Of any of the arcs.

00:29:38.000 --> 00:29:48.000
Is not a good one. You know, it's generally what my mother had been socialized to believe, wasn't she didn't make it up, not mad at her.

00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:51.000
No, you can't do that. You'll starve.

00:29:51.000 --> 00:29:55.000
Hmm. Yeah.

00:29:55.000 --> 00:29:56.000
Yeah.

00:29:56.000 --> 00:30:02.000
You know, I'm not the only child who in. History of humankind who's never heard that said to them.

00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:03.000
So.

00:30:03.000 --> 00:30:05.000
Absolutely.

00:30:05.000 --> 00:30:17.000
And you know, that was upsetting. And you know, as a matter of fact, now, you know, afterwards I was, I was shell shocked, didn't know that she said that and I didn't even say anything because I couldn't speak after she said it.

00:30:17.000 --> 00:30:24.000
The only thing I vaguely remember that I really because like my literally at my head was turned backwards. Eyes.

00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:31.000
Vision started track and funny. I mean, my molecule was blown apart. But I was never angry at her.

00:30:31.000 --> 00:30:48.000
Cause I know I understood she was doing her best to. Protect her, her baby. But I now, you know, I just lately in the past month or so, a memory came up, you know, I remember going upstairs now to my bedroom and sitting on the edge of the bed and crying.

00:30:48.000 --> 00:30:54.000
And it spent a good portion of my life up until. What was it? When did that lead in bureau?

00:30:54.000 --> 00:31:00.000
95 96, something like that. And I set out on the journey a few times and then stopped.

00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:01.000
Hmm.

00:31:01.000 --> 00:31:09.000
It stopped, started twice. And, the last time. Was in either 95 or 96.

00:31:09.000 --> 00:31:15.000
And no listening hadn't changed, still hasn't. For being a person in in the arts.

00:31:15.000 --> 00:31:35.000
You know, that's your calling. So, you know, as I share with people, I tell people being an artist, you know, like a lot of locations has its challenges, has its highs and lows.

00:31:35.000 --> 00:31:36.000
Hmm.

00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:38.000
The most difficult part of it is not being an artist is the conversations that people have about artists. Alright, that is the most difficult part.

00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:47.000
Of being an artist. That causes the most friction and and blockages. Are those conversations?

00:31:47.000 --> 00:31:52.000
What are these conversations? I mean, the conversation that you can't, you can't make an income.

00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:53.000
Okay.

00:31:53.000 --> 00:31:59.000
Go star. Yes, you'll starve. Say, okay, if you're an artist, that must mean you have the morals of an alley cat.

00:31:59.000 --> 00:32:08.000
Oh, I'm not familiar with that one. Okay.

00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:09.000
Wow.

00:32:09.000 --> 00:32:12.000
That's going on. And something wrong with you? It's crazy. You know, you gotta watch those people.

00:32:12.000 --> 00:32:21.000
There's nothing wrong with them. And you know suspicion of creativity. We don't live in a society that has a whole lot of regard.

00:32:21.000 --> 00:32:25.000
For individual creativity. So, there's a lot of nonsense and I did research on it before I embarked for the last time.

00:32:25.000 --> 00:32:40.000
Those conversations literally are thousands of years old. About 5, 6,000 years old. And I said, this is, this is woman.

00:32:40.000 --> 00:32:58.000
There's nothing even honest about them. These are just a recycled conversations that people have. And enroll people into generation after generation.

00:32:58.000 --> 00:33:13.000
I was gonna get sick and die if I. Deny who I really was one more time. And, so relying on the possibility and creation of unpredictable results in the face of.

00:33:13.000 --> 00:33:24.000
All of those conversations and earning a living in a market economy. Where everything is a commodity. You know, your soul, you, everything's for sale.

00:33:24.000 --> 00:33:26.000
Okay.

00:33:26.000 --> 00:33:39.000
And the friction that there is between creating work that's honestly honest and that is honestly what is there to be said.

00:33:39.000 --> 00:33:52.000
However it is to be said. And the marketplace where will it sell? So there's that friction that's frequently there for a lot of creators.

00:33:52.000 --> 00:34:03.000
Yeah. And whatever discipline that happens to be. So when you when I'm out being an artist as well as I knew before I went back to school and I would get various colored.

00:34:03.000 --> 00:34:09.000
Bill's I said oh well then I started to when I you know utility bills Oh, look at that.

00:34:09.000 --> 00:34:18.000
This one's yellow. That's really, I like that. I like that color yellow. So that's what I did with it.

00:34:18.000 --> 00:34:27.000
Oh, this one has this is a great shake of a tenth of red pink. You know, those things happen.

00:34:27.000 --> 00:34:35.000
So and seeing like proof that you shouldn't do that, not as if anybody else is, that's never happened to, right?

00:34:35.000 --> 00:34:47.000
And so in the face of things like that, standing in. The being using the tools to be able to be with.

00:34:47.000 --> 00:34:55.000
Things as they are. And still standing. In a possibility in the face of no agreement.

00:34:55.000 --> 00:35:02.000
That unpredictable results will show up and I have some proof of just insane things that happen, you know.

00:35:02.000 --> 00:35:11.000
Standing absolutely in saying things crystal clear that the Lord did it. Cause nobody else could do crazy stuff that happens.

00:35:11.000 --> 00:35:25.000
For me in. Honoring who I'm originally created to be. So that's one that is consistent, even when it's not conscious.

00:35:25.000 --> 00:35:26.000
I just.

00:35:26.000 --> 00:35:27.000
That's the place where I tend to stand most often. And even community service work was there. Okay, people write off this whole group of people that live here.

00:35:27.000 --> 00:35:38.000
Well, I'm standing for the possibility and creation of unpredictable results happening here. I don't care.

00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:47.000
Yes, you know, as you speak, and first of all, your passion comes across. And the power of the distinction.

00:35:47.000 --> 00:36:04.000
Like what becomes possible? Like how close that distinction is. To possibility. Like by being able to stand in the notion or idea of unpredictable results.

00:36:04.000 --> 00:36:22.000
How free being that is or can be. Given the boxes most of us are socialized into. And you talk about these conversations being thousands, 5,000, however many thousands of years old, and you talk about trying to be an artist in the market economy.

00:36:22.000 --> 00:36:42.000
The first place my mind went. Was 5,000 years old so we're talking we're talking you know Roman civilization and Greek civilization quote unquote potentially being part of the start of that conversation.

00:36:42.000 --> 00:36:43.000
Yes.

00:36:43.000 --> 00:36:50.000
It was absolutely that and. Something I might add, you know, you just made me think of this standing in this possibility when I was scared to death.

00:36:50.000 --> 00:36:51.000
Hmm. Hmm.

00:36:51.000 --> 00:37:00.000
It isn't that fear goes away. It isn't that my mind didn't take me over.

00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:01.000
Right.

00:37:01.000 --> 00:37:05.000
Standing there while I'm scared to death. And persisting, which is the definition of courage, being scared and doing it any way.

00:37:05.000 --> 00:37:10.000
But that's what I want people to know.

00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:21.000
Freedom. Freedom. You're hearing that folks, anybody who's listening or watching. You get access to free them through these tools in the International Black Summit.

00:37:21.000 --> 00:37:29.000
You know, as I somebody who also changed careers, I was a corporate lawyer and after participating in the International Black Summit.

00:37:29.000 --> 00:37:37.000
For a couple of years I changed careers. And I left that. And I didn't know what I was gonna do.

00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:45.000
And I didn't work for a year, although I had I had access to resource because I was laid off.

00:37:45.000 --> 00:37:55.000
So I had access to. To my severance, but. But I used that international black summit process.

00:37:55.000 --> 00:38:05.000
Tools to to get clear on what I was going to create next. And to not have. As much fear as I would have had.

00:38:05.000 --> 00:38:18.000
As I went through that transition process. Being able to use the tools and distinction and also to be able to lean on the community like to be able to call somebody up and clear with somebody, you know, that kind of thing.

00:38:18.000 --> 00:38:29.000
And yeah, that is so, so, so key. Hi, I had so much support from. Everybody in the summit, I just had so much support.

00:38:29.000 --> 00:38:36.000
I can't even begin to tell you. How invaluable. That is, you know, cause we don't do life alone.

00:38:36.000 --> 00:38:44.000
I don't care who you are. And to have people, I could just say. Where I was exactly how I was.

00:38:44.000 --> 00:38:56.000
And when I didn't have, say, wind underneath. Your wings and my poor little wings were tired just worn out they could flap anymore.

00:38:56.000 --> 00:38:57.000
Yeah.

00:38:57.000 --> 00:39:06.000
I had people underneath moving my arms and flapping my wings for me when I couldn't. So having a community and that means so much in the face of the conversations about people.

00:39:06.000 --> 00:39:17.000
Of a black African descent. All of the lies and have been told about us, you know, they don't get together, they can't do this, they don't support, they aren't unified.

00:39:17.000 --> 00:39:36.000
And who in the face of all of those lies. So, in the Yeah, that's what some of what the summit made available and not just to me and my intention is that you know everybody would have access to that anybody have access to that.

00:39:36.000 --> 00:39:44.000
You talked a little bit about community and standing for community. Just curious, again, looking at the distinctions and tools.

00:39:44.000 --> 00:39:53.000
Which tools or distinctions have you used more often when you're engaging with community?

00:39:53.000 --> 00:39:57.000
Oh goodness gracious.

00:39:57.000 --> 00:40:07.000
One of them that the tools, what, you know, power and self generation. So it's coming from a place of power.

00:40:07.000 --> 00:40:15.000
And self generation in our conversations of for and about people of African descent is one of power.

00:40:15.000 --> 00:40:29.000
And particularly when working with people who are very, very much disempowered. I mean, generationally have conversations and then the experiences in line with that.

00:40:29.000 --> 00:40:44.000
That, you know, can't do anything. So standing in. A place that are powerful. Are powerful, period.

00:40:44.000 --> 00:40:45.000
Right.

00:40:45.000 --> 00:40:49.000
When there's no evidence. For it. And coupling that with unpredictable.

00:40:49.000 --> 00:41:00.000
One of the most powerful distinctions from me still is that of clearing. Oh my goodness, and I have no problem calling up.

00:41:00.000 --> 00:41:13.000
One of my summit team members, okay, you just. Need to get this. I just you just.

00:41:13.000 --> 00:41:14.000
Right.

00:41:14.000 --> 00:41:18.000
Just listen. And just let it rip. And then, when I asked, do you hear anything?

00:41:18.000 --> 00:41:23.000
Hey, I have one of those conversations yesterday.

00:41:23.000 --> 00:41:30.000
And you know, that it was as if this person has been tracking with me in my spirit the whole time.

00:41:30.000 --> 00:41:43.000
Just like almost in my hip pocket. And the conversation was right in line with what. Has been work, you know, the Lord work that the Lord is doing in my psyche and my spirit and my body.

00:41:43.000 --> 00:41:47.000
I mean, she was right in step with it.

00:41:47.000 --> 00:42:03.000
And clearing so I got a chance to say what was what was so how things really seen this is how it seems to get clear about I could play back and see on the screen what I'm saying to myself.

00:42:03.000 --> 00:42:10.000
And I discern there are things that I was saying say in that my at the subconscious level.

00:42:10.000 --> 00:42:15.000
I got clear about what those were. Because those are the things that really run our shows that run our lives.

00:42:15.000 --> 00:42:24.000
It's not the the conscious mind that does as much as the unconscious. And got clear about that.

00:42:24.000 --> 00:42:32.000
And made some declarations got really clear and got to see where I have not been willing to be responsible in particular areas.

00:42:32.000 --> 00:42:40.000
And I got to be able to say that out loud. To another human being. And no judgment came back.

00:42:40.000 --> 00:42:48.000
And I could just at a place where at that point getting clear in a clear and this person created a space a clearing.

00:42:48.000 --> 00:42:56.000
Now so that I could clear verb. So it's just, you know, now in a verb.

00:42:56.000 --> 00:43:03.000
I could look at it squarely. The stank naked truth of it. And I could choose.

00:43:03.000 --> 00:43:12.000
It wasn't that I had to, none of it. It was just yes. No.

00:43:12.000 --> 00:43:20.000
You know, it's interesting just just a little bit about clearing because I feel like it would be for somebody who's not familiar with clearing.

00:43:20.000 --> 00:43:30.000
And who's listening to this conversation. I think it, it's possible to, to think that clearing is, is like venting.

00:43:30.000 --> 00:43:31.000
Yes.

00:43:31.000 --> 00:43:35.000
You know, when people just come and vent, but it's not the same. Inventing eventing has its value, don't get me wrong.

00:43:35.000 --> 00:43:38.000
Not.

00:43:38.000 --> 00:43:49.000
But clearing is, is speaking, venting is just speaking. This is like whatever and it's often it's often speaking with no self-reflection.

00:43:49.000 --> 00:43:57.000
It's often speaking with no accountability or responsibility or self-awareness or, you know, like that.

00:43:57.000 --> 00:44:02.000
Yes.

00:44:02.000 --> 00:44:03.000
Yes.

00:44:03.000 --> 00:44:07.000
Whereas clearing is speaking with an intention. It's an intention to get clear for yourself. Right?

00:44:07.000 --> 00:44:20.000
And so to be able to. Generate that clarity for yourself. So that we can make our way through the noise, the noise in our minds, the noise in the world.

00:44:20.000 --> 00:44:32.000
So that we can then be clear in our intentions and our actions and move forward. And you talked about being able to take responsibility.

00:44:32.000 --> 00:44:39.000
And be able to see what you were, where you were avoiding responsibility. And get clear and see that.

00:44:39.000 --> 00:44:47.000
And have that self-awareness. So that you could you could then choose or not but you would be conscious.

00:44:47.000 --> 00:44:48.000
Yes.

00:44:48.000 --> 00:44:53.000
So there's a level of consciousness that clearing brings that venting doesn't necessarily bring.

00:44:53.000 --> 00:45:03.000
Doesn't really and you may vent as part of as you say part of the process and some of it may be venting and what I like the way you said the no clearing.

00:45:03.000 --> 00:45:10.000
Is being in communication. Coming from a commitment.

00:45:10.000 --> 00:45:12.000
Yes.

00:45:12.000 --> 00:45:24.000
A commitment to. Actually life in the in its broadest sense coming from. A commitment because I I am I was clear that I was had to be clear.

00:45:24.000 --> 00:45:33.000
I had to get clear. That was just it. I had to get clear. I was committed.

00:45:33.000 --> 00:45:41.000
To seeing the truth of it, whatever it was. And so that's set up. The dynamics.

00:45:41.000 --> 00:45:48.000
Where. When I spoke, I wasn't just talking. Here's another summit distinct.

00:45:48.000 --> 00:45:52.000
Talking versus sharing.

00:45:52.000 --> 00:45:55.000
Most of, most of the time we talk. This talk and you know I'm not making that wrong.

00:45:55.000 --> 00:46:11.000
They said no we talk. Where's more talking in the world than there is. Genuine sharing. So sharing is me making myself when I share I am making myself vulnerable.

00:46:11.000 --> 00:46:22.000
Taking the masks. Off letting the force field down. And saying. Sharing with someone.

00:46:22.000 --> 00:46:28.000
What's really so? And the key to it is vulnerability. And is still coming when it's authentic.

00:46:28.000 --> 00:46:31.000
Hmm.

00:46:31.000 --> 00:46:47.000
When the sharing as opposed to just talking about a thing. So when I'm talking, I just frequently be very descriptive in our speaking and we start using third person pronouns like, well, you, it's like this when you get to this thing and then you do that, well know.

00:46:47.000 --> 00:46:55.000
Sharing is I. All eye statements. And.

00:46:55.000 --> 00:47:05.000
That allows for the possibility of transformation to take place. We're talking. Around the thing describing it.

00:47:05.000 --> 00:47:10.000
No, that won't get you there. Just won't. It's not that it's not, it wasn't designed for that.

00:47:10.000 --> 00:47:16.000
Talking can lead you to sharing.

00:47:16.000 --> 00:47:27.000
But yeah, so those are some of my. Go to ingrained in me now conscious part of my psyche distinctions.

00:47:27.000 --> 00:47:35.000
Question for you, when you talk about using the distinctions of power and self generation when working in community.

00:47:35.000 --> 00:47:48.000
Particularly when you're working in communities that have perhaps been marginalized or disempowered. Have you, have you come across, any resistance?

00:47:48.000 --> 00:48:09.000
From members of those communities around the word power. Cause I've noticed sometimes that I come up against resistance in the sense that some people some people think of the word power or people with power and they and they collapse it with oppressors.

00:48:09.000 --> 00:48:17.000
And so. You know, I'm just wondering because I've sometimes had people not willing to step into power.

00:48:17.000 --> 00:48:26.000
Or the word or see themselves as powerful. Because they automatically think that that means that they are oppressive or at oppressor.

00:48:26.000 --> 00:48:28.000
Have you have that shown up for you at all?

00:48:28.000 --> 00:48:41.000
And I get the distinction, you know, having the distinction between power and force. So what we most of our experience is that of force, being coerced into something or threatened into something.

00:48:41.000 --> 00:48:53.000
And that's generally what power is equated to. Genuine power is, Cause you know, I, I didn't, I didn't use the word power.

00:48:53.000 --> 00:49:03.000
One thing I never used it. Never use the word power. What one particular community where I was really blessed and privileged to work.

00:49:03.000 --> 00:49:13.000
It was a part of town here in Nakadocha. Howing public housing community. I never, I knew that never knew the place was there.

00:49:13.000 --> 00:49:14.000
That's how invisible they were. Just about anybody who came, you know, became part of working with the residents there.

00:49:14.000 --> 00:49:24.000
Had no idea. They might have lived in the town most or all of their lives that they were even there.

00:49:24.000 --> 00:49:33.000
That's how invisible these people were. And, you know, I went. However I got there.

00:49:33.000 --> 00:49:43.000
And I. The thing that was present to me when I who I was. Was that that God was present.

00:49:43.000 --> 00:49:54.000
And when I set foot on it, I remember it felt God's presence was so, it was palpable, so powerful is as though it was growing up out of the ground.

00:49:54.000 --> 00:50:00.000
And there was no physical evidence for it. And if I said that to anybody, they just, you know, think I'd.

00:50:00.000 --> 00:50:08.000
Lost it. So that was the place from where I came. I stood and came from that particular place.

00:50:08.000 --> 00:50:15.000
And go on into the, some community members, you know, one, young lady, her home.

00:50:15.000 --> 00:50:24.000
And just being present. Being present is another summit distinction and I rely on a lot being present and noticing when I'm not.

00:50:24.000 --> 00:50:32.000
That's it. I was that had to listen because I figured now I had I didn't put it this way until you said what you said.

00:50:32.000 --> 00:50:40.000
Not if I look back on that experience, I experience myself as being. Oh goodness gracious, like a lightning rod.

00:50:40.000 --> 00:50:50.000
You know, this thing that sticks up out of the top of a building so it will track the both of lightning and direct it down to the ground where it won't do any harm.

00:50:50.000 --> 00:51:00.000
I since I was being I would I would be led to the power in the place, people who had it.

00:51:00.000 --> 00:51:07.000
It's authentic power. I would be led to it. That would be led to them. And I pray that the Lord would have us meet.

00:51:07.000 --> 00:51:15.000
And as exactly what happened. I'm that some women I went, okay, I know who's running this place.

00:51:15.000 --> 00:51:28.000
And if they had a authentic. Power and vision. It wasn't forced. So being a clearing for genuine power to show up.

00:51:28.000 --> 00:51:43.000
You know, I'm using frame at this point now that we're having this conversation. Being the clearing for that allowed, I say, need to be available to be attracted to and then attracted to me and to be led to.

00:51:43.000 --> 00:51:53.000
The locus of that power and it happened consistently. And you know, everybody's got power. Is this a matter do you know?

00:51:53.000 --> 00:51:59.000
And know the difference between power and force and how you use it.

00:51:59.000 --> 00:52:10.000
Absolutely. So interesting. All that I'm learning about you tonight, Yeah. Question for you.

00:52:10.000 --> 00:52:14.000
Do you have a favorite annual summit that you attended?

00:52:14.000 --> 00:52:26.000
Good evening. Good heaven. Do I have a favorite? That's hard.

00:52:26.000 --> 00:52:27.000
Hmm, okay. What year was that? Do you recall? I know it was the 1990.

00:52:27.000 --> 00:52:36.000
The One in South Africa. It stands up. Good day ask me. 96.

00:52:36.000 --> 00:52:37.000
Okay, mid 90, s will say. Okay.

00:52:37.000 --> 00:52:46.000
Was it maybe? Okay, I think so. Yeah, I think it was 1996 that one and the the Highland Park one and then the one in Philly.

00:52:46.000 --> 00:52:50.000
Yeah. And then every year after that. Hmm.

00:52:50.000 --> 00:52:59.000
You know, I can't. Put my hand on a favorite, but those. That one in the Highland Park one.

00:52:59.000 --> 00:53:12.000
Stood out and the thing about the Johannesburg one. You know, I, that was my first and only time so far that I've been to the continent.

00:53:12.000 --> 00:53:13.000
Hmm.

00:53:13.000 --> 00:53:18.000
And I remember stepping off the plane and stepping onto the ground. It was. Experience like none other.

00:53:18.000 --> 00:53:25.000
No, my ancestors likely came from either central or west. Yeah, Africa. It didn't matter to me.

00:53:25.000 --> 00:53:26.000
Right, right.

00:53:26.000 --> 00:53:31.000
My feet were on. The soil of the continent. Okay.

00:53:31.000 --> 00:53:42.000
I had a similar experience my first time to Africa, which was East Africa, which again, my, my ancestors likely are not from.

00:53:42.000 --> 00:53:43.000
Hmm.

00:53:43.000 --> 00:53:46.000
And I had a similar experience stepping. Stepping down into East Africa. So. Yeah.

00:53:46.000 --> 00:53:55.000
That was and the thing other thing that I there's memorable about that particular sum and you know one in Brazil too.

00:53:55.000 --> 00:54:07.000
Is that there is a woman Don't even try and you know to try to remember her name or pronounce it But she had she was one of those people who was had power.

00:54:07.000 --> 00:54:15.000
And she was, she had a vision. She heard, I don't know how she heard about the summit going on.

00:54:15.000 --> 00:54:25.000
And she worked with young people. From this, you know, from the streets. But she brought a whole Wow, it had to be 15.

00:54:25.000 --> 00:54:38.000
Or so young people, none of whom could speak English. And. So they ended up being a youth summit co-terminate, you know, with simultaneous.

00:54:38.000 --> 00:54:50.000
With the adult summit. And using art as a tool. I didn't do this. The people who ever met was managing it, managed it, but used art as a tool.

00:54:50.000 --> 00:55:06.000
And they got to speak their lives through pictures. And the language was never ever a barrier. Ever. And at the end of it, you know, she reported how the young people felt healed.

00:55:06.000 --> 00:55:12.000
You know, they got healing from that. Because, you know, really violent. Lots, lot of them were orphans because of AIDS and.

00:55:12.000 --> 00:55:13.000
Oh wow.

00:55:13.000 --> 00:55:20.000
But not, I mean, you know, so it was rough. It was rough. And they got healing.

00:55:20.000 --> 00:55:28.000
From that. And I was just so happy I just just got out of my mind deliriously happy about that.

00:55:28.000 --> 00:55:38.000
So that was one of the, that was if I remember anything about a summit that touched me deeply. Couldn't be more grateful for it.

00:55:38.000 --> 00:55:47.000
You know, that's a pretty good segue into your art. You're talking here about how art was used by the facilitators of the youth summit.

00:55:47.000 --> 00:55:48.000
In Brazil, which I think was 2,003.

00:55:48.000 --> 00:55:53.000
Okay, that was it was in Johannesburg. And might have used it in Brazil.

00:55:53.000 --> 00:55:54.000
That was it. Johannesburg. Yeah.

00:55:54.000 --> 00:55:59.000
Oh, and, oh, in Johannesburg, okay. Okay, in Johannesburg, how it was used as a tool.

00:55:59.000 --> 00:56:09.000
During the Johannesburg for the youth summit in Johannesburg. And how it was a healing tool, a transformational tool.

00:56:09.000 --> 00:56:21.000
So your own artwork as a fine artist. How do you view your own artwork? As an expression.

00:56:21.000 --> 00:56:33.000
As a as a message or a messenger. What is, what is your own artwork bringing into the world?

00:56:33.000 --> 00:56:42.000
You know, I ask myself that question or I'm in that question just about all the time either consciously or unconsciously.

00:56:42.000 --> 00:56:48.000
And you know, I look back at, and I look at my work and, I did one.

00:56:48.000 --> 00:57:00.000
This is a drawing. And the mixed media drawing. So that would be like it was graphite. And watercolor, 2 different media, so that's mixed media.

00:57:00.000 --> 00:57:10.000
And it was started out, you know, as a self portrait. And I didn't have a name, I was just Doing a self-portrait, drawing a human figure.

00:57:10.000 --> 00:57:20.000
And. At the end of it. I looked at that and I notice.

00:57:20.000 --> 00:57:29.000
You know, I had included. The bottom part of an eagle in flight, the legs and the talents and maybe a little bit of the wing.

00:57:29.000 --> 00:57:36.000
I don't, yeah, a little bit of the wing, I think. But the talons and the talons were.

00:57:36.000 --> 00:57:45.000
Reaching out and just about to grab. My hair just about to grab me. Just have to grab my.

00:57:45.000 --> 00:57:47.000
I can tell you what I think that means.

00:57:47.000 --> 00:57:51.000
Yeah, do you tell me what you think it needs and then I'll tell you if you're on.

00:57:51.000 --> 00:57:56.000
United States is coming to get you, girl.

00:57:56.000 --> 00:57:58.000
Pretty much. And. Okay.

00:57:58.000 --> 00:58:02.000
If I'm Canadian, so if it were an image of me, it would be a beaver coming.

00:58:02.000 --> 00:58:03.000
Yeah. Threatening may believe or be your. I might have to work a little bit to get the threat in that.

00:58:03.000 --> 00:58:11.000
Or a maple leaf. Yeah.

00:58:11.000 --> 00:58:20.000
Yeah, with this, you know, that symbol. No work needed and I had the talons were painted red, white, and blue.

00:58:20.000 --> 00:58:39.000
So it was very clear. And I started on a. Couple years before, few years I was teaching teaching, intermediate drawing and we were doing, Life drawing, if you're going to draw your You draw a portrait looking in the mirror, no photographs.

00:58:39.000 --> 00:58:47.000
You have to deal with everything that it takes to do something from life. And, so I put it away.

00:58:47.000 --> 00:58:57.000
And then I pulled it back out. And it was when during the time. When George Floyd was murdered.

00:58:57.000 --> 00:59:05.000
Then it was, you know, Beyond a Taylor before that and Comet. And Sandra Bland, you know, this whole long line of folk.

00:59:05.000 --> 00:59:16.000
But this particular time, George. Lloyd was murdered. And I took it out and I was just looking, I was just so.

00:59:16.000 --> 00:59:23.000
I was enraged. I was grief stricken. I was just so enraged. I couldn't talk.

00:59:23.000 --> 00:59:29.000
And I looked at it and I kept, you know, I put it away because I said there's something missing and I don't know what it is.

00:59:29.000 --> 00:59:53.000
I might put something away for years. And I pulled it out and looked at for why I said okay it's flat is this something and here's missing what in the world is it Well, when George Floyd was murdered, I just remember picking up a pencil and I just scribbled and dug it into the paper and I scratched it the eagle I scribbled and I just went all just vented all

00:59:53.000 --> 01:00:00.000
my fury on that thing And when I got done, I went, oh yeah, that's what it was.

01:00:00.000 --> 01:00:09.000
So. Communication. Hey, happens. You know, God knows the right moment.

01:00:09.000 --> 01:00:19.000
What was missing? The something that was, I needed a catalyst, unfortunately, was another human being's murder that brought it forth.

01:00:19.000 --> 01:00:23.000
A catalyst to release that.

01:00:23.000 --> 01:00:32.000
And, you know, when I saw the name of the. Of the drawing, which no. Thank God by the grace of God I have sold.

01:00:32.000 --> 01:00:38.000
Is a prey PRAY slash PREY.

01:00:38.000 --> 01:00:44.000
And it's in a book in the, the Magic of Modern Art book. It's one of the 2 works that are.

01:00:44.000 --> 01:00:53.000
In the book. And that's the title did not come to me until then. Pray, pray.

01:00:53.000 --> 01:01:05.000
So frequently, like a lot of artists, my art is about making the invisible visible. And that which has been Suppress.

01:01:05.000 --> 01:01:11.000
Erased. Or just flat out omitted. Okay, looking in between the cracks in between the words that are said, which the truth you'll find that you usually in between.

01:01:11.000 --> 01:01:25.000
And the unspoken. So bringing the unspoken. To bear, to life, to making it visible.

01:01:25.000 --> 01:01:33.000
Okay. And. Just speaking for, I said, I know I'm not the only woman who feels like that.

01:01:33.000 --> 01:01:43.000
That I am PR EY. Being female. You have to do is be female. Yeah.

01:01:43.000 --> 01:01:49.000
To some degree, any at any point in time anywhere, I could become PRI. So it wasn't just me speaking for myself.

01:01:49.000 --> 01:02:05.000
I have, I have a whole sisterhood. Of women. And what keeps me well. Is my prayer, PR AY.

01:02:05.000 --> 01:02:09.000
But for that, who knows how many times I would have been PRI.

01:02:09.000 --> 01:02:24.000
You know, it's interesting, my mind is going back to what you said earlier in the conversation about thousands of years ago so that that 5,000 you know for 5,000 years we've had these conversations about artists.

01:02:24.000 --> 01:02:32.000
My mind went too. Ancient Rome and ancient Greece. And.

01:02:32.000 --> 01:02:43.000
And when you talked about art being used by many artists as a way of making the invisible visible. Having a conversation.

01:02:43.000 --> 01:02:52.000
Essentially an anti-artist conversation. You know, popping up. During ancient civilization.

01:02:52.000 --> 01:03:05.000
For the first time is interesting to me. Because that could potentially be the first time when human expression in art threatened anybody, right?

01:03:05.000 --> 01:03:19.000
So if you have a particular power structure. And people are making the invisible visible. Through their artwork and showing the aspects of that structure.

01:03:19.000 --> 01:03:26.000
That the powers that be don't want seen. They're invisible. They're invisible for a reason in that in that.

01:03:26.000 --> 01:03:36.000
You know, in that societal structure. Right? And so the people who like that in societal structure to run the way it's running want those invisible things to stay invisible.

01:03:36.000 --> 01:03:44.000
So to to disempower the people who make those things visible would make sense as a new conversation to bring into the world.

01:03:44.000 --> 01:03:45.000
Just.

01:03:45.000 --> 01:03:57.000
Yeah, that could have, could a very well been and, the What was it I wanna say?

01:03:57.000 --> 01:04:05.000
The creative impulse. Is mysterious.

01:04:05.000 --> 01:04:18.000
It's usually mysterious. And wonder, okay, where did that come this thing being saying doing, writing about where did that come from.

01:04:18.000 --> 01:04:25.000
Well, if I go make something, you know, I know, well, if I, you know, make a cup or something like that.

01:04:25.000 --> 01:04:34.000
Okay. I know you get clay or whatever. Make that thing. See where it comes from.

01:04:34.000 --> 01:04:42.000
But even the impulse to make. It's so mysterious. And no a lot of us don't have a lot of room for it.

01:04:42.000 --> 01:04:46.000
For mystery and not knowing. Don't have a lot of room for it. So we pick up.

01:04:46.000 --> 01:04:54.000
Yeah, but do you think that that is cult do you think that that is? A part of modern civilization?

01:04:54.000 --> 01:05:06.000
Like, do you think that that prehistoric people and who were doing cave drawings. You know, drawings on the walls of caves were afraid of the mystery of their drawings.

01:05:06.000 --> 01:05:14.000
Well, the people that made them, you know, and the cave drawing and stuff is always conjecture because it's no writing or nobody around really interpret them.

01:05:14.000 --> 01:05:26.000
But you know, even then the people as far as you know, if you overlay. Civilizations that haven't had a whole lot of Western contact.

01:05:26.000 --> 01:05:35.000
Overlay it as much as you can, which isn't a whole lot. On top of the work of people who made images.

01:05:35.000 --> 01:05:42.000
And by the way, to some of them, they figured they were women just because of like the handprints through the size of a woman's hand.

01:05:42.000 --> 01:05:43.000
Sure.

01:05:43.000 --> 01:05:50.000
So they're pretty sure that artist did that was a woman. They were generally on the edge of their own societies.

01:05:50.000 --> 01:05:54.000
Oh really? Interesting.

01:05:54.000 --> 01:05:55.000
Oh, okay.

01:05:55.000 --> 01:06:00.000
They, yes, they were genuine, usually on the edge, and people wonder. Okay. So just seem to be.

01:06:00.000 --> 01:06:11.000
Oh, okay. And you know, the conversation they have connection with the spirit world. Because what people did and okay we don't want a whole lot to do with them because we don't want to upset these people.

01:06:11.000 --> 01:06:16.000
Since they have this connection that we can't explain. That I don't seem to have. So it looks mysterious and special that way.

01:06:16.000 --> 01:06:26.000
So the The artist generally and most cultures are on the fringes.

01:06:26.000 --> 01:06:27.000
Oh, interesting. I wouldn't have guessed that. That's interesting.

01:06:27.000 --> 01:06:35.000
And I, yeah, a common thing and it's gotten. No, we're so fragmented now.

01:06:35.000 --> 01:06:47.000
That you know who can tell but even artists just about from the beginning it seems as though been on as they live on the outskirts of the village and maybe a little bit outside.

01:06:47.000 --> 01:06:55.000
And they may be have been the shamans. Of particular cultures and whatnot but there was some people looking sideways some of the time.

01:06:55.000 --> 01:06:57.000
Yeah.

01:06:57.000 --> 01:07:01.000
It works.

01:07:01.000 --> 01:07:12.000
Well, you have some. Art that you might be open to sharing with us. Is that true?

01:07:12.000 --> 01:07:19.000
Yeah, I have it's some of my earlier work and if I could share do I have the ability to share the screen

01:07:19.000 --> 01:07:26.000
I will give you that ability momentarily.

01:07:26.000 --> 01:07:28.000
Okay, go ahead.

01:07:28.000 --> 01:07:36.000
Let's see, now let me see if I got this right here. Remember how to do it.

01:07:36.000 --> 01:07:40.000
Okay, let's see.

01:07:40.000 --> 01:07:44.000
Let's see.

01:07:44.000 --> 01:07:55.000
Maybe.

01:07:55.000 --> 01:08:00.000
Let's see.

01:08:00.000 --> 01:08:07.000
So this is some of, I don't know if I can make it scroll. I don't get can I scroll?

01:08:07.000 --> 01:08:13.000
I don't,'t seem like I can make a scroll. Oh, there it is.

01:08:13.000 --> 01:08:15.000
So this is, some of My pen and

01:08:15.000 --> 01:08:22.000
What? I'm just gonna check in with Joy, our tech support here, the virtual team.

01:08:22.000 --> 01:08:25.000
Yeah, I don't.

01:08:25.000 --> 01:08:26.000
Oh, is it?

01:08:26.000 --> 01:08:27.000
It's not showing on my screen. No. It says that you've started.

01:08:27.000 --> 01:08:32.000
It's not. Yeah, it's just says you started screen sharing. Did you put the?

01:08:32.000 --> 01:08:33.000
Oh.

01:08:33.000 --> 01:08:36.000
Punch into 2 prompts at the bottom 2 little squares.

01:08:36.000 --> 01:08:41.000
Oh, I surely did. So stop share.

01:08:41.000 --> 01:08:42.000
Let me try it again.

01:08:42.000 --> 01:08:49.000
Sheer screen. Cheers down optimized for video clip. Good.

01:08:49.000 --> 01:08:55.000
That should do it. Yep. Good to see it.

01:08:55.000 --> 01:08:56.000
Yep, great.

01:08:56.000 --> 01:08:57.000
There we go. Okay, great. Thank you for your help, Joy. That's great.

01:08:57.000 --> 01:08:58.000
No problem. Nope.

01:08:58.000 --> 01:09:09.000
Okay. Really? So this is some of my pen and ink work, 15 million buffalo gone, and there's gonna be some prints, some fine art, one of a kind prints made of this one.

01:09:09.000 --> 01:09:12.000
Can you bring that up full screen?

01:09:12.000 --> 01:09:17.000
I have no idea. Let's see. See.

01:09:17.000 --> 01:09:19.000
So this is called what pen and ink you said? Wow.

01:09:19.000 --> 01:09:29.000
Yes, so it's ink. Is black ink. With a variety of. Weights a pen on the white illustration.

01:09:29.000 --> 01:09:36.000
White Bristol board. And this is a 15 million buffalo gone, but one came back.

01:09:36.000 --> 01:09:46.000
15 million buffalo gone, but one came back. It's interesting because when I first looked at it, I saw what I thought were.

01:09:46.000 --> 01:09:52.000
Zebra and Leopard and Like that.

01:09:52.000 --> 01:10:00.000
So these are when I'm making this type of work. I don't have any images, any images at all in my.

01:10:00.000 --> 01:10:12.000
It's all not objective or some people would say abstract. It's only as I was working, I noticed that some things seem to take.

01:10:12.000 --> 01:10:14.000
A recognizable figurative form and and I looked and I said, well, oh heck, it's back.

01:10:14.000 --> 01:10:25.000
Just shown up in some other works of art, but I wasn't consciously trying to do that.

01:10:25.000 --> 01:10:33.000
It's beautiful. I definitely I will say for me, It I definitely saw it definitely made me think of an animal presence or animals.

01:10:33.000 --> 01:10:35.000
Yes.

01:10:35.000 --> 01:10:44.000
Part of it in the lower, it looks like, I can't like a Thai dragon.

01:10:44.000 --> 01:10:48.000
You know, sort, so I think it's a Thailand that has those certain kind of images.

01:10:48.000 --> 01:10:50.000
Hmm.

01:10:50.000 --> 01:11:12.000
It's really. Highly, I would not like fine art. If I were to list my skills and capacities, you know, like mathematical capacity and athletic capacity and you know, whatever, fine art would be really way down on really way down on the list.

01:11:12.000 --> 01:11:23.000
Right. So when I look at something like this so intricate, it's, really.

01:11:23.000 --> 01:11:29.000
Little bit. Mind-boggling for me how someone can take a blank piece of paper.

01:11:29.000 --> 01:11:34.000
Start with a blank piece of paper and then end up with something like this.

01:11:34.000 --> 01:11:43.000
Yeah, yeah, I can get that. And you know, you distill it. Creating a summit.

01:11:43.000 --> 01:11:47.000
Really wasn't that much different.

01:11:47.000 --> 01:11:48.000
Hmm.

01:11:48.000 --> 01:12:00.000
Yes, one of the things that when you're the creative process is the creative process. Now, how you use it and what you intend to bring forth with it.

01:12:00.000 --> 01:12:01.000
Sure.

01:12:01.000 --> 01:12:08.000
You know, the differentiation. Can appear there, but you know standing in the unknown not knowing. Okay, I don't know what to do then just do something.

01:12:08.000 --> 01:12:17.000
Okay, I'm gonna do something. And then I'm going to do something else. And give up the attachment to will it work or not?

01:12:17.000 --> 01:12:18.000
Hmm.

01:12:18.000 --> 01:12:23.000
Just do it. And then you get to see at a certain point work and not work. So, you know, the creation of the summit was.

01:12:23.000 --> 01:12:26.000
Gotcha.

01:12:26.000 --> 01:12:29.000
Let's see. Like that.

01:12:29.000 --> 01:12:35.000
Lose for Dadio. I really hear what you're saying about the Creative Summit.

01:12:35.000 --> 01:12:44.000
It really is. You know, talking about stepping into that space of the unknown. You know, people talk about being in the zone creatively.

01:12:44.000 --> 01:13:03.000
Being guided. When they're in the zone. You know, or having having, These are just things that I've heard people say or have read that people have said about when they are creating or creative.

01:13:03.000 --> 01:13:09.000
You know that the that the pen was led by someone else it just came through them things like that that people sometimes say This is gorgeous.

01:13:09.000 --> 01:13:14.000
Okay.

01:13:14.000 --> 01:13:26.000
So. Blues for dadio so i see a man in the lower right hand corner looks like he's carrying a chair

01:13:26.000 --> 01:13:27.000
Okay. Okay.

01:13:27.000 --> 01:13:37.000
And this is a mixed media collage. So one of the things that, and this is very modern early twentieth century and, people.

01:13:37.000 --> 01:13:47.000
Who are. Not wealthy who are poor. Have been doing this for millennia.

01:13:47.000 --> 01:13:48.000
Right.

01:13:48.000 --> 01:13:53.000
You use what's at hand. And you make it do things that it was never in that they were never intended to do, what you make them do.

01:13:53.000 --> 01:13:59.000
You know, make do. You make them do things. That they weren't originally designed to do.

01:13:59.000 --> 01:14:05.000
And that is a really the base is pretty much, you know, a lot a lot of my work.

01:14:05.000 --> 01:14:18.000
So this is go through magazines and just cut out things that are attractive to me and and put them together, draw on them, paint on them and see what happens.

01:14:18.000 --> 01:14:19.000
And it was.

01:14:19.000 --> 01:14:22.000
Well, I'll tell you the story I'm creating for this piece. Do you want to hear it?

01:14:22.000 --> 01:14:23.000
Sure.

01:14:23.000 --> 01:14:32.000
Okay, so here's the story I'm creating for this piece. So Daddy O is in the lower right hand corner and he is in fact blue.

01:14:32.000 --> 01:14:37.000
He's, he's emotionally blue and the color on him is blue. And he's carrying something.

01:14:37.000 --> 01:14:44.000
So there's the chair and whatever he's carrying in his left hand. So he's kind of burdened.

01:14:44.000 --> 01:15:01.000
So I'm creating the story that he has been burdened by work. He's been burdened by work, but the burden by work that he has Hey, K on actually created and I'm going to speak that the larger image, yellow and pink.

01:15:01.000 --> 01:15:15.000
Is the image of a young child. Who was living a colorful, beautiful life. And living that colorful, beautiful life.

01:15:15.000 --> 01:15:16.000
Hmm.

01:15:16.000 --> 01:15:21.000
Because DADIO was willing to carry those birds. So dadio created. A beautiful world for this young child to live into.

01:15:21.000 --> 01:15:23.000
Yes, a beautiful story.

01:15:23.000 --> 01:15:24.000
Yes. Okay.

01:15:24.000 --> 01:15:29.000
I would have never come up with that. Yes, good. It's one of the great things.

01:15:29.000 --> 01:15:30.000
That's my story.

01:15:30.000 --> 01:15:41.000
About making art is I don't have to know anything about it and how I learned about. A lot of my art is I listen to people.

01:15:41.000 --> 01:15:48.000
And I listen and they say things and I went, oh yeah, that's that too. So, you know, I.

01:15:48.000 --> 01:15:57.000
People tell me what I've done. Cause I frequently don't know. And that's the communal nature of.

01:15:57.000 --> 01:16:08.000
Participating in art. It is not a passive experience. I mean for people to evolve themselves like you just did and think about it.

01:16:08.000 --> 01:16:19.000
Once your creative imagination got incited. By this piece of artwork. Who knows where that incitement excitement might take you?

01:16:19.000 --> 01:16:26.000
In furtherance of your own vision or somewhere in your own life and then you know this part piece of artwork has done, done his job.

01:16:26.000 --> 01:16:35.000
It's out in the world doing something. So, you know, the potential for God-giving potential being unleashed.

01:16:35.000 --> 01:16:40.000
I intend for that to happen. I pray for it to happen through my art. People get something. That only they may know.

01:16:40.000 --> 01:16:44.000
Hmm. Let's do one more.

01:16:44.000 --> 01:16:45.000
Let me see.

01:16:45.000 --> 01:16:47.000
Yeah, let's do one more.

01:16:47.000 --> 01:16:54.000
Let's see. This is the prey prey.

01:16:54.000 --> 01:17:02.000
Oh, yeah.

01:17:02.000 --> 01:17:03.000
I was trying to be subtle. Okay.

01:17:03.000 --> 01:17:09.000
Red, white and blue on those talons. Okay. Hello. Coming for you, girl.

01:17:09.000 --> 01:17:12.000
Oh, you're serious.

01:17:12.000 --> 01:17:18.000
And you know, people, it's just interesting people's reactions to this. I said, this is what intense concentration looks like.

01:17:18.000 --> 01:17:20.000
I'm looking in a mirror. Trying to draw myself Okay.

01:17:20.000 --> 01:17:29.000
Oh You look young, I would say you were like in middle school in this picture.

01:17:29.000 --> 01:17:35.000
Well, okay. Okay.

01:17:35.000 --> 01:17:36.000
Okay.

01:17:36.000 --> 01:17:39.000
Yeah, you look young and serious to me.

01:17:39.000 --> 01:17:49.000
And the hummingbird here. Yeah, juxtaposition between the hummingbird and the eagle.

01:17:49.000 --> 01:17:52.000
So let's do one more, cause we'd already talked about this one. No.

01:17:52.000 --> 01:17:59.000
Yeah, but the hummingbird I didn't say. Hummingbird is in Western art at any rate in a symbol of the presence of God.

01:17:59.000 --> 01:18:00.000
Oh, I didn't know that.

01:18:00.000 --> 01:18:09.000
How many words are? No match for Eagles. Well, Eagle can catch one anyway because they're coming birds moved so fast and they're little who would want that.

01:18:09.000 --> 01:18:10.000
Hmm.

01:18:10.000 --> 01:18:13.000
So whisperings in my ear, in the face of. Being correct.

01:18:13.000 --> 01:18:17.000
Oh, I get it, yeah.

01:18:17.000 --> 01:18:24.000
To whom will I listen? Whose word will I take?

01:18:24.000 --> 01:18:31.000
This is the other one that's. In the book. And, a magic of mind and art.

01:18:31.000 --> 01:18:33.000
Okay, so this is prophecy.

01:18:33.000 --> 01:18:42.000
Prophecy. So this is Mixed Media Collage. And the humming bird appears again.

01:18:42.000 --> 01:18:47.000
Homing bird, where's the humming bird? I see a blue jay.

01:18:47.000 --> 01:18:48.000
Okay, the hummingbird, okay.

01:18:48.000 --> 01:18:53.000
And it just See up here. Yeah. That's a blue, I'm glad you said what that was.

01:18:53.000 --> 01:18:57.000
Cause I didn't know.

01:18:57.000 --> 01:18:58.000
Oh, oh. Oh, okay. I'm glad you presented well.

01:18:58.000 --> 01:19:08.000
I'm Torontonian, so our baseball team are the Blue Jays. Yeah. I will say the large image looks like the shape of a heart to me.

01:19:08.000 --> 01:19:09.000
Yes.

01:19:09.000 --> 01:19:15.000
Like an actual, you know. Shape of a, you know, not the symbol of a heart, but an actual.

01:19:15.000 --> 01:19:16.000
Part.

01:19:16.000 --> 01:19:19.000
You would start. Yes. And it was not intentional.

01:19:19.000 --> 01:19:20.000
Okay.

01:19:20.000 --> 01:19:28.000
It turned out like that. And. You know, and I just being with it, say, okay.

01:19:28.000 --> 01:19:40.000
This is paint that I scraped off my palette. Dry acrylic paint. And cutouts from magazines also paint.

01:19:40.000 --> 01:19:50.000
And these are cutouts and it does stand away from the paper a little bit. So this is.

01:19:50.000 --> 01:19:51.000
Well, what's the story? What's the story? You tell me.

01:19:51.000 --> 01:19:56.000
Well, I'm looking for the story. Yeah. I'm looking for the story.

01:19:56.000 --> 01:20:06.000
The heart looks a little, you know, the heart looks a little bit patchwork. Right, a little bit patchwork like maybe it has been mended.

01:20:06.000 --> 01:20:14.000
You know, so it might be a heart that was broken but has been mended. And.

01:20:14.000 --> 01:20:23.000
And health and care is on the way. So the the birds are flying towards it the the blue Jay.

01:20:23.000 --> 01:20:31.000
And the humming bird. Are flying towards this mended heart. To provide love care and support.

01:20:31.000 --> 01:20:33.000
That's my story.

01:20:33.000 --> 01:20:34.000
That's so wonderful.

01:20:34.000 --> 01:20:36.000
Yeah.

01:20:36.000 --> 01:20:40.000
Fabulous. I love that story.

01:20:40.000 --> 01:20:45.000
That's cool.

01:20:45.000 --> 01:20:46.000
You are welcome.

01:20:46.000 --> 01:20:52.000
Thank you, Aloma, for sharing this artwork. This is great. So for those who are listening, through the audio podcast you heard our descriptions.

01:20:52.000 --> 01:21:00.000
You won't be able to see them, but you at least heard the stories. The stories of what I think those images represent.

01:21:00.000 --> 01:21:01.000
Yeah.

01:21:01.000 --> 01:21:06.000
Now I'll put in the chat before we go. The. Link to the website.

01:21:06.000 --> 01:21:10.000
Oh, that's great. So we'll have the link to the website for anybody who's interested to be able to go and look at all of the artwork that's available there.

01:21:10.000 --> 01:21:19.000
The C. I'm assuming some of it is available to purchase too.

01:21:19.000 --> 01:21:20.000
Some of it is.

01:21:20.000 --> 01:21:35.000
Wonderful. Okay. Okay. So let me ask you, Aloma, is there anything you would like to share with us or say this evening that we haven't touched on?

01:21:35.000 --> 01:21:41.000
Oh goodness gracious.

01:21:41.000 --> 01:21:48.000
You know, this one thing about the seasons of one's life. How does the declaration?

01:21:48.000 --> 01:21:51.000
Mmm.

01:21:51.000 --> 01:21:59.000
Show up the manifestation of the declaration show up as we move from season to season. In our lives.

01:21:59.000 --> 01:22:01.000
Hmm.

01:22:01.000 --> 01:22:09.000
You know, now. Yeah, I'm retired. And I just celebrated my Jubilee year.

01:22:09.000 --> 01:22:10.000
Oh wow.

01:22:10.000 --> 01:22:21.000
70 is a Jubilee year. In the Old Testament. And it's about the being mindful of and speaking to the Babylonian exile.

01:22:21.000 --> 01:22:28.000
And coming out of exile. And that's just so, it's about 70, you know, when you.

01:22:28.000 --> 01:22:29.000
70 what is it?

01:22:29.000 --> 01:22:31.000
Where is it? 3 score and 10, right? Yeah

01:22:31.000 --> 01:22:40.000
Yeah, 3. 50 is a Jubilee year. About every 7 years is a Jubilee year.

01:22:40.000 --> 01:22:49.000
So, you know, it doesn't. Fall on, 70 isn't exactly the next seven-year sequence if you start with 50, but it's a special event.

01:22:49.000 --> 01:23:01.000
Because of the Babylonian exile. And you know, just looking at life. What is What is being asked of me?

01:23:01.000 --> 01:23:11.000
In this season of my life coming out of exile the first half of life. Ways of being which were great.

01:23:11.000 --> 01:23:12.000
Hmm.

01:23:12.000 --> 01:23:16.000
For the first half of life. Not great in the second half. So, you know, reliving.

01:23:16.000 --> 01:23:22.000
You see people, you know, forever trying to be an age, young and age that they're not.

01:23:22.000 --> 01:23:33.000
So how do I know what is being asked from me now? How can the declaration empower? Me in the second half of my life.

01:23:33.000 --> 01:23:41.000
You know, having conversations about legacy. And all of the life experiences I've been blessed to have, how do I.

01:23:41.000 --> 01:23:51.000
Remain fertile and keep generating and what for whom? You know how what potential is there waiting to be unleashed.

01:23:51.000 --> 01:23:56.000
In my life and the lives of others. You know, I'm a baby boomer. It's still a line.

01:23:56.000 --> 01:24:10.000
We are not done yet. So how can we empower? How could the declaration empower? Us to be life giving in ways that the world cannot live without.

01:24:10.000 --> 01:24:25.000
In the second half of life. You know, after coming out of exile. Freedom from things that Shackled me in the first half of my life coming out of that really you know how can the declaration empower that?

01:24:25.000 --> 01:24:37.000
Yeah, that's a great inquiry. Great and quiet and I will say this you are the embodiment of black don't crack Okay.

01:24:37.000 --> 01:24:46.000
I'm not a baby boomer, I'm generation X. But, but, I look forward to, to not cracking.

01:24:46.000 --> 01:24:47.000
Yeah.

01:24:47.000 --> 01:24:49.000
Thank you.

01:24:49.000 --> 01:25:09.000
Go by. So, we do have, A last question that we typically ask. And I'm just going to see if I can pull it up here.

01:25:09.000 --> 01:25:17.000
So, and it's, we sometimes give a choice. So let me see if I'll give you a choice today or not.

01:25:17.000 --> 01:25:18.000
Okay.

01:25:18.000 --> 01:25:28.000
Okay. Here are the 2 questions. One is a little bit outdated, but I think I can still ask it.

01:25:28.000 --> 01:25:35.000
So you can pick one. The first one is what are the biggest things you've learned about your set off?

01:25:35.000 --> 01:25:39.000
As a result of the pandemic.

01:25:39.000 --> 01:25:46.000
The second one is what are 3 wishes that you have for the world right now?

01:25:46.000 --> 01:25:56.000
Hmm. Good questions, good heavens.

01:25:56.000 --> 01:26:02.000
Learn about myself. Doing the pandemic.

01:26:02.000 --> 01:26:10.000
Oh gosh, you both so rich I can't choose. You pick one.

01:26:10.000 --> 01:26:15.000
Okay, I will go with the 3 wishes. What are 3 wishes that you have for the world right now?

01:26:15.000 --> 01:26:32.000
Oh, okay. One wish is that we will not miss the opportunity. That this fragmentation and the disintegration of reality in quotes as we know that we not missed.

01:26:32.000 --> 01:26:45.000
Yeah, the opportunity. That all of this as it is brings for transformation, grounded in repentance, and forgiveness asking for.

01:26:45.000 --> 01:26:53.000
And giving forgiveness. And any and up to own it. Stop telling the truth, the stank naked truth of it.

01:26:53.000 --> 01:27:04.000
That we not miss this these opportunities that are being presented. So that's one. And that.

01:27:04.000 --> 01:27:11.000
Then again, it's in the way in the way of opportunity. That we will accept the opportunity.

01:27:11.000 --> 01:27:25.000
To Take up. There's the one of the first commands in. Christian scripture in the Old Testament in Genesis is Genesis 2 15.

01:27:25.000 --> 01:27:30.000
2 tend the garden and keep it.

01:27:30.000 --> 01:27:40.000
That we will tend the garden. And keep it with the love. The creativity and the passion that the Creator.

01:27:40.000 --> 01:27:44.000
In which the Creator brought it forth.

01:27:44.000 --> 01:27:52.000
So that's number 2. And number 3, let's see, what would that be?

01:27:52.000 --> 01:28:05.000
And in the, you know, the bringing forth of one and 2. To really participate fully. Do the work to find out each of us do our work.

01:28:05.000 --> 01:28:10.000
To find out who is this take God made this mystery called filling your name. And I'm created for such times as these.

01:28:10.000 --> 01:28:24.000
What am I created to bring forth? That we all engage individually and collectively. In that discernment.

01:28:24.000 --> 01:28:36.000
Alone and with one another. And allow for joy and pray, play and grieving, all of it to be present in that discovery process and the inquiry.

01:28:36.000 --> 01:28:39.000
Those are the 3 I can think of.

01:28:39.000 --> 01:28:47.000
Fantastic. Fantastic. Thank you. Aloma for being here for kicking off our second season.

01:28:47.000 --> 01:28:51.000
Oh.

01:28:51.000 --> 01:28:53.000
Of the International Black Summit Interview Podcast.

01:28:53.000 --> 01:29:07.000
Okay, thank you so much for asking me. This has been such fun and just had thoughts that I haven't had before, especially about my work and Those 3 questions are good questions to ask oneself every day.

01:29:07.000 --> 01:29:08.000
Absolutely. Absolutely.

01:29:08.000 --> 01:29:13.000
Thank you for everybody who came.

01:29:13.000 --> 01:29:22.000
Yeah, thank you. Thank you to everyone who's watching on YouTube or who's listening on our podcast platform are listening on Spotify.

01:29:22.000 --> 01:29:32.000
Thank you for being here with us. We hope that you will consider joining us. We have a free session every Sunday evening at 7 15 p.

01:29:32.000 --> 01:29:37.000
M. Eastern. You're interested in joining us free via Zoom. Just let us know.

01:29:37.000 --> 01:29:46.000
We also have prerequisite courses that we eventually one day, one day courses that we offer.

01:29:46.000 --> 01:29:53.000
From time to time as well as our annual summit event the first full weekend in August that we hope you would consider joining us with.

01:29:53.000 --> 01:29:58.000
It's a transformer, transformational experience. Your life would never be the same. Please, please, Jenna.

01:29:58.000 --> 01:30:01.000
Who? True.

01:30:01.000 --> 01:30:08.000
We welcome you to join us. Welcome, welcome. We hope to see you next time. Good night, everybody.

01:30:08.000 --> 01:30:17.000
Good night.