The recent heated debate over immigration in the United States has left me worried:  Arizona was one gavel-bang away from being the only state in the US where cops could stop and detain you for lack of “papers.” Granted, there is nothing new about the desire to reform the country’s immigration laws and policies, just as there is nothing new about its current unfairness.  Right or wrong (cynical or on-point), I’ve long held the idea that the individuals that mainstream America want coming to this country have light (read: fair) skin.  I grew up in Florida where the wet foot-dry...

The Sol ex-PEER-ience sol (sōl) n. 1) Roman Mythology the sun god 2) the sun personified experience  (ek spirˈē əns) n. 1) the act of living through an event  2) anything observed or lived through 3) a) training and personal participation b) knowledge, skill, etc. resulting from this -from Webster’s New World Dictionary and Thesaurus Hello and welcome to the Sol Expeerience.  This is an exploration into my world where art forms collide and take you on a physical journey through spiritual spaces and intergalactic travels through mental stimulation. Sorry if I go too deep.  This is just...

by vincent & tafakari (WHAT ?! I wasn’t even there!) It all started when we did the T-shirt shoot for RepJa.  It was a fun Sunday afternoon and my girl Tara showed up to film the behind-the-scenes (she thinks she’s an auteur or something).  We were having so much fun that, on an impulse, we decided to have a get-together at her shop, The Crochet Fashion Gallery.  Tara and I didn’t know what we were going to do or what it was going to be about, but we knew we were going to do it in a week (because it was the last week of free parking).  Finally, we decided to go with The...

This a revisit of an old friend in the Garden Shakazz of AFROCHIC. Shakazz is an African born photographer who is now based in Paris. According to Shakazz, “My concept is called AFROCHIC and it’s all about Ebony photography, entirely dedicated to my people because KINGS and QUEENS are what we are. It’s black-owned business. I work with models, artists, singers and ordinary people. “Check out my work on www.afrochic.book.fr and if you wanna get in touch, hit me on facebook at AFROCHIC. If ever you decide to come to Paris and if you like my style, feel free to contact me for...

The following is a story I was fortunate to read by Surya Devi Shofar on blog The Sex-Sensual Griot. As I read it, I was intrigued and thought that I should do a write up of my own but the more I read, the more I realized that Surya’s story says it all. So here it is. Naked Expressions of Leading Black Women! The naked unveiling of her body in her video, “Window Seat”, was Erica’s way of showing the world that she has climbed higher dimensions of her spiritual journey while making a fierce political statement that inter weaved the past and brought us a flash into the...

by Vincent You see his work and its stops you. Dead in your tracks its stops you. Michael Thompson’s colors are rich and vibrant; a tasty buffet of design for your eyes. Its worth a look but that not what stops you. There’s always a story in the design, elevating it to the highest forms of art. Its a 21st century Afrocentric aesthestic that provokes, entertains and inspires. It stops you because it takes you to a place that you haven’t been. Yet Michael says, “I use design as a visual language to educate, to fight injustice, and also a way to ignite conversation. This collection...

The sun was bright and it was hot. And we did not care. We were having too much fun. This year’s carnival theme, “It’s Yours, It’s Mine, It’s Carnival,” celebrated the Caribbean community’s ethnic and cultural diversity. The carnival Akicked off at noon with the Parade of Bands. The parade began in downtown Atlanta on West Peachtree Street and concluded in the Historic Sweet Auburn district. Historic Auburn Avenue has a history of being a rich source African American culture. Its the home Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Martin Luther King, Sr and Jr both pastored, as well as the location...

Jouvert is defined by most West Indians as the official warm up to Carnival! Atlanta Jouvert is Atlanta’s Biggest Indoor Carribean Party. Quickly becoming new tradition in the ATL, this 6th annual event typically happens the Friday of Memorial Weekend and its viewed as the launch party for Atlanta’s Carribean Carnival. Taking place at the Atrium in Stone Mountain, (just east of Atlanta), the doors didn’t even open until 10 pm and the party went on until 7 am Saturday morning; not unusual for a West Indian party in Atlanta. There were a dozen DJs playing Soca and Reggae early into...

a picture says a thousand words. imagine what that says for spoken verse… It’s a Tuesday evening at Studio281 in Atlanta. Around 8 pm folks start to trickle in. They mingle and drink happily as the crew from Black on Black Rhyme Atlanta prepare the, typically, Jazz setting for it role tonight as a house of poetic verse.  Its a special night because several poets have travelled all the way from the Black on Black Rhyme  home of  Tallahassee FL to perform. After the night’s performance, spoken verse poets from both cities will head to Knoxville TN for a special event there,...

The Malcolm X Festival was a great day in the park. And for me, what’s interesting are the things that stand out to you. There were no video games; no Gameboys, no PSPs or Nintendo DSIs either. In the backdrop of nature and color and music and dance and culture, I am enriched. Culturally and spiritually, I was moved. I was satiated as I took it all in. I wish I could say more but, honestly, words fail me. The day took me back. It was reminiscent of events I would attend more than a dozen years ago when such creative arousal was brand new to me. Saturday fired up my imagination and seeded...