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@culturedreamlab

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An ORGanism designed to elevate our collective imagination of what it means to be free.
Creator: @sonofafrika
#DreamOrPerish

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Giving flowers to my husband, Ekundayo, for the presentation he gave yesterday at the Hip-Hop Literacy Conference. 👏🏾💐🧠🔥
I don’t usually get the opportunity to see him present, so being able to pull up with our family and watch him do what he does was special. Seeing him share his brilliance, passion, and scholarship in real time reminds me over and over that he’s him and he’s getting smarter and smarter. If you know Ekundayo, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s exciting and an honor to experience.

His presentation, “A Revolutionary Black Gaze: Dead Prez’s ‘Let’s Get Free’ and the Radical Politics of Hip-Hop,” was a powerful exploration of how hip-hop can function as a tool for political education, liberation, and collective struggle. (Follow him and see his post to learn more @SonofAfrika)

Watching him connect history, art, culture, politics, and music with so much depth, analysis, and clarity was really dope. He didn’t just talk at us, but broke it down. Class was in session, citations and all. When he knew he said a word/phrase/book we (I) probably didn’t know, without prompt, he told us what it meant and that’s big for me because I wanna stage engaged. And he let us read! Lol. (I loved reading aloud in class 😊)
The way he engages people and makes complex ideas accessible is his gift.
I’m so proud of you Handsome.
Thank you for continuing to pour into the culture, constantly learning, being open to others ideas, deepening your practice, pushing and prompting important conversations, and inspiring others to take action through your work.

My takeaway was intentionally listening to the photos and continuing to explore my actions when engaging with art that reflects current events.

Keep your head up and stay the course. It’s yours baby.

#HipHopLiteracy #DeadPrez #ProudWifeMoment #HipHopEducation #DrIgelekeLoading

What was your takeaway?

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I’ll be sharing some analysis Saturday at 10:45. Pull up!

A Revolutionary Black Gaze: Dead Prez’s ‘Lets Get Free’ and the Radical Politics of Hip-Hop:

Released in February 2000—poised between Y2K hysteria and hip-hop ‘s commercial apex—Dead Prez’s Let ‘s Get Free remains one of the most politically uncomp romising albums in the genre’s history. More than music, the album func tions as what Mark Anthony Neal calls a Black public text : a cultural ar tifac t “ “ ar ticulating radical politics through aesthetic form. This p resentation int roduces the concep t of the Revolutionary Black Gaze, building on Tina Camp t ‘s framework of the Black gaze while adding crucial dimensions of organized st ruggle, revolutionary pedagogy, and internationalist solidarity. Through close analysis of lyrics, album visuals, and historical context, this p resentation demonst rates how Dead Prez crafted a bluep rint for liberation remaining relevant in our era of post-Black Lives Matter counterrevolution and growing Palestinian solidarity movements. Attendees will leave with a clear framework for analyzing radical ar t emerging from organic intellec tual t raditions and a model for connec ting aesthetic critique to questions of political organization and liberation.
#hiphip #hiphoplit

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New article!

The Revolutionary Black Gaze:

Rejects Commodified Suffering: It refuses to trade in Black pain as spectacle, offering instead a praxis of radical viewing/listening and dignified representation.

Centers Radical Traditions: It draws from and contributes to histories of Black internationalism and solidarity with global liberation struggles.

Employs Art as Education: It uses aesthetic form not for decoration, but for explicit political education and consciousness-raising.

Balances Struggle and Futurity: It acknowledges the reality of ongoing conflict and death while simultaneously insisting on and visualizing Black futurity.

Much love to @alulahussen and @ujimaboston for publishing my work!

Link in bio! Read and share

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Black Men Build Columbus invites you to “BLACK LIBERATION” a group exhibition comprised of Black men depicting what freedom means to us.

The Black radical tradition embodies those fighting for the freedom of Black people across the diaspora, historically and today. Liberation is the power and expression of no longer being held captive literally and figuratively. It’s a declaration of our dignity. What began as a concept developed by Cedric Robinson, organizers, and movement workers, has evolved to mean so much more.

Black Liberation has a wide spectrum of meanings depending on who, when, and where. We are not a monolith but we all know or at least can imagine what it feels to be liberated. We all dream and struggle for that dream in various ways. This exhibition is a commemoration of Black men’s power to dream boldly and resist oppression. It is a declaration from Black men in Columbus, Ohio, showing the world what true freedom looks like for us, on our own terms.

Opening 8/26 at 6pm see you there!

Live performances by:
@iamaaronellington
@kaleemthegifted
@taelor_gray

Sound by @kitodenham
Exhibition Dates 8/26 - 9/30

Curated by @blacksuneternal @sonofafrika and @ceeztheworld_

Flyer Design by @mrshortscreates

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“Dead Prez’s *Let’s Get Free* and the Revolutionary Black Gaze: A Case Study in Black Sound, Visuals, and Liberation”

By Ekundayo Igeleke

Been working on my scholarship. Presented for the first time in a while at the Melvin Van Pebbles Symposium with my homies. I’m really about to get in my bag this year.

Much love to @deadprez @stic @m1deadprezrbg for inspiring generations of revolutionaries and artists!

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It was a honor to represent @blackmenbuild with my brother @philsomething at one of the most committed institutions we have, the @peoplesforumnyc. Much love to my comrade @saidimoseley for the vision and all the support and coordination. We could not have done this without our National PE team and our OG @hirmski. Brilliance is in the collective.

“We must embrace and popularize a leadership that is a function of taking responsibility, remaining accountable to a base, and consciously developing the capacity and potential of others. Leadership is a burden, an awesome responsibility that must be earned and learned in the struggle, not bestowed by branding. And we must take a decidedly long range perspective to all of our efforts. This allows for more of us to stay in the struggle rather than burning out in just a couple of years.”

Link in the bio!

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“A people that lives as a community takes ritual as the soil upon which its future grows.... A community that does not have a ritual cannot exist” - Malidoma Somé

October 11th - 6:00 PM

Spirituality and faith are cultural elements central to any revolutionary change. Join @culturedreamlab @dejacierston @bereplenish @blacksuneternal @venusfrommars333 @malik.willoughby @mbubeinstitute next week as we explore the power of the spirit, collective ritual, and how spiritual practice moves us closer to freedom!

Activations:
Panel Discussion 🗣️
Yoga 🧘🏾‍♂️
Meditation 🧎🏾‍♀️
Sound Bath 🎶
Alter Building 📿

“Yoga is a peace practice, and that's why we need it more than ever now because we are so not at peace." Rosa parks

#powermoves #spirituality #faith #peace #ritual #love #revolution #healing

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Join Our Workshop: The Emancipation of Culture: Cultural Strategy, Cultural Production, and Cultural Organizing!

Are you tired of working in silos, feeling disconnected from a larger purpose? Do you believe in the incredible impact of art, culture, and organization on societal change? Our workshop is designed for you – artists, creatives, cultural workers, and organizers ready to step into a new era of collaborative action.

🌎 Why Participate? 🌍

✨ Break the Chains: Understand how the gig economy and capitalism have driven a wedge between creatives. Learn how to forge connections that transcend these barriers.
✨ Discover Cultural Power: Explore real-world examples from Oregon and beyond that showcase the profound influence of culture on society's transformation.
✨ Hands-On Learning: Dive into a dynamic educational experience that combines direct instruction with immersive learning cycles.
✨ Cultural Strategy Unveiled: Develop a foundational grasp of cultural strategy and its pivotal role in fostering revolutionary change.
✨ Unearth Economic Insights: Gain insights into the economic dynamics underpinning cultural production, empowering you to navigate this landscape effectively.

🗓️ Date: September 9 & 16, 2023
⏰ Time: 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm PT
Location: Zoom

This workshop is intended for people of African descent. If you do not identify as Black, please do not sign up for this workshop.

Link in bio to secure your spot!

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Fam, I usually wouldn’t beat y’all up about voting. I truly believe OUR power is always with THE PEOPLE and voting is just one of the ways we show that collective power. However, in #Ohio corrupt and racist politicians want to use a special election in just a few days on August 8th as a way to strip the power of our vote. They’ll use every tactic to try and keep the us from showing up at the ballot, especially Black folks. Don’t fall for it. #Issue1 is about power in #Ohio and keeping it with the people. We know the struggle and the work doesn’t end and begin with a vote but it’s a vital tool in our arsenal to create change (especially local) so we have to use it. Don’t just take my word for it. Get informed and #voteNOinaugust.

#ITSTILLTAKESAVILLAGE

#thefightcontinues

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Black Men Build Columbus has joined the @nonamereads book club! Our next meet up is July 29th. Join us for this monthly gathering in solidarity with our incarcerated brothers and sisters in reading “Blues People” Amiri Baraka FKA Leroi Jones - a fascinating history of African American music in North America.

#bookclub #collectivestudy #reads #blackauthors #blackactivist #blackhistory

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"We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of Black people..." - Fannie Lou Hammer

Independent political power is an important goal to ensure that people have an opportunity to practice democracy and to have the ability to control circumstances for our communities. Attaining political power is one of the most visible strategies to create a more free world, legislatively and electorally. So what does it look like to have this power? What does this mean for the people of Columbus and for Ohio?

Join @blackmenbuildcbus & @culturedreamlab as I lead a conversation to learn about political power with @mh4oh @contrabandjames and @hoodadrienne

After the panel @free.radicle will lead us through a political power activation.

Come learn and build with us!!

“In order for us as poor and oppressed people to become part of a society that is meaningful, the system under which we now exist has to be radically changed… It means facing a system that does not lend itself to your needs and devising means by which you change that system.” - Ella Baker

#powermoves #politics #politicalpower #blackpower

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From January to March, with the co-facilitation and collaboration with my brother @blacksuneternal , I ran a successful Dream Chaser Cohort in partnership with BYMOC Collective at @studentengagement_cscc

These students, whew! They were hungry to learn, engage, and share their knowledge and stories. We had 90 percent retention for Dream Chasers which is proof of their commitment. I’m always inspired by young people and what they do in the world.

Over the 6 weeks we covered:
1. Power and oppression: How did they build our current world?
2. Radical imagination and Freedom Dreaming: What world do we want to create?
3. Movement building and organizing: How do we build the world we want?
4. Leadership Development: How do I build the world we need?
5. Cultural strategy and Art: What culture do we want in our new world? How will we convey this narrative?

If we had a full seemeter of work together, it would still only be an ice cub in the ocean of discovery. I hope each of you transform the f**k outta this world 🙏🏾✊🏾

#dreamchaser #youthorganizing #youthactivism #freedomdreams

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