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CREATE Campaign, Learn & Grow
All of us have at least one area of our life where we feel trapped (either by an external circumstance or by an internal personality trait/habit), and it's been dragging us down for years. We feel powerless to change it, and miserable at the prospect of being stuck as a victim for the rest of our lives.
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Culture, Film/TV, Learn & Grow, Media & Entertainment
It gives me great pleasure to introduce you to a media project that I've been working on for almost a year now. October 1, 2010 will mark 50 years of independence for Nigeria, Africa's largest country. While it's uncommon for mainstream media to share less than positive stories about Nigeria, the truth about the country of my family's origin is so much richer.
CREATE Campaign, Film/TV, Media & Entertainment
This video pokes fun, and uncovers the truth behind the infamous grind. So get a snack, or sneak into the bathroom at work to watch this on your iPhone (we won't tell). Define Your Grind (an original *CSA by the BackList) starring Felicia Pride & Fellina Pride.
PSO: Let us shout you out
CREATE Campaign, Media & Entertainment
Okay, so we didn't make up the concept of shout-outs. But we do know how hard it can be when you're in the trenches creating, sometimes barely coming up for air. That's why we're starting PSOs (Project Shout-outs). ALL projects are eligible at this point, at virtually every stage of completion.
What do you want to Discover?
CREATE Campaign, Learn & Grow, Media & Entertainment
So what's something new that you've been meaning to learn? Or even brush up on? Maybe you're looking to start a business, publish a book, make an album? Or maybe you just started teaching, or want to learn new ways to incorporate arts and technology in your lesson plans? This September may be the month you just want to discover how to balance it all...we feel you.
September is All About Discovery
CREATE Campaign, Learn & Grow
This month's CREATE theme is discovery. We thought it was more than appropriate to follow August's ReNEWal theme because it's important to recover before heading on what could be a long, confusing, yet ultimately gratifying journey of self-discovery. It's amazing how much we say we can't do until we're forced to do it.
CREATE Campaign, Education, Learn & Grow
Annie Gordon is what we call a "Sensei" Mentor at BackList. She's a master educator with over 30 years in education, and an integral part of BackList's success. With her knowledge and experience in shaping young minds, Annie plans to continue to share with educators. In the e-booklet Educators are Creatives learn...
White mothers, Black nannies
Learn & Grow, Media & Entertainment, My Writings
Chances are you've seen this: black woman, young/old, pushing an expensive stroller that houses a white child, who more often than not, isn't her own. In growing numbers, the child belongs to a white upper class couple who resides in one of America's hip neighborhoods.
Film/TV, Media & Entertainment, My Writings
Sure, you've heard of Ice Cube, whose one of the most active Black film producers in Hollywood these days, and all the other A-list actors who've naturally spawned off their own production companies, but there are other less well-known producers out there, helping to fuel the entertainment machine called Hollywood. Here are ten (individual and teams) black film producers who toil behind the scenes so that we can sit back, relax, and be entertained.
Art, Film/TV, Media & Entertainment, Reviews
If you don't know, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is an action-comedy film directed English filmmaker Edgar Wright. It was a bag of goodies: reality meets video game alternate universe, plus the whole geeky slacker wants girl, gets girl, must defeat girl's seven evil exes thing was cool too.
What ReNEWal means to: Ajani Truth
Art, CREATE Campaign, Media & Entertainment
ReNEWal means: an opportunity to improve everyday
Author's Hustle, Learn & Grow, Media & Entertainment
When I was asked to write a brief essay on the subject of renewal as a first-time author, I drew a blank. Why? Because I soon realized that the necessary action of renewal takes place before someone gets to be labeled a "first-time author."
REview: Gil Scott-Heron
Culture, Entertainment, Hip-Hop, Media & Entertainment, Music
You could ask a hundred different people what they think about Gil Scott-Heron and get a thousand different answers. As much as I feel a creative connection to the man, the soul that brought us the "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" at the age of 19...I'd probably remain silent.
ReNEWal: A Chef's POV
CREATE Campaign, Culture, Learn & Grow
You can renew your work and creative place with fresh scents and herbs as natural aromatherapy. I like to keep mint, sage and basil handy in the kitchen and in my room. The scents are lovely all mingled together.
Learn & Grow, Media & Entertainment, Publishing/Literary
ReNEWal means: finding the strength inside of you to reinvest yourself, day in and day out, into a purpose that is bigger than you. The only way to find the commitment to continue down this road, which at times tests your limits, is to have great love and passion for what you are doing.
CREATE Campaign, Education, Learn & Grow, Youth & Edutainment
Some of them brought in journals that they've been writing in for years. One young lady showed me one of several stories that she was working on stored in her Mac laptop. Another student was writing a novel on her iPod. Another was an accomplished slam poet.
Short Film: 'Smile' by Nic Askew
Film/TV, Media & Entertainment
Check out the BackList short film of the month: Smile by Nic Askew. Smile is part of his Soul Biographies series. Much like the series, Smile has a simple yet powerful message, and is guaranteed to make you, well...smile.
What ReNEWal means to: Debbie Rigaud
CREATE Campaign, Media & Entertainment, Youth & Edutainment
ReNEWal means: Peeling away another layer of your persona/shell and creating from this new perspective.
My Mic Sounds Nice
BackList, Media & Entertainment, My Writings
Last night was that type of time. I screened the forthcoming BET original music documentary: My Mic Sounds Nice: A Truth about Women and Hip Hop. Directed and executive produced by independent filmmaker Ava DuVernay, the documentary chronicles the history of female MCs from hip-hop's early days with the likes of Sequence to present day, when popular media suggests that the only MC left standing is Nicki Minaj.
Fellina Pride on ReNEWal
BackList, CREATE Campaign, Learn & Grow, Media & Entertainment
Fellina is an advocate for youth, a supporter, an educator, a mother, and someone who you'll be seeing a lot more of at the BackList. In this video, you get to learn more about what she does at the BL, future plans, her battle with depression, and of course how she found renewal.
Time...is Not Renewable
CREATE Campaign, Learn & Grow
Much of the information discussed in class is relevant and pertinent to LIFE. It's funny that as much as things change--such as age, career paths, perspective--many things remain the same--the tools needed to survive and thrive. I think Momma told me that a few hundred times.
The Unlikey Journey by Bomani Jones
Media & Entertainment, Publishing/Literary
Looked up the other day and realized that I've been doing this for 10 years now. I call it "this," because there's really no word for whatever this hustle has been. I still think of myself as a writer, even though I think I've written five full-length pieces in the last two and a half years. I think of myself as an economist, too, though I haven't done a lick of research since 2004.
What ReNEWal means to: Carleen Brice
Culture, Media & Entertainment, Publishing/Literary
ReNEWal means: rejuvenation, rest...allowing my spirit to tap into something greater so I can bring that out in the world.
What ReNEWal means to: Tanecia Britt
Film/TV, Media & Entertainment
ReNEWal means: to evolve; to become more than what you are...the opportunity to change the moment, situation or event; renewal is a gift
CREATE Campaign, Media & Entertainment, Music
At BackList, we've been putting our heads together about ways to make the CREATE movement something that truly speaks to "Creatives". We figured we couldn't kick this thing off right without honoring artists (of all genres). We're not just giving them a day, or even a week...we're showing them love all month long! Okay, we'll this month we're starting a little late, but hey don't judge us, this artist of the month thing is new.
What ReNEWal means to: Kekla Magoon
Media & Entertainment, Publishing/Literary, Youth & Edutainment
ReNEWal means: ...Being open to change--both that which is expected or hoped for and that which takes you by surprise--and allowing transformation to occur, within yourself, within your work, and in the world around you.
Felicia Pride on ReNEWal
BackList, CREATE Campaign, Learn & Grow, Media & Entertainment
"I'd be rich, or at least be able to pay off my school loans, if I had a dollar for every time I thought about shutting down BackList...bottom line, I started to doubt myself and my business."- Felicia Pride, Founder of BackList
What Might James Baldwin Say?
Learn & Grow, My Writings
James Baldwin was a man beyond his time, what would he have had to say about America today? While his ideas may have evolved if he was still alive, many of his assertions and conclusions remain relevant, poignant, and easily applicable to many of our current affairs.
What ReNEWAL means to: David Skinner
Learn & Grow, Politics
I Create: socio-political activism and quality entertainment events
What ReNEWal Means to: Lisa Rose
Publishing/Literary, Youth & Edutainment
ReNEWal means to me: To reclaim, rebuild, readjust from the outside in.
Culture, Publishing/Literary
I Create: poetry, interviews, articles, short stories, essays and all things pertaining to the word.
What ReNEWal Means to: Salakida
Entertainment, Media & Entertainment, Music
Renewal is wisdom and wide eyed wonder living side by side, the Elder and the Child merged. Renewal is getting your entire groove back, and knowing what to do with it this time!
Forget about Talent by Steven Barnes
Learn & Grow, Publishing/Literary
The fact is that I've seen endless people fail due to lack of honest work. And given those years or decades of work, I've seen few fail for lack of talent.
What ReNEWal Means to: Tony Muhammad
Education, Hip-Hop, Learn & Grow
Renewal is having the knowledge, talent and opportunity to re-invent oneself in order to effect a significant material transformative change in one's own environment. It is a process that begins within the inner-workings of one's mind, with the cultivation of a new attitude, aim and purpose.
Film/TV, Hip-Hop, Media & Entertainment
Raising a family has taught me about self-preservation! The happier and healthier I am, the better mother, wife, activist, and social entrepreneur I can be!
CREATE: The Movement
CREATE Campaign, Learn & Grow, Media & Entertainment, Youth & Edutainment
We want to help you create stuff and live off your creations. We want to provide tools and resources to help you be more creative in your everyday. And in doing so, we'll change communities and our world.
BackLister, Entertainment, Film/TV, Interviews, Learn & Grow, Media & Entertainment, Music, Publishing/Literary
Because Zora is such a giant in the literary and black arts scenes, my greatest concern was doing justice to her sterling piece of fiction. The irony is that I did the adaptation purely on instinct, without any particular research on how to do an adaptation. I was in film school at the time, and the emphasis there was writing original screenplays. So I did it "flying by the seat of my pants" so to speak.
Culture, Media & Entertainment
Folk are upset. At Essence. At the people upset at Essence. No need to rehash the "controversy." Let's talk takeaways. What can we learn, reaffirm, and possibly gain?
Culture, Entertainment, Media & Entertainment
Okay, so the other day I got word that the DC Black Theatre Festival would be showing a play called-get this- The Ass Chronicles. I'd heard about it before, and would liken it to the Vagina Monologues based on the description, but I wasn't quite sure what to expect. So I contacted Kim West, the publicist for the production and scheduled an interview with the playwright, Empress Joyner. I arrived at rehearsal and was greeted by the wide grin, and welcoming warmth of Empress herself. Empress was full of life, and excited about the interview but her eyes bugged as she saw my video equipment.
Culture, Entertainment, Music, My Writings
Earlier this month, Casey Gane-McCalla, a journalist, rapper, comedian and Facebook friend, declared on his FB status: "I am an Ivy league college educated journalist with no criminal background...still when I hear this song...I think I'm Big Meech." The song that Gane-McCalla refers to is B.M.F, a single from Rick Ross's fourth album, Teflon Don which dropped Tuesday. The song's considered a heater. The summer's hip-hop anthem.
Bigger Than Hip-Hop, Entertainment, Film/TV, Interviews
I arrived in LA about five years ago. I thought I had a strategy but it didn't go the way I wanted it to. Yet, it worked out better than I thought. I thought "Puss" was going to get made and that I'd just be in LA taking meetings. Luckily, some of the scripts that I was working on started receiving attention and somehow I started writing professionally. If I would have just came out here to direct, I would have stopped writing. I've been so successful with writing that it should have been part of the original plan.
Film/TV, Interviews
There are several substantial film festivals in Washington, D.C., but none of them seem to have ignited the fire and excitement as the 1st annual DMVIFF (DC, MD, and VA International Film Festival). There's no doubt that the enthusiasm and passion of its creator, Tanecia Britt, is contagious. Tanecia is not only a "homegirl"-born in D.C., and raised in Maryland, she's an experienced filmmaker with a Master's in Film, Video, and New Screen from the University of East London. Yes, London. There are several substantial film festivals in Washington, D.C., but none of them seem to have ignited the fire and excitement as the 1st annual DMVIFF (DC, MD, and VA International Film Festival). There's no doubt that the enthusiasm and passion of its creator, Tanecia Britt, is contagious. Tanecia is not only a "homegirl"-born in D.C., and raised in Maryland, she's an experienced filmmaker with a Master's in Film, Video, and New Screen from the University of East London. Yes, London.
Hip-Hop, Publishing/Literary
"Although they had many financial perks," King shares about the wives she interviewed, "quite a few of them were downright miserable and would trade their husband's fame and fortune for the simple lives they once had."
Felicia Pride on ReNEWal
BackList Shop
Resources to inspire your inner creative (that includes you too, educators!)... (read more)
Creative Entreprenuers! Spark Your Fire
THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS is: an e-book meets video transmission of acumen and love. You: are likely sitting on an empir... (read more)
THE MESSAGE Hip-Hop & Literarcy Enrichment Program
Order Your Signed Copy of THE MESSAGE today! Educational institutions around the country--including high schools, out-of... (read more)
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