#BeClearAboutThat

This content – these posts - let you examine where we all live from the baseline looking upward. All that might ever happen to you after you enjoy these posts— which take you on a walk through direct lived experiences with 10+ judges at every level and angle of the American legal system— is that you will be left with an open question: where do any of us go?

[burlveneer-music]

Lady Blackbird - Slang Spirituals EP - bigger arrangements than the stripped-down instrumentation of Black Acid Soul, but her powerful voice remains at the center (there is a full LP out now but it's not on Bandcamp)

In October 2024 Lady Blackbird, producer and guitarist Chris Seefried , Foundation Music Label head and A&R Ross Allen, and Lady Blackbird’s travelling band of Kenneth Crouch (Keys), Tamar Barzilay (drums) and Johnny Flaughers (bass) took a break from extensively touring “Black Acid Soul” to lay down some tracks in Los Angeles. They decamped for a week long recording session to legendary LA studio complex East West (where the Beach Boys cut “Pet Sounds”) to put down tracks that Lady Blackbird and Chris Seefried had been writing whilst on the road… Some magic happened, the bare bones of a record and then some went down. They then moved to analogue whizz Pete Min’s “Lucy’s Meat Market” studio in Highland Park, where synths and strings were overdubbed, taking the basic tracks to the next level and often into outer orbit, with ARPs, Steinways, Mellotron, Hammond B3, Solina, Buchia synth, Bells, Moog, Pump organs, Wurlitzers, Fender Rhodes, Sitars, Clavinet, plus all manner of other cosmic analogue trickery and a string quartet lead by ace arranger Paul Cartwright. The record was taking shape….there was too much music - hence this EP - and it just needed balancing. That job fell to one of the best mixers in the world, Ken Takahashi, a man who engineers and mixes for some of the best around including current production legends Danger Mouse and Inflo.

[joannapetitioner]

It’s not the noise –

the clanging in your ears –

the blasting over and over in your brain –

that makes you angry.

It’s what’s underneath the noise –

embedded disregard of your Existence –

systematized dehumanization of your Soul –

that makes you angry.

In the face of others’ disrespect, you can respect yourself.

You don’t need to drown out your own Being.

Hear the noise and let it move through You.

Hold your own Life in High Esteem.

Honor who You are.

#OwnYourVoice.

#YourLifeMatters.

#BeClearAboutThat.

Music credits:

Flood by LogicMoon -- https://freesound.org/s/702947/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0

Freesound: collaborative database of creative-commons licensed sound for musicians and sound lovers. Have you freed your sound today?

Tobias Lorsbach / Logic Moon Music - https://logic-moon.de/  - https://www.youtube.com/@LogicMoonMusic  - @LogicMoonMusic

https://www.instagram.com/logicmoonmusic/  - @logicmoonmusic

https://logicmoon.bandcamp.com/album/last-dayshttps://soundcloud.com/logic-moon/popular-tracks

Video credits:

Anna Tarazevich  - https://www.pexels.com/@anntarazevich/ 

- https://annatarazevich.com/  - https://www.instagram.com/anntarazevich/  - @ anntarazevich

Suhaib Abu Salim - https://www.pexels.com/@suhaib-abu-salim-115809335/

Gal Shapira  - https://www.pexels.com/@gal-shapira/  - https://www.instagram.com/Galshapira.eth/ - @galshapira.eth  - https://x.com/Galshapiraeth  - @galshapiraeth 

-  https://www.tiktok.com/@galshapira.eth  -  @galshapira.eth

[joannapetitioner]

Having a full set of emotions doesn’t make you “crazy.”

Feeling a certain sort of way doesn’t mean you’re out-of-control.

People do sh*tty things all the time.

And then, they turn around and back you into a corner with how you’re feeling about it.

They make it so you don’t know what to say to confront them with their sh*ttiness.

You end up feeling like they’ll make it seem like your emotions were uncalled for.

The truth is, sometimes we do feel a certain way that may be unreasonable or inappropriate.

And so, the self-doubt can sink in.

Especially if you know that you’re dealing with someone you see badmouthing others.

For sure, you do deserve the same respect you give to others.

That doesn’t even mean you have to be perfect.

If someone treats you sh*tty, it’s way okay to call them out on it.

#GoldenRule.

#MakeThemFeelUs.

#BeClearAboutThat.

Music credits:

Cute Music by Migfus20/ Schwarzenegger Belonio -- https://freesound.org/s/559832/ -- License: Creative Commons 0  - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGlgOXm1I0bz_QF1nGpkRyQ  - @migfus1780

Video credits:

Skyler Ewing - https://www.pexels.com/@skyler-ewing-266953/  -https://www.eyeem.com/u/skylerewing - @skylerewing  - https://www.instagram.com/skyler/  - @skyler

[joannapetitioner]

Those among all of us who call for #AbolitionNow see the sickness for what it is. 

We understand that when you perform surgery to excise a life-threatening affliction, you have to cut it all out. 

Any trace of infection left lingering in a body can become septic spreading rapidly where death can then come quickly. 

We speak of Fire burning in our Souls. 

Fire does not “perch” like a winged bird of hope sitting outside your window just out of reach in reality. 

When your Phoenix burns, you spread your blazing wings rising gloriously from the ashes with brand new vibrant Life.

#MakeThemFeelUs.

#BeClearAboutThat.

Video credits:

cottonbro studio  - https://omycotton.com/  - https://www.instagram.com/cottonbro/  - @cottonbro

[joannapetitioner]

It can be hard to be direct with people sometimes.

You might not want to look like you’re being mean or that you’re letting someone down.

Even so, do you have time to waste yourself getting jerked around?

Do you really want to spend any of your time engaged in petty bullsh*t?

You know, the kind of petty bullsh*t that’s just an ultimate waste of time…

the runarounds

the gameplaying

the passive-aggressive nonsense.

There are better ways to treat people.

You don’t need to feed into that petty ass bullsh*t.

It may be uncomfortable to be direct with people.

Even so – that’s so much better than doing petty sh*t that just wastes other people’s time.

People do ultimately appreciate it when you respect their time too.

Each of us has our own sh*t going on every day.

#GoldenRule.

#WeNeedEachOther.

#BeClearAboutThat.

Music credits:

banjo song.mp3 by Prime45 -- https://freesound.org/s/522715/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

Freesound: collaborative database of creative-commons licensed sound for musicians and sound lovers. Have you freed your sound today?

Freesound: collaborative database of creative-commons licensed sound for musicians and sound lovers. Have you freed your sound today?

https://www.youtube.com/@rfr2954  -  RFR @rfr2954

https://soundcloud.com/theoneandonlyen  - Prime

https://odysee.com/@Prime45:b  - Prime45

Video credits:

Stanislav Gaberov - Photography (pexels.com)

Stanislav Gaberov - Photography

Discover the best free photos from %{name}. View their personal photography portfolio on Pexels →

[joannapetitioner]

Ain’t none of us unburdened by what was.

What was spills over and seeps into every part of what is.

We need to confront the full force of our Shared Reality.

In order to aspire higher, we have to examine our baseline.

We need to understand all of what it means to be living here together like this.

We need to embrace those burdens for what they are—

instead of pretending they don’t exist.

We need to really feel the ground we’re standing on right now.

Not wanting to go back is not the same as actually moving forward.

We can lift up the weight of the burden of what is because of what has been.

Seeking to erase foundational parts of our Shared Existence helps no one.

We deserve to live as fully integrated selves.

#WeNeedEachOther.  #MakeThemFeelUs.

#BeClearAboutThat.

Music credits:

West Coast by Artsiom Bialou  - ArtIss22

See royalty-free images, stock photos, videos, music & more on Pixabay

https://soundcloud.com/iartiss  - ArtIss / Artsiom Bialou

https://audiojungle.net/user/artiss  - ArtIss

Video credits:

Zsolti Tamasi

Zsolti Tamasi - Photography

Discover the best free photos from %{name}. View their personal photography portfolio on Pexels →

https://www.instagram.com/gaborzsolttamasi/  - @gaborzsolttamasi

[thoughtkick]

“There are two types of people you will meet in your life. One will run a finger down the index of who you are and jump straight to the parts of you that peak their interest. The other will take his or her time reading through every one of your chapters and maybe unfold corners of you that inspired them most. You will meet these two people; it is a given. It is the third that you’ll never see coming. That one person who not only finishes your sentences, but keeps the book.”

— Unknown

[joannapetitioner]

Understand this:  sometimes people do bad things.

They do bad things simply because they choose to do them.

If they do bad things to hurt you, they will come up with all sorts of ways to try to justify it.

A lot of times they’ll try to paint a picture of you as a terrible creature.

They’ll try to convince the whole world that you somehow deserved to have those bad things happen to you.

It’s natural, when you’re a Truly Good Decent Being, to experience self-doubt.

That doesn’t change the fact that you didn’t do anything to make anyone else hurt you.

Stay Good with yourself.

#KnowYourself. 

#KnowYourWorth.

#BeClearAboutThat.

Music credits:

Funk-Rock-Improvisation by ValentinSosnitskiy -- https://freesound.org/s/541672/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

https://www.instagram.com/electrovalentine/  - @glaren.shadow

https://www.youtube.com/@electrovalentyn  - @electrovalentyn

https://www.pond5.com/ru/artist/electrovalentin  - Electrovalentin

Video credits:

Kelly - https://www.pexels.com/@kelly-1179532/

https://www.instagram.com/kellymlacy/  - @kellymlacy

[joannapetitioner]

Do you control what color the sky is?

How you experience the sky’s color is how the sky is for you.

Perceiving the sky’s color is a layered personal experience.

Some people start off life being told “red” is “blue.”

If you tell them the sky is blue, they will never believe it’s not red.

It’s okay if you can’t change their minds.

When you see “blue,” what they experience is “red.”

All the while looking up to the sky—

none of us control the sky’s actual color.

The best we can do is clear our own vision.

Instead of seeking to control the color of the sky—

we can simply take it in.

The sky is all around us, not just above our heads.

We can appreciate the magnitude of having free open space to move around in.

#ClearYourVision.  #FreeYourMind.  #BeClearAboutThat.

Music credits:

Horizons.wav by eardeer -- https://freesound.org/s/393779/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0

https://freesound.org/people/eardeer/  - https://www.youtube.com/@eardeer2370 

Video credits:

Indigo Blackwood - https://www.pexels.com/@indigo-blackwood-762724/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA58MSwv_XJRhxpFD7jDRpQ/featured  - @indigoblackwood  - https://x.com/TheGreatSorrow  - @TheGreatSorrow

Marc Onana - https://www.pexels.com/@marc-onana-3543795/   - https://www.youtube.com/@MarcOnana  - https://www.instagram.com/Onana_gram/  - @onana_gram  - https://x.com/onanaofficiel  - @onanaofficiel

Jerry Geraldi - https://www.pexels.com/@photosbyjerryg/  - https://www.instagram.com/Photosbyjerryg/  - @photosbyjerryg  - https://jrrgrld.wixsite.com/jerrygeraldi

Pandu Prakoso - https://www.pexels.com/@pandu-prakoso-2428564/   - https://www.instagram.com/thinkthank_/  - @thinkthank_  -

Adrian Hoparda - https://www.pexels.com/@adrian-hoparda-1684220/

[joannapetitioner]

Why the f*ck do we live like this?

We live like this because we still believe in magic. 

We often call those things in our lives miracles. 

We create a savior for ourselves out of the thin air of another human being. 

We tell ourselves those things that we would readily understand as atrocities in an alternate universe— are somehow always acceptable in this one. 

We think that those we play the game of electing –

even though they’re documented as spending their whole lives participating in definitive acts of evil –

are then somehow going to be magically accountable to us. 

We don’t yet understand how progress really works. 

We can though. 

We have to step out. 

We will only ever understand what we truly care about first.

#WeNeedEachOther.

#BeClearAboutThat. 

Music credits:

isles4~1.wav by madmerv -- https://freesound.org/s/690654/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

https://freesound.org/people/madmerv/  - https://www.youtube.com/user/MadM3rv  - https://soundcloud.com/madmerv

Video credits:

cottonbro studio  - https://omycotton.com/  - https://www.instagram.com/cottonbro/  - @cottonbro

[joannapetitioner]

#GetReal.

We live in a world that is full of pollution.

At the root of it is how the pollution seeps into your Existence and floods your Soul.

#BeReal.

This polluted Life you’re expected to accept causes you to disassociate from Reality.

It works to keep you first disconnected from your own Self.

As a whole, our ability to grow Real Loving Connections with each other is obstructed.

#StayReal.

There is a Beautiful Flowing Well of Loving Kindness inside of you.

You can access your own Source of Self Regard.

YOU – in Your Own Self – are Worthy.

Your Life has always been Valuable.

#CelebrateYou every single day.

#BeClearAboutThat.

Music credits:

Meeting for two. Background music…Hip-Hop version…  White_Records / Maksym Dudchyk

Meeting for two. Background music for video vlog Hip-Hop version 43sec | Música sin regalías

Escucha Meeting for two. Background music for video vlog Hip-Hop version 43sec o explora más audios de late. ✓ Descarga música sin derechos

https://www.youtube.com/@whiterecords1  - White_Records  / @whiterecords1

https://www.instagram.com/white_recordsmd/  - @white_recordsmd

https://www.tiktok.com/@white_recordsmd?_t=8jsaZD1tVw5&_r=1  - @white_recordsmd @White_Records

https://soundcloud.com/whiterecords1  - White_Records  / Maksym Dudchyk

https://open.spotify.com/artist/69jkM3UZN7QfhBtx9vFDi1?si=j2tc-29wQfu92kNyOjLRmw&nd=1&dlsi=01bfdf178b6b49d0  - White_Records

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/white-records/1702179027  - White_Records

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100038573046142  - Maksym WR 

https://www.patreon.com/White_Records  - White_Records

https://buymeacoffee.com/dmdproduction/e/273855  - White_Records

Video credits:

CESAR A RAMIREZ VALLEJO TRAPHITHO

CESAR A RAMIREZ VALLEJO TRAPHITHO - Photography

Discover the best free photos from %{name}. View their personal photography portfolio on Pexels →

https://www.instagram.com/cesaraugusto7662/?hl=en  - @cesaraugusto7662

https://pixabay.com/es/users/traphitho-3244107/  - TRAPHITHO

https://www.facebook.com/cesar.a.vallejo.7/  - Cesar Augusto Ramirez Vallejo Traphitho  (traphitho)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/197919811990/  - cesar augusto ramirez vallejo

[joannapetitioner]

Something is better than nothing…

Is it though?

Really?

Truthfully?

When you get Real with yourself—

When you tell the #WholeTruth to yourself—

You know in your Soul that some things just need to go.

Really go.

This is why when we really truly take a good look at the most awful things we live with—

We know in our Heart of Hearts that so-called “reform” just keeps it all going.

It’s way okay to imagine our lives without things that work to harm us.

We need to clear our Vision to see what’s truly possible.

For Real.

#Abolition.  #AbolitionNow!

#BeClearAboutThat.

Music credits:

Realistic Emotional Piano Melody Beautiful.wav by iliyabylich04 -- https://freesound.org/s/641077/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

Video credits:

Vicky Nicoll  - https://www.pexels.com/@vickymariexvii/  - https://www.vicky-nicoll.com/   @vicky_marie_nicoll

Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

Eline SUN  - https://www.pexels.com/@eline/

[foreverthesoniag-deactivated202]

Repost from @forthepeopleartists #artist @itsmonicatrinidad: “What we don’t need to be doing right now is analyzing and critiquing the tactics, strategies, and individual & collective actions of Black people in the streets rising up against state violence and the police murder of George Floyd. What we DO need to be doing right now is donating to local bail funds, donating to local Black Lives Matter chapters and other efforts challenging police/state violence, listening for and sharing demands that come from the families & loved ones impacted by state violence, copwatching when you see Black people being pulled over, demanding a DECREASE in funding for police in your city (i.e. Chicago’s city budget includes over 40% of its total budget towards law enforcement), and so so so much more that will help in ending police/state violence. Respect a diversity of tactics. Support people most directly-impacted. Defend our communities and DEFUND the police.”

image description: the words “defend our communities” are above an illustrated image of two people on opposite sides breaking handcuffs in front of a femme presenting person standing with their fist up and another person holding up a chancla (Spanish word for flip-flop or sandal) very defiantly. There are crumbling bricks at their feet and the words “Defund the Police” at the bottom.

#justiceforgeorgefloyd #abolishpolice #abolitionnow #defundpolice #chicagoartist #artforsocialchange https://www.instagram.com/p/CA3lI7GFQsr/?igshid=i7nwn7wlzkaz

[rosarenn]

from Abolition 101 lecture by Orisanmi Burton 

[ID - “Abolitionists are, simply put, those beings who look out upon their time and say, “No”.” Mumia Abu-Jamal]

[abolitionjournal]

If You're New to Abolition: Study Group Guide

A six week study guide for newcomers to abolition with a wealth of resources for further collective study.

Are you new to #abolition?

We made a study guide for you! 

This guide is here for you to self-organize weekly meetings for discussion with your friends, co-workers, neighbors, comrades.

Please share widely!

[joannapetitioner]

The more radical the person is, the more fully he or she enters into reality so that, knowing it better, he or she can transform it.

This individual is not afraid to confront, to listen, to see the world unveiled.

This person is not afraid to meet the people or to enter into a dialogue with them.

This person does not consider himself or herself the proprietor of history or of all people, or the liberator of the oppressed; but he or she does commit himself or herself, within history, to fight at their side.

― Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

#BeClearAboutThat.

Music credits:

Cuban mambo by oymaldonado -- https://freesound.org/s/544019/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Video credits:

Natalie Birdy  - https://www.instagram.com/natalie_birdy/  - @natalie_birdy  - https://www.pexels.com/@natalie-birdy-3684493/

Nicky Pe  - https://www.pexels.com/@nicky/  - https://www.instagram.com/nickype11/  - @nickype11

Sieh dir lizenzfreie Bilder, Premium-Fotos, Videos, Musik und mehr auf Pixabay an.

[joannapetitioner]

“Survival of the fittest” is not a command.

“Survival of the fittest” is not a command. It’s merely a simple tool to measure our own Evolution. Human Beings are supposed to be Evolve

 “Survival of the fittest” is not a command. 

It’s merely a simple tool to measure our own Evolution. 

Human Beings are supposed to be Evolved. 

The first sign of Civilization was a buried broken bone that had healed on a human. 

Meaning— other people around protect and care for that injured disabled human.

Meaning— we know how important it is that we each thrive among ourselves.

Civilization  means truly caring for the people around us who need added assistance out in the wild. 

We are Evolved when we preserve individual autonomy at the same time we care for each other. 

We are Evolved and truly Civilized when we do unto others as we would have them do unto us.  Evolution is seeing yourself in others. 

#AllOfUs. 

#WeNeedEachOther. 

#BeClearAboutThat.

Music credits:

before we grow up (Loop) by ShadyDave -- https://freesound.org/s/341857/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 - https://soundcloud.com/lustersound

Video credits:

Video by Pixabay at https://www.pexels.com/@pixabay/

https://pixabay.com/ -  https://www.instagram.com/pixabay/ -@ pixabay  - https://x.com/pixabay  - https://www.facebook.com/pixabay