Soul Sincere

Why battle? Build instead. Soul Sincere. Salutations.

[mrkinetik]

Let me start by saying I am in no way sharing these comments as if they are standards. This is my perspective, accumulated from experience in my years of working as an educator and my years as a student in schools from kindergarten to graduate school. This year, I’ve been challenged to rethink everything I do as an educator and it has been a lot to work with but I’m working with it. It’s a day-to-day process. As an educator, I really hope this moment in time is seen as an opportunity for us to reshape schools and all aspects of school communities. We have work to do and it’ll be a journey. Peace to my colleagues, I love y’all. A few thoughts…✒️🗒 . Schools need to work to dismantle systems of injustice and oppression. Every aspect of schools needs to be examined and repaired as needed. We can and need to be better and we don’t need legislation or district decrees for this to happen. . When it comes to how we feel about students and families, they know if we are being real or fake. . Conflicts will happen and therefore, healthy conflict resolution skills and strategies are essential for educators. . The way we talk about people is a reflection of what we think about people and will influence how we treat people. . Our students are always watching and taking cues from us. I don’t think they expect us to be perfect but I know they learn about us by watching we do, and what we don’t do. . If you struggle with managing your time, use a calendar and a timer. Organize, prioritize, and set deadlines. I’m still fine-tuning this aspect of my career but I used to be terrible about this. Terrible. But growth. . Regularly review the reasons why you started your career. As you learn and experience more, you might find that some of these reasons should be kept and some might need to change. . Find some joy in the work everyday. It’s there but it might be buried. . Dance during the day. If you’re real bold, get your ugly sing on too. . Add a salutation to your emails. A well placed “Good morning” is a simple show of kindness. . Remember: you’re a highly skilled and talented member of an illustrious profession. . Don’t ever forget what it was like to be a kid. https://www.instagram.com/p/CF-6BgvAgUu/?igshid=1o3l3b5lu0cid

[mrkinetik]

Newnewnewnew music. Maxi-single, taking it back. “I’ma Be Good Regardless” is a 3-song single, a mediation, an affirmation, and a reality. I could elaborate, but when you hear it you’ll get it. Available on @bandcamp for now, other streaming platforms later. The latest release in my quest to drop something every month of 2020. Peace y’all. Love y’all. #existintheinfinite #jaaamaccordingly #imabegoodregardless (at Indianapolis, Indiana) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFwleWugGgB/?igshid=1oddc8xwncd3a

[mrkinetik]

💜👑 The Purple Crown Saturday Night is back again. . 9PM-10PM EDT catch The Purple Crown Show on @wqrtfm WQRT.org . 10PM EDT catch The Purple Crown Mixshow on Twitch. . Funkin’ your Saturday up one mo’ time. We have a good time y’all, shout out to my regulars. Come through and kick it for a bit tonight. #existintheinfinite #jaaamaccordingly #thepurplecrownshow #djing #seratodj #twitch #explorepage #basementparty (at Indianapolis, Indiana) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFnMlsIAZzN/?igshid=nfmcl4uwl2ee

[mrkinetik]

More flowers, a suite. 🌸🌺🌹 . Daisies. Zinnia. Dahlia. Zinnia. Hibiscus. Rose. Hibiscus. Taken September 16, 2020 here at home. It’s been a good season. Lots of colors and varieties this year at the Unofficial, Unorganized, Unnamed Flower Festival. Play Stevie Wonder “Power Flower” on repeat. #existintheinfinite #jaaamaccordingly #mrkgarden #flowers #explore #stillreading #unofficialunorganizedunnamedflowerfestival (at Indianapolis, Indiana) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFit_fEACSV/?igshid=xl8jedrls8nk

[mrkinetik]

💜👑 Alright y’all! The Purple Crown Saturday Night is back again. We gon’ pitch a wang dang doodle all night long as usual. Radio show on @wqrtfm at 9-10PM EDT. Tune in at 8PM to catch my brotha @rustymk2’s special mixshow, it’ll be funkin on The One. Then at 10PM EDT Club Purple Crown on Twitch, broadcasting live from a special location this week. All menu items come with a piece of white bread underneath, if you know you know. . These Saturday nights help a brotha get through the next week with a glide in my stride and a dip in my hip. Tune in and see what the funk is all about. Much love to you, make sure you’re registered to vote and make sure you vote. #existintheinfinite #jaaamaccordingly #wqrt #twitchstreamer #dj #seratodj #whenthefunkhitsthefan #areyoustillreadingthis (at Indianapolis, Indiana) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFVM8f8gzOX/?igshid=3nrhm5dpznu3

[mrkinetik]

💜👑 “It’s Saturday, ooh ooooooooooh!” (c) Luda! If you know you know. The Purple Crown Saturday is back again, starting at 9PM EDT with The Purple Crown Show on @wqrtfm WQRT.org. The Purple Crown Mixshow starts around 10PM EDT on Twitch. We gets busy baybeeee! Come through and kick it. Links in bio. Love y’all. #purplecrownsaturday #existintheinfinite #jaaamaccordingly #wqrt #twitch #djing #livestreamdj (at Indianapolis, Indiana) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFCtLGfAmpL/?igshid=1ok4ebb0wfqu8

[mrkinetik]

💜👑 The Purple Crown Saturday 2-pack is back. The Purple Crown Show airs 9-10PM EDT on @WQRT followed by The Purple Crown Mixshow aka Club Purple Crown (shout out to my mama @camerabug3 for naming the club, we gave her a permanent table by the dance floor with a plaque) on Twitch. Got a lil bbq menu poppin’, the Mixshow music will be house party ready so tune in and turn it up. Shout out to everybody that comes through regularly, we have a good time rinsing and cleansing the foolery from the week and restoring the Funk! Everything is on The One! Links in the bio, peace and love y’all! #existintheinfinite #jaaamaccordingly #twitch #wqrt #loveindy #houseparty (at Indianapolis, Indiana) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEwsxHhANfe/?igshid=rb3h5x61q71n

[doomandgloomfromthetomb]

Alice Coltrane - National Education Television’s Black Journal, 1970

Running like wildfire through certain corners of the internet yesterday — a 15-minute mini-documentary on Alice Coltrane via the National Museum of African American History & Culture. You’ll wish it was 15 times longer, but even still: every second is golden. We see Alice and her kids at their home in Dix Hills, we watch Alice playing some gorgeous solo harp, we get intimate interview segments … and we get footage of an unbelievable outdoor concert featuring Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Rashied Ali and others playing for an audience that seems to be made up of mostly families. The kid dozing peacefully during a blistering Pharoah solo is almost too good to be true. Unreal! 

[mrkinetik]

“Growing” is my latest song available via SoundCloud right now and all digital streaming places soon. Honestly, a part of me would rather keep this to myself but that is the same part of me that is also raggedy and insecure. And that part doesn’t get to win today. If you’re creative and publish your art/finished products, I know you can relate. Rest In Peace to my PaPa, Reginald J. Jones. The line in the song about “pretty fair” is something he would say when I asked him how he was doing. Cheers to being a work-in-progress. Link in the @linktr.ee in my bio. Asante sana. #jaaamaccordingly #existintheinfinite #mrkfam (at Indianapolis, Indiana) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzIgLTjAAl1/?igshid=1mjphojxc2xmz

[mrkinetik]

#tbt Me at my high school commencement ceremony! Fishers High School Class of 2019: congratulations! I know Commencement is a couple of days away & I am excited for y’all. I started at FHS with most of you when you were 9th graders & I am proud of how much y’all have grown. I didn’t meet some of you until later but I owe all of you. Y’all made the schoolhouse fun. As I’ve told many of you, your best life is outside of the schoolhouse, in whatever you choose to do next. But there are some things you might want to remember. If you bring the fun with you, everywhere you go can be fun. Get a self-care routine that enriches your health and wellness. Find a form of art you love and support it the best you can. Pursue and demand justice for everybody, wherever you go. Reflect often. Learn & use the power of a positive “no” and set boundaries in all aspects of your life. There is no substitute for daily preparation (thanks Mom and Pops for this one). Be an active listener. Sometimes you will need to stop and ask for help but be careful who you ask for help. Celebrate something, every single day of your life. Practice effective personal finance habits. Respect other people’s bodies by respecting their boundaries; no means no, stop means stop. Always consider how your time andtalent can help other people. A bad idea wrapped in fun is still a bad idea. Check-in with your family and friends often. On a daily basis, learn about something that is important to you. Be creative, even if it’s just humming or doodling on some paper. Surround yourself with people that love you, hear you, and accept you as a work-in-progress. Protect your dreams and goals. Be humble. Remember the opportunity costs when you’re making decisions. You influence others so be mindful of the influence you’re giving. You’re either adding or subtracting; you can’t be neutral on a moving train (thanks Howard Zinn for that). People are a lot like plants: we are all different, with some commonalities, and we have specific & unique needs for our growth to take place. Run your own race, stay in yo lane. It’s a marathon not a sprint. I love all of you! #existintheinfinite #jaaamaccordingly #thefunkyeducator https://www.instagram.com/p/ByGvV4EAW5a/?igshid=12bljwxqyzc87

[mrkinetik]

I finished this book a couple of months ago. I saw @brightytighty talking about it on Instagram and B’s word is good with me and she directly suggested it to me after I asked about it. It has taken me a couple of months to write a post about this book. Without spoiling the book (info from the back cover of the copy I read), Yaa Gyasi writes a historical fiction piece that everyone should read, particularly Americans. The story revolves around two half sisters born in eighteenth century Ghana, who are unaware of each other, and their family legacy paths. One marries an Englishman and lives in the Cape Coast Castle (a real place); the other is captured as her village is raided, imprisoned in the Cape Coast Castle, and sold into slavery and becomes one of the millions of Africans stolen and forced into the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Yaa Gyasi captures themes of separation, loss, pain, love, and struggle throughout the book. I don’t know everything about my family but I know we didn’t arrive here by choice. The book forced me to ask myself: how much of this story is my family’s story? I won’t be able to answer that in full, ever in my life. I cried in many spots while reading this, simply because of that question, because I have been systematically denied connectivity to many of my ancestors. I’m left with my own imagination about what my family might’ve been through and that is hard for me sometimes. This was a hard book for me to read. I stopped a few times to process. This book is fictional but to me, it is millions, perhaps billions, of people’s story and it is written in a captivating and honest manner. There are parts that include violence, sexual abuse, mental & physical abuse. Difficult parts but necessary in order to tell the whole story as best as possible. I kept notes while reading, which helped me make connections to relevant history that is alluded to in the book. Gyasi’s writing is stellar throughout; her world-building and character development and connection were highlights, from a writing style perspective. Highly recommended book. #homegoing #yaagyasi #mrkliterature #existintheinfinite #jaaamaccordingly https://www.instagram.com/p/BxyHP56AmT0/?igshid=1ohbmtdo4mcz0

[mrkinetik]

PARTY PEOPLEEEEEEEEEEEE! Fam Jaaams is June 2 3-5pm at @speakeasyindy to benefit @indianayouthgroup_iyg! I am the DJ for the afternoon and I’ll be playing tunes for you and your fam, bring the children with you! Check the LinkTree in my bio for the Eventbrite and get your tickets! I’d love to see all my homies in the spot so come through if you can and jaaam with us. #jaaamaccordingly #existintheinfinite #famjaaams #loveindy #familyjaaam (at Speak Easy) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxspyKCBqt0/?igshid=18i49llgez2mn

[mrkinetik]

What a privilege to be included on a @virginiaavenuemusicfest panel with (L-R) @mariahivey_ @dioooop and @tatjanarebelle. We talked and listened about racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression within the indianapolis music community. We also talked and listened about the value of music as a tool of activation and justice. I am a fan of all of these beautiful people and have been since I first encountered their art because their art is clearly coming from a real place in their souls, which is evidence of the funk (for me). Tough topics but we have to be for real about the environment. It ain’t all good out here, while there is some good, and the sooner we turn and face the realities, past and present, the sooner we can do meaningful work. This is an ongoing discussion and hopefully we can come back together and do some cooperative work to make sure we put some actions together for the people of Indianapolis. Please go with an open mind and check out all of their works if you’re unfamiliar, frequent their performances, and buy their art. These are people that are out in the streets doing transformative work regularly and I’m glad to be a contemporary. Special shout out to @pioneerindy for welcoming us, @musicalfam for being down to spread Indiana music, and @virginiaavenuemusicfest for inviting us to talk like we are in the living room for a little while. If you were there, thank you for attending and connecting. #existintheinfinite #jaaamaccordingly #loveindy #indianapolismusic #musicalfamilytree #virginiaavenuemusicfest #pioneerindy @vocabindy @wearetribesoul peace y’all. (at Pioneer Indy) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxQ3WMNHRll/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=bej9jx9slq3o

[mrkinetik]

Fam Jaaams is June 2 3-5pm at @speakeasyindy to benefit @indianayouthgroup_iyg! This is a party for families, I provide the tunes. We really jaaam, all family-friendly, but we jaaam. Indianapolis-area peeps make a note and come jaaam. Special shout out to @greenloopmktg @utsmarket and Speak Easy for being dope and providing support! The last two have been fun, I expect more fun this time as we celebrate with our families. #jaaamaccordingly #existintheinfinite #famjaaams #loveindy #familyjaaam (at Speak Easy) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwnsb2-HDni/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1udbho3cbv7qa

[mrkinetik]

Today was a good day. Some of the plants, in various stages of growth. The tulip is better than I thought it would be. This has grown from a fall-planted bulb and I didn’t buy too many because I wanted to see if they’d do fine first. So far so good. Hostas on deck. Blooms from April til frost is the goal this year. Play “Power Flower” by Stevie Wonder. #jaaamaccordingly #existintheinfinite #mrkplants https://www.instagram.com/p/BwlHSj5H5zk/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1pz9mmm34c0qp

[mrkinetik]

The brand new flavor in your ear and it’s magic. Peace to my brotha @rustymk2 and @lunamusic. I’ve been playing Rance Allen all day and everything is on The One! #existintheinfinite #jaaamaccordingly #ATFU #theprofessorandthehustler #indianapolismusic #wreckastow #dopecouture #gshock (at LUNA music) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwiVpwknEp8/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1e0jf7gwf12zf

[mrkinetik]

“Continue” is up on my Soundcloud page now. Felt like creating and here we are. @linktr.ee in my bio will take you there and to other places as well. You’ll need headphones or a stereo to really feel it because of bass tones. #jaaamaccordingly #existintheinfinite #indianapolismusic #loveindy #sp303 #seratosample #ableton10 https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwff9benel3/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=18q8c9jl2fshc