Everyone,
A long-winded recap..We're all so appreciative of everyone who came out and who, in all honesty, BELIEVED enough to make this happen, believed that we could make it happen in 72 hours! This was crazy. If I can say anything, this event was born out of dedication, engaging an engaged community, trust, belief, curiosity, and a healthy bit of daredeviling.
Daredeviling as a verb.So many - friends and strangers - offered their encouragement, contacts, time, information, and recommendations. Every bit helped. Every action, every "share", passing along of a question or request, sent us further towards our destination of making THE BLACKEST NIGHT a reality. THANK YOU. This was a work of teamwork. I have to thank my sisters, Amenta, Hanifah, and Kalimah .. as well as my Mom, Wanda. This was an interdisciplinary creation. We all brought our different arts practices to the table to make this a reality. But what was it? What was this 72-hour crowd-sourced event?The creation of THE BLACKEST NIGHT was something moving between art + tech + community engagement + on site media development + adventure + the desire for a great party. It was a reuse and repurposing of the tools at hand to a new purpose and aim. It was a weaving together of disparate elements, structurally and strictly using the platforms available to us.And dancing, dancing, dancing. Isn't it all a dance?Dancing between "appeared" foolishness and genius all at the same time. Isn't that just the artist? Tweaking and shirking what is expected of you, of me, of all of us.. at any given time. Too, ain't that just the artist?Shirking what is conceived/believed that we can do, what we can create, and the whens and wheres of it all.Place-based, time-based.. also relevantly, identity-based.And how others view us as we're creating, in the vacuum. Pressing into the unknown. Scary.But we threw the doors wide. We are always inviting into process. And always the question of IF we can trust each other. And more importantly, if we can trust ourselves.I, we don't have all the answers, but we can find a way. And this was the point of it all. This was a crux of it what crowd-sourcing this was about.We did not have the answers at the beginning of this, but we could find a way. This we knew.. or trusted, rather.Way or waying... as a verb.And we did. WITH people.Really it is to work with the limits of things, objects.Like space, place, time, expectation,the arcs of human mobilization, planning, desire or ability to do or act.. or add to something.Trust, belief, and skepticism.. inside and outside of yourself.THE BLACKEST NIGHT was buoyed by belief. Parties involve people. And this was about people.Many people helped us, believed we could do it, and wanted it to happen - this was the crucial element, without which we could not have done this. Even when all the pieces were still coming into place. Even when we'd secured artists, but didn't have a venue less than 24 hours before the event..Sounds scary, don't it? LOL.The thing was... I knew there was at least ONE place in this whole city that could host us. Of the hundreds of venues and places in this city WE just had to find ONE.And when it came down to the wire on Friday when we didn't yet have a venue.. Friends and strangers were asking around, writing us, inquiring, and making recommendations..All the while we were calling and emailing nonstop into the evening.. Pressure aside - ha! - that was the coolest thing and one of the things for which we are most grateful.There were so many moments of surprise and gratitude. This thing rolled off TRUST & BELIEF & CURIOSITY.. and heck, maybe even concern. Why do something like this?There were moments of ... just literally, moving into the unknown. We had to keep asking, trying, seeing, emailing, calling, talking, following up. It was a constant stream of seeking. It was sometimes a little scary. But ain't life sometimes scary. There are times when you can't wait to make a move. Life will not allow you. You have to use the time you have, what you have.. and when you have.Minutes, hours, days, were precious. And always the question of what is impossible or possible from where from where we stand? There are any number of factors. But with an idea to do all in our power to shoot and buck that limit, to not be named by another or ourselves as one thing or another based on those factors. To not be branded by either the vagaries or the quandaries of life. What is possible from where we stand? To test that. To test that. To test time. To test expectation. To test what others expect of us, what we expect of ourselves, and what we expect of each other.To ask, to adventure, to quest out?What is at all possible from .. The street you're on. The age you are. What you have or do not.How many dollars are in your pocket. All of the qualifiers.NO easy thing, but ..Don't stay in your lane. This is about not staying in your lane.We have no lanes.We don't live in lanes. Art isn't made in lanes. Life isn't made in lanes.Come outwherever thou art.To the art of the thank you..We have to offer hearty thanks and appreciation to Brandon Nikola at Habesha Lounge. He was an awesome and warm host. If anyone is looking to host an event check out Habesha Lounge on Broadway.Stage. Bar. Dance floor. Projection system. Awesomesauce.We have to thank the artists who agreed to do it. Before we had the venue. Ha! Who had the feeling we could pull it together, who were curious and excited enough to try. Thanks to Keyon Gaskin, Deenah Bee, Belinda Rose Washington, Crystal Davis, Curtis Cook, E. Delux of E. Delux & The Sock It To Me Sweetcakes, Saidah Wilson, Akela Auer, House of Aquarius, DeAngelo Nicholas Raines, Mashud Neindow, Jamondria Harris, Blue, Wes Guy, Hanifah Abioto, Amenta Abioto, Antwoine Thomas, and Donovan M. Smith of Ignorant Reflections. It feels real good to build creative community. It's feeling real good.We have to thank everyone who helped make this happen in any way. Encouragement. Information. Well wishes. Whatever.It was a LOT of work. It was no easy task, but WE did it and we're so appreciative of everyone. This will happen again. There are so many amazing creatives, makers, thinkers, tinkerers across this city, that we do and don't know... yet.Of all stripes.. of all faces .. identities ... and of diverse presence and power. All of our work/ play is relevant, needed, and timely. And, WE'RE here.THE BLACKEST NIGHT was a time-based, He/Art based, 72 hour crowd-sourced party/event/jam. BUILT like a house, with the hands and hearts of many in the city, across a breadth of identities. It happened. And it ain't over. Thank you. And as DeAngelo Raines said today..Get ready, Portland.Intisar of The Black Portlanders
