ID: celine poses with a large dandelion art piece as if blowing the seeds
A 21st century summer
How the sun huffs its humid heat–
I feel it,
burning,
telling me to watch
out, knowing we run
to what little is left. Instead,
gather
I do with all of you.
Listen in the cool shadows,
slow pacing,
built by mighty brick.
We stay low, knowing what more we deserve,
dignified,
committed to a future rooted where trees grow–
over ashes filled with dry dust,
bones hollow,
surpassing mass destruct,
construct. Shown
are the borders and prison bars of today.
Let me cool off this sweat
and gather
with all of you.
Till the day comes when the world is on fire
burning ripe, ready
for us to join the flames.
At Alnoba Retreat Center, members of the Cultural Equity Incubator community gather around an outdoor table conversing, dreaming, and authoring.
peace aci community,
around the early stages of this DIAL experience, i watched as the seasoned artist continued to draw rectangles after rectangles, on her sheet of paper. when she felt it time for her to speak, she said to the group, "I want the world to understand that when it comes to artists, we are as important as bricks. Not feathery additions, but foundational. And foundational to the healing, change making process necessary to sustain our communities." this was said amidst a story circle, where core artists came together to envision, build relationships, and strategize future actions for the CEI. this was also during a time of deep reflection, in which the uncertainties of tomorrow resurfaced to work towards building equitable structures implemented today. although i was just beginning to understand the histories of this specific collective, i found myself listening and reflecting deeply along with them–with all of you–gathering and preserving energy to build for a resilient revolution.
ever since then, most of my time has been down at the CEI, where i'm physically guarded by walls of brick, reminded of the voices of BIPOC artists and those within the margins who are but in tandem, leaders, educators, organizers, and cultural shapeshifters. Every so often, these voices would recharge the determined energy, as the space opened up for celebrations, creations, a place of refuge, and exchange. engaging in the practice of listening, i would take note of where there was collective alignment or misalignment; take part in local events to hold the experiences of community voices; learn from the takeaways and upcomings from my DIAL peers; and ensure the lessons shared from artists like those who participated in the CELC are honored through language and accessibility.
after being a small (but exciting) part of ACI and CEI’s journey, i hope for this community to continue to grow, taking in the difficult but foundational strides to better nurture our world. i also hope to work alongside you all towards this shared vision whether it be in the realm of artistry or somewhere in close resonance.
thank you–in a matter of 10 weeks, i have felt welcomed, loved, and grateful to have met each of you no matter the length of time spent or distance traveled. thank you for your wisdom, warmth, and realness. while this is a goodbye, i’ve got a feeling we’ll still be seeing each other around 😏
till then,
celine
ID: celine, slandie, micah, and Kay smile with Jaypix and Jay’s niece in front of Jay’s artwork in wiild negro is love at the Cultural Equity Incubator.
ID: celine poses with Jinyi, their mentor for the summer, with a big teddy bear in front of a shimmering red photo wall.