It really was madness—ending an engagement via text message, but at the time I didn’t know what else to do. So I took the easy way out and avoided a long face-to-face conversation. Besides, how could this kind of conversation (between two young kids who met online, talked online, and lived in two different time zones) go well anyway? We didn’t really know each other; we knew the selves we presented online.
According to Facebook, he was a writer and I am a writer. We shared similar beliefs and both enjoyed spending time outside. But Facebook never asked me about my love for travel, my volunteer work with refugees, or what kind of stories I wanted to write. There was no text box on my profile where I could explain what social issues made me tick. There was no space to explain why The Pianist (despite its harsh subject matter) made me smile and why The Lord of the Rings (despite bloody wars, impending death, and talking hobbits) inspired my love for travel. Although I listed Remember the Titans and Radio as some of my favorite movies, there was no box where I could explain how and why they informed my political beliefs. And even though both of our profiles listed the Bible as one of our favorite books, Facebook didn’t elaborate that he saw it as a great rulebook while I saw it as the greatest narrative of grace and mercy. So even after two and a half years of “knowing” each other, we didn’t know each other at all. Even worse, neither of us knew how to have the conversation we needed to have.
If you’re anything like me, Dr. King’s legacy leaves you very much empowered and yet, feeling a little awkward. As much as his words and actions have been cherished and praised throughout the years, I’m always left wondering, but what can I do?
As inspired as I am, protesting isn’t really my thing. I’m too quiet, too shy, and sad to say, much too worried about my own self-preservation. But injustice of any kind bothers me, hate makes my blood boil, and despite my quiet nature, I’m an activist at heart. But after 27 years of wrestling with society’s expectations, I’ve come to realize the many ways I can keep Dr. King’s legacy alive in my everyday life. Although I may never make the news, face danger, or display the level of courage Dr. King did, my motive is the same: to spread love, eradicate hate, and live peaceably with all God’s children.
There’s no special formula or particular order. Instead, they are a string of simple, common everyday actions for those of us who love Dr. King and wish to see his dream realized in today’s world.
I repeated the phrase to myself again and again. Think on things that are noble, pure, and true. Beautiful things I’d told myself as I tried and failed to will myself to think positively. Noble, pure, and true I reminded myself as the blinking LED light slowly but surely diminished my attention span. Positive. Noble. True. I whispered as though something magical was about to happen. But the pull of social media proved strong as the blinking blue light beckoned my focus. Not quite capable of 100% resistance, I checked the notification bar.
Instagram was waiting. As if the blinking LED light gave me permission to move forward, I clicked the notification, diving headfirst into the picturesque social media site known for beautiful things. Surely I’d find things there that were positive, noble, and true. But before I could, it started happening.
You know what I’m talking about—the subtle and silent compulsion to compare. It wasn’t intentional of course, but I just couldn’t seem to help but notice how beautiful everyone was and how accomplished their lives seemed. But the three words lingered in mind, slowly bringing me back to my senses. Were my thoughts positive and pure or puffed up with envy? Were they noble? And most importantly, were they true? I sat the phone down as a small, still voice inside my heart urged me to try again. So I did.
I started with two simple thoughts I’d always known to be true: beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and it is so much more than flawless skin. So I picked up my phone and tried again.
Here are five more thoughts I found; I promise they are all positive, noble, pure, and true.
“We can do two things when confronted with uncomfortable truth,” Canadian American musician Jordan Edward Benjamin told Billboard Magazine. “We can ignore the evidence, gaslight the victims, obfuscate facts and distract the public, or we can try and tackle these issues head-on and demand that systematic failure be met with systematic change. I believe art, and rock ‘n roll, must always side with the latter.” A quick snippet from any of Benjamin’s songs will let you know his mind is made up. ‘grandson,’ as he is affectionately known, decided early on that he would use his artistry to talk about hard truths. His debut EP, A Modern Tragedy vol. 1, conveys these truths with thought-provoking lyrics, genre-blending sounds, electric guitars, heavy metal clangs, unexpected bass drops and one-of-a-kind vocals.
Like most fashion designers, Toronto based Izzy Camilleri knew she made a name for herself when she started designing clothes for celebrities like David Bowie, Angelina Jolie, Jason Momoa, Daniel Radcliffe and Meryl Streep. What she didn’t know was just how much her career would change after meeting Toronto Star Journalist Barbara Turnbull.
While standing in line at the grocery store looking at magazines, 27-year old Liberian model, blogger and medical student Deddeh Howard decided she’d had enough. Despite having 10 years worth of modeling experience, agencies consistently rejected her because they already had a ‘black model.’ But that’s not what she saw as she gazed at fashion magazines in the check out line.
She couldn’t help but stand out. Not only was she nearly twice the age of everyone in the class, but her gym shorts and t-shirt couldn’t compare to the perfectly fitted leotards and tutus worn by everyone else. She was dressed so differently and unlike a ballerina like the rest of the girls. To top it all off, her bad nerves, constant worrying and anxiety attacks made it even worse.
There was no way she’d ever be able to fit in. But somehow, as if she was born for ballet, 13 year old Misty Copeland moved with magical grace from first position to second to third to fourth to fifth position with a level of precision expected from students that have practiced the art for many years. It was there, at the Boys & Girls Club in San Pedro California, that Copeland, in her loose fitting clothes, began a journey that is as much about community as it is destiny.
At only 25 years old, NBA Point Guard Victor Oladipo has already experienced some of life’s twists and turns. Named the Sporting News Men’s College Basketball Player of the Year and National Co-Defensive Player of the Year while he played basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers, it was no surprise when Oladipo was drafted with the second overall pick in the NBA in 2013 by the Orlando Magic. He was even named NBA All-Rookie first team, an honor given to the top rookies of the season. But when he was traded just three years later to Oklahoma City Thunder after a severe concussion, doubt started to creep into his mind.
When he was traded a year later to the Indiana Pacers, he was fighting back depression. “Going through those first couple years in the league,” he told the IndyStar. “I realized that I needed to work on my body and my mind just as much as I work on my game,” admitting that doing so saved his career. “I realized that the game is 20% physical but it’s literally 80% mental.” Today, Oladipo is considered one of the best guards in the Eastern Conference and is on the verge of making the All-Star team for the first time in his NBA career. In fact, he is the 7th ranked player in the entire NBA for most points scored in the fourth quarter. Despite a somewhat rocky start, Oladipo has fought and proved that he belongs in the NBA, a habit he learned early on in life.
Glimmers of light illuminated the room as his voice eased the atmosphere. Soothing and soulful, he sang the lyrics: it's a blessing to see people/ with their heads up to the sky still.
As if they were asked to, members of the audience held their cellphones up toward the sky. Like the title of the song, it was "Beautiful." Serenading the crowd, he continued singing the lyrics: I put my lighter in the air for you/ I see what you doing, yeah I see what you going through/ I put my lighter in the air, the truth is you’re beautiful, you're beautiful.
Lights flashed repeatedly, cameras inevitably capturing the best and worst moments of the high powered fashion show. But not even the cameras expected what the U.K.’s poster boy for sustainable fashion had in mind. In a moment’s notice, models sauntered across the catwalk in what looked like a life raft.
Orange coats and yellow parkas made from salvaged materials from abandoned rafts and bomber jackets fashioned from the material found on the underside of rafts, further emphasized the theme of the British collection: survival, endurance and immersion into nature. Known for re-appropriating military fabrics, fashion designer Christopher Raeburn’s products are praised for their distinctive aesthetic, meticulous detail, reliable function and ecological intelligence.
Her deep, raspy voice has the capacity to soothe souls like a medicine man, healing deeply rooted pains that can only be understood by someone who has experienced the same kind of pain. But this Bronx native isn’t bitter. In fact, you’d never guess the story behind her contagious smile and infectious laughter.
The lyrics from her song “Subway Art,” however hint at just how creative, introspective, persevering and aware the singer, songwriter and rapper Tish Hyman truly is. Starting the song off, Hyman’s soulful voice sings the following like an uplifting proclamation: “There is life in New York/Underground, in the coldest house.” Likewise, her own life began in New York in what natives would agree was one of the toughest neighborhoods.
The young woman’s face seems to say it all. Deep in thought and staring into undisclosed oblivion, she’s aloof to all that surrounds her. Her focused eyes do not seem to ask any questions. Instead, they embody reflection, fully contemplating on it all. Words, digitally imposed on the page, attempt to ask why, but are afterthoughts intertwined with jagged shapes.
Evoking a kind of everyday surrealism, Chicago native Nina Palumbo’s painting titled “My Beauty, My Body,” reminds me of my need to meditate, to step away from the noise and embrace raw beauty and uncensored thoughts.
The Snow Dance, sensual and artistic, mesmerized all who watched it. Adorned in a glistening white kimono, Sayuri graced the Japanese stage slowly, her arms reaching for the life she believed would never come. The snow, falling effortlessly around her, symbolized her transformation. Once soft like the rain, she had now become cold like ice. All was laid bare on the stage: her wounded past, her uncertain present, and a future that relied solely on hope.
Portraying the character so passionately, Beijing born actress Zhang Ziyi illustrated part of her own story during the film. Though she was never a geisha, Zhang was more than familiar with her character’s personality. “There are only two sides to one’s personality: it’s either tough or soft,” she told Time Out Shanghai. Like her character in Memoirs of a Geisha, she too has developed tough skin, but has maintained a soft spoken demeanor, generous heart and feminine grace.
When Buzzfeed asked him what his most recent Google search was, he replied succinctly and honestly: “My favorite poet, Langston Hughes.” With his recent and somewhat overwhelming success on Fox’s newest drama “Empire,” the passing of his father earlier this year, and the plethora of other things individuals tend to Google, I’m sure his answer was a bit of a surprise. But actor, singer and songwriter Jussie Smollett in many ways embodies the essence of Langston Hughes’ poetry: perseverance, identity, celebration of difference and of course, talent and undeniable skill.
The ink eased across the canvas magically as if he were some kind of artistic shaman whispering where and how it should glide across the page. The canvas, as though it were a living, breathing thing, welcomed the black ink as the two formed an indescribable relationship. It was abstract and yet the artist seemed to demand more from the chaos he intentionally created.
Using water as a shaman would smoke, he splashed bits of liquid here and there, demanding meaning. Somewhere his mind seemed to whisper, amongst these smeared gray mysteries, art abides, portraits exist and nature continues to evolve. His pencil, dull from use, helped reveal the beauty in the midst of the madness. Known as the “Chaos Whisperer,” it’s hard to imagine that Canadian artist Glen Ronald began his first drawings in church, but he did. Even more interesting is the fact that this “whisperer’s” work is as scientific as it is artistic.
Like most fashion designers, Toronto based Izzy Camilleri knew she made a name for herself when she started designing clothes for celebrities like David Bowie, Angelina Jolie, Jason Momoa, Daniel Radcliffe and Meryl Streep. What she didn’t know was just how much her career would change after meeting Toronto Star Journalist Barbara Turnbull.