Afternoon Tea with Simply Z.

I start my day, every day with a classic Cup o' Joe, but afternoons?  They're different.  One of my favorite ways to spend the afternoon is stealing a few moments of quiet time with a cup of tea in hand.  More specifically Tazo Honeybush Tea...you see this afternoon's cup brewing in the picture on the left. 

And then it dawned on me,  my quest toward being a champion for social change is easier than I thought.  Everytime I go to Starbucks, Whole Foods, or anywhere else to purchase a box of Tazo Tea, I am giving my dollars to a company that carries out some of my social change responsiblities for me.  

On their site, Tazo Tea outlines the specifics of their "Spirit of Social Responsibility" platform.

CHAI:  Collaboration for Hope and Advancement in India:  this program addresses water quality, vocational training for youth, preventative health care, and social development projects.  Over 11,000 villagers are being helped.

ETP:  Ethical Tea Partnership: promotes fair ethical conditions when it comes to cultivating tea and tea trade.

Renewable Energy:  Tazo is into energy from windmills.  Don't know the ins and outs, but it's renewable and therefore, I like it. 

Local Giving:  Tazo is based in Portland, Oregon, so they do hella stuff out there like supporting music based education, providing school supplies, mentoring homeless youth, keeping valuable materials out of landfills,  providing animal aid, and supporting visual and performing arts in inner-city Portland.

Tazo is a company with a strong sense of community and social responsibility.  This type of awareness coupled with action moves us toward social change and that's a good thing.

Sipping on the tastiest cup of tea that you can get from a pre-made tea bag is a good thing, too.

Join me for afternoon (Tazo) tea and help change the world...or just share the small things you do to create change.

Na Na Na Na Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye

Well even though these days it's all about Jay-Z's "Death of Auto Tune," you know... dressed in all black and a moment of silence and all.  I was pleasantly surprised at how much Jay-Z's concert at the Pearl at Palms Las Vegas was about celebrating life.

Despite the 99 Problems a B***ch not being one and all of the other hard core lyrical subject matter and profanity, this man surprised me at the level of authentic spirit and feel good energy Jay-Z the man, not necessarily the quietly cocky rapper, embodied. 

He paid homage to Michael Jackson and encouraged us all to celebrate his life as opposed to mourning his death.  He reminded us to make each day count.  And then at the conclusion of the night, after we'd bounced and rocked and threw up more Rock-a-fella Diamond signs than we ever thought we could, Jay did something different.  

He requested the lights to be turned up and he went through the audience recognizing his fans. I mean, yeah he shined the light on Rihanna who was clearly enjoying the concert and various NBA stars (Lebron James spent most of the night on stage being a pseudo hype man for Jay...it was cute), he literally shouted out regular folks.  Like the guy with the red jeans, the girl with the yellow tank, and even gave mad props to the girl in the balcony with the purple sequins top on, "A shot out to sequins" he added.  

He made sure that that his supporters knew that he truly appreciated them.  It seemed like it really came from the heart. This is a clear example of someone creating social change by just being kind and good to people.  Hova is culture, style, and social change, and for that, and that alone, Jay-Z is the ish!!  Enjoy.

"Death of Auto-Tune"

Jay-Z  

B is for Bob

"Three Little Birds", "Redemption Song", and "Could You Be Loved", reworked, remixed and better than ever. These are just a few things that I love about the new CD, "B is for Bob."

Mr. Marley, the man, the message, the peaceful warrior, the social justice hero, and not to mention his simple mad coolness is now repackaged for kids in this new Tuff Gong production. These catchy classics can be played for the young or young at heart.  

Through this music, we are given opportunities to teach our children about the patience, fairness, and spirit...prerequisites to becoming socially aware.  

The music is just one aspect of this piece of beauty; the other is the artwork.  I'm in love with the artwork...I want it to be hanging in my home.  It oozes happiness and hope, and I'd love a little of that dripping down my wall like wet paint.  

The artist is Mariah Fox Hausman and here is another one of her wonderful creations. 

"Three Little Birds"

Bob Marley

I Married Michael Jackson

It was a small ceremony, in the back bedroom on the 2nd floor of a modest home in East Las Vegas circa 1983.  

He was different version of his older self, he wore white pants and a yellow vest.  I wore pink rimmed short shorts and a rainbow t-shirt...I think.  

There was no fanfare, no paparazzi, no kiss.  Just me and his music, his moves, his look, and I’m almost sure he screamed “woo” or "hee hee" at least a couple of times that day, in between the only slightly audible whispers of extreme happiness about our union.

It’s no wonder I’ve cried at least once a day, every day since the news of his death.  Like the rest of the world, I’m in disbelief.  

Initially, I wanted to place blame.

Blame it on the doctor...or the sunshine, the moonlight, or the boogie.  I even wanted to go Milli Vanilli style and blame it on the "effin" rain.  But the day was clear. Damn.

Michael Jackson was my first crush, my first musical inspiration. Thriller was the first record I ever wanted to own...not just borrow from my mother.  I wanted it to be mine, to hold it close to my chest, to run my fingers over the words, to admire his weird drawings in the center of the sleeve.  This record belonged to me. Michael belonged to me.

In my pink muscle shirt with a Thriller cover iron on, I listened and learned, memorized and wished.  After the videos began to appear on the new channel called MTV, I began to dance, to mimic is moves, the curl of his lips,  the fog of his breath.  Michael was everything.  To me, he is all things musical.  I really wish heaven could've waited.

He’ll be missed.  

"Heaven Can Wait"

Michael Jackson

Some Say the Blacker the Berry the Sweeter the Juice

"...I say the darker the flesh, the deeper the roots."  Does anyone else get chills when they hear 2Pac deliver these words in his rap classic "Keep Ya Head Up?"  I do.  I'm serious, I do...the kind of chills that raise the hairs on your arms.

This week we celebrate 2 events that inarguably (IMHO) are 2 of the most influential occurrences to happen to Black Americans. The birth of TuPac Shakur and the realization by the enslaved, and the delivery of the news on June 19th 1865, that slavery had been abolished. This is what is commonly referred to as Juneteenth. 

My thoughts on 2Pac are bittersweet.  He was my leader, my friend, my teacher.  Before he began going on beat induced rants to the hater of the moment, he was intelligent on the mic, deep, with a clear understanding about social justice and various issues concerning racism and equality.  And who am I kidding, I thought he was smart and deep and clear, when he was saying things like, "I F*d your B you Fat MF."  Come on I was an angry kid once, too.

2Pac and I even met once, granted this is my reality and it was in a dream, but this was one of the most vivid dreams I ever had.  This man was running at marathon speed on a treadmill, while watching the news, and smoking a Newport, in a home we shared. His very existence was an uncomfortable oxymoron; still makes me smile.

Here is a thought....If 2Pac lived in the days of the Civil War, I think that we might not have had the 2 year delay in receiving the information that slavery had been abolished when Lincoln signed the Emancipation  Proclamation in 1863.  I mean Black people had no idea for 2.5 years that slavery had been outlawed.  Sickening.

2Pac would have spit that ish over a dope Dre beat and in a matter of a week slaves would have C-Walking off the plantation. 

That's the way I see it.

I miss you 2Pac.

"Keep Ya Head Up"

2Pac

Crash...

"into me..." I'm sure this song is not talking about a sculptured afro pick crashing into the floor beneath it, but this is the first song I though of when I saw this image. Yeah I guess this could be a "Fight the Power" post but I'm going with the Dave Matthews Band.

I first saw this image in a recent edition of GIANT magazine.  I wanted to know more about the art and the artist.  Sanford Biggers is an Black American artist born in 1970.  He works with a variety of materials and incorporates music and live exhibits and all things cutting edge. This 2006 piece in particular is a multi media project made of wood, plaster, polystyrene, and mylar. 

"Things Fxxxing Fall Apart" to me possibly represents a misguided people and culture; a pride, once strong and pronounced now being shattered.  I mean there is the obvious Chinea Achebe reference in the title and the Black Power reference in the visual (although interesting that it is a white fist as opposed to a black fist...hmmm). 

Anyway, I can't help to think how Sanford Biggers would construct this image knowing what he knows today about our current state of U.S. and world affairs.  Would this idea of Black pride still be deteriorating under the guidance of a Black President?  Is this more about the people than the politics?  Not so sure.

"Crash"

Dave Matthews Band.

I'm Thinking About Danielle Galloway

Waking up to CNN every morning, can make for some pretty depressing thoughts at the beginning of anyone's day.  But not this time. 

This particular morning on CNN, I met Danielle Galloway from Atlanta, graduating class of 2009.

She 17 years old.

She's homeless.

In and out of shelters all of her life.

She attended 10 different schools.

Oldest of 6 children.

Abused by a step father.

Deserted by her own.

She's not alone; when I looked into this social problem of homelessness, I learned that 1 in 50 children have had an experience with homelessness.  Here; in America.  Why?  I want to protect our children from this, the Ms. Isaacs protected Danielle. 

Danielle beamed when she spoke of Ms. Isaacs.  Let her in the nurse's office whenever, told her she could achieve anything...and Danielle believed.

I'm inspired by HER.

Full ride scholly.

Boston University.

Despite the odds.

Inside she found...

Her way.

With in a pen in her hand, she writes..."because it's calming,"  she said.

YES

IT 

IS.

Go...Danielle!

Thank you to her mentor Ms. Isaacs.