DukeEllington
School of the Arts - est 1974
daisyJames
Volume 1, Issue #1
HANK WILLIS
THOMAS JR
JAY-Z
INVISIBLE
CHILDREN
occupy dc
NICKELODEON’S
VICTORIOUS
Building the 21st century writer
DaisyJames lifestyle magazine produced by
Literary Media & Communications
at Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Editor’s Welcome
You are about to read issue number 1 of Daisy James magazine, and all of us in
Literary Media and Communications at Duke Ellington School of the Arts hope you
enjoy it. This is actually the third publication of Daisy James, following on the heels
of the Mario spotlight that we named issue number 0 and the Dreamgirls spotlight
that was a special edition. Personally this edition is my favorite of the three and not
just because I edited it or have two of the best articles in the magazine (smile). At
times it was a pain in the rear end but everybody worked really hard to make this
magazine the best that it could be. Despite numerous setbacks amongst other issues
we managed to finish this magazine somewhat close to deadline. It wasn’t easy and
many of the writers required stern and persistent motivational incentives, but in the
end we got it done. Parents were emailed and voices were raised but once I got to
see the early proofs, I realised it was all worth it.
There isn’t much that one can compare with seeing their hard work in print
with their name attached to it. My playwriting teacher said that ”seeing your play
performed is the closest in feeling a male gets to childbirth”. I see my two pieces in
the magazines as twins, and the magazine as a whole as my adopted child. A lot of
time and effort was put into researching and writing the material in these magazines.
For those of you that aren’t familiar with the arduous schedule of Duke Ellington,
please allow me to inform you. We have classes from 8:30 in the morning to 5:00 in
the afternoon, with a total of 10 classes in both academics and arts. This means that
not only did students on my team have to worry about completing their Daisy James
material, but also their academic homework and whatever assignments they were
given in our other three art classes. After a school day longer than most work shifts,
the writers of Daisy James interviewed random people in the street, slept outside in
McPherson Square, dressed as they wouldn’t normally dress, and traveled all over
the DMV to gather research for their pieces.
However the real MVP of the magazine is our journalism instructor, Mr.
Koye Oyedeji. He tried his best to keep all of us in check and make sure everybody
did what they were supposed to on top of teaching three other classes. Having
literally no free time whatsoever Mr. Oyedeji was up at all hours of the night editing
and proofreading work along with enforcing deadlines. We didn’t make his job
easier, and at one point even I, the editor, dropped the ball and required scolding. I
didn’t appreciate it then, but I understand now he was just doing what was best for
Daisy James.
I’m not saying all of this to guilt trip you into reading the magazine, but if I
did I’m glad. I’m just informing you that a lot of time and effort went into making this
magazine what it is and that we hope you appreciate it. They’re are music reviews,
fashion stuff, serious stuff, and funny stuff, all for your entertainment. No matter
what you are looking to get out of this magazine I'm willing to bet the amount of
money you spent on this magazine that you will find it. I don't want to sound
presumptuous but this magazine is great so yeah, you’re welcome.
Marcus Brown, editor
Daisy James, Volume 1, Issue #1
DAISY JAMES is a publication of LMC, LITERARY
MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS
@ DUKE ELLINGTON SCHOOL OF THE ARTS,
3500 R STREET NW WASHINGTON, D.C. 20007
DEPARTMENT CHAIR
MARK WILLIAMS
EDITOR: MARCUS BROWN
CONTACT: DAISYJAMESMAG@GMAIL.COM
CONTRIBUTORS: ASIA ALSTON, MARCUS BROWN,
KYNDALL BROWN, ISIS COOPER,
LUCY FRESHOUR, MADISON HARTKE-WEBER,
IMONIE KING, GENNA KULES, IDIA LEIGH,
NILE MYERS, LAURYN NESBITT,
KEPHREN PONDEXTER, BARRETT SMITH,
RASHAWNDA WILLIAMS
INSTRUCTOR/MANAGING EDITOR/LAYOUT:
KOYE OYEDEJI
ONLINE / ASSOCIATE EDITOR: KELLI ANDERSON
COPY EDITOR: RICK WEBER
PHOTOGRAPHERS:
MARCUS BROWN, AURIELLE CATRON,
ZOE GATTI, BRIAN NIELSEN,
RASHAWNDA WILLIAMS
THANKS TO:
Kelli Anderson, Chris Berntsen, Eric Breese, Kalia
Brooks, Olivia Drake, Brittany Fenison, Kim Gaines,
Saudia B. Harris & the Prime Movers Program, Brittany
Jones, Jackie Jones, Alan King, Jiro Schneider, Jack
Shainman Gallery, Elena Soboleva, Rick Weber, Mark
Williams, Hank Willis Thomas Jr, Students in the
Literary Media & Communications Department
cover photo: hank willis thomas jr
shot by jiro schneider and kindly donated to duke ellington for use
www.jirophoto.com
contents
28
4 first up: Ten Questions
Ten subjects you might want (or not want) to know
about Duke Ellington School.
6 Victorious The cast of the hit TV
show makes a surprise visit to Duke Ellington.
9 Profile: Invisible
children A spotlight on the organization,
20
and what measures they take to combat child
abduction in Uganda.
10 Commentary: Let’s
Talk about Slavery Isis Cooper
25
goes on a quest to find out if the history of slavery
is important to today’s youth.
12 fashion: Style on the
Streets Lucy Freshour takes to the streets
to find out what’s hot in Georgetown.
14 Cover Story: Hank
Willis Thomas Jr. Marcus Brown
6
celebrates the achievements of the acclaimed artist
and former Duke Ellington student.
20 Feature: Inside The
Classroom Daisy James talks to Duke
36
Ellington teachers about the secret lives they lead.
22 Feature: A Walk In The
Park Occupy D.C. - A teenage perspective.
25 Commentary: Where
The Ladies At? Idia Leigh
contemplates the question.
28 Rising Talent: Bleu
Friday A spotlight on the rising star.
30 Feature: Unplanned
Parenthood Three pregnancies. Three
9
different stories.
14
32 Top 5 Performance
Venues in the DMV Madison
Hartke-Weber highlights the best places for live
music in the city.
34 spotlight: Museum
Studies
36 Profile: Jay-Z Kyndall Brown
explores the man behind the myth.
22
38 Reviews
FIRST UP:
ten
questions?
FEATURING
THE DUKE ELLINGTON
SCHOOL OF ARTS
1. Why do students lose
their way at Duke
Ellington?
At Duke Ellington the possibilities are
endless, and because of this it is not
like most other schools in D.C.
However, for many this can be a
double-edged sword. If you work hard
in order to achieve your goals, you’ll
find your path well lit, but for those
who don’t want to put in time, there is
a world of mediocrity waiting for you. It
is easy to become enveloped in
everything else going on at the school
and find yourself far from where you
hoped you would be. For some, Duke
Ellington is a fertile plot of soil for
success, while for others the path to
failure is paved with good intentions.
3. Why is fashion
such a big deal at
Duke Ellington?
Personally, we couldn’t care less
about the way students dress. For
some of us Daisy James writers, we
usually just throw on whatever
looks comfy. However, a number
of students at Duke Ellington spend
hours planning out their outfits for
the week. They accessorize to the
max: earrings, necklaces,
bracelets, rings. Everyone has their
own style whether it’s hippie, emo,
ghetto-fabulous, hipster, rocker,
whatever; every day is a runway.
But why is fashion such a big deal
at Duke Ellington? It differs. Some
people are desperate for attention.
They wear outfits that don’t match,
wear stiletto heels, dye their hair
rainbow colors, and get piercings
in places that should not be
pierced. Some students just like to
express themselves through their
clothing and there’s nothing wrong
with that.
4. Why don’t students at Duke wear uniforms?
It’s felt that Duke Ellington
students do not wear
uniforms because, as
young artists, selfexpression through dress is
just as important to the
development of their
“voice” as their art is.
2. Why does the Dean of
Students, Father Payne,
patrol the streets of
Georgetown
after
school hours?
Rumor has it that the school’s Dean of
Students, Father Payne, has teamed up with
the local police to monitor Duke Ellington
students’ after-school behavior within the
local neighborhood. There have been a
number of reports of Duke Ellington
students up to no good in the Georgetown
area, whether it is on the D2 bus or outside
of Wingo’s. Father Payne’s patrols seem to
be a way to get a grip on the students even
after they leave campus. After all “you
represent more than just yourself in public.”
5. Why do
they have a
bad library?
Well, firstly, there isn’t a librarian so
access to the library is not monitored,
anyone can walk in and take a book.
Sadly, very few students take books, as
nowadays very few like to read. Daisy
James has it on good authority that the
school once had a good library but it
has since been neglected and
abandoned.
6. Why are some students at Duke Ellington
more interested in their reputation at an arts
school than being serious and making a career
out of art?
We cannot speak for the majority of students at Duke Ellington, but yes, there
are a number that we have watched closely and we have come to the conclusion
that they are serious about neither their arts nor academics. As underclassmen,
they are not getting as much as they can out of the Duke Ellington experience,
which often leaves them scrambling for success in their junior and senior years,
should they get there - as these students are not likely to stay at Duke Ellington
for long. Many are here for the sake of their reputation. They want to be known
as that well-rounded girl or boy who is talented in the arts. What good comes
out of being in a place where you can practice what you say you like to do, and
yet ultimately make nothing out of it? Some students fail to realize that their
reputations are not built upon their talents and abilities, they are built on their
actions and what they make of their experiences. Performing better in the halls
and between classes than you would when it actually matters, does not matter a
great deal. Furthermore, it does not prove anything.
7. Why do teachers
forget
that
the
students are still
children?
Well okay, although they are artists, Duke
Ellington students are still children. At
times it is felt that this fact gets lost, given
the huge amounts of responsibility placed
upon them. For every poem they write,
they are still scribbling over childhood.
Students are human first, and while they
appreciate the responsibility that teachers
give to them, there are the occasions
where it can become overbearing.
8. Why can’t Duke
Ellington students
double major?
Well, Duke Ellington students
cannot double major simply
because they don’t have enough
time to complete the necessary
credits that each department
requires. There would need to be
either less credit requirements or
even longer days than the 8:30a.m.
to 5p.m. days that currently exist.
But wait, why try to be a jack of all
trades and master of none? Why
double major when you can put all
your attention into one area and
become the best that you can be in
that area?
9. What is up with our
vending machines?
Yeah, the vending machines are kind
of weird. Sometimes they only accept
crumpled dollars, or only crisp ones.
Sometimes they only accept coins.
Also, all of the options are “healthy”,
or whatever that word means. They
used to have Cheez-It’s, but then
someone decided that Cheez-It’s were
bad for you and had them taken out.
This sucks because everybody loves
Cheez-It’s. We also have a soda
machine which only puts out juice,
this could be taken as a metaphor for
the school.
5
10. How does Duke Ellington help students
launch their careers as artists?
Not only does Duke Ellington teach students to develop their craft and strive for perfection, the school also teams up
with organizations around the city to help get students used to working in career fields within the arts. Some of these
organizations include: Words Beats and Life, The Kennedy Center, and even the White House. The experience that
students receive helps them determine the right colleges to attend and helps them develop a work ethic for when
they finally branch out on their own. Contributors include: Bridget Dease, Lucy Freshour, Sienna Laster, Idia Leigh, Nile Myers, Lauryn Nesbitt,
Khat Patrong.
art schools collide:
the cast of nickelodeon’s
victorious
meets ellington
school
words: genna kules
photos: brian nielsen
At Duke Ellington School, word of the arrival of a cast of Nickelodeon actors traveled faster than the school's
dance students could move their feet. Before we knew it, the stars were upon us. Students flanked each side
of the gallery, as though welcoming royalty, as our principal, Rory Pullens, came bounding in, closely
followed by Victoria Justice, Ariana Grande, Daniella Monet, Leon Thomas III, Matt Bennett, Elizabeth Gillies,
and Avan Jogia, the cast of the Nickelodeon hit show Victorious.
They toured the gallery with Mr. Pullens, exploring the artwork created by students from the Visual Arts
Department. They stopped every so often to pose for photos, before making their way into the elevator.
Upstairs, the school’s media center was filled with the buzz of excited students. Sitting next to me was my
Ariana Grande-obsessed friend, behind me were two juniors, boys who had loved Victoria Justice since her
days on Zoey 101.
6
We sat in the media center with the show’s theme song
on repeat, the room packed with chairs and recording
equipment, convoluted set-ups from both Nickelodeon
TV and the Literary Media and Communications
Department. Ms. Brittany Fenison, the assistant to the
Dean of Arts, entered just before the cast did, reminding
us of the professionalism demanded at the school.
“You’re not fans; you’re artists,” she said.
Victoria entered the room first, tripping over her
heel before taking the center seat at the table. The rest of
the cast filled in around her. Daryl Bright, an 11th grade
Theater student, introduced them and launched the
afternoon’s Q&A session with a previously submitted
question: How did you [the cast] get started in acting?
Victoria’s story is well known. She went from
Hollywood to Hollywood. Growing up in Hollywood,
Florida, she started modeling at age eight and was
featured in over thirty-five commercials. She moved to
L.A. where she attended the city’s magnet school. Since
then, she has gained fame with her breakout role as the
mischievous student, Lola Martinez, on the TV show
Zoey 101, managed to secure a recording deal with Sony,
and will appear in the upcoming film Fun Size,
scheduled for release in October 2012.
Like Victoria, each of the young actors’ first breaks
were unique and they gave varied answers to the
question, yet one thing remained common amongst
them: they all displayed a level of ambition rarely seen at
such young ages.
Yet listening to them, and their stories, I couldn’t
help but feel that it all seemed too simple and reliant
upon fortune. “I auditioned and I got it.” “I moved to
Hollywood and got on a TV show.” “I tried out for a
Broadway show and I magically made it on my first try.”
For many actors, there are huge obstacles that they must
overcome. They jump through hoop after hoop in the search
of recognition and stardom. I wondered why the stars of
Victorious could not tell us about that struggle, the tenacity,
and how it isn’t all about talent. Those are the types of things
our teachers frequently tell us.
When asked about education and college, they all
agreed that they would go to college if they could. There was
a consensus among them that education is very important.
Victoria has taken her education into her own hands, and
works to be self-educated. Daniella takes classes when she
can. She has her real-estate license and used to be a
personal trainer. She says that it is important to have a backup plan when you’re an actor. “You never know when the
jobs are coming. You could be overwhelmed one month and
the next three not have anything to do.”
The cast also gave some comedy tips to the theater
students. Matt said, “You have to give up some jokes, you
can’t always be the funny one,” while Ariana added that you
can’t be afraid of what other people will think of you. Avan
explained that comedy is about accuracy. You have to come
in at the perfect time or else it won’t be funny. “It is
important to play off of other people,” said Victoria.
Ariana finds similarities with her characters. She
wants to be more like her character, Kat, who is openminded and loves to make friends. Although, she added, Kat
is a little bit too extreme.
When Victoria was asked what character she wants to
play, she responded with “the tortured soul,” someone with
issues and problems. Liz was asked how performing live is
different than performing on camera. Her answer?
“Performing live is invigorating - you need lots of energy and
volume.” When she first started on camera, she needed to
calm down. Daniella explained that at her craziest audition
she walked in with green grapes in her eyes. For her
Victorious audition, they had her bark like a dog and act like
a five-year-old. Matt told us that he had ventriloquist training
to learn how to hold a puppet. “You don’t realize how much
upper body strength it takes to hold a puppet.” He added
that he works out a lot to prepare for shows.
The real fun began when it was time to collect
autographs. They had us chant “Victorious! Victorious!
Victorious!” and scream and cheer for the Nickelodeon
cameras. They signed cast photos that they handed out to us
and I had the opportunity to ask them further about their
lives. Liz’s current goal as an actress is to go into movies.
Matt has always wanted to be a writer and wants to write a
Nickelodeon show. He feels like he knows what they are
looking for and would enjoy doing that.
The day wrapped up after the autographs and
conversations. Students stayed in their seats as long as
possible in an attempt to be around the stars until the very
last moment. The obsessions and conversations continued on
after Victorious left. The buzz of anticipation turned into one
of reminiscent glee.
8
spotlight:
words: lauryn nesbitt
9
In the United States, when a child goes missing, police are notified and an
Amber Alert is sent out. There is a rush to find the child, bring him home
safely and imprison the one responsible.
An ocean away, Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lord’s Resistance
Army (LRA) in Uganda, has been responsible for 30,000 children who
have vanished in the last 23 years. Africa’s longest running war has
resulted in many child abductions, villages being attacked and destroyed,
and families burned out or killed. For many years, the wider world has
been kept in the dark about these casualties on the African continent.
Kony and the LRA soldiers have terrorized Northern Uganda, parts
of Sudan, and the Republic of the Congo. Innocents in fatigues, these
children are forced into slavery and forced to fight. The children are
recruited from the villages and schools of northern Uganda. Thousands of
children have been robbed of childhood and, in many cases, of life itself.
Boys and girls are turned into ruthless killers. They are taught to be numb
within, and their souls have become seared. The conflict has been going
on for years without resolution.
Even in the midst of tragedy, there can be triumph. Organizations
such as “Invisible Children” have made it their mission to shine a light on
the issue and do all they can to save as many children as possible.
The organization was launched after three young American filmmakers
went to Uganda in 2003 to observe the issues firsthand and filmed what
they saw. After returning to the States, they created the documentary
"Invisible Children: Rough Cut," a film that exposes the tragic realities of
northern Uganda’s night commuters who go out to recruit - and sometimes
kidnap - young people and child soldiers.
Those who work with “Invisible Children” define themselves as
storytellers, visionaries, humanitarians, artists, and entrepreneurs who
spread awareness about the issue.
Now, in its eighth year of existence, “Invisible Children” goes to
high schools around the country to tell the stories of these children in
hope that it will spark young people to support the efforts. This fall, they
visited Duke Ellington School of the Arts.
The current “Frontline” tour is raising money for a “protection
plan” so that the “Early Warning Radio Network” can be expanded. The
Early Warning Radio Network is a High Frequency service that allows
Ugandans in remote parts of the country to communicate with other
communities in the hope that they can spread the word about attacks,
abduction and the many casualties faster and more efficiently. To date they
have raised more than $1 million from 2,521 teams and 44,700
participants. Those who raise the most money are rewarded with a trip to
Uganda to meet the extraordinary survivors of the war.
This is only one of many ways that they help to shine light on the
ongoing genocide. There is a Bracelet Campaign, Legacy Scholarship
Program, Mentorship Program, Economic Development Initiative, and an
online shop where all proceeds go to the cause.
For more information on Invisible Children’s programs and initiatives visit:
www.invisiblechildren.com
commentary:
let’s talk about
slavery
words: isis cooper
photos: zoe gatti
I imagined them exhausted, drenched in sweat,
while picking cotton under the scorching sun; and
with every cotton field we passed the same
reccurring images would appear in my mind. With
these images, as an African American, I began to
think about how easy our generation has it
compared to our ancestors. I wondered if we
acknowledge them the way we should. A simple
family road trip to South Carolina triggered a quest
for the answer to the question: “Does our generation
take slavery for granted or find it irrelevant?”
“I would say your generation is detached, but
it’s not intentional or your fault, natural progression
is detaching from the past. Every generation starts to
integrate into America’s vision a little more,
forgetting about our beginnings,“ said Kenneth
Robinson, a Duke Ellington alumnus, who views our
generation as something that has just evolved over
time. Could this be the case? With each generation
passed, a new step is taken forward, away from past
struggles and we sometimes forget the path that led
us to where we stand now.
Dean of students at Duke Ellington, Father
John Payne, suggested that it’s the past generation’s
fault for not teaching our generation the importance
of our ancestors. “I think the problem is that people
are so far removed from reality and what life really
is, and what it was like before their time,” he said.
“It’s the previous generation’s fault for not teaching
them.” This could very well be the answer. Some
things aren’t intentional, such as forgetting to teach
the youth the importance of their heritage. Some just
don't view it as a priority. Others, however, believe
there's a different answer.
There are some people who view slavery as
something that should simply be left in the past.
“We’re not detached, we remember, but there’s no
sense to dwell on things that are so depressing. We
are an upbeat generation that doesn't want to be
suppressed by the actions of the past,” said Imonie
King, a junior at Duke Ellington.
Although slavery was an impactful era of the
African-American community, many of us intentionally
don’t acknowledge our ancestors because we feel that
America as a whole shouldn't live in the past. But is
knowledge not the key to growth? Slavery is a very
delicate subject that most people try to avoid. However,
growing, not only as people but as a nation, requires us to
acknowledge dark times that have helped us venture to
the light.
Another trait that is starting to become increasingly
more common in our generation is the desire to be a part
of a different ethnicity, or to be more than just “black”.
Many people such as Elijah Cooper, a student at SUNY
Purchase, considers this behavior “a smack to the face of
our ancestors, as if having softer hair or being lightskinned proves you’re better than those who don’t, ...we
should be past this.” Our ancestors fought to break down
color barriers, and here we are still keeping them alive. I,
myself, am guilty of this too. As the darkest of three
children, I often felt cheated of the “light skin” gene, until
I was old enough to understand that the melanin in my
skin is beautiful.
Our heritage as African-Americans is something
that should never be disowned, despite our views on
slavery. On my way back to D.C. from South Carolina, I
realized how grateful I am for the roots of which I've
grown from, of which we have grown from. Without them
this generation of African-Americans wouldn't exist.
FASHION:
STYLESTREETS
ON THE
INTERVIEWS: Lucy Freshour
photos: rashawnda williams
DANA
Dana is wearing black boots with buckles, sleek black jeans, a trendy plaid
shirt, and a brown jacket.
How would you describe your style? I’m pretty casual but I like to add a
nice jacket or something for extra flair.
Where do you like to shop? Well, I actually just moved here from North
Dakota! The style there is very different than the Georgetown style but I like
a lot of the stores around here. I like J. Crew, Cusp, and Ann Taylor Loft.
What is your favorite thing in your closet? I got this really cute necklace for
my birthday. It has a blue stone on it. I like simple things like that.
Whose style do you admire and why? Lady Gaga! I mean, I wouldn’t wear
half the things she wears but they look great on her.
SOPHIA
Sophia is wearing
brown boots, blue
jeans, and a cute and
cozy tan coat.
How would you
describe your style?
Simple and classic.
Where do you like to
shop? Zara has some
great stuff.
What is your favorite
thing in your closet?
Definitely my black
riding boots.
Whose style do you
admire and why?
Audrey Hepburn! She is
such a style icon.
NATALIE
Natalie is wearing classic black ballet flats, black skinny jeans,
and a red jacket that adds a great pop of color.
How would you describe your style? Comfortable but cute.
Where do you like to shop? I love Zara.
What is your favorite thing in your closet? I have these gold leaf
earrings that look great with anything.
Whose style do you admire and why? I can’t think of anyone. I
like to think I have a style of my own.
Leo is wearing orange sneakers with a wedge heel, blue jeans,
layered tee-shirts, a pink scarf, and a very stylish white coat.
How would you describe your style? I’m fashionable. I’m a
trendsetter.
Where do you like to shop? I’m from France so I love French
stores. Oh, I love Balenciaga.
What is your favorite thing in your closet? My Louis Vuitton
bag. I carry it everywhere. I’m carrying it right now!
Whose style do you admire and why? Brigitte Bardot. She is
so glamorous.
LEO
Seboe is wearing white high-top sneakers, red jeans, a super cute khaki
colored coat, and a multi-colored scarf.
How would you describe your style? Simple but with a little hint of rock
and roll!
Where do you like to shop? Forever 21 and H&M.
What is your favorite thing in your closet? Probably these funky boots
from Lord and Taylor.
Whose style do you admire and why? Rihanna wears some very cool stuff.
SEBOE
Joan is wearing black ballet flats, black pants, a sand colored
sweater, and a stylish cobalt scarf.
How would you describe your style? I’d say I’m pretty chic.
Where do you like to shop? Anywhere vintage! I also love J. Crew.
What is your favorite thing in your closet? A friend of mine owns
this boutique called Onyx Feather. You should check it out! It’s
awesome. Anyway, she gave me this checked glass necklace from
there and I just love it.
JOAN
Whose style do you admire and why? Jenna Lyons, J. Crew’s
creative director. Her style is simple but tailored.
cover story:
hank willis thomas jr.
one
words: marcus brown
photos & artwork:
courtesy of the artist &
jack shainman gallery
american
14
I have an empty stomach, a full bladder, and a persistent desire to take a
nap. It is after nine at night and instead of being home relaxing or doing
homework, I’m at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in downtown D.C. with two of my
teachers. As readers I know your first thought, and the answer is no, I didn’t do
anything wrong.
I’m seated in a movie theater chair, in a stark white rotunda seemingly
supported by white, Roman columns that dwarf the huge projector screen. As I
scan the rest of the audience I see two types of people. The first being young,
hipsteresque college students who could not be anymore happier to tweet or text
about what they are thinking this very moment from whatever Apple product they
spent their trust fund money on. The second type of people are slightly less
enthused and only take out their phones to check the time or send the occasional
email that had earlier slipped their mind. These people are noticeably older than
the first crowd and are here because of a mutual love for art and for talking about
loving art. These two groups of people were evenly dispersed throughout the
auditorium and as it got later into the night anticipation filled the room. The man
of the hour and the reason for such an eclectic grouping of people was the
photographer, visual artist and graphic designer, Hank Willis Thomas Jr.
Seeing as how he was a former Duke Ellington student, like myself, I was
there in hopes of getting an interview with the man behind the art. Thomas was
speaking at the Corcoran Gallery of Art as part of a lecture series from the artists of
the 30 Americans exhibit on display at the gallery. The exhibit is made up of pieces
from the Rubell Family collection and features 30 talented African-American artists
ranging from Jean-Michel Basquiat to David Hammons. After a lenghty
introduction by both the junior and senior curators the entire room grew silent as
Thomas took the stage and began talking. After a few minutes of awkward, funny
banter something surprising happened. Right in the middle of a sentence Mr.
Thomas began to cry. Admittedly, I was caught off guard but that seemed to be the
theme of the night because from then on it was a combination of emotion and
inspiration. He went on to explain that he was crying because his family was in the
audience along with his former teacher and a host of other mentors, such that he
was overcome with gratitude and emotion.
His mother, Deborah Willis, is also a respected artist in her own right and
professor at the Tisch School in New York. Part of what inspired Thomas to be an
artist was his mother along with a coterie of the artists that surrounded him at a
young age. This experience showed him that he could succeed, “not just at making
art but also curating and writing about art”, his mother said. This is probably why
of all the places Thomas could have ended up for an education he ended up at
Duke Ellington School of the Arts in the Musuem Studies Department.
Thomas is a Duke Ellington alumni and was taught by the current chair of
the Museum Studies Department, Marta Stewart. He ended up at the school after a
frenetic search for a place to continue his education culminated in a family friend
suggesting his mother try out Duke Ellington, where she served on the board. It
was at Duke Ellington where Thomas began to grow as an artist in an environment
that was in sharp contrast to the predominately white, sport-oriented high school
he had left behind. Here he was allowed a place to foster and hone his craft for the
outside world in a place accepting of his own unique talents and abilities. It was
here that Thomas says he “became a person in a way” and that his time at Duke
Ellington was monumental for his development into an artist and member of
society.
Top: Absolut Power, 2003
Below: Branded Head, 2003
Basketball and Chain, 2003
Not only was Thomas very open in discussing how “all of
[his] wonderful life experiences” came from his time at
Duke, he was also open with discussing the darker
inspirations for his work.
A notable influence on Thomas’ work was the death
of his cousin Songha. Along with various photos of Songha,
including one of his autopsy, Thomas made a stop motion
film using miniature toy army men to depict Songha’s death
during a robbery, as it was told to him by friends who were
there. He went on to explain that the reason toys were in the
film as opposed to actors was because he wanted take a shot
at the cultural norm of practically putting guns in the hands
of children. How troublesome the idea that in America
children are so jaded to the dangers of guns and weapons
because at a young age they are exposed to them as play
things. Thomas pointed out the irony, that on most toys the
warnings they hold for say, “ages 5 and up”, are there not
because the violent nature of the toy but because there is the
potential to choke on the small pieces. This in turn creates a
society that almost justifies the hackneyed nature of weapons
but is outraged and dumbfounded by acts of violence.
Another one of Thomas’ more controversial pieces of
work was a parody of the Master Card commercials, in
which he used a photo taken at Songha’s funeral to again
speak on the vicious cycle of violence that is an almost
intrinsic part of society. The picture shows the varying prices
of items at the funeral from a gold chain to a 9 millimeter
pistol and ends by saying picking the perfect casket for your
son is priceless. Again Thomas uses some of the darkest parts
of his own life to speak on harrowing topics that most can
relate to. As an artist this is an indispensable characteristic
and one that inspired me most about his work.
16
Many of Thomas’ pieces are centered around race or class issues
and how they are portrayed in the media, specifically in advertisements.
He uses sardonic edits of common place advertisements to prove a point.
By slightly altering images seen in the media on a daily basis the
audience is caught off guard because instead of the usual propaganda
they are accustomed to seeing, they are instead struck with a biting piece
of social commentary. One of his most popular works is a picture of a
black man with the Nike Swoosh branded into the side of his head. The
picture speaks to the nature of corporate branding and slave branding and
the similarities between the two. Another picture states a similar theme in
a bit more obvious manner in which a basketball player is shown jumping
and the basketball beside him forms a ball and chain with the chain being
tied around his ankle. Institutions like the NBA and NFL can be seen as a
modern day slave trade for African-Americans and the corporate
conglomerates behind them like Nike as the new slave masters. The
resurgence of slavery in more subtler forms is a reccurring motif in his
work such as the one where the images of an Absolut Vodka bottle and a
slave ship are merged into one.
From the top, counter-clockwise:
Time Can Be A Villian Or Friend, 1984/2009
The Discover Card, 2004
The Afro-American Express, 2004
The Chase MasterCard, 2004
17
However not all of his work is as
serious as these and some merely poke fun
at the racist undertones of modern media. A
fairly large portion of his work is just
advertisements with the words taken away
or juxtaposed with another in order to make
some of the understated messages more
clear. I found myself laughing at many of
the pictures, but after I was done laughing I
began to reflect on the pieces. I would
laugh at how blatantly racist or ignorant
some of the advertisements were but then I
began to realize that it could not be further
from comedy. Thomas’ cousin Youtha
Hardman-Cromwell commented on
Thomas’ exhibit, arguing that “we don’t see
how the things we are being presented with
and are participating in are hooked into our
history.” I couldn’t agree more. We live in a
day and age where we are constantly being
bombarded with images that shape our
society and cultural identity, and what does
it say when you can strip and move these
images around to reveal such shameful
messages?
As an artist, student and individual I
found Hank Willis Thomas’ lecture
inspirational and provocative. On the one
hand I saw an African-American whose
background almost perfectly mirrored mine,
standing on stage talking about his life’s
work to a crowd of people eager to listen. I
saw an artist who has made something of
himself, despite all the trials and
tribulations that he might have faced on the
way there, doing what he loves. I also saw a
man who was trying to force the world’s
eyes open and make the public see what is
really out there, as every good artist should.
I could not help but be inspired by this man
who created art that spoke to people,
because at the end of the day an artist
cannot be judged by the popularity or the
acclaim he receives but instead by the value
and substance of his work. Hank Willis
Thomas’ work speaks nothing but truth and
I am glad I had the opportunity to see his
work and meet the man behind the art.
“On Hank Willis Thomas Jr”
Marta Stewart
chair of Duke Ellington’s
Museum Studies
Department
“He was a good student. He had many of the characteristics that we look
for in Museum Studies students. He was curious and creative. He had an
open mind. He had a willingness to work at figuring out how to be
successful at completing assignments even if he did not really know how
he was going to accomplish that task.”
“[I recall] students were challenged to create a living history biography if
a person of their choice and he chose Prince. He memorized and
delivered Prince’s life story in the first person in a convincing and
compelling way.”
Photo: Aurielle Catron
From top: Jordan and Johnnie Walker, 2009,
Scouring The Earth, Edition 1 of 10, 2010
Shooting Stars, 2011
19
inside the classroom:
an inside look at the
ellington staff
The first in a series of stories that looks into the hidden lives of staff at
Duke Ellington School of the Arts.
Frances Peterson
WORDS: RASHAWNDA WILLIAMS
Photo: Zoe Gatti
I pass her in the halls, and stop by only to turn
in months worth of old needed forms that she
has long since requested. But whenever I drop
into Frances Peterson’s office, I get a good
sense of both her casualness and humor all
wrapped into one. When I found out Ms.
Peterson, our school Registrar, was a former
police officer I wasn’t too surprised. The witty
and sarcastic remarks that I’ve come to enjoy
began to make sense. “I have always been a
daddy’s girl” she said, “and I always wanted to
be on the same page as my father, that’s why I
joined the force.”
Yet it was the same person that caused
her to leave the force. Her father had been on
the force and was aware of what took place
behind the scenes. He didn’t think it was an
appropriate job for a woman.
“My father became ill with brain cancer and he made me promise him that I’d leave the force. He didn’t think it was the
appropriate job for a woman.”
Asked what was the worst thing she ever saw as an officer, Ms. Peterson said: “There was a set of twins in Potomac Gardens;
there was a good twin and a bad twin. After the mother died the bad twin killed him [the good twin] as a result of being jealous at the
praise he received. He then set the apartment on fire.”
The experience led her to begin to consider her future but the incident wasn’t ultimately the deciding factor for Ms Peterson
leaving the force, even after speaking with her father this event set things in motion. It was when she had pulled her gun on a young
boy - who was acting as if he was going to shoot his father while trying to protect his mother - that she knew it was over.
“The gun was unloaded and the safety was on and if I would have shot him it would have been for no reason. That’s when I
knew the job wasn’t for me.”
Her time on the force had not been long. “Just a year. A year and a half was all it took”.
Photo: Rashawnda Williams
Natalie Bruford
I was sitting and tapping my foot on the
ground, waiting to see what Natalie Bruford had to
show the class when she brought out a piece of
wood, about the size of a piece of paper in length
and thick like a large textbook, from a door she had
built.
Everyone reacted with shock and admiration
for a teacher who at 5’ 4” could operate heavy
machinery needed to make a sample of that size.
“I am much more than a woodcutter, I do
floor finishes and also know how to make furniture,”
she said. “Woodcutting is something that has been in
my family for years, it’s something that's always been
around. I used to spend every summer in my father’s
wood shop, with my siblings.”
But Ms. Bruford, my 10th grade History
teacher, didn’t decide to make a living at it.
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She said she loves “history and teaching from the age group of 14-18,” and that the experience of being a missionary in
Venezuela helped her decide to become a teacher. “I was in Venezuela at 23 teaching teens the scripture and I learned I loved it.
When I got back [from Venezuela], I changed my major from history to history teaching. So I wasn’t too off track. I began as a
student teacher at Ellington in ‘05, and when I came to work in D.C. this was the school I was assigned to.”
She described woodcutting as a way to ‘bond’ with her family. “It’s an indescribable feeling knowing you created
something with your bare hands, and you’re able to see it, and know it will last for over 20 years,” Ms. Bruford said ”You’ve left a
piece of you, even after your gone.”
As she described her parents’ house, she pulled up pictures online that revealed her handiwork. I was in awe of the
detail. The pieces were made of mahogany. She had made chevron-patterned floors; there was a large cabinet that had hand-cut
detailing.
“One of my favorite things in the house is the stairs. We cut each pieces of wood that the steps were made with.”
Asked how you make a parallel between teaching and constructing wood, her response was: “In the end you want a product
you’re proud of and you want a product you can say, ‘I made that’ with your name on it. I feel like in teaching I want students to
feel the same way too; when they put their name on work they worked hard on. Students should have that satisfaction.”
Reggie Melbrough
So I live in D.C. I don’t have a car so I have to take the subway
system everywhere I go, especially when I perform, and as a black
guy I find it very ironic that I take an underground railroad headed
towards Virginia. I have a fear that I’m going to end up in a time
warp, and some guy will hit me and say my name is Toby.
“That’s a joke I often open my sets with,” said Reggie
Melbrough, a stand-up comedian who teaches history at Ellington.
My first few weeks of school were an exercise in adjustment to Mr.
Melbrough’s sarcastic and witty sense of humor. I even learned a
few things you never do in his class: like sleep. His voice fills the
small classroom as he calls you out: “WAKE UP [insert your name
here], this isn’t Brookland.”
Mortifying as it is to be the one called out; it is jarring to
others in the room who know that they just dodged a major bullet.
The allusion I’ve learned is from the Beastie Boys rap song No Sleep
till Brooklyn; ever since then it is hard not to laugh when he wakes a
poor soul from sleeping.
If that doesn’t wake you up, wait for the whistle.
“I used to be a coach at Coolidge [High School], and I played lots of
sports throughout my life,” Mr. Melbrough said, in part explaining
why he likes to blow his whistle to hurry us to class.
I remember my friends asking me if I had seen Mr.
Melbrough’s video on YouTube; usually I would laugh and say no.
Finally I broke down and watched it. I was surprised to see that he
was actually funny. ”I started to think about becoming a comedian”
he said, “when I saw another friend of mine perform and thought:
‘I’m a lot funnier than this guy.’”
After moving to the D.C. area from Idaho, he decided to
become a local comedian, building his career in the DMV.
“It’s hard being a comedian, and there’s always going to be a few bumps along
the way. The hardest part is making people laugh. I entertain crowds full of people of all
races, and I have to make them all laugh. A joke is a joke and if it’s funny everyone will
laugh.”
“Most times the best jokes are those when you put a personal aspect in them.
You pour your heart out on stage, and it’s like ‘OK, just laugh at my faults.’ One of the
most rewarding things is having a whole crowd laugh, but when a room’s completely
silent, it’s embarrassing.”
Mr Melbrough explains that it is hard sometimes to separate being a comedian
from being a teacher and not go off on a long tangent. “I have to make the connection in
my brain that I’m talking to students while my comedic brain is working two seconds
ahead and I have to suppress distractions and not go off on tangents. Sometimes I go too
far.”
An avid sports fan and former scholastic athlete, Mr. Melbrough often makes
sports references in class that some students don’t get.
Asked if he would continue to perform even if he weren’t paid, Mr. Melbrough replied,
“Yeah, I already do sometimes. But I prefer being paid.”
15
A WALK
IN THE
PARK
(A YOUNG MAN’S JOURNEY INTO THE MOUTH OF
OCCUPY D.C.)
words & photos: Marcus Brown
Amidst a sea of tents and the disenfranchised was me, a
15-year-old Duke Ellington student armed with a sleeping bag,
a camera and far too many granola bars. As I sat in the middle
of McPherson Square, one site of Occupy D.C. -- the other
being Freedom Plaza -- I began to wonder if I was in a bit over
my head and way out of my element.
Occupy D.C. is a branch of the original Occupy Wall
Street Movement in New York which is basically a protest
against the greed and corruption of the wealthy and their
manipulation of the government. What I experienced during
my overnight stay at Occupy D.C. was nothing like what I
expected.
The campground didn’t smell nearly as bad as I thought
it would. No it wasn’t the smell that scared me, but the people.
One of the first things I saw was a 6-4 black man with waist
length ivory dreadlocks and a dread beard that went down to
his jean short/loin cloth garment. Did I mention all he was
wearing were these makeshift denim shorts?
Although not all of the Occupy D.C. denizens were this
frightening; most could be filed under the eccentric category. I
saw a man with a kitten on a leash, more Guy Fawkes masks
then I could count, and barefoot hipsters playing hackey sack
in 40 degree weather. I didn’t even have a place to put my stuff
since the person with whom I was going to be sharing a tent
hadn’t arrived yet and so I decided to do some sightseeing.
What I saw amazed me and absolutely decimated any
predisposition I had about Occupy D.C.
It was like an organism, and everyone in the park were
like organs or cells. There was literally a tent for anything and
everything one would need to live in the middle of the park -from food to medicine, it was all there. The kitchen tent
equipped with working stoves, frying pans, and more spices
than my own home, churned out food practically every hour
which included spaghetti and some damn good pancakes in
the morning. The medicine tent had everything from Tylenol to
tampons and I had to admit that I wouldn’t have even thought
to have a medical tent but it was the thorough ingenuity I saw
all throughout the camp that amazed me.
For the intellectual types there was a library
full of books and a chess tent where my tent-mate
spent a good six hours playing. The camp even had
its own soundtrack, or maybe heart beat would be
more appropriate, because like a pulse there wasn’t
a second when bongo drums could not be heard
from at any given place in McPherson Square.
As the sun began to go down, and the
temperature with it, the merry weather protesters
began to trickle away and the park was left with the
more serious veterans who began to assemble their
tents. During this mini diaspora I was asked quite
frequently whether or not I was staying. “Are you
staying?” It was a simple enough question and was
never followed with a discussion of length or reason
for staying. However looking back this question was
the embodiment of the movement itself as it was the
only thing that tied all the people from every walk of
life together.
The only thing that I truly shared with these
people was that I was staying and so were they. I
don’t want to write some cliche article about how
after spending time with some alien group I learned
their strange customs and got a new found
appreciation of them.
As far as strange customs go, Occupy had
plenty. The most amusing but pragmatic technique
used all night was “mic check”. Basically one
person announces mike check then proceeds to
speak and everything he says is repeated by the
crowd as he says it. I thought it was silly at first but I
found out later that “mic check” was a way to get
around using a bullhorn because it was illegal for
the protesters to use one. So much of Occupy D.C
was founded on taking what little they had and
spreading it as thin and far as they possibly could.
The level of just pure utilitarianism I saw was
amazing.
Some of the stuff I saw was something I
would expect to see in a third world country, like
tents made out of straw, cardboard, bamboo, and
tarp. Shelter is a given, but the fact that a ridiculous
amount of water would be needed to keep the
operation going hadn’t crossed my mind. Where
would one find enough water for a hundred or so
people to drink for weeks and still have enough to
cook with, wash dishes, etc? Leave it to those crafty
Occupy folk to trick out the water fountains in the
park using some duct tape and cut bamboo to
stockpile water 24 hours a day.
I found a real respect for these people’s
ingenuity and willpower, but I do not envy them one
bit. That night was the coldest I’ve ever been in my
life. I had on thermos, two undershirts, a flannel and
a sweater I acquired from the surplus clothing and
supplies tent, and still found it impossible to get
warm in my sleeping bag. The warmth of an
insulated home was one of two things I took for
granted, but the other more serious vanity I was
deprived of was a clean lavatory. The twin port-opotties were both pungent and repulsive as I
urinated with the door open for fear that being
enclosed in the stench might make me black out in
the abysmal pit of excrement. I’m thankful all I had
to do was pee that night. After hours of shivering I
eventually fell asleep.
I was up bright and early taking pictures, as
the ones I took the previous night were too oblique
to make out. As it turns out, the day starts early at
Occupy as people were already outside doing yoga
on the lawn as the the aroma of fresh flapjacks
wafted out of the kitchen tent. I spent the rest of
the brisk morning sprawled out under the sun with
a copy of Herman Hesse’s Under the Wheel
ruminating on my time at Occupy.
I didn’t have any profound epiphanies about
the state of the world or my own future in it. I
thought about all the people I talked to, all the
people I bummed cigarettes off of, and all the
conversations I eavesdropped on as I tossed and
turned that night. If this was really history in the
making, you would think I would be more
appreciative to be a part of it, but I wasn’t.
As marvelous of an existential experience as
my time at Occupy was, I couldn’t help but feel
pity for some of these people. I wondered if these
people would be remembered as anything more
than a picturesque representation of the so-called
revolution that will never come.
I wondered if these people would be
reduced to nothing more than a commodity or a
candid talking point for the rest of the 99% asleep
comfortably at home when they discuss the
horrible state of the world. I knew that I could
never genuinely say I was a part of the Occupy
Movement, and I felt deceitful in knowing I could
hop on the train to a warm bed at any point and
most of these people couldn’t.
The only way I could justify my being there
that weekend was that I could at least say I was
there even if only for a weekend which is more
than most people can say. Zachary Clare, another
student from Duke Ellington and the person with
whom I was sharing a tent, said that “a movement
based on principles and morals is how we shall see
a change in us and our world.” And that made me
wonder. I wondered if this was true and if
principles and morals could really change
anything.
It seems like people always want to answer
the problems of the world with lofty ideals and
indefinites. As I packed up my sleeping I did feel a
tinge of regret and the comforting thought came to
me that maybe if the whole school thing didn’t
work out at least I’d have a cold tent waiting for me
at McPherson Square.
commentary:
where the
LADIES AT?
IDIA LEIGH argues that today’s young girls are increasingly being portrayed in an over-sexualized manner, sending confusing
messages to a future generation.
Jenna Rose is a tween star well known for her
playful song, My Jeans, produced by Ark Music Factory –
the same company that produced Rebecca Black’s Friday.
She’s also known for a song that possibly passes the
boundaries of playful: OMG. The song’s lyrics provoked
some controversy on whether or not the content is
appropriate for the young girl to sing. Sure there are some
possible sexual ideas that could come out of “she looks
good… you know you wish you could”, but the music
video for the song definitely leaves little room for debate
by pushing Rose’s sweet little girl look out the window.
Dressed in shorts almost too small to be
considered shorts, Jenna Rose dances provocatively in the
video to OMG while singing “just shaking that boom
boom” and “take a picture, baby”. In one shot, she struts
suggestively down a hallway in an almost tipsy fashion.
Although the video refers to her as the “teen boom boom
doll”, Jenna Rose was only twelve at the time of the
25
recording. The company may be aging her only a few
years, but the video’s sexual themes age her by at least a
decade.
Unfortunately, Jenna Rose isn’t the only girl to be
over-sexualized in this way. In fact, many teenage girls
are. Girls wear skirts too short, pants too tight, and shirts
too low cut. One teenager, who talked to Daisy James
(we'll refer to her as Alana), says girls “feel the need to
dress in little clothing to get attention,” and that’s the
message that’s being sent to them. The most popular stores
for girls of that age, such as Forever 21 and H&M, sell the
types of clothes that the girls on TV shows, such as
Victorious, Degrassi and Jersey Shore, wear. Alana adds
that girls are bombarded with images that pressure them
into thinking in an over-sexualized manner. She says this
pressure, combined with other teen stressors, force them
to act in an overly mature manner.
“Being a teenage girl, I don’t feel
too much pressure [to sexualize myself]
because I am already aware [that the
pressure exists]. But also as a teenager, I
deal with certain pressures and
complexes. Personally, some days I dress
questionably, but not consciously; it’s
usually something I saw out of a
magazine or my friend suggested it. It’s
almost impossible to escape the pressure
from doing certain things or acting a
certain way,” Alana says.
Dr. Janice Caro, a psychologist in
Rockville, Maryland, says the
environment in which teens live in sets
an image that girls try to live up to. She
says that our society is “robbing our kids
of their childhood.” A teen girl living an
over-sexualized life is encouraged by
almost everything around her. Although
parents chide “that’s not the kind of
attention you want”, the idea of being
appreciated, and treated like a mature
woman, is an appealing thought to most
teen girls, who often feel insecure and
awkward, and, unfortunately, most
sexualized teenage girls do get a lot of
attention.
I decided to investigate the idea
of gathering more attention through the
clothes I wear. I dressed beyond my
years, as many teen girls do, and I went
out onto the streets for the real
experience, ensuring that I would be
vigilant of any additional attention
received. Sure enough, there was a lot of
attention, and it wasn’t just from boys my
own age. There were twenty-, thirty-,
forty- and even sixty-year-old men who
weren’t at all hesitant about giving me
approving looks, or even approaching
me and my friend, who had
accompanied me on the experiment.
Maybe getting your cheeseburger
upgraded to a double for free (this was
my experience during my experiment) is
enough of a perk for some teens to be
willing to over-sexualize themselves.
Girls often learn how to play the game in
our “sex sells” society. It’s not hard for a
teen girl to use her body to get ahead.
This may not be too great a danger when
using this strategy against boys their own
age, but it’s near disturbing when teens
use this strategy with grown men. What
makes it worse is that it often works.
Girls shouldn’t be dressing or acting in such
provocative ways to get ahead, but what’s to stop them?
The idea of young girls with an older man is also
encouraged in society. There are a number of male actors,
in their twenties, playing the role of teenagers on TV
shows, while teen celebrities, like in the case of Miley
Cyrus, tend to date older men. Age, sometimes mistaken
for maturity, is often an attractive quality in males to teen
girls.
The “racy teen” is a sex symbol not only in
America, but throughout the world. In fact, in eastern Asia
there are dresses called “Lolita” that are very much an
accepted style. Yes, Lolita, as in the same name taken
from Vladimir Nabokov’s novel about the romance
between an older man and his teenaged step-daughter.
These dresses are similar to dresses that little girls would
wear, adorned with bows and ruffles. Unfortunately, this
little girl style is considered to be attractive in the media,
which continues to portray young teenagers as a sexually
attractive prospect. Oddly enough, people openly speak
about their outrage at girls being forced into marriage and
bearing children at such young ages in foreign countries,
while the issue of sexualized teens is hardly discussed in
the United States. There are protests against human
trafficking and sex slavery overseas, yet there is little
discussion in regards to our teenage girls becoming slaves
in our sex-crazed society.
From playing with Barbie dolls at an early age, to
buying anti-aging cream when they are older, physical
beauty has become a part of the American female
preoccupation. But how healthy can that be for a girl
growing up today? Caro says more and more girls are
dealing with matters and concerns that they aren’t mature
enough to fully grasp. “Girls are dealing with cliques and
mean girls in fifth grade,” she says, “something that only
used to be a teenage problem.
“Girls are sent mixed messages: whether to be
over-sexualized or not. TV and male attention tells them,
‘Yes! Do it!’ But school systems often place rules telling
them otherwise.” Caro says there isn’t enough education
on the matter for girls. In a society where the objective
from birth is for females to be attractive, there isn’t
enough emphasis on more positive and healthy attributes
to being female.
I believe that we should bring back the former
term of “a young lady”, yet at the same time, to give new
meaning to the term. To attribute this title to a girl who’s
main objective is to grow up, enjoy her present age and
grasp the learning tools needed to make herself successful
in the future, rather than a girl who tries to live the future
now. Why has America eradicated the notion of a young
lady, and replaced it with the sexy teen? Caro says that “as
long as sex sells it’s going to be hard to stop.”
Girls that don’t follow this “norm” are often
ostracized. They get negative feedback. They are often
teased and bullied for having qualities that used to be
seen as good values. Caro says that “girls do better in
single-sexed education.” She argues that when girls are
taken out of an environment where they are pressured
into becoming sexualized in order to gain attention from
boys, they actually tend to focus better and have more
success in school and in maintaining friendships.
Caro says that over-sexualized girls “have issues
making decisions. They don’t recognize dangers.” Pressure
to be sexually attractive can often lead to mental issues
such as depression or eating disorders. In situations like
date rape, it was stated in Seventeen magazine that rapists
believe that the girl “got what she deserved” or was
“asking” to be raped by the way she was dressed. The
world can be a much more dangerous place for teen girls
who are over-sexualizing themselves.
So why don’t we encourage the growth of the
young lady? Maybe it’s too late to reverse the society that
we’ve created. The band Outkast said it best in their song
Behold a Lady: “One day our kids will have to visit
museums to see what a lady looks like…”
bleu
friday
rising talent :
words: madison hartke-weber
photos: courtesy of the artist
16
The age-old question is whether to
create music for art's sake or for fame
and fortune. For your average teenager, a
career in music would be a dream:
parties, playing sold-out arenas, and
having the paparazzi chase you as you
head into your limo from your hotel.
When you picture this, and think of the
many songs that were clearly written for
the radio, it seems only logical that music
is about the fame. However, some
musicians are still in it for the art. Bleu
Friday is one of them.
The 18-year-old rapper from
Alexandria, Virginia, started writing
poetry and saw rapping as a good way to
make use of his talent. Bleu Friday, who
originally performed under the name
KidMusiq, established himself with the
release of the mixtape Classic 93’. For the
past year he’s been recording, producing
and performing at venues in the DMV, as
well as in places such as New York and
Tennessee.
Bleu Friday recently sat down with
Daisy James to explain his take on the
music industry.
“I didn’t want to be 'the kid'
forever,” he said, referring to his original
name KidMusiq. He decided to change it,
he thought, to something that would
speak truer to himself and his art. Bleu
Friday was born.
“When you think of blue, you
think of sadness and sorrow. When you
think of Friday, you think of joy and
nirvana. The name puts two very different
things together.” When talking to him, it
is clear that he doesn’t fit the stereotype
of your average rapper.
When asked what his musical influences
are he responded with, “Beethoven and Mozart,
mainly, in the ways they lived and the struggles
they overcame as artists.”
His creative process is somewhat simple.
“[In terms of writing] I write about whatever life
brings to me. I was in a car accident, so that gave
me things to write about, in terms of the emotions
I went through. If I had to pick one thing to write
about it would be me. Experiences I’ve had.” With
his beats, Bleu Friday takes a similar approach. “I
like beats that have more of an unusual sound to
them. I strive to make them sound dope”.
There is a variety to his songs. There are the
slower, ballad-like songs, laced with emotion;
songs that would make perfect party anthems.
Then there are songs with some of the trippiest
beats one could encounter, such as Bad Company,
which has an equally trippy animated video to
accompany it.
“What makes him unique is his poetic
side,” says the rapper’s manager, Vann Rimpsey.
“He isn’t only trying to sound dope, like a lot of
mainstream rappers.” In concert Bleu Friday likes
to transition between the slower and faster songs,
instilling the elements of excitement and surprise
in the audience. “He’s a great performer mainly
bleufriday.tumblr.com
facebook.com/bleufriday
twitter.com/bleufriday
because he’s good at transitioning. He starts out
with a slower, more poetic song like Dancing
Flames and then finishes it out with the amped-up
Rebel Life”.
Bleu Friday does much to expand and keep
up with his extensive fan base, frequently updating
his Tumblr blog and Facebook page, and having all
of his music available for download online. The
rapper also has a large YouTube presence; his
YouTube page is full of video blogs, all of his songs
and his music videos, including the animated one
for Bad Company. In addition, he is all about
making connections: with music industry
professionals, video directors, clothing lines, and
other opportunities that will help keep his music in
the spotlight.
With the way his music career has been
working out for him, it wouldn’t be surprising to
think that he was in it for the fame. He was
featured in Thrasher magazine, has almost 30,000
followers on Twitter, and his song Just a Fan has
over 250,000 plays on YouTube. However, Bleu
Friday continues to create music for the art, by
“striving to be different and staying true [to
myself], by focusing on the music.”
UNPLANNED PARENTHOOD
NILE MYERS talks to three women about the life-changing decisions they’ve had to make, and how they live with the choices
they’ve made day by day.
Amber's favorite color is light blue, and she
sleeps with four stuffed animals. When she grows up she
wants to become a chef, yet her favorite food is cereal.
She eats it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Despite all
this, she is marked by a single moment in her life; the
moment when she walked into Planned Parenthood and
told the women at the desk, “I need an abortion”.
Amber,* 15, became pregnant in May, found out
in June, and received an abortion days after her birthday
in July. “I didn’t feel good killing my seed,” she said. She
added that every girl should be realistic with themselves,
be deliberate in deciding whether and when to have sex,
and wait until they are certain that they are in a
committed relationship.
While interviewing Amber, I asked where the
father was. “He ran out,” she said, and added that he
wouldn’t answer her calls or texts, creating a void in
their relationship, and leaving a young Amber both
confused and scared. The thought of a child growing
inside of her affected her performance at school. She
was determined to fix the “problem.”
Since she was only a child, she couldn’t figure
all that on her own. When she lost hope that she would
get help from her boyfriend, she went to her mother for
answers. Her mother took her to the hospital to get an
abortion. They would later return because of
complications from the procedure.
“At first you feel numb, then afterwards you feel
pain because the pills and shots they give you wear off,”
Amber said, describing the process. She said she’ll never
forgive her boyfriend for what he did, but she still loves
him and said she understood why he ran out on her. She
stayed with him, although she emphasized that “he was
nowhere to be found” while she had to make the
decision about whether to have an abortion.
Like all teenagers, she continued to experiment
with sex because she thought the “mighty birth control”
was on her side, but Amber got “knocked up” again, and
had an abortion - again.
She now encourages everyone to use condoms
as a backup birth-control method.
Photo: http://chanclalej.deviantart.com/
Her mother, Sarah Brown*, 32, blames
herself. Like Amber she was pregnant at an early
age - 16. “Me and my daughter’s story are very
similar,” Ms. Brown says “I was young, just like her,
and thought someone loved me, but really, [he] just
loved my body parts and got caught up on the fact
that I thought I was an adult.”
Amber didn’t keep her children, but her
mother kept her child. Amber didn’t run away from
her house to make it on her own, but her mom did.
Ms. Brown dropped out of school to support her
baby, so her career opportunities were very limited.
She didn’t tell her mother about her child until
Amber was 5 years-old. Ms. Brown worked a
number of odd jobs to make ends meet in the early
years, because when she had her baby she was too
young to qualify for any of the jobs she wanted to
work at. Eventually, she found a job at a Hair
Cuttery in Washington, D.C., which allowed her to
carve out a future for herself and Amber.
Early on, the money wasn’t enough to make
ends meet. Funds wouldn’t allow her to buy a place
to stay and she was forced to live with a friend at an
apartment in the outskirts of Maryland, making her
trips to work in the mornings hell.
“If I didn’t grow up too fast, and listened to
my mother, I would have ended up with a better job
and a better view on life,” Ms. Brown said.
Over time, she moved from a housing
project to a high-rise apartment with much more
space. She is now a licensed cosmetologist at a hair
salon two minutes away from her home. She says
that if she had finished school and didn’t get
pregnant, she would’ve had a better job, but since
hair was all she knew she just stuck with it to make
money to support Amber.
*Names of the ladies interviewed were
changed to protect their privacy.
Nicole*, 15, also kept her child. Her best friend
invited her to a hotel party, where the usual teenage antics
occurred. She drank a little too much and ended up having
unprotected sex with her boyfriend at the time. The next day
Nicole realized her mistake, and recalled yelling at the top
of her lungs. Rather than discuss the situation with Nicole,
her boyfriend - who already had three children with other
girls – cut off communication with her. She told her mother
who blamed her best friend, and Nicole was forbidden from
ever seeing her again.
Nicole knew she would keep her baby, but everyday
has been a struggle taking care of her son. Nicole’s mother angry and indifferent to her daughter’s situation, as well as
barely able to make ends meet herself - is not a major
source of support.
“This is where he sleeps,” said Nicole, pointing to
her dresser drawer. She wakes up to constant screams from
her one-year-old Kamrin. “No one told me it’s hard work to
be a mother. But I would've guessed.”
Nicole manages to balance school and taking care
of her child. “My mother kept me when I was born, so I’ll
do the same for my child. That's what mothers are supposed
to do.”
5
the dmv
words: madison hartke-weber
the top
in
performance venues
The key to creating an audience for yourself is to perform, and most budding performers know this. But what they don't know is
where to perform. Although we’d all like to perform at places such as the 9:30 Club, Warner Theater, Kennedy Center, etc. that’s
not likely where your first show is going to be. Luckily, there are many smaller performance venues in DC, Maryland and Virginia,
featuring a variety of opportunities for musicians, rappers, poets, dancers, and more. Here are five favorites for young performers:
bloombars
This is a small bar located in
Columbia Heights, D.C.,
with an emphasis on young
performers. It features the
widest variety of shows,
including music, spoken
word, theater, comedy and
dance. It also screens short
films and shows artwork.
3222 11th Street, NW, DC
20001 - (202) 567-7713
jaxx nightclub
This is a music venue located in
Springfield, Virginia, that hosts a
range of musical acts from rap to
metal. This is a popular venue for
national acts as well as for local
talent. They frequently host local
shows and competitions.
6355 Rolling Road, Springfield, VA,
22152 - (703) 569-5940
the fridge dc
This is a small art gallery located in an alley
on 8th Street, S.E. They pride themselves in
hosting shows for musical acts, dancers,
comedians, and poets. They also screen films
and host young visual artists.
516 8th St SE, 20003 - (202) 664-4151
THE BLACK CAT
Located just a few blocks from the legendary 9:30 Club, this
unique spot emerged in 1993 when music venues in D.C.
were scarce. It has hosted many well-regarded indie rock
bands as well as local shows, making it a great opportunity
for smaller acts.
1811 14th St NW, DC 20009 - (202) 667-4490
busboys & poets
There are four locations; two of them are
in D.C., one in Virginia, and another in
Maryland. Its diverse audience, and the
central location of one of its D.C. sites
on U Street, makes it a great venue for
singer/songwriters and poets. They host
many open mic nights; some of which
are specifically for teens.
2021 14th St NW, DC 20009
(202) 387-7638
1025 5th Street NW, DC 20001
(202) 789-222
5331 Baltimore Avenue
Hyattsville, MD 20781
(301) 779-2787
4251 South Campbell Ave
Arlington, VA 22206
(703) 379-9757
SPOTLIGHT:
MUSEUM STUDIES
WORDS: ASIA ALSTON
PHOTOS: ZOE GATTI
Duke Ellington’s Museum studies department opened their second
exhibition on Jan. 12, entitled “Reuniting Ellington”. Their theme
was inspired by the school-wide theme “Reinventing Ellington”.
Within the Museum Studies department’s efforts to redefine Duke
Ellington, they thought that bringing all aspects of the school
together would renew the school’s atmosphere. For the curators
and photographers, it was important to show that even though
Duke Ellington is divided into various departments, they all are
capable of coming together to create a much bigger picture. “I’m
excited and happy about the turnout [for the opening night], and
I’m pleased with the amount of cooperation from everyone, such
as the models, artist, administration, etc.“ said Marta Reid Stewart,
chair of the Museum Studies department, as she talked about the
process of piecing together an exhibition of this sort. The
exhibition displayed photography that depicted the different
elements of Duke Ellington school - whether it be academic or
artistic - as they are taken outside of their comfort zone and placed
in a different space. A popular collection within “Reuniting
Ellington” is “Charlie and His Academic Angels” by photographers
Brittany Boone and Kadijatu Bah. This piece shows Mike Easton,
chair of the Visual Arts department, painting alongside his three
“academic angels”, Jillian Busath, Kimberly Mills, and Bethany
King, who are teachers in the math department.
profile:
JAY-Z
words: KYNDALL BROWN with
BARETT SMITH
Thousands of people flooded the streets surrounding the Verizon
Center in Gallery Place, Chinatown, all anxious to see Kanye West and
Jay-Z perform songs from their highly anticipated joint album, Watch
the Throne. They opened the show with their hit single H*A*M., then
during the rest of the concert, they led the audience through songs
representing each of their rap careers, from Jay-Z’s Big Pimpin’ and
Kanye West’s Jesus Walks, to their finale, Niggas In Paris, which they
sang three times, followed by Encore. When the show ended, almost
everyone was pleased.
One of these artists, Jay-Z, represents a man who, despite
adversity, became a self-made millionaire. According to the Forbes 400
list, Jay-Z is worth over $450 million. Much of his success is a result of
his crossover success, as well as his hardcore following. Jay-Z’s albums
have topped the charts since his debut album Reasonable Doubt, which
he decided to release through his own label Roc A Fella, when no other
label would sign him to a deal. Since then he’s had 11 Billboard No. 1
albums, sold over 50 million records worldwide and won 13 Grammy
Awards.
The size and excitement of the response to Jay-Z’s music shows
his impact on the generation of today. Jay-Z’s albums have topped the
charts since Reasonable Doubt. The Blueprint and The Blueprint 2,
released in 2001 and 2002 have achieved cult status while 2003’s The
Black Album sold more than 400,000 copies in its first week of release.
More recently, Georgetown University Professor, Michael Eric Dyson
has developed a course on Jay-Z’s impact on youth and America as a
whole. Sociology of Hip-Hop — Urban Theodicy of Jay-Z deals with
“everything that’s important in a sociology class: race, gender, ethnicity,
class, economic inequality, social injustice…His body of work has
proved to be powerful, effective and influential. And it’s time to wrestle
with it.” says Dyson, an author, radio host, and ordained Baptist
minister.
The class was met with much excitement and controversy; the
university was forced to move the class to a bigger hall to accommodate
the demand for the course. However, according to Vibe magazine,
many parents of students at Georgetown expressed concerns about the
idea of a course being dedicated to a hip-hop artist. Dyson conversely
encouraged students to invite their parents to the class so the parents
could see exactly what was being discussed in the course hall.
Jay-Z was born Shawn Corey Carter on a late winter evening on Dec. 4, 1969 and raised in the Marcy projects of
the Bedford-Stuyvesant area in Brooklyn. He started writing lyrics at age fifteen, after witnessing a cipher among the other
kids in his neighborhood. It was also around this age that he began dealing cocaine. Jay-Z used his experiences to inform
his writing and they began to give his raps life and breadth.
In an interview on the Forbes 400 official website, Jay-Z talks with Warren Buffet about success and giving back.
He discusses how he eventually came to a fork in the road, where he had to decide whether dealing or hip-hop was
closer to his heart. He goes on to talk about how, now that he has matured, he can write raps that have more layers and
experience. We have watched Jay-Z evolve while all the time he remained in the spotlight, his growth, arguably, has
helped along the evolution and growth of hip-hop.
“The deeper we get into those sidewalk cracks and into the mind of young hustler trying to find his fortune there,
the closer we get to the human story, the story of struggle, which is what defines us all,” Jay-Z says in is autobiography
Decoded. According to an interview Jay-Z participated in with author and record executive Steve Stoute, Jay-Z has been
able to “go beyond musical boundaries and into the psyche of young Americans.” He has used his position to shed light
on issues that effect humanitarian issues. According to Look at the Stars: A World of Celebrity Giving, Jay-Z and UN
Secretary General Kofi Annan collaborated to create a world tour to raise awareness of and combat global water
shortage. Soon after in 2006, Jay-Z partnered with MTV to create a documentary entitled Diary of Jay-Z: Water for Life.
Jay-Z was also one of the many donors to assist the American Red Cross with relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina, addressing the issue of the government response to the Katrina disaster in his song Minority Report. Jay-Z doesn’t
discount his importance to the youth of today and he understands his responsibility to give back to the generation that he
has inspired.
He recognizes his music as his product, and sees his fans as his customers, which is a method that is benefiting
him in more ways than one. Jay-Z has been able to satisfy his audience on both sides of the spectrum - the mainstream
followers and the die-hard fans. He has created a loyal fan base that is willing to support him, and willing to spend their
earnings on his creations; but he also remembers that he must constantly attempt to win over the popular fan base to stay
relevant. Jay-Z has had one of the longest careers in the hip-hop industry and has so far been able to avoid a career low
point in his career. He has created the mold for a successful business-man and artist to co-exist as one in the same
person, he has discovered the formula for the perfect balance between the two.
reviews
The Twilight Saga:
Breaking Dawn (Part One)
Director: Bill Condon
Summit Entertainment
DVD Release:
February 11th
Mylo Xyloto
Artist: Coldplay
Parlophone Records (EMI)
Release: October 11th 2011
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn (Part One),
marked the beginning of the end for the passionate and
addictive saga. Unlike the first three movies, Breaking
Dawn was fast-paced, more intense than we expected,
and constantly worked to keep its audience on edge.
The movie that millions had waited for was certainly
worth the wait. It depicted Bella living life after high
school, after marriage, and, well, after...life.
From the opening scene you are immediately
drawn into the movie, with Jacob’s heart being broken
(once again) after receiving a wedding invitation to
Bella and Edward’s wedding; the only slow moment of
the entire movie. The tying of the knot between Bella
and Edward was something that most viewers
expected, but no one one could imagine what would
happen next.
The visual aspects of the movie are things
we’ve all seen before, but given to the viewer in a new
way, unlike many other films being released to DVD
this year. What made this movie different and gave it
an edge was the change in relationships as the story
progressed. Much of the cast has to adjust to a different
way of life, on account of Bella and Edward’s recent
nuptials. Jacob can no longer have Bella and she is
now family to the Cullens, which throws many curves
their way. These two relationships are key to the rest of
the movie, being one of the many twists that takes
place.
Entranced by the shots and the flowing
dialogue, it’s difficult to notice the almost two-hour
long movie slip away. Towards the ending, you are left
wondering what the heck happened? The movie has
slid by like butter and as a viewer you try to take stock
of the last minutes before it’s over, and you’re left with
another year of waiting for the final ending that will
take place in Breaking Dawn (Part Two).
The movie leaves the viewer teetering on the
edge of their seat and grabbing for the hand of
whomever’s near. Rating this movie, we would have to
give it five stars. One of the only movies, possibly the
only, that has captured us from the first second to the
last.
I’ve been listening to Coldplay ever since their first album,
Parachutes, was released. I was five years-old at the time, but even at
that age I could tell this was good music. Then A Rush of Blood to
the Head was released. What an incredible album... Politik, Clocks,
Warning Sign; every song on that album is amazing. They followed
this up with the “X & Y” album which rolled out everything from rock
anthems to tearjerkers (If Fix You doesn’t make you a little teary eyed,
you must have a heart of stone.) Then came the oh-so timeless
album, Viva La Vida, that is still getting radio play four years after the
album was released.
Now there is Mylo Xyloto. I am not a big fan of this album.
One of the things I loved most about Coldplay was that they never
conformed to the masses. Their music was different. They used
interesting melodies and made unexpected choices. Their music told
stories of heartbreak, love, death, and happiness that people of all
ages could relate to. But now, after listening to this new album, the
first word that comes to my mind is “conformity”.
Let me start with what I personally believe is the worst song
on this album, that just so happens to feature one of my least favorite
“artists” of today, Rihanna. The song is called Princess of China, a
curious title to which the lyrics don’t help you interpret.
The song is replete with over-processed voices that all sound
like T-Pain and freakishly loud instrumentation created by
synthesizers. Oh, and don’t even get me started on Paradise (Well,
too late, I already started.) This song, for lack of a better word, sucks.
Just look at these lyrics: “Para-para-paradise, Para-para-paradise, Parapara-paradise, Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh, She’d dream of para-paraparadise, Para-para-paradise, Para-para-paradise, Oh oh oh oh oh oh
oh oh.” That’s pretty much how the whole five-minute-long song
goes.
Now you may be thinking, “What’s the big deal? A lot of
songs have lyrics like that. A lot of songs use techno beats. A lot of
singers use the ‘T-Pain’ effect.” But as a lifelong Coldplay fan, I
expected more. I never thought in a million years that Coldplay
would sound like this.
The one song I did enjoy was titled Us Against the World. It’s
beautiful and is the only acoustic song on the album. The track
reminds me of Coldplay’s former music. Songs like this give me hope
that maybe someday the band will return to their roots. I sure hope
they do.
Reviewed by Isis Cooper and
Imonie King
Reviewed by Lucy Freshour
November 15th marked the release of
Drake's highly anticipated sophomore album.
Despite many of his tracks appearing on mix tapes
and various leaks of his album, Take Care still
managed to sell over 500,000 copies on its first
day out on the shelves. It features his songs
Headlines and Marvin's Room and a number of
artists, including The Weeknd, Andre 3000,
Rihanna and of course, Lil Wayne and Nicki
Minaj. Even Stevie Wonder appears on the album.
Th e p r o d u c t i o n o n t h e a l b u m i s
impressive; not one song can be described as
boring or dull. Drake has gotten comments about
how he sounds and people often say "he always
sounds so depressing" or "he's too emotional for
me." For some, that's what connects the artist and
the fans. They share similar feelings.
This is very much more a hip-hop album
than R&B. There are the odd moments where he
taps into past tracks for lyrical gimmicks like
Lesley Gore’s It’s My Party (Take Care), George
Straight’s All My Exes Live In Texas and Juvenile’s
Back That Thang Up (Practice).
Drake fights to exist in limbo, somewhere
between remaining humble while embracing the
fruits of his success without turning himself over
to the negative influences of fame. Songs like Lord
Knows, featuring Rick Ross, detail his struggle to
remain human while existing in the mainstream’s
s u p e r h u m a n s t a t u s l a b e l . Ta k e C a r e i s
exceptionally personal, yet relatable in universal
terms, and Drake shares a level of himself
throughout that is a rarity among most artists of
his status.
Reviewed by Kephren Pondexter
Located in the heart of Chicago’s Loop and at saic.edu
Take Care
Artist: Drake
universal republic
Release: November 15th 2011
AMERICA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL ART
AND DESIGN SCHOOL INVITES YOU
TO TOUR OUR CAMPUS!
Discuss your work in-depth with our admissions counselors,
who are also working artists, designers, and visual scholars
Tour our state-of-the-art facilities and incomparable
residence halls
Explore Chicago, our urban campus
For more information and to reserve your space,
visit saic.edu/tour
ADMISSIONS | 800.232.7242 | 312.232.7242 | admiss@saic.edu
SAIC is the largest school-museum campus in the U.S.
Photo by Kirk Gittings, The Art Institute of Chicago, Modern Wing.
see. hear. feel.
experience
Arts majors for students grades 9-12:
Dance
Literary Media & Communications
Technical Design & Production
Visual Arts
Instrumental Music
Museum Studies
Theater
Vocal Music
Learn more and apply at www.ellingtonschool.org
Applications must be complete by December 15.
Questions?
eMail bpower@ellingtonarts.org or
call 202-298-1777 ext. 1774.