#maathership

Veuxdo is the collective voice of the people within our global community. With team members rooted in San Francisco, Oakland, Brooklyn, Toronto, New Delhi, Cape Town, as well as features from all over, Veuxdo strives to offer a tessellation of perspectives and journeys. They work with affiliates to promote and host events that empower, teach, and foster space for building and communication.

We are Creators. We are Thinkers. We are Community. We are Power. We are Artists. We are Builders. We are Healers. We are Teachers. We are Veuxdo, and we strive to cultivate space for strengthening relations with Self, Community and The People through unlearning and resisting oppressive conditionings.

::: THE MEANING BEHIND THE NAME :::

Veuxdo is the marriage of the French word for “want” (veux) and the English synonym for “action” (do). This can be translated as a term coined for the idea that “We want action,” or the precedent of “Working for what needs doing.”

Interviewed by ::: Sasha Kelly

                              maathership, Bay Area

                              http://sashakelley.com

Photography by ::: Sakiko Hill

                                www.sakikohill.com

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maathership:  Chants or Mantras?

Openi:  Mantras: An oldie but goodie from the book of Lala: “Take knowledge from what pains you, and give thanks to what nourishes you.”

A new one given from a lover: “You are your strength.”

maathership:  As a multidisciplinary artist what is it like juggling hats?

Openi:  Always a challenge, but it’s worth it. I don’t think I’m meant to work for someone else’s dream, so I consider these challenges as some kind of multidisciplinary warrior training. Haha.

maathership:  How long have u been in warrior training?

Openi:  I think my first hustle was drawing names in “bubble letters” in middle school. In highschool I was painting custom nikes and t-shirts. There’s just something in me that looks at stuff and says “Pshhh— I could make that.” I’m learning to let other people be by different crafts though. One lesson you learn in warrior training is that too many hats leaves you off balance.

maathership:  With a new year here, what does 2015 look like for you?

Openi:  I’m transitioning into becoming a health ninja also. Toxin and poison free. I’m also getting a standing heavy bag, so I’m pretty stoked on that. I’m also working on some new releases in the form on films and street wear for Veuxdo Child Films ( #vibrationrising #staywoke! ) Apart from that, I’m perpetually working on maintaining my balance and staying rooted.

maathership:  Yee. I’m feeling the health ninja plan. How does your lifestyle transition impact and inform your work? 

Openi:  Well the idea is that cleansing and focusing on my physiological will manifest a clearer mind, stronger body, more energy, better habits in general. I'm ready to kick poisons ass. In terms of informing my work, I stay trying to push healthy gluten free, sugar free recipes and eats through Hosted by the Homies, and #treatyaselfdontcheatyaself health tips through Veuxdo. It's all a part of the whole, unlearning all these falsities that people have come to accept and live with and getting back to the root for real. Usually the answer is so simple and natural, but people are confused and delusional so they think it's crazy hippie bs. I'm just here tryin to push whats really (actually) good.  Cleansing and focusing on my physiological health

maathership:  Can you share the different things your working on?

Openi:  You can almost always catch me with my camera, shooting various visual treats for Veuxdo Child Films. There are a few features on local Oakland creatives, and a few event portraits. One of the projects involves giving a face to Malidoma Collective members, so stay tubed for that. I’m also in the research faze for a documentary on the Chinese American experience in the Bay, specifically SF Chinatown. I have a lot of (actually most of) relatives who grew up there whose histories are getting lost due to Amerikkkan monoculture swallowing histories whole. What’s new? Lets see… I’m always doing freelance motion graphics & video editing gigs, and I just got a junior (lol) design gig at a startup in Oakland….sharpens sword…….

maathership:  sshhwwwwiiinnngggg.

Openi:  Lol …..yee.

maathership:  Do u have a ritual for optimal workflow?

Openi:  I'm a list maker. Todoist and google docs are a couple of my best friends. Being a contract and freelance designer, I work from home for long hours often. It's really tempting to clean house or make snacks or whatever all day-- but I recently read that getting up and ready and dressed like you're going to work helps you focus more on... actually working. (ha) So far it's been working? That and my new favorite healing drink-- it's an adaptation of Golden Milk from the sis Aqueene's Kundalini book: Almond milk, ginger, tumeric, and cardamom. Combine and boil just until it froths up, and enjoy   (Warning: this drink hella cracks. It's even better than a dirty soy chai latte. AND it's vegan, sugar free, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory. Can I get a #yaaaasss?) For an extra kick in the morning, I take ginkgo biloba. It's an antioxidant and improves blood flow to the brain.

maathership:   i think u just inspired my flow ~*~ Is there any particular sounds that have been giving u life?

Openi:  I like listening to a lot of roots reggae when its real cold out and pretend that its warm. I've also been put on to this thing that I think is called "ambient music" by way of soundcloud. There's nothing like working in a corporate office and jammin out silently by yourself at your desk to a chopped and screwed sample of Bruce Lee's Tears or an anime which is basically the marriage of Aladdin and Sailor Moon. lol.

Various ways we can keep up with openi's wanderings::::::

@openiiiiiiiii (ig) 

veuxdochild​ (ig)

veuxdo.com 

portfolio: http://openi.in/

hostedbythehomies.tumblr.com

Veuxdo Child Films creates films and wearable art to document and reflect creation, exploration, and voice of indigenous heritage people of color.