#seenandheard

When I’m not interacting with a variety of podcasts and writing, you’ll often find me cuddling my cat Jonah or tending to my many many plants. I am also an avid d&d player.

*Link of Original Post HERE

Celia Cruz La Negra Tiene Tumbao. This is the title of one of her famous songs. I asked a Cuban friend of mine what Tumbao means. She said, it’s a Cuban word that harkens to beat. Rhythm. Soul. You know that feeling you get in your belly when the bass is just right? You feel it in your being? It reverberates throughout your body...your belly, you cheeks. It makes your teeth clatter. You feel the music. You don’t need ears. Well. That’s Tumbao. That’s Celia. In 1925 on October 21st, Úrsula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso was born in Havana, Cuba. The world would come to know her as Celia Cruz. “La Guarachera de Cuba” was what they called her back home. The world would call her “The Queen of Latin Music”. Celia had it hard coming up in the music world. She had it hard in the world at large. Her “at large” world, was an island in the Caribbean. Cuba. It was her world. It was her home. It is estimated that there were over 12 million African slaves brought through the belly of the Trans Atlantic horror. 90 percent of them we’re brought to the Caribbean and South America. Only 6% made it to British North America. Celia was of that 90%. And, like most of us, we were taught the lie. Black was wrong and every standard deviation from it, that got you closer to white, was more right. With this math, Celia was oh so wrong. There’s a story of her showing up at a club in Cuba with her lighter skinned sister and being told that they were only interested in the sister. Celia could leave. They didn’t want to hear her. Told her there wasn’t room for her. They weren’t looking for her kind. Which kind you ask? The Black kind. Celia opened her mouth and sang. The club owner had to take a seat. Invite her in. Celia was like that. Even if you wanted to hate her, she made you love her. I hear the scripture, “your gifts will make room for you”. Celia’s gifts indeed made room for her. She cleared pathways, walked in rooms, lead bands and started musical movements. With her Tumbao. He Rhythm. Her Soul. Her long journeyed beat. (Continued below) #thechashow #seenandheard #werisetogether #weriaebyliftingothers #blackhistory #blackhistorymonth #blacklivesmatter (at Charlotte, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/CK3bsbbF2LJ/?igshid=nvjlbf7ctkwt

-Jennifer Needham

Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 2nd at 3pm EST in IGTV Live, I get to connect with Jess Guidroz @jessguidroz. We have never met in person (This is the brilliant side of Social Media!) I looked at what he was doing in this world...good stuff. I knew that I wanted to connect and know more. I asked Jess to tell me a little bit about himself. This is what he said: I'm an SEL (Social Emotional Learning) junior high school teacher. Founder of the Santa Clarita Veg Fest (vegan-themed beer, wine, food, music festival.) Podcast Host- Thrive Academy Podcast. Father of 2 (Kaleb & Ellie) and a husband. And a radical believer in humanity. I'm passionate about bringing change to the education system, animal rights, health/wellness, and taking care of our planet (regenerative agriculture). I’m so excited about chatting with him. Come join us, it’s gonna be fun and informative. Learning while laughing...does it get any better than this? #seenandheard #vegan #thriveacademypodcast #musicfestivals #socialemotionallearning (at Charlotte, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/CA6haybprKn/?igshid=i8amvns51cl8

🎨 Anastasia Salmina

People!!! Today, 3.22.23 at 12pm EST, I get to dive into all things art & authenticity with a BRILLIANT artist named Daniel McClendon! On IGTV Live! @daniel_mcclendon graduated from Western Michigan University with his BFA—emphasis in representational painting. Shorty after graduating he relocated to Asheville, NC, where he maintained this focus on representational art and began painting full time. This continued until he came to the conclusion that his work felt “fraudulent” due to the lack of a true and honest voice. This identity crisis led him to quit painting entirely. During this hiatus his mind slowly wandered back to the creative process and the important themes in his life. And, unexpectedly on March 21st, 2011 at 3:59 A.M. he had an epiphany. He rolled out of bed and wrote down the framework for how to achieve an authentic form of expression. McClendon’s paintings are process focused and examine the connectivity of instinct, impulsive action, and identity. The work begins non-objectively in the form of a chaotic black and white abstract painting, and from there the animal— a central figure in all his works—emerges. These animals, created from a variety of colors, patterns, textures, forms, and symbols, take on the role of both a totem as well as the embodiment of instinct itself. This is going to be a powerful and lovely time! Anyone that shares how they figured out how to show up most authentically, is worth a listen. See you at noon today! #thechashow #seenandheard #werisetogether #roomandneed #questions #talkshow #tvhost #talkshowhost #tv #interview #askquestions #nbc #cbs #gma #today #huffingtonpost #love #blacklivesmatter #newyear #truth #art #artworks #artistsoninstagram #abstractart https://www.instagram.com/p/CqFpy7WO1Eu/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=