DAMN. 3 Years Anniversary Workshop Series

April 14, 2017, Kendrick Lamar dropped DAMN. Since then I’ve listened to the album repeatedly. I taught workshops using a few songs from the album and found out a lot of my students shared my appreciation for the album. I was inspired to create workshops for the full album. As a lot of people begin to transition to online learning and teaching, I hope this project can be a resource for educators, students, and creatives alike.

For the project, I used the workshop contents to reimagine the physical album, designing my own versions of the album cover, liner notes, and tracklist. I am also posting an image that organizes the info into a single document. The images and the document are below and the downloadable PDF with hyperlinks can be found here. I’m also posting links to the pieces. Happy creating!

Game of Thrones by Fatimah Asghar

Ode to Fetty Wap (written after strip club) by Roya Marsh

Elegy by Aracelis Girmay

Ars Poetica by Jose Olivarez

sometimes i wish i felt the side effects by Danez Smith

Self-Portrait With No Flag by Safia Elhillo

The Book of Yeezus by Julian Randall

GIOVANNI by Jamila Woods

Prayer on Aladdin's Lamp by Marcus Wicker

Ode to Dalya's Bald Spot by Angel Nafis

The Etymology of "CHUUCH!" by E'Mon Lauren

Second Mouth by Franny Choi

Sorrow Is Not My Name by Ross Gay

Palindrome by Nate Marshall

Original photo of Kendrick by Peter Yang, photo of boys by Peter Simon, “album artwork” [lol] by me

Sorting Through It: Journaling Prompt <3

I posted this on instagram when me and a lot of the people close to me were just beginning to directly feel and acutely understand the impact of all of the COVID-19 associated chaos. I was having gigs and trips canceled, while also learning of the conditions in prisons. I felt overwhelmed by the sadness and helplessness but also understood that each of my problems emerged from a place of privilege. But I still felt disempowered, not knowing how to help those in need. This journalling prompt helped me emerge empowered and a lot lighter. Hopefully, it will do the same for you <3

Happy New Year! // Happy New Tears

I always appreciate restarts, whether they are symbolic or concrete. I love to use the New Year as a time to remember, reflect, celebrate, and dream. My entrance into 2020 was a bit delayed but I view it like that two week incubation period where you can have the baby but be waiting to name it. So, alas! Here I am: A few days late, but ready for the new (?) decade (some people count the new decade at the ~end~ of the ‘10 not the beginning of it) and the new year.

Here are some questions I came up with as I prepared to journal on my 2019/2020 and 2010-2019 (I read all of my journals from then and whoo! the emotion!). You can use these questions to reflect on your new year/new decade/new era/new chapter…whatever newness you find yourself in or creating. Wishing you well!

had to show off my pink pen and cursive LOL

Questions for consideration

Reflecting [sub 2019 for whatever you please]

1) What did you learn in 2019?

2) What do you still need to learn in the next chapter?

3) What did you lose in 2019?

4) What did 2019 give you?

5) How did love manifest in 2019?

6) How did joy manifest in 2019?

7) What pain did 2019 bring?

8) What were some memories of 2019?

9) What of 2019 must you remember moving forward?

10) What of 2019 must you release?

11) Who were you in 2019?

12) Who do you want to be moving forward? How were you the person in 2019? How were you not?

13) What did you aspire towards but not achieve in 2019?

14) What did you achieve in 2019?

15) Who/where was your community in 2019? Who did you grow close with? What relationships became distant?

16) What did 2019 prepare you for?

Planning

1) Who do you want to be?

2) What do you want to do?

3) How will you get there?

4) Who will go with you?

5) What will you need?

6) What do you already have?