Summer Style Inspiration

Malaika Firth for J.Crew

Homegoing . . .

I've read a series of mediocre books this summer, so I was looking forward to the release of Homegoing, by Yaa Gyasi.  It did not disappoint.

She's only 27 years old!

Homegoing, is about the descendants of two sisters born in The Gold Coast in the 1700's.  One sister marries a British man and lives in the Cape Coast slave castle, while the other sister is sold into slavery and passes through the dungeons of the same castle on the way to America.  The story is told in vignettes that describe the experiences of members of both families from the 18th century to the present day.  Much has been written about the impact of American slavery on the black family, but Homegoing demonstrates that the damage began in Africa as nations engaged in warfare and forced intermarriage in order to profit from the slave trade.

Yaa Gyasi's writing communicates the brutality of slavery and segregation without being gratuitously violent or sexual.  When Gyasi describes prison labor in the coal mines of Alabama her words are so vivid that you actually feel suffocated as you are reading them.  One weakness of the novel is that it does a better job of describing the impact of slavery on modern America than it does describing its impact on Ghana. Nevertheless, if you enjoyed reading Roots, Things Fall Apart, or Americanah read Homegoing.

*This post was edited by Chloe.  She said that I spent too much time describing the plot and that "the next time I do something like this" I should try not to spoil it for other people :/

Oh, The Places You'll Go (For Free)

If left to my own devices, I would probably spend my summer vacation in bed watching reality television and then feeling guilty about it.  Because my natural tendency is to be an introvert, I have to be proactive about contacting friends and planning activities so that my days off feel productive.  Below are a few of the free or low cost things that I have been enjoying.

The MET Roof Garden Cafe and Martini Bar:

Technically, the Metropolitan Museum of Art isn't free unless you have an IDNYC card.  Luckily, entrance into the museum is a "donation" of your choosing.  This year's installation, Cornelia Parker's PsychoBarn, is inspired by Norman Bates' home in the1960 film Psycho.  The 30 foot exhibit is striking, but the real appeal of the Roof Garden is the view and the deliciously strong cocktails.  James, Kyle, and I celebrated the beginning of summer by rediscovering the joys of day drinking, while Chloe took advantage of the rare opportunity to have a Coke. 

Summer Exhibits @ The Studio Museum in Harlem: 

Chloe is more into performance art than visual art, but I drag her along to the exhibits at The Studio Museum with me anyway. She is good company and I use the museum as an opportunity to work on her communication and critical thinking skills. As we take in the exhibits I ask her questions like: 

• Why do you think the artist made this choice? 
• What painting do you like best? 
• What does this remind you of? 

Alma Thomas's collection of vibrant mosaics is perfect for summer; the light and the color serve as excellent art therapy after the depressing news week.  Also check out Artist in Residence Jordan Casteel's portraits of men who work along 125th Street.  The Studio Museum is open Thursday- Sunday, and it is free on Sundays.

Macbeth @ The Classical Theater of Harlem:

Sometimes I feel like I am the only English teacher in America who isn't into Shakespeare, but I jumped at the chance to see Macbeth in Marcus Garvey Park with Jackie.  The drumming, dancing, and fabulous costumes held my attention and enhanced my understanding of the play.  Watching a performance under the stars with lightening bugs twinkling in the sky was a beautiful experience.  Bring insect repellent for the mosquitos and a pillow.  A bottle of wine wouldn't hurt either! Macbeth is playing  July 8- 31st. Tuesday - Sunday the show begins at 8pm and on Friday it begins at 8:30.

Orchard Beach:

For the record, I am not a beach person but Chloe is and she has found a kindred spirit in RM (who insisted that I add Orchard Beach to this post).  Orchard Beach was known as "The Riviera of New York" when it was created in the 1930's on top of a landfill using sand brought in on barges.  Interestingly, the beach is near where Anne Hutchinson was killed by Native Americans after being chased out of the Masssschsets colony in 1638.  Orchard Beach is around 30 minutes from Harlem, and it is clean and well staffed by lifeguards.  There is a family atmosphere (tell your child that the person selling "nutcrackers" is  selling toys) and people are friendly.  Get there early so that you can stake out a spot and try the chicken empanadas sold at the concession stand.  

Why I Will Not Watch Another Video of a Black Person Being Killed (And Neither Should You)

I did not intend to watch the video of Alton Sterling being murdered, but I did it anyway.  And then when a second video, taken from a different angle, appeared on Facebook I watched that too.  The moment that stays with me is seeing Sterling's arm quivering as he took his last breath.  There was something so heartbreakingly vulnerable in that small gesture.  

When I woke up this morning there was another video online. This one showing the murder of Philando Castille, shot in front of his girlfriend and her young daughter.  In the interest of self-preservation I made the decision not watch it.  

There is such a gap in understanding on issues relating to race, that often when black people experience racism we question our own perception of events.  We ask ourselves: Did that really happen? Am I being oversensitive?  Consequently, when a tragedy occurs and there is video we hold out a secret hope that finally they will understand.  That they will acknowledge maybe we were not being "confrontational" or "oversensitive" all of this time.   Unfortunately, in my experience, when people have strongly held beliefs about race they will interpret events in a way that suits those previously held beliefs.  As a result, we are further traumatized by having to endure those who attempt to justify the unjustifiable.  

Maintaining a sense of self-worth as a black person in America is an active struggle.  I am not a psychologist, but I have enough experience being an observer of human beings to know that repeatedly watching evidence of how little black people are valued in this country can have long-term psychological impact, including anxiety and depression.  How many of us woke up this morning not merely feeling sad, but feeling sick?  There is a fine line between being informed and self-flagellation. Why watch a video of the murder of another black person when it is not teaching us anything that we do not already know?  We do not need to watch someone die to know that they are dead, and that this death is an indictment of American society.  

As black people, we are constantly aware of the negative perceptions of us, and this consciously or unconsciously impacts the way that we interact with the world.  This morning, as I scrolled through my newsfeed I watched people furiously posting, re-posting, and commenting on the murder of yet another black person.  I saw warnings on videos enticing people to watch them like R ratings on movies or Parental Advisory stickers on old CDs.  I witnessed my former students, many who are on the cusp of adulthood, heading to work and school consumed with feelings of anger and helplessness.  My message to them is this: we have to live, and in order to do so, we have to protect our minds and our spirits.  

Hello July, Part II

Summer Fashion:

Asa Kaftans

I'm all about my Bravo television shows, especially Shahs of Sunset and Southern Charm.  This summer I'm copying the style of two of my favorite characters, Asa Soltan and Patricia Altchul, by investing in colorful, printed kaftans.  I love the ones at asasoltan.com

Asa Soltan and Patricia Altschul

These kaftan are probably intended to be bathing suit cover-ups, but I wear them in the street.  The material is sheer, requiring that I have shorts and a tank top on underneath, but the kaftans are extremely flattering.  They hide my problem areas (stomach and back fat) and highlight my legs.  The only drawback is that they are overpriced. 

I don't even need to ask who wore it best . . .

Summer Food 

Blue Marble Brooklyn.

Yes, Chloe, RM and I travelled all the way to Brooklyn just to get ice-cream.  We stopped at The Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, but the excursion was really all about the ice-cream!  We tried Mexican Chocolate, Coffee, Salted Caramel, Peach, and Lemon Sorbet.  The Peach was so good that it reminded me of the "peach stuff" that my Grandma Cardwell used to make when we visited her in Maryland.  Blue Marble is sold at Whole Foods, but nothing beats an ice-cream cone (or two) on a summer day.

Summer Music

Maxwell's "blackSUMMERS'night"

I'm actually surprised by how much I like this album, especially since its debut single "Lake by the Ocean" seems kind of stale to me.   In college I was OBSESSED with Maxwell, but recently his persona on social media has turned me off.  He seems like a black Tom Ripley on Instagram.  However, if you like listening to music created by human beings playing instruments that have not been plugged into a wall socket, then this is the album for you. You can listen to blackSUMMERS'night from start to finish without having to skip every other song ( I love Lemonade, but Beyonce needed the visual album to distract from the fact that half of the songs are mediocre).  My favorite songs are "All the Ways Love Can Feel," "III" and "Fingers Crossed."  Happy Summer!