Juneteenth and Forward

Recent events and activism surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement call us to recommit our efforts as human beings on this planet to mitigate the damage we cause each other and our environment. Spinning out of control are our lives perpetuated by extreme wealth imbalance coupled with an imbalance of nature. Bringing our world back to balance should be the most immediate and urgent goal for all people. Some, however, maintain interests that are starkly contrasted with the survival of humanity on this planet. 

The government institutions in the United States, co-opted by corporate power, are working against the welfare and survival of the masses of citizens they supposedly represent. This truth is not something new, however, it's been exacerbated by hard-line officials who represent the elite stakeholders over the citizenry. We officially live in a fascist corporate police-state. This is not a democracy. This is an oligarchy. What shall we do as people of this type of a nation? What is it that we can do to remedy police violence against black people without changing the system that allowed for these atrocities to happen? The symptoms are starting to boil over and people are more clued into the true nature of this system. Every moment counts. 

Moving forward from Juneteenth day, we must all commit to standing against the hatred and bigotry that are designed to divide the populace and distract us away from the theft of our remaining democratic institutions. This fight could be the final chance to clutch onto what remains of our republic. A loss for the public would turn this country into the blatant version of what it has always been. No more hiding. No more games. Time to hit the streets and the tweets. Our lives and the lives of our children depend upon it. No pressure. 

Memorial Day Musings in the Pandemic Age

The pandemic age brings about pondering. To ponder and let the mind take control is a revolutionary thing when many exterior agencies are fighting to control the mind. To take away your ponder. This is why Artivism is so important in society today. Art creates visions, symbols, context in the mind. Those symbols carry messages and themes like the wind carries seedlings. There simply is no more powerful way to communicate crucial societal messages that allow self-determination in this age. 

Along with the power to unlock the individual mind to the grievous nature of life today, art brings about communal healing and brotherhood. We bond over art. We socialize over art. Conversations happen solely based on a piece of art and the provided context. People who may not have even contemplated a concept, leave with a full understanding of someone else's perspective. 

Art, simply put, not only gives life, but IS life. It is the breath and spirit that fills our lungs. How many times has a song made you cry? How many times has a scene in a show captivated you? Stopped you? How many times have you gasped at the confounding beauty of a painting? By allowing human beings to express themselves, art, also makes us express ourselves. It's a two-way street, a transaction, a multi-faceted ripple effect where artist and patron simultaneously transform. I becomes me. They becomes us. Here and now, there is no more important time in history for artistic expression. 

War, disease, corruption, prejudice, famine, the wealth gap, environmental and natural disasters, tear into the fabric of what it means to be human. It's time for us to support and/or become artists. It's time for us to use our art medium to bring about positive societal change for ALL humans on this planet. Don't be blind to the power structure and the exploitation of the middle and lower classes. Open up to the reality that DEMANDS your artistry. Artivism is the answer, as it always has been. 

by Kyle Roman, host of Artivism NOW!