Tavis Smiley, Moped, Interview, Dinner & Parents

Aloha

Francis Cabrel always makes me feel sad.

Had a meeting with Miss Deb today, though it was pretty short. She hadn’t recieved the videos yet, and so we decided we should set up a date to watch them and review them as a group.
I set up to have Tavis Smiley’s State of the Black Family to be watched on campus followed by a group discussion of several important leaders from the area. However, there are some sensitive issues that Femi Akinnagbe brought up in our last meeting, issues about how the 1st video in the series is directed towards black people, and showing it to white people would just be letting out dirty laundry.
It’s a good point, and one that needs to be discussed after fully reviewing both videos (Femi hasn’t seen the videos, and I’ve only seen the first). Me, Femi, Tamika, Breon, and Niambi are going to review them with Miss Deb on Tuesday.

My moped’s back tire has been sticking, and it was warm today, so after I checked my mail, I worked on the moped. I took the back wheel apart. I think it needs grease. I put it on better than it was before, but I think I need to realign it because the pedal chain is sticking slightly. I took apart the motor as well and cleaned off the carbon deposits. It was the first time I’d done it, I don’t feel so nervous about it anymore. Once I figure out how to do something on my own, I rarely forget.

I worked on the computer all day, pausing every now and then for a break and to check DA. I finished the SIFE report, and made some significant advances on my final project. I need to start flowing text in, I think I’ve got everything else done.

I’m going to be interviewed by ~ souljahsstory for his magazine he’s designing sometimes soon, I sent ZEn’s terms and agreements for his signature. He’s quite the budding graphics artist. I helped him along with one of his BBC projects he’s working on (he’s from the UK).

Collins Mwangi, Richard Arao, Gerald Mwangi, David Chebbet and Joseph Chebbet all cooked a Kenya dinner (Japates) for us tonight. Agtur Hutabarat, Fred Boutcher, Patricia Coke, Inya, Joanne Garde and Mipa Lee all came over to eat.

We watched Making the Band on MTV after that. Those people are so privileged and they act like such idiots. It’s so dumb.

I feel low class sometimes. It’s hard to find the fine line between being a savage and being regal. I want to be dignified and still be fun at the same time, and the only way I will be is if I stop worrying about it.

My parents are coming this weekend.
I feel so… disconnected from them. I think both I and them are letting this culture take hold in letting us become too busy. I never talk to them anymore. I miss them.
It’s weird to be around them sometimes, though, because I realize that even though they’re my parents and they went through the same culture shift I did, it seems a lot more sharp for me. They don’t see things the way I do, and don’t share the same values. I’m an activist, and I see that really not there in them. A lot of the things that stick out to me as racist or stereotyping they don’t seem to realize.
I still miss them a lot, though.

A gentleman savage. Interesting mix.