Today is a good day.

Got some press in Portland, got some press in San Antonio.  But these things are never isolated nor individual.

I'm not one for New Year resolutions or any crap like that.  But I did want to do a lot more blog postings this year.  I do it because I think these things should be personally and emotionally revealing.  I AM an artist.  And fans, critics, haters and casual observers should have the opportunity to know more about the person who makes the art.  That's what I think.

This time of year always brings a lot of press for one of my artists, poet Emmett Wheatfall.  www.emmetthwheatfall.com
He's not JUST a poet.  He's a got a fine job. He like to be informed. He's also a pastor.  And he loved acting, movies and the theatre.  He is known in Portland for his powerful renditions of the MKL Jr. "I Have a Dream" speech.  He gets several annual bookings to do this every year.  And he's incredible.  He sent me an article from the local black newspaper (I refuse to say African-American unless you were born in Africa and immigrated to the U.S.), the Skanner.  They spelled my name wrong, but I don't care.  They mentioned the work he I did on the very first poetry and jazz collaboration we did.  This came the very same day the the San Antonio Current published an article about the local Mexican rock legend Phillip Luna and the video that we released 18 hours ago. 

I couldn't help but think of my uncle who marched with Rev. King and my parents who went to South Africa and put on racially integrated religious retreats during apartheid.  While I was thrilled about my work being mentioned in the news media of two major metropolitan cities in the U.S. on the same day, I also couldn't help but be awed by my elders.  Whose shit was far more important, less self-serving and paved the very way for my work today.  God bless them.

I am please for my part in the success of these artists.  It's in my blood. I come from a line of ass-kickers.  Men and women who stand up for others. People who choose to do the right thing.  That is who I want to be.  That is what I strive for everyday.  I want to make the world a better place.  I want to empower people.  I take my cue from my elders, my bettors.  I don't succeed at this everyday.  But I don't let a failure today stop me from trying again tomorrow. 

Today was a good day.  Tomorrow is going to be even better.