Gordon Parks + Ralph Ellison = Harlem excellence

The Harlem Renaissance has always captured my imagination. The appeal is manifold - part lies in the deep belief people had for the way that art and culture could be grounds for a social and spiritual revolution; Part lies in witnessing people struggling to define themselves, move themselves out and away from societal labels and expectations; part lies in the celebration of language, and the commitment to articulating the complexity of outer and inner life. And, frankly, I love the hifalutin, intellectual reach of it all. So much of our popular media right now is so epically dumb. It takes a nanosecond to digest, doesn't challenge us, and is really not worth sharing (Yes, I am talking about you, Kardashians.) Behold, a new photojournalism book with photos by Parks and previously unseen words by Ralph Ellison. Enough of a reco for me. Summer reading - elevated. 

“Invisible Man: Gordon Parks and Ralph Ellison in Harlem,” published by Steidl, the Gordon Parks Foundation, and the Art Institute of Chicago, is out this month.

Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker review here. http://www.newyorker.com/culture/photo-booth/ralph-ellison-and-gordon-parkss-joint-harlem-vision

 

Find your humility

Full disclosure: I love me my radio stories. I'm finding this show - a mother's tale of bringing up her transgender child - so engrossing. The mum is so articulate and upfront about what she knows, and what she doesn't know. She blows me away with her acts of love, and frank admission of fear and confusion. So so human. As a researcher, I always  talk (and think) about having empathy. But I also think it's vital to exercise humility. To me, humility is almost 1 step above empathy in the hierarchy of human capabilities; It's not just about feeling what others are feeling, putting yourself in their lives (EMPATHY). HUMILITY is about truly stepping away from your own life and biases, and allowing yourself to be awed, moved, and changed by someone else's life. On a very basic level (work/fieldwork), it makes your ultimate product more resonant. But on the bigger playing field (the field of life - the biggie), it makes the entire experience more satisfying and personally evolving. Listen to it.