A Dangerous Brand

dangerousNEGRO | Black Empowerment Apparel

The up and coming dangerousNEGRO is much more than your average apparel line. With several unique products, the company aims to empower and inspire.

The company was started in 2006 by seven college graduates, dN|Be began with a commitment to Black empowerment through fashion and entertainment. The company is 100% Black owned and is committed to providing jobs in Black communities in the U.S.A. and several international locations in the name of economic empowerment.

Are you a dangerous negro?
http://www.dangerousnegro.com/

Pensamiento

Recently, I have pondered a lot about one of my thoughts: "sometimes I hold back because I am too afraid of the possible outcome, or better yet, what I will BEcome." This ties directly into the way students interact and participate in class. A good majority of students tend to hold back their thoughts -sometimes ingenious ones at that - in order to save themselves from an 'embarrassing' moment. But who better to say what you are thinking than yourself? This brings me to a continuing point. If you have ever dreamed of doing something, do it. No matter how unimaginable! Because it has always been those who have, seemingly, dreamed outside of themselves and the 'box', that have experienced the most, learned the most and GREW the most. So in my particular case, as an American student studying in Barcelona, how will I ever know if I am saying something right in Spanish if I do not speak up? How could I ever have friends in foreign countries unless I choose to meet a new person TODAY? Just get out there and do it!

Make Art
Learn a New Language
Take a Walk
Write a Story
Be your Story
Talk to a New Person
Speak Up
Follow your Heart
Listen Earnestly
Dream
BE

Even when times get hard and things are not going our away - at least that's what we think- we need to try our hardest to make the most of the situation and smile because we can never get the same exact moments back and because ONE DAY, we will no longer have the chance to feel sorrow nor joy. One day, our time will be up, so why not use it for all it is worth now?

Make the most.

One Life,
AE

October 2009: Spain

Barcelona, Spain
(c) AFG Creative Productions Group


Girona, Spain
(c) AFG Creative Productions Group

Shifting into Gratitude

Very inspirational because I wrote about this exact topic last night in my journal.

DailyOM
October 20, 2009
Shifting into Gratitude
The Question of Worthiness

We all know what it’s like to finally get something we want, only to find ourselves feeling as if we don’t deserve it. Whether it’s a car, a new job, or a date with someone wonderful, we suddenly feel as if we are not up to it. Something in us wants to reject this gift from the universe, perhaps because it requires that we think of ourselves in a new way or makes us question why we should have something that others don’t have. If these feelings of unworthiness are not consciously acknowledged, they can lead us to sabotage ourselves out of the gift being offered. Perhaps the best way to avoid rejection and sabotage is to simply shift into a state of gratitude, bypassing the question of worthiness altogether.

The question of whether we or anyone else deserves something is not really in our jurisdiction. These themes play themselves out in ways we can’t fully comprehend—on the level of the soul, over the course of many lifetimes. What we do know is that the universe has its own way of shifting the balance over the course of time so that all things are ultimately fair. We can trust in this process and understand that when a gift comes our way, it is because we are meant to have it. Otherwise, it would not be available to us. Accepting the gift with gratitude and using it to the best of our ability is true humility.

When we receive a gift and find that feelings of unworthiness crop up, we can simply acknowledge the feelings and then remind ourselves that they are beside the point. We might say to ourselves, "I am meant to have this." As we allow ourselves to accept the gift, we might feel tenderness in our hearts that naturally shifts into a deep feeling of gratitude. As we sit for a moment, consciously holding the gift in our hands or in our hearts, we say "yes" to the universe’s many blessings, and we also say "thank you."

My First Art Exhibit: Planet Follywood

April 2009
Nashville, TN

Planet Follywood

As a means of examining the philosophy behind the world of celebrities, I acquired the desire to ask the following questions: what deems a person, a celebrity? How are celebrities really presented and viewed in society? Is there a justification for celebrities being seemingly worshiped at times, becoming larger than life and akin to gods? Lastly, is there such a thing as a celebrity within the world of politics? I am looking to find and present the ideals of the entertainment world and to draw the celebratory nature of individuals within the political sphere.

For my body of work entitled Planet Follywood, I have researched and gathered information on six male political figures that can be recognized as modern day celebrities, whether celebrated or abhorred. These renowned figures range from the Christian Savior, Jesus Christ to Adolf Hitler, the ruthless dictator who reigned over the massacre of six million Jews. Going a step further, I pose the question: when did such figures leave the realms of being regarded simply as martyrs, revolutionaries, radical visionists and etc., to becoming contemporary celebrities? How are these figures presented and viewed in today’s world? Are they all equated on the same level as lifeless immortals or have some fallen through the cracks and become forgotten? Most importantly, would these political figures still be highly recognizable and respected if they were not assassinated?

With inspiration from the overtly celebratory natures of Planet Hollywood, Hard Rock Café and Hollywood’s Walk of Stars, which all unashamedly present celebrities as higher beings through model replications, gold stars, collections of celebrity relics and etc., I hope to do the same with the following figures: Jesus Christ, Mahatma Gandhi, Adolf Hitler, John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Welcome to the world of the political celeb.

LIFE: Living Intently & Forever Enjoying

A Message From a Great Friend

October 16 at 10:54 AM

Alex,

I see you living them and it brings tears to my eyes because so many of us arent living our dreams... I'm truly happy for you Alex..Like you said we have to stay connected..You were truly one of the closest brothers I had.. Stay blessed and safe man!

Deepest Regards

Be the Change You Seek

Everyone loves to have power from time to time. Why not be your own governor and begin changing unwanted laws within your own life?

I made it to the 22 mark. Blessed as can be.