The Value of Art: Guest Post by Jarron Zeus Williams

Posted on November 3, 2012 by

Photo Credit: LamaZone

I would like to apologize in advance for the following rhetoric. You will have to excuse my eccentric nature because I am an artist. Yes indeed I am! I am very prone to doing things in a more abstract way, kind of like writing an essay in first person. So for the disorientation you may be feeling, I would like to apologize. You see, it is my job as an artist to challenge your humanity. It is my job to reach inside of you and latch on to whatever emotion I can grab. Many never realize that an artist’s place in society is just as important as those wielding medical licenses and shiny badges. We paint you vivid pictures so you don’t forget that the world isn’t black and white. However, today I will be painting you a picture with a substance stronger than a rushing bullet. This powerful entity I am referring to is words of course! For those of you who may have forgotten or never realized the importance of art, this is for you. Grab onto this running dialogue as I take you on a journey of art, past, present, and future! Continue reading →

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Kindle Leader: Guest Writer, Anonymous

Posted on October 2, 2012 by

I have a special post for you. Today’s post was written by a camper from Camp Kindle. She has asked me to keep her identity anonymous as she and her family keep her HIV status secret. Stigma against people living with this disease is still a very real threat for many kids in the United States. In this post, she tells her story of living with HIV.

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“When I was a little girl, I lived in Ethiopia. I was born there. I don’t know how my parents got HIV. I think my Dad gave it to my Mom. In those days in Africa many people did not call HIV by name. They were very afraid of it. My mom and dad had HIV and when I was born, my mom gave me HIV. I did not know what HIV meant at the time. I was about 1 ½ when my mom died. I think she was about 37 yrs. old.

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Tavi Gevinson: A teen just trying to figure it out

Posted on September 15, 2012 by

So if you can’t tell, I’m obsessed with TED videos. They are thought provoking, inspiring and make me feel like all is not lost. Here is another great one. What I love about this one is her definition of feminism and her emphasis on contradiction. The rules of some of these labels that we ascribe ourselves to and to others is really a diservice and constricting to say the least. What she has to say about it has definitely helped ease the load in my mind and made me feel a little more free to be, well, me.

 

Let me know what you thought in a comment below!!

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Kindle Leader: Drew Dudley discusses Everyday Leadership

Posted on April 27, 2012 by

A great video I found through Erin Fitzgerald (Catfish). Expect to hear more content like this during LIT Program this summer at camp! I’m inspired!

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I Can’t Go 21 Days Without Complaining

Posted on March 17, 2012 by

I'm trying! Gosh, wall, get off my back. photo credit: Aitor Calero

Better late than never… better never late.

As you can tell, I have been avoiding this post…for the better part of a year. In fact, up to this point, it’s been so long since I was actively trying not to complain, that I can’t really remember specifics on what made it difficult. The first thing that comes to mind is guilt over failing the challenge. The second is guilt over how much I actually do complain. I’m not writing this post to rededicate myself to the cause though it seems like that would be the honorable thing to do. I still believe in what the challenge is trying to teach. And I do remember some of the freedoms I felt while certain parts of my brain were under bondage. Like how instead of complaining about my circumstances, my brain went into a problem-solving mode. The thing about that though is that it is such an energy suck. And that really is what makes this challenge difficult.

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