The Learning Never Stops

Last week in my immigrant families class, we had an exercise where we identified how many generations our families had been in this country. We created a circle that spanned from 1st generation to me. Literally, everyone knew what generation they were a part of. Today, I explained to my professor that there are African-American populations of this country that have no idea when their ancestors were brought to this country. She said she hadn’t thought of that.

I had never been asked that question in my life.

Keep Your Eyes Peeled

On some like extra extra read all about it ish, I have a host of extremely talented friends who are doing THE LARGEST of things! If you can lend your support, it would mean the world & the stars to me :)

Holla



Chicago Footworkingz, an amazingly talented group of my fam straight out of Chicago. When I say that they are some of the most talented dancers I know, that is an understatement. Their Taking Flight DVD comes out October 3rd,
Shout out to Kuumba Lynx! But most pressing Tonight they'll be featured on NBC's America's Got Talent, So please tune in to channel 5 and vote, if you were at BNV and came to the Life is Living Festival You know it is not a game!!






NBC Site Bio of Footworkingz

Footworkingz Site





My lovely friend Deana Velasquez is competing in Miss Mexican Fiesta 2009, if you will be in the Milwaukee area on August 21st you do not want to miss this pageant!!!

[[Miss Mexican Fiesta 2009 is a scholarship opportunity created to encourage Hispanic women to continue and further their education.
The pageant consists of an ethnic dress, talent, evening gown and questionaire parts. Deana is representing the state of VERACRUZ! All the contestants are featured on Wisconsin On Demand in the "Around Wisconsin" super category. The girls are under the "Mexican Fiesta" subcategory and each girl is listed by name (Channel 1111 of Time Warner Cable) ]]

Facebook Event:
Vote Deana for Miss Mexican Fiesta 2009 Group Page
Event Website:
Mexican Fiesta Pageant Site


Q Solarfive Cole, a local emcee in Chicago released one of the illest EP's I've ever heard titled "The Phoenix" within the last month, anyone who hasn't heard it, SHOULD. Shout out to Q! If you like what you hear, add his facebook page and let him know it :)

The Phoenix EP download



Andrew "Phonetic ONE" Thomas has a new LP coming out this fall entitled,
A Year and ONE day On the Bus Stop you need to keep your eyes out for it-no chiste. Anyone whose heard his EP Phonetic Phenom, knows it is not a game!! Never has been.


Phonetic One Facebook Page



There is no proper way to start with Rafael Casal & The Getback Crew, they are blowing things up over in the Bay Area and getting mad love. Check out their video Bay Area Slang Top 100. If you like what you see, add their pages, it's only right.




&&& Oh yes, boy are they accessible!!
GetBack News
Getback Youtube
Rafael Casal Myspace
Rafael Casal Youtube



We won't sleep on their San Francisco Weekly article either:
SF Weekly






Poets Live is a great organization and website for performance artists, promoters, and fans alike. They are building their website everyday but right now if you go to [[Poets Live Website]] you can find out all about the movement, and if you click the performers tab you can see their featured artist, an extremely close friend of mine, Gabriel De Los Reyes.



Deja & Supreme, two beautiful and amazing poets/emcees/performers/activists will be embarking on their European tour very soon. But not before they hold a concert and benefit at the Chopin Theater. Tonight, please come out and show your love for these two ladies as they feature and have artists like Kevin Coval share the stage and see them off.

For more info about Commonwealth entertainment, and what else is up with Deja K Taylor & FM Supreme visit:

Deja's Blog
FM Supreme Page



Thank you so much for the love, I urge you to contact these artists, they are the best :) More to come in future blog posts but I shall leave you with two bonuses...


The first is a link to my boy Niko's clothing page- Everybody who enjoys the "Treeted" line (as well as the shirts that I wear and tell you that my boy Niko made them,) should holla at the site, he's mad professional, and doing his independent fashion thizzle.


Ink Red Clothing






The next is the link to the blog that Alida updates from Panama, letting you know what all the FWers studying abroad are up to!!!

First Wave Panama Blog


Love, Peace, and Graphic Tees!

What I've Been Up To...

This summer has been full of jobs, performances, trips, and all sorts of craziness. Part of the purpose of this blog is for me to document myself and give all the people who ask about how I am and what I've been up to, the resources they request of me. If you're reading this, thank you. I have no idea and every idea what I want to get out of this blog-




First things first, I have a chapbook of poetry coming out excruciatingly soon. It is called Something Borrowed: Stories I got from you, and will be a collection of some of the most personal things I have ever written. If you would like a copy when it comes out please contact me via facebook. If we're not friends on facebook, add me. If you don't know how to add me, search Cydney E. hopefully we have mutual friends, who knows?




Second, if you just love poetry and good art, and amazing performances I'll be updating my blog about dope stuff happening in both Chicago & Madison, so please don't sleep on that.


Below is a link of a performance I did with Gabriel at CUPSI (Collegiate Union Poetry Slam Invitational)


Gabriel and I performing "Cropped"









-Cydney E.

P.S
[[[Shout out to Cohort #1 over in Panama :) Love yall to pieces and back whole again.]]]


Kim, Myself and Dakota on our mentor to mentee grind.

So...

Today, I got a blog.


I figured I should collect all my thoughts, internet media, and what not and put it on the internet in one place for people to see. So thats the plan, I'll post poems, songs, links, etc and let everybody know what I'm up to as well as what my extremely talented friends and mentors are up to.


Peace and cell phones :)