California Tag

Black Joy Parade 2020- Vendor!

Yo, what up. So this is the third annual Black Joy Parade. I missed the first one bit heard it was dope. I went last year to check it out and was amazed to see Black folks from so many places and walks of life. I’m talking about the righteous, the hood, the bougie, the spiritual, the creative, and so many more. 
What is it? It is a huge parade showing happiness and a day of performance, food, and vendors. Case in point, I will be a vendor there this year for the first time (Books, prints, artwork, and more). Come holler at me or tell your folks I’ll be there. See you soon. Peep this video from last year by Town futurist!

Short story 23 – Record store


On Sunday Papa and I walked to the record store. I never seen him so happy to go to a store before. He kept whistling and smiling. Then he turned to me and said 
 “When I was a kid, your Grandpa would bring me here. It’s like a library of sounds from all over the world!”. 

This illustration of a father and son walking is special because Amoeba Records in Berkeley was and still is a haven for weird sound lovers like me. I walked there from Berkeley High at lunch weekly looking for new and old hip hop records, samples, drum breaks, and jazz albums. It is a cultural landmark. And although I’ve been to the SF and LA locations, Berkeley is home. Go if you haven’t been recently and see what you can find to pull you away from your screen. Have you been to Amoeba in Berkeley? What’s the last thing you bought there?
It has been almost 4 years since I completed a “short story”. And i’ve worked on so many children’s books and art projects since then which is part of why I paused them. I started working on these to practice my writing and illustration. 
Wanna see more?

Libro Mobile – Santa Ana

Check out this campaign to assist in the creation and sustainability of a Latinx owned Bookstore in Santa Ana California that specializes in bilingual books, books in spanish, and books about Latinxs, Raza, etc. Please share and support.
 LINK

Portraits for Mobilize the Immigrant Vote

Here are some portraits I painted for “Mobilize the Immigrant vote”. These portraits were commissioned for voting campaigns online and in print to educate people about propositions to vote for or against. The folks in these portraits are working activists and/or parents or kids of activists who not only want to share their experience but want to win more protection, equal rights, and justice for their families and loved ones. And with the current election results you can understand why.

To see the guides themselves or to learn more about MIV, please go to: http://www.mivcalifornia.org/

Dig this? Check out the art for Realize The Dream

Life is Living-Oakland Oct 8th

I will be reading Furqan’s First and One of a kind like me at the Kids Zone around 2. And I will be selling the books the whole day near the OPL, come and find me. Here are some of the flyers created for this years Life is Living event showcasing music, dance, art, culture, health, and good vibes. Come through and feel free to share the posters w/ the 50 yr Black Panther anniversary design! If youre an artist or book vendor and would like to table please go HERE.

Black Comics & Arts Fest (BCAF) 2016

Mark your calendars! The 2016 BLACK COMIX ARTS FESTIVAL is at hand! More info here (subject to change and expansion): http://sfmlkday.org/bcafcon/ Want to vend?: http://sfmlkday.org/BCAF2016-vendorapp.pdf. Main image by two of our very special guests: DAWUD ANYABILE and BRIAN McGEE! of BROTHERMAN: REVELATION (http://www.brothermancomics.com/) the upcoming graphic novel from BROTHERMAN COMICS by GUY SIMS, DAWUD ANYABWILE, and BRIAN McGEE. We will jump things off at the San Francisco Public Library on the 17th and the main grand expo will be at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in Downtown SAN FRAN on the 18th MLK DAY! 
reposted from John Jennings