I'll be at Carnaval SF (May 27-28)

 

Sup with it fam. If you've never been to it, Carnaval SF is a 45 year old event celebrating a multicultural heritage that is deep in the Bay of Indigenous, African, and Latino roots. There is drumming, live music performances, delicious food, lots of people of all ages, lowriders, art vendors, and a huge parade through the historic Mission District. 

For more information please visit their website: https://carnavalsanfrancisco.org/

I'll be tabling there this year on Harrison street between 19th and 20th. 

Come by and say hello. Here are some videos to give you the flavor of the two day event. 

video link

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Dig this? 

Check out the Malcolm X Jazz Fest

Erin Yoshi short doc

 

Hey, Erin Yoshi (Trust Your Struggle, Few and Far, COI) has a new short doc about her mural work. Check it out at this LINK.

This is my sister right here and I'm always inspired by her words and her work. 

Dig this? Check out this post about 'When She Rises"

Kindred Journey 28 - H.E.R.

I'm sure most of you who love R&B and allow new artists into their heart have already heard of H.E.R. But if you're new to her let me give a brief introduction. H.E.R. (Having Everything Revealed) first came on my radar on Daniel Ceasar's song "Best Part". One of the coolest things about her style is that she is not trying to do what everyone else was doing when she reemerged in the industry. Her music is something a soul lover of any age can feel. Gabby Wilson is a youngster from Vallejo California, home to greats such as Confunkshun, Mac Dre, and E40. She's a Blasian kid (Pinay + Black) and from an early age her family had her in the mix of music making and enjoyment. She plays the drums, bass, and piano. I think she's best known for her guitar licks and vocals. In a world of manufactured checklists of artists thus singer songwriter is a breath of fresh air and she's just getting started. With them shades she invokes MF Doom and Daft Punk with a focus less about how she looks and more about what you hear. Please follow her, support her music, and check out her most recent effort to inspire "Girls with Guitar's".

Sources: Revolt, LA Times, Sway in The Morning
Fav song: Carried Away

Did you catch the last one? Kiwi
Check out one i did of Equipto

415 Day Article - El Tecolote

Photo via @FriscoLens

Man, so good to read this article about the principles of #415Day which just passed here in the Bay. Its a special day where Black and Brown folks from San Francisco (Born and Raised) get together to celebrate pride in the city and the fact that they're still there! Fighting to survive in a city that has welcomed the world and pushed out the people who made it the city so many want to visit.

If you know anyone who's recently moved to the Bay Area or are new to SF please share this article with them written with the organizers and published by SF's own Tecolote newspaper.

ARTICLE LINK

Heads up, we have a 510 Day in Oakland too.

Flip the Record-Trailer

FLIP THE RECORD Teaser Trailer from Marie Jamora on Vimeo.
This is a dope short film. If you love hip hop, DJ culture, and/or female empowerment check this out.

2nd annual Social Justice Book Fair - Oakland

Folks, for the 2nd year in a row I have been able to help produce this amazing book fair with Social Justice minded kids bk creators, authors of color, queer and local authors. We started off in the mighty Chapter 510 space last year and have moved to Destiny Arts, still in Oakland. If you are around, we have many great book makers confirmed and the Grammy nominated group ALPHABET ROCKERS will be in the house performing alongside the kids and doing interactive tings. I will be there as well selling my book, reading, and signing books for families.

Saturday Dec 8th, 10am-2pm
Destiny Arts in Oakland
Social Justice and Diverse Books
Alphabet Rockers and various performers for kids
 Event link

Video - People's Kitchen Collective

Me and my wife volunteered to help with PKC’s mission. Her, much more than me, taking the lead on cooking for hundreds of people. Super proud to work with these homies and all the good people who came to help and eat! Follow the Peoples Kitchen Collective here. Also, my crew Trust Your Struggle volunteered some artwork to be printed along with several other artists which you can see in the video.

Furqan UPDATE 23 - New stores 2018

Ok, so what follows is a bunch of brick and mortar actual physical stores from California to London. What I would like you to do is to visit them if they are near you. Buy my book there and buy other books from them. Support small businesses rather than the huge corporations. If they don't have a book you want, they can get it for you. Support these also because they have different specialties and tastes, which means you'll find things you weren't looking for when you shop. If you're an author or illustrator, contact them too.

1. Blue Willow Bookshop - Houston TX

2. Book Passage - Corte Madera/ Marin -CA

3. Diesel Bookstore - Larkspur CA

4. East Bay Booksellers - Rockridge CA

5. Green Apple books - San Francisco CA

6. Land Gallery/ Buy Olympia - Portland OR

7. Multiculturalism Press Pop Up - Davis CA

8. New Beacon Books - London UK (Black Owned)

9. Petunia's Place - Fresno CA

10. Skylight Books - Los Angeles CA

11. Spectator Books - Piedmont/Oakland CA

If you know an independent bookstore that should have the book, request it there or give the owners my email. Its is info@robdontstop.com

Ruby Ibarra - US video (inspiring)

Mudita Ramen Oakland pop up- Jan 27th

If you're in the Bay Area please come to my wife's Ramen pop up on January 27th. Matter of fact, try all of the different foods. 

This is the facebook invite link!

Please follow Mudita Ramen on Instagram and Facebook!

Really excited to meet Minnie and to be collaborating with Reem's!

Flyers designs- Life is Living

Town park-skateboarding

Nationwide Salsa/Boogaloo/break party-Bay, LA, NY, ATL

The Peoples kitchen-free breakfast at 10 am

The Crucible-welding, making, building

Emily Butterfly-Kids Zone

Book zone-storytime

Teen zone

Here are "some" of the flyers for this weekend's Life is Living Fest. There will be dance, skateboarding, free breakfast, book zone, kids zone, teen zone, poetry, welding, activities, and more. Come through if you're in the Bay. Flyers designed by Nick James.

Facebook invite for General event
Facebook invite for Kids Zone/ Book Zone

Website for Life is Living

Last year's video:

Tamales La Oaxaqueña- Oakland

All those who support Traditional Mexican food and Latina owned businesses please watch this video about my old neighbor Carolina & her mother's business “Tamales La Oaxaqueña”. A staple of incredible food in Oakland and the greater Bay Area.

LINK

Book Zone @ Life is Living 10!

Hey folks, I'm sure you know that I'm a father, husband, artist, and children's book creator. 

I would like to invite your family to join me and hundreds of other parents @ Life Is Living, October 14th, 2017! It's the 10th year anniversary. Likely to be the best event in all of Oakland that day. Can you join us? If so, RSVP HERE and tag other parents who might be interested.

// My family has attended Life Is Living for the last 10 years.

We attend because it is a place to see friends, meet fellow creatives, and to manifest community building. It's been a great space to meet new people, to catch up with folks, and introduce my son to so much–skating, visual arts, poetry, healthy food, an event with a vibe filled with love. This is our second year as more than just attendee's. Last year we organized a book zone. That was fun, so we're doing it again. This time, with multiple story times throughout the day!

We've organized a host of local authors to lead story time through out the day. This years focus is on stories about children of color and some stories about queer kids too.

Hear the stories with your kids, meet the authors, collect a book, get author signatures, and connect with literacy some advocates like the Oakland Public Library.

We hope to gathering over 100 Parents throughout the day at the Book Zone, which is part of a much larger KIDS ZONE run by artist Emily Butterfly. 

There will be many activities for children such as face painting, silk screening, mural painting, and there is a Labyrinth and obstacle course!

OCTOBER 14TH 10:30am-5:30PM, Defremery (Bobby Hutton) Park 1651 Adeline St, Oakland, Ca 94607

Reading at Turn the Page-Fairyland

If you'e in Oakland, come to this event with your kiddies to meet me and Laurin Mayeno, and a bunch of other authors! FAIRYLAND

Book Zone-Life is Living Oct 8th

This Saturday at the Life is Living festival I will be selling books alongside authors and artists Avy Jetter Breena NuñezPeralta Simon Abramowitsch Tiffany Golden Hafrocentric Comic Kriyani Comics and several Youth Speaks alumni. I hope to grow this zone as an integral part of the fest w/ more kids books, zines, comics, novels, and more books. ALSO-We will have a small table for zine making so come through. For the parents, there is a book reading in the “kids zone” happening throughout the day. Check the schedule at www.youthspeaks.org/lifeisliving/

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.