words with real bishes : ramdasha

bienvenue to words with real bishes. the antidote to rainbow brite (we ain't about that life!).  are you a black or brown beauty holding it down daily? doing things big or small? then email me here and let's chat.  because you, baby are a star! 

today we welcome the eye catcher, ramdasha. she's an etsy diva by day and DJ designer imposter by night.  another interesting fact about her is that she was a 3rd wave black girl punker in the 1990s.

hey girl!

hey! i'm making dinner, but i can talk. 

mslisa: so tell me how we met?

ramdasha: well... we met in person in oakland through honeychild coleman via facebook. you two were homies in new york in the 1980s.

mslisa:  where were you born?

ramdasha : i was born in morristown, new jersey. i also spent parts of my childhood in colorado and arizona. i would go back to new jersey during school breaks.

mslisa: when you were in high school what attracted you to punk? particularly being a black girl?

ramdasha:  well, i didn't go to school with a lot of black kids; mostly upper middle class white kids. i gravitated towards the working class kids. i was a bit of an outsider, that's why i was attracted to punk. my older sister was friends with punks and i kind of copied her.  there was a punk band in my high school called the bouncing souls.  at that time punk was still going strong.  i didn't fit in with school anyway and i didn't like being programmed. punk was different and that was where i wanted to put my energy.

mslisa : what bands did you like back then?

ramdasha :  i got my hands on the basic things. i'd go to the mall and get the sex pistols on cassette. a friend in oregon sent me bikini kill tapes as well. my friend bethany moved to brooklyn and she was living with thea from the lunachicks and that's how i learned about them.

mslisa: tell me about gunk?

ramdasha: gunk was a zine i started when i was 15 and living in new jersey. i got into zines because i liked bikini kill's. there was another zine that inspired me called jigsaw.  originally gunk started as a zine about skateboarding, then it became about bands. then race politics and my experiences as a black girl in the scene. i would reprint letters that i wrote to people and their responses. i had punk pen pals! i was making photocopies of photocopies. i'd run scams at kinko's. (laughs).

mslisa: and what happened to gunk?

ramdasha: i went to college and then i got into other things. then eventually DJing and experimenting with different kinds of music.

mslisa: you and i are both mixed race and identify as women of african descent. when did that self-realization in you hit?

ramdasha: i think from a very early age i knew i was a colored girl. i remember being little and wanting to belong. a kid would say, ' but, you don't look like me'.  i mean, we were doing a play - peter pan or whatever and i remember this little girl said to me, ' i've never heard of a black tinker bell.'  i was like what?! i know i have some privilege being lighter-skinned maybe in certain situations, but i was often the only black kid around. there was a time i didn't like my hair, i didn't like my body. at a time (as a kid) when you're supposed to be free, it's hard having that bullshit laid on you.

mslisa: how did klub kid vintage evolve?

ramdasha: i've always liked playing dress up and putting things together. i was obsessed with elvis and the beatles and the 1950s. it's true - elvis! i have pictures of me trying to dress up like a greaser. i've always loved clothes and performance. i like the art form of clothes. that's where my collecting started. i started selling on ebay and then etsy and it just took off.  if it wasn't for etsy i'd be a crazy lady with a lot of stuff in her house.

mslisa: i was listening to some of your mixes on soundcloud. tres excellent! how did you get into DJing.

ramdasha: that happened organically. i'm kind of obsessive about things including music. i've always felt separate from everyone else. i was such a music nerd. i had a big CD and tape collection and when i dropped out of college an artist i knew was selling his turntables and i bought them. my boyfriend at the time was not supportive at all. mostly because i was a girl. back then i was DJ-ing jungle and drum and bass. i would also mix in hip hop.

mslisa : recently you traveled to austrailia tell me about that?

ramdasha: australia was a trip! i had a lot of reservations about going there. a friend bought me a ticket and i was like okay, go! it's a very racially polarized country. the brown people are economically depressed. there was an intentional white supremacist agenda to wipe out the native population there.

but that aside, syndey was a very ethnically diverse city. there were people from africa, southeast asia, pacific islander, and india. the food was really delicious!  i met a lot of cool people. there's an interesting radical queer community there. i did some DJ gigs in sydney and in melbourne. i wouldn't want to live there, but it was a great experience. people are obsessed with americans and fetishize black people. the queer community is mostly white, but i also met a lot of mixed people; pacific islanders and africans.

i remember driving from sydney to melbourne and going to the grocery store and getting those stares. people couldn't identify me. plus i have a tattoo on my face. i was protected by a lot of friends though, so it was cool. there was one town where black people have these curfews imposed on them and restrictions on drinking. the municipality thinks they don't know how to handle alcohol.

i said to my friend, ' well, wouldn't you want to be drunk living under white supremacy? 

mslisa: you mentioned the radical queer community in sydney. when did you come out?

ramdasha: i never really came out.  my family was never homophobic. my father is basically a lesbian hag. he always had gay people around. i had a consciousness of being gay, but no one wanted to date me in high school because i was the black girl - i was like gender-less. i didn't even have a boyfriend until i was 24.  loving women just came to me naturally as i got older.

mslisa : tell me about #fagzlikeus and #thereareblackpeopleinthefuture? 

ramdasha: those are just hash tags really, but they could be names for my dream band.  i also use #femaletofemale. gender to me is often a performance or some form of power. gay men in new york have a lot of power. i like the idea of erasing gender.  men can do whatever they want and create any space they want and i want the same freedom for us.

#thereareblackpeopleinthefuture is taken from an artist. it was written on a piece of paper i came across at the studio museum in harlem. that hash tag started because i thought about how black people are perceived through history. we're slaves, we're prisoners, we're oppressed, or we're victimized. there's rarely stories of us being happy, alive, and living. i want people to know that we'll go on living and we'll be there in the future. i think the same is true for native american people.  another context of that tag is who are we as african people? where will we be in the future? 

mslisa: things in america are very difficult for us right now. how do you cope with that?

ramdasha: i've gotten into meditation. i've been working on issues around police brutality. the world it seems, is in a constant state of chaos. for me personally, i think, what mark do i want to leave on a one to one basis? there are very oppressive and violent powers we exist with and it's causing people to lose their humanity. (i'll take off) and go upstate to the woods and i won't talk to anyone for 10 days.

i just try to give out and emanate love as much as possible. i know that sounds hella cheesy. i don't see racism or sexism ending. i think information gets lost and history gets erased.

mslisa: what do you mean by history gets erased?

ramdasha: the stories that we're told as little kids. i never knew african history in school except slavery. it was as if we didn't exist before slavery.  my father was an educator and he told me everything you learn in school is a lie.

mslisa: where are you at now?

ramdasha: i've been thinking i want to put out a book. i'm not sure how that's going to materialize, maybe words and photographs. but i would like to make it a tactile thing, not just something that exists in the cloud.

mslisa: are you going to afropunk this year?

ramdasha: i don't know. it cost like $ 80.00 - i'm not paying $ 80.00 to get in. my girl adee and i were talking about setting up a renegade show out front.

mslisa: what would you call the band?

 ramdasha: adee was in the new bloods - a black girl punk band.  we thought it would be fun to call ourselves black new order. 

mslisa: thank you so much for talking with me.

ramdasha: no problem! thank you.

                                                       

                                                                          (c) xara thustra

women of the redwood empire

I came to Humboldt County in mid-summer 2014 where family friends lived. That year had been challenging for me after taking a buyout of my lease and working as a program coordinator in a burn-out job for an Oakland public school.  I had run out of resolve and options to sustain myself; a casualty of the rabid gentrification and rental market, which was displacing locals like me. Beat and being an itinerant by nature, I went into exile in the redwoods for awhile. I've gone into the unknown before and most certainly will again. I know how to get lost. 

  Humboldt was an arduous experience in the beginning. It was very different from Berkeley and the East Bay. With the exception of a few road trips up there, I knew little about the county - other than the abundance of trees and weed.  It is a homogeneous place, with a population that is about 81% white.  The population of Humboldt as a whole is about 150,000 (the population of Berkeley is around 115,000).  For the first few months I worked odd jobs at the HSU bookstore, the Chicken Wing Fest in Eureka, and on the set-up crew of the North Country Fair (12 hour days starting at 5am), and volunteered at Scrap Humboldt (a re-use art non-profit).  By October, I was offered a contract job as an administrative assistant at Arcata Elementary School. I also rented a room from a nurse with an agender teenager and awesome boxer dog (he became my explorations companion). 

            Arcata suited me because it was a bit like the college town I grew up in. When my friends back home asked me about Humboldt, I'd joke and say, ' Hippie cartel! Hella trees and hella tarp!'   Eureka seemed like the place that time forgot without much active life or culture and a serious meth epidemic. The 101 ran right through skid row; dotted with seedy motels and pawn shops. Over time I began to explore the woods, beaches, and trails which were stunningly beautiful.  I had been a lone wolf for months as is my nature whenever I’m ‘ ….going through it’.  Eventually, slowly I came back to myself, and then friendships and connections began to form.

            I became fascinated with the women at AES. Many had come there as students at HSU and stayed, others from Ohio, Pennsylvania, DC, Michigan, and Utah.  I found them to be genuine, unaffected, and hilarious during tough and action-packed days with the students. They were hard-working and almost all had an endeavor outside of their occupations, which also defined them.  They accepted me and respected my connection to other black and mixed-race students at the school. They shared their labor and friendship, and made me feel welcome; the sister outsider from Btown. They were instrumental in helping me get back to myself before I went home.  

            I wanted to document these women; mostly white, which I thought was interesting in the context of being a mixed-race black woman.  How did I see them as opposed to coming into an unfamiliar space and being cognizant of how they saw me?  I’m fascinated by the realm of women in my life; whether it was the Somali sisters I protested with in Italy or the mountain woman who gave me a ride in her truck in the Catskills. In America, we're subjected to the illusion of perfection; to the myth of 'having it all'. Our choices are often questioned, we sacrifice, work to the point of self-destruction, yet are expected to remain desirable and unwavering in deference to a patriarchal order. We looked out for one other at AES, especially when one of us needed a break.  In the end, I am grateful that my path crossed with theirs.  It made my time there extraordinary and transformative. 

' Be mine, Sister Salvation. Juke Joint Jezebel is coming for my cremation. Be mine, Sister Salvation. Closer now, see the revelation. ' 

 KMFDM 

Carrie 

Age: 29

Occupation: Lead Lunch Lady

Alternative Self: Stitchy bitch (knit) and spend time with my family.

What do you want?: I want more life. 

From: Humboldt County

Cindy 

Age: 47 

Occupation: Educational Secretary

Alternative Self: I'm a work in progress.

What do you want?: I want to make things better for everyone, especially kids.  

From: Eureka, CA

Victoria 

Age: 48

Occupation: 5th Grade Teacher 

Alternative Self: Dictator and/or Dominatrix

What do you want?: World peace?

From: Washington, DC

Holly (GoLightly)

Age: 34

Occupation: Instructional Aide and Ballet Instructor 

Alternative Self: Crafter and adventurer.

What do you want?: I want to do work that is meaningful and to be with the people that I love.

                                                          From : Michigan

 Nicole (Nikki Sixx)

Age: 35

Occupation: Lead Custodian

Alternative Self: Mother

What do you want? : I want to see people around me happy. 

From: Yucaipa, CA 

Chloe (Ole Chole) 

Age: 23

Occupation: ASP and SDC Instructor / Math Tutor 

Alternative Self: Derby queen, rock climber, and boxer.

What do you want?: I want to experience amazing things and encourage kids to get outdoors.

 From: Salt Lake City, UT 

 Peri

Age : 47

Occupation: English Language Instructor and Speech Therapy Aide

Alternative Self: Poet

What do you want? : I want to help kids.

From: Eureka, CA 

 Rachel 

Age: 29

Occupation: Teacher’s Aide - SDC

Alternative Self: Crafter, clay maker, and painter.

What do you want?: I want to enjoy life. 

From: Concord, CA 

 Rykijaye

Age: 23

Occupation: HSU Student and  Family Resource Center Intern

Alternative Self: Actress

What do you want?: I want to get as far away from my parents as possible.

From:  Los Angeles, CA 

Terry 

Age: 56

Occupation: 5th Grade Teacher

Alternative Self: Actress

What do you want?: I want to continue on the path that I’m on and travel more in the future.

 From: Florida and England (Navy brat)

Adrienne

Age: 37

Occupation: Lunch Lady and Dishwasher

Alternative Self: World traveler

What do you want? : I want happiness for my children. 

From: Columbus, Ohio

words with real bishes: ramona

welcome to words with real bishes - an antidote to the famous for being famous and orange as the new black.  this week i celebrate ramona, paper mache artist, painter, and educator. she is also a first generation xicana. her work gives life!  if you're a real bish of color and have something to say, please email me here and let's chat. because you, baby are a star!  note: mama lisa is my teacher name and honorable designation. 

hola, hermana!

hola, mama lisa! 

mslisa: el primero algun, tell me how we met?

ramona: we met at encompass academy in east oakland. we immediately connected i think because we looked like the students there. we also both share a conscious and holistic approach to education as women of color.

mslisa: y amamos junot diaz! where were you born?

ramona: i was born in guanajuato, mexico. i came here with my parents when i was 13 years old.

mslisa: tell me about your experience?

ramona:  my parents were migrant farm workers. they came here to find work. it was a culture shock for me at first. i was not expecting such a hectic pace and the language barrier was difficult. i didn't feel very welcome.

mslisa: why didn't you feel welcome?

ramona : well, i was only 13 and i was going through puberty, so that was awkward already. and all these strangers around me. i definitely felt like an outsider.

mslisa; where did you and your parents settle in california?

ramona: we settled in sacramento where we already had family. that comes from a migrant tradition of going where you will have support. you know, it's weird - i don't think of sacramento as my home as i do guanajuato, but if i have a home in the US it's here.

mslisa: did you accomplish getting your education here?

(c) ramona garcia 

ramona: yes. i took english as a second language classes as a kid. i sort of became a nerd. i worked really hard in school and then i got accepted to UC Berkeley.

mslisa: what did you study at Berkeley?

ramona: i have a degree in art and education.

mslisa: you had a double major?

ramona: yes. it was through art that i was able to overcome a lot of my anxiety coming to the states. i also wanted to teach through art. it empowered me and i want to empower other people of color.

mslisa: so tell me about the context of your work?

(c) moon series  / ramona garcia 

ramona: i feel my work has really changed in the last couple of years. i've become more interested in different mediums. i'm currently working on making healing dolls. these are traditional dolls from guanajuato made from paper mache. the craft has indigenous roots, but that's changed with mechanization and plastic toys. so the artisans in guanajuato are having a hard time finding a market to sell them,

(c) ramona garcia

(c) moon series / ramona garcia 

(c) moon series / ramona garcia 

(c) moon series / ramona garcia 

mslisa: what do you intend to do with the dolls you've made?

ramona: well, primarily for me it's a form of cultural preservation; to keep the art alive.

mslisa: are you still teaching?

ramona: yes. i teach workshops for women on making the dolls. i would like to do more. i think this doll has a lot of potential not only in teaching about the folk art of guanajuato, but also for healing purposes.

mslisa: can you explain more about the healing uses of the doll?

ramona: it gave me healing to make them, so i want to pass that on to other people, particularly women of color because we deal with a lot of shit. i also think, in a metaphorical way, they have the potential to open people up.

mslisa: do you plan to go to graduate school at some point?

ramona: yes. i'm looking for an art therapy program. i think that would blend well into the work that i'm doing.

mslisa: what motivates you as an educator?

ramona: well, i've worked with children in schools who were dealing with a lot. the schools and programs didn't always meet their needs culturally. art can not only be a tool of expression, but can also be healing and tap into a higher level of awareness in a child;  (to understand) who we are and where we come from.

mslisa: you had an exhibition recently, tell me about that?

ramona: yes, i was in a show at sol collective. it's the only space we have in sacramento. the exhibition was called revisiting home : portraits of belonging and identity. it was interesting to me to reflect on my childhood and first coming to the states. my pieces were mostly self-portraits.

mslisa: what mediums did you use?

ramona: i use acrylic, watercolors, and paper mache.

mslisa : i'd seen images from the show you shared on facebook. i wanted to buy one! it's such a brilliant piece. it was a self-portrait of you topless with the moon. can you give me some more context about that?

moon series (c) ramona garcia

ramona: that one really brings together things i was dealing with - a response to all these images of white westernized beauty and barbie dolls and my current self.  the full moon is very feminine and it has all these cycles. for me, even if the moon does not seem full all the time, you know the whole is still there, even if you only see pieces of it during certain cycles. that self-portrait represents that for me.

mslisa: tell me more about what you've learned making the dolls?

ramona: when i went back to mexico i asked the artisans i was working with about the indigenous connection to the dolls.  most of them told me the craft came from spain. but, at the museum of anthropology in mexico city they have the exact same dolls on exhibition, only made from ceramic by the aztecas. they are called la muneca teotihuacan or the teotihuacan doll.

mslisa: can you tell me where the artesanos are from?

ramona: they're from celaya, a town in guanajuato. the art of paper mache is very vibrant there. i work closely with one artisan, her name is juana.

mslisa: you are such an extraordinary young woman. muchas gracias para hablar con mio! 

ramona: igualmente, mama lisa! 

ramona con juana, una artesana en celaya
guanajuanto, mexico

words with real bishes : bijou

kreativity rules everything around me

welcome to the next install of words with real bishes. this is an interview platform for every day grown black women. because you, baby are a star! are you grown and fabulous? are you holding it down with grace and fortitude? do you believe that cookie monster will save us all? are you about that life? got something to say? then please, email me here and let's chat.

today we have the honor of interviewing bijou, aka bijou m. kream. she's a senior development associate for youthspeaks.org, a businesswoman, and hardcore fashionista. a young renaissance sister of our time.  check out her website here.

hey girl!

hey girl!

mslisa: so tell me how we met?

bijou: we met through my fabulous sister dimitrua. i remember one valentine's day we were all single and we went to a tiki bar. that was cool. (i enjoyed) hanging out and getting all up in your fabulous aura,

mslisa:  you're too sweet! thank you. where were you born and raised?

bijou: i was born and raised in east oakland, ca.

mslisa: i think of you as quite the go-getter. between your work at youthspeaks, your eye wear line, and work as a stylist, how do you do all that? tell me a bit about what drives you?

bijou: what drives me the most is i hate being bored. i'm always doing something with my hands, making stuff. for now i'm juggling multiple things. it's hard work and tiring, but i know one day i'll be boss lady millionaire kream! 

mslisa: outstanding! next, i want to ask you about relationships with men of different races. i agree with missy : 'black, white, puerto rican, chinese boys'! how do you feel about this personally?

bijou: (giggles) : i'm all for it! i'm an equal opportunity dater. i don't think race matters as much. having a spiritual connection with someone that treats you well are the most important things.  i think people in the south would disagree with me.

mslisa :  why do you say that?

bijou: it's more segregated in the south. people are a bit ignorant about getting together. there's definitely a boundary there.

mslisa: do you think that's because of slavery?

bijou: definitely. the south was built on the backs of black people. because of its history there's a lot of distrust of white people there. folks tend to keep it separate.

mslisa: you're going to the afropunk festival this summer, what inspired you to check it out?

bijou: well, i was planning an epic trip for my birthday. some friends told me about this cool festival happening in brooklyn and i was like 'yeah! let's do it'. so, i got my little crew together and we're going. d'angelo was there last year...he's hella fine! i figured i have to go at least once in my life.

mslisa: who is an inspiration to you as a black woman?

bijou: the women in my family inspire me. i know a lot of people look up to celebrities or whatever, but the women in my family are fabulous. they're classy, loving, supportive, and down to earth. particularly my grandmother. the resilience the women of her generation had as women of color, is an inspiration to me.

 mslisa: tell me about your eye wear line, millionaire kream.

bijou: my eye wear consists of frames and accessories. most of the materials are hand-picked. each pair is unique and a limited edition.  the last line i put out was the roma collection. it was inspired by a trip i took to italy with my sister.  every pair has a name after a city we visited or a roman god.

mslisa: that's fabulous! what influences your personal style?

bijou : my style is not influenced by trendy fashion. that's just not cost effective!  for me, my big thing is thrifting, especially things from the 1980s. i like to rock what i like, which is usually black with a pop of color. i also love accessories. i love vintage, chunky chains and big earrings.

mslisa: how do you feel about your generation today?

bijou: i feel like my generation is one of the last generations that are real.  i mean, we played outside until the street lights went on, we respected our elders, and got an ass-whoppin if we didn't. we had real library cards. i think young people born in the 1990s didn't experience any of that with the changes in technology.

mslisa: things are quite complex for us in our society. how do you cope with being a young black woman in america ?

bijou:  i think the most important thing is to stay true to myself;  to remember my upbringing and my roots. being a young woman of color, we're often bombarded with images of an ideal we don't fit; that we don't look a certain way. i don't struggle with those issues because of the values i was raised with. i've always seen the beauty in who i am.

mslisa : thank you so much for talking with me today.

bijou: girl, thank you!

words with real bishes : mekela

(c) popart rupaul by bellonart

words with real bishes came out of an idea i had about my girls. they're lovely grown women, well-educated, strong, vulnerable, honest, supportive, and often hilarious. i wanted to do an interview format where we talk about all manner of things: the unbearable blackness of being in america, beauty, the legend that is cookie monster, and our current situations. also for the laughs. if you'd like to participate in words with real bishes, email me here. 

my first amazing sister is mekela. she's a graduate of UC davis, a substitute teacher for oakland unified school district, a mother of two gigantically tall sons, and a social media bon vivant (it was from her i learned what a hashtag even was a few years ago).

hey girl!

hey girl!

mslisa: so, tell me how we met?

mekela:  we met (about 10 years ago) as teachers at learning for life in east oakland. our supervisor was a bish! i knew you had black in you, but i wasn't sure how you identified. then you said something and i knew you were black!

mslisa: (chuckling) where were you born?

mekela: i was born and raised in oakland. i grew up in west oakland and went to oakland tech. i wasn't an east oakland person. when i was 7 i moved to kansas city for about 8 months, then came back. my grandmother lived right across the street from the dmv in temescal.

mslisa: i know you're a huge warriors fan. things have gotten super hot for them. how do you feel about the NBA finals?

mekela: i think it's so amazing! i grew up watching basketball; dr. jay and jordan, all these cool players. i broke up with the warriors once when they traded chris webber.  monta ellis was curry in 2007-08. there was always some kind of strange trade going on with the warriors. in 2012-13 monta got traded and the owner got booed out of the stadium. the team as a whole is doing so well right now. i can't believe it!

mslisa: you and i have an on-going facebook feud where you tag me with anti-cat propaganda. why do you hate cats so much?

mekela:  why do you call it propaganda?! i don't trust them. you never know where they are. i think they're plotting to murder us all and suck our breath out in our sleep.

mslisa: i sometimes tag you back with goat videos. what do you love about goats?

mekela: well, i'm a capricorn and i identify with goats. a capricorn never goes down without a fight! we're also ambitious. one of my nicknames growing up was billy goat because i did a lot of testing of items with my mouth. i think goats are so playful and friendly and cute. one day i want to have a goat farm.

mslisa: you recently posted a meme of a sexy dude for a BET film called chocolate city? girl, it was hilarious! is this real? i think it's a joke.

mekela: lisa, what's real anyway? well, i thought it was so funny, but i didn't get it. straight to BET? it was supposed to be in theaters? but, yes the film is real.  did you see the trailer? ginuwine is in it and brian white. girl, there are loads of chocolate in the movie.

mslisa: (cracking up) who is an inspiration to you as a black woman?

mekela: well today it's serena! she's super bad! but tomorrow it could be someone else, even in my own life. you know brandi is my BFF. i think she's way cool. i will say this; i was really faithful and into traditional african dance back in the day. there was a time when i was dancing with all of these black women. it was the most positive energy all the time. i was able to build wonderful relationships with those women. it gave me a lot of confidence as a black person.

mslisa: thank you, girl! this was cool.

mekela: thank you!