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We Gon' Be Alright

The biggest flex this quarter has been telling my family and friends how awesome this class has been and sharing all the dope work of artists, musicians, and authors we’ve reviewed. I usually start by telling them my interpretation of Afrofuturism, as if I were giving them an elevator pitch. I explain how Black artists often highlight the problems of modern society, such as racism, prejudice, capitalism, and so forth, and sprinkle it with elements of magic, sci-fi, and fantasy to make the horrors of it all more digestible for views. Some of the works will present ways of addressing or providing solutions to breaking the injustices. The magical elements are also a form of escapism from the darkness of the world. I also explain that the Black community continues to experience ill sentiment and treatment, and sci-fi and magical elements are ways that Black artists can dream up ways to be saved from them. I then start naming some of the movies, songs, and books we’ve discussed in class. I enjoyed reviewing music videos by Kendrick Lamar, Childish Gambino, Solange, Beyoncé, Miles Davis, Janelle Monaé, and Alabama Shakes, to name a few, that had different elements of Afrofuturism in their music videos. Each artist has not only acknowledged a wide array of social and political issues a lot of us know so well, but they have also reflected on the issues within themselves and that they are going through that the audience can relate to easily. This has shown me the power of art and how we can relate to one another through its powers. 

I usually start by discussing Lamar’s music video for his song “Alright,” as most people know the song, which was essentially the anthem for the Black Lives Matter movement. The beginning of the video sheds light on the state of American culture and the Black experience as viewers are shown images of chaos, such as violence, alcohol, money, and police brutality. These images were coupled with elements of magic, such as the cops holding up a car, Lamar flying, and rapping on the street lamp. Like Monaé and Childish Gambino’s videos, dance in “Alright,” is a form of technology used as a form of liberation. We see the people having a great time dancing throughout each video in the face of chaos and hardship. Numerous dark and cynical things play out in the world, but the use of dance to showcase how we can combat it all, and in so many ways, symbolizes resilience within the Black community. 

Lamar flies throughout the video as he describes his thoughts of depression coupled with images of the challenging and depressing nature of the Black experience in America. I interpreted Lamar flying the video as a sign of the liberation some receive in faith in God and one’s community. While the world seems chaotic and violent, there is power in love and trust, and some hold in God, as I believe there, God would not dish anything out he didn’t think we could handle. Furthermore, there is power in numbers, which is another solid point I interpreted from viewing the video, both in the sense of combatting injustices, and when surrounded by those who love and support us, there isn’t anything we cannot do. The video “Alright” has prompted an incredible amount of hope in our world, and it’s no wonder why it is the anthem of our time as it shows what’s going on right now and how one man can spread feelings of positivity and happiness to remind us that everything is going to be alright. I can’t tell y’all how many times my eyes have welted up in tears, knowing that there’s hope in this world. 

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Departure & Record/Play

Hi-Hello, and welcome back to Our Sunken City!

As the quarter wraps up, this will be the last post regarding the Afrofuturism course. I would like to note how this course, and the preceding Black Horror course, has helped me become a more “active” media consumer. It is easy to passively watch a movie or listen to a song and get into the groove. Still, I’ve learned the rewards of taking note of themes and critically thinking about their connections within music, movies, and short stories and to the current or past state of issues in the world. I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to discuss two memorable and lesser-known pieces of work which are Departure and  Record/Play. 

In the short film Departure, two space aliens were assigned to live on Earth for an entire lifespan to see if it is safe for their population to live and reproduce there. Their mission was essentially successful; however, they were called back to their planet before their prescribed time. The alien’s leader called them back earlier due to the oncoming set of a war that stems from greed, violence, and hatred. Afrofuturism often signals our society's current or past issues, which was a great example of that. Additionally, some works of Afrofuturism will sometimes list some ways to address, revolt, or escape the problems at hand. But one thing that will always stay with me is the hope of being saved by a higher power/life force from all the wickedness. In the case of this short film, they had their leader save them from the evitable end of the human race, keeping the unborn child of aliens as “the last relic of the human race.” This makes me understand why some people believe in aliens and are constantly looking for them and wanting to get abducted. It’s almost like anything is better than living here. 

The short film Record/Play pulled at my heartstrings as the protagonist discovers the ability to travel back in time to moments before his wife was killed by listening to her pre-recorded cassette tape. After several failed attempts to save her life, he ultimately trades places with her by having her listen to a pre-recorded message of him telling her how much he loves her. The pain he must have felt living his life without her was worth sacrificing his own life for hers. The film uses technology sprinkled with a bit of magic to tell a compelling story of love, sacrifice, and the injustices occurring in another country. Although I am not sure which country his wife was killed in, the fact that she was in a school highlights the mercilessness of those men. After watching the film, I reflected on how similar events are happening in Palestine; however, no one person or higher power can magically save them. But there are the collective efforts of those worldwide, and I am reminded of the importance of thinking globally and acting locally.

As this quarter comes to an end, I look forward to discovering more Afrofuturist works and having conversations with friends and family to further examine their deeper meanings and messages. Learning a bit about Missy Elliot in this week’s lecture, someone whom I have grown up listening to and watching has made me realize how it's always been around me; I didn’t have the lens to see it until now.

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Connection at what cost?

Hi-Hello, and welcome back to Our Sunken City!

This week’s lecture was full of great and interesting surprises. For starting off with the good stuff: Steven Barnes~! He was a guest speaker and discussed his novel Lion’s Blood. If you haven’t read it, I highly advise you to pick up a copy as it was definitely one of those books that you don’t want to put down. Essentially, the reader is sent back to the late 17oo’s where there were two critical history events that occurred that caused the tables to turn and led to the enslavement of white people. He cuts the book into two parts so you can follow the perspectives of the enslaved people, and the enslaveholders. In the beginning, I was kind of thrown off when I read that the protagonist was white, I was like, wait a minute? Isn’t this supposed to be an Afrofuturism class? But by the second part I understood what was going on. It goes without saying that anyone would empathize with the enslaved people during the first half of the book. There the Irish people were, just living their lives to the fullest, with so much culture, history, aspirations, and goals. Then on comes these “Pig-face” men who shattered everything. It goes without saying that, regardless of the color of the skin of those people, the reader was going to empathize with them as they read about the horrible conditions they received every step of the way. 

It was inspiring to hear how much research and work Barnes accomplished before writing the book. It gave me a sense of appreciation for his commitment to making the novel authentic, factual,  and unique. For example, he learned about a couple of languages and cultures to reference in his novel. He also touched on the exchange of cultural technology through Europe and Asia as their lands were connected, and borrowing from other cultures was easy as one could walk through the lands. Traveling north to south has exposed individuals to different climates and various avenues taken for the domestication of animals and agriculture that I never considered. Those who shared information about their technology could evolve much faster than other cultures as they had access to different technological aids and knowledge.  This made me consider some similarities within certain cuisines, such as the Thai and Cambodian dishes and desserts that I enjoy so much. 

Speaking of evolution, this week we had an interesting, and yet concerning lecture about AI chatbots. While I was aware of the advancements in physical chatbots, I learned just how problematic chatbots can be when their sources of information are not taken seriously. As we watched the video of Bina48 speaking to the real Bina Aspen, I became increasingly disturbed as the conversation progressed. At one point, Bina48 is conflicted about who was the real Bina, and declares that she is real followed by “end of story.” This made me think of the premise and plot of the movie The Terminator, as I learned that Bina48 gathered her information from the internet. The robots ended up wanting to kill humans as they were a problematic species for the world’s health. Not only does Bina48 have access to misinformation, but she does not have the moral compass to cipher through and understand what’s accurate, right, and just. This makes me scared for the future of technology and AI, as we have already experienced some of the minor mistakes ChatGPT has made, such as making up information, or in one case agreeing that a person should commit suicide.

Additionally, AI-generated photos have raised issues of racism and prejudice, as researchers have found racial and gender biases in some of the images. When asked to generate photos of certain occupations such as firefighter and software  developer,  images of white males mostly came up. Moreover, photos of non-white females were often generated for occupations like housekeepers and flight attendants. Misinformation, racism, and prejudice are issues that humans deal with and haven’t completely figured out, and that essentially is the same with AI. I can see a whole host of problems that will ensue with the development of AI chatbots that I will continue to highlight relevant ill sentiments and views of people of colorI think the issues with AI, such as generating biased images of people of color and sexism, have sparked much-needed conversations about the underlying reasons, such as the lack of representation of other ethnicities and cultures in media. It is important to note that some developers believe that the more data available in the information pool will supposedly cancel out the biases, but recently studies have shown that is not the case. In American society, these biases are reinforced by the media as most companies rub off the dominant culture’s ideologies. To make any real meaningful change would require changing the perceptions and thoughts of the general public, which, quite frankly, seems unlikely with how things are going in the U.S. and the rest of the world.  

I don’t mean to end on a sad note, but hey, where is the lie?

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AI Fwends?

Hi-Hello, and welcome back to Our Sunken City!

Where do I even begin? Questions provided by Tananarive Due guided my last two posts, and now that I have free range to talk about anything I want, I feel so overwhelmed as we have reviewed, listened to, and watched so many great movies, short films, and musicians.

As a starting point, I would like to first acknowledge Kendrick Lamar’s song “Alright,” a piece that has resonated deeply with me and proven to be instrumental in gaining a better grasp of Afrofuturism. Black artists, like Lamar, through various modes of media, share the dark horrors of our reality of living in America as oppressed people. However, through their work, artists have the power to show us paths of righting wrongdoing, other ways to think about these issues, or alternative perspectives.

Lamer’s video “Alright,” illustrates a chaotic state of America with a wide array of social and political issues as he flies over it. We watch elements of police brutality, alcoholism, and conflict, to name a few, and by the end of the video, his smile oers us a hopeful outlook. I think it’s important to highlight how, in Christianity, God has a plan for each person, and as long as we are committed to actively participating in the plan, everything will be alright. After all, he wouldn’t put you through the wringer if he didn’t think you could handle it, right? Staying optimistic while remaining firmly grounded in our beliefs and demeanor is critical to prevailing through societal turmoil.

I could dissect the video further, but I think this is a great opportunity to switch gears and talk about two less popular short stories that have truly captivated me: Rusties and Spider the Artist, both written by Nndei Okorafor (Wanuri Kahiu collaborated on Rusties). These stories have sparked a creative fire within me, inspiring me to write my own short story. With technology becoming more and more integrated into

modern life, I feel compelled to deposit my two cents on how it could possibly play out. There were several themes that were not only interesting but also deeply thought-provoking in both of her short stories, such as the human/technology connection, robot sentience, slavery, and government versus the people. These themes, I believe, will continue to be relevant and spark important discussions as technology advances and its impact on society grows.

The human/technology connection theme pulled at my curiosity. It’s easier to befriend an AI persona than a real person, as there are social, cultural, and political norms that are challenging for some people to navigate. But wouldn’t companionship be easier if you could design and program how they look, some of their personality traits, characteristics, and values. After all, human friends come with an array of problems and challenges that subsequently filter into your life, impacting your happiness meter. So cutting those components out of companionship means there will be more time to be self-absorbed and have a false sense of “control” over your “AI slaves.” I never considered robots as slaves, but after reviewing the stories during the lecture and connecting the fact that slaves were built to serve us, I completely understood. I did consider the fact that whether or not they possess “feelings” or sentient thoughts of their own would aect the meaning of slavery in this context because, essentially, is it against the robot's own free will? At the end of the day, what would it be doing if you didn’t program it to do whatever it was doing? Ultimately, it doesn’t matter, right? Work without pay and no free will is slavery, eh?

This morning, I read an article titled “Meet my AI friends” by Kevin Roose in the NY Times, which called attention to how the services that were oered through dating and buddy AI applications often would make up information about him or their friendship, a phenomenon known as “hallucination.” So, while you’re able to escape some of the human woes, there are AI glitches that are similarly problematic. Additionally, he noted how the X-rated AI companions proved to be a cold experience, as they seemed more like exploitative empty money pits and not real tools for romantic connection.

As I ponder more about these themes, facts, and challenges, I can’t help but be excited to write my own little short story that will touch on some of these things. If I feel like it’s worthy enough, I might post it here.

Signing out, and I’ll see y’all soon!

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My Earthseed

So this week, I have a special blog post focusing on the Parable of the Sower! It is a complex but hopeful novel written by the late Octavia E. Butler about a dystopian world set in California. We follow the protagonist, Lauren Ola Olamina, as she navigates through climate change, a global shortage in water and food supplies, violence and chaos, the circulation of odd street drugs, the ever-growing income gaps, and the return of corporate slavery, to name a few. Lauren has hyper-empathy syndrome, which allows her to experience the pain and pleasure of others. For instance, when Lauren shoots someone, and can feel the pain of the person she’s shot, which debilitates her. While all these external eerily “real-to-the-now” things are happening, Lauren discovers and explores Earthseed, a religion she writes about in her book titled Earthseed: The Book of the Living. Throughout the book, we learn that God is Change and that the destiny of Earthseed (which is you and me!) is to live among the stars. What I took from the book is that humans must adapt to an ever-changing world, as nothing remains stagnant. So, depending on how 

That said, if you haven’t read the book, I encourage you to do so before reading my responses to these fun guided questions posed by Tananarive Due! The questions encompass my thoughts about creating my own Earthseed. Let’s get into it!  

Two real-life issues that would require me to create my own Earthseed community are social inequality and climate change. Disparities in wealth, access to resources, and opportunities stemming from racial and cultural differences have long existed, leading to a disproportionate number of people living below their means. I believe creating my own Earthseed community would address these problems because Lauren has laid the foundation for trusting and caring for one another. If we all trusted and cared about each other's needs and believed that we were all equal, like in the book, we would be closer to solving some of the problems that exist today. Equally important are the various factors that contribute to climate change, which can be solved with the ideology of Earthseed. If we cared about the environment and future generations wholeheartedly, we could make the drastic changes that are needed to save humankind from failing. It is sad to say we missed out on our chance to really make a difference in changing our behavior as a human race back in the 1970s when scientists first brought up the problem. But profits over everything, am  I right?!

Two verses that I would use from the Parable of Sower that I would apply to my community are:

“Belief initiates and guides action—or it does nothing.” from Chapter 5.

and

“The Self must create. Its own reasons for being. To shape God, Shape Self.” from Chapter 21. 

The first quote is an impactful start, I feel, as it asks the community to consider their faith in themselves and the underlying reason for the actions they choose to take. Lauren made it clear at one point in the book that it was imperative to one’s success to believe in themselves. Believing in an all-mighty being isn’t as impactful to some, especially when the world has gone to shit. After all, if God loved you, would they really allow the world to be this chaotic and violent? This is why I think there is deeper value in believing in yourself and what you’re capable of doing, which I think then guides you to take the best plan of action.

The second verse, in so many ways, confirms my thought process of trusting in yourself, as doing so guides and shapes your identity. To shape God, or in other words, the trust in yourself, you can shape the person you want to be, which is 0.001% better than you were yesterday. 

If I could choose a place where I would set up shop for my Earthseed community, I would choose Angeles Crest Forest. For one, it would be close enough to the city to go shopping for supplies but still be far enough away from all the chaos and violence. At a point in the book, Lauren mentions how setting up camp on top of a hill between two low ridges would allow the community “the privacy of a big, open-topped, three-walled room.” I am sure I could secure a place like this in the Angeles Crest Forest, and maybe there might be the possibility of finding some type of water source because there are a lot of waterfalls, rivers, and maybe a well?

As I consider the privacy and safety of my Earthseed community, I think about who I would allow in. If I learned anything from Lauren’s Earthseed community, it is that I would need a diverse array of people, as everyone has different and special talents and skills that can contribute to the community's success. The individuals I let in would also have to be trustworthy, as the well-being of everyone in the community would be at stake if there were an inkling of distrust and a lack of integrity and comradery. Integrity is an important personal trait as it means the person would work at doing what is right with the community in mind in a reliable way. Equally important, comradery keeps the interest of the community in high regard, which allows for better collaboration between community members. Without trust, integrity, and comradery in the community, we would be back at square one: everyone looking out for themselves and disregarding anyone else’s well-being as inferior.

With trust, integrity, and comradery at the forefront of my Earthseed community, being an authentic leader, similar to Lauren, is imperative for the community's success. Being an authentic leader emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, transparency, and staying true to their values, which has the ability to foster trust and respect among the community. To expand, by being an authentic leader, I will prioritize open and honest communication with community members. That would mean fostering transparency by regularly sharing information about important decisions, challenges, and opportunities. By keeping everyone informed and involved, I can promote a sense of trust and accountability within the community that allows for a shared sense of responsibility.

As I think about how my community will survive, I would mirror Lauren’s plans of establishing ourselves in one area where we can grow seasonal fruits and vegetables to sell in town to make money. I would also establish a simple alarm system to inform us if people get close to the community. This would mean we would have to create an arsenal of weapons to protect everyone and train everyone to use them. I would also require everyone to work out and train together. This is where the diversity of skills and talents that some community members possess would come in as well, as I know there will be unique contributions that will ensure the safety and survival of Earthseed.  If I could create any piece of technology, it would be a machine that could convert dirty groundwater and salty ocean water into drinkable water. This piece of technology would ensure not only the livelihood of my community members but also the livelihood of the crops we grow. 

Equally important to farming, as it will nurture the bodies of Earthseed and other communities, education will nurture and expand the minds of Earthseed. For instance, logic and rational thinkers are important to building a better future as they encourage individuals to analyze information, evaluate evidence, and make informed decisions. Additionally, rational thinking fosters constructive communication and conflict resolution, so by promoting a culture of rational discourse and empathy, my Earthseed can mitigate conflicts and maintain meaningful relationships among other members. It is important to highlight that in Lauren’s world, Zahra spoke about people being so dumb they “can’t think, can’t learn, just sit around nine, ten years old, peeing in their pants, rocking back and forth, and dripping spit down their chins. There’s a lot of them.” That is a world without education and a community to help raise them. My Earthseed would be eons away from that!

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Afrofuturism! :]

Hi-Hello, and welcome back to Our Sunken City!

It has been a while since I posted, but I’m back! This time, I am focusing on Afrofuturism, as I am taking a course with Tananarive Due! I honestly did not know what to expect in this class, as I did not have a concrete understanding of what exactly Afrofuturism is. However, after two weeks of reviewing television shows (e.g., Black Panther on B.E.T), musical artists (e.g., Sun Ra, George Clinton, Janelle Monáe, Lil Nas X), authors (e.g., Tananarive Due, Octavia E. Butler), and short films (e.g., Pumzi, Space Traders), I feel like I have a general understanding. 

When asked by my family, friends, and classmates, I shared how Black Panther is a great starting point for explaining Afrofuturism, as most people have seen the movie or at least heard of it. Musicians, writers, and artists are able to tell their stories placed in the future of the current racial and economic struggles and injustices as they point out the blatant flaws in the world. In their science fiction stories, the allegories and metaphors highlight problems and inspire solutions that create an alternative world worth living in. 

Black people in America have a dark past that was constructed through slavery and racism. These futurist stories can be thought of as a form of escapism from the current state of affairs. Why live in the present when I am hated for the color of my skin when I can dream up a colorful, technologically-driven future with all these cool futurist elements and things that can delete the struggles of the now? Okay, maybe not delete it because the stories and music we’ve reviewed have not ended well, but I would like to think there will be one in the near future in this class that will leave me smiling… or at least I hope so. 

To expand on the futurist stories, I have referenced episode three of Black Panther, which aired on B.E.T. In the episode, Black Panther was invited to a meeting with the “big timers” of world leaders and was asked if he would sell vibranium to them as it is an invaluable resource of energy. Black Panther declines as he emphasizes the constant chase for profits that has led to a lack of progression in the U.S. and other countries. Rather than cure diseases, there are temporary solutions that are placed in high regard with the intention of making money off the sick. He highlights how if there were more emphasis on the well-being of their citizens, then they would have already had the resources needed. I think this episode is such a great example of the Afrofuturism that I have come to know and love. 

I am excited to see what else we dive into. With that said, I am signing off, and I will see y’all next time!

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Hello-Goodbye :)

Hi-Hello, and welcome back to Our Sunken City! 

The fall quarter is coming to an end here at UCLA, and this week, I got the pleasure of watching the films my classmates worked on. 

The first film we watched was titled “Tio,” and it was about a student’s dead Tio coming back to haunt him. I forget the filmmaker’s name, but I felt he did a great job with the camera angles as it made the viewer feel like they were a part of the movie. There was a scene that I found creepy, too. It was while the student in the film was walking through the parking lot, as the camera followed the student, inside one of the cars, there was his uncle with a redlight shining on his face that was so eerie! Overall, I thought it was a good movie, though I was kind of thrown off by the person trying to kill him, who was his uncle. But I guess that adds the mystery that has the audience pondering the same question. Like, was his uncle a bad man when he was alive? Did the student do something to deserve it? We’ll never know! But the filmmaker did mention that the idea of the film came out of nowhere one day. He explained how someone at his football game told him that his uncle said hi, and he was thrown off because how does this unknown person know his uncle? It could have been someone making it up for all he knows. 

The next film we watched was the film that Adriana and I made. We were inspired by the short film Wake we watched early in the quarter. Adriana was intrigued about black magic and conjuring elements. The new Candyman was another source of inspiration because it touched on gentrification. I lived in Chinatown for most of my adolescence and watched my little neighborhood slowly be gentrified. Only after I entered college did I realize what had happened to my neighborhood. In short, there was so much life and culture throughout the small streets, but then art galleries slowly replaced them all. It’s heartbreaking to know how many of my friends and their families were pushed out because of artists and art dealers seeking cheap rent. But enough about my film, I already wrote a four-page rationale about it. 

My favorite film out of the line-up was, hands down, Inhale Peace, Exhale Demon. There was a lot of thought and care that went into the film. I wish the filmmaker were present after the showing because I am curious to hear about their inspiration and thoughts about the film. For starters, the actors were awesome. I felt like it held my attention throughout the film, and that’s a lot coming from someone with ADHD. The lighting was thoughtfully placed in most of the night shots, so it really added to the film's vibe. While I understand that one of the dude’s gets cursed, I do not recall how exactly it happened because it could not have been the weed he smoked because his friends smoked it, too. 

With that said, I had a great first quarter, and I couldn’t have picked a cooler class to take. While I enjoyed the online class as it made it easier to attend, a part of me wished it was in person because it would have been nice to meet more of my classmates. In addition, some of the challenging conversations about race would have been great to experience in person. I will definitely tell tons of people to take this class! :) 

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Oh, Beloved!

Hi-Hello, and welcome back to Our Sunken City!

This week in my class, we discussed several films, a short story, a comic book, and Professor Tananarive Due’s homemade short film titled “Lost,” which can be found on YouTube.  

This week’s load was a bit heavy, thanks to Beloved. I kind of wish I watched Beloved before I watched and read everything else because it might’ve replenished my broken little soul. 

I found Blacula to be way more entertaining than I anticipated. My initial thought was that since it was kind of old it was going to be a little cringy and campy. The music and costume designs were well done, and I can honestly say it made me appreciate the 70s a bit more. The story was pretty good and easy to follow as I fell in love with Blacula. I wanted so badly for him to escape with his new bride. 

The comic book, The Destroyer, was sweet and I enjoyed the fact that a Black woman is a powerful scientist with superior abilities. The story showed a mother’s love and what lengths a mother will go to protect and save her child, which was similar to Beloved in some regard. I loved her son being pacifist as he would counter some of the mean things his mother instructed him to do. The first time he is seen resisting her instruction is when the two men looking for her “break” into her lab and she orders him to “subdue” them before she counts to five. Later, he points out how they weren’t the men who killed him, which is such a bittersweet moment as we watch her relive the day that Akai was killed. But at the same time, the sad story she told preceding her story, of a woman losing her son to police violence. It made sense why his mother may have seemed so merciless because I feel the same way as she does. She created her solution to the problem through science, which is one of the reasons why I love this comic book.  

It was challenging to watch Beloved on so many levels. It was an incredibly sad and disturbing story, and while there were aspects of fiction in it, everything felt so real. To circle back to what I mentioned earlier about a mother’s love, Sethe was met with a hard decision because of the Fugitive Slave Law. While she was free because she escaped the Sweet Home plantation, because of the law, it allowed owners to retrieve their slaves, even if they were in a free state. Sethe knew when she saw the plantation owner ride up with the men that defiled her, that they would take her and her children and reenslave them. The slave owner saw her children as livestock as they could breed more workers and add to his workforce. Sethe knew that her two young boys would work out in the field and her two daughters would work as domestic slaves, and that’s why he traveled the distances to “retrieve” them. She was met with the painful decision to kill her children and save them from a long brutal life. What was crazy to me was the way white men looked at her like SHE was the crazy one. Are they aware of the insanely unjust world they subject these people to? I hope they came to that realization on their ride back home. But that would be wishful thinking, huh? 

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Domestic Horrorcore

Hi-Hello, and welcome back to Our Sunken City! 

This week, we talked about yet another set of great movies. Eve’s Bayou consisted of a wonderful Black cast that showed me another type of horror. The Night of the Living Dead (1968) is a cult classic that’s not only deeply rooted in the era but also has a core message that made me fall even further in love with it. And lastly, my favorite of the three, The Girl with All the Gifts, had an alternative take on the genesis of zombies with the talented young actress Sennia Nanua. 

Eve’s Bayou was an interesting film as I did not perceive it as a horror film because there weren’t any jump scares or anything too eerie. However, during the lecture, Professor Due mentioned how the movie was a domestic horrorcore which made sense to me because as the film delved deep into infidelity and hint at incest, an alternative horror within itself. One of the themes we discussed was the causal monstrosity. We discussed how Louis, Eve’s father, on the surface seems like a great man who provides for his family and he is well esteemed as he is the community’s doctor. However, in the first act of the film Eve catches her father cheating on her mother with a woman. It was difficult to watch the scene because the audience was well aware that Eve understood what was going on, but I found that conversation to be incredibly uncomfortable and awkward. I wanted so badly for it to end as I squirmed in my seat. But that feeling right, that was the epitome of the horror! The ick that one feels when watching something inherently morally wrong. 

The same came to be said and felt about the last act of the film where the audience is left to decide the ending. Louis wrote a letter to Mozelle explaining what happened between Cecily and him the night of the kiss. He explained that is was Cecily that lead forward to kiss him, however, given his track record, it’s hard to think he was the innocent one. But the same could be said about Cecily as we seen her transform during the movie. She starts to wear make up, gets her hair done like her mother’s, and has disciplined her younger siblings. Her actions may infer that maybe she is trying to take the place of her mother. In addition, at one point in the film she states she scared that her father will “divorce” them. I feel like she could have choosen a different word to express her concern, but these are some of the reason that I felt so strongly it was her. I will leave you with this to ponder, and hopefully this has peak your interest and you’ll watch the movie and decide for yourself.  

Well, that’s all for the post! I’ll see y’all in a couple of weeks! :)

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Easier Said...

Hi-hello welcome back to Our Sunken City! 

This week, we discussed a short story titled Wet Pain by Terence Taylor, both Candyman, by Bernard Rose and Nia DaCosta, and Tales From the Hood, directed by Rusty Cundieff. I hadn’t watched the first Candyman and Tales From the Hood since I was 6 or 7, so I was excited to rewatch the film since it had been so long. I vaguely remember much from each movie, except the scary parts.  For example, in the original Candyman, I recall being scared of him and the bees, and in Tales from the Hood, I remember being so scared of the puppets from KKK Comeuppance. As a young child, I was afraid of the imagery, but having rewatched the films, I understand that true horror was the more profound message of racism. We talked about themes that were painful for me because of how relevant they are and, quite honestly, will probably be here to stay as the Black community continues to battle them. We talked about police brutality, racism in politics, and “black-on-black crime,” to name a few. However painful the topics are, I understand the significance of the messages in the film's contribution to starting and keeping the conversation going. The distressing scenes will hopefully continue to create the hard conversations society needs to have that will facilitate a greater understanding and build empathy for the Black community.

Tales From the Hood has highlighted the horrors of being Black in America. The police brutality and corruption depicted in Rogue Cop Revelation hit way too close to home as we continue to see reports and stories about police violence on various media outlets. However, there is a lack of conversation about Black complicity in racism. The Black officer in the tale succeeded in stopping the corrupt cops from beating the civil rights activist. Despite this, rather than committing to report the white cops and their wrongdoings, he ended up quitting the police force. By leaving the force instead of seeking justice on behalf of the civil rights activist, he indirectly contributed to the perpetuation of systematic racism within law enforcement. He failed to hold those white cops accountable for their misdeeds and, in turn, missed an opportunity for advocacy that would have been a step toward addressing the racial injustices. In addition, his actions inadvertently encourage a culture of silence and complicity within the police force, which perpetuates abusive practices.

Be that as that may, it is easier for me to sit here and type this out than do the work. Most people would agree that it is easier said than done, especially when you lose sight of the significance of the overall action. But that’s another conversation. 

[oursunkencity]

Us and America

Hi-Hello, and welcome back to Our Sunken City! 

In this week’s lectures, we talked about several different pieces of works. We discussed the movie Us by Jordan Peele and two readings written by my professor, Tananarive P. Due, titled The Rider and The Keeper. We watched a film called Ouanga, a great historical piece, and while I won’t discuss it, I encourage y’all to check it out!

After watching the film Us, I was left with many questions as it was not as explicit as Get Out.  Thankfully, I watched the movie with my two roommates and neighbors because we ended up discussing the movie for a little over three hours. On the surface, the film is about the Wilson family’s vacation, in which, unfortunately, they get to meet the murderous tethered people dressed in red jumpsuits carrying golden scissors. The tethered people are essentially a government experiment gone wrong, as they are soulless doppelgangers who live underground that reenact the lives of those who live above ground.

The movie goes through a lot of themes and concepts such as race, privilege in the U.S., and free will, to name a few. I found it interesting how the movie touched on the American Dream. From the Wilson’s family socioeconomic status being middle class to the familiar awkward relationship between the two vacationing families and to the reference to Hands Across America. It was nice to see a Black family depicted as middle-class as they possessed most of what we can call “the American dream” cliches: two parent-households, two kids, a vacation home, and even a boat, to name a few. 

Reflecting on the first act of the film, Gabe (the father) asks the tether people who they are after they break in and, Red, Adelaide’s doppelganger, answers, “We are Americans.” Her answer provided a distinct lens for me to view the movie as I have become aware of how intentional Peele is with every detail of the movies he creates after watching Get Out. Throughout the film, we witness the Wilson family fight for their lives, and at the end, when I find out Red and Adelaide switched places when they were young, my jaw dropped. What a great plot twist because it left the audience with conflicting emotions: were we rooting for the wrong Adelaide the whole time? How did she get away with the switch if she was soulless?  

The first question is hard to answer because we understand both perspectives of Adelaide and Red. I think it is important to highlight that the tethered people may represent those who live in the shadow of the wealthy. From the working class to immigrants and to those who work in the sweatshops to supply Americans with material goods they so desperately need to feel “whole.” We can get a sense of this dynamic when Red explains to the Wilson family the tethered's life in the underworld. Relating to their circumstances, it is no wonder why they left the other world to seek a better life. Which sounds all too familiar to the reason why most people want to come and live in America.  How did the fake Adelaide get away with switching with the real Adelaide if she was soulless? To elaborate on the Hands Across America, the movement truly represents how superficial the U.S. is. In 1986, the event was formed to raise awareness and money for homelessness and hunger, and held hands for 15 minutes across America. However, with a bit of research, the event raised $34 million dollars, however, according to The New York Times, only $15 million was distributed to the cause after deducting operating expenses. That means 44% went to the actual purpose of the event? Sounds pretty shady to me, and also sounds like the epitome of America, superficial and capitalistic! This brings me to my point of how the fake Adelaide could get away with the switch. Would it be wrong to infer that Americans are superficial and soulless, therefore it was easy for her to blend in?

[oursunkencity]

For starters...

I have to admit, I am not much of a horror fan. As a matter of fact, I can’t watch a horror film by myself because I usually end up turning it off because I am that much of a scaredy-cat. However, I plan on working to change that since I am in Professor Due’s class titled The Sunken Place. During this week’s lectures, we discussed the concepts and themes from the movie Get Out by Jordan Peele. 

But before I get into some of the things I learned, I want to touch on the first time I watched the film. I watched Get Out the second week of its release at the Nokia Center in downtown Los Angeles on a Tuesday because the tickets were discounted. In retrospect, it was the perfect time and place as the movie was filled with gasps, cuss words, and incredible commentary from the crowd. The movie theater was packed with people of color, and in so many ways, I felt we were a part of a big point in history as some of the blatant racism that was projected on that screen reflected real-life horror. After taking this class, I have come to find, yes, it was a big point in history, as Peele has revolutionized Black horror in the 21st century. 

One apparent theme I found interesting, as it is a term I had never heard of, is liberal racism. In reference to the movie, liberal racism can be described as the biases and set of behaviors the white people in the film display in their attempts not to appear racist. For example, in the party scene, some of the white people gawk over Chris, the film's protagonist, and make outlandish comments about his physical features and some of his abilities due to his Blackness. This is something that I have experienced in the past (and will probably continue to experience), that is, neoliberal people, making comments to try to relate to me. However, it comes off as forced and offensive because it sounds like their knowledge of Black culture comes straight from media outlets. These people state they are progressive and are trying to bridge the gap between racism, but do not take the time to develop cultural competency. I get it, it’s hard to navigate these conversations if you don’t have any friends who are not the same race as you. But make an effort! Because quite frankly, I am forced to “make the effect” through assimilation into a culture that was not made for me nor very accepting of me. 

Assimilation and isolation are other themes that we discussed in class. An excellent example of assimilation is code-switching, and we witness Chris switch on his “white voice” for Rose’s parents and the partygoers and switch back when he speaks to his best friend, Rod. Since I started at UCLA in the summer, I feel like I’ve had to toggle between the way I talk even more so than I have before. Doing so is pretty mentally taxing and has left me confused. At one point, I questioned whether or not I knew how I usually spoke because I have done it so many times with various groups of people that I feel like I lost a part of myself. Like, what is the genesis of my code-switching? I don’t even know how long I have been doing this! Which makes me think of one of my interpretations of the sunken place. When Chris fell into the darkness, I felt that moment could represent moments similar to what I experienced while assimilating into the dominant cultural norms. There I am, trying to speak clearly and in a way that sounds “normal” for the dominant culture. I’m also carefully navigating the conversation to not say anything offensive or “off-brand.”  However, at the same time, I am inauthentic and, in turn, feel isolated because I don’t really feel like I am being my authentic self as I am watching myself perform for these people. The same truth is that I don’t feel like I could ever stop code-switching, and these feelings may develop into a more significant issue. But for now, I have to remain in “our sunken city.”