I Am & I Am Not African...

On Saturday, February 16, 2008, the MYTH OF THE MOTHERLAND crew reunited to discuss our future goals and aspirations regarding our beloved project. It was an exciting time; about 6 or 7 hours of non-stop productive and thought provoking discussion. One of the highlights of the day was the free-write exercise provided by our brother and mentor, Carlos Andrés Gómez.

"I don't want you to think too much for this exercise. Just write whatever comes to mind. Start it off with the words... I AM AFRICAN because..."

Simple enough. We all got down to writing. Scribbling as we went, smiling about making the connection with our family abroad. Many of us wrote about our ancestry and descendency, our complex lineage, but common humanity. Others wrote about what defines connection and family, how even by relating to another's pain and joy bonds you to them by spirit and experience. It was a great success.

"Now, I want you to write another poem... I AM NOT AFRICAN... because..."

The mood around the room went pensive. We knew that a truth that so often we refuse to acknowledge would manifest itself in our words. For the next 10 minutes, we wrote. We wrote in silence, expressing our disconnect from a peoples an ocean away. We wrote the very words that our society acts on every single day. "I AM NOT AFRICAN..."; and most of the time we don't even care to explain or reflect on the "because" part of it.

After going around the room, reading our perspective on the topic, we had a great discussion relating both exercises; connection and disconnection being the central points. In our poetry, we took time to elaborate and create a dialogue amongst ourselves. So often, we choose to disassociate with what's going on outside, and not just outside of our country, but even outside of our communities, outside our blocks, outside of ourselves. By speaking to one another and reconnecting through this exercise as well as highlighting the ways that we so often DISCONNECT from our outside communities, we found ways to further combat this phenomenon that is today so common within our society.

I believe that essentially that is our goal with this project. To reconnect our global community and to further develop mutually respective relationships abroad as well as right here in our own country. We are all extremely grateful to have had Carlos help us to elaborate on that shared sentiment through our love for poetry. Peace familia. Love. ~ Frank




*Frank's Poems*

(I AM AFRICAN...)
Because I am human.
Because I eat, sleep and breathe just like you.
Because we all love our mothers and anticipate out first kiss.
Because we are all made out of pain and joy, fear and sorrow.
I AM AFRICAN...
Because I am Dominican because I am Spanish...
Because once upon a time a slave master fell in love
or fell in, or inside a slave...
So I am, so we are, as much oppressor as we are oppressed.
I AM AFRICAN...
Because I am tired of thinking that way,
divided inside by blood and tribe; by myself, BY myself.
SO I AM AFRICAN...
Because I simply am.
And nobody, not even I, can tell me otherwise.


(I AM NOT AFRICAN...)
Because it is simply not that convenient.
Because my taste buds are accustomed to first-world McDonald's
and so is my wallet.
Because I cannot possibly fathom being the richest kid on the block,
or wearing no socks... and that's a lot, coming from a Dominican...
...Because sometimes, I rather crack jokes about it,
than really think about little barefoot kids surrounding me asking for change...
"Homie, I am not the Ford Foundation and do not work for Make A Wish,
but bust this, let me spit you a verse instead, rap thoughts around your head, and make it easier for me to go to bed..."
I AM NOT AFRICAN...
Because to even begin to relate would mean civil war with myself,
every day of my existence... like...
"Damn, I'm so lucky,
Damn, I'm so blessed
Damn, what have I done today? and...
Damn, I'm so stressed."
Because to relate, would mean to contemplate
my place in your existence...
and to do that... is not convenient in this instance.




STAY TUNED FOR MORE POEMS!