Kern Carter's Blog, page 127
February 7, 2021
Rihanna’s Tweet About Farmer’s Protest Awakened The Indian Government
Why India is burning and Internet Services don’t see the light of the day?
February 6, 2021
Rebelling Against Tradition
Image by Tatiana ShepelevaAnyone else grow up reading print magazines? Safia Bartholomew tells about her experiences in I Found Love Between the Pages of a Magazine and it’s a trip into nostalgia.
There’s no one better to talk about being a rebel than Gurpreet Dhariwal. Her latest piece for CRY describes Dhariwal’s fighting against tradition.
In lighter news, we asked who has the brighter future — Clubhouse or Verzuz? Check out what Kern Carter has to say.
We leave you with parting words from Anita Lerek again. Read her poem “I Wish” below and tell us what you think. Should we share another one of Anita’s poems next week?
I Wish
I do not see the ordinaries
of paying bills, renewing services,
cleaning the counter, brushing
teeth. I sketch madly outside
the lines, alive only as long
as I revise.
After a shower, the mirror sends
me into positions: a wheel ferrissing
through heavens, a goddess with
multiple hands circling round
and round to rehearse who she is.
I am a wave charging into the dollar
store colliding with immovable
forces, aisle to aisle, until I finally
pay and ebb away.
I used to feel like a gimme goddess
entitled to everything I saw, to all the sun candy after a war that boarded up
rainbows leaving behind mountains
of stones for bodies.
How I wish I could see my grandmother,
how I wish I could see my grandfather,
on either side of the mountain roads
that I rip through as Hermes, the
fastest god, the messenger who
takes away the dead, and returns them —
to my mirror
the faces
who I am
reimagined
roaring back.
© Anita Lerek, 2021, I Wish rev.
Earlier version first published in Verse-Virtual, online, Oct. 2020.
Rebelling Against Tradition was originally published in CRY Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
February 5, 2021
I Found Love Between the Pages of Magazines
Why magazines will always have a place on my shelf
Photographer: Samantha ClarkeI grew up in a house full of magazines; stacks of glossy covers were neatly piled in the wicker basket beside the couch in our living room and my personal stash was hoarded underneath my bed. Like many pre-teen and teenage girls of that time, the walls of mine and my sister’s rooms were plastered with the faces of celebrity heartthrobs of the moment — Usher, D’Angelo, Tupac and more — pulled from our collection of magazines.
Possibly, one of my earliest memories of creating a fortress of solitude was when I would spend hours in my room reading the most recent glossies that I convinced my mom to buy me. A space of refuge and meditation, I discovered a world beyond the parameters of the suburban city I grew up in. Between the pages of magazines, I learned about myself and others.
Hangin’ Pictures On My Wall
by NaskademiniYM, Seventeen, Cosmo Girl, Word Up and Right On — were staples for my prepubescent years. I could spend hours reading about celebrities, learning beauty tricks and taking quizzes to decipher if my current crush was “crushing back”. Then throughout high school and into my university days, my selection of favourite magazines changed. The Source and XXL kept me connected to my other love, which is music and specifically hip hop. Elle, Fashion, Flare, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar sent me to a fantasy world of couture gowns and supermodels and fulfilled my fantasies of being an editor with the coveted front-row seat at the top shows in Paris. While Essence, Honey, Suede and Vibe Vixen were the sister friends I turned to for advice and to feel seen. Pages I would pour into to get inspired, learn and better understand my magic. Every word, every article and every model so powerfully reflected back to me the beauty, grace and strength of Black women.
The only way I felt that I could pay it forward to the magazines that gave me so much over the years was to become the head of one. When I was younger, I dreamed of being the Editor-in-Chief of one of these colourful titles. Unfortunately, so many of my favourite publications have now turned to digital and most are no longer in circulation.
There is something about holding a print copy of the work that a team of people poured hours into - curating every detail from font choice to photography for a shoot, then printing it off and shipping it around the world for readers like me to enjoy is something that I will forever cherish. Today, my old magazines are like pieces of iconic art that I still turn to when I feel nostalgic and am looking for inspiration.
I Found Love Between the Pages of Magazines was originally published in CRY Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
February 3, 2021
Growing up as a rebellious woman in the nuclear family
Sharing my personal story on how I evolved as an author and a strong woman while facing challenges from the outside world.
February 2, 2021
February 1, 2021
5 Canadian authors you need to know immediately
If you haven’t read any books by Canadian authors, you’re missing out. Here are 5 established and emerging authors in Canada.
January 30, 2021
Marriage Blues
Image by Psycho ShadowThe sun floods the old
maple with nothing on
but a shredded blue tarp,
and penetrates the chilling
human ground,
where the 11 am television
talks to no one in particular,
rather, bears irreproducible
witness to the kitchen,
the burnt toast, as usual,
the reprimands,
the despair at the shivering
tree under runaway light,
branches outstretched
in pointless prayer
for the blue marriage
getting ready
to cover over and disappear.
© Anita Lerek, 2020, Marriage Blues v1.3
Thank you to Anita Lerek for this beautiful poem. She’s a Toronto based poet and author of the chapbook History of Being (2019) with credits in Visual Verse, First Literary Review and Split This Rock. You can follow Anita on FB and IG.
Let’s also shout out Sistah Muse for her piece this week on jealousy. It’s not an easy emotion to admit and Sistah Muse articulates it perfectly.
Safia Bartholomew also talked about freeing her creative self this year. Sounds like she’s ready to step into a new phase of her creativity.
Speaking of creativity, Kern Carter tugs on the heartstrings with a touching piece about creating with his daughter. Fair warning: may incite tears.
Finally, Jackie Escano tells you why as a creative, you need to be your own Publicist. No one’s going to get your message across like you can and Jackie gives you tips on how to make that happen.
Make sure you share this newsletter and welcome friends into the CRY community. We’re growing day by day and appreciate all of you for continuing to read and engage with our content.
You can follow us on IG @wecrydeep and look out for another poem from Anita next week. One is never enough!
Marriage Blues was originally published in CRY Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
January 29, 2021
Free Books by Black Authors for Every Primary School in England
England is taking a step to increase the Black voices in its school system. An anthology of books featuring Black authors will be given to each primary school. The books are for children age 7 and up and will be handed out to thousands of students beginning in August.
This is on the heels of last year’s report that the publishing industry is still about 80% white. There have also been initiatives like #PublishersPaidMe that showed the disparity between the advances of Black authors and their non-Black counterparts.
The collection of children’s books each child will receive is called Happy Here.
Free Books by Black Authors for Every Primary School in England was originally published in CRY Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
January 28, 2021
You Are Your Best Publicist — Here’s Why
How to be your own publicist.
Photo by Mateus Campos Felipe on UnsplashCreatives already take the bold steps to create. Whether it includes writing, painting, singing, producing, or design — the world yearns for these creations. But where does one start to bring attention to their work?
By Being Yourself.
As an artist, you need to build the foundation for yourself. You know yourself better than anyone else, and who else would be better at being the face of your brand than you? Simon Sinek said it best:
“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”
Having a true understanding of who you are as a creative and your purpose, you will be able to attract the right people, including supporters, business opportunities, and media outlets.
Authenticity is the brand in itselfAn artists’ voice is what makes the originality. Being authentic and creative is one of the unique selling points for viewership. Everyone has a compelling story to tell, and personal stories are what makes everyone unique. Sharing your authentic voice opens the door to who you are and what you’re about, and good publicity showcases the authenticity of a true artist. Remember, you don’t need a million followers to attract attention. Great content can go a long way.
But what is PR?Public relations is the practice of maintaining the public image of a brand. PR is a great way to establish brand visibility, but it can also be very costly to hire a professional agency.
Although today’s media networks are overwhelmed with public figures and popular influencers, there are so many different aspects of your art that can be relatable to an audience. So don’t ever feel like what you’re creating isn’t enough. It is. You just have to show it.
You can reach out to publications on your ownThese days, getting your message across the globe is a lot easier. Reach out to publications, bloggers, podcast hosts, media platforms — anywhere you feel that you may fit in. The key is to make sure the outlets you reach out to match what you’re offering.
It won’t make sense to reach out to Artsy if you’re an architect. Find the publications that speak your same language and go after them.
The worst that can happen is a rejection, and learning to recover from rejection is part of reaching success. There will always be an alternative route, the word “no” simply means you can move onto the next opportunity. Don’t lose faith.
“Reputation is made in a moment. Character is built over a lifetime.” Elizabeth GeorgeYour platform is your calling card
Media outlets now spend their time looking for the next big thing on social platforms. Using your creative content online and keeping up with trends will bring leverage to promoting yourself. Use your personal platforms to connect with your audiences. By staying connected to culture, you’re proving your value to media who are looking for inspirational or educational content.
You have to be your bestCreating is bringing something into existence. Everything needs time, dedication, and effort and creatives already hold the power of creativity. This is what makes you stand out. If your work is captivating, it will be easier to make it known.
As an artist, you always want to showcase your best work. This will give you the best chance to get the attention your work needs to take your career to the next level. While everyone is moving a mile a minute, take the time to make sure your work is exceptional. It makes a difference.
PR is an ongoing process and is crucial to success. Know that you can take yourself to the next level, it’s just a matter of getting people to see the beautiful work that you create. Great results always come with dedication and persistence. It can be a lot of work, but it can get done. Never ever give up on yourself!
You Are Your Best Publicist — Here’s Why was originally published in CRY Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
