Keith Hennessy: Social Justice Warrior

Photo from Keith’s personal collection

Q#1: Are you a Bay Area Native? and if not, how long have you lived in the Bay? Keith: I was born in northern Ontario and have lived in the Bay since 1982.

Q#2: When did you start on the creative path you are currently on? Keith: It would be wrong to say anything other than since birth, but my first dance performances were in highschool to the song Car Wash when it was released in 1976.

Q#3: Where do you find your inspiration? Keith: My muse is the struggle for social justice. My inspiration comes from improvisation and experimentation with the amazing and mysterious human body, connecting to the world.

Q#4: What was the first piece of vinyl you ever purchased? Keith: Bootsie Collins, Ahh the name is Bootsy Baby, 1977.

Q#5: Anything else you’d like to share? a joke/quote? Keith: I’m not going to hate myself just because I don’t love myself. (Ronja Ver, 2010).

Leslie Lopez: Muralist, Educator, Mami

“Estria Graff Battle” by Tuffgyal808

Q#1: Are you a Bay Area Native? and if not, how long have you lived in the Bay? Dime: Yes, I was born and raised in East Oakland. My dad came out here in the late 70s from La Piedad, Michoacan.

Q#2: When did you start on the creative path you are currently on? Dime: As a child I was always passionate about art, from melting crayons to making paint, to now spray painting on any surface I call my canvas. But, at the age of 10 I feel in love with Letters, tagging, graffiti.. attempting to write my name with arrows on loose sheets of lined paper from my school notebook.

Q#3: Where do you find your inspiration? Dime: I find inspiration in my neighborhood and community.. The pain and struggle to live and stay alive, the beauty of my traditions and culture, the resistance and power of the people.

Q#4: What was the first piece of vinyl you ever purchased? Dime: my generation was after the vinyl.. but besides tape recording music from the radio and listening to my families rancheras and bandas, as a kid I remember having the Selena CD and then as a early teen 3x Krazy Stacking Chips.

Q#5: Anything else you’d like to share? a joke/quote? Dime: “Culture is an indispensable weapon in the freedom struggle” -Malcolm X

Robert Ma: Writer, Co-owner of Woody’s Cafe

“Neighborhood Cafe” by Tuffgyal808

Q#1: Are you a Bay Area Native? and if not, how long have you lived in the Bay? Rob: No, I was born in China but have lived in the Bay for 42 years.

Q#2: When did you start on the creative path you are currently on? Rob: Six years ago, when we opened up the cafe, I started writing quotes. I was inspired by my conversations with customers,our employees as well as my own personal struggles. My coffee table book is now available for purchase 🙂

Q#3: Where do you find your inspiration? Rob: Through struggles in life, from reading different books and also people I come across.

Q#4: What was the first piece of vinyl you ever purchased? Rob: Ohio Players: from the album “HONEY”.. the 45 was “Love Rollercoaster”

Q#5: Anything else you’d like to share? a joke/quote? Rob: If wisdom comes with age, then I want to be dumb as f@#k.

https://www.facebook.com/woodyscafe

Sydney Cain: Visual Artist

                               “This is Sage” by Tuffgyal808

Q#1: Are you a Bay Area Native? and if not, how long have you lived in the Bay? Sydney: Yes, San Francisco born and raised.

Q#2: When did you start on the creative path you are currently on? Sydney: I’ve always enjoyed drawing & painting. I knew for sure in high school anything I do in life art would be involved.

Q#3: Where do you find your inspiration? Sydney: Unseen realities. Myths. Bass. Silence. Copperpeople. Things that are someway familiar and help us remember our origins.

Q#4: What was the first piece of vinyl you ever purchased? Sydney: First vinyl was Bobbi Humphrey and more like free stuff on the corner.

Q#5: Anything else you’d like to share? a joke/quote?

Sydney: There are no secrets.

Rocky Seker: Owner of Black Cinema At Large

“First Fridays” by Tuffgyal808

Q#1: Are you a Bay Area Native? and if not, how long have you lived in the Bay? Rocky: This is yes and no. I’ve lived in the Bay off and on since I was six, (born in D.C. while my father went to Howard) and grew up in Oakland. But I was shipped off back East every summer to relatives from June to September in NJ/NY, and lived in New York for 5 years, so I identify with both coasts.

Q#2: When did you start on the creative path you are currently on? Rocky: I’ve been a film lover ever since I can remember…also an activist. Both can be directly attributed to my father, who took me to a zillion movies since maybe 3 years old, and had to deal with massive amounts of racism in the 70’s (even getting his life threatened several times), because he was the boss of many that didn’t want to work for a Black man. Most of the films that I like to screen deal with social justice issues.

Q#3: Where do you find your inspiration? Rocky: Everything that has to do with the senses, I think. Film, of course; just one film can change the course of your whole life if it resonates with you. Fashion, architecture, photography, fine art, music, even food. Love. The art component is a little surprising–I have gotten deeply into the art aspect since coming back to Oakland…we have such amazing artists here it is unreal; it’s time for it to be recognized on a national and global level. I am also deeply inspired by people who fight injustice, but transcend anger and do it from a loving, objective, intelligent, and spiritual understanding; that is a very, very hard thing to do. Even the people who do this with just everyday living and regular life issues are so inspiring to me.

I also get inspired by reading the I-Ching every day and my children, but definitely in a more indirect way–I get ideas out of heart and spirit from that. Being grounded from there is helping me to evolve into making films of my own.

Q#4: What was the first piece of vinyl you ever purchased? Rocky: Ummmm…purchased for someone else, Earth, Wind, and Fire. Given to me was The Police’s “Roxanne” (my born name). Purchased for myself, whatever that Luther Vandross album was that had “Never Too Much” on it. Oddly, I never liked anything he made after that! Lol After that it was Prince all day every day; I would buy without even listening to it first.
When I was a kid my parents were very social and had lots of parties. I just thought about this…I’d really forgotten. Every time they would have a party they would just buy whatever was on Jet magazine’s top 20 list–old, old school! After the party they would give all the 45’s to me and my sister. And we would play them to death.

Q#5: Anything else you’d like to share? a joke/quote? Rocky: Please supportive of everyone in Oakland in the arts and culture if they are genuinely passionate about what they do. There is a renaissance here of sorts, and it can be parallel to the Harlem Renaissance, if we let it. In my opinion, it’s imperative we let it/support it…I don’t want the Oakland that I know/love/grew up in get watered down through changes that we are not a part of. We must make the big picture bigger than small agendas and small thoughts.

Mini Interview with DJ Santero

“Luka Lounge” by Tuffgyal808

Q#1: Are you a Bay Area Native? and if not, how long have you lived in the Bay? Erick: No. I traveled a lot before I settled here. I’ve lived in Bay Area for 17+ years now.

Q#2: When did you start on the creative path you are currently on? Erick: My father was a musician. I’ve been surrounded by music all my life. I don’t remember a time where music wasn’t a central part of my existence.

Q#3: Where do you find your inspiration? Erick: I find inspiration everywhere. Sometimes the smallest, simplest things affect me profoundly. I feel like my music is more channelled than created. There are larger forces at work. I’m just playing my part as best I can.

Q#4: What was the first piece of vinyl you ever purchased? Erick: Bad Brains. Rock for Light. I still have it.

Q#5: Anything else you’d like to share? a joke/quote? Erick: “All spiritualists who have really sounded the depths of spiritualism have realized that there is no better means of attracting the spirits from their plane of freedom to the outer plane than by music.” -Hazrat Inayat Khan

http://www.soundcloud.com/santeromusic

Stephanie Powell: Ballerina, Professor

Q#1: Are you a Bay Area Native? and if not, how long have you lived in the Bay? Stephanie: I am a native of Bakersfield, California. I grew up there and moved to Berkeley, Emeryville and Oakland when I attended UC Berkeley and danced professionally with Oakland Ballet.

Q#2: When did you start on the creative path you are currently on? Stephanie: I began my creative path at the age of 3 with my dance instructor of over 3 decades, Cindy Trueblood at Civic Dance Center.

Q#3: Where do you find your inspiration? Stephanie: I found my inspiration when my parents took me to the then Shubert Theater to see musicals, learning variations from Cindy and simply the feeling of being on stage. I knew it was what I was destined to do.

Q#4: What was the first piece of vinyl you ever purchased? Stephanie: My first piece of vinyl I ever purchased and still own, was Planet Rock!

Q#5: Anything else you’d like to share? a joke/quote? Stephanie: Dance is why I wake up in the morning. Outside of a remarkable career with Oakland Ballet, SF Opera, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Donald Byrd the Group, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater and the Disney musical Lion King, I have transitioned into loving to coach and teach on the university level. While I still perform and reconstruct the choreography of legendary Donald McKayle, I have found a new passion in passing the wealth of information that I have gained to the students of the next generation.

Nives Wetzel de Cediel: Teacher, Performer

photo from Nives Wetzel de Cediel’s collection

Q#1: Are you a Bay Area Native? and if not, how long have you lived in the Bay? Nives: No. I came here in 1988 to attend Cal and never left. Though, I have lived in the Bay Area longer than any other place — 23 years!

Q#2: When did you start on the creative path you are currently on? Nives: In retrospect I’ve always been on a creative path but I became CONSCIOUS of it when I was 17. I, for the first time, saw myself as someone who’s artful manifestations may resonate with others. Prior to that I danced and made art to amuse and challenge just me and kept my musings to myself.

Q#3: Where do you find your inspiration? Nives: Absolutely everywhere. Seemingly unrelated and even conflicting elements provide me with what I need to create. For example, I sometimes pick up pieces of strangers’ conversations on the street. The piece I hear triggers a memory, makes me laugh, makes me think and I’m off! Off like a rocket, head spinning with ideas about something old I can make new or something that I have never considered before. My inspirations manifest in dance yes, but thy also work through my artwork, how I engage with people and how I prioritize who/what is important.

Q#4: What was the first piece of vinyl you ever purchased? Nives: Tattoo You, The Rolling Stones. I thought I was doing big things ’cause I bought it. I have to say, though, that my record collection started with the singles “Car Wash”- Rose Royce and “the Main Event” – Barbara Streisand. Can’t recall which came first but I wore those singles out.

Q#5: Anything else you’d like to share? a joke/quote? Nives: I was honored by one of my high school dance students this past spring when he said, “Ms. Cediel, you the wettest out here, you be goin’ H.A.M.!” (transalation Hard as A Muthafucka)
Definitely a ‘had-to-be-there’ moment. I’m picturing the expression on his face and the tone of his voice – that mess makes me wanna holla’

Paris King: Musician

Lake Merritt by Tuffgyal808

Q#1: Are you a Bay Area Native? and if not, how long have you lived in the Bay? Paris: Yes, I am a native.

Q#2: When did you start on the creative path you are currently on? Paris: 35 years ago, when I was 3 years old, my parents got a piano and my grandmother got an electric organ. I began formal piano lessons at age 5, in the first grade.

Q#3: Where do you find your inspiration? Paris: Scott Joplin first, later Prince, Hendrix, Aretha, Stevie… and then I turned 14. I was into comic books, and Rasputin Used Records was on Telegraph between Comics and Comix and Blondie’s pizza. The first record I got was Lucille by BB King.

Q#4: What was the first piece of vinyl you ever purchased? Paris: I think it was the first Miami Sound Machine record, I liked “The Conga”. Didn’t yet know what salsa was, but I felt it. I remember Tears For Fears album with Shout on it was hot in 4th grade. I also remember copping Musique Non Stop by Kraftwerk, and the first Fine Young Cannibals record, with “Johnny Come Home” on it. The revelatory life-changer was in 7th grade, when I was gifted a bootleg cassette of Sign Of The Times, which had The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker on it… and came with a concert movie. Plus… I discovered the concept of playing all the instruments and writing yourself. That was it. I was sold.

Q#5: Anything else you’d like to share? a joke/quote? Paris: Once it has rules, it’s no longer art.

Penelope Adibe: Clothing Designer

“Backstage Pass” by Tuffgyal808

Q#1: Are you a Bay Area Native? and if not, how long have you lived in the Bay? Penelope: I have been in the Bay Area on and off now for 20 yrs. Originally from London: my mum German and dad Nigerian. I originally came over here for school and ended up staying. Lived also in NY and LA but kept coming back to the Bay Area. Oakland feels like home, its always such a relief to come back to Oakland from traveling or even coming back from SF to have people smile and say hello to you……I heart u Oakland

Q#2: When did you start on the creative path you are currently on? Penelope: It started when I was in a dance troupe when I was young.. my mum put me in a dance school at 4 and we would have to do these shows. The teacher would give the mums sketches of the costumes she wanted and my mum would have to make the costumes so I would sit around and watch her put them together. Then in high school I started making my own clothes and people would ask me to make stuff for them.

Q#3: Where do you find your inspiration? Penelope: I find inspiration all around me, whether it be people watching in Oakland (the kids coming out of the Art school in Downtown are always fashionistas), the web, watching what my favorite designers are doing or shopping vintage stores and watching movies.

Q#4: What was the first piece of vinyl you ever purchased? Penelope: First piece of vinyl was probably something cheesy like the The Muppet Show Volume 1: one of the tracks I remember was “Half way down the Stairs” By Kermit the Frog (lol!) I can even remember the words.

I would nick (steal)my brother’s vinyl, who is 9 yrs older than me, and I can still hear him complaining to my mum “Pennys nicked my bla bla album”. I can remember playing the Sylvesters “You make me feel” and Chaka Khan and Rufus’s Pink album cover (can’t remember the name) and that hair, I always wanted her hair.

Q#5: Anything else you’d like to share? a joke/quote? Penelope: hmmmm joke or quote? I’m not good at remembering either but this is what comes to mind…
Keep growing, learning and giving and don’t forget to smile 🙂