“SF Street Activism” by Oni Connor
Q#1: Are you a Bay Area Native? and if not, how long have you lived in the Bay? Dallas: I am a proud Bay Area native. The first 14 years of my life unfolded in a small city with a big heart – East Palo Alto. Most of my older siblings grew up in Nanakuli on the island of O’ahu.
Q#2: When did you start on the creative path you are currently on?
Dallas: For those of you who are familiar with East Palo Alto and it’s infamous past, you know that growing up there in the early 1990’s required lots and lots of creativity. I could not play outside or stay over at a friend’s house or even accompany my older siblings when they went out. And so I learned to be creative. This creativity took many shapes: I wrote short stories, read tons of books, and allowed my imagination to take over for a few hours every day after school.
Q#3: Where do you find your inspiration?
Dallas:My parents are my inspiration. My father grew up not knowing how to read and had only achieved a second grade education, but this did not stop him from doing an AWESOMENESS job at taking care of my mom and his 9 children! My mother graduated from Farrington High School in Honolulu, and after she graduated she began her life of independence; she would eventually work herself up to being a supervisor for a medical devices company. Their realities are my most profound inspiration.
Q#4: What was the first piece of vinyl you ever purchased?
Dallas: I’ve actually never owned a piece of vinyl.
Q#5: Anything else you’d like to share? a joke/quote?
Dallas: “Those who dream by night, in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that all was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men (and womyn), for they may act their dream with open eyes and make it possible.”
(T.E. Lawrence)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Samoan-Solutions/131322913600154
this is Malia 