Why New York has had a hold on me

I can't help but love the sound, the food, the lights, the people, the music, the art, the films, and the entire existence of this city. I have become addicted to this city, and as in most addictions, they must be ended. For me, New York City became my awakening of self, and the awakening of what exists in life. This place molded my raw mid-western abilities into an ever sharpened tool to be used anywhere I see fit. This city allowed me to let go of my inhibitions and express what I had been to afraid to unleash.

But this city also becomes a curse, that without effort, no one can overcome. If one allows this city to use you, you can become a balled up wad of trash, swept up and shipped off to a landfill. Or you could become trapped in an ever continuing cycle of struggle and success, which could have one not realizing that years and decades have gone by.

I have experienced the joys and struggles of being a dreamer, trapped in the NYC maze in which others have been in control of whether I am able to travel through to the end. I have experienced the high of having my first animated film seen in Times Square and in Harlem. I have had the great fortune to meet great people within entertainment, politics, and the creative circles. But within such success, I have until now, remained the cliche of a starving artist, always looking for that big break.

This cycle has continued for me for seven years, since graduating with my MFA Degree. Having to work in bookstores and hoping for adjunct teaching positions. All just to get by until my big break would come. What broke this cycle, was to think outside and away from the glamour of New York. To know that this city has harnessed what I need to succeed anywhere I please. And in a surprised moment, my chance, my break came more than a thousand miles away.

I am now an full animation professor at a school in Arizona. I will be able to teach and create, with the freedom that I had dreamed of. I will be able to concentrate on my field, instead of how am I going to pay the bills. I can relax and have time to myself, instead of always being on the run looking for the next opportunity. The kicker was to kick my addiction to New York City. The city where I still love the sound, the food, the lights, the people, the music, the art, the films, and its entire existence.

Maybe I haven't kicked that addiction yet, New York is still in my blood.


James N Bowman

When are we going to be strong enough to say NO!!!

With so much positive energy flowing throughout the USA presently, why do WE as Blacks and Latinos still choose, willingly to degrade ourselves. I make this statement in referece to the film, Next Day Air. Now, before I continue, I must state that I have not, and probably will not see this film. With that said, the plot of this film deals with a lazy, weed smoking delivery man who works with a partner who likes to steal from the packages they are supposed to deliver. The lazy/pot smoking lead character delivers a large box of drugs, mistakenly to two lazy hustlers who are near eviction from their apartment. The plot thickens when the man, whom the drugs were supposed to be delivered to, angrily looks for the missing drugs all while dealing with his loudmouth, scantily dressed girlfriend.

Now I know I've said a lot to fill and confuse your mind, but keep one thing in mind. All of the pathetic characters in this film are of African Decent. The reason why I ask "When are we going to be strong enough to say NO", is because we do not have to shuck and jive and shoot people anymore to work in film. I may be naive in my thinking, but aren't there enough people of African Decent whom have the skills, money, and resources to create and distrbute pieces that reflect a broad spectrum of ideas. Why should the likes of Donald Faison of Scrubs fame, acclaimed Actor/Rapper Mos Def, Mike Epps, Wood Harris, Darius McCrary, and the legendary Debbie Allen even go near such a project? Are roles that diffrucult to come by for Blacks and Latinos? Or do we even care about the images that we portray about ourselves?

The answers are Yes and No respectively. Hollywood only seems willing to open its multitude of doors for for rolls that glorify, violence, ignorance, stupidity, and laziness within the African Diaspora. Yes there are films that portray these attributes to Whites and other races, but Hollywood allows for a diverse balance of both intellectualism and foolishness within the many films that feature White actors and subject matter. To the second question that I posed, I will quote something my father always told me. We are too willing to sell-out cheap. Blacks and Latinos just see an opportunity to work and make a living without looking at the overall consequenses of accepting certain degrading rolls.

This is a dilema which gave Halle Berry an oscar while leaving Angela Bassett out of work. I am referring to the lead role in the film Monsters Ball, which Halle Berry won the best actress academy award. Angela Bassett was up to portray the lead, but declined because she thought the part was degrading. I have known friends who have been put in similar situations, in various parts of the entertainment field, and have chosen to remain on the outside in order not to degrade themselves or other people of African Decent. I know the pain that they feel, to be so close at success, but unable to sell themselves out to allow success to happen.

My question remains, When are we going to be strong enough to say NO?