Episode Details

“Artists are the people that tune into the future and bring it into the present.”

I originally saw this quote and thought about so many bright and wonderful things! So many things that have been created that have brought joy to so many. I pictured in my mind the paintings from Archibald Motley. His works constantly show the motion and vibrancy of the Black community. I heard the swinging style of Duke Ellington. The poetic excellence of Langston Hughes. All of these artists and so many more come to mind.

All of these artists and the artists of their time were doing their best to show the present in a beautiful light. Even when those moments were difficult. They weren’t always the best of circumstances and these artists didn’t shy away from that. They leaned into it without blinking. However, they also made sure to show the joy which then inspired more joy to come in later generations.

But what about now? What are we getting from our artists now?

I have been seeing a bit of both joy and despair.

I think part of that is because we brought this current reality onto ourselves. We made movies, books, and TV shows about a time when society relied more on machines and AI than its own understanding. We saw a time when the government was less afraid of its people than it should be. Sadly, so many have not learned from this. They took it as only entertainment and not as a fable to learn from.

If we want to bring a wonderful future into our present, we have to create it. The dope part is that we can! We have the ability to do so. We can make the future look how we want it to. We can write stories that tell of a future where we have the lives that we want. And not just the lives that we want, the lives that everyone can enjoy and feel content in. Lives that give everyone around them the ability to grow and thrive. You can literally create the life you want.

For me, that’s encouraging and uplifting. For me that’s the spark to get me through all of this unwanted frustration and feeling of helplessness.

If you want that sense of freedom back, go create!