Anuncio: Project Afro(–) POST-FUND

The Campaign (En ESPAÑOL)

¡Hola a todos!

Ante todo, quiero tomar este momento para agradecer a todos por formar parte del primer esfuerzo de recaudación para el Project Afro(–) desde 1 de agosto hasta el 23 de septiembre. Han sido 54 días de formar contactos, reunirse con todos, publicando y compartiendo la noticia de todo—y con la asistencia de todos, hemos conseguido 14% de la meta para LANZAR! Es un gran logro, y no podría haber sido posible sin la esfuerza de TODOS!

Como antes prometido, una recaudación “post fund” ha sido arreglado y ahora se aceptan contribuciones de equipo (en breve se pondrá un listado), formación de sociedad entre nosotros e institutos educativos, y ofertas de patrocinio artístico u escolar. Ya queda mucho que recaudar, y ahora empezamos a buscar sitio vivir/trabajar en Madrid donde se realizarán clases particulares, talleres pequeñitas, ensayos y, lo más importante, los principios del proceso creativo de este proyecto. 

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Project Afro(–) POST-FUND Announcement

Hello to EVERYONE!

I wanted to take this moment first of all to thank each and every one of you for being such a huge part of the first fundraising effort for Project Afro(–) from August 1-September 23. It was an intense 54 days of networking, meeting, posting and spreading the word—and with everyone’s help, we’ve reached 14% of the LAUNCH goal of $14,000!! This is great progress, and we couldn’t have done anything without all of you!

As promised, a post-fund been set up and is now accepting equipment donations, monetary contributions, institutional partnership and sponsorship inquiries. This project launch still has quite a ways to go, starting with the securing of a live/work space in my new home of Madrid, Spain where lessons, small workshops, rehearsals and the creative process for this special project can take place. Several prospective project homes have been located; now, the active search for grants, artist sponsorship and other funding opportunities is underway!

Please follow this link to make a secure donation through PayPal. As much or as little as you or your organization can add makes a world of difference! Your contribution is appreciated and puts this dream one step closer to reality!

Please contact project leader Erin “Marisol” Corine by email at afrodashcampaign@icloud.com with any additional questions!

Again, THANK YOU to everyone for accompanying this journey into what I hope will be an impactful, meaningful cultural exchange with the potential to become something so special for all those that will take part. Stay tuned for the first documentation project, which will be announced in early December and launched in February 2015! So many great things are happening and I can’t wait to share them with all of you!

THANK YOU to all. A million times. Your support makes the world go ’round. 🙂

With So Much Love, Erin “Marisol” Corine and Team Afro(–).

❤

The IMAGE: “Natural.”

The second of three narratives on the three pillars of Project AfroDASH—The Artist, The Image and The INITIATIVE—we explore a topic that not only defines me as an artist, but also defines me as a representative of my roots and of my African-American culture. I believe that the connection to my roots begins with the embracing of both the spiritual AND physical remnants of my heritage. This image does not abide by social norm, instead by an innate desire to represent myself according to MY OWN standard of beauty. This self-made image is a reflection of my personal journey.

“This journey is my painting; this painting is my own.”

“Natural.”

 

“…I just can’t. I feel like I’m kissing a dude.”
I can’t say that this moment was the most favorable of terms on which to begin a journey towards self-image construction, but I suppose I didn’t have a choice.

The thing is, though… That there are some words that just can’t be taken back.

I remember the first time that I went natural. The first time that I decided, “Well… I suppose the quickest way to grow my hair is to leave the chemicals behind, put the hot tools down and let it do its thing.” It’s one of those decisions where, in the naïve moments of your early-adulthood, you don’t really expect it to have a huge impact on anyone else’s life but your own. I mean, why on earth would anyone care what I do with my hair? It’s mine, after all—no one has to wrestle a comb through it, wash and dry it or press and curl it but me, right?

Wrong.

Apparently, making the decision to forgo chemicals means that, albeit unintentionally, you have become a new member of the elite, the exclusive, the infamous “Team Natural.” You’re part of the gang. You’re part of the don’t-take-no-mess-from-no-one-when-it-comes-to-my-hair crew. In making this decision, you are forsaking the teachings of your parents, begging the unsolicited opinions of your peers, and compromising the state of physical attraction of your significant other.

All this is to say is that if you are natural, you are baaaaasically giving a big “EFF YOU” to society because it is no one’s hair but your own to control, dammit!

Well, as it turns out, as a twenty-something in a serious relationship while balancing college and multiple nervous breakdowns per week due to stress and no sleep, the larger implication of a seemingly insignificant personal grooming decision gets a bit lost. Normally, what matters to you as a twenty-something attending an amazing school pursuing your dreams on a full scholarship is what is going on right then, at the current time and in the place. Exams, social lives, finding enough quarters for laundry—THOSE are real twenty-something issues. But from that moment that seemingly insignificant issue becomes something more, what suddenly matters to you are the consequences having dared to change something so apparently trivial your hairstyle. What matters more from that moment are the years of self-doubt that may dictate your personal decisions from that point on for fear of no longer “fitting in” or “measuring up” to someone else’s standards. What also matters is what people think, what people say about what they think, why they feel that they have the right to say what they think about your personal decisions. The insignificant issue becomes significant, and you are left with the bottom-line. You are left hurt over what matters most:
Someone you love has told you that you are no longer beautiful because of the way your hair grows.

To say that this particular moment in my life was the beginning of a phase of self-questioning is an understatement, really. (Mind you, this is not to be confused with self-loathing. No. I am happy to report that nothing in my life has provoked a full-on regression the deeply-rooted lack of confidence as a result of my days a target of elementary and middle school bullies). This moment was the first step towards the journey to learn who I was as an individual, and to define an image based on my own unique set of values. This process only began in that moment, however—there were about three more years, another reversion to chemical processing and bad eating habits and then back again before I REALLY began to figure out who I am, how I wanted to look and what my personal “style” was. It wasn’t until my second time going natural, my first “big chop” the reconnection to a childhood friend turned professional photographer that I really, truly began to understand that I really, truly began to understand what the concept of “Natural” meant to me, and why I would never, ever turn back.”

So, all of this said, I want you all to meet Allison:

Now, imagine me, just over two years ago: two months had passed since cutting all of my hair off, and I was rocking a teeny-weenie Afro. This was three months before THE big move—the Spanish one— and I was in dire need of professional headshots. I needed to take photos. I needed something to show that I was going off on a new adventure and ready for the word. With my new hair. With my new, shorter-than-ever hair. Just imagine, you guys. Imagine.

…Imagine. The. HORROR.

Here I was, having just made the decision to return to my natural hair, much more knowledgeable and CERTAINLY more conscious of the implication of a black woman’s decision to shun the societal pressures of maintaining a clean-pressed, straight-haired look—and, worse, still hearing a broken-record echoing my ex-boyfriend’s hurtful words. The amount of emotions running through my mind at any given time were enough to have taken over had it not been for both the excitement of the impending move and, little did I realize, the community of women at a dance studio that I was working and taking classes in at the time. Once the new challenge of accepting my new “natural look” presented itself, I quickly learned that I was more than equipped for this new journey. The time I spent alongside these incredible women helped me to learn to unapologetically express myself through dance; it was the beginning of learning how to unapologetically express myself through my own carefully crafted physical image. The energy of learning that this was a journey in SELF love rather than the pursuit of societal approval was intoxicating; it carried me long after leaving the studio, to the point in which I stood, facing my short, kinky hair in the mirror. It was one day just weeks after my haircut, weeks after leaving the studio, and just weeks before the move. “This is no different,” I told myself. “I am no different.”

“This is who I am for the rest of my life, so I have to learn to love her.”

Shortly after this, I emailed Allison, and told her that I was finally ready for my headshots—and that I also wanted to begin an annual document of my Natural Journey. Since that moment, she has helped me create a photo-journal to document each new phase of beauty, discovery and acceptance. Her work is absolutely amazing. During this project, this incredible artist has helped me bring images to life that I had only sketched images of on paper. I just kept finding myself thinking repeatedly, “Is this real? Is this me???” The answer was, of course, yes. Yes, this was me. This IS me. This is the “new” Erin Corine Johnson that I would have to learn to love, and learn to be proud of.

From our first two installments:

 Natural – Year 1 (Full Album) <— August 2012

Natural – Year 2 (Full Album) <—August 2013

Over the course of these past two years, the documentation component of my journey has served so many purposes in my life. Although the first year was unmistakably the most difficult, it was also the most formative in that it taught me the meaning of RELATIVE beauty. Living in a new country teaches you that once removed from one society and into another, no standard matters but your own. You are often times newly immersed in a culture that knows nothing of how your image relates to certain standards imposed by your own culture. You are now surrounded by a group of people that knows of neither your previous societal constraints nor your previous personal battles. The old standards cease to exist. The reference is gone. The surroundings have changed.

The only standard that matters is your own.

 

Coming across so many people that were oblivious to the conflict surrounding the Natural Hair Movement in the United States was an eye-opening experience. By my second year, I was steadily recovering my sense of self-worth and with the help of many amazing friends, constructing an image that fit my lifestyle and what was beginning to materialize as my life’s work. Being such a cultural individualist, it just made sense to embrace such a special physical reminder of where my ancestors came from, especially coming from a forcibly displaced culture in which we have very little knowledge of our direct lineage beyond the last 200-300 years. Because the concepts of artistic expression and constructing an artistic image are so closely related in process, I found great joy in learning to express myself as a musician and teacher under this new “image” that I had created while finding a place my new community. All in all, I suppose I decided that part of my responsibility as a culturally-conscious performer was not solely to interpret music, but also to portray an image that connects and inspires my audience to embrace their own unique natural beauty, just as is—and to cherish every part of themselves that is a reminder of where their ancestors have come from. You could say that natural hair and lifestyle became a sort of tribute to the culture that I was just beginning to know, the history that I was just beginning to retrace and the lineage that I had just begun to reconnect to. I may not know exactly where my great-great-great grandparents came from, but a quick glance in the mirror reminds me that, well—some genetics really do survive generations and generations of migration, immigration, social change and inter-cultural mixture, don’t they? After these two years of retrospective interest and questions of identity, I decided that I couldn’t possibly hate a feature so definitive of my culture’s social movement through history. As an artist, the least I could do was display pride in my hair and in the way it connected me to other removed African cultures. Although some disagree with the concept, I decided at that point that, you know what? I AM my hair—but not because society told me to. It is a sort of souvenir, I further concluded. It is a link to my family’s past, and a bonding feature between those of us with similar lineage. I am my hair because it is mine, and God gave it to me. It makes me unique, it makes me stand out—and the confidence it gives me makes me a better artist.

I am my hair because I MYSELF decided it to be so.

 

And man, I tell you guys… The moment that I decided that truth for myself was one of the most liberating, strength-inspiring moments of my life. 🙂

*       *       *       *       *       *       *

So, as it seems, I am just few months past my second “Naturalversary” and the time for the third installment of this 5+ year annual project is rapidly approaching. In this special year, the project falls on that very special, long-awaited pillar of my life—my Golden Year, where I will celebrate 27 years of life on October 27. I’ll spare you all a reprise on the numerology conversation, because there is an entire post dedicated to it already… Please know, however, that this such is a special year to have arrived at such a huge pivot in my professional life, and to have also have finally arrived to a point of unshakeable confidence in the artist that my image reflects. My image is a work of art in and of itself, and I feel that every individual owes it to him or herself to construct it according to his or her own standards. The documentation of this journey for me is an exercise of creativity and collaboration; it exercises my ability to use a physical phase to construct an image, and to invite the vision of another to bring said image to life. This year’s concept, pending the financial success of the Afro(–) campaign fundraising efforts, will be incredible—and, if I may say so myself, one of the best yet as this year’s installment follows one the most formative phases of my life. The location where I continue to pray that it will take place has so greatly impacted my perception of life and beauty, and the individual elements of this year’s concept combine to uniquely express the person I am, where I have come from and where I have been. This year’s installment not only sets the stage for what’s to come, but also introduces a new defining feature of the person I am and the artist that I aspire to be. With this and each subsequent chapter, with every new challenge and every new set of circumstances, The Image is re-defined. Another leg of the journey is complete, and next phase begins.

…This time around, however, it begins on MY terms: natural, confident, and ready to re-introduce myself to the world.

“Let no one fear the road to his or her most beautiful, natural self—whomever that self may be.”

❤

The ARTIST: “27.”

The campaign has launched and the fundraising effort for a project two years developing is underway; now comes the moment to reflect on the personal and artistic journey that has brought me to this pivotal moment in my career. Through narratives, photos and videos, I will take the remaining 17 campaign days to tell my story and share my great passion for sharing language, my culture, my music and my world. First and foremost, I invite you all to take a moment to read about the first of the three pillars of this next year’s project campaign.

Erin “Marisol” Corine: The Artist, The Image and The INITIATIVE.

 

---

“27.”

 

First things first, before that floaty, flighty, superstition-fueled passion of mine takes over, I want everyone to understand one very important thing:

 

I have been waiting for the year that I would turn twenty-seven since—well, since I could count to twenty-seven.

 

Really, though.

 

Now, there is no real reason for this apart from having learned at an early age of a quirky, age-old American tradition that celebrates the “Golden Birthday,” which is the birthday in which you will celebrate the age that corresponds with the date of your birth. Your Golden Birthday is meant to signify a sort of coming of age that is not defined by the quantity of years that you will be celebrating, rather by a cosmic numerological force that assigns numbers to your existence representative of anything from good fortune and fruitful blessings to wisdom and pivotal life events. Whether or not you decide to research numerology in great depth or to simply develop a sentimental attachment to a number that holds some meaning to you is a personal decision, of course; the simple fact of the matter is that not everyone even THINKS about these things, let alone believes in them. However, for those that develop some type of existential relationship with these numbers, something really curious happens: your number(s) become a mental point of reference for sometimes even the most mundane of day-to-day tasks and activities.

 

(Side note: Whether or not this supposed “good fortune” is due purely to your fixation on the number or some actual cosmic force that promises a life-changing Golden Year or Golden Birthday, regardless of age, is both beyond me and beside the point. Stay with me here, eye-rolling skeptics; there’s a real, actual point to all of this.)

 

Now, to elaborate—because I feel the need to elaborate, not that I need to talk anyone into Number Worship (is that a thing?!??)—I know that this is a very subjective topic. As with ny intangible belief system, this sort of thing is subject to personal investment, perhaps teachings from parents or grandparents, or maybe even cultural differences. To many, we’re just talking about a superstition of some sort, right? However, I have to ask a question on behalf of those similar to myself to think for a moment: how many times do you find yourself subconsciously choosing a particular number for whatever purpose, whether it is mom’s birthdate, a memorable age or otherwise, simply because it stands out to you? It’s familiar to you, isn’t it? Superstition or not, this completely and unmistakably human habit of building relationships with the intangible is a wonderfully motivating process for many people— myself included. Superstition or not, we often assign meaning to these numbers, and with this meaning comes the desire to achieve something. With this meaning comes the desire to seek effectively create “Good Omens” and, in turn, safeguard those Good Omens and call on them when we most seek reassurance and confidence. Really, the fact of the matter is that, superstition or not, this mental trick of sorts works for some of us.

 

So. The number.

I’m going to be honest: when I realized somewhere around fourth grade that my Golden Birthday would occur when I would be nearly thirty, to tell you that I was disappointed wouldn’t do the sentiment justice. I was devastated. DE.VA.STATED. How could all of my friends get to have Golden Birthdays at cool ages like ten, thirteen, sixteen, eighteen—and I was stuck with TWENTY-SEVEN?? That sounds ancient when you’re nine. Life is over when you’re almost thirty. I felt so slighted.

 

…Well, I really should have known better. Really.

 

I should have had a whole lot more faith in my extremely milestone-focused, symbolism-conscious, birthday-and-cultural-ritual-obsessed existence. I should have know than I would eventually get over the agonizing wait that the born-day Heavens had granted me and resolve to wait, albeit extremely impatiently, for my elusive Golden Year to arrive. What I did realize through the years, however, is that this wait may have turned out to be the greatest blessing of my life. Remember that aside about the significance of assigning meaning to numbers for the sake of self-motivation and seeking numerological validation in your every-day life?

 

I guess what I decided on making my Golden Year instead of simply waiting for it.

 

What the number twenty-seven became to me was a self-imposed checkpoint. For a number so meaningful, I decided that I wanted to have created a life for myself to match. Of course, my definition of “meaningful life” has changed many times over the course of ten years—it has endured the learning and re-learning of a language, the transformation of an extra-curricular activity into a profession and the discover of real, true love in all of its forms. This definition has survived wins, losses, and challenges to my belief systems that have left me much less concerned with physical accomplishment on a deadline and more concerned with the development of a life so centered around my sense of passion, determination and desire to connect with others that I could put my mind to just about anything and never fail. This definition now includes a host of skills and abilities that I’ve picked up in my twenty-six years, nine months and sixteen days—many of which I didn’t know I had. I mean really, I’m sitting here, just under three months before my Golden, and I couldn’t have imagined what my life would be like today had even a psychic tried to convince me, you guys… All because somewhere around age twenty-three, I resolved that instead of within for tangible, so called “sensible” things by age twenty-seven, I decided that I just wanted to know.

 

I wanted to know who Erin Corine Johnson was and I wanted to be PROUD of her.

 

All in all, what I believe I realized those few years ago is that far more important than these tangible, ideological past goals that may or may not have been within my own control was to develop an understanding of all of the things I am and, subsequently, accept myself for all the things that I am not. In seeking this sort of inner-peace within myself as an individual, I have become so much better equipped to pursue my life’s goals and make a big difference in the world as a professional. There are so many abilities that make me valuable, and I suppose I just needed to learn how not to focus on the ones that I didn’t have in order to work on improving the ones that I did. I mean honestly, have you ever tried doing something that you weren’t really good at as a profession? Did you enjoy it or did you feel awful about yourself afterward? I’m willing to bet on the latter—but not out of self-righteousness. No.

Out of EXPERIENCE. This happened to me for too long. Never again.

So, as an individual artist, this milestone is huge for me. HUGE. This is not simply a number to fixate on or a birthday to celebrate; what this will be is a celebration of having arrived to a point of acceptance, a point discovery, and a point of confidence in the fact that the professional and PERSONAL voice that I have spent years developing is ready to go out and do some really, really amazing things. I will arrive to year twenty-seven knowing that I have created a lifestyle that is true to ME: my defined set of values, interests, skills and passions. My work as a musician, teacher, creator and cultural-liaison reflects where I’ve been, what I’ve seen, who I have met and, perhaps most importantly, where I’m going.

 

My work FINALLY reflects where I’m going.

 

That is really, honestly and truly more than I could have ever hoped for.

(And you know… Something tells me that little nine year-old girl from all those years ago might be preeeeetty happy if she could see how things turn out.) J

 

 

PROJECT AFRODASH en CASTELLANO: #SomosAfroDASH

Ha llegado el momento y la campaña IndieGoGo #SomosAfroDASH (#WeAreAfroDASH) se ha lanzado. Ahora bien, aquí se puede encontrar la sinopsis completa para el primer proyecto propuesto con una base de ejecución e etnomusicología de larga duración por músico e activista de la diversidad cultural, Erin “Marisol” Corine.

 

ANTECEDENTES: 

Empecé cuando era una niña puesta en frente del antiguo piano en el salón de la casa de mi abuela, tocando cualquier melodía que me pudiera acordar. Luego, empiezo a acompañar a mi madre en los ensayos del coro góspel de la iglesia que asistía desde pequeña. Pasan los años, escucho a la flauta travesera por primera vez, me enamoro y empiezo a tocarla desde los 12 años. Mientras tanto, paso años rodeada de gente latina, una interacción que llegó a ser la que, junta a la música, transformó mi vida. En estos años formativos, la pasión que llevaba para conectarme con la gente de otras culturas y formaciones artísticas se amplió. Me encontré con una curiosidad inquieta, un deseo de descubrir nuevos caminos y ampliarme aún más el lenguaje musical—una inquietud que me llevó a Valencia por primera vez hace 3 años para el programa Flamenco Summer Music en julio del año 2011. En esos días, mi mundo se abrió de una manera que no podría haberme imaginado. Desde ese momento, acompañada por un nuevo idioma, me embarque en una gran búsqueda de una identidad musical propia. En seguida, comencé con la aventura que ha definido el trabajo de mi vida: me mudé a España para buscar mi camino musical.

En estos años que han pasado y a pesar de grandes triunfos, pérdidas, el aprendizaje y re-aprendizaje de un idioma, siento que por fin he conseguido la dirección artística que buscaba. Me he encontrado no sólo con una serie amplia de nuevos géneros de música, sino también deseo de mirar atrás para descubrir mis propias raíces culturales. He pasado dos años inolvidables compartiendo, intercambiando y aprendiendo al lado de amigos y maestros de todo el mundo. La experiencia de vivir en el extranjero me ha puesto con la conexión profunda de mi propia cultura que buscaba y, con eso, la capacidad de expresarme con varios instrumentos, idiomas y estilos. Por la alegría que siento cada vez que descubro una nueva conexión cultural, estoy segura que he llegado al punto de saber cuál es el trabajo al que quiero dedicar mi vida. La combinación de formar y facilitar estas conexiones entre raíces y culturas es la base de mis estudios, mis enseñanzas y, consecuentemente, mi proyectos musicales. No dejaré nunca de procurar nuevos modos de expresión, nuevas maneras de enseñar, nuevas maneras inspirar—y para mis compañeros, mis alumnos espero que sigan en búsqueda de lo mismo.

EL MOVIMIENTO: #SomosAfroDASH

AfroDASH.

Afro(—).

Este concepto, la verdad, merece su propia publicación. No es sólo por la persona que soy; lo más importante a tener en cuenta es que el nombre forme la base del trabajo del proyecto que propongo. Por el momento no obstante, hasta que publique la explicación completa, me explicaré un poco para que se enteren de la idea general.

Como Afro-Americana viviendo en un país extranjero, el aspecto más increíble de la experiencia ha sido conocer y interactuar con Africanos-Europeos y Africano-Latinos. Es decir que, para resumir, que toda la gente desplazada de África durante la época de esclavitud y movimientos de inmigración, aunque llegáramos al final a sitios distintos, tenemos más en común que de lo que consideraba antes. En darme cuenta que llevamos muchos parecidos entre nosotros por el tema de reto social y lo demás, me llegó una realización mental que solo me había pasado con el descubrimiento del Flamenco y cultura gitana: nuestras raíces parecidas junto a nuestros desarrollos sociales nos han puesto con un “código cultural” común. Es decir que, subsecuentemente, tenemos una capacidad innata por esas circunstancias que nos deja explorar, sacar conexiones y fusionar nuestras artes—la música, la literatura, la poesía, el baile y otras formas de expresión artística—de una manera bastante profunda y significante. Por eso, Afro(—) es el título de un concepto diseñado por la unificación de músicos, artistas, académicos, pensadores, creadores, activistas y los demás por un interés común: el movimiento y desarrollo cultural de la raíz africana por Norte América, Sudamérica, Europa—donde sea.

A lo largo de este proyecto con una base firme en los estudios de la etnomusicología contemporánea—es decir, el estudio de la tradición de la música moderna que no sea de la tradición clásica europea y el impacto social que lleva hoy en día—el objetivo de Afro(—) procurará combinar nuestras historias y identidades distintas para formar una base de creatividad musical de exploración, documentación, reanimación, re-creación y, últimamente, crear nuevos géneros musicales.

RESUMEN detallado: Como su aportación apoya a la Artista, la Imagen, y la INICIATIVA.

Obstáculos Pendientes:

Aunque existan varios desafíos relacionados con el comienzo de un proyecto musical de larga duración de cualquier tipo, el aspecto internacional de esta propuesta en particular nos presenta un gran reto. Lo más bueno de todo, menos mal, es que como individual, he aceptado una posición como Auxiliar de Conversación con el Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deportes—significa que llegaré a Madrid en Septiembre con nuevo visado, seguridad de salud y un estipendio de la cantidad mínima para vivir in Madrid.

El reto siguiente: El establecimiento con permiso de tener un trabajo “lucrativo” en España es un proceso que tarda un tiempo. Significa que para comenzar con un proyecto independiente o ser contratado por un trabajo profesional fuera de las condiciones del visado, tendré que llegar con los fondos para apoyar mi propio trabajo hasta que me aprueben el permiso con número de seguridad social. Los trabajos pequeños y conciertos son legales; si trabajas para vivir, es legal. Pero lo que pasa es que si una organización, escuela o algo así quisiera contratarme como cantante, flautista, maestra invitada o lo que sea, ¡necesitaría haber obtenido esta autorización! Ya que tardará este proceso, esta campaña en aportación de mi trabajo artístico me dejará procurar equipo básico, lanzar mi primer estudio particular y espacio profesional para ensayos y talleres en casa, apoyar a los primeros trabajos del proyecto (grabar, editar videos, organizar conciertos educativos) y pagar los gastos relacionados con la solicitud del visado, residencia y solicitud del permiso para trabajar.

Sobre todo, el desafío más grande no es solo el tema de financiación, sino el gasto emocional y físico de energía. La difusión de este proyecto nos cuesta tiempo, paciencia y, sobre todo, la PERSEVERANCIA!

El Objetivo: La cantidad que buscamos y CÓMO la conseguiremos:

 

El número mágico: ¡27, 27, 27!!

Pero hasta entonces, para resumir:

 

Para LANZAR el proyecto, buscamos $14,000 USD (±10.500€)

Para conseguir esta cantidad, solo necesitamos 520 CONTRIBUCIONES DE $27 USD (21€).

 

Para APOLLAR el PRIMER AÑO ENTERO, buscamos $27,000 USD (±21.000€)

Para conseguir esta cantidad, solo necesitamos 1000 CONTRIBUCIONES de $27 USD (21€).

Fá.cil. Por lo tanto que creo en este proyecto, sé que llegarais a creer en él también!!

De todas formas, ya sabemos que todo el mundo no puede aportar a cada causa, artística ni de otra, que les toque aportar—pero si se puede contribuir, quiero daros a todos la confianza de que se lance un proyecto cultural con MUCHO significado, que sea un trabajo que nació de corazón en España rodeada de la gente española y latina que me han enseñado que las mismas diferencias que llevamos entre nosotros a veces son las que nos unen.

Pero me preguntáis por qué, no? Por qué el número 27?

Pues, para la historia completa, quedados todos a la espera; que sobre los últimos 21 días de la campaña, este sitio servirá como una plataforma para publicar mi historia, noticias de la campaña, y compartir con todos la pasión que llevo para este proyecto.

Pues, para la historia completa, quedados todos a la espera; sobre los últimos 21 días de la campaña, este sitio servirá como una plataforma para publicar mi historia, noticias de la campaña, y compartir con todos la pasión que llevo para este proyecto. Hasta entonces, explicaré un poco:

El significado de haberme encontrado como músico, artista y persona en este año—el año de mi cumpleaños de oro—es gran sueño realizado. Claro que en seguida, os contaré un poco más de la historia de este año que me importa tanto; hasta entonces, os propongo el reto de COMPARTIR esta campaña. ¡Creo mucho mucho mucho en este proyecto, esta iniciativa! La contribución MÁS IMPORTANTE que me podríais regalar no es solo aportarme con dinero, sino que también COMPARTÁIS CON VUESTROS AMIGOS!

 

 

Y Últimamente: Hay OTRAS MANERAS en que me podáis ayudar!

 

En mi vida, he tenido la gran bendición en mis casi-veintisiete-años ser rodeada de artistas, profesionales y familiares increíblemente talentosos, inteligentes y bien-conectados. Ya que no se puede contribuir montones de dinero por todos, hay otras formas en que puedes aportar el lanzamiento de Project AfroDASH y yo, la artista!

Pónte en contacto con nosotros si:

• Tienes equipo de grabación, sónido y así, nuevo o poco-utilizado, que quieres vender con descuento o donar a la causa? Cuando llegue a Madrid, estaré construyendo un espacio para vivir/trabajar desde cero. Significa que para grabar, documentar y actuar, necesitaré una base de equipo para empezar. Para consultar un listado publicado en Google Docs que indica cuál equipo busco, ***pulsa aquí. 

• Eres gerente de artistas, procurador de subvenciones para artistas, consejero financiero o algo así? En ese caso, ¡puedes aportar con una cita en que me des tus consejos, tus ideas y comprensiones! Contacta conmigo por correo para concertar una cita por Skype, FaceTime o en persona (en Valencia o Madrid a partir de mediados de septiembre).

• Tienes conexión con una revista, emisora de radio, red social en-línea u otro medio de comunicación sinnúmero? Así nos puedes ayudar COMPARTIR la noticia! Aunque sea importante procurar los fondos, es tan importante que consigamos un público que esté conectada en las redes sociales, que siga el blog y, sobre todo, que siga Project AfroDASH desde el principio!

• Conoces alguna asociación que ofrece becas a músicos, artistas, educadores y/o a proyectos culturales? Project AfroDASH es un proyecto en que se juntan estudios en etnomusicología con ejecución y con el estado corriente de la música contemporánea en Europa, Latinoamérica y Norteamérica. Si conoces a alguien que le gustaría saber más de la iniciativa, ¡no dudes en contactarme!

• Eres una escuela secundaria, superior, universidad o instituto que quería hacer un intercambio con el proyecto para talleres, clases y/o conciertos? Para los estados unidos y Latinoamérica, aceptaré propuestas para intercambios virtuales en que compartiríamos talleres, charlas, blogs en vídeo y así; para institutos españoles, aceptaré propuestas para ambas opciones (intercambios virtuales o talleres, clases y conciertos “máster” en tu instituto o aula)!

• Y finalmente (pero no menos importante), os ruego de nuevo COMPARTIR esta campaña! No funcionará sin la ayuda del público, los amigos, los asocios. Cuanta más gente que crea en este movimiento que propongo, cuanto más éxito y potencia tendrá. La parte de TODOS es compartir; la parte mía y del equipo mío es PRODUCIR! Por el esfuerzo que hacen todos, seguiré poniéndose todos al día con las publicaciones en el blog, noticias por Facebook y Twitter. J

Quiero agradecer a TODOS por leer, por juntarse conmigo en apoyar el proyecto y, sobre todo, por formar una parte muy especial de este punto de inflexión en mi carrera.

Os veo a todos en el camino!!!

Abrazos,

“Marisol” J

 

[[En CASTELLANO]]

En Los Próximos Días: Sinopsis en CASTELLANO. Amigos en España y Latinoamérica, Quedados a la espera! Besos y bendiciones!

–Mari

#SomosAfroDASH #WeAreAfroDASH #ErinMarisolCorine #27Days

Project Afro(–)

The time has come and the #WeAreAfroDASH IndieGogo Campaign has launched. Now, take a moment to read a detailed description of this first long-term, performance-based Ethnomusicology project by musician and cultural diversity activist,

Erin “Marisol” Corine.

* * * * * * *

Project Afro(–) is a concept designed to unify musicians, artists, academics, thinkers, believers, leaders, followers, diversity activists and beyond under a common theme: the diasporic movement and cultural development of the African race across North America, South America, Europe, and anywhere else we are.

Pronounced “AfroDASH,” the proposed movement serves as a point of reference, a point of inspiration, and a point of CULTURAL INTERCHANGE for musicians and interdisciplinary artists. This long-term collaborative music and performing arts documentation and creation project embodies the spirit of the root that binds us all, removed or un-removed, to the original source of our musical and cultural identities in Africa—both as Afro- people and as non-Afro people that identify with our cultures.

Over the course of two years, Project Afro(–) aims to:

• Foster a conscious intellectual and artistic exchange amongst people of mixed African descent by creating a platform for the discussion of racial identity based on social circumstances, foreign immigration and mixed-racial influence. These interactions will be continuously documented using video journals, photo albums, writings, demonstrative concerts. The project proposes to publish a dedicated website and recorded mixtape of shared experiences, performances, projects, and impactful experiences that depict this journey of revival, creation and cultural exchange.
• Collect and publish these documents in digital format, in partnership with one or more academic institutions in the United States, in order to serve as a teaching tool for studies in humanities, liberal arts and the performing arts.
• Finally, develop a diverse ensemble of the same name—AfroDASH—of talented performers in the culturally-rich center of Madrid, Spain dedicated to the revival, preservation, fusion and, most importantly, the use of these video documents, concerts and revival efforts as a means of using the teaching and sharing our languages, cultures, and traditions to foster understanding, expand knowledge and inspire social advancement amongst ourselves, our communities and audiences in our home countries.

Background Noise

I started out as a little girl sitting at grandma’s old living room piano, plunking out any little melody I could remember. This later became sitting at Mom’s choir rehearsals in church home in Chicago. Years pass, I hear the flute for the first time, fall in love, and begin to play at age 12. Somewhere in there, there were years of listening to Spanish being spoken by Latin-American friends which later resulted in four years of classes to begin learning the language that would someday change my entire world. In these formative years, my love for connecting with people of varying cultural and artistic backgrounds grew. My desire to discover new places and expand my musical language began three years ago, when I first set foot in Valencia in July of 2011 for the Berklee Valencia Flamenco Summer Music Program. My world opened in a way that I never could have imagined, and I set out on an adventure to find my own unique identity based on many genres of music that I had begun to study in depth, accompanied by this new language that I had suddenly expanded my vision.

All in all, in nearly 15 years accompanied by many wins, losses, the learning and re-learning of a language and a complete 180 degree turn in musical direction later, this turning point in my life has not only led me to new genres, but has sent me into a retrospective survey of my own cultural background. After these last two life-changing years in Valencia sharing, exchanging and learning with musicians and artists from all of the world, I have emerged with a deeper connection to African-American music—traditional, rural, contemporary and popular—than ever before. The ability to express in two languages and in many musical styles with many instruments is the greatest gift I could have ever asked for. The joy that I feel every time I discover a new connection to another part of the world using one of these languages or styles of music is the inspiration behind my life’s work of teaching, performing and sharing culture. I will never stop looking for new ways to connect—and my objective as an artist and teacher is to inspire others to do the same.

The Movement: #WeAreAfroDASH.

Afro.

AfroDASH.

This concept, honestly speaking, needs to have its own blog post. This is not only because I am, admittedly, a woman of many, many words—but most importantly, it is the basis for what is now my life’s work. For now, however, let me mull a little bit out in the open. I’ll explain a few things to get your gears going.

As an African-American in a foreign country, the most amazing part of this experience has been to meet and interact with Afro-Europeans and Afro-Latinos—in other words, displaced Afro cultures descendent of the slave trade or mass immigration—that have more in common with our culture in the United States than I had really ever even given myself time to consider. It was my next huge revelation, second only to my falling in love with Flamenco music years ago, that our similar roots and social circumstances in the history of our cultural development have provided us with a common cultural code—and subsequently, music, literature, poetry and other forms of artistic expression that are easily explored, developed and able to be fused together in a deeper and more meaningful way. For this reason, Afro(—) is the title of a concept designed to unify musicians, artists, academics, thinkers, believers, leaders, followers, diversity activists and beyond under a common theme: the diasporic movement and cultural development of the African race across North America, South America, Europe, and anywhere else we are.

Through this project rooted in Contemporary Ethnomusicology—meaning, the study of non-western musical tradition and its impact on societal development and the emergence of new genres in today’s world—the goal of Afro(–) is to use the histories of our common roots and identities as a basis for exploration, documentation, revival, re-creation and, ultimately, to develop new music.

The Detailed BREAKDOWN: How your donation funds the Artist, the Image, and the INITIATIVE.

Upcoming Obstacles:

While there are many hurdles associated with start-up of a long-term music project of any type, the international aspect of this particular project presents a particular challenge. Having accepted a part-time position as a North American Language and Culture Assistant with the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, I have the fortune of being able to renew my visa and return to Madrid in September with health insurance and a small stipend to help cover living expenses.

The main challenge: Establishment with a work permit and the lawful right to partake in “lucrative” work is quite a process—which means that in order to begin an independent project or undertake any sort of professional work outside of the terms of my visa, I must arrive with funds to support my own work until I have been approved for a Spanish social security number to pay taxes and work legally in the “bigger” sense. Small gigs and things that are not technically required to pay for living expenses are perfectly legal—but should a larger venue or organization want to contract me as a teacher or performer, I will need this tax ID number in order to be hired, even for small collaborations. Because this process will take time, the PHASE I fundraising goal is to secure supplemental funding for a dual live/work studio space, a start-up teaching studio, basic recording and performance equipment, and costs associated with establishment as an individual artist working and residing dually in the United States and Spain. 

The biggest challenge with establishing a new project is not only financial, but also emotional and PHYSICAL. Spreading the word takes time, patience, and PERSEVERANCE! With the first phase of fundraising out of the way, I will be able to focus on what I do best: networking, teaching, performing, and really communicating how much this movement means to me!

How your donation funds The Artist:

• Offsets costs associated with visa application materials and processing fees
• Pre-departure financial advising, tax preparation and establishment in the US before departure for Madrid in September
• Offset of moving costs from Valencia to Madrid (my THIRD major move in my twenty-six years—I can hardly believe it!)
• Registry of branding and logo assets for protection of intellectual property (Erin “Marisol” Corine, Project AfroDASH [Afro(—)] and logo designs)
• Professional website development
• Start-up Bilingual Artist-Management consultation and costs
• Beginning of a fund to record an EP demo for distribution
• Venue rental for PHASE II Fundraiser: Pre-Departure Presentation and Concert, to be held in CHICAGO in early September 2014.

How your donation funds The Image:

With the help of your donation, I will reunite with artistic partner and childhood friend Allison Kortokrax of Korto Photography (Chicago, IL) to create the third and perhaps the most meaningful installment yet of my yearly “Natural Journey” document. With funding, we will be able to bring this year’s concept to life in a special location, one that has so greatly impacted my perception of life, beauty and self-image. More on this—it’s such a meaningful installment in this project that it deserves its own blog post!! In the meantime, any donors, media outlets (magazines, websites, journals or otherwise relevant sources) looking to directly sponsor this portion of the project will receive commemorative color prints of their choosing from the upcoming photo session or any sessions from previous years or, for media outlets, rights to the publication and distribution of our story!

And finally, How your donation funds The INITIATIVE:

In addition providing the funding for a live/work space in which musicians, colleagues, friends and family can come together to share, jam, and document these experiences under the project label #WeAreAfroDASH, your donation provides the following logistical support:

• Purchase of recording and performance equipment (see Google Drive link to full list of sought-after materials and software)
• Basic furnishing of in-home rehearsal/community gathering space
• Funding to offer free language classes and exchanges in the start-up phase of this project in an effort to spread the word and begin the #AfroDASH movement
• Funding to pay friends, musicians and collaborators (photographers, videographers and sound techs for bigger projects) for their time and energy during the first year start-up phase.

The last two important things to note:

• This is a PHASE I project goal! I am running an intensive run for 27 days in which I will be rallying to gather as much support as possible in an effort to meet this online donation goal before setting off on my the planning of a Live Fundraising Presentation/Concert gathering in September.
• In addition, there is an OFFLINE goal of $27,000 over the course of the PHASE I IndieGogo campaign and PHASE II fundraising concert event in September. Euros are expensive and I see so much potential in this project over the course of the next two years—so the more financial support, the better! I am grateful for ALL donations, large and small! For this reason, offline donations will be accepted in order meet this stretch goal and cover some immediate costs over the next six weeks. Please reach out via email to find out more about larger investment or sponsorship opportunities and longer-term project objectives!

Last but not least: Know that there ARE other ways that you can help!

We all know that we are living in tough times, and not all of us are financially equipped to help every cause that speaks to our hearts. This is okay, because you know what? I’ve been blessed enough in my life to have a strong circle of prayer, positive energy, well-wishes and motivation in the form of loving friends and family members for nearly twenty-seven years. There are sometimes tools much more useful than money!

• Are you an artist manager, grant writer, consultant, tax preparer, financial advisor or other image development or advising professional? If so, your TIME and advice is a valuable asset during this pivotal time in my career. Please do not hesitate to reach out via email to offer donations of Skype sessions, in-person consultations and any words of wisdom that you may have to share!
• Are you professionally connected to a media source? Newspaper? Magazine? YouTube channel? Website? Local News Station? Radio Station? Help me to network and spread the word! The only thing more powerful than how many you know is the influence of each individual that you know!
• Are you a culturally-focused or otherwise relevant (Natural Hair, African-American arts and Culture, Music, Photography, Arts, etc) magazine source, online or print, that would like to sponsor the YEAR THREE image photo shoot with KORTO Photography in exchange for rights to publish the photos and my story in your magazine? Contact me for details on the specific amount that we are looking for to fund this year’s installment in the location that we have chosen!
• Know of any exciting grant or artist funds that sound like they would be perfect fit for my campaign? Let me know! Send links, emails and contacts this way and I will check them out!
• Have any second-hand (functioning, gently-used) equipment or un-used software to donate or sell at a discounted price? Please check the DropBox link for a list of “wish list” equipment to see if anything matches! I am happy to give any of these items a new home!
• Are you a venue, gallery or performing arts space owner in the area that would like to host an Afro(–) Campaign Presentation or Concert? Planning for a series of pre-launch PHASE II Project AfroDASH presentation events here in Chicago, Boston, New York and a few other potential cities is underway; I am looking the right location(s) and accepting proposals! Gallery owners and concert venue managers, please contact me via email at afrodashcampaign@icloud.com if you are interested in hosting an event!
• Are you a secondary or university-level institution, Ethnomusicology society, cultural program, community outreach center or independent educator interested in hosting a virtual exchange using the output of this project? I am looking to connect with educators in Chicago, Valencia, Madrid, Latin America… really, anywhere on the globe to “host” #WeAreAfroDASH. As a hosting institution or classroom, you will receive updates on progress, themed micro-projects, and will have the opportunity for your students to interact with involved musicians via blog correspondence, Skype discussion sessions or any other proposed media outlet. I am open to suggestions in order to tailor our interaction to your classroom. ***Availability is LIMITED! Please contact as soon as possible with collaboration ideas!
• Do you live in Chicago, New York, Boston and the surrounding areas? ATTEND the series of PHASE II Project AfroDASH Presentation/Fundraising Concerts, in mid December (date TBD)! Stay tuned via Facebook and Twitter for save-the-date city and venue announcements!
• And, last but not least… please SHARE this campaign!! This is where HOW MANY you know comes in handy. The more people that believe in me, this project and the potential it has, the more likely it is to be successful.  I  will keep project updates and posts to a minimum, but trust that each one will be a meaningful document of campaign progress, initiatives, and a glimpse of the life that I’ve lived that has brought me to this pivotal point in my career.

From here on out, stay tuned to the campaign blog for more updates, musings, writings, and samples of work that will be undertaken in the upcoming project year. It’s such an exciting time in my development and I thank you all for being a part of it!

See you on the campaign trail!!

Much love,Erin/”Mari” 🙂