HELLO!
Consider this post an appetizer for Wednesday evening’s Multicultural Solidarity of LI Diversity Friendship Listening Circles "meal" on Zoom. [see note below regarding in-person gatherings]
On Monday afternoon (about 10 hours ago), Eileen and I went to Whole Foods. While we were checking out, our cashier - an early-30-something Black male - held up our three multicolored peppers and told us that they’re really the same underneath…just different on the outside.
My eyes looked into his and, as a gesture of connection, I extended my hand as a fist-bump and his hand gesture mimicked mine and greeted me...
As our hands continued making intentional contact, I replied,
"It's the same with people"
I then asked if he knew the musician Buddy Guy and his song “Skin Deep”…adding, that in my phone I have a collection of license plates that includes this one:
An akin skin message is displayed in my dermatologist’s office
SKIN DEEP
Song Background
Playing for Change co-founder Mark Johnson explains how this song was originally an effort to unite people in Chicago around problems of children dying from gun violence and then expanded into a "deeper intention of helping to heal this divide in America so those principles should apply to us in our lives. We shouldn't be looking at everything that's different like it's a bad thing, so I think this album was really about getting people back to remembering that
it's diversity that makes this world a better place
and that music is the best tool to remember to inspire us to remember..."
From the video's description:
14,754,836 views Feb 2, 2018
[from the video] Playing For Change and Buddy Guy united to record and film his anthem, “Skin Deep” across the USA. The song includes over 50 musicians from coast to coast featuring Buddy Guy, Tom Morello, Billy Branch, Chicago Children’s Choir, and Roots Gospel Voices of Mississippi. Originally, this was going to be a song across Chicago to bring light to all the violent shootings across the city but as time marched on, along with various shootings across our country, we realized we needed to expand our vision and use this song as a tool to unite our divided nation.
"Skin Deep" is the first song from our Listen to the Music series — our newest body of work comprising 12 new Songs Around The World and featuring Buddy Guy, The Doobie Brothers, Warren Haynes, Dr. John, Jack Johnson, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and many more. All music in this series was recorded live outside with a mobile studio and features over 200 musicians from 25 different countries. The album is available now with one new video from the series dropping every month! 100% of Playing For Change’s profits from this album will go to the Playing For Change Foundation, helping to support music education across the globe. Listen to the music; change the world!
"Dinner's Ready!"
Our September potluck at Joel and Doris's was great and I look forward to more in-person gatherings of the Multicultural Solidarity tribe. Eileen and I like our frequent get together's with our Baha'i friends - where we share food and fellowship.
[from the article] When you think about it, this is perhaps not surprising given that both eating, and listening to or playing music, change the way we feel in similar ways. Both music and food nourish us, both body and soul – science has proven time and time again the impact of music on our physical and mental health.
As it turns out, the sharing of both music and food is one of the strongest social bonding exercises imaginable.
Finally, the idea of ‘breaking bread’ together is still steeped in the communion-like connotations of the original phrase, but there’s significance in this. Both a meal and a concert are a ritual, an event, something to stop and be thankful for. It’s about sharing, togetherness, a joint experience that brings us together. When we get round a table to eat dinner, or whether we’re sitting in silence, surrounded by bodies and notes: is it not the act of coming together that really completes and secures the ritual?
Seeing our world thru the eyes of a child...
Preschool Beatles...from Malaysia...
And Muppets on Sesame Street...
GOODBYE!
"You say "STOP"...and I say "GO, GO, GO..."
If you were wondering why I included that pineapple in my photo of the peppers...(actually, it was unintentional until now...Hmm?)
Reader: If you'd like to know more about the groups mentioned in this post just email me: ttittmann@icloud.com.
Also, check out this July/August 2023 post that contains links to other posts I've done about these and other groups that are working to help us realize AND PRACTICE our connectedness...: