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Encapsulating the Quarantine Life

Living in an alternate public space Back in the days when we (or most of us) were free to roam in public without much health concerns, we are essentially displaying ourselves in the public sphere, for a large amount of time every day. We thus need to mind our public presence for a good portion of the day, and for many, this means putting on proper clothes and maintaining their hygiene routine. However, when COVID-19 strikes, most people are recommended or forced to stay in and quarantine themselves. However, life still has to go on for many, classes needed to continue going, work and etc can’t just be on pause forever. Therefore it became necessary to have an online presence that serves to replace the previous action of public gathering.  Thus, a new kind of public space is created within one’s own private space. This really blurs the line between the “public” and the “private” and made me rethink how I’d go about my day while not leaving the house at all.   Zoom Class Th...
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How Kehlani's New Album Addresses the Complexities of Memory and Reminds You that Your Ex Ain't Shit

      During this time of quarantine, there are a surplus of things that are being put on hold. One of those things was supposed to be Kehlani’s new album, It Was Good Until It Wasn’t . Kehlani expressed on her social media that while her team pushed to have the release date changed, she did not want anything to keep the narrative of her album from being heard, or make her fans wait to hear an album that she is evidently very proud of. It is because of her push to keep the release date that Kehlani was forced to take matters, such as promotion of the album and creating music videos for said album, into her own hands. She has released four self-directed music videos, all labeled the “Quarantine Style” of each song.   This made me think of how the narrative of a memory is affected by the present it is being remembered or presented in. Memory does not only live in the past, memories that arise and how they are remembered are greatly affected by the needs, wants, and per...

COVID-19: Dominated

On, April 29 th , I was proud to be a Black woman.   On April 29 th , I was proud to be a Texan (even though I’m not from Houston, but that’s okay).   April 29 th was just a GOOD day. “Let it be known from here on out that April 29 th , 2020 marks the day BeyoncĂ© and Megan Thee Stallion reminded the world what makes a proper remix." Bianca Betancourt, the writer of this article “BeyoncĂ© and Megan Thee Stallion Just Released Their New “ Savage Remix for COVID-19 Relief,” is right. Sitting here today going through another depressive episo de, I thought about  writing about mental health issues during this time. However, I began to recall, what are the things that have really uplifted me during this time? Some things that have inspired me significantly is the artistry that has blossomed and transformed. Artists have take n to social media and  television to remind the world that there is still hope even though we may be moping in our beds or literally fulfilling couch...

Op-Ed O Algo: Why A Sonorous Selena Quintanilla Keeps Me All-Ears Today or: Debra Castanedo Finds A Way

Written by Mateo Hurtado NYU MA Performance Studies 2020 Co-founder of the Brown Theatre Collective @_laserpipe, Instagram & Twitter "Selena on March 15th, 1995 El Dorado Night Ranch Club Houston,Texas" - photo via ReBloggy.com What’s on the west side of a story? In the face, in the palm of the hand that belongs to Time proper, when you lose a loved one - a phrase such as “but a few short months ago” loses its meaning. At the apex of loss and a worldwide pandemic, nothing short of rupture, fractured healing, at the very least, a wail, is bound to be released into the universe. Staying put whilst in shelter-in-place at the epicenter of the epidemic, out of all sources of expression, a link posted by Latinx alt/pop culture website Remezcla upended my all too often encapsulated state-of-familial-mourning.  For a splash more of paths into the inner workings of my imagination currently, the gears of my brain are rotating vigorously meditating about the lasting impact of Rosi...

David & William

David & William The pre-memory exists in a distant land, as if it were another life, another person. Pre-memory perhaps, is the memory of before. Even calling it “the before” reminds me of a dystopic novel or tv show, though I cannot remember which one. We are now in the world of remembering, “the before.” And the “during,” and at some point, “the after.”  The before felt so impossible anyway, with its big dreams and giant expectations, with its siren song of subway cars and stomping the pavement and the sensual idea of “success” in the city. The before, the parts I remember, I see a different girl in there. She is reeling, scrambling, searching, performing feeling completely out of her depth; she is constantly re-prioritizing and what did it even feel like in the before? When was the last night of the before? What did we do? Did we know? Do we ever know? And the during, this during has felt (for so many) like years already. So much has passed and yet nothing has...

COVID CAMARADERIE - Week 8

ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE! When civilization worked towards creating a distinct difference between performances and real life, human-kind, somewhere in the journey, forgot to realize that they are one at the same. This chance to be human is nothing less than a 100 hour performance (1 hour = 1 year) and how well we carry our roles in this determines how long we perform, or wait? Can I say that so? . Corona has re-defined this definition of time by making-us-up for a performance(life) which we have only heard as stories. A performance which was only a memory, is being staged live everyday by different people in different ways. This week’s Covid Camaraderie is the 8th edition since lockdown was announced and already has some brutal truth coming out from the hearts. Here are the unique memories, tales from people adorning diverse roles during the Pamdemic. ART Add caption Tripurasundari (name changed) is a wonderful artiste, but never made it to the A-list categories because of reasons...