dangerous

marshmallowmegamama:

Support youth media makers in Detroit! Donate here!

Young Nation/The Alley Project is a youth centered organization that works to confront gang violence in SW Detroit through the decriminalization of art spaces. Or, as they would put it:

This can be done by tapping into youths’ talents and interests, encouraging youth input, channeling the resulting passion, showing youth and adults how to harness their social capital, promoting partnerships in the community, building mentoring relationships, and sharing community resources rather than relying solely on limited resources for programming.

The way Young Nation accomplishes this is through the decriminalization of various types of street art, including murals/graffiti. If you go to The Alley Project, you’ll see where an abandoned lot has been turned into an outdoor art gallery—several walls were installed in the empty space, and on any given day, you can see youth at the walls, using spray paint to complete their latest installation. The garage doors in the alley have also been utilized in the name of art, as have the fences.

The reason they do this work is because historical gang violence and drug trafficking has been used to justify massive criminalization of youth in SW Detroit. This criminalization, in turn, has made gang recruitment of youth pretty easy—when adults are so wiling to throw a young person in jail *rather than mentor them or provide for any of their basic necessities*—youth have no problem heading to the one place they can find protection and family.

Young Nation does not “sit judgement” on gang members-but instead asks “what is the price you pay for that protection and family?” and works to provide safe places where youth can find mentorship and outlets for activities that satisfy their soul—and where they don’t have to pay the heavy price gangs often ask them to pay.

This amazing group of youth is also fundraising to get to the Allied Media Conference! They are integral innovators in the Detroit media landscape. The AMC will allow them the opportunity to network with other community driven social justice media makers AND influence the national and international understanding of Detroit.

PLEASE SUPPORT HOWEVER YOU CAN!

(via latinosexuality)

Idris Elba reveals the story behind the name of his production company ‘Green Door’ [x]

(Source: oh-whiskers, via latinosexuality)

(Source: fuckyeahtattoos)

theowlintheappletree:

blurringlines:

Zac Efron lets Vanessa walk first so people know how amazing she is.

Will Smith does THIS.

gold.

I will forever reblog this photo. love it.

(Source: iampinkshirt, via queergiftedblack)

tal9000:

[Imageset: Four black-and-white photos of Black lesbian couples]

mindthefilth:

Zanele Muholi, talented photographer from South Africa, is known for documenting black lesbian lives. Recently, 20 external hard drives filled with her work was stolen from her Cape Town home. This is a very sad loss.

Find more of her work here.

(via projectqueer)

anticapitalist:

Cornel West, being a badass like usual.

(via queergiftedblack)