ART GALLERY

Regardless of what they do or say I want you to know that I believe in you. I know you can accomplish everything you set out to do because you have what it takes. You have what it takes to get through it and to come out that much better than before.

Persistence is the quality that allows someone to continue doing something or trying to do something even though it is difficult or opposed by others. Within this track I recorded my family repeating a phrase I taught them. They say this phrase out loud when they struggle with a task, an action or their emotions. My purpose isn't to make it easier for them but to empower them with the mental & emotional fortitude required to push through their trials and tribulations long after I perish. Something that will be passed on to their children’s children.

By using films, books and music we provide inspiration, encouragement and hope for the next generation. Inspiration, encouragement and hope that things will change for the better.

Silence….
How uncomfortable it is yet…. 

how peaceful it is. 
It is difficult while effortless, arrogant while humble and powerful while powerless. 

It requires courage and a level of confidence that most are unwilling to exercise consistently but as of today that will change.

This is the excitement of success, the ability to embrace the grind and struggle, embrace the loops and twirls, embrace the obstacles and setbacks because in the end it is only fueling something bigger than us. It is fueling our success.

On your journey to success we impart you with a guide to the answers you have been searching for. Not because you need it per se but because you deserve it, respectfully.

It doesn’t make sense now, but as you progress throughout life you will understand then. There will be signs that no one can see except you. I believe in you and I know that when the signs are shown to you not only will you take advantage of them, you will flourish.

What do you see when your eyes are closed?

What do you hear when everything around you is mute?

What do you say without speaking?

This is the subconscious. The place where you store and retrieve data. Its job is to ensure that you respond exactly the way you are programmed. It makes everything you say and do fit a pattern consistent with your self-concept as it defines our thoughts, actions, and levels of awareness.

How much are you willing to lose to achieve what you desire? 

What are you willing to become in the process?

Within the artwork we see her past, present and future as she decides to surrender herself toward the next step in her evolution. The next step toward becoming what she was destined to be.

Where do you come from? What are the stories of wisdom and community that have been passed down from generation to generation? To know oneself is to know one's origin and to know one's origin is to know one's purpose.

A compliment is an expression of praise, upliftment, and admiration. It is an act of respect that can boost another's morale as well as your own.

Research shows that you can reliably increase your personal well-being by engaging in random acts of kindness toward others.

Knowing it’s importance, are you willing to give more compliments?

I want you to go look in a mirror or in a camera and say.

"I am the problem and the solution to all of my issues."

Congratulations on this major step.

The question is, what will you do next?

Anything is possible, you just have to give time. Repeat after me, with both confidence and energy.

"I can achieve anything that's on my mind.

I can achieve anything as long as I give it time.

I can achieve anything that I search and seek.

I can achieve anything as long as I believe in me."

S.T.E.M. is an acronym that stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. 

Through S.T.E.M., students develop key skills including; 

problem solving, teamwork and collaboration as well as tech use. 

S.T.E.M. is important because it promotes creativity and out-of-the-box thinking that 

prioritizes hands-on learning needed for long term success.

The goal is that we lead by example as we provide the next generation with what they deserve. 

They deserve a chance to do better than the generation before them as they are 

supported, encouraged, guided and loved.

Where do you see yourself in 20 years? How about 10 or 5?

The goal is that we envision ourselves in our career, in our home and 

owning our own businesses so that when the time comes to capitalize we would have prepared, 

meditated and studied for the next level. 

This is the manifestation.

How do you assess your growth and progress?

Is progress when you start to make money or when people start to follow you?

Is growth when you start to produce higher quality work or when the work gets easier to create?

We think growth and progress is reflecting internally as you 

remind yourself of where you started and where it will lead you and your loved ones for generations. 

To remind yourself of how your work is influencing history as well as 

the narrative of your community who watches you as an example. 

This is growth and progress.

A culture represents the customs, arts, and achievements of a social group regarded collectively.

When you look at the culture, what do you see?

I see distractions, violence and crime used to systematically deprive the community of organization, structure and economic power. 

Organization, structure and economic power needed to enact change both socially and legislatively. Because as a community we have been doing the same things for decades.

We have rioted but still wear the same brands.

We have voted but still listen to the same music.

We have lectured but still buy the same merchandise.

To this day one of the most successful political and social movements was 

the Montgomery bus boycott because it tied economic power to 

a social movement that demanded legislative change.

If history has taught us anything it has taught us that if you want change, 

use your economic power. Use the power of the collective dollar to put pressure 

on the politicians, the churches, the artists, the influencers, the athletes and 

the individuals in positions of power because when you affect people’s profit they will 

make the changes necessary to keep that bottom line in order.

Look at the culture, study it and embrace all it entails.

Does your dollar support it or does it go toward changing it for the better?

Economic independence is when a community can provide the necessary amenities 

needed to sustain life without the assistance from outside sources.

Health clinics (for dental and physical health), 

Schools (for education), Manufacturing (for goods and services), 

Banks (for loans and insurance), Farms (for produce and animal product), 

Stores (to house the farm's stock) and 

Law Enforcement (to maintain order and manage public safety).

When we decide to funnel the billions we spend a year toward 

these different avenues we will position ourselves and 

our children's children for long-term stability within a community 

where they will be safe, prioritized and empowered.

This is Economic Independence.

Love

How do you know that it’s true?

When they say to you that my love is only for you?

Love

What does it mean?

Is it when they buy expensive things?

Or when they support your dreams?

Love

Is time without rushing.

Support and love without lustfully touching.

When moments are enormous.

And the world seems so dormant.

INTENTIONS

What are yours?

Cause even family can be a double edged sword.

So adore and love everything about yours.

Keep the mind at home and not on world tours.

Love

Is staying true and wanting more for them

than you want for you.

Love

How do you know that it’s true?

When they say to you?

That I need your love like food

Love

What does it mean?

Is when it’s just you and me?

Or when it’s not you and me it’s we?

As you experience trauma in life, how do you cope? 

What coping skills do you use to pick yourself up when you are feeling 

unstable and unbalanced or unmotivated and insecure? 

How do you regain your center?

Coping skills are tools that help you tolerate, minimize, and deal with stressful situations in life. 

Managing your stress well can help you feel better physically, emotionally, spiritually, and psychologically.

These designs were created to strengthen our mental and emotional health as 

we educate the community on the difference between progressive behaviors and regressive behaviors, 

because in reality there is no in between.

These are coping skills.

Buy flowers while they can still smell them and spend uninterrupted time with them instead of being distracted on your phone.

If you know where they are pull up. 

Don’t tell them you are coming just arrive then give them ample time and attention.

If you think about them call them instead of texting them.

If you want to tell them something tell them now and don’t wait for the right time because the right time doesn’t exist.

Just don’t wait until you are dressed in all black, don’t wait until you see them lowered into the ground, don’t wait until they are no longer breathing. 

Whatever you do just, don’t wait until you are buying them flowers.

Who are you when no one is watching?

Who is the person you see in the mirror late at night when everything around you is asleep?

This collection is focused on mental and emotional health. 

It is focused on staying in tune with our inner self while keeping the right energy from thoughts and words revolving around us.

Core concepts is a foundational, discipline-based course that reinforces ideas considered

necessary for students to learn, comprehend and apply. 

The key ideas are greatness,

excellence, success, progress, integrity, faith and discipline. We implement this plan of study notonly to develop our students but to prepare them for the next 20 plus years of their continued success.

This was the manuscript of the first design I drew years ago. I have overlapped the sketched image with the present design. 

Not only is it a reminder of the past but it is a reminder of the progress we have made. Progress not only for me and you, but for us.

When our youth want to be entertained where will they go? 

When they seek guidance and information who will they turn to? 

The intent is that they turn to people like us who live their testimony. 

People who lead their community by example toward stable homes, 

heightened progress and generational wealth.

The goal is that we raise the standards when it comes to what we indulge, 

what we support and what we allow our community to be influence by. 

What are the features of a great leader?

What is needed to be effective as you empower those around you?

A leader needs to hear honesty, see progress and smell integrity. 

They spew responsibility & accountability as well as 

nourishment & upliftment as they convey consistent action.

They lead by example while representing truth, stability and support 

as their community looks to them for influence.

They are one while at the same time individuals.

They understand that the greatest contribution they will ever make is to each other and to their community.

When they collaborate life is made but the difference between them and others is the context.

In this context the child will not grow in dysfunction causing resentment, it will not be neglected causing trauma and it will not feel abandoned causing mental & emotional instability.

This is the difference.

This is UNITY.

This work was written to address some of the pivotal issues within the black community. 

It was written to be a guide for the next generation and to provoke thought as we 

hold each other accountable for what we do and for what we do not do. 

The key subjects addressed; 

communication and relationships, success and career development & peer pressure and conflict resolution.

The Book, the Film and the Album.

The world is and has been heading in a dangerous direction.

The direction where people want to blame everything outside the home 

for things that happen inside the home.

In reality, the home is the foundation to both the problem and the solution.

With this piece, people are now forced to look at the concept of the black family differently.

Allow me to introduce you to,

The Family

When you see HER, what do you see?

I see how she walks in the room with confidence and self-respect. 

I observe how undeniable HER glow is and feel HER energy radiating from the higher power. 

Let me tell you about HER; she smells integrity, hears honesty and speaks with nourishment & upliftment.

Let me tell you about HER; she sees progress even when others overlook the minute details and 

the eyebrows which she has been bestowed with accentuate her stability and support.

When you see HER, what do you see?

There is a voluminous void in the black community.

Others have tried to fill it with dysfunction, detrimental information and 

negative physical representations causing regression on a generational level. 

Allow me to introduce you to a solution, 

Pass 1st Ent. LLC

Based in Oklahoma City, OK to consistently lead, uplift and strengthen the community

through the outlets of films, books and music.

This is HIM and society despises HIM.

They despise HIM because 

he hears honesty, he sees progress, he smells integrity and he spews responsibility & accountability.

The grey hairs on his beard represent the many truths which he has experienced throughout his time. 

They are a trophy only the chosen get to display and are a testimony of his stability & dependability.

This is HIM.

The next generation asks me, what is faith?

Faith is when you have no food but know that you will eat. 

Faith is when you have no job but know that you will succeed.

Faith is when everyone around you says no but you know it's yes.

Faith is thanking God for the tests and thanking God for the stress.

Faith is doing different, being persistent and staying diligent.

Faith is waking up at 5 a.m. when you went to sleep at 2 a.m.

Faith is being you, staying true and consistently doing what you do.

Faith is when you lead by example, you won't be given more than you can handle.

This is Faith.

The Seed is the intention and the energy which we exude on a consistent basis.

The Seed represents how small things begin and how minimal we think they are until we see the impact on a generational level.

The Seed is the thought process which will yield fruit to be served to our malnourished community, most importantly our youth.

The Seed is why we stay up until midnight and wake up at 5am on a consistent basis.

If you leave with anything, if you leave with anything at all.

At the very least, leave with 

The Seed.

In the artwork, each letter represents a certain facet within the black community.

It is and was my intention that we acknowledge the reality of our situation then 

do something to improve it for the next generation.

The T symbolizes mental/emotional health and our vision of success, 

the R represents the black excellence gallery that serves an example of inspiration and hope, 

the U signifies the acquisition of wealth by illegal activity which is glorified but heavily policed, 

the T alludes to the acquisition of wealth by sports and our lack of success strategies, 

the H epitomizes the manipulation of films and music which is used to mislead our youth, and 

the S stands for the criminal justice system and how it's designed to dismantle the black family. 

The individual in the background is the end result, 

to be used as a commodity for private labor as they helplessly watch their children 

go down the same path of generational dysfunction. 

Kwanzaa is the time when we reflect on our use of the basic principles, share and enjoy the fruits of our labor & recommit ourselves to the collective attainment of a better life for our family, our community and our people.

Presented in the artwork is a Kinara which is a seven-space candle holder used during Kwanzaa. 

The candle holder represents the original stalk from which the African people originated.

The black candle symbolizes African people themselves, the three red candles represent the struggle of blood shed in the past & the three green candles represent the Earth and the abundance of possibilities the future holds.

The mishumaa saba (seven candles) stand for the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa;

1. Umoja (Unity)

2. Kujichagulia (Self-Determination)

3. Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility)

4. Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics)

5. Nia (Purpose)

6. Kuumba (Creativity)

7. Imani (Faith)