The creative process

The O in Obama, courtesy, NYTimes

One of my most difficult shifts in my transition from print to multi-media/visual storyteller, has been developing a way of seeing.

I have a way of hearing, because I’ve played piano for more than 40 years. I can actually hear melodies and rhythms and execute them. I’m aiming to develop the same type of ability as a photographer/designer/Flash designer. It’s a crucial skill to have because the web has become a visual medium – Derek Powazek, notwithstanding.

Now, I’m real left-brain about this. I look and analyze. Then I look and analyze some more. And I read. So I was thrilled by this interview with Sol Sender, the designer who created the logo for Barack Obama’s campaign.

He blew the McCain/Palin logo out of the water, to the detriment, I’m convinced of the losers. The Obama logo was fresh and inspiring, masterfully reinforcing the candidate’s personality and values. Plus, the use of white space had that Web 2.0 feel; the implication was Obama was the candidate for the digital age.

McCain Palin logo

McCain’s logo, by contrast, reinforced the candidates’ names, but gave no insight into their personalities. There were white letters, but almost no white space and the logo looked darkand tired next to Obama’s.

I loved the interview because Sender explains his process, something my left brain loves to consider.  Now that I’m living the motto, “don’t be envious; be inspired,” I’ll be using Sender’s steps as a template.

Nov. 5: The day Harriet Tubman came to school

Harriet Tubman, photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

First the back story.

In my other life, I am a teaching artist. That means I use music, art, drama and whatever creative expertise I have to teach academic subjects. Although my residencies are short – about 14 lessons -  I’ve returned to one inner-city Cleveland school for four years. That’s long enough to see the fifth-graders I originally taught go upstairs to the eighth-grade floor, and out the door to high school.

I have lots of stories about “my kids.” But this story is about the staff. It’s about what happened on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008. The day Harriet Tubman came to school.

I’m in the midst of  teaching the Civil War to fifth- and sixth-graders. They might not know the difference between the North and the South. And they’re not sure whether Canada and Mexico are states or countries. But they know about slavery and they know about Harriet Tubman.  So they were excited, and somewhat skeptical, when I told them she would be coming to visit.

Mrs. Tubman walked in the school at 11:55, just five minutes before her appointment with the first class.

As I signed Mrs. Tubman’s name – she doesn’t really read or write well – I introduced her to the women on the other side of the counter.

One started pumping her fist and chanting “Yes we did! Yes we did!” The other stood up and smiled.

When we walked down the hall, one teacher greeted us. She, too, was wearing an Obama button.

“I want to introduce Mrs. Harriet Tubman,” I answered.

“Well, Mrs. Tubman, you’ve picked a great day to come here,” the teacher replied. “We’re so happy to see you today. “

We’d made it to the stairwell, when we ran into another teacher, hurrying up the steps.

“This is Mrs. Harriett Tubman,” I said.

The woman stopped. “Mrs. Tubman, what a wonderful day for you to be here. And there’s so much history…”

Mrs. Tubman nodded.

“…and look at the weather. The sun is shining and it’s a beautiful day, especially after what happened on Tuesday…”

“You’re going to have us all crying in a minute,” I interrupted.

The teacher smiled. “Thanks so much for coming.” And she went up the steps.

Now, I don’t have to tell you that almost all the teachers were wearing Obama buttons. You probably figured that out.

And I’m not going to tell you who among the staff members were African American, and who were not.

Decide that for yourselves.

The truth about Ohio, and why it’s so hard to call

I’ve lived in Ohio almost 20 years; I moved to the state in 1990.  That means I’ve gone through five presidential elections as a Buckeye, even though I’m not a native. On thing has had me scratching my head. How did Ohio get to be a swing state?

When I look at the state’s 88 counties, I see a red state with blue spots.

The Plain Dealer had a great graphic on its front page. It illustrates my point.

The urban centers, like Cleveland, are predominately African American and Democrat. Those are the blue spots. The rural and suburban areas, especially in the central and southwestern portions of the state, are predominately White and Republican. That’s where the red is concentrated.

In the past, that difference meant that an African American candidate could carry the cities, but not do well in a state-wide election. The most recent example was our own gubernatorial race, where the Republican candidate, Kenneth Blackwell, crashed and burned. Some blamed it on his politics. I blame race; the African Americans who were running at the top of the Democratic ticket lost as well.

That history is why I, an Obama supporter, believed until say three weeks ago, that he would not take Ohio. Now, I believe he might pull it off in a squeaker because the economic collapse has worked in Obama’s favor.

Ohio has never recovered from the 2001 recession. This current economic downturn makes our future look even more bleak.

I’ve been following coverage out of Columbus, where voters tend to be conservative, and I’ve been impressed by Obama’s climb in the polls. That’s why I’ve concluded this: the fact  Ohio is up for grabs shows how successful Obama’s efforts are.

In 2004, Kerry had the cities, but Bush had a tight grip on the rest of the state.

One more point: if Obama does take Ohio, he will have done more than won a red state. He will have, in my opinion, toppled the obstacle to kept African American politicians out of the governor’s office. If, and it’s an if, Obama wins or barely loses Ohio, expect to the state will elect its first African American governor within a few more of years.

The thing about change

“Change never waits its turn. It does not ask permission. It needs no electoral votes to prevail.”

This observation came from Keith Woods, who writes for poynter.org. The Poynter Institute is a school for journalists.

Lord knows the profession put the “c” and the “s,” in changes.  Journalists aren’t alone. Magazines have been watching advertisers cut back and that industry is laying off, too.

It’s almost a cliche to say we should be pro-active. But I’m ready to push through. Change isn’t coming. It’s been here for at least two years. Maybe we just didn’t see the forest for the trees. But the forest is deep and I’m standing in the middle admiring the view.

The astonishing developments of this electoral season have given me a new outlook on life. I’m not just talking about Barack Obama’s candidacy. I’m talking about John McCain’s tenacity. Both men were come-from-behind candidates who have refused to give up.

But both have been incredible teachers in my life, and in their ways, inspirations. Obama has shown me not to give in to the idea that race is limiting. McCain is showing me not to give in to the idea that age is limiting.

No, I haven’t forgotten about Hillary Clinton. She’s shown me how to push, push, push past those who would limit women.

What a wonderful year to be an American. I salute all three.

Journalist by choice and mission

I was walking around my neighborhood a couple days ago. Suddenly, it seemed, all the businesses had Obama posters in them. But I was struck by the sign at one of the barbershops.

Christopher, the owner of Untouchable Barbers is promising a free haircut or manicure on Mondays to anyone who registered to vote. The promotion is going through the October cut-off date for voter registration.

It’s well known, of course, that Barack Obama is more than a candidate. Still, I’m always amazed by the creativity, commitment and passion that has surfaced during this election.

So I went home, got my camera and drove to the barbershop. I walked in, introduced myself and asked to speak to the owner. His portrait illustrates this posting.

When I left, I remembered why I am a journalist.

It’s time for a roll call

Taken by Steve Rhodes

The delegates at the Democratic Convention ended their roll call when they agreed to nominate Barack Obama as the party’s presidential candidate by acclamation. But they left some unfinished business.

Some names need to be spoken.

In his seminal book on African religion and cosmology, the great scholar John Mbiti explained that the ancestors are not completely dead until their names are forgotten. So I’m taking this moment to call the names of our ancestors on the day that Barack Obama became the first African-American to win a major party nomination.

Call it a libation.

Aaron Henry, Fannie Lou Hamer, Victoria Gray Adams, Ed King, and Annie Devine, and other the delegates of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party who insisted that the convention unseat the all-white state delegation at the convention in 1964.
Medgar Evers, the fearless NAACP field secretary who was assassinated in his driveway in front of his family.
Herbert Lee, who was murdered because he chauffeured civil rights workers around Amite County, Mississippi during Freedom Summer, 1964.
James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, who were murdered during Freedom Summer, 1964 for daring to register African Americans.

We will never forget you. You taught us that the race is not given to the swift, but to those who continue. And we vow to run on, and see what the end will be.

Update: Two of my readers have added names of their own to this list.  Therefore, I’m asking others to add to the libation: Call the names of  ancestors – whether in blood, example, or spirit – who should be remembered and honored.