Haiti: Rebuilding Strong

Recently I worked for Habitat for Humanity Haiti. These videos are of some women in an incredible and empowering job training program. There are programs focused on financial literacy, disaster risk education and home maintenance. A gender equality program that is interwoven through out the other courses.

Recorded August 2014 at a demonstration of skills day, where the students showed the advanced vocational construction skills they had learned through the course. The closing celebration can be heard in the back ground.

Tortuga- the young universe

At 15 years old
this baby
ancient as the universe
allowed time to stop in his sphere
and nothing existed
more enriching
then sharing his space and joy


full just watching him

Recovering Violation of the Feminine

In the darkness and shadow, hidden for many year, a memory. Since 2002 I have known the bump in the night. A night of too much in Washington and an evil hearted cab driver. I was in college then, recently back from living abroad.

At times a flash comes to me, a new part of the memory I have suppressed comes to the surface for me to recognize, to acknowledge so I can let go, forgive and have peace.

My close friend asked if I had been abused.

He wanted to make my person in bronze for a body of work. with Text

 We began with my bottom half. I assumed the posture of my nightmare. Extreme Yoga to hold a pose. This pose. Feel deep into it until my muscles ached and sometimes I lost all blood. As the silicon dried and then the plaster was applied, to harden. The weight growing heavier and I became glued, forced down, to the ground, to the slab bellow me.

 I felt certain that it was my time to process. It is my time to process. Each step up become harder to breath, out. Each leg, then arms bound above my head, the chest plate and lastly, very finally my face.  As each took away a different movement, a capability. At the end I held my heart. I am thankful to have the opportunity to work this way. For my friend to help give me palace to process. My book will be made of Tabacoo. My story i will intertwine with my prayers. In my four part binding and sacred plant I will not hold on any more. He will have no part of me anymore, not even in remnants soon.


I now look at these pictures as I post. I can smile seeing that my Krav Mega (Israel hand to hand combat) tank is what I am wearing while my face is covered. These are memories I have not shared. I think it's important to speak and share. To be strong together.

Union Beach Relief

"you know this is not an "organization" but this is THE most organized, one of the most inspiring set ups to help feed and cloth people. It is a camp of Kindness"

My father hopped on a converted school bus again, joined with his old pal Diamond Dave, who a lifetime ago took over golden gate park with a movement of Feeding the people. Organic Valley and many individuals joined forced to in Union Beach, NJ to help feed and cloth and support the relief effort after the storm.

Much love and respect to them and all the people around the nation working to support those families effected. This story aired on ABC about their kitchen.  ABC link

‎" we could be one word away from a major paradigm shift in consciousness" -Martha Ward

We are biting at a pie campaign, a peace movement, a recording and rejoicing in a communal history of familiar unification s through our taste buds, memorized aromas and unmatchable textures. Our series of round table discussions in the Heath House at Project Row Houses was energetic. A table of pies laid out on the table, our lady "keepers of the flame" images hung large in the air and the walls were chalked up with words from the many people whom have passed through the door to explore in this space. I room of inspiration, discussion and remembering.

Heath House: Apron String Conversations (Round One) April 23rd

Image: Chef Tarsha. March 2011

Houston's Project Row House is where an incredible collaboration is blossoming. Project Hearth House is in its first installation. Luanne Stovall, Toni Tipton-Martin, Meeta Morrison, Ellen Hunt, Chrystal Granger and Myself, a artist/designer, a culinary journalist, three architects and myself.

Todays Event!

HEARTH HOUSE: Apron Strings Conversations

at Project Row Houses. Houston, TX

In conjunction with Round 34: Matter of FOOD, Hearth House (Art House #2515 Holman) will host two roundtable Conversations.

Please join us as Hearth House hosts two roundtable Apron Strings Conversations. “Secret Ingredients” stirs together the memories and secrets of favorite recipes, which warm hearts, bridge generations, and fan the flames of community. “Apron Strings” also explores the unifying relationship between cooking at the hearth and sewing for survival and the way these activities uplift of the soul.

Participants include the women of Lilly Grove Missionary Baptist Church, who are participating in an oral history culinary project with the University of Houston, and a photo documentary project with Tahila Mintz for Hearth House.

Insights also will be shared by quilters from The Jubilee Quilt Circle and members of the 3rd Ward community.

Pie will be served for guests, courtesy of local bakers.

see images of the house set up at http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.10150219655300656.352193.526495655&l=84417c16cb

AND MORE at LIKE at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hearth-House-at-Project-Row-Houses/219908454689905?sk=info#!/pages/Hearth-House-at-Project-Row-Houses/188242797880283

Howard Zinn

" To be hopeful in bad times is not foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact, the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage and kindness... what we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst. it will destroy our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places- and there are so many- where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of the world in a different direction... And if we do act, in however small a way we don't have to wait for some utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live in defiance of all that is bad around us, is its self a marvelous victory"- Howard Zinn

Parts of a long amount of quotes listed on rethinkingschools.org from the day of his passing this January. I had pieced it to read to a group of High School students from Spain that were growing and being challenged as they built in Dakar, Senegal that week. The words, as many of this man, are well worth repeating.

http://www.zinnedproject.org/ a link for classroom use or anyone else interested The Zinn Education Project