Daveed Baptiste’s mother could not secure the proper paperwork allowing her to travel from Haiti to America, so she made the painful but not uncommon decision to send her three children without her, aletranje. Derivatives of the kreyòl word, meaning “abroad” in this context, may also mean “a foreigner” or “a stranger,” which is to say that, in the Haitian imagination, the process of leaving home is like coming face to face with an unknown presence. The other place is cautiously anthropomorphized: you don’t know if she will embrace you, or if you will seek her embrace. You don’t know how she will look at you, if she will smell good or stink. The strangeness grows familiar. Baptiste and his two siblings grew up in North Miami. Soon, their father, who was Stateside, abandoned them. Baptiste and his siblings parented themselves. They didn’t have a lot of money. The Haitian diaspora in America is highly concentrated in … [Read more...] about A Young Artist Charts the Journey from “Haiti to Hood”
Young artists for haiti
The Whitney Biennial: Young Art Cross-Stitched With Politics
Given the political tensions that have sent spasms through the nation over the past two years, you might have expected — hoped — that the 2019 Whitney Biennial would be one big, sharp Occupy-style yawp. It isn’t. Politics are present, but with a few notable exceptions, murmured, coded, stitched into the weave of fastidiously form-conscious, labor-intensive work. As a result, the exhibition, organized by two young Whitney curators, Rujeko Hockley and Jane Panetta, gives the initial impression of being a well-groomed group show rather than a statement of resistance. Yet once you start looking closely, the impression changes. Artist by artist, piece by piece, there’s a lot of quiet agitation in the air. And the basics are strong. Demographically, the show — which fills the museum’s fifth and sixth floors, spreads down to the third, into the lobby, and out to the street — adheres to what seems to have become a new Whitney norm: namely, a view of … [Read more...] about The Whitney Biennial: Young Art Cross-Stitched With Politics
Seeking beauty and gauging insults in Haiti, El Salvador and Liberia
A funeral wreath is delivered via motorcycle on a street in Petionville, Haiti. A funeral wreath is delivered via motorcycle on a street in Petionville, Haiti. Photo: Photo For The Washington Post By Jeffrey A. Salter Photo: Photo For The Washington Post By Jeffrey A. Salter Image 1 of / 23 Caption Close Image 1 of 23 A funeral wreath is delivered via motorcycle on a street in Petionville, Haiti. A funeral wreath is delivered via motorcycle on a street in Petionville, Haiti. Photo: Photo For The Washington Post By Jeffrey A. Salter Seeking beauty and gauging insults in Haiti, El Salvador and Liberia 1 / 23 Back to Gallery In a presidency abounding with profane language, Donald Trump saved his … [Read more...] about Seeking beauty and gauging insults in Haiti, El Salvador and Liberia
Twitter users body-shame Madonna: ‘Looks like someone got butt implants off Craigslist’
Madonna is facing major critiques about her body after a new photo went viral this week. Following a New Year's performance just after midnight at New York's Stonewall Inn, users on Twitter began attacking the 60-year-old singer, whose backside appeared curvier than usual during the set. Many speculated the songstress got butt implants while others argued she was wearing some sort of padding under her pants. I love this very normal photo of Madonna in which nothing is strange. pic.twitter.com/65Xwynplxn— Ξvan Ross Katz (@evanrosskatz) January 3, 2019 "I love this very normal photo of Madonna in which nothing is strange," one user captioned the photo. "I've had plastic surgery so I'm all for it in moderation BUT the doctor who did this to Madonna is (expletive) wrong for this," another tweeted. "Is Madonna trying to be a Kardashian? I'm not trying to body shame but young girls see this. Girls don't go this far have pride in your body and what you … [Read more...] about Twitter users body-shame Madonna: ‘Looks like someone got butt implants off Craigslist’
Chance the Rapper: 10 hip-hop stars who spit hot charity
Story highlights Chance the Rapper gave $1 million to Chicago Public Schools The Game, Diddy, 50 Cent among those who have handed big checks to charity (CNN)Money, meet mouth. Chance the Rapper met with Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner recently to discuss money for Chicago Public Schools, and the half-hour meeting left the three-time Grammy winner feeling a little empty. "He gave me a lot of vague answers," Chance complained to reporters. But rather than limit his activism to groaning, the 23-year-old public school product instead announced Monday he was giving $1 million to Chicago schools and his charity, SocialWorks, would give $10,000 for every additional $100,000 raised. Of course, the rapper is no stranger to philanthropy. He's done his part to combat gun violence in his hometown and raised money to put coats on kids' backs and to bring technology upgrades to schools, among other endeavors. Read More Too often, it seems, rappers make headlines for their bad behavior. … [Read more...] about Chance the Rapper: 10 hip-hop stars who spit hot charity