Personal

 I think I like to keep peace and dismiss confrontation.
When there's a disagreement I try to be quiet and take it
compromise but then I end breaking it
I said yes when I meant no
I said stay when I meant go
And I may come off hot when I'm cold
It may look like I'm lying but truth be told
I'm trying not to hurt you
But it's harder on me than it is on you
Because I hold in the truth and I lose my tue feelings
Then I end up hurt and I need healing
And I care so much
It's like I dont have feelings
It's so hard to reveal it.

-The Phoenix
© Precious Dorch-Robinson

My First Tattoo

Every year I go to New York to see my family and friends. It's always an adventure because I make every moment memorable. Whether it's dying my hair for the first time, getting box braids, spending New Year's Eve in Times Square or getting my belly pierced, it's a place of first. But most importantly it's my hometown Yonkers, NY. This is my place of childhood memories and it will always have special place in my heart.


I've always said if I wanted to get a tattoo it has to be meaningful because this is permanent and painful. Mostly permanent and I want to make sure this is something I would not mind having for the rest of my life. It would have to be something that represents who I am and most importantly I wanted to create it myself.

The idea for this tattoo just came to me one in the summer as I was drawing in my sketch book. I was listening to Frank Ocean's Pyramids, such a beautiful song, mesmerizing. I've always had a fascination with Queen Nefertiti of Egypt. Her life is a mystery and to be a queen, how powerful. Past lives are unexplainable emotions but I believe in a past life, I was royalty. My opinion was of value and people looked up to me. I just know in my spirit that I lived a life of royalty at one time. So, here is the creation of my tat.

The placement is my idea and I had a henna tat the year before. I wanted to be sure and that required me to be meticulous and patient. The tat took an hour. Here's a video about my experience of getting my first tattoo.      

 Original Tattoo From Sketch Book 

  

August 12, 2012 Henna Tattoo in Daytona Beach

The Final Tattoo in Yonkers, NY 

Video: Tattoo Experience

Love, 

The "Queen Tattoo" Phoenix

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Articles: FAMU Brings First-Ever Chinese Art Exhibit To Area

Jun 12, 2012

By Precious Dorch-Robinson

Last week, Florida A&M University’s Foster-Tanner Fine Arts Gallery hosted Tallahassee’s first-ever exhibit of Chinese Art.

Dr. Liu Nan, assistant professor of art at FAMU and the curator of the exhibit, co-hosted by the Tallahassee Chinese Association, said he wanted to give Tallahassee a glimpse of Chinese culture.

“In Tallahassee, it’s hard to get this kind of art show,” said Liu. “In New York City you can see this at the Metropolitan Museum and visit Asian and Latin American cultures, but in Tallahassee I think this will be a good cultural event.”

In two weeks, Liu selected 29 pieces —including paintings from his students and his own son, Ethan.

The exhibit showed different mediums of art: painting, sculptures, jewelry, photography, martial arts and live folk songs. Paintings were from local Chinese artists and visiting Chinese artist Ye Xu Xuan of the Zhu Jia Calligraphy Institute in Su Zhou, China.

“He [Ye Xu Xuan] opened a calligraphy institute for 30 years. He’s really good, a renowned, international artist for Calligraphy painting,” said Liu.

Xuan was visiting his relatives in Tallahassee and he was looking for a place to display his art when Liu asked him to display some of his pieces at the exhibit. All of Xuan’s paintings were created in Tallahassee and they are traditional Chinese paintings.

The exhibit was not only for the Tallahassee community to experience the 500-year-old culture but to also influence the young artists. The exhibit was apart of the four-week Horizon’s Art Camp, which teaches children from ages 6 through 12. The summer camp was taught by the FAMU Visual Art department to expose children to diverse cultures through art.

“All the children here study [art] and we want to open a different window to them, a different experience,” said Liu.

Aja Roache, Foster Tanner’s Gallery Coordinator and visiting professor said, “We were excited to have art for the art lovers. I think he [Liu] shows a great range of traditional Chinese art work.”

Liu also gave a demonstration of calligraphy to about 100 people. He said when studying Chinese art it was a requirement to know about past artist so students understand the tradition and appreciate the art.

“You must know the masters. Learn and then you create”, said Liu.

In calligraphy he said, “White spaces leave room for imagination. The paper should not be filled.”

Tallahassee Chinese Martial Arts Center performed Tai Chi and the traditional Lion and Dragon Festival dance.

The Martial Arts Center has been around for ten years and their vision is to let more people know about Chinese martial arts and to practice it.

Lisa Liu, the wife of the owner of the center, said, “Martial Arts creates a bridge between American and Chinese culture.” Chinese Martial art is important for healing and for health.

Lisa Liu said her husband wants to spread Chinese culture and the center was also showing support for Liu’s exhibit.

The Chinese Art Exhibition will be on view until June 22.

http://newsone.com/2020449/famu-chinese-art/

Allergies

I have had a limited amount of money for the past two weeks, which changed my food habits drastically. Because organic food is expensive and cheap food causes every sickness known to man. Well, "sickness known to man," that's my opinion, but I am sure there are facts to prove it.

Last Tuesday
I ate a cheese pizza from Pizza Hut. I didn't have snacks and it was so good, especially the cheese.

On Wednesday
I had frozen ground turkey and it was taking forever to thaw out. I was starving, as I looked at the Hong Kong menu in the kitchen. I have attended Florida A&M for three years and I have never called for delivery. I ordered steamed chicken and broccoli but the order was not steamed. I waited thirty minutes to literally stuff my face. I refuse to Ever, Ever do that again. The next day I felt sluggish; the Chinese food looked nasty. I was having thoughts about processed and foreign meat made to look like chicken. I had no choice and I ate it for breakfast with no sauce but then I felt sick.

On Thursday
I woke up with a stuffy nose and a slight headache.
I ate a veggie burger from the cafe for dinner and it was my first veggie burger. I normally don't eat campus food but I was desperate. The veggie burger was good, really good. I had a side of french fries with an oatmeal raisin cookie. I love cookies and for some reason every since I ran out of condensed milk for my oatmeal I have been craving sugar.

Friday
I woke up around 8:30am with a stuffy nose and my head was swirling and swimming I felt unbalanced. I looked in the mirror and my face had no life; it was as if my skin and eyes were dead. There was nothing there and my lips were slightly puffy. I ran out of water but I had enough to make green tea. I'm sipping the tea and trying to become centered. After an hour I check that my face in the mirror, I look rejuvenated. I felt normal again, the swelling had went down. My eyes were more alert. I rook a shower and I started my day early on a friday which is when I have no class.

While walking to the Walgreens I felt itching and slightly annoyed. The fabrics of my jeans rubbing on my skin seemed to be irritating. When I arrived in front of Walgreens the smell of grass punched me on the nose. If was as if someone threw a drink on me and then taunted me right after. I was furious, it was like instant rage. I went inside quickly and the itching stopped and I was relaxed.

Angela Davis Advocates Prison Abolishment

Angela Davis Advocates Prison Abolishment

By Precious Dorch-Robinson

Civil rights and Black power activist Angela Davis spoke at Florida A&M University last week in honor of Women’s History Month.

In her talk, Davis focused on the culture of violence and the prison system, arguing that violence is epidemic in part because our society doesn’t treat its root causes.

“We don’t talk about prevention,” said Davis . “We talk about getting the perpetrator.”

“[Criminals] can stay in prison forever but the problem still proliferates,” Davis said. “We participate in hiding it and it will erupt.”

Commenting that violence continues within the jail system, she added: “Men get punished by the state in prison. Women get punished at home…  Violence starts within the home.”

Davis said that violence within the family is covered up especially when it comes to incest and sex offenders.

“There are some sex offenders who are not included on the registry list,” referring specifically to perpetrators of incest. “So much violence we encounter is in the family. ” By not addressing violence within the family, Davis continued, “it reinforces that danger comes from a stranger.”

Violence within the home spreads out to the workforce, Davis said. “Look at the other modes of violence in police, military, and prisons. We have to find out how to address it. It will not be resolve by sending them to prisons. ”

Davis added: “This is an argument for prison abolition… prison abolition is the next abolition. A world without violence, violence against black boys, intimate violence and state violence.”

Link http://newsone.com/2001684/angela-davis-advocates-prison-abolishment/

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Invisible Lives

I write for the fallen men and women who people claim they don't see.
They fallen by the waste side
And they are given to me.
I pick them up dust them off for the world to see.
This is a human being you are leaving with me.
This is a human life that was once bright.
The person had eyes, had thoughts, had spirit,
They spoke words and know no one hears it.
Their story speaks to me because I listen
There are senseless killings out here that they've been given
Soulless body lying in a casket
They never had a chance to speak the words "justice" like they deserve
And know you have all the words it the world
And you may or may not decide to say anything

#Justice For Humans Not Just Animals#


©Precious Dorch-Robinson

For Trayvon Martin

I did not know you, but I know you were scared and alone. Trying to plead for your life because a stranger felt they had the power to take you life away. You just trying to get back from 7-Eleven as it rained and you put on your hooding while holding your Ice Tea and Skittles. I made this poem for you, my brother, my son, from another mother. R.I.P. Trayvon Martin

Confusion of Reality

41 times

Now 50

What’s next now 60

Shots fired on an innocent man

But if Vick has a bloody dog in his hand

Jailtime, uproar all on the news.

Take away his career

Are we all confused??

Animals every night on the news

An innocent man is nobody’s fool

An innocent man should have animal rights too.

41 shots

Now 50

Watch out for Neighborhood watch

They tend to shoot quickly
No questions asked

They don’t even wear a badge

You look suspious with a hoodie while it’s raining

And don’t let your pants sag

Doesn’t matter if it Skittles or Ice Tea

It’s looks like a weapon to me

You pose a threat to my community

When you look threatening to me.

 I’m trying to save humility

When I shoot another thug

Got my finger on the trigger

My hands in cold blood

I don’t hear a sound

When I’m shooting n*ggas down

They always get away

But I got one that day

I got the boys in blue

Now whos protecting you?

41 shots

Now 50

Whats next now black men are going quickly?

©Precious Dorch-Robinson

Love

The "Justice4Trayvon" Phoenix

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