AmbassadorNique Productions Presents: “Be The Change” (Digital Story)

For almost a year I’ve wanted to create this digital story. Starting with nothing, there were many factors that slowed down the process. Nevertheless, the blame could only be placed on my shoulders. The most challenging hurdle was finding the story. For months I could not figure out what story I wanted to tell. I bounced around themes and while my original story tied in music, something i’ve always loved, this was not the story I wanted to share.

While I feel that with more time this video could have been 10x better, a lesson I was taught was that you must release art and keep working in order to grow to your full potential. I have not been following this rule, but I hope the change starts here!

In my opinion social change comes with education and collaboration. In order to break down barriers we much share our stories and shred the assumptions and ignorance that we are fed in our society. This is my first digital story of many. I hope to not only share more of myself, but more of my friends, my family and my community. You should too.

-AmbassadorNique

August Announcements (Written By AmbassadorNique)

AUGUST ALREADY!

Definitely crazy to actually say that. Summer is almost over and fall is upon us. While it’s gone by fast I have been fortunate enough to have made great memories. Moving forward I have some big stuff coming up! Some parts of my life are coming to an end (working my 9 to 5) and others are just getting started! Without further or due, the updates….

We The People (UPDATE): I’M WORKING! I promise! I also understand that once graduate school starts my life will be shut down for quite some time. As I type this I am waiting for videos to sync in the background. I definitely want to plan an event where I can invite close friends and people that helped sponsor and make this all possible. This month I plan to have everything in place and by September be working on the finishing touches, transitions lighting, sound etc.

Graduate School: Wow this is approaching fast and just around the corner. I am mentally prepping by reading and finding the resources and networks that I will need in order to make it through this journey and be successful. Also I there are a few opportunities I would like to take advantage of as well.

Health: I’ve been working toward eating smarter and doing what I can to put extra steps in my day. I am very excited for my IMA membership and have started to cook more and eat out less.

Finances: I’ve been doing a very poor job of saving money and this is something I definitely want to do better at. I can however say that the money that I have been spending for the most part has been going towards things that I consider an investment to my future. Definitely need to crack open some Dave Ramsey.

Hawaii: Speaking of investments! I will go to Hawaii for 12 days on August 15th! I will visit my grandmother and Aunt on a much needed REAL vacation! I will continue to work on my film, read and EAT! Basically just scratched the last two points out. Just kidding! I will definitely work to continue to hike while I am out there and take a lot of pictures. Free housing, psh can’t past that up! J

Little Dragon: Upon my return I am excited to go see Little Dragon perform live at Showbox Sodo! I love shows and I love to travel!

Digital Story Telling: One of the things I look forward to doing is collecting the digital stories of my peers who do art around the city. I think I will use Premier and an online platform called WEVideo. I will also try to step my photography game up and look for a cool place on campus to shoot some videos.

Japanese: I hope to return to Japan next summer and therefore I am looking for a language partner.

Personal Growth: Some things I am working on personally are consistency in everything I do from everything listed above. I also would like to become better at following up on networks.

Thank you for reading.

AmbassadorNique

 

 

#Inspiration: I, Too, Am Harvard

Since #BBM (and probably way before that…) many black student organizations have been speaking out about their own personal experiences and institutional racism on University campuses across the US. While some may brush these observations to the side and label them complaining, I believe that these movements do a great job of telling authentic stories of being a minority at a college institution. Furthermore these stories speak to larger issue’s highlighting the importance of a diverse curriculum and the importance of a diverse faculty that most school lack.

I am always inspired by storytelling and the different ways narratives are told. I will continue to learn and share my findings. Enjoy the video.

AmbassadorNique

#BBUM

titathomas:

The revolution will not be televised. When it comes, it will run thru the streets like blood, killing anything without substance. | Please be sure to check out the #BBUM hashtag on Twitter! #JoinTheMovement #BBUM #OurVoicesWILLBeHeard #BlackSolidarity #UMich

THIS IS WHAT WE NEED! I SUPPORT THIS 100% USING TECHNOLOGY TO FIGHT FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE, TO TELL THE STORIES OF THE OFTEN UNHEARD AND VOICELESS AND TO SHARE OUR IDENTITY. THE BLACK EXPERIENCE AND THE EXPERIENCES OF ALL HUMAN BEINGS ACROSS ETHNICITY IS TO DIVERSE TO BE LIMITED TO A 2 HOUR HOLLYWOOD FILM OR 30 MINUTE TELEVISION SHOW. SPECIFICALLY THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IS MORE THAN SLAVERY, CIVIL RIGHTS, DRUGS, AND OBAMA. I HOPE #BBUM SPARKS FORWARD THINKING AND PROGRESSIVE THOUGHTS AT ALL PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES AND WE CAN USE THESE CONVERSATIONS TO SPARK DIALOGUE WITH MY GENERATION OF THINKERS WHO KNOW WE TO ARE GREAT!

-AmbassadorNique

Committed (Written By AmbassadorNique)

How committed are we in making our goals into a reality? Is it something that we will dedicate everyday too? What is it that we are committed too? What if no one believes?

Yes, our goals will change but with change comes updated blueprints. We must continue to make new friends whom inspire us, and create new partnerships and projects that will take us closer to our destinations. Read everyday, write more and find new ways to articulate our vision.

The Goal 

My current goal is to use technology to create sustainable learning resources and outlets for story telling for all communities but especially communities of color and underrepresented communities. It is my belief that having a sense of identity brings us closer to whom we really are and where we would like to be. The bridge between our dreams and our realities are the resources and opportunities that we take advantage of. Every human being has a vision of where he or she wants to be. I hope to not only reach my goal but inspire curiosity, and deliver the resources and opportunities that will feed it.  

Through technology, photography, videography and digital media, we have the power to share stories. Technology has made the people around us more human than ever. No longer must we assume or categorize the other. With technology we can now share our individualities, our stories, our truths, our fears, our love, our lives.

Upcoming Projects: 

Project 1: Digital Stories

Due: November 10th

By the end of the week I will have created my digital story about why I want to attend the iSchool  This project is apart of a larger project that I am doing at work over at UW. Its very important for me to complete this project because it has everything to do with why I believe technology is so important.

Project 2: PhotoVoice

Due: November 5th – December 18th

I will complete a 5 week 1 hour course with Northgate Elementary where students will create a collage that will answer the question, “How are you apart of your community?” The project will be done with a diverse group of students at an elementary school that is 90% at or below poverty level. This project will introduce students to photography, the importance of identity, the importance of community, and will hopefully spark a new level of social conciseness.  We will bring artists to come speak to the students about their own stories, community involvement, and techniques. The students will be introduced to basic photography, be handed camera’s and told to take pictures of how they are apart of their communities. The students will then create a collage and a caption for their collage. After the project is completed students will share their art with their peers and parents at an art show. Our hope is that our students, their parents and our community will take pride in the art that is created.

Project 3: Graduate School Applications

Due: January 2014

I will be applying to the University of Washington and the University of Oregon’s iSchool’s for Fall 2014 with the same mission. I will fine tune my mission, complete the GRE’s (Dec 21st) and share my plan with as many people as possible. It is my belief that sharing will help fine tune the outcome and place me in front of more resources and networks. Graduate school will offer me an opportunity to create more resources and build more bridges that will bring more technology access and education to all students.

Closing 

My commitment will be determined by my actions. I must continue to surround myself with those who inspire me. It is important to use my time wisely, support the causes that create the world that I would like to see. Spend my time and my money on helping push forward these causes and not getting side tracked with what has become the societal norm. My time and my creativity are my most important possessions. With that said I must communicate better, be wiser, eat healthier, exercise and mediate more and love stronger. I must stay committed. 

-AmbassadorNique 

New Orleans – Explained… (Where are you from?)

Where are you from? Are you from Seattle?

These questions have always been challenging for me to answer. Depending on the circumstances and how much time I have to explain myself the answer may vary. Well, technically yes at this point I’ve spent most of my life in the Pacific Northwest and now reside in South Seattle (BEACON!). So, yes… for all practical purposes I can say I am from Seattle.

Its interesting the way we ask the “where are you from” questions to certain groups of people expecting different answers. For those who can trace their roots back to a specific place (city or country) outside of the United States, “Where are you from?” demands a completely different answer. While most Asian/Pacific Islanders and Latino’s are expected to hold a pride to what is sometimes foreign lands, in America most African American’s trace their roots to the South of the United States while those of European ancestry aren’t really expected to know, care or understand. (Sidenote: My theory about this is people trace back to where they feel like their family had the most clout… I digress). In short, like most African Americans I trace my roots back to Louisiana and Arkansas because well.. We have no family records or pictures from any of the 52 countries in Africa. 

Another complication is the fact that I was born in the beautiful city of Tokyo, Japan. Unfortunately since my skin is dark this answer to the question “where are you from?” has never been acceptable. How’d this happen? Well my father was in the US Military. Although my parents didn’t exactly grow up in New Orleans is the closest metropolitan city, and its where the football team is! I still have aunts uncles grandparents and cousins all over Louisiana. My siblings would attend universities in New Orleans and we would take family road trips and vacations back “home” growing up. So even though I’ve never “lived” in New Orleans, just as I call Tokyo and Seattle.. New Orleans is home… 

**Tangent** I am a die hard New Orleans Saints fan. 0 and 16 or 13 and 3, I have one team and one team only year in and year out. Being that I’ve been in Seattle so long I never root against the Seahawks, but I don’t call myself a fan. **Done**

After moving from Japan my family moved to Houston, Texas. I was very young and don’t remember much, but I do know that it wasn’t the safest place in America at the time of our arrival. We would live there for less than a year and soon after my siblings and I would move to Louisiana with my grandparents before heading to the Northwest at age 6 in 1993. My father and uncle would travel from Louisiana to Washington with my siblings and I. My Uncle would only stay a few months and I have faint memories of us listening to music together and doing crazy things like eating Ketchup sandwiches.

As life would have it, I wouldn’t see my uncle again after ‘93. We did however keep in touch and he later became one of my greatest inspirations. As life demands more of our time and as I got older we still found time to catch up and keep each other informed, and I do my best to keep him updated on my life changes and share my photo’s with him.

On October 18, 2013 I would take a red eye flight from the Seattle/Tacoma International Airport to Louis Armstrong International (New Orleans, Louisiana). 

**To Be Continued**

Domonique Meeks
AmbassadorNique Productions

In China, Beware: A Camera May Be Watching You

This article is an interesting listen. It reminded me of an article I posted a few months back about Microsoft helping the NYPD do pretty much the same thing (See http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/09/nypd-domain-awareness-surveillance-system-built-microsoft_n_1759976.html).

I guess the only difference is the United States has not quite reached the programs full potential. Either that are we are much more quiet about it. Nevertheless this should not scare anyone for visiting China however it should wake people up about what is soon to come in a city near you. As I mentioned earlier when the news first came out about NYPD, if it was created by Microsoft you better believe Washington State metropolitan cities like Bellevue and Seattle are not far from trying to get these laws implemented. Seeing as how the Seattle Police Department already has a drone, I mean why would not they have the technology to spy on anyone they please? 

In China, Beware: A Camera May Be Watching You

Shocking ‘napalm girl’ photo from Vietnam War turns 40

Napalm girl

I thought this was an amazing story! This woman was dealt a hand that would cause most people to fold, yet she still found a way to be ambitious chase her dreams and make her way through the obstacles.

Through patience and perseverance, hard work and dedication anything is possible. Sometimes success in life is about timing and being able to take advantage when opportunity presents itself. Its still sad to think that 1972 was not so long ago. In the words of Marvin Gay(e) “War Is Not The Answer… for only love can conquer hate” 

Shocking ‘napalm girl’ photo from Vietnam War turns 40