Preparing for LIFE IS LIVING!

Our arts residencies programs and Performing arts ensemble are showing their dedication to the green initiative as they diligently work and prepare for Saturday's Life is Living festival at Clarendon Park. Here are some pics and quotes about what they have been doing:

KL Arts Residency "Gifts from God" in Englewood practice dance moves for Saturday's show with their instructor Chris AkA MadDog..

In an interview with MadDog on Friday July 10th, we spoke about how some of the themes of the So fresh & So Green initiative are being implemented into his curriculum...

MadDog: Well its not very easy to find songs or lyrics that relate to this topic but we find creative ways to introduce our performances such as skits and intros that explain our understanding and commitment to the green movement.

Me [Morgan]: Another part of Kuumba Lynx's green philosophy is the idea of decorporatizing the movement and bringing it down to a more community based, cultural level. This means learning to respect our various urban environments and embracing the ways that we can and already do "Go Green." How do you think this idea can be initiated and developed?

MadDog: I think a big problem is that unfortunately, a lot of people in our communities don't care and that is the first step. We have to change our conduct and way of thinking. Land is one of the most important entities to a people and if you don't take care of it it will be taken away, as is currently happening. We have to be less selfish and more proactive because in order to make our communities green, we must first change the people in our communities.

Participants at the Clarendon Park site also gave some insight into their preparations for the festival:

Zebadiah Arrington [Age 18] said, "We as a group have worked on self exploration through yoga and meditation in the in the beginning of the day to bring ease to ourselves and do our work wit productivity."

Ryan Lucas [Age 21] says, "We've also been doing a lot of painting of objects in nature. This has made me more aware of my environment and how to take better care of it."

Lala from KLPE admits, "For the past few weeks, planning for the Life is Living festival has been pretty hectic. As a member of the Kuumba Lynx Street Arts Ensemble, we have been working to create performance pieces for the festival, promoting the event, and preparing out team to be ready for Brave New Voices and Life is Living. We have made T-shirts, banners, poems, and scenes. We also participated in an environmental workshop by Little Village Environmental Justice Organization. the ensemble created scenes to present environmental injustices and discussed the problems and solutions of 'going Green.'"

Below are some pix of them gettin ready for the fest: