SheeRo

In a world where men are consistently idolized, Id like to use my platform not to idolize woman

but to appreciate their everyday

fight to do something more than what the norm expects of them.

They say its a mans world

But it would be nothing without a WOMAN’s touch.

To put Woman on a pedestal highly, back where they belong

Is for nations to never suffer again!

Today my SheeRo is

Ty Black, also known as Queen Blizzy age 27 from East New York, Brooklyn,

known for her Hip Hop, activism, and community work.

Here are a few questions i asked to help get to know her better.

BWB

How do you use what you do to create social justice awareness to your people?

QB

By placing social topics in my music, activism, and community work. Spreading awareness, knowledge,

and solutions for social justice in all avenues I embark on.

BWB

What does culture mean to you ?

QB

Culture means a way a life. A bond with communities and race.

BWB

How do you feel about the current white washing of black and brown communities? And what

message/advice do you have for white people moving in?

QB

I feel, just like damn near everything else in America, gentrification is a way to keep black and brown people

oppressed. I also feel that after years of this, we should be tired of the cycle, and fighting harder

then ever against it. I don’t have any advice for white people moving in. I do have advice for the

black and brown people being pushed out. Unite and build.

Understand that all this oppression is coming from the same source. The people united can never be defeated.

BWB

What are some of the projects you a are currently working on?

QB

June 17th makes 11 months since the murder of Eric Garner. Im assisting Jewel, the mother of

Eric’s 1 year old daughter with an action. This action is powerful and creative. People will be organizing

together to spell out Eric Garner on the ground with  their bodies. This is something I encourage everyone to partake in.

For more info like the page facebook.com/LegacyGarner.

Another program I’m working on is “Warrior Queen Wednesdays”. Stay updated on facebook.com/TyBlizzyBlack

BWB

As powerful as your voice is, is their anything you fear?

QB

What I ultimately fear is staying still. Not growing and progressing. Life is constant and about evolution.

If you aren’t growing, your dead.

BWB

What does black and brown success mean to you ? How does it look ?

QB

Black and brown success is black and brown people being Creatively great and powerful. No oppression, and no

boundaries of fear. Peace and unity among one another.

Brooklyn Queen Reppin

Leaders Look Like This

Stylin on Them

 

Hands Up, But They Still Shoot

It is said that the NYC police department will be issuing a budget to get body cameras in which police officers will be required to record when interacting with civilians. We live in a country where the Eric Garner murder was recorded, the coroner declared it a homicide, and still No Justice. Mike Brown had his hands up and Darren Wilson still shot the innocent teenager and Trayvon Martin yelled for his life as Zimmerman gunned him down. Along with many other black and brown lives taken inhumanely. Yet America has labeled us the animals.

To say there is a problem within our policing system would be an understatement. It is corrupt from the bottom up and has always been rooted by a white supremacist system. Black and brown people have a civil right to be treated with equality. People of color should not feel threatened by police presence as opposed to feeling safe. Mothers shouldn’t have to verbally train their sons how to be, act, speak, and react around law enforcement. We are living in an era where you have to teach your children if ever stopped to not resist, to keep their hands where cops can see them at all times. Things that white mothers and fathers are not subjected to as black and brown communities are. The truth in white privilege.

One of the things that seems to come up a lot during these conversations is “Let’s not play the race card.” I think what people don’t understand is that that’s exactly what people are doing. Playing the hand that was dealt. And if people are tired of hearing about it, imagine how hard it is to live it every single day of your life. Our black and brown communities need to love each other, protect each other, build from the roots up. We have to learn our culture in order to find the truth within ourselves. We have to teach our youth. They are the target and it is our responsibility to give them safe spaces where they can be creative and learn to use their voices.

Growing up, we learned that history had a way of repeating itself. I think I always knew I’d be a part of something life-changing and altering. My first protest was for the Mike Brown verdict. I remember feeling like it was my obligation, my social responsibility to be there, to be an extra body and voice. A couple of close friends and I walked to the train and for the whole ride I felt pretty numb. My friend asked if I was ok. I told him I was. He went on to explain that i must remain level-headed at all times, and that I can’t let my emotions control my actions. I smiled and recall saying, “I’m good.” He said, “you don’t understand, this is something new to you and very powerful.” I just nodded. Our stop finally came, we got off and approached to street level. Outside you could see a lot of people with signs. Some looked confused, didn’t know which way to go, while others led the way. Three blocks into walking, I heard them. All in unity, “BLACK LIVES MATTER.” It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard in my life. It was so powerful and so unified that it brought tears to my eyes. At that moment I felt connected. The more we walked and the bigger we got I started to feel like I had done this before. I have a friend who always talks to me about blood memory. I get so passionate about things and feel so connected to my culture that it makes me feel as if I have been here before. As if I have fought this battle before – and we have. It’s in our blood. We are fighting a systemic form of oppression that has been going on for way too long. Everywhere we turn we have to fight the system in some way, shape, or form. Our families deserve better than that. Our children aren’t animals.

The system shouldn’t hold the power to decide which of our people live or die!

In the fight for justice, we hope that the families of the lost ones find some type of peace and, although it may hurt, they are never alone. As a woman of indigenous ethnicity raising a son, I also live in fear of a system run by oppression and white supremacy. We as the people must join forces and learn to value each other as brothers and sisters.

I hope for peace and justice, especially for our youth .

Yes, all lives matter!
BUT
IT’S APPARENT THAT OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM DOES NOT VALUE THE LIVES OF BLACKS!

 Written By : Jazo Brooklyn 

Edited By: Madeline Kennedy

Bushwick Vendors Market

Valentines Event

Come by get to meet some of the people within the community while supporting small businesses

THINGS TO CHECK OUT THIS WEEKEND

SATURDAY DECEMBER 27 2014

Frostbites & Fleas RSVP HERE

If you haven’t been introduced, meet RestlessLeg

Catch the rest of the flock on Instagram (@restlessleg), Etsy (RestlessLeg) and www.becsloane.com .

But then again why don’t you just scoop up the folks around you and bring ’em on down to the marketplace.

The candy land fashion show will be built around inner city kids ranging from the age of 3 to 17 years old.

All of our sponsors are fashion designers magazines and radio personalities. Together we will bring youth talent to the next

level.Safe Horizon is an organization that helps victims of interpersonal crime and abuse. Our two programs together will

focus on individuals affected by domestic violence, child abuse, rape and sexual assault, crime, human trafficking, and

stalking, as well as homeless youth and families of homicide victims.

JOIN EVENT HERE 

FREE ICE CREAM AND BEER!

SUNDAY DECEMBER 28TH 2014

Come out to another Invasion Of The Stickers curated event to raise money for

Educated Little Monsters Youth Group 

Hip Hop

Graffiti

All info on flyer

RSVP Here 

Bushwick Events This Weekend

#BLACKLIVESMATTER

This march is going to be massive and is organized in a very short time, we can use all the support we can get. So we would like to reach out to all of you who are able to step up and fill support roles.

TODAY 6-9 PM

RSVP HERE

For those art lovers. Come on out and support a dope underground Graffiti Movement by Brooklyn Artist

All art will be for sale.

1 718 Collective will be donating 25% to Educated Little Monsters Youth Group

All info on Flyer

*Music

*Drinks

Join The EVent on Facebook

No one should spend the Holidays Alone

Swerve Church a local ministry will be putting a community potluck together

Saturday December 13th at Express Yourself Cafe 

82 Central Ave, Brooklyn New York

Join their Facebook Event Page

Click Here 

#FeministsOnTheMove Contingent at Millions March NYC

Led by AF3IRM NYC and the Sister Circle Collective.

The meetup location is at Washington Sq North and 5th Avenue at 1pm. Wear as much purple as you can!

All signs, chants etc should be in honor of the women, girls and LGBTQ, gender non-conforming folks who have lost their lives to state and police violence. In particular, we will honor Black women, girls and LGBTQ folks such as Aiyana Jones, Kayla Moore, Nizah Moore, Rekia Boyd, Shantel Davis and more.

RSVP HERE

Bushwick Vendors Market

Come out tomorrow September 14th to The Bushwick Vendors Market happening at the Silent Barn. 603 Bushwick Ave From 12-7pm.
BVM is a new community  oriented market hoping to attract people from all walks of life. While creating opportunities within the neighborhood.
Here are a few photos of some of the vendors you will see tomorrow.

        Scented Candles

               Jewelry

            Home Decor

        Stuffed Animals

DRTY SMMR, BUSHWICK NIGHTS

by Jaz Colon

Ok, so we know that there are a bunch of boutiques, galleries, and cafes popping up in Bushwick. With four coffee shops on one block, it’s all becoming over-rated. Some people have even said that it’s no longer feeling like a community. Why is there a huge disconnect between the new community that is being built and the pre-existing one that has been around for thirty-plus years? It’s not the new businesses that are creating this feeling. It’s the people who run them. However, this is not the story with every new venture in Bushwick. There are a lot of genuine people doing amazing things through all forms of art, from music, dancing, fashion, and more.

Alfredo Leijia (29, born and raised in Texas) and Shock Vintage (29, born and raised in Atlanta, GA) are among the many talented. They run a collaborative boutique called DRTY SMMR (DS), which lies on 1198 Myrtle Ave. Being under the loud and constantly running M train gives their storefront a chic, yet edgy look. From the outside you can see at least two racks filled with treasures: evening gowns, vintage findings, and punky, avant-garde styles. Inside are enough beautiful accessories to leave you with a completely new outfit.

Beautiful murals, along with paintings, dress their walls. DS has it all, but the thing that struck me the most was the vibe I got the minute I walked into the space. It felt inviting. Alfredo and Shock were very warm and vibrant and filled with genuine personality. You could sense their joy in having you there. Their whole essence and how they carry themselves represent community. They really have a passion to build bonds with every one who walks in and out of their shop. Alfredo and Shock are very connected to the local youth group, Educated Little Monsters. Shock came and spent a day with them talking about fashion and design. Alfredo created the costume for their first dance showcase. He took care of them. Knowing that this little shop not only offers unique fashion, but also helps the community is a win for any town. Make sure you come out and give them a visit.

Here’s a little info about the designers:

Bushwick Bridge (BWB): How long have you lived in Bushwick and what made you choose Bushwick?

Alfredo Leijia (AL): Actually, my first apartment was in Bed-Stuy, in 2010. I left there at the time, because I felt like it wasn’t coming up fast enough. You know, that young creative life. The Bushwick art scene was a lot stronger than it was in Bed-Stuy at the time.

Shock Vintage (SV): I’ve been in Bushwick, on and off, for four years. I chose Bushwick for the prices and distance to the city.

 

BWB: How long have you been designing?

AL: Wow, I was about fifteen. I designed four girls’ dresses and my suit for our high school prom. I was sketching at seven years old. I always knew that I wanted to make things with my hands and at fifteen I knew it was my passion. I still have the sketch of an off-the-shoulder jacket I made in red.

SV: I’ve been designing ever since I was about 12-years-old.

BWB: How would you describe your designs?

AL: They are edgy and elegant. I always feel like I’m dressing up a vampire from the 1920s. I wish I grew up in the 1920s and the 1940s. I love [those eras]. [They] inspire my style.

SV: My designer style is a mixture between urban-wear and athletic-wear. And [it’s] slightly couture, due to the authenticity.

BWB: How has your experience been overall in Bushwick?

AL: I really like it a lot. It’s one of the best communities I’ve been to. So many mixtures of people. I love the diversity. We get a lot of good feedback from people who come by our shop. We had this one lady–who happened to be a native–who told us, “Thank you for bringing some beauty to our community.” It felt amazing to hear her say that. It’s also an overwhelming feeling to see how happy a new client is when they get something custom-made specifically for them. It always feels like my first piece.

BWB: Do you think Bushwick fits your style?

SV: Bushwick, like most areas, don’t necessarily fit my style, because I’m extremely unique within my style. It’s never planned. It’s inspired by culture and art and fashion.

BWB: What do you love most about designing clothes?

SV: Designing clothes is very therapeutic. It’s also exclusive, because you are the only person who creates that design. There is nothing like originality.

Corrupted Minds

Ariel age 15 Bushwick Native

My life in motion pictures so you know how I was raised/
Worked hard to be where I’m at so you probably amazed.
How hard I worked and the stress having to get here/
Yeah that was ignorant but still what does it matter?/
When you seen friends leaking away like blood splattered
My melon leaking knowledge to educate these fruits/
Know my history before you realize bumps in the produce.
Section where I’m from, a place where lives get taken/
But when I’m gone my spirit always reawakens.
And I reincarnate to build another mindset/
And 26 bodies as much as the alphabet.
But really I’m about making the music and show my movements/
Of how much I changed matured so you can see my improvements.
Please choose him, the pokémon’s you never noticed/
And find better drum kits than the flying lotus.

“What I want in the Future”

When I grow up I only wanna have 2 kids
One son and one daughter thats 2 bibs
One pink the other one is a blue bib
No twins so ima be getting 2 cribs
But this is how i want it
exactly in this order
First son and then comes my little daughter
Cause if her mother and own father is not there
God for bid, her big brother be right there
Nightmares is something that THEY will not have…
Cause they got mom
and they got dad
And as a real man ima be there for them
Ima tell them daddy is right here for them
Take care them and give them what I never had
Starting off with a dad
that wont leave them sad
The only time that im leaving is to get money
Cause I ain’t gonna be having my kids dress bummy
THEY always gonna be having food in and out the tummy
And that’s real talk
ain’t nothing funny
As a kid I was going through alot of shit
But my kids ain’t going through what they father did
And that’s word to my mother and my lil sis.
Rolando Nellis 18
Ro lives in Brownsville, Brooklyn but also spends a lot of time in Bushwick.  This kids way of releasing words is completely amazing.

Bridging Bushwick PotLuck

Garden Pot luck Broadway and Greene
                 Bushwick, Brooklyn

July 13th 3-7pm
Bridging Bushwick is a get together that happens once a month to give the community both native and new the opportunity to get to know each other.
We invite everyone in the community to come out, bring a dish and good vibes. This months event will be at The Peoples Garden.  A beautiful tree lined garden with amazing energy.
Bridging Bushwick’s mission is to create bonds and bring people together from all walks of life. Their is a very big gap in our community and we’d like to be able to create a safe space with good energy through, pot lucks, movie nights, open mics and more.
Hope to see some new faces come and build.
Open mic performances by
Educated Lyrical Monsters Bushwick youth.