Traci Bartlow Founder and Creative Director Starchild Enterprise, LLC
  • about
  • Workshops/Lectures
  • Dance
  • B- Loves Guest House
  • Photography
  • Blog
  • Press
  • Biography
  • Contact
  • My Hobby

BLOG


Cooperative Economics

12/29/2019

0 Comments

 

Ujamaa! That's the news for the day.  The principal of
Cooperative Economics. 

Picture

Picture
On this 4th day of Kwanzaa I highlight 3 business owners I met this year through The Runway Project. I heard about this small business loan and business development program through Oakland's Inner City Advisors where I've taken a few business courses.



Helping African American entrepreneurs take flight', is emblazed across The Runway Projects's webpage.  I applied and was approved for a loan and was soon introduced to a dynamic cast of cohorts who had businesses of their own.  The Runway Project has monthly group meetings that support the success of our endeavors and we get to connect with fellow entrepreneurs as we are building our dreams. I'm grateful for the loan I received from this project.  Getting a loan from traditional banks had proven fruitless or difficult with terms that leave much to be desired.  The Runway Project’s terms include building community with other African American business owners and well as ongoing support with business advisors that support your process for the life of the loan.  These practices embody the principal of Ujamaa, Cooperative Economics and it’s intention to build businesses, and control the economics in our community.   I am grateful for being a part of this program.

Last week I purchased products from 3 of my cohorts at Uptima Business Bootcamp's holiday party.  As I look at our pictures and the products for sale I'm thrilled to be a female business owner who is growing her business in the presence of other sister queens!  I purchased earring from Candid Arts, the Goddess pallet of eye shadow from Glo Girl cosmetics, and a head-wrap with a vibrant  display of color from Azteca Negra.  I will definitely post pictures when I wear their products. 
 
Happy Kwanza yall!

0 Comments

Kujichagalia-Self Determination

12/27/2019

0 Comments

 
Habari Gani Good People!  What's the news on this 2nd day of Kwanzaa?  Kujichagalia, Self Deterination! Today's principal is one of my favorites as it has been a key component in my survival guide in my quest for empowerment, liberation, and the decolonization of my mind.

I've been in many spaces that has pushed me to follow patterns that did not suit me and were just plain unhealthy. I needed to garner the strength to 'define myself, name myself, and speak for myself' as the Nguzo Saba principle states and goes on to say, 'so that you are not defined by others'.  This is a powerful liberator for anyone that wants to follow their dreams and especially for black folks who have been forced to conform to the ways of their oppressor.  Kujichagalia helps us break free and decolonize our ways of thinking and living.

This principle of self determination also supports the creation of a lifestyle and future I envisioned for myself, family and, community.   and to align with like minded people that hold similar values and visions for their life.

This past summer I was asked to be a part of a podcast called, 'Out of the Blocks, an immersive listening experience built from a mosaic of voices and soundscapes on the streets of Baltimore. '  This podcast has expanded from Baltimore to other African American neighborhoods and landed in West Oakland's Lower Bottoms neighborhood.   Out Of  The Blocks states, 'West Oakland’s Lower Bottoms neighborhood is home to the historical headquarters of the Black Panther Party. It’s also one train stop away from San Francisco, and escalating real-estate prices are quickly changing the character of the neighborhood.  This episode, we meet locals who find themselves living at the intersection of heritage and gentrification.
<<< Click here to listen to the podcast.
Picture
My heritage is of the black farmer.  My great grandparents owned 99 acres of land in central Texas.  This property was passed on to my grandfather and it was the land where my mother was born.  On this land my grandfather had fruit and nut trees, produce, livestock, a pond where they fished as well as a gravel pit whose contents helped pave the roads in McClendon county Texas.  It was a thriving business until a power company, Texas Power and Light forced my grandparents to sell their land a livelihood for meager sum.  So they packed up and moved to central California, San Luis Obispo where my grandpa's sister lived and owned a small restaurant.  My grandfather continued to be a business owner and self determined man and soon opened a grocery store called Tiny Mart on the corner of High Street and Carmel.  Below is a photo shot in 1970 of my grandfather Frank Bell inside Tiny Mart handing my sister a piece of candy.  Next to the picture is what the building looks like today.
Picture
Picture
My grandfather owned Tiny Mart for close to two decades.  My mother followed in her fathers footsteps as a gardener and entrepreneur who owner Neighborhood Wash & Dry in East Oakland.  I continued the legacy of my self determined ancestors by being a property owner, business owner of B-Love's Guest House, and having a thriving garden in the sacred space I created for myself and loved ones.  The principal of Kujichaglia is one of the core values I apply in my life and has helped me to live the life I have envisioned and defined for myself, family, and community.
Picture
0 Comments

One Of My Greatest Collaborators of the Past Decade

12/26/2019

1 Comment

 
Ray F. Davis!  He's a Jamaican born dancer that resides in NYC.  We met in 2014 at Frankie 100; a global centennial birthday celebration for Lindy Hop pioneer Frankie Manning.  We were cast in "Dawn's Dance" for Swinging Frankie's Way a performance at the Apollo Theater.
Picture


As we stayed in touch we learned that we spoke the same dance language: funk, house, boogaloo, poppin, get lite, vernacular jazz, and of course Lindy Hop.  Now, it's not many a dancer I meet that is versed in this way so it was exciting to plan to work together.
Picture
I was in the midst of fundraising and organizing the Starchild Dance Lindy Hop Porject who's mission was to reintroduce African American to the rich innovations and cultural dances of the Harlem Renaissance.  I was excited and proud to delve into this legacy work of my ancestors. 

Although Ray lived in NYC and I in California, I found ways to organize time for us to train together and develop performance and teaching material.  In addition to the funds I raised through IndieGoGo, the city of Oakland's Cultural Funding Department, and a commission through the EastBay Commuity Foundation, I landed a gig with Central Parks Summer Stage family programming where my sister Monique Martin was a director.  This gig allowed us to be on the same coast for about 3 weeks in the summer and work out the creative material I envisioned. Ray also came to Oakland for work I was doing with Diamano Coura, Leadership Excellence, and Eastside Cultural Center.  Below is a picture of our performance at Marcus Garvey Park at Harlem's Family Day.


Picture

Today I was looking through my hard drive and came across this video of one of our performance routines we performed on Lenox avenue after a photo shoot for our publicity shots.   This piece is a section of the family show I created called B-Love's Hip Hop Jazz Groove. In this section Ray and I have a Charleston dance battle that includes the many variations of the Charleston including swing outs I know would make Frankie Manning and Norma Miller proud.


Ray's fiance did a great job filming us as my sister helped with crowd control and other logistics.   Baby, look at the wide sidewalk in this historic neighborhood.  This is the birthplace of the Lindy Hop and we were thrilled to throw down and honor the legacy we are proud to preserve!

We did two takes and both were an amazing presentation!  I'm grateful this moment was captured of us showcasing our passion and creative work together!



As I reflect on the past 10 years and moving into 2020, dancing with Ray F. Davis has been one of my greatest collaborative experiences of the past decade!  Thank you Ray! And a special thank you to the Frankie Manning Foundation for all of your support.


Ray & I are featured in this video, 'Let Me Hear You Say Hep Hep'


Lindy Hop Forever!    Keep Swinging Yall!

1 Comment

    B-Love's Blog

    A view into the world of Artist/Entrepreneur Traci Bartlow

    Archives

    May 2021
    February 2021
    May 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    August 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    June 2018

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

  • about
  • Workshops/Lectures
  • Dance
  • B- Loves Guest House
  • Photography
  • Blog
  • Press
  • Biography
  • Contact
  • My Hobby