Street Roots • January 16-22, 2015
YOUNG, fro m page 8
I just nudge and guide, the ones that kind of
just come to me, are my favorite.
I never really got into psychedelic drugs.
Maybe I should?
News
R. Y.: Global warming. Yay. I’m joking.
S. Z.: It is a tragedy, globalwarming. What
are your thoughts about that?
R. Y.: I was shocked when the pope
addressed it.
S.Z.: I don’t remember many dreams.
R. Y.: Oh! I remember most of my dreams.
S. Z.: What is an interesting dream you’ve
had recently?
R. Y.: I had an entire Russian prison
escape film, the entire thing, with the
option for a Part II. I woke up completely
exhausted from running through the woods
and dogs chasing... it was in color and fully
had a plot and a sub plot.
S. Z.: There is research that shows an
undeniable link between ADD and creativity.
R. Y.: It’s kind of an outlet. Letting that
part of your brain — that is always moving —
just letting it go. Well, you have to learn to
pull it back sometimes or it will just be
running around the room.
S. Z.: It’s the new year. Is that an important
reflective time for you?
R. Y.: (After a long pause) Yeah. And after
two or three months of rain ... actually it’s
been pretty nice this winter.
S. Z.: I t’s bizarre. The roses behind my place
are still blooming. Blooming\
S. Z.: He continues
to impress.
R. Y.: I mean, that
is like a billion people;
who have been
advised to take action
to fight global
warming.
I would be much
more concerned if I
had children or my
brothers had children.
R. Y.: I should pave gone into law and
then I could have a much more eloquent
response to that. As far as race is
concerned, uh, I’m a white male and so I
can’t really Speak to anyone else’s
experience.
S.Z.: As you travel,
do you get a sense of
what Europeans think
of the gun violence in
America?
R.Y.: From the
people I have talked
with, they are both
disgusted and
fascinated by us.
We played this tiny
town in Germany and it was the first time
my brother, Michael, played drums with us
on that tour. He was drinking beers with
two small-town German boys and they told
him that he looked European. “You don’t
have a huge, thick neck and you don’t have
scars where the bullets went
through”(pointing to his chest). I think
some people think it is like the Wild West -
which in some places it kind of is.
Most people are fairly educated on what
is going on.
S. Z.: B ut surely you have thoughts about it.
R.Y.: It’s horrible. I don’t think people
should be killing cops nor should cops be
killing people.
I’m really confused why grand juries are
class with you. No, get a book, do the work,
and then come to me so we can have an
actual conversation. There are bookstores
and the truer I am to myself the more
and libraries with shelves and shelves of
relatable it is to people who are reading i t
authors talking about (the African-
American experience)
A.G.: When
from every angle about
you’re performing to
every issue with as
" It's a lo t a t people w anting
a mostly white
much statistical
audience, to you
information as you
t© da the work I© make tilin g s
ever feel like you
better and it's » at gaiag la bap« want, with as much
have to explain
pea II ta lks wb© bave p rivile g e poeticness as you
more the experience
want, you name it.
d on 't step back aad com m it
of a black woman or
Pictures, illustrated,
child version — it’s out
do you think that it ta doing same work, Aad that
w ork Is net fast asking the
there,
is just enough that
brow» or black people that are
the story is out
A.G.: What do you
there?
la ye ar e&ice o r la year class
see
as the social
w ith yea. No, get a book, da the
function of poetry and
T.A.: I think you
work, aad then came to me so
its performance?
can’t control how
we can bare ait actual conver
(the audiences)
T.A.: Poetry, it’s
hear it or how they sation«^
really accessible,
interpret it or what
which is why I like it
they get from it. I
as an artform for the
think in this
people. I think anyone can write. I’ve
region, especially as the majority and not
always felt that at the end of the day it s
having to deal with a lot of actual diversity,
not just about me, the individual artist. It’s
I think sometimes people are working on a
different level ot understanding. It’s a lot of like, how do we make spaces for other
people to find their artistic talent and
people wanting to do the work to make
things better and it’s not going to happen if express it? So a lot of the work I ve done
has been around hosting events, creating
folks who have privilege don’t step back
events and creating the spaces for adults
and commit to doing some work. And that
but also I do tons of youth work with lots of
work is not just asking the brown or black
organizations helping young people write
people that are in your office or in your
AUTRY, from page 7
hot bringing these officers to trial - even if
there is video — just being shot down in the
street. I think it’s being tolerated because of
white fear that they’re losing control and so
they (police) are tolerating a certain amount
of backlash.
You have to go to BBC or external news
sources to even read
about these things.
B w r j g©»g Is to ta lly diSferenl
la how 1 g© about ereatsag It,
Tb© ©aes that I try I© large ar©
always awfaL The ©aes that I
Jast a a ig e asid g a lie , the ©aes
that kin d ©I just come to itt©,.
are my favorite.
S. Z;: What do1 you think about the growing
rift between police and the public in general
over the continued killing of black boys and
men?
Page 9
S.Z.: To the same degree that we are, I
suppose.
R.Y.: I think we’re all just baffled. What
the heil is going on?
and step to a stage and share their stories.
It’s very much about how we all contribute
our unique gifts to the world, because
everyone has something that they’re here
to offer. Artistic expression is a way for
people to come into who they are.
Everyone has a mission. How do we help
them get there?
A.G.: What’s next for you? ,
T.A.: I’ve been working on playing violin.
I want to get back into music and really just
start pushing my own boundaries and
really defining who I want to be as an
artist. Being a poet has been really
practical and it’s definitely my calling. But
now I’m thinking about where I want to go
with my a rt
Now I’m a playwright, so that’s pretty
cool. I’m curious about exploring that. I’ve
acted in a couple works of local artists, but
this (show) is really pushing me in a
different way because I’m taking on
different characters and really trying to
personify, so who knows? Maybe I’ll really
like this acting thing. I’m kind of just being
open.
Roots, Reality & Rhyme: The One-Woman
Show premieres Jan. 24, 2 p.m. at Conduit
Dance, Inc. Visit turiyaautry.com to
purchase tickets, view additional
performance dates, and learn more about
Turiya Autry.
S.Z.: It’s true. Republicans have the
majority in both houses of Congress and
Obama is on his way out the door...
R. Y.: I don’t think anything is going to
change. Because they (Republicans) were
obstructionists before. They’re not going to
try to overthrow Roe vs. Wade or do
anything for the Religious Right. They’re not
going to help poor people. They won’t help
the middle class, I think it’s just kind of
throwing the ball back-and-forth from the
people who really control this country; giant
corporations.
Just because they shuffled the board
room Up a little bit - it’s still the same board
room. I’m jaded today.
S. Z.: I ’m asking you all the easy questions
R. Y.; I think maybe I should stop bitching
and do more things.
S. Z.: We all should do that. What is 2015
going to bring for you?
R. Y.; Try to be productive. Try to
motivate myself to get more done. The band
was having drinks and we Were talking about
everything that we do is for ourselves in an
unintentionally selfish way. So We all
decided we wanted to volunteer, but we
weren’t sure where to start.
S. Z.: We should talk. I have a few ideas.
R.Y.: I thought you might.
Who Am I
by Sean Sheffield
I think it is a mixture
Of culture and childhood heroes
Who make us
My heroes were Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
and Malcolm X
I tried to bring compassion and
understanding
To people like Dr. King did
But also a passion and a fire
To my arguments like Malcolm X
Every now and then I let
The Hulkmania run wild
Growing up
In a gang neighborhood
Gave me an understanding
Of different cultures
And a determination
That feeds me to this day
All of these things
Make me
Who I am
Today