Paris Noir 2010

Meocha Belle

Ralph Ellison defined "true jazz," as, "an act of individual assertion within and against the group, a jazz group achieves its full effect only if the musicians test each other or test each others' strengths and through improvisation, explore the full range of each members untapped potentialities. Each true jazz moment springs from a context in which each artist challenges all the rest, each solo flight represents a definition of his identity, her identity as individual, as member of a collectivity and as a link in the chain of traditions. " There were many moments where myself and my cohort were tested and had to improvise. From Day 1 we were made to navigate the streets of Paris on our own to become for familiarized with our new home and when things were not made to accustom us, reminders were made that we were not in our own personal space and had to adjust. We were pushed to learn the necessary French words and phrases to be used in class which was not a traditional classroom, but a famous cafe-Cafe de Flore. Many students were made to break out of their habits that altered their messages. Through the countless walks, talks, readings, and analyses, we were made to test our own limits and bring out our "untapped potentialities" to know "the history, present condition, education, and literature of blacks in the Diaspora" (Fabre). Although arriving to this point may have seemed menial at times, a transition has occurred. I have noticed changes in not only myself but many people in my Paris Noir 2010 cohort and know it was only because of this experience were people able to grow in ways that they did. There were many students from other American schools who stayed in our hotel and it was apparent that they did not play "true jazz" like we did from their habits of taking over the lounge area, being loud and disrespectful, leaving their trash behind, and taking more breakfast then was needed. So merely going to Paris did not make this change, it was the structure of the courses, location of the classroom, texts studied, minds open, feet walking, and guides given.

On a more personal level, studying within the French culture has exposed me to a plethora of ethnicities and nationalities that I otherwise would not have known about. In my short time there, I grew to learn the peoples and cultures of from Les Antilles, Haiti, Africa, France and so many more. I now find myself waiting for every to be served to eat, wanting to dine alone, saying "oui" and "merci" without realizing it, and understanding that circumstances change and are not under my control. I also have become normalized to things others view as weird and crazy, I am willing to try new foods and realize that different people are brought up in ways that are not necessarily lesser than those America holds in regard. I have also noticed how judgemental, insensitive loud and just plain wrong Americans can be and has caused me to check myself any time I fall victim to behaving in such a manner. I am constantly observing and watching people as cafe life was made to function, and grew to appreciate the silence and lack of probing by Parisians. I even have cravings for croissants with boiled eggs and Gouda, baguettes, bissop, maafe, plantains, macaroons and expresso. Paris Noir has given me so much and hope that it can do the same for students 10 more years from now!

Happy 10th Birthday Paris Noir!

More Pics here:

~Paris Noir 2010

The Ponzi Scheme

Meocha Belle 7/4

After attending the Paris Hip-Hop Summit last night and having hip-hop historian and legendary French rapper: Solo come and speak to our class yesterday, we spent the beginning of class time discussing Kevin Liles' talk in relation to what was taught earlier in the day.
Regardless of the optimism my cohort took from Kevin Liles' talk, his main point was that the goal of hip-hop is to build an empire. Masked by offering the idea that "we are Generation E", which stands for- "education, empowerment, and entrepreneurship," Liles got some of his audience members to but into his fairytale. I was not one of them.
He delivered the most basic, inaccurate message that, "faith and will are key" and by "telling your own truth and success will follow you." Sadly enough, some people were gullible enough to believe that those things were enough to become rich, his definition of success.
Although Kevin Liles claimed to be "working hard to give pure hip-hop," when questioned by Frenchmen and artists in the audience, Liles had no idea of anything going on in Paris or that happened in the past. How are you trying to enter a new market when you do not even know artists there or the social climate of the area? Audience members were schooling Liles on historical and cultural facts that anyone trying to break into a new business would already know. People called him out on this and the question & period got very heated!
Industry insiders and artists always preach the message of keeping it real, as did Liles last night, but how can they do so when they are manipulatively capitalizing off of the same people and places they grew up with and in? What ever happened to responsibility? Morality? Ethics? Hip-hop has undoubtedly done a lot for race relations, but it also has fallen into the capitalist trap and needs to be lead by heads that are interested in more than making fast cash.

~Paris Noir 2010

London Town

Meocha Belle 7/3

Today is my second day in London. And I got to fly The London Eye! I saw London from great heights and got some amazing photos of the town. I also went sight-seeing on both a bus and boat tour. What struck me most was how explanations and stories of the same monuments, buildings and historical happenings, all had different beginnings and endings of the teller. Even though I took notice to this, the speakers were probably unaware how skewed the stories sound when compared.
I immediately thought of Baldwin and so many writers that wrote of personal contact and experience correlating with viewpoints. It is truely amazing how so many people think they know what they believ and affirm is true. I am constantly trying to get information from people to get information from different people to draw my own conclusions on ideas and events. Without doing so, you may be lead by the blind. Paris Noir has definately heightened this neccessity to learn more and not take things just because its told. In its design, there are many voices and therefore, stories and perspectives on similar issues. Our job as the students are to take what you can, analyze it and make it our own.

While in London I my newly found tools of analyses lead me to make a discovery in a mission that was impossible. Rudy and I tried to visit the site of the 2012 Olympic Games. Unfortunately, this was a failed attempt. We got close but were many blocks from the venue, even though it was in clear-view. After much re-routing and further examination, I noticed that we could not reach the venue because of the area we were in trying to get there. While navigating the streets and train tracks, we ended up in what was clearly an urban, destitute area, despite its visible mixed community of races. This area was completely blocked off from the venue where the 2012 Olympic Games will be held. After trying for hours, on train and foot, there was no way that we could reach the venue from anywhere near that location. Most of the train lines and routes were not running either and since it was not a holiday or major event happening, it was clear what was going on. The people in that community, which included us at that moment, were systematically being kept out of certain places in the town and metro-area. They were literally gated inside their one area and had little to no access outside.

This immediately drew me to think of the Bastille protest we visited in Paris. Although these are different situation indifferent locations, in both places, the people are being worked but not given full citizenship- or even partial citizenship, in some cases. The same struggle is happening to people of predominately African-Diasporic racial identities across the globe. This is why a program such as Paris Noir is needed. For centuries, systems of oppression have existed and functioned in communities that are thought to be very dissimilar even within the African Diaspora, yet the social, political and economic circumstances bind us much more closely than we know. Awareness of the Africaine Presence in international locales allows for the imaginary gap to be closed across Diaspora.

~Paris Noir 2010

Customs

Meocha Belle 7/2

Today I came to London with Rudy. The decision to go was quick because I knew I would not be presented with an opportunity to see London in a while and realized this was the perfect time.
Our morning started early and our trip was delayed because the Eurostar staff and customs would not let anyone through until departure time. So after waiting in line for about an hour, we finally got up to the London officials to have them check our passports. There were several people in front of me that went right through without any questions asked. Then, when it was my turn, the officer underwent a full-on interrogation with me. I believe it had something to do with my travel partner and I going to London together. It seemed as if the customs's officer thought I was from the West Indies or Les Antilles trying to go into London and stay with my white savior. So after going back and forth and providing reasoning for our visit to London, he let us both through. After showing him many forms of identification, including my international student id card, he let us through. This ordeal dominated the conversation between me and Rudy for a few minutes, then we quickly changed topics to what we were learning in seminar class and quickly forgot about the custom's situation.
We soon after fell asleep and when we woke up, were in London. We had great Italian food and conversation.

~Paris Noir 2010

"Pink on the Outside & Black on the Inside"-Yves Saint Laurent

Meocha Belle 7/1

Today I went to the Yves Saint Laurent exhibit for research on my independent study project. I wanted to find out what cultures influenced such major collections, and to analyze all that I saw. And boy did I see a lot! At the beginning of the exhibit, I thought that the Algerian fashion designer's work was greatly crafted and highly conservative. As I advanced, I saw the same things and was somewhat bored with the uniform pieces. This was until I entered what seemed like the cultural collections. In this room, there were only pieces and lines that were representative of various ethnic identities.
Although the pieces were immaculately made and entirely representative of the culture put on display, the way in which the collections were isolated from all the other pieces made me feel uncomfortable as an observer. It seemed as though one step literally took me into another world full of "others" that were on display to be watched. Obviously YSL had nothing to do with the arrangement of this exhibit since it opened this year and he died a couple years back, he could very much so had admired these cultures and been immersed into them. What is clear is that those responsible for designing the set-up, were influenced by the politics of space, whether done consciously or not.
In the room where the African collection was placed, there was a pink and black jacket that translated into American English, "I am Pink on the outside and Black on the inside". If one did not know YSL was Algerian (white African), this message could move from, what I presume to have been his intention of stating that people viewed him as white but he knows in his heart that he is black, to him showing signs of depression, "the color black means it's time to die and nobody questions why" (Janelle Monae).
Ironically, the African collection or "Bambara Art," read in its description as "without prejudices or preconceived ideas," however it was nothing but that. Except for the all black collection that featured all black suites on black mannequins, every other mannequin within the exhibit was white, the mannequins chosen to represent Africa were blue. They were even fully equipped with braided hair weaves, James Cameron is not now, nor has he ever been the Executive Producer of Africans. How could this read as anything but prejudice?

~Paris Noir 2010

What's Lost in Translation?

Meocha Belle 6/29

Today at the Paris Hip-Hop 2010 Summit, Def Jam President Kevin Liles spoke on education, empowerment and entrepreneurship through hip-hop. He does not speak French, so he had a translator. While the translator was saying what Mr. Liles did in French, I noticed that she was not replicating his statements. The French language is comprised of more words to equal those of the English language. And the translator oftentimes spoke in a shorter breath than Mr. Liles previously talked. This then made me think of the re-occurring seminar question of what's lost or added in translation?
Both in the literal and figurative sense, things that are translated have a great possibility of being changed as the message is passed on. At times this may be a good thing, others a bad thing. What is scary is the level of influence even a word holds when entire sentences are taken out of context, great danger may be near. It is quite possible that someone in Belgium governance omitted or supplemented a message of the Rwandans and this in turn could have caused the lives of 80 million and more.

~Paris Noir 2010

Rwanda

Meocha Belle 6/28

At different moments, Diop uses the perspectives of characters to contest the idea that their is a merit to being alive. This is seen at the most direct level when Jessica affirms that "the fear of death...would almost be in bad taste. My life isn't worth anymore than that of the thousands of people who perish each day." But then this statement is countered by Simeon's statement to Cornelius that also affirms, "don't regret living because you deserved to live more than anyone...your mother, Nathalie, brought you into this world running, to escape from the people who wanted to kill her." Using these statements as a part of my analysis, I question whether or not these moments work effectively together to measure self-determination?
What also complicates the states of life and death, are that even after surviving, breathing does not constitute as living. "The young woman in black," is a testament to this and backed by the statement, "after such an ordeal, there was a little bit of death in everyone" (Diop 181). Are these two states explicit or implicit with luck or cowardice of the survivor? Does this mean a fight wasn't put up?
I hope the Rwanda panel can offer greater insight on the loaded subject tomorrow.

~Paris Noir 2010

Hip-Hop Block Party 2010

Meocha Belle 6/27

Today we went to the Paris Hip-Hop Block Party in Stalingrad. All the elements of the culture were represented. There was emcee'n, dj'n, graffiti writing and break dancing. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. We were outside and the sun was beaming directly onto my skin, but I did not mind because I was pleased with the entertainment.
I was captivated by the power of Hip-Hop and how it drew such a large congregation of various races and ages.
My favorite element was the rap freestyle show featuring French Hip-Hop crew: End of the Weak. Despite the language barrier, it was clear in the tone, delivery, mannerisms and call-all-response, what they were saying. I could still understand the message and appreciate the efforts of their crew without literal translation.
The fact that I was able to feel what was being said without knowing the French language is telling of the strength of the hip-hop language. In the hip-hop language, people immersed in the culture are able to send and receive information through gestures, pitch and response. This ability to communicate void of a nation's linguistic literacy is exclusive to the hip-hop culture.

See what I mean!


After hearing Hip-Hop historian and Paris Noir Alum, Samir Ali, equate hip-hop as our generation's Negritude movement, such a hypothesis is supported by the culture. Hip-hop allows for its followers to innovatively respond to global politics, while joining people to together that would otherwise never meet and unseen in previous generations. As Samir explained of its impact, hip-hop brings about a "solidarity unknown to their elders" (Mercer Cook). In true hip-hop, Todas Iguais- "we are all the same," which is a strong statement in Portuguese. A graffiti artist from Brazil dedicated his piece at the Paris Hip-Hop Block Party to further communicate this.



The crowds below were all formed in the celebration of Hip-Hop in Paris!





~Paris Noir 2010

CAONA Women of SOUL

Meocha Belle 6/26

Tonight I went to the CAONA Women of SOUL musical event, along with my roommate. The three different sets and groups that performed all had amazing voices and music. There were powerful messages transmitted through their song lyrics. Being a music lover who frequents concerts, I have a very critical ear and eye for the delivery, content and stage presence of musical artists. And I definitely think each performer was amazing! If I was a music executive for a major record label, I would sign Kadja Nse without hesitation! I was touched by everyone but her voice and songs resounded for me.
Through out the four hours that I was there, the women managed to mix spoken word, rap, funk, reggae, rhythm and blues and jazz into their performances together and separate. The greatest messages I received from their display of artistry were the statements, "I am home...I'm going home," and "No city owns me. I walk free with myself." Coming from a group of women who all were not originally from France, this spoke volumes!
Up to this point in the Paris Noir seminar, we have learned that, "some blacks left the U.S. expressly to escape the burdens of discrimination that came to Paris as self-conscious refugees from racism." Other blacks saw "the label expatriate inappropriate, arguing that because the U.S. had never really accepted them or been their home in any fundamental sense, they should not be considered exiles from it," among several other viewpoints (From Harlem to Paris).
Tonight, these women claimed and named their own home and did not let their location dictate their sense of belonging. Ferricia, who spoke at one of our panels, used spoken word during a couple of her songs to speak for the silence that reverberates in the French culture and as a mode to express her political stance.
It was refreshing to see a group of women happily working together! And afterwords, Ferricia introduced us to her co-stars and engaged in conversation about their performances and American and French governing.

Here's a video from the night!



~Paris Noir 2010

Give Thanks

Meocha Belle 6/25

Today I made it a point to contact those that made it possible for me to attend Paris Noir 2010, again. Just as quickly as I sent my thank-you's out, the responses came in. And the common reception was that of appreciation. I recognize that you have to show people you are appreciative of them and that it is also a factor in how those after you are received.
After doing this, I traveled all around Paris on the Metro to have time to myself.
I wanted to just explore places that I have not been to yet and also visit some of my favorite places. It was very refreshing and even got a chance go to Jardin de Luxemburg to get started reading Murambi: the Book of Bones.
After viewing Sometimes in April, this morning, I was not really surprised by the graphic nature of the text. Laying out the function of the text in the introduction and foreword in comparison to other works on the subject matter-Rwandan genocide- and providing larger questions and answers, the writers took away from active reading and further objectified Rwandan's as "the others" instead of meeting its intentions of drawing on outreach and responsibility.

~Paris Noir 2010

Food, Fun & Fellowship!

Meocha Belle 6/24

Yesterday class was cancelled because of transportation strikes. This gave me a chance to catch up on my personal responsibilities and get ahead on my course readings, so I appreciated the time.
Thankfully, we still had our weekly dinner at L'Equator- a Cameroonian restaurant. It ranked next to my previous meal had on the first day of Paris Noir! From start to finish, my meal, company and service was great! The plantains were the sweetest I have had and just the right texture, the hibiscus juice had the perfect twist of tang, my chicken was flavorful, tender and juicy, and the macaroon and sorbet was sweet and crisp! The guests and my fellows at my table kept me laughing and also educated on the transportation strikes in the winter of 1995 in Paris. The restaurant staff was pleasant and complimentary of special needs. We had such a good time that we stayed at L'Equator until 11:30pm after taking our seats at 8pm. We would have stayed longer if the metro station did not close at 12am, because we all were enjoying each other's company and sharing our research project ideas and findings.
We did end up getting the last train in time and decided to all go out to the club together.

~Paris Noir 2010

C Train to Versailles

Meocha Belle 6/23

Today myself, Gabrielle and Alana decided to go to Versailles after class. We wanted a change of scenery to get our reading done, so we went to Versailles. The train we took there rode us for about two hours. We did not expect the traveling time to be so long, but we just relaxed and took a nap. The ride ended up being very refreshing and scenic, it also gave us time to get through much of the reading.
Once we arrived in Versailles, we had to take a bus to the garden. While on the bus, we befriended an American-born, bus driver from New York and discussed opportunities in France versus those within America. He believed, a white man in his forty's, America just sells its people a dream. France however, in his opinion, had much better governance, benefits, access, education and culture than America.

~Paris Noir 2010

The Dissemination of Knowledge

Meocha Belle 6/22


While speaking with the staff of Anibwe bookstore, they mentioned the influence of George Jackson and Cheikh Anta Diop had on their work. They also drew parallels to the social issues happening in France to past movements in the United States. A major question that was brought into conversation was whether or not the education of our children should be left to schools. To put reason into why there is great mis-education and/or a lack of education of Afrikan Presence, the United States will be used as a reference point, since the struggles of Diaspora are very similar no matter where in the world study is drawn on.
To keep the authoritarian position, the United States’ and French governments both use its schools to mobilize the myth that the Pan-Africans have no history, as discussed in Cheikh Anta Diop’s The Afrikan Origin of Civilization: Myth or Reality. This level of mis-education suggests that the ruling culture does not want blacks to recognize or appreciate their craft and strength, nor claim the fruits of their labor (Jackson 57).
George Jackson clearly communicated from his findings that “the most damaging thing a people in a colonial situation can do is to allow their children to attend any educational facility organized by the dominant enemy culture” (Soledad Brother 12). His reasoning stems from the following expose, “…the mass public school system was developed to assimilate an essentially immigrant working population into the economic, social, and political structure of the American Way of Life,” found in Grace Lee Boggs’ piece, “Education: The Great Obsession”. Since, “…the school system was organized to prepare the children of the well-born and well-to-do to govern over the less wellborn and not so well-to-do,” blacks, and other peoples of color, need to educate themselves through non-traditional ways of learning. Even though this statement was made of standard American culture, similar class struggles exist and occur in France and therefore apply.
Clearly, the movement of knowledge is dependent upon those in power and is oftentimes favorable of the teacher's views. This is why there is a mis-education and lack of education of Afrikan Presence, within a variety of mediums. Baldwin's No Name in the Street, Lamar's Ghosts of Saint Michel, Stovall's Paris Noir, Fabre's From Harlem to Paris, tour guides of Paris, Musee du quai Branly exibits, and conversations with the Anibwe bookstore staff has validated this, while here in Paris.

~Paris Noir 2010

Baldwin and Wright

Meocha Belle 6/21

In today's seminar, one of the major themes we analyzed were the biblical references within James Baldwin's No Name in the Street. After thinking critically of the text, Baldwin structured the novel as a bible. As a culmination of ideas mentioned throughout our discussion, the layout allowed for interpretation and points of reference, anecdotes denoting the ten commandments of living jim crow, increased literacy through its teachings, historical references, and of course the presence of biblical verses.
What struck me most was Baldwin's usage of small synopses and how this writing strategy directly Richard Wright's The Ethics of Living Jim Crow: An Autobiographical Sketch, which was read earlier in our time here. Besides the set-up of Wright's short stories/teachings being presented in concise, numbered format, his work and Baldwin's both operated with similar messages. There are moments where you as the reader expect one outcome and another is given, because of the impact of living Jim Crow.
It is easy for me to say that complacency is not the answer under any circumstance, however, that era was a distinctly different political, social and economic make-up, so assumptions need to be retracted. There are many that would disagree with Baldwin's statement that "our greatest weapon is silence," however these same people have not had threats circulating because they were trying to learn. Unfortunately, every movement by a black during the Jim Crow era had to be calculated because a wrong move could cost life. On the other hand, I would not want to merely exist in a world that constantly controls me to such high degrees. Sometimes life is really not living, there are so many grey areas that one cannot judge a person unless they are in the same predicament.

~Paris Noir 2010

0% Connectivity

Meocha Belle 6/20

Today I woke up well-rested and ready to work on my mid-term presentation. I chose not to go out last night because of my workload and stayed in reading the last of my Baldwin assignment and making talking points as soon as we got in from finishing the second half of our walking tour. I went to breakfast for the first Sunday since I have been in Paris and then came back to my room ready to work. I knew I wanted to do a blog about the walking tours, so I tried to connect my internet. After an hour and a half of failed attempts, I decided to work on personal project that were approaching deadline. After I completed that, I tried to connect the internet again but was to no avail. Apparently the wireless routers in our entire Citadines' hotel were down, even after I bought an 18 euro subscription to use another wifi connection, it was already late and I had to relocate tp an internet cafe quite a distance from the hotel due to Sunday hours of many other places. But this internet cafe was a nice spot to do work and I see myself frequenting it quite a bit before my time here is up. So I guess the day wasn't a total waste.

~Paris Noir 2010

Eyes Wide Open

Meocha Belle 6/19

Today we visited Anibwe-"with your eyes open"-a black independent book seller, publisher, distributor, and cultural space of African Diasporic knowledge. During our time there the question of who should be educating us and our children was raised. Figures such as Marcus Garvey, Malcom X and Cheik Anta Diop, as bodies of knowledge were brought up as testaments to the types of information that is withheld from citizens across the global. These people were needed to educate African Americans, Africans, Haitians and people from Les Antilles on because they were fed and loaded with information that was not in their best interest or representative of them, As I remembered this fact, I quickly recalled two statements that directly correlated with such a discussion from James Baldwin's No Name in the Street. My mind went directly to the moments where he stated, "the key to a tale is to be found in who tells it" and "ye are liars, and the truth's not in you." Baldwin's usage of what can be called, "selective memory" and its implications of important happenings in relation to the context of knowledge given, clearly displays the influence of white power on the black mind.

~Paris Noir 2010

Musee du Quia Branly: A Space of Colonial Rule and Empire

Meocha Belle 6/18

Today we visited Musee du Quai Branly. From Bill's explanation of its concept to the products sold in its gift shop, I was highly disturbed. The architecture was said to be a birth canal giving life to the peoples represented in the collections. Just that description alone through me off and as I started to take notice of the exibits, I realized that this was a space fostering colonial rule and falsely displaying it as culture. Afrique, Asie, and Australie were all made a mockery of, to unknowing visitors because of this space. The only people besides our Paris Noir cohort that were there were recognizably affluent older white couples and small children of racialized backgrounds. So for them, these exhibits were seen as objects of their respective origins. To me, a person who has studied colonial rule and empire extensively, it was apparent that the space was a result of such influences. But to the seniors and children, this was not quite as visible. They just took the medium of representation as artifact and therefore true records of history and culture. And knowing this bothered me so much that I could not even browse inside the gift shop.

~Paris Noir 2010

A Much Needed Day Off

Meocha Belle 6/17

Today I am feeling the physical effects of doing the entire walking tour of Montmartre in the 9th Arrondisement. Luckily our seminar was cancelled and we were given a reading day to finish James Baldwin's: No Name in the Street. So I am deciding not to go anywhere outside of the Citadines Place d'Italie until it is time for dinner. My roommate and I bought food at the grocery store yesterday and I have leftovers from last nights fajitas that will be my lunch for the day.
Doing the walking tour in one day without a break really has me drained. I do not think I have ever been this tired before, but I have to wait to rest until after my work and reading is done. I am enjoying my time in Paris and learning much, but this day of rest was definately needed after all of the constant movement and engagements to attend.

~Paris Noir 2010

Where does the Disconnect Lie?

Meocha Belle 6/16

Today professor, historian and public intellectual, Pap N'diaye, came to our class seminar and spoke to us about citizenship, black activism and history concerning France and Paris specifically. His talk was a compilation of our learning outcomes gained up to this point in our Paris Noir experience of what it means to be black in Paris on a political level.
While listening to his talk attentively, I realized just how much more I had known about African Americans in the City of Light than did a week and a 1/2 ago. That made me then wonder how it is that black people who have been living in Paris for months, even years, still believe that a "colorblind" France exists when disparities are widely experienced by the African Diaspora in Paris. There is clear racism and segregation present her, yet a number of panelists have perpetuated the free image of Paris.

~Paris Noir 2010

Success is...

Meocha Belle 6/15

Today was the first time I got to have an intimate discussion with an author on their work of fiction. Meeting with Jake Lamar on his book, The Ghosts of Saint Michel, allowed me to get answers of my queries on editing selections and even inside his mind behind various characters and their development. He did mention something that has been troubling me for the past couple of years on attitudes towards writers in America and then compared them to those present in Paris.
When discussing the reception writers get in America, Lamar expressed that people define success of your work by awards and recognition. The writing is not even considered for reading and furthermore analysis, if it has not been stamped as a "best-seller" by most. This implying that your work is not credible or important. Unfortunately, many Americans do not realize the level and amount of politics loaded into the literary field that may be hindering deserving authors from receiving high acclaim.
In conversation with American values, in France, the number of awards your writing receives does not determine your skill. Writing and reading is heavily celebrated here. From my short amount of time spent, this statement is accurate. People read here unlike anywhere I have been. Every time I get on the metro, I see a number of riders reading novels. This is not seen a great deal in American cities. I have yet to come across an open cafe with people in it where someone was not reading a book. As told by Jake Lamar and seen through the reception of writers in From Harlem to Paris and Paris Noir, the French celebrate the craft. This wide acceptance has made it easier for authors to write and create their best pieces in the culture.

~Paris Noir 2010

Sisters...How Strong is our Bond?

Meocha Belle 6/14

Today we had class in the Citadines Saint Germaine again, instead of our usual Cafe de Flore because we had two more panel discussions. The first one was on Citizenship, where we heard from a high fashion photographer, a journalist/writer/historian, and a singer/activist. From this conversation with two American born panelists and a woman from Martinique, I got the perspective that that there is a lot of welcoming of other cultures in France, but on a substantial level. That people are prejudice in France despite its fable.
The second panel of the day on Sisters displayed the complexities of blacks in Paris most greatly on a class level, both speaking of the organization in Paris as well as a social structure of women. Nicole and Ricki seemed very disconnected from the Black struggle. In both of their testaments to their contributions to the black community here in Paris, they identified self-esteem as a driving force. However, it was clear from their dialogue and anecdotes that they were struggling with it themselves.
The two women's views were so skewed and distant from that of many Black community members, which I thought they were putting on a skit for us. When I realized they were just ingrained in their own little word, I could not believe how black women who were so well off financially could forget what it really means to be Black and a woman.
In retrospect, I see how their presence and insight added to the wide range of blacks in Paris, but I did not think it should have gone to the level that it had. Ricki was even bold enough to ask Rudy, a white male in our group, if "he ever wished he could communicate with blacks," not knowing that his best friends were black. If Rudy had a different type of personality, he might have reacted in a totally different way and could have turned into a messy situation. Luckily for Ricki, he did not say anything and Professor Mayes corrected her on her inappropriate comment and assumption.

~Paris Noir 2010

Week Ending

Meocha Belle 6/13

Today ended my week as co-leader for the Paris Noir 2010 cohort. Although the position as leader is not foreign to me, the space and people were, making the beginning of this task a challenging one. I had been placed with a person that I had known of for four years but never had had a conversation with. And even though I did not have a friendly relationship with this person, my feelings were not directed one way or the other for them. To my surprise, I learned that she held some animosity towards me, when we first met and were given our duties for the week. She felt as though I was impossible to work with, because of my facial features. Without speaking to me or trying to get to know me, she admittedly assumed that I had a permanent attitude. With this revelation, I knew that this was going to be a long, awkward week having to work together.
In this assumption of mines, I was wrong. We both made efforts to respect and value the input of each other. By doing so, we were able to successfully lead the group without many problems. Unexpectedly, there was also unforced conversation between the both of us. What shocked me even more of this experience was when my co-leader announced to the group that her reward for the week was getting to know me in our weekly meeting. She also expressed that I was a "cool person" that is just misunderstood. Even though that statement was loaded in itself, I appreciated the gesture whether genuine or not.
After visiting the old stomping grounds of Josephine Baker lead by Madame Wells today, I would say today too was a pretty good day. We traveled all over Champs- Elysees on foot and got to see the theaters Josephine Baker performed in and stores of the designers that styled her.



~Paris Noir 2010

"Colorblind France?" Not Quite Yet.

Meocha Belle 6/12

Every time I am in the Metro station, I see a blind person, recognizably with a walking stick. I have never seen so many blind people before, even in other major cities. Here in Paris, I literally see at least three different blind people a day. No matter the arrondissement "district", they are present and on the move.
This observation immediately brings me to think of the "colorblind France" myth. This idea that racial identity does not matter in France, which is discussed heavily in our core texts, From Harlem to Paris and Paris Noir, is highly ironic considering the number of physically blind people living in "The City of Light".
Frenchmen -speaking of women as well- are walking around blinded by false notions that have been passed down. Many do not challenge ideas imparted upon them and fail to remember that France was linked to the slave trade and does have a history of colonialism.
Coming from Guadeloupe, one of the Black Activism & Creativity panelists thought she "would have no problems in France," until of course she lived here for a while. She soon after noticed a confrontation between the black community and legal system and got involved in organizing against discrimination. Another panelist from this same discussion, said that "racism has continued to rise and blacks have not organized to pose enough pressure."
So there are Frenchmen who recognize that France is not as colorblind as it may portray. There may be many physically blind people living in the cities and suburbs, but the government and its people still operate under racist terms. Right now there are demonstrators outside of the Bastille, organizing to be recognized as French citizens.

~Paris Noir 2010

No 1 Place should have all that POWER!

Meocha Belle 6/11

Today I was not feeling well. On our trip to Musee du Louvre, I felt faint, light-headed and overheated. I attribute it to the side effects of my daily medication along with the hot temperatures inside the museum. Unfortunately, my sickness hindered me form listening attentively and engaging with the tour guide Bill and my cohort. However, from what I did take from the visit in relation to the Paris Noir project, I understand that a museum is a space of power and that the art work- in whatever form- is representative of the peoples and opinions in the positions of power to choose what they put on display and recognize as important pieces. Of course, this means that black artists are underrepresented within the Louvre. So this then makes me wonder where the work of the black French artists are?
As we viewed the many paintings and sculptures in the Louvre, what stood out was the lack of black. In the artwork, producers of the works, and viewers of the works, blackness was lacking. Aside from the Paris Noir cohort, I noticed only black workers inside the museum. While we imagined ourselves as art critics, we had to play Where's Waldo to find the black person in the painting. There was one painting where a black woman was displayed large and the center of attention.
Although she was the center of attention in her painting, she did not compare to The Mona Lisa. DaVinci's work, considered a masterpiece, was displayed behind velvet ropes and bullet-proof covering. At the time we got to it, there were hundreds of people admiring the average looking woman made of paint, yet there was not even one person in front of the black woman we saw a few paintings earlier. It is truly amazing to see power at work.
Seeing this manifestation, it is more apparent how and why black artists across expressive scales were and are overlooked and manipulated. Before leaving, our guide Bill Gleeson told us next week we are to visit the museum in Paris that is by and for minorities. Here's to hoping!

~Paris Noir 2010

Living v. Existing.

Meocha Belle 6/10

Today we had two panel discussions, one on Blacks in Paris and the other on Black activism and creativity. The panelists of each session offered inverse messages of the other, in conversation with what it means to be black present day in the City of Light. The first panel offered the idea that Paris really did live up to the proponents of 'Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite', while the second panel drew awareness to the problematics present within its government through a number of lenses. I identified and felt more closely connected to the Black activism and creativity panelists, which by the way included an unusual mixture of professions but worked so well together at the same time. By having a magazine editor, actor, designer/fashion model and culinary artist, we were given perspectives on racial matters in France that all concluded, "here when you are black, you have to fight." Whether it be making black women 'visible', unveiling the hypocrisy of a country's history, or combining high fashion life with social issues, black beauty and black pride are fought for. Compared to the stance the Paris Noir panel took by displaying they did not want to upset the status quo to acquire job stability and growth, I viewed the people who would not normally be called intellectuals because of their fields of study, to be more knowledgeable and involved in confronting social issues concerning Blacks in France.
During both of these panels, I constantly asked myself whether or not it is better to merely exist if it makes everyone else happy, or should one live by their own means regardless of the repercussions. From what I heard throughout the discussions today, many professionals do think it necessary to "fake it 'til you make it" and believe that is the only way to advance in work settings. The eldest panelist told us a part of his strategy to get ahead in his career was "convincing them-the whites he worked for- that he loved them, never alluding to the problem of race." Then, in the same breath said that he was "seeking and enjoying happiness writing now that he is retired." So writing clearly is his passion and had to wait years after his career ended to find true happiness. I would say it is pretty evident that one should do what makes you happy, you do not want to spend your entire life pretending.

~Paris Noir 2010

Who's the Storyteller?

Meocha Belle 6/9

Today the seminar had the pleasure of having James Emmanuel read his poetry to us. He read by decade and went from the '50s through the '90s. I had to listen closely because he spoke so softly, but something that he said when explaining the motivation behind the making of his poem: To Kill A Morning Spider , really resonated with me. He said that "a real experience doesn't matter to the writing of poetry." This statement touched me because I found it very telling of how ideas travel and get documented as fact.
Regardless of writer's, artist's or anyone's intentions, sources or state of mind that have a following, many people do not analyze what is being told to them. Oftentimes, ideas presented are taken as actualities when even the person telling the stories knows that all pieces are not real or genuine. As we're learning about how the idea of a "color-blind France" came about, it is clear that people make large assumptions out of isolated events. These stories are then moved from person to person, place to place and labels are given regardless of their beginnings.
I do however, think that it is possible for people to speak out on things they do not experience first-hand. As long as there is intensive study, valid sources and clear analysis that backs statements and ideas, such is possible. The problem enters when black soldiers return to America from being in France and tell their friends and family that the French do not care about color and that blacks can and will be free there. This is what happened during wartime, what resulted was a huge immigration of blacks into France. Many of the black soldiers did not realize that they were only experienced favoritism because of their entertainment value to the country's people.

~Paris Noir 2010

Visit to UNESCO

Meocha Belle 6/8

Today we were extremely late for our visit to UNESCO. And anyone who knows me knows that I am never late! I grew up on the slogan, "to be on time is to be late, and to be on time is to be early!" So this case of extreme tardiness bothered me immensely. And since I was co-group leader the feeling was greater.
In an effort to be more trusting in people, I listened to my co-group leader when she told me that the Teaching Assistant (TA) was going to be meeting us to direct the group to the location. Even though I was under the assumption that we were-as group leaders-to get the group to UNESCO on our own and had planned to leave an hour early so that we could ensure our timeliness. After asking her if she was sure and answering 'yes', I went with it. I wanted to clarify this with the TA but I decided against it and chose to believe the other leader.
We ended up waiting in the lobby of our hotel for the TA past the time that was believed to be set, so when I realized the probability of such a message being accurate, I thought it best for us to head out without her. It ends up that she meant she would meet us in the lobby of UNESCO at 1:30pm, and by the time we found its location, we were late. I should have just called the TA when I received the conflicting messages to ensure what was accurate. Hopefully we can make up for our lateness today.
Besides the mishap, the visit to UNESCO was informative and I am glad we were able to still visit with them. The topics were: Ethics and corruption in education and Public Private Partnership and education.

~Paris Noir 2010

Left Bank Walking Tour

Meocha Belle 6/7

On yesterday's walking tour of the Left Bank with Monique Wells, I got to see where African American writers and artists lived, worked and played in Paris.
Before my arrival to Paris, I read the walking tour book so knew what to expect and see on the tour. What I did not expect were the back stories that Madame Wells told us of the now famous artists and writers. There was much creativity and scandal during the times of Baldwin and Delaney. I am almost positive I would not have heard the behind the literature and music stories had it not been for Madame Wells. She took us everywhere in the Left Bank where the prominent blacks in Paris frequented and I surprisingly was familiar with the space after navigating it the past couple of days.
Although we walked for hours in the hot sun and humidity, it was great to see how the artists and writers that we will be studying lived and to also hear about their personal lives. It made me feel like I was in their times and was connected to their struggles and triumphs that were also told to us by Madame Wells. I got to see first hand how the spatial also functioned as politics in France years ago and was able to compare them to life at home and other areas in Paris. In my short time here already, I am being shown the Paris that many are not accustomed of hearing about and among different fields.
Tonight we had a group meeting in Tye's room with Professor Mayes and the entire cohort. We were told what to expect of the week and I, along with another student, was assigned as group leader. Afterwards, the leaders and faculty stayed and discussed ways of making all tasks efficient and timely. After an extended discussion, due to conflicting positions, a compromise was drawn and the week was to be started with fresh ideas.
Instead of going to the Jay-Z concert happening in Bercy, I chose to go to dinner with Professor Mayes. We went to a Chinese restaurant where she introduced me to some of their top dishes. After good food and conversation, I went back to the hotel and began to prepare for the first day of classes tomorrow.

~Paris Noir 2010

J'Adore Paris!

Meocha Belle 6/6

Two days into Paris and I am in love! Yesterday everyone arrived and we split up into two groups to do a scavenger hunt of the city. My group, which consisted of myself, Mike, and Alana, were to find and explore Jardin des Plants and the Mosque. Finding our way on the map and Metro was manageable. What was found, first at the Jardin des Plants, was so beautiful that we all had to take in the scenery for a few minutes before we proceeded. The landscaping and architecture was phenomenal! After a moments time, we paid to go inside and see the greenhouse. The images were only ones you could dream of, we took lots of pictures and spent time reading the descriptions of the plants. Once we saw both sides of the greenhouse, we observed the main courtyard and rose garden. Looking at the bushes made me want to become a landscaper or gardener because of the beauty that such natural things invoked upon viewers. After we covered every inch of Jardin des Plants, myself, Mike and Alana knew that it would be a favorite reading place of ours. There were many benches and cooling trees in a quiet and inviting atmosphere that had to be taken advantage of.
On our way out and to the Mosque, we saw bikes that we wanted to ride because we were all feeling great, but unfortunately, we could not figure out how to pay for it and could not ride them. At first we could not find the right entry into the Mosque, but when we did, it was well worth the wait. The sight was euphoric and definitely spiritual, regardless of religious affiliation.
After having such a great time at Jardin des Plants and the Mosque, we decided to visit Jardin des Luxemburg and the Pantheon, to see what the other group got to experience. Jardin des Luxemburg was first and it simply blew my mind! It looked as if we were on a beach on an island somewhere. There were people, waters, sand, kids sailing their toy boats, beach chairs, a picnic area, beautiful landscaping and architecture, and so much more. I felt so calm and relaxed there and would have stayed all day if we did not have a scheduled place to be soon after. I don't think a view could get any better than Jardin des Luxemburg.
Next up was the Pantheon, and although we only got to see the outside, we also toured the University of Paris across the street. A little later we met up with everyone and went on a boat tour departing from Pont Neuf with Professor Mayes and Tye, our TA. We got to choose where we wanted to sit and I picked the bottom level. As we viewed the city on a boat, I got to see the Eiffel Tour for the first time and took amazing shots of all the landmarks we passed.
After the boat tour was over, a group of us went to a Mexican restaurant in the area and the students that were not here for the meal at Botequim, got to go then.

~Paris Noir 2010

Paris Noir Overture

Meocha Belle 6/5

Yesterday was great! Despite the fact that I didn't really sleep on the plane and was out until 10 at night, my first day in Paris was wonderful! From start to finish I was astounded by everything I observed.
Beginning in the taxi ride to the hotel, I took note of the fast pace driving, billboard advertisements and overall scenic route of the city from Charles DeGaulle Airport to the Citadines Hotel where I'll be staying during my time here. Luckily, my taxi driver knew the vicinity of where the hotel was on Place d'Italie because the address was inside of my dead phone.
After a few minutes inside of the Citadines, I noticed another American who looked like a student and approached him to inquire if he too was here for Paris Noir. He in fact was and after storing our luggage, we decided to walk around the neighborhood and grab some tea and coffee. We had hours until check-in time, so we explored Place d'Italie and got to know each other a bit. I then found that we were both from New Jersey and that he-Mike-was from Amherst College.
We stayed at an internet cafe for a while then went back to the hotel for the our debriefing with Professor Mayes. The schedule was given out and expectations made clear, past program experiences shared and personal introductions of the 2010 Paris Noir students and TA were made. Since many of my fellow students had not yet arrived, this did not take too long.
After meeting everyone, we were told that we were having lunch at the Botequim Restaurant and had to find our way there as a group with no directions, just a map. Although we were caught off guard, we got on the bus and soon found the restaurant with little problems. After traveling so long, I had worked up a great appetite and was ready to eat good at that point. Professor Mayes claimed the restaurant was good and she was absolutely right! Even though I am a picky eater, I decided that I would try everything and am glad I did! I had beef and rice with a new spice, all made in a way I had never had before yet it tasted like something my grandmother would make. We each talked about our food selection and listened to one another's relish.
We also talked about how our flight were. Thankfully my travel experience was smooth, especially compared to the stories I heard from everyone else. It also turns out that myself, Jasmine, Alana, and Mike were all on the same flight from Newark and didn't even realize it.
Once we finished our full course meal, we headed back to the hotel for another meeting where we got to meet Patricia LaPlant. She spoke of her experience as a black in Paris by way of Atlanta and explained her salon's that she throws for the community. After questions and comments, a group of us took the Metro to go see Common perform at the Amphitheater in Stalingrad. There were so many people there, and of diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds enjoying Common's performance. It was awesome! Although we got there towards the end, we felt the energy and it made me excited to see what was to come for the rest of my stay in Paris!

~Paris Noir 2010

"Paris Noir is on the Move!"-JAM

Meocha Belle 6/4

As I cross the Atlantic Ocean, my mind drifts back to when my ancestors traveled these same waters. For them, it was not voluntary and were not fed constantly and given special accommodations as I have been receiving. My decision to leave was solely that of my own, and can only imagine the hurt and anguish that came with being forced out of your home.
I am ever grateful for this opportunity to go to Paris, France and learn more about the African Diaspora and the French culture. Reading From Harlem to Paris: Black American Writers in France 1840-1980 and Paris Noir: African American in the City of Light, I have already begun to expand my knowledge on the two. I know that by the end of the program, I will be well versed in studies of the African Diaspora on both global and local scales.
After reviewing the syllabus once more, I cannot wait until we get to all of the texts and learn about the many past and present subjects, artists, writers, and movements within and around Paris. Prior to my flight taking off, I had to force myself not to begin reading the course books as I received them and settled with reading their jackets, outside of the preliminary readings that were to be done.
I anticipate to learn a surplus amount of knowledge and for inside grow, as a few Paris Noir alumni have told me I will. My eyes and ears are open and hope that I gain and give to and from the group and experiences. I know the first day of class will be an experience within itself at Cafe de' Flore, where James Baldwin frequented and wrote!

~Paris Noir 2010

Blacks in the City of Light?

Going through my Foder's: Paris 2010 guidebook, I did not read about the same Paris I saw through the lens of Discover Paris. In Foder's guide of Paris, there were no black establishments categorized as "...worth seeing", as if blacks did not help light the city! Had it not been for the guidebook given to me by the Paris Noir program, I would not have known or seen where Bricktop's jazz clubs were, what sighting inspired James Emmanuel's poem 'Crossing the Square, Montparnasse,' or where Josephine Baker first sang 'J`ai Deux Amors'. By having this guidebook of black history in Paris, I was able to retrace the steps of revolutionary artists, writers and business owners and clearly see their contributions to Parisian culture. By physically walking these same streets and examining the proximity of the theaters, cafes and apartments, the words in the guide came to life! What was most noticeable was how within the same arrondisement (district), there was such great juxtaposition between the black and white establishments. Most of the black owned businesses were located in small commercial spaces on side streets, whereas, the white corporations dominated all of the main rues in big buildings. Bricktop's clubs were able to service and entertain patrons regardless of race or class, while the three block long Galaries Lafayette merely reinforced globalization. Be this as it may, the space allotted was no way near comparable among these racialized categories, even in spite of Bricktop's ability to create change.
Although my tour group was actively discovering these sites for days, such exploration of areas of where blacks were prominent in Paris is so low that many neighborhood onlookers questioned our reason for taking note where we did. This questioning spoke volumes of the unspoken, in relation to the black contribution in Paris. Such efforts were not and still are not vocalized or widely spread. This then reveals the need for education and challenges initiatives towards dispersing the non-disclosed, right information.
Unfortunately, this life or Presence African is not mentioned in mainstream guidebooks of Paris, even though such rich history resides on its streets. This withholding of factual information of this and similar under represented communities, are perpetuated by the false notion of white supremacy which still manifests in 2010. By choosing the notable places and top reasons to go to Paris, the illusion of ever-present superiority is furthermore asserted, though a falsity.
So I now choose to use my chance at improvisation to move my newly gained knowledge of what it meant to be black in Paris to you the audience. Through these present day screenshots of Montmartre and Montparnesse, I urge you to enter and re-imagine the Paris that once was and celebrated black existence. The captions are left open for you to add your own interpretations, improvise, on "what moves at the margin" (Toni Morrison). These stories should question how the spatial relates to the racial? Then move from the racial to the political and actively participate in answering how this can be read as history.






~Paris Noir 2010

Blacks in the City of Light?

Blacks in the City of Light?

~Paris Noir 2010

Blacks in the City of Light?

~Paris Noir 2010