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