Never Give Up Blog

“Morning light, silken dream to flight
As the darkness gave way to dawn
You've survived, now your moment has arrived
Now your dream has finally been born

Black Butterfly, sailed across the waters
tell your sons and daughters
what the struggle brings
Black Butterfly, set the skies on fire
rise up even higher
so the ageless winds of time can catch your wings

 ooh...ooh

 While you slept, the promise was unkept

But your faith was as sure as the stars
Now you're free, and the world has come to see
Just how proud and beautiful you are  

Black Butterfly, sailed across the waters
tell your sons and daughters
what the struggle brings
Black...

“Street culture is a culture of containment. Most young people do not realize that it all too often leads to a “dead end”. “Street culture,” as I am using the term, is a counterforce to movement culture. Street culture in contemporary urban reality is synonymous with survival at all costs. This world view is mostly negative, because it demands constant adjustment to circumstances that are often far beyond young people’s control or understanding, such as economics, education, housing, employment, nutrition, law, and so forth.”

 Haki R. Madhubuti

 © Felicia V. Bland Photography 2019

“I really don't think life is about the I-could-have-beens. Life is only about the I-tried-to-do. I don't mind the failure but I can't imagine that I'd forgive myself if I didn't try.”

 Nikki Giovanni

 © Felicia V. Bland Photography 2019

“The first step - especially for young people with energy and drive and talent, but not money - the first step to controlling your world is to control your culture. To model and demonstrate the kind of world you demand to live in. To write the books. Make the music. Shoot the films. Paint the art.”

 Chuck Palahniuk

 © Felicia V. Bland Photography 2019

“One of the great tragedies of modern education is that most people are not taught to think critically. The majority of the world’s people, those of the West included, are taught to believe rather than to think. It’s much easier to believe than to think. People seldom think seriously about that which we are taught to believe, because we are all creatures of imitation and habit.”

 Haki R. Madhubuti

 © Felicia V. Bland Photography 2019