NUBIAN KNIGHTS NETWORK

QUOTATIONS OF "BLACK"

"Whenever I use BLACK it relates to some history of Africans in that particular place. It’s the idea of the color BLACK as a metaphor, or as a representation of African-Americans. It’s the notion of BLACK- BLACKNESS - and all its other meanings in relation to the history of race..."

- Fred Wilson

"Most of my fortitude to continue doing the work comes from the moral outrage I feel about the injustices that Black people endure disproportionately daily."

- N. Abdul-Wakil

"In the end, what matters is not skin shade but pan-African consciousness. Loving your complexion, your nose, lips, hair length and texture, no matter what the politics or trends decide, and simply be. That's the problem with us (African folks). We're still learning how to love ourselves. So used to glorifying others and putting others first..."

- Dredlocks Tree

Monday, August 29, 2011

ROD's Summer Trip To Michigan (2011) - Part IV
DAY 5: A Little BBQ / Friday Night Roller Skating

Well, on Friday I spent the whole day out on Ann Arbor, a suburb of Michigan. It's about 48 minutes (driving) from Detroit.

I did some food shopping with a friend and we went back to the house. My friend was on-point and got the grill fired-up in hurry with zero problems and he prepared all the food. I contribute by making the potato salad from scratch...

All Photography

I Was At My Friend Louis' House in Ann Arbor
And He BBQ'd some Awesome Food...

We Got Some Shrimp Skewers, Turkey Sausage,
Vegetarian Hamburgers (For ME), Chicken Breast
And...

A Basted Barbecue Sauce Salmon Steak

Later that night we drove back to Detroit to meet up with the other fellaz for Friday night roller skating FUN at Northland Roller Rink which was so awesome!!

As a kid growing up in the 1970s roller skating was the rule. I never got a chance to own a pair of skates and practice when I was a kid... as much as I wanted a pair and to learn I simply never got around it. So it was really GREAT to finally go and I had a great time even though I never went on out of the rink itself -- I STAYED ON THE CARPETED AREAS OF THE FACILITY where I was safer. I almost busted my ass a few times, but never once did I fall!!! It's a Brooklyn brutha'z pride, you know?

YES Skating Along!... Man, I Can't Do That!

It Was Beautiful To See What Appears To Be A Male SGL Couple
Roller Skating Together.
It Was Quite Beautiful.

Nsilo And Yes Having FUN!

YES! Flying Fast

Nsilo Is Going Fast And Furious

Nsilo's Pose

Left To Right: Nsilo, Yes and Charles

GROUP SHOT! Charles, Keith, Yes, ME( BIG ROD), Nsilo And Louis
-
SPECIAL THANKS AND LOVE TO CALVIN (Not Pictured)
Who Took ThIs Shot For Me!
(I Hardly Ever Get To Be In Most Of The Pictures I Take For Obvious Reasons)

Northland Roller Rink
(Michigan's Largest Roller Rink)

22311 West 8 Mile Road
(Off of Lahser Road)
Detroit, Michigan 48219-1265
Phone: (313) 535-1443

GOOGLE MAPS

Official Website:
northlandrink.com

SEE PREVIOUSLY
ROD's Summer Trip To Michigan (2011) - Part I
DAY 1: 1917 American Bistro /
Dabl's African Bead Gallery / Ruth Ellis Center

SEE PREVIOUSLY
ROD's Summer Trip To Michigan (2011) - Part II
DAY 4: The Charles H. Wright African American Museum /
Traffic Jam Restaurant

SEE PREVIOUSLY
ROD's Summer Trip To Michigan (2011) - Part III
DAY 4: The Charles H. Wright African American Museum /
Traffic Jam Restaurant

SEE NEXT
ROD's Summer Trip To Michigan (2011) - Part V
DAY 6:
Detroit's "Hotter Than July" Black Pride Celebration /
An Almost Visit To The Shrine of The Black Madonna Cultural Center /
Saturday Night House Party

Thursday, August 25, 2011

ROD's Summer Trip To Michigan (2011) - Part III
DAY 3: Charles H. Wright African American Museum / The Traffic Jam Restaurant

DAY 4: Thursday, July 28th, 2011...

I have heard so much about the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History... IT TOTALLY LIVED UP TO EVERY EXPECTATION AND MORE.

The circular design of the museum is outstanding and there's so much to see. And the whispers of voices that I heard that you can hear in the lobby of the museum is PHENOMENAL. It's like the Ancestors speaking, but it's actually the people having conversations in the building and the architectural is intentionally designed with the effect of hearing voices. Truly phuckin' amazing!...

All Photography

Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

Official Website: thewright.org

I only have a few pictures of the museum and none of the exhibits on display because photography is not allowed beyond the lobby, however, even the lobby's architecture is amazing. The Warren Entrance -- let's go...

Beautiful, Beautiful Wood Sculpturing

I Had To Get A Picture Of My Bajan Flag

PHUCKIN' GORGEOUS!!!!
Architectural See-Through Ceiling

Really Nice Floor Art

Stephen And Calvin

Calvin, Louis And Stephen Posing For Me In Front Of
The Detroit Institute Of Art!
I Really Wanna See The SGL Brutha Kehinde Wiley's
Art Installation That Is Currently There

Kehinde's Official Website: kehindewiley.com

Afterward we went to The Traffic Jam restaurant a few blocks away to have lunch. I liked the low lighting in this place...

ME Having Some Key Lime Cheesecake

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

ROD's Summer Trip To Michigan (2011) - Part II
DAY 3: The Motown Museum / KICK's 2nd Annual Boat Ride

I'm on the road late at night with my friend going from Ann Arbor to Detroit. I was just fooling around with light and shadow pics using a slow shutter blur on the highway...

All Photography

The next morning I was treated to breakfast in big by my good ADODI brutha and friend Yes. What more could a brutha want to start off his morning in Detroit?...

This time I got to do the Motown Museum Tour, DAMN IT!! Growing up with Marvin Gaye as a kid we played his albums all the time in our household. As awesome and memorable as Marvin's 1976 album "I Want You" is because of the artwork by African-American artist/painter Ernie Barnes, it's his socially conscious 1971 album "What's Going On" with his qool stance in the raincoat that stands out for me...

I Really Like This Picture:

Because Of The Iconic Picture Of Marvin In The Raincoat
And Then The Irony Of The Cloudy Overcoat Day
To The Left And The Motown Sign
Which Compliments This Shot Pretty Well

My Friend Calvin

The Outside Of The Motown Museum Has Marvin Gaye
Featured This Time Around

NEXT... After the Motown Museum we go to the 2nd Annual KICK Boat Ride (A Pre-Black Pride "Hotter Than July" Celebration) later that evening...

Official Website: e-kick.org

KICK
The Agency for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender
African-Americans in Metropolitan Detroit
A Michigan Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization
Serving the metro Detroit community since 1994

41 Burroughs Street
(between Woodward Avenue and Cass Avenue)
Suite 109
Detroit, Michigan 48202
GOOGLE MAPS

Phone: (313) 285-9733 | E-mail: info[at]e-kick.org

Official Website: e-kick.org

Mission Statement

To increase awareness of and support to Detroit's dynamic lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, culture through education and advocacy with integrity and pride.

Friends Walter, Stephen And Calvin
Sharing A Laugh

ADODI/KICK Brutha Anthony And
KICK Executive Director Curtis Lipscomb.
Curtis Does Some Outstanding Work in Detroit
And KICK Is The Largest Black SGL Advocacy
Organization In The State Of Michigan

Walter

Sistah Alfreda.
She Is So Sweet And Very Good People

Alfreda

Friends Yes and Sangoma

I LOVE How The Glow From The Industrial Plant
Glowed Orange On The Exhaust

Yes And Calvin

Levar And Ja'briel.
Too Great People I Met On The Boat Ride

Beautiful...

Brutha Levar

My Great Friends Calvin, Alfreda And Yes

Friends Sangoma And Calvin

SEE PREVIOUS
ROD's Summer Trip To Michigan (2011) - Part I
DAY 1: 1917 American Bistro /
Dabl's African Bead Gallery / Ruth Ellis Center

SEE NEXT
ROD's Summer Trip To Michigan (2011) - Part III
DAY 4: The Charles H. Wright African American Museum /
Traffic Jam Restaurant