#WokeWomen #Oscars #CaseyAffleck #DenzelWashington #Women#BlackHistoryMonth #WomensHistoryMonth #Respect #Unity #Peace#Climate #Science

Art is subjective and personal to a degree … but when it’s done well, it’s also #Universal

I believe that most of humanity is comprised of well-meaning human beings … sometimes ignorant of our foibles, prejudices, biases … etc … and when we step on somebody’s toes, willing to apologize good-naturedly, knowing that we have had our own toes stepped on …

As a multi-cultural minority in America, as a woke woman, a survivor of child abuse, as a member of the LGBTQ community, and as an artist, i make it my business to speak up, speak out whenever I feel injustice for any of my sisters and brothers and fellow creatures on this beautiful big blue planet of ours …

Having spent the last 3 years solidly working 24/7 at my diversity – based, recycled / upcycled tiny studio … making my civil rights, womens’ rights, lgbtq rights, climate rights – themed feature film and album … I have had limited time to become aware of accusations against others … so this is the first time I have become aware of the sexual harrassment allegations against Casey Affleck … and I would need to read much more to find out what was up with that … so … had I known about it … – that would absolutely have affected my reactions to his having won the Oscar last night …

A few years ago, in response to what I felt was a monstrous lack of opportunity for my work as an artist, in the mainstream “hollywood” environment … and after turning down several roles that I felt were degrading toward women, in projects, that in my gutt, I felt were basically perpetuating all the ills of this world such as racism and sexism … projects unworthy of what I could offer to the industry ( and unworthy of the education I worked so hard to attain and maintain ) … I decided to “be the change I wished to see” and scraped together literally pennies / half a shoestring budget and built my own tiny film and music studio in order to empower NOT ONLY myself as a multicultural female lgbt artist, but also … others … whom I hired and I supported on these projects …

I also built my tiny studio TO TELL STORIES about what I often refer to as “endangered communities” such as #Women, #Girls, Persons of Color #POC #WomenOfColor , Members of the #LGBTQ #Global Community and #Scientists ….

Along the way, I experienced some nasty ignorant responses from all kindsa directions … of course I have heard some nasty stuff from sexist / racist climate deniers …. but occasionally I have experienced a bitter coldness even from some in the African American community ( I am perceived as “white” / caucasian but I am an exotic multicultural mix … just happen to lean more toward the rose gold spectrum and have blonde hair … but it shouldn’t matter but it does I know .. I know .. ugh ) … and even from some Women … so … I get it … whenever one does anything unique … one can experience nasty stuff even from people for whom I made my feature film + album … literally as a love letter to their empowerment …

So …. I totally campaigned for #DenzelWashington to get #BestActor and #BestDirector … I mean THAT is what he IS.
This year, in my opinion, Denzel’s performance and his work as director were THE most #OUTSTANDING … and … after all, that is what is expressed as the intent of the #AcademyAward : “most outstanding” … not “best” … but yeah semantics can get us confused when they are confusing …

And again … I didn’t know of the accusations / lawsuit against Affleck … but also … is being accused of something now a sure-fire road to failure in the world ? If so … we would all be living in glass houses …
I was supposed to have seen “Moonlight” and “Manchester By The Sea” weeks ago but I’ve been in post-production on my film so I hadn’t seen Manchester or Moonlight till a few nights ago…

So … I gotta say… Moonlight is in my heart for obvious reasons … bc it is about my struggle too … it’s universal … but also bc it’s got some pointed similarities with the film my team and I have made eVe N’god™ this female is not yet rated™ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybFeysEAHtk&feature=youtu.be a semi-autobiographical #interracial lgbt love story based (partly) on my relationship with my ex-girlfriend who happens to be black … among other themes in the film …
The Oscar for Moonlight represents the potential for projects like mine, to gain acceptance.

However …
I also saw Manchester the other day and … as an actor / writer/ director and movie lover … I’ve GOT to say Afflecks performance and Manchester as a film… especially Kenneth Lonergan’s writing and his direction too, for me…these are solid works …subtle, less overtly epic… but powerful nonetheless …. and worthy of that Oscar in my opinion.
So … last night i found myself in some weird #Twitter exchange w #KamauBell ( a #comedian) … it was about his commenting that there should be a reversal of Affleck’s Best Actor award … and it reminded me of the apologizing #Adele did at the #Grammys … and then the brilliant quip from #TrevorNoah about the fact that Adele “ Kanye’d herself” … LOL
So now Affleck should have his Oscar removed ?
In light of the insanity we have just experienced in the Election … which SHOULD be reversed and restored to sanity ….

In light of the highly #Misogynist attacks on #HillaryClinton and the racism aimed at the Obamas for the past years … and I mean, those attacks also originated from within certain members of the #Democratic party … and in light of where that division and misogyny have landed us and the world …
In light of that … I feel we must be FAR MORE RESPONSIBLE with our public words … and far more respectful toward each other. I include myself in this … I am and will continue to be far more thoughtful and less reactive to what I see / hear … bc anger is only useful when it’s put to good use … guided by our “higher angels”
I worry a lot about those who would divide us for personal gain.
Where does the race baiting end? …. I feel we are all being played … like the mideast or something… as tho it’s ok for ANYBODY to discredit an artist’s work due to the color of their skin …

Whenever there is an artistic “competition” which is a weird concept to begin with … I mean, how do you compare two films anyway … that’s tricky …. and if people knew how difficult it is to make ANY film, they might be slower to attempt to destroy people’s careers …

There are many more examples of controversial Oscar wins … and Grammy wins and …. and … and …. 

and …

… if anything … it’s more about MONEY / Backing / PR … and that is a whole mess of deals being made on every level including at the level of Film Festivals … yeah it HAS been rigged for a long time in favor of white, male, conservative … you name it … YEAH it’s fucking HARD out here …
But where do these militant “tribal” attacks get us?

The point is that culture and art are both subjective and ALSO… universal…
When #art and #artists are attacked for political or tribal purpose …
Well… That… Is an attack on all art and every artist …

Then we are down an even more slippery slope …

I advocate that we stop labelling each other in that twitter happy 140 character slam dunk that our followers fist bump so fast, without knowing the context.

And Context MATTERS.

I advocate that in this extremely difficult time in history and #herstory … we speak up respectfully, forcefully, even angrily …

but that we ALSO LISTEN and think, and feel, not only for ourselves, but for each other.

Because I too, am the other, and so are you.

© Cali Lili ™
Cali Lili Indies™

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/casey-affleck-wins-best-actor-oscar_us_58a760ebe4b037d17d27bb48?ncid=engmodushpmg00000003