Arielle Loren » Arielle Palmer

End of the Year Prep: Self Reliance

Arielle — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:42:46 +0000

I’ve sort of become an Emerson freak recently. He may even be my favorite poet/writer of the Transcendentalists (I don’t have many favorite writers). But in particular, his essay “Self Reliance” has given me great strength and motivation to plan some amazing initiatives for 2010 and execute “preliminary requirements” to those initiatives before the end of the year.

As I roast in the middle of finals and my brain feels the heat of the academic flame, I pull this quote from Emerson’s essay to describe my mantra for 2010:

“Great men have always done so, and confided themselves childlike to the genius of their age, betraying their perception that the absolutely trustworthy was seated at their heart, working through their hands, predominating in all their being. And we are now men, and must accept in the highest mind the same transcendent destiny; and not minors and invalids in a protected corner, not cowards fleeing before a revolution, but guides, redeemers, and benefactors, obeying the Almighty effort, and advancing on Chaos and the Dark.”- Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self Reliance

I’m very clear about what I expect from myself in 2010, and I must admit that I have put the standards high. But only you know your true potential, so I don’t doubt my ability or grace to balance my goals and have a completed check list by December 31, 2010. Nevertheless, as 2009 comes to an end, I am excited about finishing a successful semester, completing my senior thesis (I’ll be editing it more in the Spring for publication), traveling across Europe, learning Spanish, and finally getting to see Egypt (December 19th is so close!!!!!)

I plan to do another post to release any last sentiments about 2009 before I board my flight to Cairo. I don’t want to be connected to the technology world while I’m traveling and plan to use Egypt as a meditative space for transitioning to 2010 and all of the responsibilities that come with it.

It’s 2:38am, I’m going to bed.

Hope you’re completing your “end of the year prep” like I am.

Much love,

Ari

(I figured that I’d bless you with an iPhoto on my NEW MACBOOK PRO!!!!!!!!!! it’s so sexy lol)

Detangled Minds, Good Hair & Indie Films

Arielle — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 04:11:41 +0000

As many of you have figured out within the last few weeks, I cut my hair. Chopped, gone, and perhaps now in some garbage incinerator floating up to the sky. I have cut my hair before, around my 18^th birthday (that’s about two years ago, yes I am young!), I told my hairdresser that I was tired of my shoulder brushing mane and to cut me the edgyist style she could think of. And I rocked it, HARD, in fact the majority of my friends in New York remembered me with my short hair cut, so when I came back to New York this summer after a year of being abroad with my hair back to my shoulders, a lot of my friends were like “huh? Arielle?”

(left: spring 2008 before I left NYU, right: summer 2009 when I returned to NYC)

There was only one difference though between my previous cut and my current one, the sodium hydroxide also known as a relaxer that kept my hair pin straight (until that new growth kicked in!). After cutting your hair once, the idea of not having hair is not scary. So when I started toying with the idea of cutting my hair again and going natural, being considered “bald-headed” was not a concern. I was scared of the idea that for 11 years, I had not felt the real texture of my hair and I literally had no idea what it would look like. For months, I would allow my hair to grow out (I think I made it to 5 months without a relaxer once!), and pull my mixed relaxed hair and natural hair back into a ponytail and stare in the mirror trying to figure out how it would look if my new growth was all that was there.

And then came the question of my profession, in truth, I’m going to be a writer and now I’m dabbling in film, so having natural hair in the arts shouldn’t cause a huge issue, but what if I changed my mind and wanted to go back to the office setting? As free-thinking as I try to be, the world as it is and as it should be are two different things, simply black women with natural hair or afros are looked at as being either radical, unkept, or both by the majority of America. I went to see Good Hair and Chris Rock did a fabulous job on illustrating the relationships that black women have with their hair. I was so proud to have cut my hair and taken the natural step weeks before and let this be a written testimony that I will never put another relaxer in my hair.

I feel healthier body and spirit wise because I believe my hair was carrying some serious negative energy and pieces of me that I had outgrown long ago. Shout out to @imchrissij for doing my big chop and making my “go-natural” experience beautiful and memorable.

My next steps are to graduate, continue writing, and produce my documentary (more details to come). But “in the mean time,” as a new member of the indie film community, I would like to share something very special with y’all and hope you’ll show some love in return.

Shout out to the writer and director of Underbelly, Donald A.C. Conley. You can purchase the full film at http://indieflix.com

Reflections on Spain

Arielle — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 02:03:28 +0000

It has been an interesting semester, hasn’t it? I began January by flying to Madrid to be in NYU in Madrid’s program, living in Spain’s capitol, and feeling for the second time what it’s like to be a study abroad American student in Europe. And then I returned and I saw my country swear in the first African-American president in our history and stood on the front lawn of the capital experiencing something that I hope to tell not just my children, or my grandchildren, but my great-grandchildren and I hope the stories continue to go on generation by generation. It was that amazing tone that seemed to set my semester to something incredible, to a level that I couldn’t even imagine at the time. And then my father was sworn in to be a superior court judge that same week, something he has worked for endlessly during his career. The sentiments continued to build because dreams were becoming a part of everyday life all around me. It was no longer a stretch of the imagination to say “my president is Black!” or that perhaps America was moving toward a new era that we’ve all been waiting for…change, the same word that an amazing campaign was built on, change and hope. I returned to Madrid a few days later to work on the moment God had given me. In truth, the honeymoon phase had passed and now I was in a city, with a language that I was not fluent in, and city folks that truly weren’t that friendly. As someone who refuses to stay in any bubbles set for myself, I could feel myself becoming upset that the interaction I expected with native-Spanish speakers and Madrid’s citizens was not coming to pass. Instead, I was there with my American friends in and out of class, speaking our common language of English, having a great party life, and feeling my Spanish reach a plateau where it wasn’t getting better or worse…it just “was”.

With this feeling of just existing and not progressing, I waited, I meditated, and I prayed for guidance. Then after something like a fairytale, I booked a weekend trip with my friend Tammy to Sevilla to get away in hopes of clearing my mind from my surroundings and focusing harder on what I was supposed to receive from my study abroad experience. After meeting so many international students from all over Europe and South America, and even some from the U.S., all studying in Sevilla at actual Spanish universities with native Spanish students, I knew immediately that HEY THAT’S WHAT I CAME HERE FOR!!!!

So I did the unthinkable and left my program in Madrid to move to Sevilla and enroll in a local university called the Universidad de Pablo Olavide, by far the most adventurous thing I’ve done in my life. Moving to a place, I’ve only seen once and completely risking my academic semester, but I had one of those “feelings” that it was right even though it logically could not be explained. But four months later, I can tell you that my Spanish literally has me feeling that I am reaching the top of the ladder to fluency, if not being two steps from already achieving it, I made a life friend (love ya Tammy), and I got the opportunity to experience Spain and its inhabitants on a completely different level. Between my trips to Granada, Barcelona/Catalunya, Ibiza, Palma Mallorca, Valencia, and Cordoba all within Spain and then to Greece and the Greek islands, it is clear that God had a plan and something to show me. That extent of traveling would not have been possible on my NYU in Madrid schedule and the Spanish I had to use to communicate and most importantly hear the stories and histories of the locals would have never been at the proper level. But still Madrid was a blessing, Sevilla was a blessing, and every person I met contributed to my life in a unique way. I thank God for making all of this possible including the family and friends that supported me through this. To my Mom, Grandmother, and Auntie that were always there to hear me vent on a phone call, I can’t tell you how much it meant to have people to talk to when you’re so far away from home. To my Aunt Candace and Uncle Bruce that literally financed this trip and gave me the spiritual talk that I needed before I left their house in Michigan/gave me great advice while I was abroad, my travels and attitude toward this trip would have never been the same without you. To my sister who managed to keep me laughing through this whole process between her emails, comments on my blog and our phone conversations, I LOVE YOU! And love to my brother Bryson and Asha for coming all the way across the Atlantic to see your little sister! It was great to see you guys and some familiar faces in Spain. And to my Dad who gave me some great words of advice for returning to New York and my last days in Spain, it was exactly what I needed to hear to prepare me for my last year of school.

Although I thought I’d be moving to live in Cordoba for the next 2 months to intern for the Plataforma Andaluza de Apoyo al Lobby Europeo de Mujeres (Andalucian Platform of Support to the European Lobby of Women), I ended up moving back home to Jersey and currently thinking about my next steps. My senior year of college starts in less than 3 months and I’m sure that God has a ton more things to show me before that accomplishment. I wanted to put together some picture memories for you all from all my trips, experiences, and last days of being in Sevilla. Thanks for all the continued support while I was abroad. I love you all!!!!!

Arielle

Es la verdad, Estoy en Madrid (It’s the truth, I am in Madrid)

Arielle — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:46:56 +0000

It’s been approximately four days and I have NEVER spoken so much spanish in my life. My Senora (aka the sweet old woman I am living with) speaks no English, so my five housemates and I have all our evening conversations in Spanish and barely speak any English. It is truly the best thing I could’ve asked for and I have learned so many new words and expressions in the last week that are simply amazing. Additionally, no one in Madrid speaks English or desires to lol, so whether I am asking for directions, in the grocery store trying to find something, getting in a cab, ordering my food at a restaurant, talking with locals about Madrid, EVERYTHING is conducted in Spanish. Admittedly it is frustrating at times when I can’t think of a word, but after just four days I can DEFINITELY say that I will be fluent after five months of living here and traveling around South America for two months this summer. We haven’t truly gone too many places and I am trying not to look like a tourist by taking too many pictures, so unfortunately I only have a few to show you for your viewing. (Madrid is notorious for pickpockets, cell phone grabbers, and purse dealers). When I begin to travel around Spain over the next month and various parts of Europe I’ll be sure to snap a few so you can see what I’ve been up to though.

Travel list for this semester:

1. South of France & Paris

2. Greece

3. Morocco

4. Egypt

5. Germany

6. Sicily, Naples, & Capri

7. ALL OVER SPAIN (Canary Islands included!)

Las tias y yo (The girls and I…tia is slang for girl or chica en Spain even though it technically means aunt!)

Last Days in London

Arielle — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:53:48 +0000

After every experience surfaces the inevitable question upon your return to your homeland, “How was (blank)?” Well, how was London…hmmm I had to ask myself. What exactly did I think, feel, and if I had to do it again, would I go back? London was interesting…that seems to be the response I have given everyone who asked. I like to call it a beautiful launching pad for exploring more about yourself and the world. The language is convenient for english speakers, the universities and their resources (at least at SOAS) are great, and the people (well most of them) are actually pretty nice. I really enjoyed myself in London, honestly. I enjoyed being away from New York, away from my friends (even though I love them), and having the ability to be in solitude when I felt like it and yet still build wonderful relationships with the friends that I met. London was everything I needed but the travel experiences it gave me actually was more. Although I only visited Wales, Portugal, and Italy, each site gave me a new story and a new sense of growing wisdom about my life. It gave me a sense of humility about my position in the world and truly made me realize how amazing God is in general and for giving me this opportunity to travel. I think that all of this came together during my last few days in London. I must admit, I was not ready to go home especially since we met ALL THE COOL YOUNG BRITS 3 days before we left. But we still made some pretty cool friends at my “uni” (university) since I was primarily attending the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) instead of just NYU’s London campus with the rest of the American students. There is so much that can be learned as a young person in college and I can’t even imagine how much I am going to grow over the next six months between my spring abroad experience in Madrid, Spain and in South America during the summer. As a result of all my experiences in London/my fall travels and their positive impact on my life, I have become addicted to traveling and placing myself in new contexts. Funny, because just when I thought it was over, I realized that getting on the plane home and eventually returning to Europe in January was solely the beginning.

“The mind I love must have wild places, a tangled orchard where dark damsons drop in the heavy grass, an overgrown little wood, the chance of a snake or two, a pool that nobody’s fathomed the depth of, and paths threaded with flowers planted by the mind.” – Katherine Mansfield

Pictures of My Living Box

Arielle — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 18:50:13 +0000

As requested, below are some pics of my dorm in London. I cleaned up just for you guys, so feel special!!! lol The funny thing is that my dorm looks BEYOND luxurious from the outside.

Here is a picture of our building from our outside foyer and from down the street on Pentonville Road.

Admittedly, it does fulfill its OUTSIDE luxury with the weekly cleaning services they provide and the 24 hour security, BUT inside….LOLOLOLOLOL good one. I’d call it the life of a dorming college student at its best! On a serious note though, you’d rarely hear me complain about my living arrangements because number one I’m blessed to even be in London and number two I’m never home anyway!!!

Study Abroad Education Should Be Mandatory

Arielle — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:09:08 +0000

Well, let me first start by saying that I love New York University. Even though they get on my nerves and their financial aid office is always trying to pull some shananigans with my aid, I still LOVE my school. But honestly, I think American education is a bit too institutionalized. Our ideologies have managed to infiltrate our educational systems and freedom of speech really hasn’t been FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

At the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies, I have been exposed to all types of students. Yes, it is typical for me to meet Italian & African socialists or students who believe that maybe communism wasn’t that bad, and no one looks at them like they’re crazy. Most of these students have studied and worked with communities in Asia and Africa, which are experiencing corrupt governments and suffering from poverty. And NO not ALL African nations are poor, but these students have a WORLD view on politics unlike a NATION view most American students contain. I can appreciate having socialists and communists in my classes and at my dinner table because although I do believe in capitalism, I more so believe in freedom of thought and freedom of mental expansion. I think we as Americans tend to tune out the rest of the world and believe that everyone wants a democratic government like ours. As Governor Palin conveniently stated on McCain’s foreign policy plan in her interview with Katie Couric, “we will spread democracy to every nation that wants it.” UMMMMMM how about NO, it’s the “save the world attitude” that the U.S. has adopted that got us into all this mess in the first place. I’m a firm believer in grass roots revolutions and politics. It is the people’s responsibility to fight for what they want. No one came over from another country when African-Americans were fighting for their rights and said here let me bomb your government so you can receive your rights. We fought for it and we continue to fight for it. The U.S. needs to take two steps back and think about our presence and reputation in the world because currently, we are practicing modern day imperialism (the crowd goes OUCH, Ari that was harsh).

But getting back on topic (I seem to be very politically sensitive these days), studying abroad at the University of London SOAS has really given me a new perspective. The experiences of engaging with worldly open-minded intellectuals about politics, education, finance, etc. is INVALUABLE. It definitely has further molded my views of the world. I wish every NYU student took advantage of this opportunity because living in an American bubble doesn’t allow you to truly understand our position in the world or give you a global eduation.

Ari

Honest Critiques and the Start of a Revolution

Arielle — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:49:22 +0000

I made a promise to myself that I would dedicate my London experience to learning more about my people’s history globally and read as many black literary works as possible. After running New Jersey’s NAACP Youth & College Division State Convention successfully this weekend and meeting a ton of student leaders across several campuses in Jersey, I felt inspired that perhaps my peers do care about the state of the black community and truly want to give their energy toward a new movement. I’ve been criticized for airing this out in the public; however, as a national member and State President of New Jersey’s NAACP Youth & College Division, I think the NAACP, as an association, has been slacking. My critique is not meant to cause division in the Association since I have been quoted to say that “any passionless civil rights leader should be stripped of their title and prohibited for speaking on behalf of the younger generation.” Instead, my words were meant to cause a wake up call to all state NAACP youth & college divisions, NAACP national staff, and any civil rights “leader” in this country. The civil rights movement is extinct, and we have been riding too long on the past accomplishments of our ancestors. With so many young people waiting for a new movement and a chance to express their militancy and desire for change, it’s time that the NAACP step its game up and lead the younger generation in a movement to change this country. I’m tired of seeing civil rights panels or black issues discussions on TV with NO REPRESENTATION OF ANYONE UNDER 25. Reverend Sharpton and Reverend Jackson should not be getting more phone calls than young civil rights leaders. Youthful talent is present and it’s also time that the media recognize that the civil rights leaders of the past may NOT be the civil rights leaders of the present (uh oh! did Arielle really just say that!). Nevertheless, if no one wants to listen to me, at least I can say that New Jersey’s NAACP Youth & College Division will be wreaking havoc and starting a militant movement in our state for change under my leadership. Regardless of who wins the election (GO OBAMA-BIDEN 08!), we will NOT succumb to faulty leadership and have another 8 years of being ignored. Check out some pictures of the convention and see some of the CURRENT civil rights leaders of this nation. In the words of Afeni Shakur, a past noted NY Black Panther and mother of hip hop legend Tupac Shakur, “There is a difference between a resistance and revolution.” Angela Davis also said it best when she stated, “Revolution is a serious thing, even more serious a revolutionary’s life. When one dedicates themselves to the struggle it must be for a lifetime.” Therefore, you will be seeing much more of us in the future. NEWS FLASH: Arielle is TAKING the torch regardless whether it is being given to me or not. Resisting injustice is not enough, it’s time for a new movement aka a civil rights revolution. I’m not all about talk though, so watch my Executive Committee flip New Jersey upside down during the next year of my presidency. Let’s just say some state officials at the convention got a wake up call and meetings have been planned upon my return from London.

Check out an article about the New Jersey NAACP Youth & College Division in the Daily Record http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008809280379

Letters to My Young Sister

Arielle — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:56:16 +0000

I realized over the last few days that as a writer/new blogger I refuse to post space fillers. I haven’t blogged for almost 3 days, but I think that’s okay because you would rather read something that I truly wanted to share versus something I was just using to pass time.

Well to the “juicy” stuff! I’ve finished Hill Harper’s Letters to A Young Sister: DeFine Your Destiny. Why it took me until this morning to get through it after I’ve owned it for over a month is beyond me! The funny thing is that I’m pretty sure I finished it at the right time, and as I explained in “No Experience”, the book probably delivered a well needed message for my ongoing journey in Europe. Hill Harper has an excellent message for all young women. Although I’ve already grown through some of the stages he touches on, it was nice to reflect on the streams I have managed to cross and the rivers/oceans that lie in front of me. Moreover, as I read through the last 90 pages this morning (yes I’m a “G” when it comes to reading lol), I immediately started to reconcoct my recent thoughts about where I wanted to take my career. Like Hill, I feel so fulfilled when I empower people, but I realized that specifically working with young women and inspiring them to be and attain whatever dreams they put their mind to, gives me more satisfaction.

I spoke to my little sister Amber last night (Isn’t she beautiful!!! I LOVE YOU SIS!) and to hear the excitement in her voice about starting her new school in Somerset, NJ and the new friends that she made, truly made me feel even more excited for her future experiences. My mom shot me an email this morning saying how much it truly meant that I called her for her first day of school all the way from London. What I think most older sisters don’t realize is that your first opportunity to make a difference in the lives of young women starts in your familial circle. My sister has expressed repeated times her desires to be a singer, an actor, a fashion designer, etc. I have made it very clear and I will say it a THOUSAND times if necessary that I will support ANY and ALL of her positive aspirations as the women in my family have done for me despite of what anyone else (family members included!) has to say about my decisions.

I appreciate you being there and I also thank my male supporters because I haven’t forgotten about you!

Peace & Blessings!

Ari

CERRRRCHHHSS (that’s the sound of the Pound ripping my pocket!)

Arielle — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:24:33 +0000

I must say that this whole London pound-dollar conversion truly did not hit me until I was forced to buy an alarm clock since I left mine in the States.

This thing below cost me 20 POUNDS that’s almost the equivalent of $40. When I told my new roomate Steph (who is awesome!), she was like well I hope it talks!

LOL not exactly!