Why Artists Give Back

"In terms of giving back, Art is not a charity. It's a way of life."

- Marcello Cabezas from an episode of Arts & Minds

"You and I are on the Same Ship"

"Well, charity ain’t justice. Charity is beautiful, but you ain’t got to be charitable to me if I already got justice. If I already got a sense of participation, you ain’t got to be charitable to me. Just treat me right everyday.

That’s why you and I are on the same ship. In fact we’re traveling on the same plane. You might be in first class, eating filet mignon, and I’m eating peanuts back in Row 55. If you’re on the plane, being in first class ain’t gonna stop you from going down with the rest of us. When there’s turbulence, there’s turbulence everywhere. Everybody be shaking. And if the plane goes down, you might die first in first class.

Yes, some of us are in first class, but the plane is in trouble. What will you do to speak to the pilot? To tell the pilot to tell the control center that we’ve got to change directions unless the turbulence leads us to our own deaths.

That’s the truth we’ve got to tell; that’s the courage we’ve got to muster, and that’s the beauty of soul we must reveal to one another in the quietness of our own individual lives."

- Michael Eric Dyson

Mr. Wendal

"Here have a dollar, in fact naw brotherman here have two.


Two dollars is a snack for me but it means a big deal to you.


Be strong serve God only know that if you do beautiful heaven awaits.


That's the poem I wrote for the first time, I saw a man with no clothes, no money, no plate.


Mr. Wendal, that's his name, no one ever knew his name cuz he's a know one."

- Arrested Development "Mr. Wendal" from the album "3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life of..."

This is a great song. I like how the group spelled "no one" as "know one" as well. It shows that we shouldn't judge people on appearances. The bum in this song actually has a lot to offer.

The Best Investment

“The best investment I know of is charity: you get your principal back immediately, and draw a dividend every time you think of it.”
- Henry Wheeler Shaw (Josh Billings)

Happy Monday Everyone!