A community-oriented art & graphic design collective. We make graphic apparel, hand-crafted accessories and produce events. And most importantly, spew randomness about important and non-important topics.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

One3snapshot at the Jack London Holiday Pop Up


4th Annual Holiday Pop-Up at Jack London Square on Friday, December 6th!
This free event will be inside the Pavilion (the former Barnes and Noble Building).

Come shop locally for the Holiday season. Buy your gifts for the holiday season from small businesses, creators and artists while enjoying the Holiday lighting of the Christmas tree at Jack London Square.

Music provided by:
DJ Nina Sol
Juan G.
Naima Shalhoub
Young Gifted and Black

Fun and games for the children too.

Parts of the proceeds benefit:
Youth Uprising
Young Gifted and Black
Oakland Grown


EVENT PAGE

Sunday, October 20, 2013

50% of All Fela Apparel October 15-31

Over here at www.one3snapshot.com the FELABRATION is not over. For the rest of the month get 50% of All Fela Apparel. At these prices you gotta get them all!


Friday, September 6, 2013

King Culture Hats by Xaivier Ringer now on Sale

For a special introductory price, get these dope ass hats online. Truly one of a kind!

King Culture hats are one of a kind, hand painted hats designed to display a fusion of funk, hip-hop and street fashion. The artist and creator, Xaivier Ringer hails from Rome, GA by way of Boston and the SF Bay Area. King hats can be ordered (existing designs) or tailor made.

Get one of these NOW http://one3snapshot.bigcartel.com/



Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Saturday Sept 7 2013: Family & Community Jam

One3snapshot and AkatCafe Kalli
bring you Party to the People!
A interactive multicultural and inter-generational gathering where People from different cultural backgrounds can share their history through dance, music and storytelling. We hope this serves as a way to build community and sustain cross-cultural relationships in our neighborhoods. 

Songs, Movements & Story-telling will be guided by emerging and established artists and facilitators. Feel free to bring a song, rhythm, story or dance from your “people” to share. Also we will have some instruments on site, but bring some if you can.

This is a FREE all-ages event so bring the Babies, the Teens & the Grandparents and be ready to sing, play, dance and share. It needs you to make it happen. Don’t just watch. Party-cipate!

There will be food, beer & wine and kid-friendly snacks and beverages. And some REALLY GOOD coffee all for sale.



More info & RSVP
https://www.facebook.com/events/198816170289347/

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Story, Story... Story!

A hole is to dig and summer is for so that you can have time to read. I was waiting until after I was done with my wedding to settle in and get it in. The way my life is these days, I probably may only be able to get One in, and it will for sure be this....

Time for me to purchase my copy of Americanah by Chimamanda Adichie. I love all her books so far, and I know I'm late, but I can't wait to read this one. I just... gosh. Sometimes I wish I was her, or had the gift of telling stories of the African/Nigerian experience like she does, but really I'm happy that I am not her because that means I just get to read them.

On another note, can not wait for the Half of a Yellow Sun movie to come out. Although I don't think I will be able to watch it... It just may be too much.


On another note, One3snapshot.com should be getting a bunch of new items in online and stores alike, so be on the lookout

Monday, June 10, 2013

Do White Women Love White Women, Like I Love Black Women?




I have moments when I'm just like. OMG I love Black Women. Like intense Admiration. Pride, Joy, and just a feeling that they are the most beautiful beings on the planet in their natural and creative forms. To my white friends, do y'all ever have this feeling about your own. Real talk? Lol. I'm curious where it comes from when I feel like this, is it just an appreciation of myself because of the awareness of the shit that Black women deal with when it comes to image or what? So do you ever feel like "OMG, I LOOOVE White women, they are the most beautiful beings on the planet?"

 I feel like this is the case subconsciously and historically because then that is why we live in the world we do today with Western/European/White as the definition and guideline for beauty.

I know there are white women who think Black women are the 'most gorgeous beings' even going on to emulate style, habits, and aesthetics of Black women/culture (just as we black women do). But I am curious to know how the basic white woman sees beauty, or rather articulates her appreciation for it.

So White Women do you ever have this feeling that you are beautiful as a race in the pure essence of Whiteness a forethought and articulation, just like I do about Black women?

Monday, May 13, 2013

Kehinde Wiley | The World Stage: Israel

It's crazy how time flies and I'll look back and I'll see that my last post was in March...and it's May now. Just like that. Crazy. Coordinating hundreds of people to get ready for San Francisco Carnaval Parade. Planning a wedding. Getting used to holding down a family/household. Chasing a speedily growing baby who at 9 months is giving me a run for my no-money. Trying to maintain some level of physical and mental health. and on and on...

Ya it's spring time and my life is just that. Still, I am going to trying to check this out before it ends on May 27, the bills at the BART station has been catching my eye for months. I was firstly intrigued by this bright image (of course), but mostly drawn by the Yoruba twin name Kehinde....but was like wtf does a Nigerian first name with a non Nigerian last name, got to do with Israel... I was hella confused.

But I did my research and found out. And I'm there. Someone who's all about putting images of black men into the "high" class of art and culture. So the shi shi pinky up side of me thinks I ought to dress cute and get out to see this, and nod my head solemnly and ask my hubby what room he thinks one of these may look good in.

Read about it

Check this article about him in GQ

Friday, March 22, 2013

Chinua Achebe


Yesterday Mr Chinua Achebe, A Man of the People went to visit Chike and The River to explain How the Leopard Got his claws. As he was doing so, The Anthills of the Savannah started to bite him all over which made him No Longer at Ease. As he fought and fought, the situation only became worse and even put the boys and Girls at War. He thought he would still try to reason with them by playing The Flute, until he was struck by an Arrow of God. Achebe decided that he could not win this battle and realized this was the Trouble with Nigeria; it would always be filled with false Hopes and Impediment. He decided all he could do was walk away and watch all Things Fall Apart.

November 16, 1930 - March 22, 2013: Chinua Achebe RIP

An inspiration, motivation and a strong example that OUR stories should be told by US.


Monday, February 25, 2013

New Fela Kuti T-shirts & Hoodies Available Now

It took us long enough but they are here! Just in time for... whatever they're in time for. Get these now, because they are selling way too fast for us to keep up with! More stuff coming soon.



Monday, February 18, 2013

OMG There's a mf Blog on this mf Plane!!


Remember in the old old days of yore when flying was actually a pleasant experience? You would get all dressed for travel and with your luggage set head to the check-out counter and say something like “May I please buy a ticket to ….....?”

Remember when after you did pack your luggage you could just had it over to be checked in and tagged and they wouldn't cuff your wrist and rob you of another $35 dollars for one suitcase? $50 for the second?

And seeing that you were in fact all dressed you wouldn't have to get all undressed again in public and be herded through the cattle gate, and then have to empty out all your luggage because had a bottle of the really expensive perfume you got as a gift for your mother-in-law which you won't be able to give her anymore because the cattle herders just informed you they suspect you have plans to bomb the plane?

Remember when travel was a GOOD experience? Complete with this seemingly archaic notion called 'customer service'?

Don't get me wrong (as I stand on my soapbox here). I am the ultimate technology-for-everything is better and people NEED TO LEARN HOW TO NAVIGATE THE AIRPORT and yes keep the line moving that window is open omg can't you learn how to just go and check and not stand there like a moron KEEP IT MOVING. GAH! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Down girl! Right...right okay I'm conflicted of course because I am one of those people who appreciate the use of technology in getting things done. Blame it on the 'awkward' black girl in me, and my intense fear of dealing with various customer service personnel. But that's for another post another day. Just take my word for it now. Please, let's focus on what we came here for. Back to the story

As a kid and into my teens I traveled a fair amount. With my family and also by myself. I remember how exhilarating it was walking around the airport, seeing and meeting all different types of people, and when you got on the plane that was an adventure in itself, making friends (gasp) with people, learning about where they were from and going, playing games, watching movies, looking out the window and wondering where in the world we were.

{Insert self reflection and guilt trip}
To be frank these days I do my fair share (okay large greedy portion) of “don't talk to me, I'm: reading a book/listening to music/actively trying not to talk to you”. But these days the feelings of airport and airplanes (still somewhat exhilarating because it usually means that I'm going somewhere) makes me sad and disappointed in the world, people, corporations (news flash), all of the above.

It may be due to the fact that I'm getting older or that I'm simply getting more aware and invested in what I've decided is the simple cure for a lot of societal trauma: 'talking' to each other and being kind when we do. Over simplified? Okay! Idealistic? Why Yes! Utopian? Of course! But on a serious note, I'm starting to feel this way. Obviously not enough to actually practice it but (don't judge me yet) I'm working my way there.

Okay back to Story.

Oh look! you finally made it to the plane that you're not going to bomb. For entertainment maybe everyone will have their own individual TV screen, or else have various personal zombie gadgets. Remember when we actually just watched a movie on the few big screens? I can't help but feel that at least as a group we shared something. There was always going to be that weird guy laughing too much too loud, but a lot of time we would all be laughing, or ooohing or sideways sniffling together.
These days all we share are disenchanted looks from flight attendants, impatience and the feeling that finally as cattle we had arrived on the trailer and were waiting to be deposited to the butcher.

Gosh this woman. Keeps straying!! Will you just stick to the story?

Okay story: When I was 11 (I think) I was on a flight from Nigeria to Spain and developed an intense case of food poisoning. Asides from the fact that it was probably one of the most awful experiences of my life at the time, all I really remember today was how nice, caring patient and helpful the flight attendants were to my mother and I. They kept checking up on me, cleaning up again and again, and finally making me a make-shift bed in the flight attendant area, where after puking my guts out I finally was able to sleep my way back to health and a resolution never to eat chicken again.

These days I think about this and wonder: were they nice because they were non-Americans? No that can't be. So because the answer is not that simple I have to explore it more, on a pseudo-philosophical level that is.

But before I do, one more gripe. Remember when we would have warm meals on long flights where you'd had to dig your fork in and wonder if that in fact was 'chicken' or 'beef'? Now you're left to pay $10 dollars for a dry too-cold 'chicken' sandwich or $15 for 4 cubes of cheese and 6 even smaller cubes of fruit that look nothing like it was pictured on the inflight 'menu'.

Back to waxing philosophical.
So are they (the flight attendants) and us (because we're not nice to them or ourselves either) just overworked? By our jobs? By the System? By each other?

Because through all of this I can't help but have this childish tantrum feeling that “Everything sucks!” Humanity is diminishing as capitalism is idolized
Kaiser Permanente is more interested in getting my $25 co-payment and pushing me out in 15 mins or less than they are about actually helping me to get better.

p.s. This post was written on a plane. I promise next time I fly I'll say a few words to the person(s) sitting next to me and maybe even make a pen pal.

p.p.s This post was also originally written a week before #occupy Wall Street began

Monday, February 11, 2013

A Reason to Live: The Future is Greater


Have you ever been asked the question: "What keeps you going?" ? What is your typical answer to that?
 For me depending on where I am or the context of the question, the answer varies but is usually the same.

What keeps me going?
  1. My immediate family, whom I adore and admire
  2. The future/Youth
Working with youth for me has increasingly grown over the years to be akin to eating and breathing. What is the point of life if I'm not investing in the future? Why even bother? They are hope, that in a fucked up world that we've created we can still make something better.

My mom almost always says to me in those 'what are you doing with your life?' phone conversations "I want my kids to be better than me." At first I would sigh and want her to stop blabbing but now I'm repeating the same thing to my youth. She also named me 'Nkeiruka' which means: 'What is coming (the future) is greater'. Little did she (or I) know at the time that I would manifest this almost to a fault (at least if you ask her sometimes).

I know it's a cliche saying that 'Children are our future' and a lot of times it's said without the meaning or weight that it carries. But for me it's pretty much one of the few phrases that matter to me in life, and almost everything I do has to be branched with that as the root.

Sometimes I lose sight or I get frustrated with the process, but watching videos (below) like these makes me inspired to see that other people are working with the same value.

So I can keep it in my head that the only thing that matters in this world is the young people coming after me. 





Happy Mardi Gras!

your neighborhood bleeding heart radical,
N

Monday, February 4, 2013

Romanticizing My Heritage: Igbo

Nairaland is the place to be to talk about all aspects of Nigerian culture. Sometimes I get too sucked in, it ends up being a time warp. A lovely one nonetheless. I've found myself here from random google searches, to my husband and I doing research for our Igba Nkwu wedding ceremony, and to creating atmosphere for my book (*cough*).  Was just looking at some really cool photos folks posted of Colonial Igboland. Make me both smile & tear up. (More about this in another post)



 Check out that hair!

Thursday, January 31, 2013

This Igbo Boy can Draw!


Why take digital photos when you could just spend 100hrs drawing realistic images?
read more
You know how we like to claim ours. Yeah! Gotta rep Igbo. Nigeria. *Shrug* Very cool especially from a culture that typically doesn't support art as a professional endeavor.

Monday, January 28, 2013

"Tropicalia in Furs" Music for ya Work & Play day

 Yea. You can't wait to get up of that seat, and on to the dance floor. Perfect mix to make the transition from seat warmer to floor stomp-er.

This mix by young black and sexy Dj Bisoulah features tracks by James Brown, Sergio Mendes Feat Will.I.Am & Black Thought, Fela , + Sa-Ra Creative Partners, The Funkees and more


Monday, January 21, 2013

Monday, January 14, 2013

The Lijadu Sisters sing and tell

I'm hella late on this but...it's never too late for cool ish.
Now, I don't know which of my emotions to express. Or which of my opinions to blab on about.
fierce. inspiring. sexy. motivating. strong. creative. talented. superfreakingawesomecoolyeah!

Check out these women that make me proud to be associated with the word Nigerian (read the interview, watch the video). Cousins of Fela Kuti, and recording artists from the 70s who made a come-back via Knitting Factory Records.




Monday, January 7, 2013