Kicking off 2024 February Black History Month I am bringing you a fresh episode with fresh content on the 1st of February. I feel like time has been compressed over the past 4 years. While writing this episode description I realize I have a hard time retracing the past 4 years. Everything seemed like yesterday, yet 4 years have passed. But I also feel like 10 years have passed in the period of 4. Pandemic started January 2020 and so did the jumpstart of the COVID era Anti Asian hate crimes. Then May 25th 2020, George Floyd's brutal death and another direct reflection of an ongoing epidemic systematic racial injustice and brutality in this country. A 3 year long wave of BLM protests started. My partner was also assaulted because of COVID FEAR. My friend, Steve Lee AKA #AsianSerpico was running for office and it was around that time I met Elton through Facebook since he and Steve had a past together.
One of my initial conversations with Elton on the phone in 2020 was about race, equality, freedom, and misunderstandings. He confronted me with a question regarding how African immigrants were treated in China because at the time the SINO/US relation was already sour thanks to the Trump Trade War then COVID. As always I took my time and I thoroughly explained to Elton regarding my perspective on the situation. I spent time to explain China's history so I can frame my perspective and distinguish between facts and opinions. I felt Elton was pleasantly taken back my passionate speech to not only answer his question but I took my time to help him understand more. And my intention of this episode was to kick off a series of future stories surrounding the conversation between me, a naturalized American of Chinese descent and a Black Artist born in a historical civil rights neighborhood in NYC of an African American mother and Black immigrant father. And how we differ yet relate so much. At the end of the episode you will hear how the energy of our conversation changed from the beginning to the end. At one point, Elton expressed the importance of creating this link between the Asian and the Black communities in America and how much he appreciates the planning of future conversations like this.
I totally didn't want this episode to be another generic artist interview type of podcast where cliche questions were asked. But this episode really flowed like a conversation. I hope to engage in future podcast in this format. And look at how am I writing this episode intro. I am really enjoying this.
Elton Leonard is Brooklyn Based Artist, Illustrator, Art Teacher, Graphic Designer
Learn more at:
https://linktr.ee/thepeoplesartist.ny?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=bcbcfa51-1ffd-4c87-8c36-4d38af6b3357