Friday Reflection with Desmond Spann

By Desmond Spann

People are unsure of the world and doubt who we are. We stayed busy to hide our pain pretending everything was all good. Now that normal is gone, we are left with ourselves. We are left with our pain,... more

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FAQs about Friday Reflection with Desmond Spann:

How many episodes does Friday Reflection with Desmond Spann have?

The podcast currently has 53 episodes available.

Friday Reflection with Desmond Spann episodes:

August 07, 2020 Friday Reflection: August 7, 2020 - Public Service Announcement: BLACK
"Jay-Z is overrated." Back in my young days, I secretly held this belief, but I listened to his music anyway. I like the beats, mainly. Now that I permitted myself to "Not give AF," meaning I'm not required to have an opinion about everything, I free myself of the need to judge everything.
For this verse, borrowed heavily from the interlude on Jay-Z's 2003 black album. I played it on repeat, absorbing the flow. Overrated or not, I can see the genius of Jay-Z and respect his authenticity in the verses. Something I missed in my young days because I didn't want to believe the hype and criticized his materialism in his verses. Being real is overlooked when the real you are looking for is missing. In being real with myself, this verse is more aggressive than I imagine.
I swear I am a positive dude who focuses on the positive possibilities in my day today. I don't complain too much and probably put too much pressure on myself to be optimistic when I'm depressed. But I'm also honest, and there are pain and injury that requires healing. I'm used to "healing" in isolation, dealing with the daily drama and traumas of racism (Yes. Race. Again.).
After the protest, I imagine most people who identify as white will expect a resolution to the discontent soon. After the protest, they will want to recognize our common humanity and rush to experience harmony with people who identify as black. This verse speaks to my hesitation to let my guard down, becoming less vigilant of racism (Yes. Race. Again.).
Being real starts being real with myself. As much as I want to experience connection, belonging, and acceptance when I'm in the presence of people who identify as white, I have to be truthful about the harm of this racial caste system on my sense of self.
Enjoy the Episode.
Black, B-L-A to the C-K
They use to hang the noose watch the body sway
Now they stand and March for a new way
To come together but before we go there let's
Check the Karen scans and call out their liars
Check payment plans before black card expires
Need that cash in hand for them looting fires
Need that black wall street before praise, admire
Black. Now act like you loved that
Give Black friend that hug and say I got your back
Keep them close, hearts and minds, as your dough stacks
Leave them far behind the chasm of the wealth gap
Facts. Speak no cap. Too many toe tags black had to go Nat Turner
Your luck it just furniture
Flames on the street, not burning ya bruh
.... ask who gets trust first without funds disperse
with nothing to prove
.... they watch the cool walks detain with no thought of something to prove
Distrust default of police brutality
Don't expect a new reality, magically
cause when the profile matches it's an act of faith
they swipe in to beat it up like tender dates
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9min
July 31, 2020 Friday Reflection: July 31st 2020 - Create But Wait and other takeaways from 21-day Creativity Challenge
I challenged myself to write every day and record every weekend for 21-days in July. Here are my takeaways from the experience.
Huh!? The longer episodes take less to describe or I'm just deciding not to put too much more energy into the description because I have other projects demanding my energy. Is this too honest? Ah well. Enjoy the episode. I demand it. :)
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10min
July 24, 2020 Friday Reflection: July 24th, 2020 - For My Self Worth
I think about the voice in my head and wonder about the stories it tells me. I wonder where those stories come from. I wonder if it's my racist conditioning. I wonder if it's my true calling. For My Self Worth is a poem about this inner dialogue as I am learning what it means to value my self.
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5min
July 17, 2020 Friday Reflection: July 17th, 2020 - Weirdo vs Trollbot V1
This is a short one. I'm sharing a verse from a song in the works called Weirdo vs Trollbot. Spent my production session crafting the delivery of the verse. I feel it's close, but let me know what you think.
Questions to ponder, why do we feel so odd in high school? Did you feel like you didn't quite fit in? Isn't weird that when everyone says they didn't fit in? Was this just me? Last question, how do we begin to embrace our weirdness and live freely?
Enjoy the episode!
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5min
July 10, 2020 Friday Reflection: July 10th, 2020 - Best of Bars so Far part 1
I understand the feeling of dread that bubbles up when an artist thinks about revisiting their work. You remember all the pain points, the tension of not quite getting at what you meant to get at when you started creating your piece. Plus, it's not as exciting as the next new idea, presenting all the possibilities of being the piece of work that will ignite your purpose and fulfill all your imaginings of your artistic vision. News ideas always hold the promise like a carrot dangling off the stick.
When the clouds grow thick, the promise of the next idea disappears. You strangle trust, hoping it's still there because the joy vanished. You wonder if it will return.
Glowing in the vault, your past work beckons to be heard. A choice must be made. Stay in the void of joy, a sunken place for your creativity, or dare open the vault, a pandora's box of woe and possibility.
In this episode, I chose to open my vault.
desmondspann.com
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26min
July 09, 2020 Hail to the Hard
Story with the poem
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8min
July 03, 2020 Friday Reflection: July 3rd, 2020 - 21 Day Creativity Challenge
What happens when a teaching artist begins to feel their only value is what they teach and not the art we create?
When the creativity for design engaging experiences for students doesn't sustain the soul of creative self-expression, what should we do?
I'm getting back to who I am. Hopefully, it will refill the well so I can continue to experience the flow.
#creativity #21daychallenge #Idoandteach
Creative folk|Why you should listen
There are tips for sustaining your creative expression, especially when I talk about the 21-day creativity challenge and my plan.
Enjoy!
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14min
June 26, 2020 Friday Reflection: June 26th, 2020 My Body Swinging
Warning: you may cry if you love me after this episode. It's a good one though.
Being raw and open about my lived black experience takes me to the shadows where my fears hide.
Listen first then read more here
https://desmondspann.com/friday-reflection:my-body-swinging
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9min
June 19, 2020 Friday Reflection: June 19th, 2020 - Celebrating Juneteenth
For Juneteenth, I decided to rewrite an old verse from early Speaker Mind days. The song was called "what color are hue" or just "hue" for short. This is a verse that balances the tones of the struggle with a celebration of my melanin.
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8min
June 12, 2020 Friday Reflection: June 12th, 2020 - Hey White Man
Two things I learned from this episode.
First, I will no longer carry the burden of hurt in silence.
Second, only talk about race on road trips.
Bonus observation. He gets to choose to disengage, leaving me with the bruise and the rage.
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9min

FAQs about Friday Reflection with Desmond Spann:

How many episodes does Friday Reflection with Desmond Spann have?

The podcast currently has 53 episodes available.