COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN AT THE KACHINA LODGE
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As America heads into the dog days of summer, when both temperatures and emotions are sure to soar, we invited Crystal Starr, an African-American playright, film maker and local (KNCE) radio personality, to share her thoughts with Tempo readers on the recent controversy swirling around Anaïs Rumfelt and Nina Silfverberg’s Paseo Project’s Windows installation, Murder of Crows, at the Kachina Lodge.
THE COUNTRY is in the midst of a category 4 social, political, economic and health crisis, and I have found myself more distracted and maybe even disgusted with our behaviors and response to our core national issues. It seems we are beginning to aim our outrage at each other, rather than taking our time to better understand and connect with members of our community.
While technology has fostered the evolution of so many things in our lives, more specifically how we share and receive information, I can’t help but recognize the rise in public shaming and the all-out beat down social media serves up on a daily basis. However, when I see an incident transpire which could have easily been avoided, or is clearly the result of a communication breakdown, I can’t help but feel the urge to swoop down to save the day.
Not because of some invisible privilege I wish to assert. Or because I have some special badge or standing in my community. But because I recognize that maybe a critical point is being missed on one, or both sides, of the aisle.
If you are feeling triggered, charged and ready for action, congratulations, you are officially alive! If you are feeling emboldened and righteous, leaning ever so strongly on your constitutional rights, well hooray you are officially American. Free to speak, bear arms, vote, protest and worship as best serves your lifestyle.
But at what point do we stop, look and listen?
One day, aimlessly strolling through my Instagram feed, I ran across a post that caused me to exclaim outloud to my phone, “Oh no!”
Members of my community — two artists and a business owner — were at odds with one another and the disagreement had been made public.