AwareNow: The Dreams Edition: Love Louisville Style by AwareNow™

AWARENOW ISSUE 31 THE AWARENESS TIES™ OFFICIAL MAGAZINE FOR CAUSES THE DREAMS EDITION LOVE LOUISVILLE STYLE KENNY PAYNE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW ‘BIGGER THAN MYSELF’ DANNY WIMMER ‘LOUDER THAN BOURBON’ DUSTIN BINGHAM ‘BEYOND THE LENS’ BRIAN GAUGHAN ‘THE ART OF PIZZA’ FRANCIS THOMASOVICH ‘KNOW NOTHING’ TED TARQUINIO ‘THE BIG PICTURE’ LAURA SHARPE ‘ARTISTS FOR TRAUMA’ SHEPARD FAIREY ‘DREAM ACT NOW’ EDDIE DONALDSON ‘WRITING ON THE WALL’

You can’t spell Louisville without @lovelouisvillestylelove.

THE DREAMS EDITION AwareNow™ is a monthly publication produced by Awareness Ties™ in partnership with Issuu™. Awareness Ties™ is the ‘Official Symbol of Support for Causes’. Our mission is to support causes by elevating awareness and providing sustainable resources for positive social impact. Through our AwareNow Magazine, Podcast & Talk Show, we raise awareness for causes and support for nonprofits one story at a time. 3 AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION www.IamAwareNow.com ON THE COVER: KENNY PAYNE BEYOND THE LENS DUSTIN BINGHAM LOUDER THAN BOURBON DANNY WIMMER BIGGER THAN MYSELF KENNY PAYNE DREAM ACT NOW28201406 ARTISTS FOR TRAUMA LAURA SHARPE THE ART OF PIZZA BRIAN GAUGHAN SWEET DREAMS ALLIÉ & JACK MCGUIRE/ARIYA KING DREAM POWERONE THE BIG PICTURE TED TARQUINIO 6864625446 KNOW NOTHING FRANCIS THOMASOVICH GIVE A DAMN VOTE MICHAEL PRIEVE COLLECTING HISTORY RICHARD H. C. CLAY EARTH & SPIRIT PASSIONIST EARTH & SPIRIT CENTER WE ARE FAMILY FAMILY SCHOLAR HOUSE 10098928680 Photo Credit: © Ted Tarquinio - tltphoto.com

Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today. James Dean

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ALLIÉ McGUIRE Editor In Chief & Co-Founder of Awareness Ties Allié is a Taurus. She started her career in performance poetry, then switched gears to wine where she made a name for herself as an online wine personality and content producer. She then focused on content production under her own label The Allié Way™ before marrying the love of her life (Jack) and switching gears yet again to a pursue a higher calling to raise awareness and funds for causes with Awareness Ties™.

Jack is a Gemini. He got his start in the Navy before his acting and modeling career. Jack then got into hospitality, focusing on excellence in service and efficiency in operations and management. After establishing himself with years of experience in the F&B industry, he sought to establish something different… something that would allow him to serve others in a greater way. With his wife (Allié), Awareness Ties™ was born.

@awarenessties@awarenessties@awarenessties www.IamAwareNow.com

5 JACK McGUIRE Production Manager & Co-Founder of Awareness Ties

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In this special issue of AwareNow, we had the pleasure of working side by side with Awarenesss Ties Partnership Director, Eddie Donaldson, who introduced us to the magic that is Louisville through a series of phenomenal stories, some of which have never been seen or heard until now. This edition is the embodiment of LOVE LOUISVILLE STYLE. Thank you, Eddie, for sharing this phenomenal city with us and with the world.

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in AwareNow are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Awareness Ties. Any content provided by our columnists or interviewees is of their opinion and not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, political group, organization, company, or individual. In fact, its intent is not to vilify anyone or anything. Its intent is to make you think.

6 www.IamAwareNow.com ALI SITTING ON 1 MILLION DOLLARS IN LOS ANGELES (1963) Photo Credit: © Howard L. Bingham AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

DUSTIN: When I ask people about my father, one of the ﬁrst things they say about him is that he always had positive energy. He always had a smile on his face and loved to make others smile. He tried to make everyone he met feel special no matter who they were.

EDDIE: How was it growing up with your father and all his famous friends like Muhammad Ali?

DUSTIN: My dad was a great father. He was a great friend. He was a man who loved & cared about people. He was extremely humble. He loved to travel and hated to sit still. It was for this reason he never wanted a “real” job where he had to stay put for long periods of time.

I cannot say enough about how honored I am to have the opportunity to share a small piece of Howard Bingham’s life’s work with our readers. I am equally as honored that Dustin Bingham trusted us with a quick look into his experience as Howard’s son. It is remarkable, the legacy that Dustin’s father left behind and the impact it had on him, his family, friends and the world. Someone told me that Howard had a way of bringing a smile to people’s faces when they saw him. We can all only hope that we have that same impact on those we come in contact with.

DUSTIN: It’s weird to explain because to me it was all I knew. They weren’t “celebrities”. They were his close friends. A lot of those experiences I didn’t really appreciate them or realize how blessed I was until I was older and could fully understand the importance of some of those friends. For example, I remember going to a Lakers game back in the day and I was sitting on Miles Davis’s lap and he’s sharing his Snickers with me. At the time, I was probably more excited about the Snickers but when I look back it’s like wow, I shared a Snickers with this legend.

EDDIE: What is your favorite photograph your father took? Do you have a favorite photograph of your father?

DUSTIN: There are two photos that pop in mind that I love, and they are both from his book Muhammad Ali - A Thirty Year Journey. One was taken in 1963 where Ali is sitting on 1 million dollars. Another was taken in 1975 where Ali is staring angrily at a speed bag with a photo of Howard Cosell on it. I think my favorite photo of my dad would be one with my father, my daughter Kennedi and myself. It was taken back in 2016 at the Ali center after Ali’s memorial. My father was so proud of Kennedi and would light up every time he would see her and say, “Man, isn’t she something, she’s something special.” WITH DUSTIN BINGHAM BY EDDIE DONALDSON

www.IamAwareNow.com EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

BEYOND THE LENS THE LEGACY OF HOWARD BINGHAM AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

EDDIE: Who was Howard L Bingham?

EDDIE: Why is it that so many people smile, when you ask them if they knew Howard Bingham?

8 www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION BLACK PANTHERS BLACK PANTHERS KATHLEEN CLEAVER Photo Credit: © Howard L. Bingham

9 AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION www.IamAwareNow.com ALI DURING REHEARSALS FOR "THE MUHAMMAD ALI SHOW" (1975) ALI WITH MALCOLM X IN NEW YORK (1963) Photo Credit: © Howard L. Bingham

10 www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION ALI IN CLEVELAND JOKING WITH THE POLICE (1975) Photo Credit: © Howard L. Bingham

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EDDIE: Can you tell us a little bit about the Howard L. Bingham family foundation and its mission?

DUSTIN: I’m a Christian & I believe in God, but I don’t go to church often. There are a lot of people who say they are religious or spiritual and are in church, the mosque or whatever their place of worship is every week and still treat people badly. I feel I can be a good Christian by the way I treat others.

ALI IN LEWISTON, MAINE AFTER BEATING SONNY LISTON (1963)

EDDIE: Do you have a spiritual practice?

Photo Credit: © Howard L. Bingham

“Growing up watching my father and Ali, I was able to watch ﬁrsthand two examples of people who loved to give back to their communities whenever they could.”

DUSTIN: As I said before, my father loved people, especially children. So, I thought what better way to honor him than to start a foundation in his name. The Howard L. Bingham Family Foundation was created to help minorities and lower income families explore their interest in the arts by giving them scholarships and investing in programs in our communities that help youth cultivate their curiosity. Growing up watching my father and Ali, I was able to watch ﬁrsthand two examples of people who loved to give back to their communities whenever they could.

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DUSTIN: To have the iconic Shepard Fairey use one of my father’s photos for a mural is such an honor and I know he would be extremely proud, as I am. To be able to introduce a new audience to my father’s work and for it to be displayed in such fashion in the hometown of his best friend Muhammad Ali, is just incredible. I want to thank you Eddie for making this happen and for giving me this platform to talk about my father, his work and the charity in his name. ∎

DUSTIN: I don’t know if he spent a lot of time in Louisville, but I do know he did think it was a great city and enjoyed the time he did spend there. He was very proud to be a part in helping with the Ali Center and providing them with some of his photos. Also, he was honored to have a gallery inside the center named in his honor. I know today he’d be very happy that they finally have nonstop flights to and from Los Angeles.

www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

Ali would say, “I wish people would love everyone else the way they love me. It would be a better world.”

EDDIE: Your father left behind a huge legacy for the public. What do you think is the biggest thing he left behind for you and your children?

EDDIE: I know I’m excited about the possibility of working with you and Shepard Fairey on a mural and prints of an Ali image of your fathers in Louisville. What’s your thoughts on this?

DUSTIN: The biggest thing would be his historic photo archives, but I would say the most important thing he left behind for me and my daughter is just to be good people. There’s nothing like putting a smile on someone’s face & it doesn’t take much to be nice to people. Especially nowadays when our country and the world are going through so many challenges, the world would be a better place if everyone would respect each other’s differences and be nice to others.

EDDIE: Did your father spend a lot of time in Louisville?

13 www.IamAwareNow.comwww.IamAwareNow.com

Born in Jackson, Mississippi in 1939, Howard Bingham soon relocated to Los Angeles with his parents at age 4. He attended the city’s public schools, and enrolled in Compton College from 1956-1958. After receiving an eye-opening F grade in photography class, Bingham felt determined to hone his craft and began apprenticing at the Los Angeles Sentinel, one of the country’s largest Black newspapers under photographer Cliff Hall. That job lasted Bingham for about 18 months, until he was fired for supplementing his weekly $75 salary moonlighting as a wedding photographer. I was devastated at first, but actually, in retrospect it was the best thing in the world that could have happened to me,” Bingham once said. “Because if I’d stayed at the Sentinel, I never would have done half the things I’ve done since then, such as traveling the world and documenting the life of my best friend Muhammad Ali.”

As fate would have it, while working at the Sentinel in 1962, Bingham was assigned to cover a brash young boxer from Louisville, Kentucky, named Cassius Clay. Clay was in Los Angeles to promote an upcoming bout with George Logan.

Howard Bingham, hoping to turn a hobby into a trade, took a beginner’s course in photography at a local community college in 1958. His instructor, after handing him an F letter grade, advised Bingham to try something else. Photography, he was told, would not be a good field to choose as his life’s work. But Bingham’s inner voice told him otherwise, and because he followed his internal gyroscope, spent the better part of his life photographing many of America’s historical turning points, as well as one of the world’s best-known and most-beloved figures, Muhammad Ali.

Bingham showed up, took his photographs and then left. But as Bingham ran errands later that day, he saw Clay and his brother standing on the corner of 5th and Broadway, watching the girls go by. Bingham walked up to the Clay brothers and offered to show them around town. That impromptu generosity became the first step in a life-changing, life-long friendship with the boxing legend who the world would soon come to know as Muhammad Ali. Since that pivotal day, Bingham toured the globe with Muhammad Ali, chronicling every aspect of the athlete’s life. Through Bingham’s relationship with Ali, he came in contact with Bill Cosby who then asked Bingham to be the still photographer on his new show -“The Bill Cosby Show.” This opportunity led to Bingham becoming one of the first Black photographers to work on a Hollywood international cinematographers guild camera crew. During the late 1960’s, Life Magazine hired Bingham as their go-to riot photographer. When Life Magazine wanted to do a story on the Black Panthers, their party leader Eldridge Cleaver agreed upon one condition- if Howard Bingham took the pictures. In 1968, he journeyed to Chicago to cover the chaos of the Democratic National Convention. Bingham's work and contribution to the field of photography did not go unnoticed; the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., M+B Fine Arts, California African American Museum and Fowler Museum in Los Angeles have all exhibited his work. In 1997 he received the ASP International Award presented by the American Society of Photographers, as well as the Kodak Vision Award. Bingham’s name now graces a Kodak-sponsored academic scholarship, which goes to a deserving minority photography student at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Bingham also became a member of the board at the George Eastman House. In 1998, the Photo Marketing Distributors Association (PMDA) named Bingham Photographer of the Year, and the Watts Labor Community Action Committee created a media center in his name for the purpose of teaching photography to young people living in South Los Angeles. In 2004, he was appointed Honorary Curator of Photography at the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, where a gallery in his name is now a key space for special art exhibitions held at the center. Notably, he also received the Gordon Parks Choice of Weapons Award in 2006. Bingham has photographed numerous cultural icons including Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, The Beatles, The Black Panthers, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, and countless others.

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HOWARD L. BINGHAM

14 It’s a community of fans, rooted in their love for the festival and rock & roll. Photowww.IamAwareNow.comCredit:SteveThrasher DANNY WIMMER FOUNDER OF DANNY WIMMER PRESENTS AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

DANNY: We work with a lot of charities, both local and national. We always want to give back and leave the community better than we found it. This year, between the two festivals we are also working with Take Me Home Animal Rescue, Living The Dream, Rock Against Racism, To Write Love On Her Arms, American Red Cross Kentucky, Musically Fed and more to come.

EDDIE: Tell us about one of your favorite festival moments in Louisville?

EDDIE: Why is Louisville, Kentucky the home for Louder Than Life and Bourbon And Beyond festivals?

DANNY: The festival is deﬁnitely rooted in bourbon, but we have multiple stages of amazing music and some of the best culinary talents in the US featured throughout the festival weekend, not to mention some great sponsored activations, tons of activity in our Kroger Big Bourbon Bar and new in 2022 an on-site ﬁne dining experience by our friend Anthony Lamas of Louisville’s Ceviche Restaurant.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

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EDDIE: I get the 'Bourbon' in Bourbon And Beyond but explain the 'Beyond'?

I ﬁrst met Danny in the ‘90s at the Napster tour with Cypress Hill and Limp Bizkit. It was probably my favorite tour ever. When Danny invited me to come to Louisville and experience the festivals for the ﬁrst time it rocked me to my core. It was amazing to see some of my friends on stage in front of that many people in my hometown, not to mention some of the bands that I love. And the fact that he can run a marathon before meeting me at Soho House for lunch is amazing. He’s a family man, promoter of the biggest rock festival in the world and all around good guy. Thank you Danny Wimmer for all you do for the city of Louisville, Kentucky. Grateful to you, Danny, for all you do for me as well. -E.D.

EDDIE: I see that DWP is very active in giving back to the Louisville community. I also see that you guys partnered with Artists For Trauma this year and have a program offering ﬁeld trip passes to fellow travelers that have suffered life altering traumas. Tell us about that.

LOUDER THAN BOURBON THE FESTIVALS AND FANS LOVED IN LOUISVILLE

DANNY: A few years ago at Bourbon & Beyond my wife and I were able to meet and spend some time with one of our favorite artists, Stevie Nicks. It was a pinch-me moment and to share that with my family was awesome. www.IamAwareNow.com WITH DANNY WIMMER BY EDDIE DONALDSON

DANNY: I came to Louisville to learn more about bourbon and really fell in love with the people of Louisville. It’s truly my home away from home and I love every second that I get to spend there.

EDDIE: Who are you? I’m not asking for your name but tell us who you are.

DANNY: I’m a husband, father and entrepreneur who is slightly obsessed with running, biking, hiking and sur ﬁng. I’m also a consummate student, and love learning from others in an effort to be better and do better everyday.

16 We always want to give back and leave the community better than we found it. www.IamAwareNow.com DANNY WIMMER FOUNDER OF DANNY WIMMER PRESENTS Above: Kathi, Jack, Danny & Haley Wimmer (Family/2022) AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

17 www.IamAwareNow.com Above: Hunter Graham, Kelly Jones, Doris Sims, Danny Wimmer, Mike Maloney, Bill Goetz, Jody Meiman, Karen Williams, Mary Ellen Wiederwohl (Louisville) Above: Kathi, Danny, Jack & Haley Wimmer (Family/Facetune) AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

18 Our fans EVERYTHINGare to us… www.IamAwareNow.com DANNY WIMMER FOUNDER OF DANNY WIMMER PRESENTS Photo Credit: Nathan Zucker AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

“All of it combined truly make Louisville one of the best cities in America.”

EDDIE: What are a few new things Loudmouths & Bourbon And Beyond attendees can expect at this year’s festivals?

DANNY: It’s a community of fans, rooted in their love for the festival and rock & roll. We love that relationships have been formed because of Louder Than Life and that the community of fans exists year round, outside of the four days of the festival!

∎ www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

EDDIE: I heard through the grapevine that you are bringing in more visual art to this year's programming. Can you share a few details?

DANNY: It’s going to be an amazing 11 days in Louisville! The lineups this year are unbelievable and being able to provide a vacation experience to our fans, where they can enjoy the best live music while drinking a delicious bourbon and making memories is something we are very proud to be a part of.

DANNY: I love the experience we provide to our fans. Our fans are EVERYTHING to us, so giving them an event where they can be themselves and experience an epic weekend they’ll remember for years to come is the best feeling in the world. Learn more at bourbonandbeyond.com and louderthanlifefestival.com

EDDIE: When it comes to Louder Than Life, what is a 'Loudmouth'?

EDDIE: Being from Louisville, I know how special this city is, but tell us a few things that you ﬁnd special about Louisville, Kentucky and the people here.

DANNY: We are growing our art programming with more pillars and art installations throughout the site, creating more excitement within the site and photo opps for our fans. It is an area we will continue to focus on and grow in the years to come.

DANNY: This year we were able to produce the entertainment for Thurby, which was amazing. Can’t wait to get back next year to experience the full Derby weekend!

EDDIE: Have you been to the Derby? If so, tell us about that experience.

DANNY: We love Louisville – the bourbon, the culinary, the people and the culture. All of it combined truly make Louisville one of the best cities in America.

EDDIE: You’ve been producing and promoting events since 1995. You must love it. What do you love most about it?

20 It’s a big responsibility, bigger than myself. www.IamAwareNow.com KENNY PAYNE HEAD COACH OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE MEN’S BASKETBALL AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

Denny taught me about being fundamentally sound, how to be a good teammate, how to play with a group -- all things that are vital to building and being a winning basketball player and building a winning team. A lot of the things that he taught as a coach are relevant today. Probably more relevant because it gets away from the individuality of the game and more about team. In order to win on a big scale, you have to be about team. So Wade and Denny have both had a big, big inspirational inﬂuence on my life.

www.IamAwareNow.com EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KENNY PAYNE BY

EDDIE: First off, I’d like to say it’s an honor to have the opportunity to have a conversation with you. How does it feel to be the new Head Coach of the University of Louisville Cardinals Men’s Basketball Program?

EDDIE: Growing up in Louisville I went to Denny Crum and Wade Houston’s basketball camps. Tell us about the inﬂuence both of these men had on you as a player at U of L.

KENNY: Both have been very instrumental in my growth as a player and as a person. Starting with Wade Houston -when I decided to come to Louisville, my parents knew that I had to have a father ﬁgure, a person who could look after me in the areas off the court, as well as on the court. Wade was a person they trusted more than anybody else. Even to this day, I don't make a move without him in every business decision. Wade and his wife Alice are part of my personal board – the Kenny Payne board. Wade was instrumental as a mentor and father ﬁgure for me.

DONALDSON BIGGER THAN MYSELF A ROLE & RESPONSIBILITY PAYNE TAKES ON WITH PRIDE AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

Growing up in Louisville, Kentucky and going to Denny Crum and Wade Houston’s basketball camps, I can’t describe how what an honor it is to have the opportunity to interview Coach Kenny Payne, the ﬁrst black coach of the University Of Louisville Cardinals Men’s Basketball team. My mother would be proud on so many levels. I hope you are inspired by his words, and I hope he wins every game.

KENNY: I don't have a speciﬁc daily spiritual practice, but I know that God has his hands on me. Always on me. I wouldn't be sitting here today if it wasn't for him. I could have easily made the left turn and got into trouble, but I made the right turn and everything worked out, and that's only through him. It’s probably because of my mother's prayer and she prays for me daily. But I understand that I am a God fearing man and that I wouldn't be here today without his graces. EDDIE

EDDIE: Do you have a daily spiritual practice that you depend upon to keep you balanced?

KENNY: It feels good. It’s a big responsibility, bigger than myself. The title, the responsibility of representing so many different facets of people -- the business community, the university, the black community, these basketball players -doing right by them -- this state. It's just a lot bigger than just me and I’m going to try to do the best job I can and represent everybody well.

22 www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION Above: Kenny Payne & Coach Crum

23 www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

24 We’re going to go out and compete and ﬁght, and ﬁght to the end and we’ll see what happens. www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION KENNY PAYNE HEAD COACH OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE MEN’S BASKETBALL

“Learn the fundamentals. Learn and identify who you are early on. Learn what it is to conquer adversity.”

EDDIE: What advice would you give to high school players about their next steps with all the changes happening in the NCAA?

KENNY: Kenny Klein prepped me for that question. My bad Kenny (Klein), I didn't mean to throw you under the bus buddy. We were prepared for you. I'm going to tell you what I told Kenny Klein last night that nobody knows. In 1989, Adidas endorsed six basketball players for their shoes. I was one of the six. I have an af ﬁliation with Adidas. I was one of the ﬁrst professional athletes in basketball that they endorsed. My relationship with Nike, to be clear, is not a working relationship. They are my family, the head guy that runs that organization is like my uncle. He's a family member just like these guys. He loves me and I love him. The guys that run that organization, they are part of my family. They spent time together. What I'm saying to you is that we have the both of best worlds if that makes sense.

KENNY: I would tell them to be focused on what is at hand and not to worry about the outside knowing, the credit, the hype of being a basketball player. Learn the fundamentals. Learn and identify who you are early on. Learn what it is to conquer adversity. The quicker you learn those things, the more you're prepared for handling the things that will come later on. Your foundation is vital. As a young, high school player, you need to know what that foundation is. So focus on that. Don't be about the hype of it in a time when everybody else is so worried about the hype.

EDDIE: Let’s talk brands for a minute. What about Louisville's deal with Adidas and the relationships with Adidas?

KENNY: I am. It'll be an exciting game. We'll see where we are. They have a bunch of great players there and they do a great job. We're going to go out and compete and ﬁght, and ﬁght to the end and we’ll see what happens. It should be a great game and great rivalry.

EDDIE: How important is family support to a young basketball player? KENNY: It’s vital. I think anytime that you talk about developing players, historically how they were raised is a huge factor. How you're raised comes from how you were parented. And as a family, you have to support your children and love your children. But you also have to be hard on your children so that they can go out into the world and face what they have to face and do it diligently and with conﬁdence.

www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

EDDIE: Are you looking forward to playing the Wildcats in the winter?

EDDIE: Did you ever think you would be the head coach at Louisville?

KENNY: When the young kid came from Mississippi came to Louisville, Kentucky he could not read or write. As a young black kid from Mississippi, choosing the University of Louisville to play and get my education is representative of a lot of different things. It represents being the ﬁrst African American head coach at this school. That comes with a

26 It’s the reason why I took this job. To bring people together. www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION KENNY PAYNE HEAD COACH OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE MEN’S BASKETBALL

KENNY: I’m not hiding. For me to take this job I must open my heart and give it to you all so you can understand what I am going through. Meaning, I must be totally transparent in everything I do. Transparent in every way that I go about coaching this team and representing this university. There are two different kinds of success. We win for the moment, and it goes away. Then there is sustained success, which is building a culture of winning with character, integrity, and humbleness. Real success is surrounding young people and having an environment that's conducive to winning. With each young man that comes through this program being able to win in life and not just a basketball game. I do not know what basketball is. I have never experienced basketball. I know that to be great you must love it. You are ﬁghting for your life. Whether your dream is to be in the NBA, or to be successful in a business world, you are ﬁghting for your life. If I open myself up and I am saying it in front of the world how can a fan be against me? And does it really matter if he is?

KENNY: (continued) heavy responsibility with the type of leadership that I must have. I must be an example for this community, to be all inclusive, and to help heal this community. That is a lot. I need you. I cannot do this by myself. I am not a politician or a reverend. I am a man. A man that believes in doing right by people and I need help. This is a big deal for all young people who aspire to one day stand where I am right now.

EDDIE: What does being the ﬁrst black head coach for University of Louisville men's basketball mean to you?

KENNY: It is the reason why I took this job. To bring people together. What if I am able and we can put this program at levels above where it was at its best. What if, we can win multiple championships. What if, I stood up here and said it's not me. This community helped me to do this. What if, in doing all that I can stand here and say I am humble. This is bigger than me. That's why I took this job. ∎

EDDIE: What about gaining the trust of the fans?

www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

28 www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION Artwork by: Shepard Fairey

“DREAMERS deserve support and compassion because they were brought to the United States as children and know no other home than the United States. They make a positive contribution to our economy and our society. It is time to give them legal status under the conditions of the Dream Act and let them live without fear of potential deportation. They are American citizens in every practical sense and deserve to be treated as such in legal status.” Shepard Fairey obeygiant.com

29 www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

30 If I can anybodychange,canchange. www.IamAwareNow.com EDDIE DONALDSON AKA GUERILLAONE AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

ALLIÉ: I’d love to hear the story of Eddie Donaldson, one chapter at a time. Taking us from where you began to where you are now. So let's start the story of you with chapter one, ‘childhood’. Tell us the story here, Eddie. What was life like for you as a child?

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

CLICK, TAP OR SCAN TO WATCH NOW AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

EDDIE: Well, as some probably know, I'm from Louisville, Kentucky. I grew up in a small town. I am an only child with a single mom. I went to St. Francis private school and Trinity Catholic school for high school. I played every sport possible that I had time for. I was a little preppy kid that wore turtlenecks, moccasins and corduroys. Fashion was everything for me. My mom worked at a place called The Starving Artist, which was in the basement of Actor’s WITH EDDIE DONALDSON THE STORY OF EDDIE DONALDSON IN CHAPTERS

Our lives are written one chapter at a time. For Eddie Donaldson, his chapters could each be novels of their own. From thriving in the dark to rising in the light, he has countless pages written in languages of loss and love scribed in music and art. He created an industry at an intersection of graffiti art and corporate activations, bridging two very different worlds for the benefit of both. Today, we benefit, as he shares a few personal chapters of his own.

WRITING ON THE WALL

32 Just being at home with her is a favorite memory. www.IamAwareNow.com EDDIE DONALDSON AKA GUERILLAONE AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

EDDIE: (continued) business people. I was lucky to have that super diverse background. I could understand different cultures, different religions and different races from a close and personal perspective.

ALLIÉ: Let's talk for a moment about chapter two. Let’s talk about Gloria. Let’s talk about the loss of your mom.

EDDIE: There are so many... But because I lost my mom at 16, I would say eating breakfast or dinner at my house when my mom cooked for me. Just being at home with her was a favorite memory. There are also things that kind of stand out. When I joined the basketball team and the football team at Trinity High School, I just remember walking in that locker room and seeing the words respect, loyalty, and integrity on the wall and how that was a ‘level up’ for me in my adolescence. Then there was a time where, when I went to St. Francis. At our 8th grade retreat, I snuck in alcohol, and I got a bunch of us drunk, for some kids probably for the ﬁrst time. We all got in trouble. We weren't going to be able to graduate. So, my mom went to the headmaster and was like, “No, my kid's graduating, and so are the rest.” And it just was really nice to have a mom that just had your back. At graduation, I wore my tuxedo and went on stage. I took my abacus and all my friends took theirs. It was just a proud moment. It was like, “Oh sh*t, my mom just had my back, even when I was dead wrong.” I have so many memories.

ALLIÉ: What a beautiful childhood -- to have so many different facets introduced to you at such a young age. What would you say is one of your favorite childhood memories?

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ALLIÉ: Just based on the way you described your childhood memories, I can't imagine how dif ﬁcult it must have been for you to lose her.

AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

EDDIE: Well, one day after school, I was coming home to buy a new Volkswagen Scirocco that we had been seeing on my bus route for months. I was just turning 16, and I was all excited because we were going to go buy it. That day, I pulled up to my house and there was a bunch of BMX bikes in the front yard. And I was thinking, what the hell are these kids doing in my house? I walked in and found out that my mom was in the hospital. She had an aneurysm – a sudden aneurysm at the age of 36. At that time, there was no medical treatment to ﬁx aneurysms like this. So, shortly thereafter, she lost her life.

“…my mom just had my back, even when I was dead wrong.”

EDDIE: It was tough. I was an only child. That’s all I knew. My dad was around, but he wasn't really. We didn't have a great relationship. It was quite devastating to have to uproot my life. I went to jail, or juvie, after misbehaving because of her death. I was there another month after she passed away, until my aunt came and got me out of juvie. I was thrown out of the state, our state of Kentucky, until the age 21. I couldn't return. But I got lucky because my godfather was the prosecutor. His best friend was the judge, and my mom's good friend was the defense attorney. So, it was like, you’re going to go to jail until you're 21, or you're going to go live with your aunt in California until you're 21 and not return. I actually had the audacity to ask, “What about jail?” And they were like, not really. You're going to leave Kentucky, and go to California. So I did. It was quite a transition, I would say. All of a sudden it's like eses in white beaters and dickies. I was like, where am I? This is crazy. I thought this was only on TV. And then there was back to school shopping. I used to get $1,000 at Lands End and $1,000 at LL Bean. And then I'm getting $250 to go to Kmart. I thought we were getting socks here, buying socks and underwear. And she was like, no, you're going back to school shopping here. And I honestly didn't even realize they had clothes… It was a life jerker, for sure.

34 www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

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36 I adapted and masked the pain through hustle… www.IamAwareNow.com EDDIE DONALDSON AKA GUERILLAONE AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

37 www.IamAwareNow.com

EDDIE: Yeah, 100%. But I quickly adapted. I kind of pride myself on being a chameleon that can exist in any environment. I didn't really understand it at that time, but I just did what I had to do. I mean, I got thrown out of a few schools and ended up at a magnet school called Sherman Oak CES. I remember quitting in 10th grade. I was an 18year-old 10th grader. I was selling drugs. I was in class. My pager at the time was going off. You get a number… 150, 75, 50, 200. And I got up to, like $500. And I was like, “Yeah, I need to use the restroom.” I got up, walked out, and I never went back to school. I did whatever I needed to from the age of 16 to 18 to mask the pain and have enough money to buy whatever I felt would make me happy, whether it would was two cars and two motorcycles. By the time I was 18, I adapted and masked the pain through hustle, survival and throwing myself in harm's way.

ALLIÉ: Again, such a huge contrast to the life you had before. This quickly takes us into chapter four, which is Street Life. Again, this chapter could be a novel all its own. Tell us about it. What was that reality like for you?

“By the time I was 18, I adapted and masked the pain through hustle, survival and throwing myself in harm’s way.”

ALLIÉ: So when we get into chapter three, which would be your LA transition, that's how it began. A whole new reality that you weren't prepared for. It was a complete 180, it sounds like.

EDDIE: I moved into what wasn't really a rough neighborhood, but it wasn't a nice neighborhood either. In Louisville, I started selling firecrackers on the 4th of July. I was such a good firecracker salesman. My drug dealer introduced me to weed. And I was like, “Oh, I can do that too? All year round? This is great.” So when I got here, there was a 7-11 right next door to my aunt's house. And I see this guy wearing a Chicago Bulls Starter jacket, some brand new Jordans, and all creased up every day. And I'm going in there with a $1.50 to buy a bag of chips and a soda. Like, what the hell? So, I hit him up and was like, “I need to get like you, bro. What's going on?” So that started my drug sales career here in Los Angeles. I stood in front of the 7-11 every day for a couple of hours, trying to get my $200 a day. Then I graduated through the ranks of that organization, to being muscle because I was this rough country kid that everybody couldn't figure out. Just my presence made people nervous. And then it just kind of kept going. It was never enough. That went on for a while, and then I met some graf fiti kids in the Valley -- some Encino kids with a little paper that were vandalizing, not because they needed to but because they just wanted to have fun. They lived in these nice houses and ran around writing on stuff and stealing from 7-11 and hardware stores. I was like, this is my tribe. I like this. And I also liked the camaraderie of the brotherhood of graf fiti. It was like a crew. It was like a gang without being in a gang, but it was ganglike. We had some surly situations pop up early on, and still do at times. But I just got comfortable. I found a home with these guys from this crew called The Chosen Few or The City's Finest in the Valley, from MYSTIC, RAGE, NYCE, SERF, KRUSH, SKAR, and BOOH. They just took me in and accepted me for who I was, and it just felt good. So, I stayed. I stayed around and became a graf fiti artist. I wasn't very good at it. So, I graduated to the business side of things and started trying to make paper for everybody, and that's how I was able to keep my seat at the table. I was getting these guys some of their first commercial jobs. And it's cool. We literally were going to liquor stores, this is before everything was cool. We’d paint liquor stores for free because we wanted a roll call on the side of the building, which is all of our names. And I'm watching these liquor store owners overjoyed at what they had done. I was like, I want them to pay for this. And my crew was like, “No, I don't think so.” I'm like, “Let me try.” Next thing you know, we're getting paid decent money for a 20-year-old, for a day's worth of doing what you love. And then it's just spawned into a much bigger thing… getting corporate dollars and bridging corporate America and hip hop culture.

38 I have a family… www.IamAwareNow.com EDDIE DONALDSON AKA GUERILLAONE AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

EDDIE: Yeah, I've never heard it quite put that way, and I've answered that question like 30 times. And then there was the other side, too. I was a really big fan of hip hop. I was in a breakdance crew in Louisville called The Unique Breakers, where we used to go to bars and just make $300 to $400 a night from people tipping us, from spinning on our heads. And once again, I wasn't very good, but I was able to ﬁnd the opportunities where we could go in these bars and get paid. I've always been like, the guy next to the guy, right? So out of my love for hip hop, I started a street team company called GuerillaOne. And we work for most of the major labels in the ‘90s on the hip hop side. Here in Los Angeles, from Ruthless Records to Bad Boy Records. We never worked with Death Row, but East Coast and West Coast. We had a sweet spot with bringing East Coast bands here in LA to perform live and also work the records on radio and at retail. So, I had the street. It helped me stay valuable and relevant in the streets, because I had the grafﬁti artists on one side which were helping me do all the work for the labels. Not only were we getting painting jobs and t-shirt jobs, but we were also getting paid to spray paint names of these artists all over the city and beyond the city, too. So, that was kind of a big part of establishing my foundation here in Los Angeles. It was just running the streets in a way.

EDDIE: There's just so much that it's hard to summarize. But I will say, I think the thing with graf fiti was just having such a family. I have a family. I have a worldwide family of people that I can count on and call on. A lot of people in this world don't have that… I think that was my takeaway. Forget the money that everybody's made, the millions of dollars made, and that people are still making today based on what we’ve done and what we do. For me, it's just about the brotherhood. And we've lost a couple of those brothers. And on the music side, I think I stood next to so many famous people when they were not famous. The likes of Nas and Jay-Z and Biggie Smalls and the Tupacs. I'm in the room with these guys when they're as hungry as they've ever been because they're not there yet. That sh*t’s contagious to be around. And I took it for granted. I had no idea what we were doing. We were just living our lives, and all of a sudden, here we are. Our life is everybody's life. We got soccer moms bumping Biggie Smalls now. So, I'm proud of that. I'm really proud of that. Not that I figured it out. It figured it out for me. I'm not a genius, but I'm grateful to have been there for the birth of some of these things and people in places. On the bad side, I mean, sh*t was dangerous. Now that I'm sober again, because I've been going in and out forever. But now that I'm sober, the shame and humiliation pops up on some of the things, some of the lifestyle that I chose for so long… the things that I did and the people that I might have harmed or hurt, whether directly or indirectly. I wish I

AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

“I have a worldwide family of people that I can count on and call on. A lot of people in this world don’t have that…”

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ALLIÉ: When it comes to your street life chapter, I'd love to hear a favorite moment. And also the other, side of it. Was it scary? I'm sure there were times that were uncomfortable. Is there a moment from both sides that you could share?

ALLIÉ: So awesome. So mind blowing to me, the fact that with your business mind you could just see. Let's turn something criminal into something that's corporately supported, right?

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AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

ALLIÉ: Onto chapter ﬁve, let’s turn the page to your spiritual journey. This is a special place in your life -- the place that you are now. The place where I have come to know, appreciate and respect you. How did this chapter begin?

ALLIÉ: How exciting is it that these ﬁve chapters that we've explored are just the beginning of so many more chapters to come? What are you most excited about, Eddie? We've looked back. Now, in looking ahead, what are you most excited about when you look forward to what's possible?

EDDIE: (continued) could relive some of those choices. It was a necessary part of what we were doing at that time to survive. So, I'm not necessarily regretful, because I walked a ﬁne line out there. I was always respectful and decent, but dangerous. And that's the f*cking task within itself. That lifestyle led me to getting shot once and stabbed a few times to almost losing my life. But I don't necessarily regret that part as much as some of the things that I did to other people or in other situations… I put myself in a situation; I put myself in harm's way. So, that's a consequence of that choice and that action. But if I could take back a few of the things that I did, I probably would. Now that I'm entering this spiritual life.. which leads us to chapter ﬁve.

EDDIE: It's a good question. I think there are a few things. Again, I'm so multifaceted. So, I'm answering from ﬁve different brains and mouths, right? I think I'm going to be corny, but I think… people actually getting to know who I really am. I'm not going to get all philosophical and be like, “Well, it's going to be great to live my life through this new lens…” That's cool, but I think it’s just having people getting to know who I really am -- especially people who have known me for a long time. They've known the falsehoods of the image that I created for myself. I like who I am today, and I hope everyone else does too. If people are around me, and they see who I really am, there's nothing not to like. All that other bullsh*t is put to the side. I'm a man of service. I want to be of service every day without expectation of return.

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EDDIE: Well, it started when the then girlfriend took me to Agape. I was always spiritual, just part of the Baptist church as a child. I went every week. I went on Wednesdays, sang in the choir, and ran the collection basket -- all mandatory things to do from my mother and my grandmother. Not by choice. I wasn't like, “Hey, I want to sing.” It was, “You're going to do this?” And I was like, “Okay.” So it's always been there. But when my mom died, I wasn’t real fond of God. I remember in my early twenties, I wanted to fight him. I used to actively request him to come down here so we could look each other in the eye, and I could give him a hot biscuit in the mouth. And then I'd be all right. Drunk and wasted, “Just come down here. I'll be a priest for the rest of my life, if you just show yourself and let me manhandle you real quick.” So, I left my faith behind early. One of our phrases was “F*ck karma. Taking my chances.” Fast forward to Brandy who takes me to Agape. I'm starting to get the message. I'm with it. Anthony Robbins books are out. I'm getting a self-help vibe, right? Waking the giant within. I'm jumping around, and it's cool. But I was always one foot in and one foot out. When I finally decided to take both feet out was when I had my first daughter, Chloe. I had an episode happen where I woke up one night, with my daughter in one hand and a gun and the other in a PTSD fit. And I was like, “I gotta get out of this sh*t completely.” I couldn’t have those two worlds exist together. If I was going to be a father, I had to be a good man. And being a good man meant letting go of the tools that I'd acquired, my pain, my struggles, my defense mechanisms, or whatever. Fast forward to about five years ago. I had an incident happen in my life where I drank too much, and I did something that I'm horribly ashamed of to someone that I cared about deeply and still do. After that somewhat violent act, I decided that I needed to change my life completely. And I dove into Kundalini yoga, and I found that I can forgive myself. I can be my genuine self, my authentic self, without fear of being made or being caught. And I'm a nice guy. It's okay to be a nice guy. It's a challenge still. And those of you who have to be around me regularly, you know what I mean. But I am a nice guy now, through Kudalini yoga, I found out it's okay to be nice. It's okay to be sensitive. It's okay to be myself, a childlike, human being. And, through Kundalini yoga, here I am today. And that's how we met, actually. It’s based on that progress and that work that I had done.

It’s not the life that you’re waiting for. It’s the life that’s waiting for you.

www.IamAwareNow.com EDDIE DONALDSON AKA GUERILLAONE AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

On Instagram, follow Eddie Donaldson (@eddie.donaldson) & GuerillaOne (@guerillaone).

EDDIE: I mean, that's a multi part answer. I don't think I was ever lost. Even when I was out there, I was okay. I wasn't lost. I was just away from my spirit. I was comfortable there. But what I will say is if you just let go and let God, whatever that means to you… You don't have to try to find anything. It finds you. And that, to me, is the most amazing concept in the world. As simple as it sounds, if you're out there on the streets and you're doing sh*t you're not proud of, that will change… Your circumstance, your current circumstance right now… that's all it is. It's already gone. And the ‘now’ that I was just speaking about is gone. There is only the present, there's only this moment. And if I can change, anybody can change. That's one thing I tell people that are like, “Man, I don't know what to do. I can't get out of this sh*t.” Yes, you can. If I can change, you can change. Because I was a very selfish person, and I was addicted to causing pain and suffering mentally and emotionally, all of it. It was like, if I'm hurting, everybody else is hurting too. And I was hurting for 30 plus years. So, if I can come out of that sh*t, so can anyone else. There's a life out there waiting for everybody. It's not the life that you're waiting for. It's the life that's waiting for you. ∎

AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

“You don’t have to try to ﬁnd anything.

EDDIE: Yeah. It's like Joey. Allié, we met through Joey and Emma. That journey alone with me and Joey… we’ve both been on both sides of this thing in a real way. I used to work with Joey, the Feds sitting outside our house, watching the house, tapping phones. And now me and Joey get to just be ourselves and relax and not be ‘that guy’. Sometimes shut up and listen, instead of know everything, dictate and manipulate. It's just nice to allow life to happen versus to think I know what's best for myself and create scenarios that I think are perfect for me, which really aren’t. I’m looking forward to that.

TAP/SCAN TO LISTEN

45 www.IamAwareNow.com AwareNow WRITINGPodcastON THE WALL Exclusive Interview with Eddie Donaldson. https://awarenow.us/podcast/writing-on-the-wall

ALLIÉ: What comfort, what safety there is in that. Yeah? Just to be able to be your authentic self 100%.

ALLIÉ: That's awesome. I guess to close out this conversation, certainly there are more chapters to come that I look forward to with you. For people who aren't there yet, who are still back in chapter one or chapter two, who are trying to ﬁnd their way, what advice would you have?

It ﬁnds you.”

46 People need hope… www.IamAwareNow.com LAURA SHARPE FOUNDER OF ARTISTS FOR TRAUMA AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

LAURA: Storytelling is a wonderful example, Allie. One of the many art forms that serve as a bridge to healing. With that said, do you mind if I share a little back story? This is how that perspective of service came to be…

AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION CLICK, TAP OR SCAN TO WATCH NOW

To look at me today, it’s hard to imagine I could have been so completely decimated…yet I was — physically, mentally, and emotionally. On May 24th, 2008, a helicopter carrying a small group of family, friends and staff left for a 14-minute ﬂight departing Long Beach, CA destined for Two Harbors, Catalina Island, California.

www.IamAwareNow.com EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH LAURA SHARPE

ARTISTS FOR TRAUMA THE ARTISTRY OF HEALING

ALLIÉ: Just as storytelling serves as a salve for pain, art is an application for healing trauma. Laura, please share how Artists for Trauma builds a bridge between creating art and surviving trauma.

From her work with esteemed artists in the areas of photography, ﬁlm, dance, sculpture and music, Laura Sharpe was able to rise above and beyond her pain and trauma from a near death experience. She found a way to dramatically improve the quality of her recovery through the creative interaction between herself and the artists. Here enters the inspiration and beginning of Artists for Trauma, dedicated to enriching the lives of both civilian and military trauma survivors by pairing recovering patients with established artists from various creative disciplines.

“…a grateful rag doll cognizant of the many angels that saved my life that day.”

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LAURA: (continued) 9 minutes into the 14-minute ﬂight there was an engine malfunction. Shortly thereafter we hit the ground, exploding on impact. 3 precious lives were lost in the burning inferno, 3 lives miraculously survived. My husband and friends were entering the harbor below us on our respective family boats. Suddenly they saw huge billows of black smoke rising from behind the mountain range. Surreally they moored the boats in choppy water, released dinghies, sped to the harbor dock, tied off, rushing toward the crash site not knowing who was dead or alive.

The chartered helicopter held six passengers. I was the left front seat passenger adjacent to the pilot who never got out alive. In the back of the copter were 4 passengers; our 20-year-old daughter, the wife and 26-year-old son of our friend and a 22-year-old staff member who last minute asked to catch a ride from the mainland to the island. We crashed nose down, exploding into flames. Our friend’s wife and the young man burned in the crash. We were told by first responders that the crash scene was like a war zone or apocalyptic scene from a movie. Unable to stand or walk, our eldest daughter began pulling herself from the flames by her elbows not sure if another explosion was coming. She saw my long blond hair in the flattened, bubbling rubble. Heroically she returned; grabbing my hair she dragged my unconscious, shattered body from the flames where first responders took over, beating out flames on my burning body with my melting purse. In those few inches and nano moments she saved my life. We were medevacked to different Level 1 trauma emergency hospitals. As the most severely injured survivor of the crash, my body was charred with 3rd degree burns over 40% of my lower body, my left foot near severed yet tethered by a few bloody ligaments, 43 fractures crumpled my body, my left eye hanging out of the shattered socket of my crushed head and mangled face, chunks of flesh carved out across my body by burning shrapnel. With both lungs collapsed and losing blood fast, organs shutting down; the coast guards strategically slammed tubes into my chest cavity to inflate my lungs with oxygen while repeatedly attempting to find any responsive vein somewhere on my body to provide lifesaving blood. Minutes into the medevack flight over the Pacific Ocean, I flat lined multiple times. The coast guards never gave up, fighting to save my life every precious moment of that short flight. My family was praying on the ground. Arriving to UCLA Harbor Long Beach ICU, I remained unconscious in a coma for weeks then transferred to Cedars Sinai Hospital ICU. Weeks later I emerged from coma a completely swaddled rag doll. Short story? I remained there for months. Over the next 2 ½ years I had 63+ reconstructive surgeries and countless rehabilitation therapies, re-learning to think, talk, sit, stand, walk, and function as a human being again. I was an unstructured disfigured, disabled rag doll. Irrefutably, I felt like one of the island of misfit toys… a grateful rag doll cognizant of the many angels that saved my life that day. They are still at work as we speak. This rag doll concept manifested into a poignant work of art, a sculpture representing one of my healing through art collaborations with 6 artist friends. This transcending healing life experience subsequently was curated in 2011 as The Laura Project – Re-Membered, Interpretations of Reconstruction. A metaphoric retrospective. Storytelling through photography, film, sculpture, dance, and music. All original works of art created in collaboration. Organically, it became the template of activation for Artists For Trauma in 2012.

I cannot imagine what it must have been like, voices of passing strangers exclaiming there was an explosion and 3 people were dead. How mentally horriﬁc it must have been to come upon that scene of death & destruction not sure if your family is alive or dead.

Thank you for listening and your gracious patience, Allie. Now to answer your question HOW is art a bridge to healing trauma? The bridge to healing trauma is in the process of thought, of creativity itself.

“…I surrendered all over again to the fall.”

LAURA: (continued) I also suffered serious traumatic brain injury with a prognosis that I would never be able to care for myself or raise my youngest daughter. She was 10 years old at the time and gratefully not with us that fateful weekend. By certain medical teams’ accounting, I would be medically warehoused for the rest of my life.

I learned, understood and understand that everything is created from nothing. No thing. Everything manifested begins with the frequency and energy of thought, the intention behind thought, then one acts, creating a tangible representation of their thought or idea. In amazement I look back at the combination of my injuries and marvel at how I saw everything through distortion.

www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

Because of these distortions I saw and felt things differently. I saw the beauty AND the trauma in EVERYTHING. I don’t understand why I felt this way, yet I don’t need to understand or know why. What I do know is that in my release and surrender of self, I found immersive gratitude and freedom. Eerily yet awesomely, I just started to adapt. Experiencing altered perspectives, I surrendered all over again to the fall. The physical fall from the sky into decimation of my body vehicle led me to unite with the frequency of in finite energy, the power of positivity and infinite possibilities. I call this energy frequency God or Spirit. I felt heightened awareness and truer insight through creative re-invention, re-association and re-membering. Physically immobile, I could energetically fly anywhere and in any direction, elegantly sculpting energy and soaring in my mind. My new existence required adaptive, fluid thinking and listening to and from all human senses and beyond. I learned there is a beating pulse and emotional feelings in every cell of my body, in every organ of my body. We are electromagnetic beings. Pulsating, vibrating ENERGY!

All senses heightened, my nervous system requested or better said, demanded QUIET. In the quiet, the observer in me always watched, forever watching. In the quiet I felt calm and could see, hear, feel, create, and adapt to in ﬁnite energy. Experiencing art in any form that moves you is how art creates a healing bridge to release trauma.

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In 2014, Artists For Trauma (AFT) educated and collaborated in providing empowering, healing music and messaging to approximately 6,000 community visitors on the value and impact of interactive art, fashion, praise, music, entertainment and community on one’s self conﬁdence and well-being. AFT collaborated with Warner Park’s Valley Cultural Center, Macy’s Topanga Plaza, professional stylist Susan Koziak of Koziak Productions, Rhythm & Joy Festival’s founder and then Agape Spiritual Center’s Choir Director singer/songwriter Rickie BB, Reverend Michael Bernard Beckwith and several esteemed guest musicians who showed up to celebrate Spirit, love, and community.

18 trauma survivors celebrated and empowered as they walked or rolled on the catwalk no matter gender, sexual orientation, color ethnicity, culture. These models were an inspiring combination of humanity; a blind female college student, quad female amputee and fashion designer, several male quadriplegics who are ﬁne artists and community leaders; former adaptive extreme athlete and business owner, community leader and founder of a wheelchair sports and support organization, a paraplegic veteran and businessman and burn survivors who rocked the catwalk representing that trauma does not discriminate. AFT also presented a trauma resource community of 20+ resources available to the public from the many resources one might need. There is great opportunity for quality of recovering following life altering trauma!

ALLIÉ: Founded in 2011, over the course of 10 years AFT has helped and aided healing for so many. Of the many events you’ve conducted, is there one that you can share that was personally moving?

In 2017, Artists For Trauma (AFT) featured 10 trauma survivors’ artworks in a museum quality collaborative installation inside California Rehabilitation Institute, a best practice inpatient hospital in Century City, California. Hospital wall space was curated over approximately 4,000 linear feet representing these artists’ work and the trauma patient demographics the rehab hospital serves.

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LAURA: It is an honor to share the joyful result our ﬁrst trauma survivor enjoyed in July 2011. We are grateful for his doctor and family’s trust as well as those we’ve served over this past decade as a trusted healing through integrative health service provider.

In July 2011, we met Fellow Traveler, Ford A. He was referred to us by a highly respected, critical care, concierge trauma physician. Ford survived a serious car crash where he and his Porsche ended up wrapped around a pole, then a near-death experience during his transport to Cedars Sinai ICU in Los Angeles. Artists For Trauma (AFT) paired him with Bruce, a professional voice coach in Los Angeles, CA. Bruce musically rehabilitated Ford’s lung functionality by gently guiding him through Italian Opera voice lessons. Yes! He began singing Italian Opera as part of his rehabilitation experience! This assisted him in rebuilding confidence and breath capacity by exercising vocal and tone in flections. Ford is a professional actor, producer, director, filmmaker, and businessman. He is fully returned to his former life profession as a highly successful creative.

Artists For Trauma provided custom fashion and hair styling to 18 inspiring adult trauma survivor models in this ﬁrst of its kind fashion show in Los Angeles California.

LAURA: (continued) The conceptual bridge for Artists For Trauma is to provide other trauma survivors with an interactive, inclusive, art experience based on the type of art that spoke to their heart, their soul and sparked their hope! Our programs are designed to approach all art disciplines adaptively, with respect to whatever life altering trauma and challenge others are going through. We adapt all creative disciplines into healing platforms. Our signature goal is to provide a creative portal through artistic expression and human connection. Art, entertainment & integrative health experiences provide others access to creative motivation, to repurpose and reassociate their trauma. If you think about it, trauma and destruction have always been a part of the life process and creation. It is the cycle of life! It’s blows my mind… to look at the combination of my injuries and marvel in gratitude at how I saw everything through distortions. Because of these distortions I saw & felt everything differently.

In community collaboration we highlighted women of all ages 8 – 80 of various local to global cultures, ethnicities, body shapes, disabilities, and re-landscaping. AFT and Love Your Body take great responsibility in representing positive body imaging and inclusivity for all through fashion.

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A few months ago, Artists For Trauma (AFT) in partnership with Karen Michelle, founder of Love Your Body Events, presented our recent bi-annual fashion show and celebration of inclusivity and respect for all human bodies at The Luxe Hotel Sunset in Los Angeles, California.

“Human form is displayed by a wide range of diverse body types, conﬁgurations, disﬁgurements, visible and invisible disabilities, mobilities and immobility…”

LAURA: (continued) This signature AFT collaboration with California Rehabilitation Institute was the ﬁrst of many. California Rehabilitation institute provides signi ﬁcant value to the Los Angeles rehabilitation community by providing state of the art trauma rehab services with a highly trained, compassionate staff. The installation continues to provide relatability and thriving examples of possible recovery to its trauma patients, families and hospital staff.

Allié: Of the many examples of trauma that you’ve seen transformed into art, what is one of the most powerful pieces you’ve seen?

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These are 3 diverse AFT signature program examples of creative expression across multiple disciplines and integrative health that we provide through artistic expression, human connection, and collaboration with the medical community to empower trauma survivors.

We were honored to represent the powerful messaging of Shepard Fairey and his OBEY clothing designs; as well as artists, Dave Navarro and PADHia, multi-talented artists and mental wealth activists who created Duel Diagnosis to speak to the importance of mental wealth and how “Shame has never healed anyone.”

Lastly, through our many integrative health collaborations, AFT is a community partner to trauma rehab hospitals. We also work in concert with world renowned plastic surgeons and high skilled, scar revision estheticians. Plastic surgeons are medical artists of reconstruction. Finishing scar revision treatments post plastic surgery often provide domestic violence survivors, breast cancer survivors, amputees, and dis ﬁgured burn survivors a greater opportunity to thrive as a result of these comprehensive healing collaborations.

Laura: I’ve been privileged to personally participate and observe in awe and gratitude the impact of mindful fashion and its messaging worn with pride, exhibiting inclusivity and empowerment. Human form is displayed by a wide range of diverse body types, conﬁgurations, disﬁgurements, visible and invisible disabilities, mobilities and immobility… ALL impacting our self-body imaging in addition to our sensitivities as to how other people see our imperfections. Some fashion designers, difference-makers, and artists through intentional fashion design and messaging, intersecting with governments, vendor operations and providers of quality sustainable fabrics and respectful labor practices build and grow awareness, educate the individual and public on the healing power of positive messaging. This type of quality messaging is critically importantly to all our physical, mental, and emotional wealth.

52 www.IamAwareNow.com LAURA: (continued) Here are a few photo examples from this recent fashion show representing the beautiful and empowering messaging of OBEY and Duel Diagnosis fashion messaging. With inclusivity and respect for the whole person, body, mind, heart and spirit, Shepard Fairey’ OBEY fashion and Duel Diagnosis messaging speaks to the visible and invisible traumas of mankind. Their designs and messaging celebrate the diversity of the physical, mental, emotional, sexual, and asexual fashion messaging respecting the wide range of diverse human body shapes, styles, presentations, and perspectives. LOVE YOUR BODY EVENT October 3, 2021 AFT Fellow Travelers and trauma survivors, Jen George, Laura Sharpe, Inclusivity Model Teal and Jasmine, her loving mother and caregiver. Teal wearing OBEY clothing. 1) Tween Model wearing Shepherd Fairey - OBEY Clothing 2) Young adult trauma survivor and AFT Inclusivity model 3) Twen model wearing OBEY clothing 4) Model wearing Duel Diagnosis fashion messaging 5) Model wearing OBEY clothing 6) Tween model wearing Duel Diagnosis fashion messaging 1 2 3 4 5 6 AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

AFT is dedicated to enriching the lives of both civilian and military trauma survivors by pairing recovering patients with established artists from various creative disciplines. Learn more online: www.artistsfortrauma.com

“I believe art is one of the answers, one of the resources in the toolbox for Society is so quick to label a diagnosis and assess a cataloged treatment. When it comes to trauma, the solution to the problem needs to be more personalized. Do you think that’s why art is the answer to the questions that I believe art is one of the answers, one of the resources in the toolbox for healing trauma. Medical science and treatment modalities are critically important. Art and mindful resources that fuel the spirit are certainly part & parcel to healing a whole heart centered human and their spirit. At Artists for Trauma, our goal is to help fuel a trauma

For those who have suffered in silence with trauma for so long, what advice would you give? How does one nd myself internally challenged. There are many examples of invisible trauma. How do we communicate with that person? Are we sensitive and allowing our energetic People need hope. Without hope, we as energetic beings becomes suppressed and depressed. That is very

Beginning with awareness, I would start at the beginning, their new beginning by being kind, open, mindful, gentle, Awareness Ties is honored to recognize Artists for Trauma as a ‘Partner In Purpose’. We proudly stand beside them to raise awareness one story at a time. We support their mission and support trauma survivors with integrity and authenticity through artistry.

Artists For Trauma…where Recovery is an Art #Creativity.Connectivity.Community

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www.IamAwareNow.com

54 I gave them a place to express themselves in any manner… www.IamAwareNow.com BRIAN GAUGHAN FOUNDER OF SPINELLI’S Photo Credit: Spinelli’s AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

BRIAN: Well, with Philly being Philly, I had kind of had enough and decided to move on. And I was on my way to Miami, but I ended up stopping in Louisville. I had a good friend from Jersey move down there. I ended up sticking around a little too long and got a good job. I was kind of cursed by opportunity and stayed there. And while I was there, I saw a lack of good pizza, being from Philadelphia. I decided to get into the game. I worked in pizzerias a lot in my life, being younger in Philly. So, I went back home and talked to the old heads there, and they pretty much showed me the ins and outs. And the only thing they told me is I could never come home and do it. That was an agreement we THE WITH EVERY

Authentic in every way, Brian Gaughan and his pizzeria are a staple in Louisville, KY. With an appreciation for and commitment to quality, from the ingredients on his pizzas to the writing on his walls, Brian founded Spinelli’s that serves as a cornerstone for a community of artists, musicians and lovers of pizza.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH BRIAN GAUGHAN THE ART OF PIZZA SERVING

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ALLIÉ: While your story started in Philadelphia, your legacy lives in Louisville with Philly’s Own Spinelli’s Pizzeria. Love to hear your story, Brian. Why Louisville? And why pizza?

COMMUNITY

SLICE CLICK, TAP OR SCAN TO WATCH NOW AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

56 www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION Photo Credit: Spinelli’s

57 www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION Photo Credit: Spinelli’s

58 You’re talking to a traditionalist… www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION Photo Credit: Spinelli’s BRIAN GAUGHAN FOUNDER OF SPINELLI’S

ALLIÉ: And sometimes that's all that’s needed, right? You just need a place.. and time. Let’s talk hours. Not open 24/7, but almost, your hours are 11am to 5am 7 days a week. Alternative hours for some, but just right for your crowd. Are these hours an integral part of the community you serve? Also, when do you sleep?

BRIAN: I can't take credit for that one. My business partner who owns a location with me out in Arizona, Chris Palma, came up with that. I thought it sounded insane. He made it, and it's better than it sounds. A syrup base, no sauce, with deep fried chicken mozzarella, and powdered sugar on top. Honestly, people are like, “Oh, how is it better than it sounds?” It's good.

BRIAN: You're talking about a traditionalist. To me, a cheese slice, a plain slice, is the caliber of any pizza. The toppings are good, but if you can't enjoy a slice of cheese, then you're not doing pizza right. Sometimes, I'll get a little crazy and put mushroom on it. For me, that's about it.

BRIAN: The 5 a.m. came up because in Louisville, the last call was 4 a.m. That's kind of how 5 a.m. happened. After the bars and the clubs, we want to be a destination, but we still wanted the whole day. We ﬁgured 11 a.m. is about as early as we were going to be able to get up. So, that’s how the hours happened, and we de ﬁnitely became a late night staple throughout the years. And I sleep with a lot of help from my people around me.

ALLIÉ: I know what I’m ordering when I stop in. But this isn’t about me. Let’s talk about you. Let’s get personal, Brian. If you had to choose only 2 toppings for the rest of your life, what would they be?

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ALLIÉ: One last question about pizza, Brian. What is it that makes it so damn good?

ALLIÉ: More than building pizzas, at Spinelli’s you’ve built a strong community. You're a cornerstone for creativity in your kitchen and grafﬁti on your walls. Tell us about the artistry Spinelli’s supports.

“No cutting corners.”

ALLIÉ: Most have heard of the epic pairing that is ‘chicken and wafﬂes’. Many have very much enjoyed the classic combination, but fewer have experienced it on pizza. What?! Please share the brilliance of this creation.

BRIAN: I’ve always been into the street art scene. As a young man, I wrote grafﬁti and pretty much just surrounded myself with people of common interest. I gave them a place to express themselves in any manner… be it music or art. Kind of very open to all kinds.

BRIAN: That’s easy. Everything we do is how it was taught to me from the older guys back home in Philly. No cutting corners. We do our dough and sauce from scratch. And another thing, even with inﬂation that we came on, we had to make a decision. There's two things you can do. You can raise your prices or cut your quality. And we've always stood by not cutting quality and using the best ingredients we can. You can't ﬁnd these recipes on YouTube.

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60 www.IamAwareNow.com AwareNow Podcast THE ART OF PIZZA Exclusive Interview with Brian Gaughan https://awarenow.us/podcast/the-art-of-pizza

ALLIÉ: Pizza isn’t your only love, of course. Let’s talk about music. Love to hear about the live music venue you owned in downtown Louisville.

ALLIÉ: Onto jetsetting… I’d love to discuss your obsession with travel, Brian. What is it about new places and new people that you love?

BRIAN: It's really just seeing how other people live. It’s just getting out there and looking around. It's my favorite thing in the world. I learned years ago, it’s experience over material items. So with any money I make, I'd rather go out there and experience things. My goal is to see everything. I'm not quite there.

ALLIÉ: Whether you are building a pizza, a venue or a community, artistry is involved. What artistic advice do you have for those building something to serve more than themselves?

BRIAN: Artistically, for me, it's just be yourself. Build off of things that inﬂuence you. Persistence is 100% a key to anything. Everybody's got to tell you that you can't do it. You got to just push on. And if it's not organic, you can tell. You can tell what's fake and what's real. At the end of the day, time always tells. ∎

ALLIÉ: Well, there's a lot of world to see, but it sounds like, you're well on your way. Do you have a favorite place you've visited thus far?

BRIAN: Yeah, we had our location downtown. Unfortunately, it closed down during the pandemic, but we had a location with a good size dining room. And like I said, we've always tried to provide a space for the arts… With this other venue, we're able to offer something, almost daily if we wanted to… It wasn't really a money making thing for us. It was really just to support. With that, it kind of grew and grew, seeing the likes of Jack Harlow and Knocked Loose. It’s amazing to see where they are today. We're real proud to even be part of that whole organic scene. Right now, we're in the process of building out a new venue. Unfortunately, it’s not the size of the last place, but we'll be able to at least offer that space.

BRIAN: For cities, Paris is my favorite. For islands, it’s Bali. Bali is pretty amazing.

TAP/SCAN TO LISTEN

Follow Spinelli’s on Instagram: @spinellispizza_

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TOGETHER WE RISE. JOIN OUR NATION. WWW.AWARENESSTIES.US/NATION

62 www.IamAwareNow.com ECHOES OF THE PAST ARIYA AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

There are pieces of art that inform dreams, there are others that inspire words. This piece of art by Ariya is one that did both for Allié & Jack McGuire, who responded with in an original poem paired with familiar lyrics. ARTWORK BY ARIYA + POETRY BY ALLIÉ & JACK MCGUIRE SWEET DREAMS NOT SUGAR AND SPICE, BUT TRUTH AND LOVE sweet dreams are made of this creases in time and space that can’t be replaced moments that manifest with or without request who am i to disagree like it or not i travel the world and the seven seas go further and faster you are your own master of your perception on your life’s reﬂection everybody’s looking for something dreams aren’t meant for only the night CLICK, TAP OR SCAN TO WATCH NOW AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

64 www.IamAwareNow.comWritingby:DreamPhotoby:PowerOneAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION Above: (Left to Right) Dream, Slick, Ice-T & Afrika Islam

In Early 1988, I drove Dream, Charlie, Risk and Slick to San Francisco and Oakland to hit EVERYTHING. Back home we were up together at every Yard, and we led the way on many Spots that Bombers still use today including the first to paint along the L.A. Metro Blue Line and every freeway from Carson to The Valley. Dream was one of the first on freights too. Him, Charlie and I were Hitting Freights early in that scene and often. Dream was not just a Writing partner he was a friend that slipped right into any situation with anyone I knew from Punkers to Hollywood cool kids. I miss him very much. The day I found out he passed was so crazy sad but also so crazy on its own because it was a day I spent painting for a private collector. It was the first time I had painted in a long time. To get this news that day was......too much. I cried. ∎ WCA,PowerOneCBS, MSK, MTK, XTC, SC, CM3, SV, AMW www.IamAwareNow.com www.cancontrolone.comCONTROL

In Aug, 1989, King Charlie DTK and I released the worlds first Graffiti MAGAZINE. We loved the NYC, Graffiti News Paper before us but we wanted to go in a different style to show the world our Graffiti LIFE. A clear, glossy page, magazine layout that showed civilians our Graffiti culture. After one year under our working title of Ghetto Art I branched out alone and changed the name of the ZINE to Can Control! I increased the page count, increased the photo count and started the worlds first mutii page interviews with Graffiti Writers. I also went to color making Can Control the worlds first Graffiti MAG in color.

PERSONAL STORY BY POWERONE KING DREAM REST IN POWER CAN

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65 I ﬁrst met KING Dream from many Crews and PREZ of his own S.M.D. Crew in early 1985 at Belmont Tunnel but I never really talked to him until 1987 while he worked on the big walls along Crenshaw Blvd. This was in early 1987 when he was hanging with Ice T. I stepped up, asked the men to pose for my Can Control Graf ﬁti Magazine, they did, and I shot the classic photos of Ice, Dream and Ice's team that have been a fan favorite ever since. From that day on, Dream, Risky, Charlie and I HUNG OUT a lot! We painted nearly every weekend and Bombed many, many weeknights. Dream was a warm, funny and REAL HUMAN. His heart was as big as his love of life, and I am proud to have called him a friend. Dream, Risky and I started what we called THE HITTING METAL TOUR in 1988-89. This tour was just like it sounded; Paint everything and anything that was metal and if it "rolled" the better including AIRPLANES, CITY BUSSES, UCLA CAMPUS BUSSES, FREIGHT TRAINS AND A STRETCH LIMO.

66 www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION Writing by: Dream Photo by: PowerOne

67 www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION Writing by: Dream Photo by: PowerOne

68 www.IamAwareNow.com Photo Credit: © Ted Tarquinio - tltphoto.com AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

I used to say that I discovered my love and talent for photography “by accident” but the wiser lens of hindsight has allowed me to see that it’s been a truly organic process that commenced long before I ever picked up a camera.

After graduating in 1994 from the University of Kentucky with a B.A. in advertising, I was introduced to wilderness backpacking and began an extensive journey of self discovery traveling the American West. Along the way, I found the writings of conservationist Edward Abbey and most importantly the surreal con ﬂuence of perfect light that illuminates these grandiose, natural landscapes. I was only 21 years old and it was as if the puzzle pieces to my soul were all ﬁnally put together.

PERSONAL STORY BY TED TARQUINO THE BIG PICTURE LOUISVILLE - A CITY LARGER THAN LIFE

tltphoto.com

In 1997, my Mom loaned me a nice Nikon “point and shoot” before a two month solo trip of the American Southwest where I found out that I had a natural talent for photography and composition. When I developed the ﬁlm I was stunned that I saw the world this way but realize now that it was a true process of osmosis. I had learned to see true beauty and perfect light before I ever considered trying to capture it. Once it all clicked, I began teaching myself about cameras and photography techniques from books by some of the landscape masters of our time. Having no formal training, I learned from the writings and images of Galen Rowell, Ansel Adams, David Muench, Art Wolfe, and Charles ForCampbell.thepast two years, my assignment work has been awarded the Society of Professional Journalists’ award for Best Photo Package in Louisville while I also sell my original artwork at regional art shows and retail stores. My initial pursuit of travel photography evolved into a career that goes far beyond the natural landscape focusing on people,

Photo Credit: © Ted Tarquinio -

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71 www.IamAwareNow.com Photo Credit: © Ted Tarquinio - tltphoto.com

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80 My apparel line is called Know Nothing. www.IamAwareNow.com FRANCIS THOMASOVICH FOUNDER OF KNOW NOTHING AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION Photo Credit: Zac Estes & Francis Thomasovich

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH FRANCIS THOMASOVICH KNOW NOTHING AND THE RENAISSANCE ARTIST VERSED IN EVERYTHING CLICK, TAP OR SCAN TO WATCH NOW AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

Eddie: Yeah, we hit it off right away. We were homies right away. But I mean, that's a testament to who Francis is in his spirit. It was like we knew each other beside the common ground. It was great. Speaking of Jack, how is it working with that squad?

I ﬁrst met Francis Thomasovich at Joey Wagner and Jack Harlow’s Derby party. Chris Thomas was like, “Yo, you should meet my friend, this artist here in Louisville. Boy am I glad he did. We hit it off like gangbusters immediately. When we did a studio visit with him in Old Louisville I was amazed at the depth of his understanding of Louisville arts and culture and beyond. This guy is a true artist and a good human. - E.D.

Allié: Francis, I would love for you to first start out by sharing how did you and Eddie Donaldson met. Francis: So, me and Eddie happened to be at the Derby. Thomas Lobble and my friend Chris Thomas, Jack Harlow’s management, told me that there's this guy that is affiliated with The Seventh Letter, this graffiti art collective in LA. I was like, “I'm familiar.” And he's like, “He should be here. You should meet him.” And that night it was an album release party for, ‘Come Home the Kids Miss You’ during the Derby. Eddie was there, and we just chatted… We just talked all night, basically.

82 We’re very hip hop based, but we then go into different dance pockets and have a lot more fun with that. www.IamAwareNow.com FRANCIS THOMASOVICH FOUNDER OF KNOW NOTHING AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION Photo Credit: Zac Estes & Francis Thomasovich

Francis: My apparel line is called Know Nothing. And then I also have a creative collective with my partner, Dominic Haley. And we're a dj collective.

It’s going up soon, I think it is.

“…I was always ‘the kid that lived in the church’. It was just a good conversation starter.”

Eddie: Speaking of that, so when I went to go meet him, I met him at the studio... They got the dopest bathtub, right. It's like the sickest tub, like from a movie scene. And it's sitting right by the front door. And the stairs… it's like 50 stairs to get upstairs. I'm like, “What are you going to do with this?” He goes, “We're taking it upstairs”. And I was like, “You want me to help you?” He’s like, “Yeah, right… That’s why it’s still sitting here.” Because it weighs like hundreds of Francis:pounds.

Eddie: And you guys do the hot parties in Louisville?

Francis: Yeah, we do parties in Louisville and everywhere else. So we're open format. We're very hip hop based, but we then go into different dance pockets and have a lot more fun with that.

Allié: Nice. Well, so now that we know a little bit more about where you live, let’s talk about what you do. Let's talk about that for a moment.

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Allié: Very cool.

Francis: It's a historic, preservation district. The houses here are old Victorian houses, mostly built from 1880 to 1900. And it's, I think, one of the only districts like this in the country. But it's really cool because in the 80’s, it was falling apart. It got renovated and updated and then became this preservation district. But growing up here in that post period from the ’90s to now, it was a mix of urban city life and this interesting, non-city, very community-based place. So, I met so many friends, was very centrally located, and had a very diverse upbringing here.

Francis: I focus a lot on apparel, but also art and culture in general. So, I'm just all over the place. I’m really like a renaissance man of sorts, where I just do a lot of different things, but all art related, if that makes sense.

Allié: Yeah, that makes complete sense.

Eddie: Tell us about old Louisville.

Francis: We live in an old Victorian church, formerly Presbyterian Church. And that was kind of the ﬁrst step into these Victorian homes and how we got into old Louisville. And that's how I grew up here. But it's just a beautiful, historic building. Ever since I was young, I was always ‘the kid that lived in the church’. It was just a good conversation starter. It’s so weird, but also very cool. People want to come through and check out the kid that lives in the church. Socially, it was a way to easily meet people, even though I was already doing that anyway.

Eddie: What's the name of your brand?

Francis: Currently, he is the Russian language professor at the University of Louisville. But, he's just a local art man of all talents. And he was into Louisville punk rock in the early ’70s and ’80s scene. He was playing drums, singing, and is still currently in a band called Juanitas. He’s just an all-around creative guy who likes to obtain old properties and and ﬁx them up to a point.

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Eddie: What about the house? Tell us about the house. I mean, I didn't get to go to the house, but I saw the house.

84 www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION Photo Credit: Zac Estes & Francis Thomasovich

Francis: So actually, which I haven't told you this yet, but I have my Know Nothing pop ups in LA. They ﬁnally are happening at two different locations around the same time as the ﬁrst festival, Bourbon And Beyond… But in LA. So, I'll be in LA that weekend. One is going to be in the east and one is going to be west… It’s going to be great. And then Jack has his show in Inglewood on that Tuesday… Yeah, it's going to be deep in LA. And then I'll be back for Louder

Follow Francis on Instagram: @francisthomasovich

Eddie: Supporting the community. That's good.

Eddie: Yeah. Bad Boy for life. So, I know this is a tough question, but who are some of the hottest artists in Louisville right now on the visual art side?

Francis: I think personally, I really like Kiah Celeste. Less visually. She’s not really from here. She's from Brooklyn, but she's been living here for the past ﬁve to six years. And we've actually thrown a few parties at her studio and things. But she really works with found objects and remolds them into different spaces. She's one of my favorites. Nina, aka Dirt Gremlin, is also one of my favorite artists in the world right now. They do a lot of really cool work as well. They were just featured in a Louisville radio special recently, and their work was in there. I ended up going to university a little bit with them, and that was really good. Those are two arts that I really like.

Francis: That's called Logan Street Market. The cool story about FOCO is they started right before the pandemic… 2019 in that fall. And that's when Logan Street just opened up. And then the pandemic hits - March 2020. And basically, all the restaurants in there, they're all just starting, and then everybody closes. They have to let go of their whole team. But the two owners, and then they had a baker who ends up becoming a co-owner with them… Those three partners together, they all stay on board, and they add delivery. And they're the only restaurant in this huge market space working throughout the whole pandemic. And they're just delivering for free to everybody and just staying open. And I was hanging out with them.

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Francis: I think personally, in my sets, I play more Biggie.

Eddie: The interesting thing about this place, Allié, that you and Jack would love, is that it's, like this communal space that has coffee, restaurants and all these different things. They do salsa night on Thursday. If I was there, I'd probably want a space in there where I could sell prints. What's the name of that spot?

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Francis: Yeah. But, just the storytelling. And Biggie’s music was also really great as well. And also just the Puff Daddyesque. I still love Diddy a lot as well.

Francis: We had chilaquiles, didn’t we? Yeah, we went to FOCO.

Eddie: And you did their logo?

Francis: Thank you. Appreciate it. ∎

Than Eddie:Life.Allright, you want to take us out, Allié?

Eddie: Alright, well, what's next in your world? What's coming up?

Eddie: Yeah, no doubt. I ﬁgured that... I shouldn’t even have asked.

Francis: Yeah, I redid their logo. And they're just good friends of mine. Chef Javier Leonardo Garcia.

Francis: Yes. And so I was hoping to make content and just get a little bit of the load off their shoulders… getting their food out there. But I think the reason that market stayed open during the pandemic was because they were the only ones there… keeping it alive.

Allié: I loved hearing about where you live, what you do, and how you do it. I just want to say thank you, Francis for helping all of us become a bit more aware now. Thank you so much.

Eddie: What's the name of that spot that you took us over for the empanadas?

Eddie: Great. So that brings me to my next question. If you had to make a choice, is it Biggie or 2Pac?

86 www.IamAwareNow.com Art by: Al Diaz (@albert_diaz1) AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION I dream that everyone who is eligible to vote, can vote. MICHAEL PRIEVE CREATOR OF GIVE A DAMN VOTE

Like many things, I did not start out with a grand plan for Give A Damn Vote.

PROTECTING

DEMOCRACY

The ﬁrst effort asked artists to create “GIVE A DAMN. VOTE.”

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voting and civics through artist inspired clothing and products.

I believe the change we need will come from both our lawmakers and the streets. We need both. I also believe art will be a part of the answer. My friend Michael Delahaut is a huge street art and graf ﬁti fan and he helped show me the way of that world. The vibrancy and energy of street and grafﬁti is second to none.

GIVE

And thus, Give A Damn Vote was born.

Now the message has turned from protecting the right to vote to defending democracy. Thus, “VOTE FOR DEMOCRACY.” www.IamAwareNow.com

Unfortunately, things quickly turned from a celebration to a story about voting rights and protecting the right to vote (H.R.1 For The People Act) . And thus, I asked artists to create the word “VOTE.” I then added this art to the phrase “FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE WHILE YOU STILL CAN.”

FEATURE STORY BY MICHAEL PRIEVE A DAMN. VOTE. OUR AND TO VOTE

After the election, I wanted to celebrate and thus asked artists to work with “POWER TO THE PEOPLE.”

Give A Damn Vote advocates

The idea came about wanting to set an example for my young son that we can all be a part of making our communities better. I wanted to use my many years of working as a creative director and apply it towards some sort of GOTV effort. I tried reaching out to various political groups and non-for-proﬁts to offer up my services—with no luck.

THE RIGHT

I quickly realized that if I wanted to do anything using my skill set, I was going to need to do something on my own.

88 www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION Top to Bottom & Left to Right: Art by MadClout (@madclout), Menso One (@mensoone), Gigstar (@gigstar_csf), Ouchey (@ouchey), Sneke One (@snekeism), Reds (@redskeee), Sonic Bad (@sonicbadnyc), Restoring Your Belief (@restoringyourbelief), Enem (@enemthagreat_tdk), MQ Planet (@mqplanet).

89 www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION Top to Bottom & Left to Right: Art by Extra Ketchup (@extraketchup), Freako (@freakorico), Indie184 (@indie184), Dr. Dax (@dr.dax), CLAW (@clawmoney), dek2dx (@dek2dx), DELVS (@delvs102), Easy B2B (@mysterease), CES (@ces4wish), Peter Paid (@peterpaidnyc).

90 www.IamAwareNow.comAWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION Art by: Jim Evans (@jimevanstaz_official)

Unfortunately, none of this will guarantee better days ahead, but at least one will have a ﬁghting chance. Not to vote is to guarantee helplessness. Think of voting as one's personal non-violent revolution. Right now. Today. Protecting our democracy and the right to vote is the single most important task of our time. Solving issues related to climate, justice and equality all hinge on keeping a free and vibrant democracy.

“Think of voting as one’s personal non-violent revolution.”

please visit GiveADamnVote.com. On Instagram, Please follow @giveadamn_vote AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

I don’t believe government is the problem. We the people are the problem. We are the problem when we don’t vote. We are the problem when we aren’t informed by facts. We are the problem when we don’t care. Not to vote, not to be informed by facts, not to care, is to cede one's power to others. And they will manipulate you with misinformation. They will enslave you with their unjust rules and laws. They will subject you to dishonest leaders and bad policies.

Finally, I would like to thank all of the artists. Without their support this dream would not have been possible. information,

DEMOCRACY.FORVOTE.

∎ www.IamAwareNow.com For more

If one wants to be in control of one's own destiny and if one wants to be free, one must care, get informed, and vote.

92 We have over 500 portraits from early pioneer and wartime, all the way up to the present. www.IamAwareNow.com RICHARD H. C. CLAY PRESIDENT & CEO OF THE FILSON HISTORICAL SOCIETY Photo Credit: The Filson Historical Society AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

ALLIÉ: To build a stronger present and future through learning from the past at the Filson Historical Society, Richard, please tell me, how are you inspiring your community to do this?

93 www.IamAwareNow.com

So, the programming and the building and then we have the collection, which is just huge. For example, we have over 500 portraits from early pioneer and wartime, all the way up to the present. We rotate them around so that all our public can come in and see them.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH

RICHARD: We also have rotating exhibits. Currently, the two that are up are called ‘A Child's World’, which is about children growing up from pioneer time to the present, and ‘Forgotten Foundations’, which are buildings that were torn down but are remembered with the records and pictures we have up of the buildings with descriptions of their history. RICHARD H. C. CLAY COLLECTING HISTORY THE CULTURE OF KENTUCKY

ALLIÉ: That's absolutely wonderful.

AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

PRESERVING

To collect, preserve, and share the signiﬁcant history and culture of Kentucky and the Ohio Valley is the mission of The Filson Historical Society. They are committed to the work of preservation, access, and education with pursuit of ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion. Leading this work is Richard H. C. Clay, The Filson’s President and CEO.

RICHARD: We're working hard at it. The Filson was founded in 1884, 138 years ago. We’re located in the heart of historic old Louisville. If you don't live here, what that means is it’s one of the nation's finest collections of Victorian homes that cover blocks and blocks between downtown on one side. Then the University of Louisville and Churchill Downs, where the Derby, is on the other. So, we're right in the middle of it all. How do we inspire this community? We house one of the most extensive Kentucky and early Ohio Valley historical collections around, certainly in the state. The collection dates back to pioneer times, and it goes all the way up to the present. We're continually collecting. We also host 60 programs a year, and those are by major historians. The most recent one was two nights ago by Dr. George Wright, who is one of the professors of African American history at the University of Kentucky. He was also President for many years of the largest historically black college and university in Texas. But he's a native of Kentucky, and so he's come back and sort of rotates his time. That's emblematic of what we do. In our annual program, we also have the Gertrude Polk Brown lectures which are our flagship series. And we'll have four or five renowned national historians a year come in and give lectures to those in attendance in person locally or nationally via Zoom. The building itself is another way we relate to and encourage the community. We have an old 1910 historic building that you're recording me from. It's an old mansion on Third Street. But then five years ago, we built a new history center that has two lecture halls that can hold 200 people each. It also houses a lot of our archival space and earlier this year won the American Institute for Architects Annual Award.

94 We are very conscious of telling the truth through facts, but in as unbiased a fashion as we can so that anybody can learn and feel enabled, encouraged, inspired, and informed by the stories of the past. www.IamAwareNow.com Photo Credit: The Filson Historical Society AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION RICHARD H. C. CLAY PRESIDENT & CEO OF THE FILSON HISTORICAL SOCIETY

CLICK, TAP OR SCAN TO WATCH NOW

AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

), founded in 1884, is a privately supported cant history and culture of Kentucky and the Ohio Valley. We have served the public through our extensive and historic collections of original manuscripts, letters, diaries, photographs, architectural records, rare imprints, 95 www.IamAwareNow.com

For the rest of the story, click, tap or scan the code below for the inspiring conversation between Richard H. C. Clay and Allié McGuire, as he shares the story behind the story of The Filson Historical Society. Hear about the Jewish collections started in 2017 and the African American collection being curated. Also hear Richard’s personal story that incited his love for history.

ALLIÉ: Well, you're doing a lot. I'd love to hear about how your thematic collections and your work has really started to foster these conversations that need to be had for change with regard to racial inequality in Louisville and society in general.

RICHARD: Any lecture that we give is preceded by a statement on a screen that in essence says, the programs that we produce and what we print are based on true facts. Interpretations vary… Historians have different ways of looking at facts and how they interpret them. And those interpretations are as vital, compelling, and interesting as they would be, at any given time. So, you’re looking at the facts, but you're also looking at how the historian deals with a particular set of factors. I think, we are very conscious of telling the truth through facts, but in as unbiased a fashion as we can so that anybody can learn and feel enabled, encouraged, inspired, and informed by the stories of the past. And indeed, our mission is to collect, preserve, and share the stories of Kentucky and Ohio Valley history. ∎

96 www.IamAwareNow.com Photo Credit: The Filson Historical Society AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION On this page: Amerikkka Arielle2020 Biddix Paint and ﬁber on board #2020.37.1 On opposite page: Medical Bag Red Cross Motor Corps medical supply bag belonging to Julia Victor, ca. This1942.gives an important glimpse at the women's history of World War II. Filson Museum Collections, #2020.31.6A-I Julia Victor (seated at the desk, center) working in the Red Cross Motor Corps ofﬁce in Louisville, Kentucky This undated photograph is ca. 1942 during WWII. The women of the Motor Corps provided critical volunteer support by delivering necessary supplies and providing medical FilsonPhotographHelman-Victorassistance.Collection,HistoricalSociety #020PC20.29

97 www.IamAwareNow.com Photo Credit: The Filson Historical Society AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

98 We have become the largest provider of mindfulness instruction in the central United States. www.IamAwareNow.com Photo Credit: Earth & Spirit Center AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

The eco-spiritual wisdom ﬁgure, Thomas Berry, described the profound challenge of our time as being one of disconnection: so many of us have become alienated from our own interior lives, each other, and the rest of the natural world – and as a result, we are suffering individually and collectively, and we are inﬂicting catastrophic damage upon the Earth. As Berry put it, we have "broken the great conversation" with the rest of the living world.

Founded in Berry's lineage and with his blessing, the Earth & Spirit Center seeks to heal those disconnects and help bring about what Berry calls the "Great Work" of cultural paradigm shift, such that the human species finds once again our rightful place of belonging within the living world and so becomes a bene ficial member of a thriving planetary community – that beautiful world that our hearts know is possible. We envision a single, sacred Earth community in which all members – human and non-human – flourish.

To bring about that vision, our mission is to cultivate a community of transformative learning and service, committed to spiritual development, social compassion, and Earth care, guided by our core values of community, awakening, and service. This is a broad vision, and of course as a single organization, we must focus our energies in order to be effective. Our specific work is education: to inform people of all ages in creative, holistic ways, and to empower them to take action for the sake of individual, social, and ecological flourishing. For adults, we offer events, workshops, and non-credit courses focused on the three main areas of our mission commitments: interfaith spirituality, equity/social justice, and Earth care. In this work, we have become the largest provider of mindfulness instruction in the central United CommittedStates.to diversity and equitable accessibility in our programs, we also provide mindfulness tools and other mission-related instruction to serve under-resourced community members through our extensive pro-bono Mindfulness Mentors program, which partners with over three dozen local schools and social service organizations, including the Louisville Urban League, Family Scholar House, and many others. As part of our educational efforts, we have catalyzed and supported many action groups among our participants, which focus on speci fic efforts related to social and environmental justice - for example, in connection with the reforms demanded by the "A Path Forward for Louisville" document created in the wake of local and nationwide racial unrest in 2020. We involve youth and young adults through nature-based retreats, camps, internships, field trips, and ecological restoration efforts on our 27-acre nature sanctuary. We also produce videos, documentary films, and our semi-monthly Earth & Spirit Podcast, which is distributed through National Public Radio. We directly serve over 4,000 participants annually, not including the broad audience for our podcast and other media initiatives.

∎ www.IamAwareNow.com FEATURE STORY WITH PASSIONIST EARTH & SPIRIT CENTER EARTH & SPIRIT NURTURING SPIRIT, SOCIETY, AND SOIL Learn more about the Passionist Earth & Spirit Center: www.earthandspiritcenter.org AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

100 www.IamAwareNow.com Photo Credit: Family Scholar House AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

Each year, we serve disadvantaged residential and nonresidential single moms and dads and their children with a comprehensive, holistic continuum of care that meets them where they are and empowers them toward their educational, career and family goals. Our residential families have experienced poverty, unstable housing and, most often, domestic violence.

“We believe in the power of education to change lives, families and communities. We believe in second chances and fresh starts. We believe in the resilience of the human spirit. We believe that our past is part of us but does not deﬁne us. And, we believe in the wonderful single parents and young adults who come through our doors determined to make the most of new opportunities.”

We also serve students, student parents, former foster youth, and other vulnerable populations as they prepare for careers by getting the education they need for the workforce. Whether it is a one-time call or ongoing support, we can help. Our programs and services are responsive to the needs of individuals and families and are provided for all ages.

The mission of Family Scholar House is to end the cycle of poverty and transform our community by empowering families and youth to succeed in education and achieve life-long self-sufﬁciency.

∎ www.IamAwareNow.com FEATURE STORY WITH FAMILY SCHOLAR HOUSE WE ARE FAMILY TRANSFORMING LIVES THROUGH EDUCATION Learn more about Family

101

House: familyscholarhouse.org AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

What started in 1995 as a small program speciﬁc to Louisville, Kentucky has since expanded to serve other communities in the Commonwealth, in the region, and across the country. In the state, Family Scholar House works directly with the Kentucky Community & Technical College System (KCTCS) to provide outreach activities for all students and vulnerable populations. Scholar

102 www.IamAwareNow.com Photo Credit: Family Scholar House AWARENOW / THE DREAMS EDITION

Discover one of the countless reasons to plant your feet in Louisville, a step above the rest. Greater Louisville is a city grounded in the belief that compassion carries us all forward. Plus, there’s something to do around every affordable corner, and friendly faces to help you along the way. Explore one of the countless reasons you’ll love living here. Visit www.liveinlou.com

FIND A NEW YOU IN LOU

THROUGH THESE STORIES WE SHARED I AM AWARE NOW. www.IamAwareNow.com READ, LISTEN & WATCH The Magazine, The Podcast & The Talk Show