Lauren Luna is a visual artist, who specializes in Socio-Political Art and Custom Apparel. On July 3rd, she will have a solo show in Columbus , Ohio entitled “The State of Our Un-Union” visually speaking upon how popular culture has influenced African-Americans as a whole. On October 30th, her self entitled custom apparel company will be crossing over into high fashion status bringing to life the all vices with the Se7en Deadly Sins Fashion Show to be held at the Aladdin Shrine also in Columbus, Ohio. Finally Luna will be combining beautiful women and her custom sneakers for the hottest calendar to be produced. Look for it to be released toward the later part of the year. 6!> What beliefs do you hold onto that motivate you to do what you do?
My belief that I can do anything that I set my mind out to do is what motivated me to do what I do. As someone who has always been very passionate about art and very determined to be successful I have no reason to accept failure. The only true failure is when you stop trying.
20!> How far do you feel we as Americans have gotten away from “Family Values” and is there any reality in a “White-picket Fence” dream??
All of the above are archaic in thinking because when these ideals were set in place, women were stay at home, and uneducated. The family values would consist of the woman staying in the home, cooking and cleaning. They didn’t know any better and didn’t know that life existed outside of the house. But during the 80’s when more women entered the work force these ideals as well as the “get married and have kids” mentality went with it. There are more women that are self sufficient now more than ever.
The downside to women working outside of the home is that some of the basic skills that children used to learn at home are no longer taught, ie. reading, manners, etc. Because of the fact that the mother is too busy. Balancing everything all at once can be a difficult task for the working mom. As well as the fact that there are more and more children being raised in single parent homes. But it is our job as parents to instill values into our children, even if they aren’t the same values from the 1950’s to make them better people.
11!> What do you think do you think about the divorce rate being at %50 percent and what do you think could change this?
The ideal that women have that they need to have this story book wedding, Prince Charming, and live happily ever after NEEDS TO GO!! Women start as little girl believing that their Prince Charming is going to rescue them from the life of singleness and they will fall in love and live happily ever after. But it doesn’t happen that way. People grow apart, people cheat, people realize that the other isn’t the right one.
There is so much pressure placed upon women that once they reach a certain age they are expected to marry. But this is 2010, most women at the age of 25ish are just coming into life as an adult. This is the time that they should be finding out what it’s like. Not marrying and deciding that they want have kids before they have truly known what it is like to fly out of the nest. This realization AFTER they get married is why divorce runs so high. As well as women ignoring SO many red flags because they still have this ideal in their heads of happily ever after. It took me until I was married and divorced to understand what I really wanted out of a man. Because I too was caught in that fairy tale.
5!> What steps do minorities need to take to create a better community for our children?
First and foremost minorities need to maintain the innocence of children. There should be NO reason a 5 year old knows what a blunt is. If you choose to partake in activities such as that, that’s on you. The gluttony that exists in our communities needs to stop also. It’s all about what my neighbor has and how I can out do him. This translates to your children and they do exactly what you do. Observation is the best teacher. It doesn’t matter what you say not to do but if they see you doing it, they will too.
Setting better examples for children is the only way that our community will improve. Teaching basic manners is a wonderful start. Please and thank you go a long way.
10!> What do you feel about the influence the entertainment industry has on children and adults alike?
The entertainment industry has completely damned the African-American people as a whole. When it became acceptable for one person to call another a nigga, which is nothing more than nigger, blows my mind. The history that surrounds that word is where the ignorance of the average person demonstrates it’s self. Nigger is a derivative of the Spanish word Negro, meaning the color black. When the Spanish slave traders would speak of the slaves they would call them “Black”. Southerners, then would through their dialect onto the word which would then change to “Nagra”, which eventually changed to Nigger, and with an accent still comes out as Nigga. Either way it’s said it’s still a highly derogatory word for someone with ancestry of Africa .
Hopefully the readers of this know enough about their history to know of all the travesties that slaves, and everyone after them endured. My question is when they were lynching the runaway slaves, do you think they were calling them African-Americans? NO! They in their southern twangs were calling them nigger, which would come out as NIGGA! These same words that are used in almost every single popular culture Hip- HopNIGGA! These same words that are used in almost every single popular culture Hip- Hop song! But yet people from EVERY race still use it, but don’t let a white person use it and it’s war? Why the double standard? I’ve even heard the defense of it being used as a term of endearment? To who? You call me a nigga or a nigger and I’m going to take HIGH offense!
The flashy, gluttonous lifestyle shown on videos and talked about in music also contributes to the crime and further down ward progression of our people. Instead of thinking communal the mentality is very self-centrified, and there for that of a crab; “If I can’t have it, neither can you.” The majority this is displayed within the music that comes from the entertainment industry. Our children are the impressionable minds that all this fall upon. When a child can recite a song that’s on the radio better than his ABC’s there is a enormous problem.
Unfortunately, positivity no longer sells. Positive MC’s and Rappers, no longer have much radio play and that’s sad because it’s the fall out from the gangsta rap of the early 90’s that has damaged music currently and therefore damaged us as a people.
P.E.A.C.E.,
Lauren Luna
Owner/Lead Artist
Lauren Luna Ltd.
http://www.artistaluna.com
Positive Energy Activates Constant Elevation
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