Your Questions, My Answers

[damali ayo]

Since I announced the National Day of Panhandling for Reparations, I've received some wonderful feedback, including some concerns and questions. I asked Heather Day to gather together these questions and put them to me. I hope this helps the conversation continue and deepen. Ultimately, of course, I hope it encourages more of you to join the performance and find out for yourself exactly what it is like. Experience is always the best road to understanding. - damali ayo

Heather Day: damali, you've been asked a lot of tough questions about your upcoming participatory performance "National Day of Panhandling for Reparations." What do you make of people's reactions?

damali ayo: I'm all about starting dialogue. So I'm glad people are talking to each other, though it's not quite the caliber of conversation it could be. People often give art a quick glance, then react react react. We live in a sound-bite society and art just doesn't fit into that mindset. Art asks you to slow down. That is one of my favorite things about this work especially. It literally asks people to slow down, to stop and take it in as they walk by on the street.

Even though I provide a lot of information and explanation on the web pages, people still don't take the time to read, watch or listen. We live in a society where people are taught to react by lashing out instead of by learning. I wish that would change in general. I don't mind criticism, but I wish our society was more knowledge-driven rather than reactionary. This interview is yet another attempt to engage people beyond cursory reactions. I hope people will spend time with it, and be encouraged to go back to the web page and read, watch and listen. Then, If you are for or against the work, then write a letter to your local paper or favorite news organization, instead of writing me. Let's broaden the conversation. This is a dialogue for our nation, not a few select folks.

HD: Let's start with one of the most frequent issues raised: Isn't it degrading for black people to beg on the street for reparations? Doesn't this just play into stereotypes that blacks are lazy and looking for a handout?

Read the entire Q and A at: http://damaliayo.com/pages/blog_LJ.htm

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REGISTER now to participate in the NATIONAL DAY OF PANHANDLING FOR REPARATIONS at http://reparationsday.com