History, Art, and Us: The Recipes That Sustain.
If I could describe the last few weeks in one word, it would be SURGE. A surge of deep energy. A gravitational pull back to the foundation in the midst of unrest. I found myself diving deep into the recipes that have long sustained us.
With social noise at an all-time high, the media chambers have been deafening—shocking our regulatory systems and psyche alike. Then I hear it: the distant teenage echoes of my aunt fussing at me for “spending too much time on the phone.” The irony, lol.
Lately, I’ve felt the need to step back from social media (this is why I’m in your inbox instead, lol). After over eight years of working in digital media, I know its importance, but I’m also intimately familiar with its underbelly. And while I love me some TikTok (trust me, I do), I also know when enough is enough. The constant sharing (and oversharing) can fast-track us to losing touch with the essence of our human experience.
So, I’ve been safeguarding my attention—realigning it with what matters most: deep and meaningful communication, storytelling, and connection. Though the world around me feels chaotic, I’ve chosen to remain calm. I’ve done, and continue to do, my civic duties. I can rest easy because I KNOW the strength of my friends, my family, and my Vegas community.
Instead of falling into the traps of endless scrolling, I got caught up in the art. Prioritizing photography, videography, music, and writing, I’ve actively chosen to see the beauty of the Black world around us—all while deciphering the frameworks that truly connect us.
Deep into this journey, I stumbled upon the UNLV special collections, where I discovered the work of Clinton Wright, a photographer for The Las Vegas Voice, an African American publication. His photos span 15 years of Black life in Vegas, capturing local events, news, and the vibrancy of our community.
Our Black Las Vegas history, sealed in black-and-white photographs: images of Doolittle pool baptisms, Black-owned barbershops, dry cleaning services, bars, and organizations. Over 200 pages (50 images per page!) later, I was reminded of how beautiful we’ve always been—how we’ve done this before.
I mean, just look at us.
Clinton Wright Photograph Collection, 1964-2018. PH-00379. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Nevada, Nevada.
We’ve organized. We’ve built. We’ve cared for one another—right here in Las Vegas (more specifically, in the Historic Westside 😉). This ain’t our first rodeo.
I hope you can feel it, too: we’ll be okay as long as we have each other.
During this time of social noise, I encourage you to look inward—to your community. Think about what you bring to the table and how we can work together to move forward, arm in arm. Do not forget who you are and where you come from.
Because babyyyyyy… if you’re waiting on the government to save you, you’ll be waiting forever.
We got us.
See you in the neighborhood.
Much love,
Tee-Azha A.
Poetic Neighbor Founder
