That’s me with Russell Ferguson who recently won SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE. So, what does THIS have to do with Community Beautification? The connection is a slight stretch, I’ll admit, but there IS a connection. As well as being the force behind the tree planting event tomorrow, I am also a screenwriter who’s worked on a number of dance movies. Currently, I’m developing a script set in the world of the JERKIN’ Movement and, more specifically, set in my own South LA community. It tracks a kid who makes a transformation from gang culture to the Jerkin’ culture (which is anti-gang). I met with Russell and his mom and brother yesterday to tell them about the story and to see if it might interest him as a vehicle. As I shared it with him, he lit up and when I was done, he told me that it sounded much like his own trajectory. He was surrounded by negative influences, but he used his talent for dance to turn in another direction, toward something positive. God willing, we’ll work together. He’s a truly talented and lovely kid with a beautiful, bright spirit. He deserves all the success he’s having!
Some of the kids involved in the Jerkin’ movement live in the community and will be attending tomorrow’s tree planting. They’re scheduled to perform at 8:30am. For those of you who don’t know what Jerkin’ is, it’s a relatively new youth culture and it’s one worth supporting. As Shariff Hasan, who’s making a documentary on the subject, explained to me, Jerkin’ has been described as “youth rebelling against rebellion itself.” It is a move AWAY from gangs, violence, drug use and low aspirations, toward something healthy and positive and fun. Kids in the Jerkin’ movement make their own music and videos, upload their stuff to youtube and their myspace pages and share it with their social networks. They are also using these networks to sell themselves, their music and even fashion, thus creating a generation of new entrepreneurs. I met Indigo Vanity last week–a beautiful and talented 16-year-old who is fast becoming a mogul of her own making. On her website, she is selling not only her music, but she’s also selling fashion, including some sunglasses she was rockin’ when we met. Her fans had seen her with them on and she has had them mass produced. She’s a performer, but she’s also a savvy businesswoman! At 16!
This is what Jerkin’ is doing for youth. I’m all for it! It’s uplifting, it’s self-empowering, it’s kids creating opportunity and wealth on their own using their talent and the internet. They’re succeeding even without record deals, but the record companies are seeking out these kids with the large social networks, and partnering with them to sell records. These artists have a lot more power than the previous generation of artists who signed contracts with companies that kept most of the profits.
One of the things that really excites me about “Jerks”–which is a GOOD thing to be, the opposite of what we used to call a Jerk– is that they are environmentally conscious. I spoke with Indigo Vanity and a 15 year old colleague of her,s and both of them eloquently explained their understanding of global warming and how they feel compelled to do what they can to nurture the environment. They support tree planting! So, some of the “Jerks” will be with us tomorrow. Hope you will, too!