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Meet Kali Rogue and her henna art. Gifted to adorn you • _____________________ #bayarea #makeportrait #makeportraits #streetportrait #streetphoto #streetphotography #hennaart #hennaartist #africansinamerica

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Meet Kali Rogue and her henna art. Gifted to adorn you • _______________ #bayarea #hennart #africansinamerica #streetphotography #streetphoto #streetportrait #makeportraits #makeportrait

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Meet Kali Rogue and her henna art. Gifted to adorn you • __________________ #bayarea #hennartist #hennaart #streetphotography #streetphoto #makeportraits #makeportrait #streetportrait #africansinamerica

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"More than just names" --Ancestral homage • I am because they were. Bound to them, without them I am not. As I seek to know them, I am led to watch & listen as they guide, protect and root for me. "The result of the love of thousands," their love reminds me I am not alone. Their watchful eye reminds me of my obligation of carrying their honorable name. We were here. ____________________ #ancestors #wisdom #makeportrait #africans #homage #ethiopians #harari #makeportraits #documentary

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"Stop Police Murder" Victor stands in solidarity with the Five hunger strikers dubbed the #frisco5 who are on day 15 of hunger strike in San Fransisco. Protesting "impunity, years of police brutality and what they describe as rampant racial bias in the San Francisco Police Department, and four recent killings of young men of color," the strikers demand Mayor Ed Lee to fire Police Chief Greg Suhr --highest paid police chief in the nation, according to reports. The hunger strike was sparked, in part by the killing of a 26-year-old black man by police, and according to reports by the Mission local News because of "the fatal police shooting of 45-year-old homeless man Luis Gongora in the Mission District last month and a slew of other scandals, including the finding of racist text messages sent by police officers". _________________ #sanfrancisco #frisco5 #protest #streetphotography #streetphoto #hungerstrike #makeportraits #streetportrait #hungerstrike #bayarea

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Meet Alabama born, Bay Area resident artist Leonard Owens [aka Love]. His artwork is an arresting array of figurative work assembled in pieces of various shapes and patterns fitted together –-reminiscent of a jigsaw puzzle. The colorfully bright collection, a visual grabber, pulled me in to marvel at the work and have a chat with the artist. Beyond his work, the fascinating thing about Owens was his form of painting. With a canvas board in one hand and his art marker in another, the artist was painting while moving around –constantly changing position. An artist shows • _______________ #bayarea #streetphotography #streetphoto #streetportrait #makeportraits #artist #cannon #africansinamerica

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The sister & brothers • "In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed." -Khalil Gibran _______________ #bayarea #makeportraits #streetphotography #streetphoto #love #cannon #everydayeverywhere #strtphoto #khalilgibran #africansinamerica

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Alana's Love I watched as he tenderly cared for her. That precious father-daughter good loving • ____________________ #bayarea #fatherhood #blackfathers #streetphoto #streetphotography #makeportraits #love #africansinamerica #streetportraits

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Urbanity style | Bay Area There's something glorious about embracing your own unique self. Be uniquely yourself, in style & ways; "everyone else is already taken." ____________ #bayarea #streetphoto #streetphotography #streetportrait #vscocam #urbanity #strtphoto #oakland

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Wandering in the shops of flowers Pulled by beauty, I look to wear it • _______________ #juxtaposed #nature #beauty #streetphoto #streetphotography #poetic #streetportrait #bayarea

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Wisdom Corner • After living in the United States for 20 years, Babu says he’s ready to return back to the Gambia. Prior to moving to the US, he was a musician –-a drummer. Twenty-three years ago, while playing in a band in the Gambia, he met an American woman who was in the Peace Corps at the time. Love kindled their journey. He moved to the US with her; they’ve been wedded for twenty years. While living in Berkeley, as an African man, he understands his obligation to family in the Gambia. “I work to send money back to support family. It’s what we’re supposed to do. It’s an obligation from Allah,” says Babu. “I tell you, wellahi, always remember this: family first”. - Faithful to family, Babu tells me that he will return to the Gambia once he brings his nephew to the US who will then take his place to work and send money back. “Not until then, I will not move,” Babu says with conviction. Pulled by his words, I sat with him. Fervent in his word delivery, there was depth in his spiritual articulation. I felt like I was in class taking lessons in: keeping the heart soft no matter how hard people or circumstances are; kindness and love; how money will not buy what we ‘really’ need; limiting rather than cutting people off; keeping a humble spirit; obligation we have toward our parents. And each time he mentioned obligation toward parents, particularly the mother, he would stop, look up and interject with “Allahuakber!” - When I met Babu, he was with his longtime friend Musa, the person I was initially supposed to meet with. But instead, I ended up spending time with Babu. I walked away believing the encounter was divine intervention • ________________ #africansinamerica #africa #thegambia #bayarea #streetphoto #streetphotography #makeportraits #african #elders #documentary #wisdom #makeportrait #streetportrait

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When your younger sister is getting engaged and you go shopping for cultural garments for the engagement ceremony, you can't help but pinch yourself. Overjoyed that love has found its way home. May the divine bless your union and may love eternally conquer your hearts and forever light up your home. May you be like the patient lovers who know how "the moon needs time to become full". _______________ #love #beauty #african #Ethiopian #harari #makeportraits #culture #harar

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Patience is like the river, calm in its being and farsighted, trusting the end to where it flows • Learning from nature _________________ #sanfrancisco #bayarea #streetphoto #streetphotography #wisdom #nature #words

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When the seat of respect is no longer reserved for elders • Bart commute _______________ #bayarea #oakland #sanfrancisco #california #streetphoto #streetphotography #elders #streetbwcolor #bart #streetportraits

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Water Justice & Jerrycans • Water is a human right; all beings should have access to clean water! Parts of Ethiopia faces challenges with water shortage and access to clean water. According to a study conducted by water.org, "42% of the population has access to clean water supply." And with a growing population, Ethiopia is facing more demands for access and better quality of life. Water shortage affects the health and overall livelihood of citizens --a community's viability, growth, etc. Most households who don't have private meter connections have no choice but to travel long distance to obtain water. For city residents, water is obtained by purchasing from private vendors. Water is paid for and transported with "jerrycan" containers. It is common for the majority living in Addis to have a few jerrycans in their house, in case of piped water scarcity or interruption. ______________ #water #addisababa #ethiopia #africa #streetphoto #streetphotography #everydayeverywhere #documentary #waterjustice #humanrights

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Sometimes, the unconventional methods we use to ensure our survival may be perceived as an act of defiance • _________________ #addisababa #ethiopia #africa #streetphotography #streetphoto #documentary #everydayeverywhere #vscocamphotos (at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

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Air drying your clothes is way cooler than airing your dirty laundry on social media. Cool people air dry clothes • _________________ #streetphotography #streetphoto #airdry #saveenergy #environment #vscocam #vscocamphotos