The beautiful vision of the artist. Will politicians evolve? Can they match this vision and integrity?
Susana Baca - more like this please!
A lot of music, a lot of food seems like paradise. This seems like it's very doable on this planet. Can't we do this? Shouldn't we all be thinking about doing this, more like this, increasingly, all the time? Let's do that.
"Success was a long time coming for Susana Baca, the Afro-Peruvian folk singer who was recently named minister of culture for the new populist government of President Ollanta Humala of Peru. She is the first black member of the Peruvian cabinet and the first musician to hold the position....
Now 67, Ms. Baca has never been a member of the political or social elite of Peru, where racial and class divisions run deep, though for decades she was an outspoken advocate for Peruvian blacks. Rebuffed as a musician, she founded the Instituto Negrocontinuo in Lima to preserve black folklore and music....
Q. You have never moved in the circles of governmental power in your country. When you were a girl, was it even possible for a black woman to dream of becoming a minister?
A. Not just when I was a girl. It was only a short time ago that we managed to become respected, to have status. Among common people there is this mentality, and this we have seen in the social networks during the second round of the election of President Humala. There were terrible, racist things said on the networks. Racism against Indians. Strong racism. It was regrettable and sad that in this country there still are people who despise blacks and Indians and natives of the Amazon....
Q. You were forced to leave by Katrina. How long were you there?
A. I went up for about a month. I arrived for the celebration of Louis Armstrong’s birthday, and there was a lot of music, a lot of food. It seemed to me I was in paradise. All of a sudden the hurricane came, and everything was transformed...."
A lot of music, a lot of food seems like paradise. This seems like it's very doable on this planet. Can't we do this? Shouldn't we all be thinking about doing this, more like this, increasingly, all the time? Let's.
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