Social Media At Its Best: Caine's Arcade

We are becoming increasingly disconnected from ourselves and one another, and one of the culprits for that disconnection ironically is social media.  Social media has the power to connect human beings in remarkable ways, however at its worst, it can become a forum for unrestrained, unfiltered ranting and venting where healthy dialogue and discourse is impossible.  I feel that at its worst, it does not foster or nurture listening, learning, or relationship building.

In the last couple of years, I have fallen in love with public television.  I started watching PBS programming regularly, and I was like, "PBS, where have you been all of my life?"  The quality of the programming filled a void from what I feel is missing from television programming overall, with educational pieces, artistic expression, and delivering the reality of world issues in meaningful ways.  One of these meaningful programs that I came across was "Caine's Arcade."  

This amazing little documentary is about a little boy in East Los Angeles with big dreams of bringing people to his homemade arcade that he set up at his dad's auto part shop.  His first customer, Nirvan Mullick came along and decided to surprise Caine and fulfill his dream by recruiting more customers for his little arcade.  Nirvan used social media to bring a community together to support Caine's arcade, and created the short film about the event, which became viral globally.  People came together in person to support Caine and his dream and that dream continues to this day.  People came together on social media all over the world to witness and be a part of it as well.

Social media at its best can bring communities together, help people to dream, create, engage, and so much more.  I am guilty of engaging in social media in ways that aren't healthy, authentic, or helpful.  I would like to commit to using the power of social media in ways that foster bringing people together, dreaming, creativity, listening and learning.  I'm so glad that one little boy in East LA and his supporters inspired me and I hope this little film does the same for you.  In our world today, especially in this post-election season, we certainly could use more of the same spirit as Caine's arcade.

Watch, enjoy, be inspired, and share.

Peace,

Sharon

Mini Pilgrimage: The San Francisco Bay Area

I just got back from vacationing up the east coast recently, so it seems strange to write about a vacation that happened over a year ago in the bay area.  As I said in my latest comeback post, a lot has happened and I have plenty of content and photos from that gap of time to post about!  

Even though some of my family has lived in the bay area for several years now, I didn't get around to exploring the city of San Francisco until last April after my niece's baby dedication.  

I love exploring cities, and have had the opportunity to wander around American cities the past few years.  With a limited budget, I haven't traveled overseas in the last several years, so I've made the most of travelling throughout the U.S.  Let me tell you, there is so much to see and experience.  It all started with a short trip to Seattle, Washington in 2012.  I decided to check out a travel guide book, just so I could learn more about what the travel experts say about where I should go within the city for the best sights, and of course, food.  

I've noticed that travel guide books sometimes provide recommended self-guided walking tours, where you follow directions throughout a neighborhood and learn about the history of the sights you're seeing throughout the tour as you read and walk.  I fell in love with this type of walking, and I have called it "pilgrimage walking."

Pilgrimage walking is so much more than just sight seeing.  This kind of walking allows you to be fully immersed into the history of a community or neighborhood while experiencing your own story and journey in the midst of it.  There is something powerful about the visceral, embodied experience of walking, listening, learning, absorbing, and interacting with stories of physical places, and how it affects your own story.  

One of the self-guided walking tours I decided to do was in Chinatown where I learned about the rich history of Chinese immigrants and the development of their community in the city.  I was so caught up in pilgrimage walking in that story and community that I didn't even bother to take pictures, I just wanted to stay as present as possible with what I was learning, and how it affected me.  

But I have plenty of photos of the beauty of San Francisco, with my usual favorites from urban street art as well.  Cities are full of life and beauty.  I often lose that or forget that since I've lived in South LA for so long.  But taking time to wander and learn and absorb and interact in a community is a reminder that there is depth and so much more than meets the eye, and more importantly, how it becomes a part of you when you're intentional and paying attention while walking in it.  

Peace,

Sharon

Back With A Vengeance

Long time, no blog!  I can hardly believe how much time has gone by, and how I haven't posted ANYTHING in over a year!  And these are the reasons why (mainly, but there really has been so much going on):  

I went to Hawaii to see if I should move there and live there last summer for two weeks.

I became a spiritual director!

I lost my 17 year old cat, Phoebe.  She died in January.

I celebrated my grandfather's 100th birthday, and shortly after this he passed away in May.

And I became a certified yoga instructor.

A very full past year to say the least.  

So much to share over the last year with all of these things, and some of it with photos even.  Back soon!

Peace,

Sharon

Urbanite of the month: Corissa Pacillas-Smith

Here's my next lovely Urbanite for the month of June, Corissa Pacillas-Smith!  Corissa has amazing fashion sense, and she's a lover of thrift and vintage, too!  She also has a heart for South LA so she's a perfect fit as my next Urbanite.

Corissa is one of the most creative people that I know!  We've known each other for years, but we also recently did The Artist's Way curriculum together last year, and it was an amazing experience in growing creatively together.  Corissa is very inspirational!  In the interview below, she shares about her passion for acting, along with her love for urban life, and vintage and thrift.  Check out more about Corissa and her theater company, Theater Elysium here!

All of these photos were taken in South LA in front of a couple of murals right around the corner from my house.  Urban street art never ceases to amaze me!

Corissa's entire ensemble here is from Sonshine Shop Vintage and will be featured on our Etsy site very soon.  She is wearing a vintage faux fur jacket by Beeline Fashions, vintage leather pants by Michael Hoban North Beach, vintage New York Transit shoes, and a vintage Puma purse.  I love how it all goes together so well.  It looks tough but feminine.

Don't you love these buttons on the vintage Beeline jacket?  They have cool texture!

And...she is wearing the most amazing vintage beaded top that will also be sold on our Etsy site.  All of these items are being sold as is, and they are in GREAT condition.

Did you know that Corissa loves octopuses (or octopi)?  When she saw this piece of street art, she told me so.  :-) 

 Corissa is wearing her very own vintage dress, and a Sonshine Shop vintage Givenchy Nouvelle Boutique blazer jacket.

I really love this vintage dress on Corissa, the silhoutte and fit are perfect for her.  Didn't I tell you that she has lovely taste in vintage?

 Doing her octopus arms impersonation.  :-P

Shapeofagirlinla:  What do you love most about South LA?  (living here, etc).

Corissa:  My answer to this question is twofold (I can't just pick one!!!). The first thing is the reason I live here, which is both difficult and rewarding - the Kingdom justice work I do with Church of the Redeemer. I am blessed with an incredible community who is seeking peace for our area in South LA, and strives to love one another and our neighbors as Jesus loves us. This includes everything from jumping in a bounce house with the kid next door for his birthday party (and feeling loved like part of the family even though I'm so different than he is) to protesting oil drilling in the midst of our neighborhood (occurring 20 feet away from residents' homes), to singing on the worship team at Church of the Redeemer. This feels like home.

The second thing I love is being close to so many types of AMAZING food! I love being a few miles from Korea Town, Little Tokyo, China Town, and living in the middle of authentic pupuserias, food trucks, etc. I love asking Nathan (my husband) "what do you feel like eating today?" and having access to so many options. YUMMY.

Shapeofagirlinla sidebar:  I COMPLETE AGREE.  More Gems of South LA/LA in general to come!!!

Shapeofagirlinla:  What do you love most about acting?

Corissa:  I love being able to access different parts of humanity! Human nature is a complex beast, and there are parts of ourselves we all try to pretend don't exist, or are resistant to facing for various reasons. I love being able to tap into the truth of who we are in ways that are terrifying, shameful, radiant, and mundane. It's so important to face who we truly are - the darkness and the light - and to accept our weaknesses and ask for help in the midst of them. This is the only way we can change and grow, as individuals and communities, and I believe my work as an actor inspires this self reflection, growth, and pursuit of truth. I love feeling alive as I tell a story that's not my own.

Shapeofagirlinla:  What do you love most about vintage and thrift store clothes/items?

Corissa:  I have never thought about this before. I guess it would be the history and legacy of each piece. Each piece has a story, and in most cases has been on this earth longer than I have! Even if I don't know the specifics of the stories that go along with each piece, I know it has one, and I feel connected to a life, person, time, and community beyond myself. I also love not being limited to the current trends and styles, but having access to past and differing styles. So much beauty in God's world!

Shapeofagirlinla:  Share an interesting story about life in South LA.

Corissa:  Every year Church of the Redeemer has a Retreat, where we go up to a camp somewhere in the mountains to get away, connect, and do some intensive learning and growing together as a church. Each person who attends is part of a small group of 3-6 people. The small groups are comprised of people of the same gender but varying backgrounds in terms of race, ethnicity, socio-economic standing, etc. During small group times, we share and reflect on the weekend's teaching and how it's impacting us as individuals. These times can get very vulnerable. 

One year I was placed in a group where there were 2 strong, outspoken, seemingly tough women who had grown up in South LA. They were both different ages and ethnicities than I am. They grew up in poverty and in the midst of addiction and abuse that was very far from my own childhood and adult experiences. Although I can be loud on stage, I am actually highly sensitive, highly emotional, and super concerned with how others see me. I was honestly intimidated by these incredible women, who had overcome and were still overcoming some crazy intense experiences that made my heart ache and my stomach turn when they shared. I was blown away by their honesty and vulnerability with our group - what courage, what transparency, what trust they have after almost every experience and relationship in their lives told them not to trust, not to be vulnerable. I felt completely unworthy of their friendship and time, of their vulnerability and honesty with me. I had little to nothing in common with these women apart from being a woman myself and being a beloved daughter of God and follower of Jesus. And yet that was enough - Jesus' deep love and transformative power brought us together that weekend, and by the end of the camp I had 2 new friends, women I would not befriend or feel comfortable sharing with in other circumstances. I am so grateful for God's reconciliation and redemption work in South LA and beyond!