Creatives of September #1
Anthony Jamari Thomas
@anthonyjamarithomas
NAME: Who are you today?
AJT: My full name is Anthony Jamari Thomas. I like to go by Jamari or AJT or “some-guy.” Today I am feeling melancholic. I am feeling inspired. I am feeling recovered. I feel protected. I feel vulnerable. I am afraid. I am focused. I am trusting the process.
NAME: Can you tell us about a formative experience that influenced your creativity?
AJT: I think a formative moment for me would be losing the battle in protecting my ego, which is happening right now. My work is built on me having one and sustaining it, and living in the shadow of it as a Director. I am very much seeing the detriment of not having a healthy relationship with my ego and it’s helping me understand, again, why I make work by losing it or dissolving it to itsy bitty particles that necessarily don't define who I am, they just sustain and help who I am. So I say my formative moment is right now. Everything that was suppose to happen, that has happened to me, that I’ve done to others, that others have done to me, is all formative to bring me to where I am at now, and I am having a crash course in losing the parts of me that no longer serve where I need to go before I die. So, I would say my formative moment is right here talking to you, and I guess I’m check-pointing it right now with this quote.
NAME: What does September mean to you?
September is a funky little anomaly that was erected and I super hated on it because it brought matcha to the hood and I didn’t want anyone else to drink the drink that I like to drink. I am losing the ego I told y’all. I was born and raised here. My family has been here since 1962. So, this block is the block that I grew up on. All my cousins are here. September represents that reunion feel when everyone walks in the room and knows each other. It’s hard to have now because there’s so much transient migration into the hood, we’re all coming in and out, but this is a very self-sustaining hybrid creative enterprising experience that I think she’s been able to cultivate and build homes for people who have always wanted to be around other people who are creative and not be fearful about being around other people who are creative and sharing space. I fuck with September 1000%... vote September 2024.
Photos by G Clay Miller
Caffeinated by September
