She is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen, different than most, it didn’t matter what people said to her, about her. She was unbothered by the bullshit, and that’s what I love about her. She was on the phone talking about how she loves it in this city, Oakland was very different from Ohio. I wanted to show her around, I wanted to get to know her. I am determined to find her, but all I have now is this picture. Sometimes I question if she even remembers how we met, does she remember me? My home? The photo? Everything about her is a mystery and I’m not sure why. We never spoke directly, but it feels like we’ve has a bible full of conversation. So much can be said during the silence, which seemed to be her favorite form of communication.

I’ve never felt like this about anyone, and that’s why I know she is the one for me. I can already imagine all the things we’ll do. I want to take her to see a movie, but not just a regular movie, a drive-in movie. I think she would like that because she was talking about how her favorite movie is the Wiz. I want to go back out there today. If she lives here, she must be coming back at some point. I refuse to let the idea of her go. She is already everything and more without even doing anything, I am hopeful. I come down here every day, at the same time, hoping she will see and remember me. I’m not usually the type to follow people, she is also not the type to be followed. I sit out here every day holding this photo, hoping she would recognize it and walk up to me. It still hasn’t happened yet.

At the park bench, where we met, written on the armrest, as if someone was speaking to me, I read the markings “I will see you soon love. I am sorry for leaving. You will soon understand. I love you Benji” I read the words lightheartedly, she does remember, everything. But if that’s true, where is she?

- Takai

4/7/21. (short story, free-write)

You can contribute directly to my journey via takaitheartist.eth (0x825D5FD68e95e2432148f934BBAFCD3Ff468E666).

Follow me on IG & Twitter @takaitheartist.eth

One day, an artist came before a King.

From a young age, the King struggled with sorrow over the disappearance of his younger brother. Growing up, they used to paint & play together in the tall grass fields. The King deeply missed his brother, so he called upon the best artists in all the lands to paint him the most beautiful memories from his past.

Many artists attempted to offer the King their finest work. Artists spent a lifetime painting rolling landscapes and life-like portraits of the King & his brother, only to be shunned from ever entering the kingdom again. What all the other artists didn’t know was that the King was blind, he could not see the masterpieces before him. The King suppressed his condition in order to preserve his stature.

But this particular artist entered the kingdom and said “My lord, I come before you with no painting but a story”. Confused but intrigued, the King blindly let him continue, so he did. “A boy once played in the fields amongst the cool & crisp wind. He loved when the tall grass would tickle his skin and blow his brush strokes across the canvas. He would sit outside for hours, alone, painting upon a canvas he could not see. Only hoping his brother would return. But he never did”.

The king straightened his posture, flexing his eyebrows towards the artist. There was only one person in the entire kingdom who knew about his condition. The artist continued, “I was always there watching you, and I now have returned to the kingdom, hoping to paint you the finest picture ever. Our memories.” The King sat still and the chamber echoed with silence, then he spoke, “You have painted the most beautiful picture ever for me. A priceless work of art.” One lone tear rolled down the King's face. The artist succeeded at what many only attempted, he showed the King the fine art he was searching for all along; his long lost brother.

You can contribute directly to my journey via takaitheartist.eth. Follow me on IG, Twitter, & TikTok @takaitheartist.eth

With LOVE,

takaitheartist🌈

I look in the mirror and ask myself “Who am I?”.

My name is Takai, pronounced ‘Tuh-ky’. For those who struggle with the flavor, I often refer to the Star Trek character Hikaru Sulu, played by actor George Takei. I was given this name meaning ‘Jewel of the family’. But that’s just the name people call me. A label. I must be far more than that.

So who am I?

I am from the flavorful city of East Oakland, California, a community where sirens sing lullabies and ‘bruh’ is a common pronoun. A love letter From Me to Oakland would probably sound like this, “OnmyMamailoveyoubruh!” - Love Takai. A city that raises GOD-fearing dreamers and tenacious go-getters, Oakland, CA is at the core of who I am.

But who am I?

I am a brother and a son. I am 6’5” 200lbs, I enjoy nice experiences, and when I’m feeling good I like to smoke weed sometimes. Coincidentally, the Japanese Adjective takai - 高い- means tall, expensive, and high. But again, those are just perfectly placed descriptions.

So who am I?

I am Black. I am rooted in West Africa. Takai is a sharp melody, a dance, one of the oldest drum rhythms of the Dagomba tribe from northern Ghana. Takai tells a story of the past war going on between the Dagomba and Mossi tribe. Something like a griot, I am a storyteller. But that's just fate and kinfolk.

WHO AM I?

I am extending the boundaries of who I’ve been given permission to be. Takai is the empathetic discovery of ourselves in others, and the joy in the recognition. I am a reflected collection of experiences. I am an altruistic artist who imbues empathy in our culture through the power of written word and visual storytelling. I am a visionary and a thought leader who is creating the 22nd century where the power of love is stronger than the love of power. I am the paradigm shift from independent to interdependent, from capitalism to community, from economic to eudaemonic. I am takaitheartist.

Who is takaitheartist?

I believe an artist is not just an individual who paints, draws, or makes music, but rather someone, anyone, who invites the empathetic forces within them to create something unique with meaning and purpose. The artist remains a strong contender for how we shape and express our cultural ideas and narratives. I believe every child is an artist, and every adult is a child.

I am a writer/director who curates culture through narrative storytelling. As a storyteller, my mission is to bring liberation, inspiration, and innovation to artists around the world. Through my passion, I strive to use my voice to challenge cultural norms and offer inspiring new visions of the world to strive towards. I like to focus my vision on creating the reality of our future rather than dwelling on the realities of our past. I use my voice to imagine the possibilities of what we can become rather than what has already been. I craft sharp, blissful, and mind-mending tales that explore afro-futuristic themes of LOVE, fear, nature, and abundance. Through the stories I tell, I strive to shift thought around issues of economic, social, and interpersonal inequalities, while remaining empathetic throughout the process.

“If we want to change our facts, we must change our fiction. In the pursuit of eudaemonia, human flourishing and well-being, I have a fearless and unwavering desire to inspire change through the life I have been given as an artist.”

https://twitter.com/takaitheartist/status/1474530992639541253

Drawing on artists from many mediums, I am inspired by the level of grace and audacity an artist uses to communicate their world views. Banksy, JR, Dave Chappelle, Bob Marley, and Kendrick Lamar are a few of my favorite artists that have directly influenced my work. Each of these artists is a storyteller who creates and expresses from a place of empathy, and ultimately a place of LOVE. Through their art, they have inspired me to challenge cultural narratives, create from a place of empathy, and spread love in the process. I am a believer that LOVE is the only answer to human existence because a little LOVE goes a long way.

The Journey

I remember growing up filled with curiosity. I have always been intrigued by how things work and why. My curiosity has led me to beautiful discoveries but also daunting truths. Above all, my curious nature has uncovered the path to chasing my dreams. Unlike most, I was first introduced to film through the news. I remember being intrigued not by the breaking news or even the reporter, but by how these moving images were being created. What was creating these moving images and how am I able to see them? This question stuck with me up until the point I discovered cameras. The wide eyed little boy in me still gets excited by this discovery because I have never looked back.

I picked up my first camera in middle school, it was a navy blue Nikon coolpix with a gray wrist strap. I felt like some sort of magician being able to freeze time and capture images. In fact, my very first video ever made was a stop motion of my shoes walking around the house. Since then, it has truly been a blessing to have uncovered my passion and joy at such an early age. Over the next four years, going into high school, I attended youtube university learning how to capture compelling images with a digital camera. During my sophomore year of high school at Oakland School of the Arts, I learned about BAVC (Bay Area Video Coalition), an after school program that teaches youth the art of filmmaking. I immediately jumped at this amazing opportunity and directed my first short film alongside another student in the program. This experience taught me that possibilities are endless within the realm of film; I was eager to learn more. I was accepted into CSSSA (California State Summer School for the Arts) which is a three week arts intensive that broadened my knowledge in the craft of filmmaking, specifically around the use of sound in film. By the end of the program, I created this short portrait piece that demonstrated my new skills. Ultimately that short piece led me to falling in love with Directing as a 2015 National YoungArts winner, as well as becoming a UCLA Bruin continuing my study in film.

Throughout the entirety of my college career, and now as a 2019 graduate, I’ve been dedicated to writing & directing, and have created numerous projects including documentaries, music videos, personal projects, short films and more. One of my prominent pieces, ‘Kitchen’, has been featured on Blavity.org, YahooLife and in ‘RESPECT: Hip Hop Styles & Wisdom’, an exhibition displayed in the Oakland Museum. The stories I tell come from a place of empathy for myself and my subject matter in order to inspire true human connection. My 2019 short film, Canary in a Mine, follows the transformational journey of a young, emotionally charged, man after the tragic loss of his younger brother. With Canary in a Mine, I proved myself to be persistent and determined while remaining optimistic under pressure. Canary in a Mine was accepted into the Lift Off Global Network Film festival, LA Student Film Festival, as well as winning a bronze jury prize at the Social Justice Film festival.

https://opensea.io/assets/ethereum/0xabEFBc9fD2F806065b4f3C237d4b59D9A97Bcac7/6593

Stories are how we make sense of the world, and I strive to use their power to shift our cultural paradigms from GDP to creativity, and from hate to LOVE. I look forward to creating a lasting impact on this world through storytelling. I aspire to inspire true human discovery within each other in order to extinguish hate and ignite LOVE.

https://takaitheartist.com/work

What’s next?

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for allowing me to share who I am with you! I really appreciate it! As an artist, I am always thinking and questioning about what’s next, so let me share with you my visions and plans.

VISIONS

I have built, and will continue to build, a brand around myself as an artist, filmmaker, and visionary, now it is now time to further strengthen that brand into a community. I have entered web3 as a storyteller looking to build a world around my visions utilizing the infinite possibilities of blockchain technology.

My visions are in the 22nd Century, a world where creativity is an inherent human right. We have the power to create and bring forth that of which we can imagine, and I imagine a world where everyone has the opportunity to dream and fulfill those dreams. This is my ethos, and the ethos of the community I am creating. My mission is to bring inspiration, innovation, and liberation to artists around the world. Nike inspires athletes, I inspire Artists.

PLANS

Within the Web3 space I am building my community.

1. NFT genesis collection

   ‘Mantras at Midnight’ is an anthology series that taps into the collective unease around LOVE in the modern world. It is a series of 5 minute blissful tales that explore love in its 8 forms of expression;

   (Philia - Affectionate Love, Pragma - Enduring Love, Storge - Familial, Eros - Romantic, Ludus - Playful, Mania - Obsessive, Philautia - Self, Agape - Universal).

   From cast to color, each story is completely different from the last. For marketing release, I will create a collection of physical and digital hoodies that have a corresponding name & color to each form of LOVE (think colors of the rainbow). Each physical hoodie will be embedded with a scannable chip that will direct the supporter to a digital 3D model NFT of the hoodie that they purchased. If they choose to purchase the NFT, they gain access to the community as well as the short film that corresponds with their physical hoodie. When they wear the hoodie, they embody that form of LOVE.

2. A Social playground platform for storytellers

   I am building a social playground for filmmakers where our form of currency is the quality of support we give and receive. This blockchain based platform will champion the efforts of gaining investors, contributors, and creative support for web3 short films. I imagine this being the social playground for filmmakers to receive community support around their ideas and receive backing without the need for government funds or fundraising events. (Work in Progress).

3. Writing my next short film

   I have been writing the script for what I hope to be my next short film called ‘Bloom’. At its core, ‘Bloom’ is a Love story about the unknown kinship between a father and daughter, and the discovery of it. Set in a near future where global oxygen levels are rapidly dwindling, a self proclaimed botany teacher nurtures the questions of an innocent pupil whose genuine curiosity leads the teacher to confront his past in order to promise his future. This heartfelt and mind-bending tale explores themes of fear, vulnerability, and love, while playing on the socratic relationship between teacher and student. “Bloom” taps into the collective unease about a near dystopian future in the modern world, while directly addressing our responsibility to it. “Bloom” will feel like a tough conversation while looking like a fresh spring bloom. This is a 22nd century tale about the near future that aims to inform, inspire, and liberate the viewer to discover a world of endless possibilities.

4. Visions Cinema Theater

   The Visions Cinema Theater is a metaverse theater that reimagines the future of cinema. Visions Cinema Theater is the home for artists who curate culture through the power of storytelling. Visions Cinema Theater welcomes films from independent storytellers from around the metaverse and beyond! I hosted a metaverse screening for my short film ‘Canary in a mine’ on the powerful platform Spatial.io. The screening received such a good virtual audience that I wanted to create a space for other filmmakers to screen their work in a metaverse theater! It’s a super cool experience. The idea is to offer a space for other filmmakers to screen new or old work to an audience via the metaverse. Being filmmakers, we all want to get our work out there but don’t always have the access or proper outlets to do so. I see Visions Cinema Theater as an easy way to create a new audience in the metaverse to get more eyes on our films! These screenings will be hosted on a monthly basis sharing the work of filmmakers from diverse backgrounds. Check out The Visions Cinema Theater.

5. Jumping into DAO’s

   The idea of a DAO is something that is extremely interesting to me because I have always been against centralized entities, and the power behind some of their decisions as our country's largest brands. As a consumer, I should have the right to contribute to key decisions being made within an organization. Having a vote in a DAO could have prevented H&M from receiving backlash over an ad featuring a young Black boy wearing a ‘Coolest monkey in the jungle’ hoodie on their website. What interests me even more about DAO’s is the endless possibilities they present for the film and entertainment industries. Fans don't have a say in the creation of the content they consume. For example, Game of Thrones received serious fan backlash over the series finale and show Ending. A Film DAO would democratize every aspect of the filmmaking process. That is why I am involving myself with the creation of a Black Film DAO, championed by the efforts of @lomedia. We are in the early formation stages of the DAO and have a long road ahead, but for me the hard work is worth the freedom to tell the stories we want to tell.

I am extremely excited about the future of web3 and what's to come. I am even more happy at the opportunity to share my journey with you all here on Mirror.xyz. The old paradigm of human organization is broken, and has always been broken. Period. So when you think of me…

Think of a flower.

If you water it, give it enough sunlight, maybe feed it a little,

It will grow, bloom, and create something beautiful.

Human Beings can flourish like flowers too.

So who am I?

I AM Takai,

the teller of tales.

aka takaitheartist

aka The Artist Known As I

iAM.

You can contribute directly to my journey via takaitheartist.eth. Follow me on IG, Twitter, & TikTok @takaitheartist.eth

With LOVE,

takaitheartist🌈

Early in the morning on November 3rd 2020 I received a text that read “stay safe today”. This warm message would have been normal on any other day but today it made me think deeper. The majority of people are aware that an important decision will be made today. A decision that will affect the next four years of our lives. The american general elections, an event where democracy is supposed to be alive and well. We the people have the power to vote on policy and leadership that we believe will better our individual and collective well being as a “Powerful Nation”. Of course this sounds good, but to every coin there’s a flip side — especially in 2020.

As americans, our current leadership has divided us more than ever before in my lifetime. ‘Us vs. them’ has been the main rhetoric used to “Make America Great Again”. This division and separation among us has allowed for the fear of ‘The Other’ to permeate itself through mainstream american culture. The Other is an individual or a group of people being different than ‘The Norm’ in some fundamental way. Views of ‘The Other’ contradict those of ‘The Norm’, or the dominant group — they do not belong. These views of the other allow for fear of the unknown and ultimately hate to be used to justify discriminatory behavior and decisions. This is what we are seeing in america today. Us vs. them, Republicans vs. Democrats, White vs. Black, Men vs. Women, Gay vs. Straight, the list goes on. There is a lack of unity, a lack of LOVE amongst americans which has a direct influence on the world at large.

The Other is a story we tell ourselves in order to make sense of the things that are unknown to us — a story told to make our reasoning right and their reasoning wrong. The part of the story that we don’t tell ourselves is that we are all simultaneously ‘The Other’ and ‘The Norm’, but behave as if there is only a single possible story. There is much more to the human experience than what we know. We have the ability to tell ourselves stories that either drive us further & further apart as americans or tell stories that promote our collective well being as humans, advancing eudaimonia.

LOVE and unity are the only way we will advance together as human beings. Fear of ‘The Other’ will always keep us separated like oil & water, never mixing, and LOVE cannot exist in fear. We must change the stories we tell ourselves in order to reach eudaimonia, human flourishing and well-being. I heard in an interview with thinker Van Jones where he said, “If we want to change our facts, we must change our fiction” and this couldn’t be more true. The us vs. them mentality will only continue to prove our animalistic origins. When we realize that we are all both ‘The Other’ and ‘The Norm’, and work towards productive ways to progress our collective humanity, we will then be able to say america is a great place. If that doesn’t happen, we will continue to live in fear of ourselves. It’s Us vs. Us.

Love is as Love does,

-takai 🌈