In a poetic excerpt from the 1999 book, The Invitation<\/em>, author Oriah Mountain Dreamer speaks to how, despite such epic tragedies as Katrina and our more recent pandemic, we can identify our true value and live a passionate and meaningful existence not dictated by conformity or fear. \u00a0<\/p>\r\n It doesn\u2019t interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart\u2019s longing.<\/em><\/p>\r\n \u00a0It doesn\u2019t interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.<\/em><\/p>\r\n \u00a0It doesn\u2019t interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life\u2019s betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain\u2026<\/em><\/p>\r\n \u00a0I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it, or fade it, or fix it…<\/em><\/p>\r\n \u00a0I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic, to remember the limitations of being human\u2026<\/em><\/p>\r\n \u00a0I want to know if you can see beauty even when it is not pretty, every day. And if you can source your own life from its presence.<\/em><\/p>\r\n \u00a0I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand at the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, \u201cYes.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\r\n \u00a0It doesn\u2019t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have. I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done to feed the children.<\/em><\/p>\r\n \u00a0It doesn\u2019t interest me who you know or how you came to be here. I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.<\/em><\/p>\r\n \u00a0It doesn\u2019t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied. I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away.<\/em><\/p>\r\n \u00a0I want to know if you can be alone with yourself, and if you truly like the company you keep, in the empty moments.<\/em><\/p>\r\n Browse and shop for fine art from our growing network of artists, collectors, estates, galleries \u2014 specializing in works by Black American artists with great values on premier art.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Sign up for our\u00a0free\u00a0email course<\/strong><\/u><\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>on how to begin your collection.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n Would you buy stock in BAIA if you could?<\/strong> Well we invite you to join us in becoming a monthly supporter, starting at just $3 a month YOU become a stakeholder and begin to help us transform lives through art. We are growing the BAIA team and will use your contributions to hire more team members for the purpose of creating more educational and marketing resources for schools and universities about african american artists both past and present. Such art initiatives and educational programming like Blacklite with Steve Prince, Relating to Art with Dr. Kelli Morgan, and BAIA BITS would not be possible without the ongoing support of our Patreon members. Please consider becoming a monthly Patreon member today!<\/p>\r\n Review our list of rewards for becoming a BAIA\u00a0Patreon<\/a><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\/ patron supporter. Your monthly contribution has lasting benefits. \u2014 \u201cWhat will your legacy be\u201d \u2013 Dr. Margaret Burroughs<\/p>\r\n Deloris and Eddie Young<\/b>,\u00a0<\/b>Esther Silver-Parker<\/b>,\u00a0<\/b>Eugene Foney<\/b>,\u00a0<\/b>Zadig & Voltaire, Petrucci Family Foundation Collection of African American Art<\/b>, John and Melanie Guess, Frank Frazier, Houston Museum of African American Culture, Leslie Fields, Jim Nixon, Dr. Michael Butler, Mary \u201cMadea\u201d Jones,\u00a0<\/b>Patrick Stewart, Noreen Winningham, Reg Pugh, Kevin Smokler, Deborah R. Moore, Dr. Skyller Walkes, Jae M, Jocelyne Lamour, Marion Zweig, Shannon DeVaney, Ashlee Jacob, DaNia Childress,\u00a0Rev. Anita Marshall<\/strong>, Mary Ali-Masai, Devera Redmond, Roslyn Valentine, Robin King, Brenda Larnell, Michael, Jeffery Washington, Tricia Konan, Debra L Lacy CHARLES BIBBS, Fredric Isler,\u00a0Silvia Peters<\/strong>,\u00a0 Harold Moore, Shurvon Haynes K.Coleman Shannon Dale Davis Terese L Hawkins M. 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Clark, Jr, Edward Johnson, Sylvie Meyers, Devon Simpson, E L Greene, Gracie M Jamiah, Kathie House,\u00a0Eliesha Nelson<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n We Appreciate Your Support<\/p>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/media-archive.blackartinamerica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/buy-black-art-graf_5.jpg?resize=750%2C487\")
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