Etan Thomas via MATRIX

IMPORTANT STUFF →

Why a "Matrix"?

I was explaining the ideas behind this nascent network to (João) Teoria (trumpet player above) over cervejas at Xique Xique (a bar named for a town in Bahia) in the Salvador neighborhood of Barris...

Like this (but in Portuguese): "It's kind of like Facebook if it didn't spy on you, but reversed... more about who you don't know than who you do know. And who doesn't know you but would be glad if they did. It's kind of like old Myspace Music but instead of having "friends" it has a list on your page of people you recommend. Not just musicians but writers, painters, filmmakers, dancers, chefs... anybody in the creative economy. It has a list of people who recommend you, or through whom you are recommended. It deals with arts which aren't recommendable by algorithm but need human intelligence behind recommendations. And the people who are recommended can recommend, creating a network of recommendations wherein by the small world phenomenon most people in the creative economy are within several steps of everybody else in the creative economy, no matter where they are in the world..."

And João said (in Portuguese): "A matrix where you can move from one artist to another..."

A matrix! That was it! The ORIGINAL meaning of matrix is "source", from "mater", Latin for "mother". So the term would help congeal the concept in the minds of people the network was being introduced to, while giving us a motto: "We're a real mother for ya!" (you know, Johnny "Guitar" Watson?)

The original idea was that musicians would recommend musicians, the network thus formed being "small world" (commonly called "six degrees of separation"). In the real world, the number of degrees of separation in such a network can vary, but while a given network might have billions of nodes (people, for example), the average number of steps between any two nodes will usually be minuscule.

Thus somebody unaware of the magnificent music of Bahia, Brazil will be able to conceivably move from almost any musician in this matrix to Bahia in just a few steps...

By the same logic that might move one from Bahia or anywhere else to any musician anywhere.

And there's no reason to limit this system to musicians. To the contrary, while there are algorithms written to recommend music (which, although they are limited, can be useful), there are no algorithms capable of recommending journalism, novels & short stories, painting, dance, film, chefery...

...a vast chasm that this network — or as Teoria put it, "matrix" — is capable of filling.

If You Can't Stand the Heat

Image above is from the base of the cross in front of the church of São Francisco do Paraguaçu in the Bahian Recôncavo

Sprawled across broad equatorial latitudes, stoked and steamed and sensual in the widest sense of the word, limned in cadenced song, Brazil is a conundrum wrapped in a smile inside an irony...

It is not a European nation. It is not a North American nation. It is not an East Asian nation. It straddles — jungle and desert and dense urban centers — both the equator and the Tropic of Capricorn. Brazil absorbed over ten times the number of enslaved Africans taken to the United States of America, and is a repository of African deities (and their music) now largely forgotten in their lands of origin. It was a refuge (of sorts) for Sephardim fleeing an Inquisition which followed them across the Atlantic (that unofficial symbol of Brazil's national music — the pandeiro — was almost certainly brought to Brazil by these people). Across the parched savannas of the interior of Brazil's culturally fecund nordeste/northeast, where wizard Hermeto Pascoal was born in Lagoa da Canoa (Lagoon of the Canoe) and raised in Olho d'Águia (Eye of the Eagle), much of Brazil's aboriginal population was absorbed into a caboclo/quilombola culture punctuated by the Star of David. Three cultures — from three continents — running for their lives, their confluence forming an unprecedented fourth. Pandeirista on the roof. Nowhere else but here.

Oligarchy, plutocracy, dictatorships and massive corruption — elements of these are still strongly entrenched — have defined, delineated, and limited Brazil.

But strictured & bound as it has been and is, Brazil has buzz...not the shallow buzz of a fashionable moment...but the deep buzz of a population which in spite of — or perhaps because of — the tough slog through life they've been allotted by humanity's dregs-in-fine-linen, have chosen not to simply pull themselves along but to lift their voices in song and their bodies in dance...to eat well and converse well and much and to wring the joy out of the day-to-day happenings and small pleasures of life which are so often set aside or ignored in the European, North American, and East Asian nations.

For this Brazil has a genius perhaps unparalleled in all other countries and societies, a genius which thrives alongside peeling paint and holes in the streets and roads, under bad organization by the powers-that-be, both civil and governmental, under a constant rain of societal indignities...

Which is all to say that if you don't know Brazil and you're expecting any semblance of order, progress and light, you will certainly find the light! And the buzz of a people who for generations have responded to privation at many different levels by somehow rising above it all.

"Onde tem miséria, tem música!"* - Raymundo Sodré

And it's not just music. And it's not just Brazil.

Welcome to the kitchen!

* "Where there is misery, there is music!" Remarked during a conversation arcing from Bahia to Haiti and Cuba to New Orleans and the south side of Chicago and Harlem to the villages of Ireland and the gypsy camps and shtetls of Eastern Europe...

Etan Thomas I RECOMMEND

CURATION

from this node by: Sparrow/Pardal

This is the Universe of

Name: Etan Thomas
City/Place: Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Country: United States
Hometown: Harlem, New York

Life & Work

Bio: Etan Thomas is More Than An Athlete, he’s redefined himself “The Activist Athlete.” Thomas defies the stereotype of the apolitical athlete, planting his roots in his formidable literary career, passion for mentoring and civic engagement.

Born in Harlem, New York and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Thomas’ childhood was surrounded by books on the civil rights movement, politics and the 1960′s. He was greatly influenced by his mother, Deborah Thomas, a schoolteacher, who instilled in her two sons to think critically and use their platform to make a difference. Etan Thomas has made his mark far beyond the boundaries of his 11 years in the NBA.

His latest work, We Matter “Athletes And Activism” was released March 6th 2018, Thomas has amassed an amazing collection of interviews intertwined with the heartfelt commentary of his own to create a masterpiece. You’ll read the voices of athletes, activists, media personalities, scholars, and the family of victims of police brutality. We Matter was listed as one of the top ten best activism books of all time by Book Authority. And tied for best non-fiction for 2018 by the African-American Literary Awards (AALAS)

In 2005, Thomas released his first book, a collection of poems called More Than An Athlete (Haymarket Books) that set Thomas apart as “this generation’s athlete with a moral conscious and a voice.” In 2012, Thomas released his 2nd book, Fatherhood: Rising To The Ultimate Challenge (Penguin), as a national conversation about fatherhood ensued and The Fatherhood Movement was borne. Thomas continues this conversation holding Town Hall panels through-out the country at prisons, churches, Universities, schools, and various conventions where he continues to inspire, motivate and support generations. In January 2013, he released Voices Of The Future (Penguin), a collection of poems and essays from young writers from around the country on topics such as Racism, Trayvon Martin, President Obama, Gun Violence, and Aids. Thomas utilizes poetry as an expressive form and encourages young people to read, write and develop the skills to express themselves.

Etan Thomas approaches his work fearlessly. Never afraid to voice his opinions, Etan was honored for social justice advocacy as the recipient of the 2010 National Basketball Players Association Community Contribution Award, as well as the 2009 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation, Inc. Legacy Award. Etan jumps at the opportunity to support civic engagement especially for under- resourced populations.

He currently writes for The Guardian and has previously written for The Washington Post, Huffington Post, CNN, ESPN, Hoopshype.com and slamonline. He frequently can be seen on MSNBC as a special correspondent for “hot topics.” He continues to be invited on syndicated radio and co-hosts a weekly local radio show on WPFW 89.3FM, The Collision, where sports and politics collide.

Contact Information

Contact by Webpage: http://www.etanthomas.com/contact
Management/Booking: Book Etan for your speaking event:

For media and other inquiries email Nyles Bodger at [email protected]

Media | Markets

▶ Book Purchases: http://www.etanthomas.com/books
▶ Twitter: etanthomas36
▶ Website: http://www.etanthomas.com
▶ Articles: http://www.theguardian.com/profile/etan-thomas

My Writing

Publications: WE MATTER

Etan Thomas has amassed an amazing collection of interviews intertwined with the heartfelt commentary of his own to create a masterpiece. You’ll read the voices of athletes, activists, media personalities, scholars, and the family of victims of police brutality.

These voices include Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Bill Russell, D Wade, Russell Westbrook, Steve Kerr, Oscar Robertson, Mark Cuban, Michael Bennett, Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Rose, Swin Cash, Alonzo Mourning, Chris Webber, Michael Bennett, Jamal Crawfor, The Fab Five’s Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Ray Jackson, and Jimmy King, John Carlos, Laila Ali, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, Bradley Beal, Tamika Catchings, Curtis Conway, Laila Ali, Harry Edwards, Chris Hayes, Craig Hodges, Chamique Holdsclaw, ESPN’s Scoop Jackson, Bomani Jones, Michael Smith, Michael Wilbon and Jemele Hill, Shaun King, Ted Leonsis, Thabo Sefolosha, James Blake Torrey Smith, Eric Reid, Shannon Sharpe, Anquan Boldin, Ilyasah Shabazz, Kenny Smith, David West, Jahvaris Fulton (brother of Trayvon Martin) Emerald Snipes (daughter of Eric Garner) Alysza Castille (sister of Philando Castille) Valerie Castille (mother of Philando Castille) and Tiffany Crutcher (sister of Terence Crutcher).

Today’s athletes have delves into politics, current events, presidential elections, Black Lives Matter, women’s rights, murders at the hands of the police, mass incarceration, and the list goes on and on. We Matter highlights and discusses this new wave of athlete activism; dispels the myth that current athletes are not connected and affected by what goes on not only within the confines of their own communities, but across society as a whole; gives credit and pays homage to the athletes of yesteryear who have paved the way for the Colin Kaepernicks and Lebron James’s of the world to be as vocal as they are today; and encourages athletes of the future to continue to use their voice to bring about change.

Over the past decade, we have witnessed an unprecedented number of athletes across all sports using their positions, their platforms, their celebrity and the power of their voices for change. Athletes have an unprecedented ability to influence fashion, pop culture, and politics with their actions. It is refreshing to see many acting on their convictions. Muhammad Ali once said,”I don’t have to be who you want me to be. I’m free to be who I want.”

FATHERHOOD

Something remarkable occurs when a book creates grassroots support and excitement. Not only does the book sell, but it begins to insert itself into everyday conversations, to start changing the way that people think or behave. Books like Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret and Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man by Steve Harvey and Denene Millner became publishing phenomena because readers couldn’t wait to share them and their ideas with friends, family members, work colleagues. The pass-around rates of these books were astonishing, leading to sales in the millions. We believe that the book Fatherhood by NBA veteran Etan Thomas will be ideally positioned to ignite an equally exciting grassroots, word-of-mouth campaign.

Thomas is a published poet and a veteran of 10 years in the NBA with teams in Washington, D.C., and Oklahoma City. But what makes Thomas such a forceful and compelling presence is his work off the basketball court. He has been tireless in his work with young males, delving into prisons and juvenile detention centers all over the Washington, D.C., area and in Oklahoma, trying to connect with young people, talking to them about their lives and getting them to change their paths. Because of his efforts, Etan was asked by the White House to join President Obama’s Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Families Task Force, which has established an ambitious platform to help Americans become more aware of the crucial impact of fathers in children’s lives and to create programs and legislation to help fathers more easily do their jobs.

With this wind at his back and his incredible drive and commitment borne out of his own life experiences, Etan is passionate about grabbing the chance to make a strong statement on fatherhood. He wants young men without fathers in their homes to understand that it is possible for them to overcome the barriers and debilitating anger that fatherlessness often breeds. And he especially wants fathers to realize the urgency and importance of their presence.

The thing that will separate Fatherhood from other books on this topic is the astounding amount of support that Etan already has elicited. The National Basketball Association, the NBA Players Association, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, George Soros’s Open Society Institute, Athletes For Hope, the Center for Urban Families, and even the White House have pledged to push Etan’s book, either through purchasing bulk copies and giving them away or hosting well-publicized events in cities around the country. Their efforts are sure to generate the grassroots support that leads to even more book sales.

While much of Etan’s work has been with young black males, his message is universal, bridging ethnic lines, reaching out to males in settings ranging from the inner city to rural back roads. Etan knows that the pain of fatherlessness knows no income or educational bounds, it is indiscriminate in seeking out helpless victims. This is a topic that has propelled Etan from a young age, when he first realized that the world expected failure from him because his parents were divorced. He was determined to prove that he could be successful, even if he was raised in a single-parent home. Though Etan’s father lived half a country away from him when he was growing up, his father managed to remain a strong presence in his life. So Etan’s situation wasn’t as desperate as many of his peers, who harbored a deep, visceral anger that throbbed just below the surface. Still, Etan understood the hurt, the loneliness, the longing. When he reaches out to men in Fatherhood, he is urgently trying to save future generations of young men from that painful fate. And it is this forceful, compelling voice that will propel this book to become a hot item, to make readers feel like they have to pass it along, to tell their friends, to make their husbands read it.

In addition to Etan’s voice and vision, the book also has the benefit of many other strong voices, prominent men who for the first time have written powerfully about the pain of their childhoods or the bliss of fatherhood. Never before has such a diverse and appealing collection of men been gathered together to talk about fatherhood. From Governor Howard Dean to hip hop pioneer Chuck D, from award-winning actor Isaiah Washington to skateboard legend Tony Hawk, from NBA hall of famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to BET’s Ed Gordan, from the 2010 NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant to legendary Coach John Thompson just to name a few. These men represent a stunning array of accomplishment in American society—and an arresting compilation of heart-rending stories. No matter your race, your upbringing, your education level, your income, you will not be able to resist the wisdom and the messages about life, love and fathers that will be contained in this collection.

VOICES OF THE FUTURE

Etan Thomas returns with a new book of poems. Voices Of The Future is a unique blend of poetry and essays from today's youth. Thomas beings each chapter with a selection of his own with the voices of various young people following. Each chapter is broken down into topics such as police brutality, the war in Iraq, HIV, and religion. Thomas challenges young people to express their opinions on these subjects to make for a beautiful collection. The book includes an audio cd of Etan reciting various pieces to beats produced by Darryl Bright and Universal.

MORE THAN AN ATHLETE

With the conviction of a Bill Russell, and the poetic finesse of Muhammad Ali, Thomas takes on controversial topics such as The Death Penalty, the GOP, racism and abortion. More Than an Athlete is a statement about our generation not being confined to a box, a definition or a label.