Rhiannon Giddens Instagram – So this morning i got ready to receive an honorary doctorate from Duke University. I have been very plainspoken about my ambivalence around accolades, but I always strive to go where I am led and to acknowledge that somebody, somewhere, wanted to give me an honor (in this instance, someone from community who had advocated for me) and it’s respectful to accept and be in place, and represent. I learned last night that the commencement speaker was Jerry Seinfield and I didnt give it much thought.
When i attend these kinds of events I struggle to understand my place in them; feeling more akin to the musicians playing beautifully, (and unfortunately mostly beautifully ignored), during the reception, than the honorees expected to give a speech. I have decided in general to take the experiences as they come and look for the spiritual reason I have been led there. In this instance it was a wonderful connection and conversation with my faculty sponsor, Sophia Enriquez, about the role Mexicans play in the creation of country music, and other deep topics. I look very much forward to furthering our association!
So this morning I was sitting on the platform next to Sophia after recieving my hood and as Seinfield was led to the platform I noticed the protest beginning; pretty soon substantial numbers of students with P@lest1n1@n flags stood up and left their seats, and chanting accompanied their departure. I felt distraught and uncertain because clearly there is a bigger story here that I didn’t know – I have been deep in the act of music in place and in tradition this week and just haven’t been aware. And it makes me think about the differing ways we try to make the world a better place and how they can’t be the same for everyone; how the work of resistance, activism, and change is multifaceted and how it’s going to take all of us to make a dent in this crazy mess. (cont’d) | Posted on 13/May/2024 00:22:00
