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Photo News Recap Sweet Tea Ethics Feat Ed Garnes Dr. Cornel West Clifton West

24 January 2010 One Comment

Ed Garnes & Dr. Cornel West photo: Shannon McCollum

Special thanks to Barnes & Nobles, The West Family, The Garnes & Lowe Family, Yorel Productions, Spry, E Period, LLC, Mark Angel, Shannon McCollum, Karamu Photography.

For the first time ever, the critically acclaimed brothers Dr. Cornel West and Clifton West spoke candidly about their inspiring bond as supportive siblings in a historic dialogue entitled SWEET TEA ETHICS^sm to hundreds of eager attendees. The event was moderated by award-winning writer, counselor, and producer Edward M. Garnes, Jr., founder of From Afros To Shelltoes^sm (FATS), a community based art programming collective focused on bridging generation gaps between youth, elders, and hip hop heads. SWEET TEA ETHICS was held on January 17, 2010 at the Barnes & Nobles (Camp Creek Market Place) located at 3685 Market Place Boulevard in East Point, Georgia.

Far beyond lectures and canned speeches, SWEET TEA ETHICS operated as an open forum that explored love, life, and funk. Mixing the reasoning sessions of the local barbershop and fervor of street corner theologians, the inter-generational talk covered a wide range of topics including President Obama, the N word, role models, hip hop, and spirituality. This special edition of the SWEET TEA ETHICS national tour not only confronted the cultural divide of elders and hip hop heads, but it also challenged clichéd visions of leadership and formal education. Atlanta native Mike Bigga (aka Killer Mike), a respected artist who appears on Dr. Cornel West’s hip hop recordings, made a powerful, impromptu appearance at the request of event producer Garnes.

hundreds attended the stellar event

For Dr. Cornel West, Garnes’ proficiency at sparking solution focused dialogue is unmatched. “Here is the significance of my dear brother Ed Garnes, Jr. and Sweet Tea Ethics. There is no other group that can bring together such engaged, high quality, and substantial dialogue about the crucial issues facing not just the black community, but also American society. Thank God for brother Ed Garnes, Jr.”

Elder brother Clifton West, visibly moved by the program, felt the collaboration was in divine order. “Sweet Tea Ethics was a reveling in love, connection, purpose, and life. It was an association and affiliation of like heartedness that will hopefully be a launching pad for good things to come.”

prayer circle before event

In the eyes of Garnes, an Atlanta Tribune Man Of Distinction, the event was life altering. “SWEET TEA ETHICS is all about mixing grandma stories and life experience to heal everyday blues. To share the experience with such powerful, loving, supportive, and respected brothers was like a down home family reunion sure to be remembered from now till infinity.

For info on the SWEET TEA ETHICS series, or to book a program at you college, university, community organization, or fish fry, contact: sweetteaethics@afrostoshelltoes.com

For more info on F.A.T.S, visit http://www.afrostoshelltoes.com/word