Hi {name},

How's your home?

That's the English translation of a West African greeting I was taught when I arrived in Senegal West Africa. This happened in the summer of 1988 and while I remember the words, I won't dare attempt spelling them. I'm not even sure if I'd begin with a C or a K?
I'm reminiscing because it makes a fun unifying theme in today's MUSEletter (past MUSEletters live here). This one includes the following–

• • A New Episode of GO DOGGO
  • When I was in Africa
  • Cool Stuff Dept. Entering the Asaniverse

True story.

While attending the State University of New York, I had the unique opportunity to join an organization providing volunteer work in Africa. Think of it as a sort of Summer internship for the Peace Corps. Rather than sign-up for a year or more, it was a 3 month tour. Enough to see if you could handle a cultural shock to the system, the hard work and foreign lands. I brought a sketch book which also served as journal. Below you'll find excerpts.

That summer completely rewrote my perceptions of the world and the invisible wealth North America is so steeped in. Something as simple as toilet-paper took on a whole new significance.

There's also a story about the phrase "When I was in Africa," several; many. A few of you may recall, but let's just say it became a thing, once I was back at collage.

Recently, I've found myself reconnecting with imagery rooted in Coastal West Africa. Over the last month I participated in a workshop featuring Bay Area artist/educator Asual Aswad, He uses Adinkra Symbols in his teaching and art. 

In the above graphic you'll see a page from the PDF which accompanied the workshop. We were each to select one symbol from the two-dozen available to use during our session. One Adinkra Symbol distinguished itself to me. You see, it turned out I'd been working with it already... 

That's the Asani Entertainment logo up there. When I last wrote, I mentioned joining their design team and shared a peek at our landing page. Admittedly, I botched the "Click Here" link (it's fixed now 🤦🏽‍♂️).

More important: I want you to be among the first to know that AsaniEntertainment.com will be going live on Wednesday May 15th - Tomorrow!

This new home for The Asaniverse is going to be a cross-genre spectacle devoted to a whole new BiPOC Universe of superheroes. The official Asani Entertainment newsletter Habari Gani will also premier on Wednesday. That means you'll only have the one day, today, to subscribe. If you're curious to learn the meaning of its title, among other things. As an added incentive I'm including an exclusive preview of the preview!

If you've read this far then I want thank you with a little something more. I pulled out my now-very-old-and-fragile photo album from the era of that above mentioned journey. It contains mostly photos I took but on occasion I'd hand someone else my camera. This was before the times of auto-focus.

Thanks again, hope to hear from you soon...

–PLUGO