As the US continues its path into fascism and the capitalists try to get their grubby fingers on our world, and with all the uncertainty going on with these apps with the data breaches, censorship, and shifts to AI, i think it’s safe to say that many of us are feeling lost and perhaps held hostage.
I’ve been stuck between wanting to create art but not wanting AI to steal it, between one app versus another, between creating for algorithm or consumer or for myself and it’s all so exhausting.
If you’ve been with me for the last 2-3 years, you’ve probably heard me say I'm starting a new era, but this time I really mean it. You’ve seen me sell bucket hats, stickers, then shift to runway to collections to sustainable fashion to markets and more. I used to be worried about maintaining this mystique of a fashion designer or the bubbly ness of a cutesy digital artist or the uppityness of a documentarian. But now I'm truly deciding to nurture all of it while doing more.
This new era is about making creativity and community a practice, so much so that we actually start building collective life and power outside of these apps. We may feel helpless but if being in this creative community has taught me anything it’s that we have so much power. I will be pausing the commerce side of Barkada Baby to refocus on this!
While initially my thirst for change stems from wanting to be carefree and make silly little videos of all the people in my life and ways i have found creativity and love and activism and building in my life. I actually have been marinating on this a bit and have a bunch of ideas on what to do with my platforms and how to both nurture the multifaceted identities I hold and navigate these exhausting times.
While I'll still be selling my art and having commissions upon request or in person, I will also be showing the hard vulnerable truths and processes of being a creative in this age, and the ways this practice will support all pieces of us as an artists, educators, community members, and more. I hope we can all continue on like this together on this journey
TLDR. i think all i want now is for this little corner of the internet to be something you feel you can turn to, and something i feel i can truly be me in as well. a space in between. I want these videos to be a push to build power off these apps while still being on the for info and building that happens on them. a way to neither detach fully nor be controlled by, rather something in between until we figure out what’s going on. whether it’s ig newsletter tik tok or whatever new app, I hope that this new era of barkada baby is something that can support building the liberated collective life we deserve. so that eventually when/if you decide to migrate from the apps, you will still hold the skills, lessons, connections, and hope we built with each other. until we get there, for now, thank you for being a part of my barkada <3
What does this look like?
The Barkada Baby website will still be up to host blogs, updates, connections, and as an archive! It'll still be operational, just no commerce for now <3 I will still do limited in-person popups, commissions, and special sales upon request!
BUT Instead of focusing on sales, Barkada Baby 2025 will be focusing on three major projects:
Building Capacity for Community:
Everyone has a role in resistance and creating a world we deserve. What is your role? What skills/hobbies/passions do you have that can support others? This series is about learning/teaching basic skills that can support our fellow neighbors and community members.
This series is also about how each small action can scaffold into something bigger. What can I do everyday to prepare myself to support those around me? A lot of really cool people have talked about the importance of building community, and it sounds like a big undertaking. This series hopefully shows you that while it can be complicated, the actions you can do to start are actually quite simple. Each simple practice you do will build your capacity to do more!
Creativity as a Practice
A huge part of this machine is profiting off of our attention, whether its doomscrolling or unknowingly training the algorithm and advertisements. But what if we did something everyday (or every week) to reclaim it? This series is my attempt of training to reach for something that's not my phone and a reminder that an opportunity to be creative is everywhere.
Where can you be creative without having to look for inspiration? Where does it exist for you daily?
The Doechii effect
Showing my process of trying. No Perfectionism, just posting. Reminding myself that I cant say its hard if I never started trying first. A way to combat my inner critic!
I have a few creative projects coming up, and I am so excited to unveil what I have been working on <3 For now, consider subscribing to my newsletter and following me on socials. You can continue to purchase Barkada Baby items online until March 22, otherwise you will have to catch me in person or send me a dm/email. Thank you for your understanding and support<3
