Salone - Part 4 - A Generation Without Labels

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In the 3 previous articles, we followed Salone Jones, entrepreneur, performer, and fitness trainer.  The introduction to series jumped off with “I meet a vanguard of people who see labels as other people’s problems.  These individuals baffle the label makers, leaving them in a guilt-tinged quandary... and sounding rather mechanical.”  

Part 2: Salone discussed  how her entrepreneurial path developed.  “Dad always had a 9-5 and another business.”  Her grandmother was a business woman and a  sheer force of nature.  She owned a store that sold peanuts on Martin Luther King Blvd. in Savannah, Georgia. 

Part 3: But Salone faced some serious challenges.  Her paternal grandmother lived in what turned out to be a place of social warfare.  Salone overcame these issues and earned a scholarship to the Savannah College of Art and Design

Salone’s interest in film and television came about when a mentor asked her to film a performance.  Her mentor noted how she captured the movement of the dancers.  This helped better communicate the choreographer’s message to audiences.  Salone took this to heart and made Film and Television her major for a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts.  So, her dance scholarship ended up funding her education in Film and Television.

2 things stood out from our discussions about her college experience.  First, this was her first real occasion to develop relationships with cultures outside of her upbringing.   Second, the technical requirements of her study in film and television required more attention to tough academic requirements, especially for someone who was previously classified with a slow learning disability.  

As stated, her college alma mater is in her hometown.  Her dance troop did give some experience but mostly that of performing before an audience. I asked, “Did you feel a little like Malcom X in Mecca?” 

“Yes.” Salone replied.  There is living in the same city and then there is being taught by, studying with, and talking to people from about every inhabitable continent.  “It really opened my eyes about how much people have in common.”

Her college experiences devoured her misconceptions.  She used that to fuel her growth.  

Studies in the fine arts broadened her dance technique as well.  The professors and instructors taught her how to express passion in many different movements: joyously, in sadness, big movements, no movement, and everything in between.  Learning how to communicate emotion to different audience was an important part of development.

Film and television required serious attention to academics.  The degree required studies in theory, design, and writing.  Then there was applying all of those to physically producing a film.  Salone faced down her childhood classification of slow learning disabled.  She describes her development as “Navigating the world of finding purpose and self-worth and turning that into a driving force to become the person you envision yourself to become.”  And that has everything to do with emotional, mental, and physical hard work linked with opportunity.  

Salone’s fight is different now.  It’s harder.   But the comparative results of winning are a galaxy apart.  The distant victory is to own a production company.  For now, the tip of that spear is SalFit and Associates. SalFit promotes approaches and tools to fit your lifestyle.  A person who travels may not be able to meet often with a personal trainer.  However, access to a trainer through telecommunications, web services, or mobile apps is possible.   Also, a person who travels weekly may not even know where they are going to eat from one meal to the next.  SalFit develops ways that help clients who travel maintain their health while building their wealth.

  

Learn more about SalFit and Associates or click here:

http://www.salfit.net/salfit-products.html#.UMUD0oVgM7A

Salone - Part 2 - A Generation Without Labels

My last post spoke of labels placed on individuals simply because of a general impression of their demographic. “I meet a vanguard of people who see labels as other people’s problems.  These individuals baffle the label makers, leaving them in a guilt-tinged quandary... and sounding rather mechanical.”   

My family and I came to know Salone completely by chance.  My daughter, Aijalon, and I were sitting in a coffee shop.  I tried to have some quality daughter father time but all Aijalon talked about was someone using a particular video editing application and everything being done with it.  I could not figure out just how Aijalon saw all that detail through the glare.  A lot of light came through 20 to 30 linear feet of glass on 2 sides of the shop.  Finally I said. “Stop staring.  Go ask.”   Salone sat diagonally from us on the far side of the shop. The next thing I know, I was loading equipment and stands in the back of my Tahoe in preparation for a video shoot.   

She gave us a blue business card that read Property Management not film editor.  There were no negatives in the fact that she pursued seemingly divergent areas.  Her long term business goal remains to own a production company.  Entrepreneurial sense, eye for talent, running multiple enterprises simultaneously, building business relationships beyond her “demographic” environment, and just down right push, just like every other person, Salone labels herself by her actions. 

That label is entrepreneur – business woman, performer, fitness trainer.  Her entrepreneurial path came through her family, particularly, her father and grandmother.  She grew up in Savannah Georgia.  Much her time was spent around Anderson Street near downtown.

Both of her parents worked and family provided daycare for Salone and her youngest sister.  “Dad always had a 9-5 and another business.”  Her father drove a truck after his “day” job.   He came in for sleep and went back out to work for Chatham Area Transit.  He physically could not do it anymore after many years.  But, there were other endeavors.  This included a real estate partnership with Salone. 

Her grandmother was a business woman and sheer force of nature.  She owned a store that sold peanuts on Martin Luther King Blvd. in Savannah, Georgia. The store became a bit of a hangout for family members.   The grandkids bagged the peanut.  At one point, she went mobile of the “peanut trail” and sold products out of a station wagon.  Grandmother paid the kids.  $20 dollars in the early to mid 90s for 7 or 8 year old, “That was a lot of money to me!”          

Salone, now 29, sought her first business loan at 22 years old.  Her first attempt was denied.  Currently, her main business is SalFit and Associates which provides personal training, fitness products, nutritional guidance, and other dance oriented fitness like Zumba.   She is developing a web-based fitness platform as well.

As we spoke about all of this and her current path, her face helped tell her story.  It moved from one smile to the next.  Her eyes rarely diverted.  I wondered about her path.  With her family’s businesses and early entry onto the business world by choice, how did performing arts come about?  So I asked.  From the photos below, what do you think she said?

Read Part 3

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Salone Part 3 - A Generation Without Labels

With her family’s businesses and early entry onto the business world by choice, how did performing arts come about? Read the first post in the series, A Generation Without Labels Part 1.

“I was an at risk youth.”  Her voice rather matter of fact on the point.  She continued, “I felt I had to fight a lot!”  The label of learning disabled followed for years. Low expectations came with that – inwardly and from others.  

Salone dwelt in the tale of 2 streets, Martin Luther King Boulevard and Anderson Street.  On 
one hand, Salone had a paternal grandmother and business woman that made her store the family hangout. Her uncles, aunts, and cousins were there.  They all participated in the American Civil Rights Movement.  She had her parent’s love and influence, especially the work ethic of her father.  

On the other hand, she had a God-Fearing maternal grandmother.  Salone read the Bible to her on many occasions.  This grandmother lived in what turned out to be a place of social warfare for Salone.  Life on Anderson Street infused physical and emotional combat into her demeanor before she became a teenager.   She fought around the house.  She fought in the neighborhood.  She fought at school.   Name-calling or an offense drew an immediate fight.  That was the normal order of business for her and many others.  Standing up for yourself in a fist-fight was the culture.  It was all personal.  Don’t back down.  Don’t apologize.  Attack.  

These 2 mentalities put Salone into a dichotomy that mired her mind in despair and a poor self-image in her heart.  She knew life could have and should have been different.  Her grades and behavior drew a referral to St. Pius Community Center, an outreach program on Anderson Street.  It became her safe haven.  There she found dance and a mentor who added thoughts to the positive end of the dichotomy, to start tilting the scale back toward the MLK Blvd. side.  When a holiday program came around, Salone wanted in.  The director of the dance troop required an audition.  Most of the others were older and were more experienced than Salone.  Here technique suffered.  Her instructor spoke frankly with her about the audition.  Yet, she made the cut.  The passion and aggression she expressed in the audition made the difference in the eyes of the director.  

She changed her look, no more tomboy fight gear.  She let her hair grow.  Emotionally, she still struggled.  Grades, she struggled.  Trying not to fight, she struggled.  But, she felt like she was making progress.  Then, one significant incident nearly put her into desolation from which she saw only one out.

Salone knew a fight brewed in the background.  She remembers looking for teachers when she entered the gymnasium.  Lots of students… no teachers.  She tried to steer clear of a certain group of girls.  When confronted by one of them, she tried to leave.  Salone fought them all.  That fight nearly turned out the school.  There was blood.  The police handcuffed her and took her to jail.  Is this all there is for me? I’m trying to do better.  Can I not escape? Am I this worthless? Is this how it ends for me? 

This incident revealed that she was not winning the battle between the 2 streets. Undeniably, no if and or buts, no excuses, understand that you do not understand.  You may have been there, done that but you are not her.  You are not Salone.  Those who cared for moved into action, emotionally, physically, and legally.  

From that point on life got consistently better.  Dance continued to be her outlet.  She picked up an interest in film and television in high school.  By the time graduation rolled around, Salone was headed to one of the most renowned colleges in her desired field, Savannah College of Art and Design – on a scholarship at that.

Read Part 4 of 4: http://potluckearth.blogspot.com/2013/01/salone-part-4-generation-without-labels.html

A Generation Without Labels

Maybe not quite without any labels, instead labels of their  choice….  It’s a Potluck Earth is an idea that brewed for at least a decade.  Now that it is live, the path has me in wonderment, especially with this being an election year in the United States.  Election strategists grouped, labeled, targeted, wooed, and even marginalized individuals as an entire religious, racial, and/or ethnic demographic.  On every turn, I meet a vanguard of people who see labels as other people’s problems.  These individuals baffle the label makers, leaving them in a guilt-tinged quandary... and sounding rather mechanical

From the blond, freckled-faced, country boy who grew up driving a tractor in the southern United States to the young lady who lived in the midst of the Bosnian War, they possess another noticeable attribute.  They will go where they believe God or life wants to take them and make a plan to get there with an ad lib or two when necessary.

One such person is Salone Jones.  Her path has been hard fought and is still in progress.   She is an entrepreneur – business woman, performer, fitness trainer.

One thing that she has going for her is something that I find missing in some talented artists.  She realizes that an independent artist is an entrepreneur, best take on that mantle and become the part.   Read Part 2  http://potluckearth.blogspot.com/2012/12/salone-part-2-generation-without-labels.htmll

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