Charlottesville can feel stiflingly small. Or it can feel like there’s an overwhelming influx of newcomers who don’t share history or values. So, I’m always surprised and delighted when I newly meet a fellow native who is my people. Remy St. Clair has collaborated with two of my favorite co-conspirators, Lisa Green with Cville Pride and Raven with 9 Pillars Hip Hop Cultural Festival.
Remy is warm, sweet, personable, and funny. I was struck throughout his talk about the difference of access that Black and White people face in the Charlottesville community. This town was made for people who look like me. We gots lots of middling white people art– some good, some terrible, and most just meh. Meanwhile, Black artists are trying to find some space to create that isn’t gentrified or policed by white people. Remy has been working for years to get space for Black Excellence in the arts to shine.
Some highlights:
- Remy talked about hip hop is healing. Hip hop is not just the music, it’s also fashion, knowledge, graffiti, and more.
- He said about the racial strife within Charlottesville– “It’s been dark for a while, but the dragon doesn’t have to hide his head anymore.”
- It’s hard to get events scheduled in Charlottesville because venues say “we’re not insured to have that kind of event here.”
- It is critically important that artists get paid for their work.
