#2
A box of mangos that remind me of joy.
I crave good fruit. I hunt out good fruit in our East Coast summers, and overload on tropical fruits when I travel. Every time I find myself in a place with good fruit I rejoice. I am a true fruit lover. And it’s in my blood—I was born to two people who also grew up around good fruit. My parents passed down their love of fruit through the luscious bowls of the tropical varietals and berries we’d have daily before going to school in the mornings in Boca Raton, and by way of the coconuts my dad would chop off the tree that hung over our pool on the weekends. We’d sip that sweet juice to replenish the calories we had burned playing for hours in the pool.
In 2019, I traveled to Colombia and was infused with a kind of aliveness I hadn’t experienced anywhere else in the world. Colombia taught me a lesson in color and flavor. We hit drums with our palms and danced in the sand. We sweat through our clothes, and let festive music drop into our souls. I was introduced to the sweetest fruit I had ever tasted— maracuyas, and mangos, and I tried everything that was guanabana-flavored.
On our last day in the country, we visited Comuna 13—a neighborhood that was once one of the most dangerous places in the entire world. Now, it explodes with art. Color permeates every part of the neighborhood through the its saturated paint colors, flowers and music. We had lunch at one of the most celebrated artists from Comuna 13, and learned about how the artists in this community have played a hefty role in transforming their neighborhood from a place that was once feared to one that is now celebrated for its vibrancy. As we left Comuna 13 that day, I noticed a box of the most beautiful mangos I have ever seen in my life. I snapped a photo knowing that these mangos would always remind me of the vibrancy that is Colombia.
Whenever I look at this photo of vibrant mangos, I am transported home to sweetness, beauty and juicy, full living. I hope that wearing this shirt brings you the same.
Same drill as BARD #1— you can pre-order these bb’s HERE until July 13th. The production time will be 4-6 weeks, including the wonderful addition of a small embroidery of my logo (based on the evil eye) that will be applied to each shirt. This protective symbol wards off any jealousy or ill wishes that are directed your way.
Thank you for being here, and I am so excited to have you participate in another edition of BARD!