Art & Activism 004 - @boogiebrown
“Everybody Struggles” is a project that Aaron has in the works.
Photos from Aaron Leon Brown (@boogiebrownperales)
For Aaron Leon Brown, the pandemic has been a reset. He’s been able to shift his energy and focus towards building his business and taking care of himself. While he’s still discovering his art form, the self-proclaimed, humanitarian + entrepreneur has an incredibly genuine love for helping people. He speaks from experience to encourage family, friends and even strangers. When asked what’s motivating all of his shifts, he said turning his pain into something he loves. He’s fully embracing the uncertainty of this time and is happy to be living the life that he WANTS to live.
Name: Aaron Leon Brown. I legally changed my name about a year ago. It was something that I prayed on for four years. As a kid, I felt like my grandfather was my father figure. He took care of me ‘til the day he died. This was my way of dedicating my life to him because he dedicated his to me. Everything I did was a step by step process towards me becoming the person that I am now. Who I am and where I am - it’s everything I've always wanted to be.
Age: 30
Race/Ethnicity/Any Identifications that Define/Describe You: Black + Mexican
I’m very deeply rooted in being Black and very deeply rooted in my Mexican heritage. I can trace it back to the 1700s. I take pride in both equally and like to say that my nationality is Mexican American while my ethnicity/race is Black American. It upsets me when you’re checking boxes on those race sheets because all of the Black boxes say non-Hispanic. Even the two race boxes say non-Hisapnic. It’s like they're saying you have to choose, but I can’t be who I am without either one. I’m a Black man...a Black + Mexican man.
Hometown: Riverside, CA born and raised ‘til 14 then my family moved to Berkely where I went to high school and lived until I was 28-years-old. And, I’ve been in L.A. for 3 years now.
Occupation: Humanitarian + Entrepreneur - I take pride in helping people. In all of my lines of work, I've helped people. With my business that I’m starting, my goal is to help people. I’m all about leading by example.
When did you start creating your art and why?
I don't know what my art form is, but I think it's because I'm trying to discover it right now. I'm a creative which is broad, but it’s because I'm creating different ways on how to help people.
That could be me working out more or me writing more. I think I've been trying to use my imagination to help people develop different perspectives. It goes back to the humanitarian thing - I don't feel like I live in a me me me world; I feel like it's all about us.
I planned/hosted parties in Oakland and Atlanta. I worked in sales and the corporate world for a while. You have to give people incentives and experiences that they won’t have anywhere else.
Especially living in LA, there are parties everywhere. So I thought let me implement some of the things I was doing while I was in finance. I figured out what I wanted in parties and how I could be a resource. Even the parties I’ve been having for the last year, I combined drinking with networking and mingling then eventually brought in games after a friend made the suggestion.
The goal is you're gonna meet somebody tonight that you thought you would never meet.
When did you start your Instagram page and why?
About three years ago. I’ve always tried to post things to inspire others. I noticed that Instagram became my go-to platform for that. Initially, I wasn’t trying to help other people - I was just trying to help myself. It was as I was helping myself that I thought I could help other people. When I post about meditation or awareness, I know it’ll help someone.
What topics or elements do you try to incorporate into your art form?
The main one is being black and a minority - that's being Mexican too, but when I dig deep it’s also about realizing that everyone is struggling. When you see Anthony Bourdain, Kate Spade, Mac Miller - they were struggling. And that's why I'm starting my media company, to help people realize they are not alone. When I drove Lyft, I got to talk to everybody. It put everything into perspective for me. Every background, every -ality, it refocused my world and helped me to look at it as a different place.
I always talk about being human because there's someone in this world that has it way worse than I do. When you start trying to understand other people, your life gets better. Driving Lyft, I probably talked to 20,000 different people and that's 20,000 perspectives I never would have heard had I never done it and that's not even including all the people I've met, through work, through events, etc. I’ve seen it all, done it all so now I'm just trying to help everybody but help myself at the same time.
I’ve learned it all matters - my morning routine of making my bed and how I start my day. What your room looks like, what your car looks like is how your mind is. I’ve started paying real close attention to everything I'm doing - how people treat me and how I treat myself. Just out here trying to save myself and save the world.
What does your process look like/involve when it comes to creating pieces?
Sitting on my vouch, most times, listening to music. Usually, I’ve already done my meditation, and read a little bit - reading and meditation helps a lot. I use the Calm app and it inspires how the rest of my day will be. My mind becomes clear and because my mind is clear I can pay attention to the thoughts that pop up.
Most of my inspirational stuff comes in the morning and most of my creative stuff comes at night
When it comes to me at night, I roll over and write it down.
What’re your feelings about the recent murders at the hands of the police?
I’ve lived this life since the day i was born. I'm afraid, but I'm not gonna let it bother me. It’s crazy to think that everyday I walk out of my house I could die from being in contact with a police officer or someone that doesn’t like me. I have an eight year old nephew
His innocence is there, but we want to keep him educated and aware too. People think, “I can do whatever I want.” Then, I think, “is life really as free?” “Are we really the monsters people say we are?” So, I hold my head high and move through the world inspiring others because I'm showing people that we’re more than their ideas.
They deny our history, our rights. They care more about animals than they do for us.
I see more ads on TV for dogs than I do for Black people, but when I leave the protest, I'm still Black. I am the person I am; nothing can stop me but God. I’m here with a purpose, and I'm gonna do everything I can to break the narrative of who people think Black people are. I want people to see that a man with locs and a beard can be nice to you, educate you and listen to you. I’ve learned all of those things through my trials and the biggest message is people want to be heard.
How do you hope to inspire change?
By being myself and leading by example. When you’re authentic, the right people will come around you. Love is the biggest thing that drives me. If i die, I wont have social media, but I will have a soul that can be infinite because of those things that I cared about - human factors.
Because we’re all crazy in our ways, but we’re human in our own ways. Love is the biggest thing that drives me.
What was life like for you growing up?
I didn't grow up in the best neighborhood and I didnt grow up with my father, but I had love. I had my mom, my grandparents, my aunt - they gave me all of the love a child could ever have to make you feel like nothing is missing. They gave me the fulfillment I needed to get by.
Our neighborhood was so close, Black, Brown, Asian, White. We didn't have any problems because our street embraced unity. My mom grew up on that same street - she told me a lot about herself and a lot about my biological father. She taught me to not be upset at him for not being in my life. That's important because that doesn't always happen.
My mom is my mom, but my grandmother was my mother too and my grandfather was my dad, and my aunt was the one who let me do whatever I want. However, moving to the Bay was completely different. I had to revamp and start all over. I didn't really enjoy it, I had to make friends. The diversity at Berkeley High School changed and shaped a lot of my perspectives.
It was a melting pot of how the world is and it gave me a different perspective than when I was living in Riverside.
Favorite Food: Mexican, for sure - its tough though being vegan, but it'll always be my favorite - my grandmother used to cook all these amazing dishes.
Favorite Genre of Music: I'm a very genreless person, R&B & HipHop because nowadays they kidnap work hand in hand, but it's tough because people always ask me what I listen to - and I say everything but the only thing I struggle with is heavy metal and country. I listen to Channel Tres a lot - I have a playlist called genreless - a lot of artists that defy the odds and their music ends up in pop because they don't know what to call it.
Favorite Artist/Band: All time - Tupac; right now - Kaytranada.
Favorite Artist (Motivational Speaker, etc.): Tee Grizzly
Favorite Color: Dark blue
Favorite Inner/Outer Feature: My heart, my hair (locs + beard)
Favorite Item that you incorporate into your daily looks, special looks, going out, around the house: My watch - reminder that I gotta take advantage of the day!