Dinner Party: Black Men On The UpNUp

Powerful conversations happen around the dinner table. The dinner table has provided a space for family, friends and acquaintances to speak whatever is on their heart. The good, the bad and the ugly are all laid out on the table. These conversations are powerful and we have decided to manifest them in a new Narrative and photo series called “Dinner Party”. Our first set of stories and images are in a setting in collaboration with Gather Seattle - a Seattle based company that brings together the PNW food and design communities. They host gatherings in various restaurants, shops and homes in and around Seattle with an aim to build connections, inspire and nourish.

Our first set of stories circles around men. There are very few settings when you see men gathering around the table sharing their thoughts. There is so much value in men connecting with each other in this capacity. Just ask our second set of table guests: Robel Andmicael and Ermias (Erm) Haile, first generation, Eritrean-American Creators of local Seattle podcast, The UpNUp.

Read our joint-interview with Robel and Ermias and the impactful podcast they have put together with their team to feature some of Seattle's brightest business professionals across all walks of life. 

It was important for me to make something of myself because I will be defying all of the odds that society has made towards black males.

The formation....

‘The UpNUp’, in its inception began 2 years ago, June of 2016, in a small coffee shop in the heart of South Lake Union, between a group of friends fresh out of college. The goal was to build a multimedia platform that would produce the dopest video, audio, and written content centered around our culture and those within it who are relentlessly going after their dreams, goals and visions. To be honest that was just the model we planned on using, but our sense of direction didn’t actually reveal itself until we got to the root (our WHY) of our vision and what kind of impact we wanted to create. We live in a world where most of the time, if not all of the time, underrepresented communities are just that, underrepresented. We wanted to be that platform to create a new wave of collective support, a platform that will listen to your stories and connect it to an audience that can identify, but more importantly receive a lasting effect that will help empower/cultivate a culture and generation of new visionaries who keep everything they’re doing on #TheUpNUp. It was then that we were able to breathe life and give legs to ‘The UpNUp’, and we haven’t looked back since. 

Setbacks....

Robel: As far as setbacks are concerned with running ‘The UpNUp Podcast’, I would have to say the biggest setback at times can be scheduling guests. We have a consistent, one episode per-week goal and with that consistency comes a great deal of organization around which guests to select, what day/time they will be available, coordinating with our internal crew members schedules to make sure everyone’s available. We aim to accomplish all these things in advance, but it doesn’t always work out that way which is fine, it’s all apart of the game we’re playing in. 

Erm: Personally, some of the setbacks that I have experienced while doing the podcast is the whole art of interviewing. I never realized how important preparation is and since I am helping our guests tell their stories, I have to be mindful in helping them tell it the way that they want it to be told. I am constantly learning and working on my craft. The biggest setback I had was probably getting all of my nerves out and getting comfortable in front of the cameras while making sure the conversations are fluid and authentic. Another setback that I might have to also acknowledge is sometimes scheduling with our guests and making sure that all of our schedules coordinate. 

Favorite guests...

Robel: First off, I love each and every one of the episodes we’ve done on ‘The UpNUp Podcast’. They all have an individuality and uniqueness to them; no two are the same. If I had to pick one in particular to call my favorite, it would have to be Episode #12 ‘A Lifelong J U M P’ w/ Team USA Long Jumper, Norris Frederick. He shared a specific story about the death of his father, and how through dealing with the loss he took it upon himself to try and get the most out of his self professionally and athletically, which pushed him to achieve great things moving forward. This story connected with me personally having lost someone who was very close to me around the time ‘The UpNUp’ was early in its inception and it was in that moment that I found myself accessing an inner-drive and motivation that unexplainably pushed me through the entire journey and will continue pushing me for the rest of my life. 

Erm:  This is a difficult question as I have enjoyed EVERY guest that we have been able to have on the podcast. All of our guests have a unique story and it's great to hear everyone's upbringing, perseverance through adversity, and their accomplishments. If I absolutely had to choose one guest, however, so far it would have to be Ariv from 'Vohzi' because I learned a lot from him on and off camera. It was interesting to me that even though we both come from different backgrounds, we both experienced the same thing with our paths from going into the school route and deciding to become entrepreneurs and having to explain it to our families who pushed us to go to school our whole lives. He's not the only guest that I related to but him giving me tips on a field that I was heavily thinking about before we had him on the podcast is why I chose him.

Being a black man in America means...

Robel: Being a black male in America: There’s many examples to describe such a complex topic, I would say it’s quite similar to playing a video game and working your ass off to continuously get to the next level. Now when you’ve finally made it to the final level, and it’s time to claim what’s yours, your momma (the systemic oppression) kicks the door in and pulls the game console out the wall, resets the entire game because you stayed up too late past curfew (exceeded the systems standards for us). Now all you’re left with is a decision to either quit this game or plug it back in and continue fighting knowing that it’s almost certain your progress can be attacked at anytime, but you know your value, worth, and determination to win outweighs any curfew being placed on your dreams.

Erm: Being a black male in America to me means that first and foremost I have to persevere, have courage, and stand up for what is right and what is wrong. Society makes us feel like we are at a disadvantage and that we have to work twice as hard to make our dreams come true and make the most out of our lives. At a young age, my father told me it was important for me to make something of myself because I will be defying all of the odds that society has made towards black males. With the high incarceration rates, lack of father figures, etc. it is important that I change the narrative and also set an example for the generations that are going to come after me. I am very proud to be a black man in America and want to uplift and inspire other African-Americans in America.