I think the philosophy of the Pink Flamingo comes from a speech I wrote in a stream of consciousness while in Austin, Texas. The motivation behind the speech was my utter resentment for the fact that there was a Chick-Fil-A being built at the center of our town in Athens. At the time (2019), the Rainbow Crosswalk was only just a new petition on Change.org. I signed the petition to have them paint the crosswalks, but I was appalled when I realized the plan at the time was to have it near the Chick-Fil-A. I thought this juxtaposition of this abusive, unhealthy, and homophophic chain restaurant next to a Rainbow Crosswalk was just too unacceptable. I thought this hypocrisy was just one of many in our little town, where the art and creativity are constantly demolished and smothered by the plague of normativity and money-grabbing that continues to grow in this town. So in Austin, Texas, where the motto is "Keep Austin Weird," I was fantasizing how we could keep Athens weird. I didn't necessarily think of being a flamingo, but this energy certainly brews inside me whenever I am clowning around here in Athens. It's a kind of desperate rage or a loud plea for others to be outlandish, be creative, and be your own clown whenever you possibly can, so hopefully our creative, courageous, and generous energy will push out the greedy, violent, and judgmental energy from this town.
I will post the speech (that I've been too nervous to go to Athens City Hall and say...) to be read only by supporters and members of this little website I have here.
Photo by Sidney Chansamone (@sid.chansa on instagram)