Log 5: 3-20-2025
Flying Squad set off for another adventure this week and our flyers decided the goal was window shopping. We headed in a familiar direction where we were pretty sure we’d find the most shops to browse and had enormous fun admiring trendy trinkets and clothes. We checked out tiny purses, funky sunglasses, and oohed and aahed over boutique clothing. One shop owner asked what school we were from and learned all about Flying Squads. It’ll be fun to see if shop owners and other community members begin to recognize and bond with our flyers as we explore every week. It’s our hope to continue building community and normalizing the presence of youth in these spaces during school hours.
After a quick break at a resting area, we decided to seek out food and a spot to eat lunch. Those who hadn’t packed a lunch, chose between two restaurants located side by side. We were surprised to find that neither restaurant, nor the hotel lobby next door had a bathroom and had a conversation about why even paying customers would not be given access to a bathroom. After everyone had their orders, we found our favorite outdoor seating area and dug in. The flyers all gathered together at one table and it was cool to see their friendships blossoming. In a world where conventional schooling is still the dominant education style, they need camaraderie with others who understand their experience.
Finding a bathroom became a priority after lunch, and lucky for us, the Contemporary Austin Museum was offering free admission. The current exhibits proved especially intriguing for our crew, beginning with the work of Tenant of Culture (a moniker for Hendrickje Schimmel) who is a Dutch artist. Her works included abstract footwear “using post-consumer waste from the (fashion) industry.” You can learn more about the exhibit here. Next, we viewed Sweet Solitude, a series of paintings by Thai artist, Jian Prachakul. Her paintings were representative of the Asian diaspora, her inner circle who were also her muses, and connection amidst a feeling of displacement. One of our instigators read that her work reflected how she saw herself in others and it sparked a conversation of the sociology concept “looking-glass self.” Finally, we observed the beautiful sculptures of Raven Halfmoon, titled Flags of Our Mothers. Raven, of the Caddo Nation, creates enormous sculptures with deep finger impressions, stacking, and dramatic, dripping, glazes. “Halfmoon reclaims space for herself and her Caddo lineage, asserting an Indigenous presence and resilience through her colossal figures.” Her website is ravenhalfmoon.com where you can hear her speak about her work.
After the Contemporary, we hung outside for a bit, talked, made videos and one flyer was determined to find ice cream! So headed in a new direction with our navigator up front, in search of rolled ice cream. On the way, we spotted a decent-sized dirt bike park we'd never noticed before. The walk seemed our longest yet and we got to see an area of the city we hadn’t explored yet. It was a relaxed vibe, even with the traffic. As this was our last stop, we took our time enjoying treats and laid-back conversation. Eventually, we headed back to our meeting spot and said goodbye. We look forward to taking flight again next week!