Passion is a bold bastard. Beliefs are even worse. Oh just FORGET about "Innovation" or "Creativity." They're all evil. They're all audacious things, intent on grabbing hold of the human heart, forcing it to beat deeper and even stronger with each enduring pulse. Yeah that's it -- a bunch of instigators with the NERVE to inspire young NYC teens into believing that they actually have a legitimate place and power in this world. Passion, Innovation, Creativity, and Beliefs. What IS this? Who gave THEM the right to motivate and empower young people to yearn for growth? YEARNING for growth? This is outrageous. Those bastards!

Well...sorry to tell you, but here at HarlemLive, we believe in that bastard. We embrace the strength of having a passionate belief system, we grow through innovation, and we ARE creativity. WE ARE HARLEMLIVE; the hottest online youth magazine, created, edited, and produced by teens of NYC.

With that said, it's only obvious and inevitable for us to include those very facets -- passion, innovation, creativity, and a strong belief system -- into our everyday production. Constant inspiration and motivation is integral to our business of creative play. Stagnant behavior is unattractive to the long term philosophy of HarlemLive's future. We are prolific. We are maturing. This upsurge of growth is within us all. Therefore, it's only NATURAL for us to want to progress, grow, and elevate to "The next level."

Well folks...that next level...is here. HarlemLive is going VIRTUAL...almost. In previous years, HarlemLive has met and produced out of a small ... but manageable space inside of 1330 5th avenue [W. 111th St.] in Harlem. The space wasn't horribly difficult to work with; you could take a short-winded stretch here and there...maybe inhale a few oxygen molecules without coughing...it was...manageable. However recently, HarlemLive, an Internet publication, has been relocated into a completely different space -- drastically confined and equipped with limited and/or nonexistent Internet access. This is an INTERNET publication; the pure logic is dwindling.

As a multi-award winning news publication, HarlemLive's resources are commonly overestimated. We're assumed to have the leisure of any resource deemed logically fit for a publication of our caliber, but that is but only...an assumption. Our resources are quite limited as we've become masters of squeezing $1.00 out of a dime. Ironically, HarlemLive has accomplished more than what many other organizations with a broader resource base, only dream of doing.

Now dream this. A designated time, place, and world where every staff member of HarlemLive delves into the surreal, conjuring up the very essence of radical creativity and innovation, fueled by the active exchange of inspiration and ideas faster than the speed of DSL. A virtual world where all of us here at HarlemLive get together to sculpt, build, and improve the quality of HarlemLive.org, the Internet publication that we're all so dedicated to bringing onto the bright computer screens of our readers. As opposed to getting into futile tiffs over square tiles or issues of drastically confined space, HarlemLive is flying into the unconfined. We are now bringing you this online youth magazine from designated bases all over New York City --our homes. That's versatility.

We'll be producing, editing, creating, laughing, and learning online. Designated staff members have been sent home with HarlemLive equipment, ranging from MAC PCs, IBooks, to digital cameras, conditioned to only two things: creativity and responsibility. A goal for everyone included in this new "Digital Dash" project is to equip every HarlemLive student with DSL Internet. Students are allowed to maintain the equipment as long as they continue to assertively put forth effort into the HarlemLive program, attend meetings, go on stories, and so on. In any event that a HarlemLive staff member refuses or fails to keep up with their part of the "Digital Dash," equipment is reclaimed, followed by a pending suspension until further notice. But who would want to do that anyway? This is literally, a VIRTUAL REALITY, with staff members who will combine minds and equipment, both online and offline, networking at the speed of light....all the while being granted the simple yet powerful freedom to do whatever it is they deem fit for HarlemLive production and growth. This is too good. The "completely different space" that HarlemLive has been relocated to, will now be used as storage space for library books, or a small conference room in any case that students need to meet on a more personalized one-to-one basis.

The mere focus and concentration that goes into work when it's accompanied by a minimized level of distraction, is enough to propel HarlemLive to even greater heights of success. The usual environment of HarlemLive is similar to any newsroom; there's constant motion, action, and talking going on. We're teenagers; there's even the idle chat factor that can slow down production. Not anymore. Upon entering the "virtual reality" world that we're now creating amongst ourselves, chatting is done...with a purpose. You're scheduling, you're producing, you're directing, you're learning, you're growing. This is HOT!

So yeah...ok...I'll admit it. As much as we can't stand those bastards -- passion, innovation, creativity, and beliefs -- we're using them, and holding them tightly as the thread to our foundation. As a disregard for minuscule quarrels over insufficient "space," we're innovatively creating an unlimited space, a space that cannot be minimized because it is infinite. Essentially, it is a space within the mind... a precious, warm, and exorbitant area of existence where only your own inhibitions or lack of motivation can hinder your progression. It's from deep within this space that we plan to bring you an even better HarlemLive, packed with better content, faster production, and a new sense of focus and direction that we've yet to show you. So when you notice a difference...that's why. It's because of those instigators...infiltrating our minds and hearts, with the audacity to inspire, motivate, and pull us to become an even better HarlemLive than we've ever been before. So yeah...we've got a few tricks up our sleeves. Damnit!!! We have the NERVE to be free. Passion is a bold bastard.