Read

Read

The history of the world is written in books.
You can experience this history, this world, by reading.
Our issues have been experienced before, and resolved.
Our dreams have been dreamed before, and realized.
Our fears have been feared before, and overcome.
Our obstacles have been confronted before, and overcome.
Our entire world and its people have been explored, and this has been recorded.
Entirely new worlds with entirely new inhabitants have been created, and this has been written to be explored.

Read

Find the time.
Read on the toilet…you have to go there…
Read on the train…
Read in the car (but, only if you are a passenger)
Read on your lunch break
Read to your children
Read with your morning coffee

Read

Perms and Weaves

I am tired of perms and weaves.

Too many of our women won't engage in a physical fitness regimen because they don't want to sweat their perm out. We have become more concerned with straight, long hair than physical health. This is ridiculous.

Dread it, fade it, blow it out, sport a T.W.A. (teenie-weenie afro)....but GET IN THE GYM!

In summary...

• Your hairstyle is NOT more important that physical fitness
• A grown person should NOT be afraid of the rain
• $100/wk to the hair salon NOT acceptable expenditure

This Blog Post was inspired by the provocative short-film "A Girl Like Me."

http://www.mediathatmattersfest.org/6/index.php?id=2

Urinal Cake

I noticed that the urinal cake (sanitizer) at a resaurant I went to in Marietta, GA had the brand name stamped on it. Who wants to have their name pissed on? ...and how do you get into the urinal cake business?

Africans, African Americans, West Indians

I have heard from many African Americans that Africans, and West Indian people do not like American blacks (African Americans). I posed to myself...why?

My assumtion is....our assimiliation into American society. If my assumption is correct, then I guess I understand. I then, pose a question....Did we choose this predicament?

We are American of African Ancestry....we are. We are not black. Not as black is defined in Africa--eg. colored. Not as black is defined in the West Indies---eg. dougla, octaroon

More importantly, though. Where does this end? I am only me. I did not create my heritage. I long to understand it better. I did not take this away from myself. Why would those in this world who are most like me find fault in these things? Why don't we build bridges to each other...not walls?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_Africanism

Fela Kuti

I watched the "Music is the Weapon" movie about Fela Kuta last Sunday. It was very interesting. His expression that his original last name, Ransome, was a "slave" name pulled me in. I did not know that Africans recognized European last names as such--and my mother's maiden name is Ransom. I later learned that he had read the Autobiography of Malcolm X, as I had. I remember what a profound effect this book had on me. It is when I first realized that I had power....I have power.

Fela's music was very powerful. The freedom of jazz intermixed with African rhythms intermixed with the power of language. He was an exceptional artist.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fela_Kuti