Whatcha' Reading?

In 2013 my challenge to my Friends is to commit to reading and sharing your new knowledge or literary adventure with others. What better way to expand your mind and similarly provoke that of others?

Currently I am reading Walking With the Wind:A Memoir of the Movement by Congressman & Freedom Rider John Lewis. I am a HUGE supporter of the Congressman, even securing him as guest speaker at my law school graduation and having the honor to pay tribute to him before my graduating class. I want(ed) everyone to know who were/are our REAL leaders, those who took the blows and paved the way so that I could don a cap and gown, walk across a stage and dare to call myself "lawyer". We have real heroes who exemplify strength, courage, dignity, valor and determination. If we don't celebrate them, who will? I want that our history and persons like Congressman Lewis be common knowledge, that their sacrifices be known and appreciated by all. I take every opportunity to celebrate our heroes.

I begin 2013 being reminded and proudly re-walking the winds of the civil rights movement with the road map Congressman Lewis has provided. I invite you to pick up a copy and be reminded that the struggle is not over...

Thank You Congressman John Lewis!


So Whatcha' Reading?



    Walking With the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement

A perspective of the civil rights movement from someone who served on the front lines. Born the son of an
Alabama sharecropper, he became a courageous and heroic Freedom Rider and is now a long term and well respected United States Congressman. John Lewis has lived an extraordinary life and graciously shares his first hand account of the civil rights movement, the triumphs and the struggles, wherein he was arrested more than forty times, severely beaten on several occasions, and is noted for being the youngest person to speak at the infamous March on Washington. He is a walking legend, a true American hero.

Be The Voice...

On Friday I went to see "The Central Park 5", a documentary about the 1989 wrongful conviction,  coerced confession, media persecution and false imprisonment of five innocent Black and Puerto Rican boys for a brutal rape and near fatal assault of a female jogger in New York's Central Park. The real assailant came forth in 2002. Details of the assault and DNA confirmed his confession. Despite being exonerated and having their convictions vacated, the city of NY has yet to apologize or settle a civil lawsuit filed in 2003 on behalf of these young men who physically lost as much as 13 years of their life and so much more emotionally and personally. Family relationships were destroyed, parents endured sickness, even death and one of these boys was tried as an adult and sent to Riker's Island at the tender age of 16. One can only imagine the horror he endured. 

The documentary, which I am careful not to reference as a "movie", so not to suggest in any way that any part of the travesty depicted in the film is a fantasy, untrue or is not a reflection of what happens daily in court rooms and police interrogation rooms across America. Defendants, many of whom are minority, are coerced or intimidated into taking a plea for a crime they may not have committed or at least a crime for which there is insufficient evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Defendants lack the knowledge, the resources and/or the will to fight what has become a very broken legal system that seems less concerned with advancing fairness and justice as it is with advancing careers, personal agendas, notoriety, public opinion and media sound bites. 

These young and innocent boys were demonized in the press, accused of committing "the crime of the century". Their families were destroyed and they were robbed of youth, innocence and life experiences never to be restored. The documentary clearly identifies the cast of characters who orchestrated this atrocity against these boys, the gravity of which by the way, cumulatively is far worse than the crime for which they were accused, as none other than key members of public trust, the NYPD to include minority officers, members of the press for admittedly not doing their job, and Manhattan District Attorney, Robert Morgenthau and his two female assistants, Linda Fairstein and Elizabeth Lederer. That women and minorities can play roles in such atrocities is hurtful and deeply disturbing...

The documentary is highly emotional. In the dark theater one can hear the gasps and expressions of horror and disbelief or name calling at persons on the screen as the story unfolds, a few women even cried. The audience was so moved by the film that at its conclusion, they just sat there. Stoic. Only two persons exited the theater before the credits rolled. I was so moved and emotionally spent by the film and what I know to be true of the legal system that I made an impromptu plea to the other movie goers to not just walk out the theater as though they had just watched a film with an ending but instead to be moved to do something about what they just saw and realize that what happened to these boys is not an isolated incident but a daily occurrence for far too many in our society. A Friend shared that persons who make impromptu speeches in crowded theaters are either passionate or crazy. At times I am guilty of both. For this occasion however, I claim the former. Although unintentional, to unwind and to release my passion and overwhelming sense of helplessness on this evening, following the film I walked more than 40 blocks to catch the bus back to NJ, from the IFC Center on West 3^rd Street in Greenwich Village to the Port Authority at West 42^nd Street. Getting lost in thought, taking in fresh air and enjoying the splendor of Christmas sites and last minute shoppers along the way changed my mood and helped to relax me.

The film is playing in limited theaters around the country. During this holiday season, I strongly recommend that you not only go see the film but get involved and demand reform of our justice system and over crowded prisons that disproportionately affect minority and poor communities. If you are a New Yorker demand of Mayor Bloomberg and the courts that these young men be compensated for the blatant and irretrievable theft of their youth and their innocence.

Yours is the voice that can lead the change. Believe It…        

Getting to Know Lincoln

Prompted by the movie "Lincoln" to learn more about the man and his legacy, on my way home from the theater I stopped to purchase a few noted books on President Lincoln. In my search for literature, I came across a book entitled Douglass and Lincoln, How a Revolutionary Black Leader and a Reluctant Liberator Struggled to End Slavery and Save the Union by Paul and Stephen Kendrick, a Father and Son team. This book seemed a good place to start in my journey to explore and make my own assessment of who was our 16th President and what exactly was his position on Blacks in general and freeing the Slaves. Who knew better than Frederick Douglass? He was there and unquestionably committed to the cause of Black freedom.

As the book traces the history and development of both men, it illustrates an evolution of minds, an evolution of hearts, influence and understanding, it conveys a deep and mutual respect that evolved between these two men. It proved a good read and I recommend it to others whose interests may have been similarly peaked following the movie and the lively, sometimes controversial, discussions that followed.

While I do agree that the movie should have at least referenced the relevance of the Lincoln/Douglass relationship and how Douglass influenced Lincoln's ultimate decision, I still I loved the movie and fully expect that it will receive many well deserved awards. Team of Rivals, The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, by historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, a few chapters of which the movie was based, is next on the reading list regarding this subject as is Forced into Glory: Abraham Lincoln's White Dream, by Lerone Bennett, Jr.

There are many opinions regarding the legacy of President Lincoln and what was his true motivation for signing the 13th Amendment; a desire to end slavery vs a desire to save the Union. While the debate may continue, what is inescapably true is that he lost his life for daring to, shall I say having the audacity to, advance the amendment and his ideology that "mankind everywhere be free". For that, he has undying respect and gratitude from me and, I am pretty certain, from my ancestors... 

Miss Higgi says where there is question or doubt, or where curiosity is peaked, do not rely on the opinion of others. Do the research and READ, READ, READ...  

In the interim go see the movie!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiSAbAuLhqs

                         

Shopping While Black...

On yestereday I was in a local Best Buy. A police officer was working or moonlighting there. When I entered I was disturbed that he was checking the bag of a Black male customer as he was attempting to exit the store. The gentleman had a bag and receipt visibly in hand. There were no sounding alarms indicating theft or that a detector was left on an item. The gentleman was a well groomed and seemin...gly peaceful shopper. As I have never had my bags checked at this same store, during the brief time I was there I watched from afar to see if he was checking or stopping other customers. He was not...


Before exiting the store I approached and asked the Best Buy employee, a Black female, standing next to the officer what was their policy. She seemed uncomfortable and stumbled over an explanation that they check receipts. I told her I had never had my receipt checked and that it seemed the officer did a lot more. I not only shared with this officer that I did not like what seemed like profiling, I also called the precinct to complain to his Lieutenant who assured me he would send someone out to speak to the officer.

The officer justified his action by responding to me that "this is the world we live in". I explained as long as we ALL live in the same world and under the same conditions, I am OK with his behavior. But when application of his actions is selective to certain people or certain conditions, I have a problem... He had no idea I would make a citizen complaint.

GET INVOLVED PEOPLE! We teach others how to treat us...

Save The Children...

This is insanity!!! Can we please take our collective head out of the sand and recognize that we have a PARENTING CRISIS IN AMERICA!

You cannot make me believe that a child can be this crazy and NO ONE knew it! Recently I watched an odd movie, “We Need to Talk About Kevin”. Kevin, like Adam Lanza, the Connecticut shooter in the mass murder earlier today, was mentally disturbed and his parents knew it from early on but never really dealt with it and instead convinced themselves that it/he was not really that bad. Kevin, as did Adam, ultimately committed a mass massacre at school after killing his father and sister at the family home. Life imitating art? Getting harder to tell... Are we to believe there were no signs with Adam? No previous incidents? Of course there were!!!  

Too many are raising our children to believe they are flawless, perfect little "angels" and "princesses", nothing is their fault, a pill will cure all, “no” is not an answer, mediocrity is brilliance, they are born with a voice and an opinion and that NO ONE has the right to correct or discipline them. Parents are afraid of their own damn kids because the government has violated their right to raise their children as they see fit. Children have been empowered to the detriment of those parents who dare open a can of WHOOP ASS on a sometimes deserving child! This is ridiculous!  

Whether gang-banging and shooting up the hood or mass murdering at schools, movie theatres or shopping malls in the burbs’, our kids are crying out for help, for love, for  structure, for guidance. Bottom line, we have a CRISIS in AMERICA and we need to stop fooling ourselves that these are isolated incidents. This is the 2nd shooting this week and sadly beginning to feel more like the norm. Mental Illness is real.

There is no magic answer or some sure fire method to raising healthy children. But as we have rejected the ‘tried and true’ and discarded the blue print by which most of us were successfully raised, can we at least deal with reality and acknowledge that what we are doing is not working?

This is not an indictment of parents. I have not taken on that role and give MAJOR props to most who have. I can only imagine that it is the hardest job in the world and I know full well that you can be the best and still it can all go wrong. There are no guarantees. Be present, be diligent, by all means be committed and understand that ‘time out’ is not an option. My concern is that America is in a crisis. Of greater concern however, is that America is in denial. Our Families, therefore our kids, are breaking and in need of immediate love and repair.

My heart goes out to the families, the community and to a nation that again has been dealt a tragic, senseless and likely avoidable blow. Where/How/When will it end? I’m Just Wonderin’…

May there be peace in America…

We've Been Trying to Save the Children for a long time. Enjoy This Oldie But Goodie by the Intruders; Save The Children:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reKynWXzSQ0

Black Wall Street

Black Wall Street

The best description of Black Wallstreet, or Little Africa as it was also known, would be liking it to a mini-Beverly Hills. It was the golden door of the Black community during the early 1900s, and it proved that African Americans had successful infrastructure. That's what Black Wallstreet was all about.

The dollar circulated 36 to 100 times, sometimes taking a year for currency to leave the community. Now in 1995, a dollar leaves the Black community in 15-minutes. As far as resources, there were Ph.D.'s residing in Little Africa, Black attorneys and doctors. One doctor was Dr. Berry who owned the bus system. His average income was $500 a day, a hefty pocket change in 1910.

During that era, physicians owned medical schools. There were also pawn shops everywhere, brothels, jewelry stores, 21 churches, 21 restaurants and two movie theaters. It was a time when the entire state of Oklahoma had only two airports, yet six Blacks owned their own planes. It was a very fascinating community.

The area encompassed over 600 businesses and 36 square blocks with a population of 15,000 African Americans. And when the lower-economic Europeans looked over and saw what the Black community created, many of them were jealous. When the average student went to school on Black Wallstreet, he wore a suit and tie because of the morals and respect they were taught at a young age.

The mainstay of the community was to educate every child. The main thoroughfare was Greenwood Avenue, and it was intersected by Archer and Pine Streets. From the first letters in each of those three names, you get G.A.P., and that's where the renowned R&B music group the Gap Band got its name. They're from Tulsa.

Written in 1995. Can we get Black to the Basics? Support one another. Support Black business...

Do Unto Others...

Anyone who knows me has heard me say over and over that I pride myself on living on by two very basic principles; (1) Treat others the way you want to be treated and (2) we teach others how to treat us.

While no one is perfect and certainly we all have those days when we lose our cool and say or do things that we might say or do differently given a retake, I find it hard to accept when folks are deliberately and consistently mean and nasty. My contempt is not reserved for the outwardly mean and nasty, I have similar disdain for the “passive aggressives”. You know those “nice”, meek, mild manner folks that everyone loves who smile in your face as they twist a jagged and honey coated knife in your back. They are actually worse than the overt mean guy because you didn’t see them coming. They are wolves in sheep clothing who, when confronted, will feign ignorance regarding the impact of their covert, but very deliberate and mean-spirited activity.  

 

No matter the inspiration or intent, I don’t get mean and nasty. I really don’t. It seems to take much more energy to be unkind than it does to be nice. If being nice and respectful of others presents such a huge burden, then do those around you a favor and be absent or indifferent. Just ignore us. When in doubt regarding the perception or impact of your behavior, imagine yourself as the recipient of YOU. How would your behavior make you feel? Warm and fuzzy? Respected? If not, ease up!!!

Conversely, if you are on the receiving end of Mr/Mrs “Congeniality’s” random acts of “kindness”, you have a responsibility to manage how you are treated. It’s all about perception. If you emit that you are a doormat, you will be walked upon and treated as such. If you exude confidence, love of self and a willingness to defend yourself, your adversaries, real or imagined, will make note of such and accordingly temper their interactions with and treatment of you. They will know, or come to know, that you will prove a force with whom they will surely have to reckon. Some will respect this position and not shy away from the inevitable show down, others will be intimidated and retreat or, at least, temper their behavior.

As long as you don’t pick the fight, another’s response to your defense of you is not your problem to manage. My advice is for as long as you can, take the high road and where possible, avoid confrontation. Try to diffuse or redirect the situation. However, when diplomacy, tact and civility fall by the wayside, handle your business!!! Push back HARD and push back DECISIVELY!!! Often I quote a pre-school teacher’s description of my younger sister’s social behavior; “will bite when provoked”. Translation – Don’t bother me, I won’t bother you.

It ain’t rocket science folks! Do Unto Others…

OnThis Day...

Talk about being blessed???

On Sunday evening I was helping a Friend in need. I went to retrieve her from the emergency ward of a hospital in the Philly suburbs. Of course there is no "in & out" at an emergency room... So I waited with her in her room for well over an hour.

When we were ready to leave, I realized that my purse was no where in sight! Of course I panicked and tried to retrace my steps. Thinking I must have left it in the car, while getting my parking pass validated, it occurred to me that I had stopped to use the restroom in the public waiting area MORE than an hour ago.
...

In a frenzy, I ran to the bathroom, flung open the door and MUCH to my delight and relief, there sat my purse. I thought surely my wallet was gone. NO, still there. Surely the cash, credit cards and SS card that I have been warned a million times to remove from my purse, are gone. NOPE, Still there too!!! My faith in mankind, RESTORED!!!

Of course I give credit and thank God for always watching over me but I gotta' give it up for good Karma. I do try and I am guided by "Do Unto Others". SOMETIMES, just SOMETIMES, it comes back and in a good way! 

 

Have a HAPPY Wednesday & Please Be Good to Others!!!

Countdown to Victory!!!

44 Days To Re-Elect 44!!!

Here is the debate schedule. Be sure to tune in!!!

All debates will take place from 9-10:30 p.m. EDT. More details are posted at www.debates.org

Wednesday, October 3, University of Denver, Denver, CO
First Presidential debate (Domestic Policy)
Moderator: Jim Lehrer, Executive Editor, PBS NewsHour

Thursday, October 11, Centre College, Danville, KY
Vice presidential debate
Moderator: Martha Raddatz, Sr Foreign Affairs Correspondent, ABC News

Tuesday, October 16, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY
Second presidential debate (Town Meeting)
Moderator: Candy Crowley, Chief Political Correspondent, CNN

Monday, October 22, Lynn University, Boca Raton, FL
Third presidential debate (Foreign Policy)
Moderator: Bob Schieffer, Face the Nation; Chief Washington Correspondent, CBS News

Bad Politicians are Elected by Good Citizens Who Do Not Vote!

See Ya' At the Polls!!!

LET'S GO WIN!!!

Celebrating Me! 20 Years Smoke Free!!!

Today I celebrate 20 YEARS of being smoke free!!! OH YES YOU CAN do it too!!! Join me and commit to yourself to quit smoking or to give up whatever is your vice today!!!

Challenge yourself that you are stronger than the vice and that the vice does not control you. Assign an identity to your vice or associate it with something or someone. Each time you are about to partake think about who is winning, who is stronger, you or the vice? That is how I did it. Stopped Cold Turkey and It Feels Good!

No cheating. Once you quit, it is over. NEVER test yourself to see if you can occasionally resume your habit. You will lose EVERYtime, particularly if you enjoyed your vice. Before you know it, you will be smoking and vowing to quit again. So be true to you. Give it up! Quit today!!!

DNC 2012!!!

WHEW! What can I say? The 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC was all that and more! Speaker after speaker drove home the importance of this election and why it is ever so crucial to get out the vote!



Former President Bill Clinton was the hit for Day II of the convention. Methodically, he took his time and point by point confirmed for us his commitment of support for the re-election of President Obama. The crowd went wild when at the end of his speech, President Obama joined him on stage. What a sight to see! Two great men of vision and distinction sharing the platform.

Sadly however on Day II news came that due to the threat of a thunderstorm, the venue for Day III had been changed from an open air stadium to the Time Warner Arena which was considerably smaller in size; 75,000 seats as opposed to 17,000. Needless to say, a lot of supporters were going to be disappointed. I am happy to say that I was not one of them! On Day III I had the pleasure of witnessing President Obama accept the party's nomination and that was truly something to see! By the way, the decision to change venues, was a good call, the storm did come...

Day III began with breakfast with the NJ Delegation at their host hotel. Arriving with just eight minutes to spare, I scurried downtown to get my pass for the evening's event. It was the hottest ticket in town and a long shot, to say the least. Although I'd received tickets for the previous two nights, with a change in facilities, all bets were off. Beyond delegates, there was uncertainty as to who would receive the coveted passes for Day III. Needless to say I was thrilled and walking on a cloud with ticket in hand as I floated down College Street to the convention center to attend the Women's Caucus. Much to my delight, among other women of noted distinction, First Lady Obama and Dr. Biden were scheduled to speak.

The ballroom, packed with mostly women, was in for a treat. The audience was energized with tales of triumphs and inspired with chants of female empowerment. The First Lady, in her usual graceful and dignified manner, re-enforced the importance of this race and the critical roles women can play in these last days of Campaign 2012. She reminded us of the power of women and charged that each of us roll up our sleeves, buckle down and get involved. If able, she encouraged that we get to the battleground states and work endlessly to help get out the vote. Back in our own communities, she encouraged that we get folks registered, make contributions, phone calls, knock on doors, whatever we could do. At a minimum, she challenged that each f us commit to getting no less than five people registered to vote and then encourage those five register five more!

While certainly I was moved by the energy created by the First and other ladies that morning, what stands out to me is the grace and confidence of First Lady Obama. Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden were introduced as the "First and Second Ladies". Dr. Biden spoke a bit and then introduced Mrs. Obama. After thunderous applause and uncontrollable shouts of joy, First Lady Obama thanked us for our love and support and right away corrected that there was nothing second about her Friend, Dr. Biden. True to grace, she stood up for the honor of her Friend and left no doubt that she is comfortable enough in her own skin to share her spotlight. I would expect no less from our confident and gracious First Lady!

 



Although the event was not scheduled to happen for several hours, the focus was on getting there early to secure the best possible seating. So after a quick lunch with Friends at the Epic Center, which was packed with joyful people basking in the rays of the warm sun, being entertained by live music and randomly interviewed by roving reporters who were mostly broadcasting live, my good Friend and NJ Delegate, Joyce Walker, and I proceeded to the arena. It was only 2:30 pm and the event was not scheduled to start until 5pm, so we were in for a long wait. Our decision however was quite timely. Within minutes of our entering the arena, the sunny blue sky opened up and drenched the happy revelers with sheets of rain for about 30 minutes. These sporadic and sudden down pours had plagued us all week. So the decision of caution to change venues was well advised.

Because we were early we observed the "behind the scenes" preparation for the evening. Unexpectedly, we were entertained with Marc Anthony's sound check for the national anthem. That was a special treat and he did a spectacular job! Arriving early also affords one the opportunity to get to know the fellow attendees with whom you will share the evening. Our group was pretty lively and from all parts of the US and even one woman from Wales who has a relative named Nia Higginbotham. My last name is very British. She and I joked that we could be cousins. Spirits were positive as we buckled down for what was to be a long but energy packed night.

We were not disappointed. From the entertainment of James Taylor and Mary J. Blige to the President paying respect to his beautiful wife and family and accepting the nomination, the night was captivating. We were especially charged with the fire and energizing brimstone of former Michigan Governor, Jennifer Granholm. The entire audience came to life and cheered her on as she spell bounded and reminded us of the rewards and thousands of jobs saved by President Obama’s decision to save the American automobile industry. Congressman John Lewis reminded us of the struggles and great sacrifices he and others endured to move the country forward and vowed that we will not move back. I felt tears of pride and joy roll down my face as I was filled with memories of the spirit of the 2008 campaign and again inspired by a video featuring Ms. Edith S. Childs, the mastermind of the "Fired Up, Ready to Go!" slogan. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhWDFgRfi1Q Watch it and be moved by the will of one woman and the humility of a great President who recognized and valued the support of even a small group of campaign supporters in Greenwood, SC. It is his kindness, his humanity and his appreciation for ALL people that so endears him to so many around the world. FOUR MORE YEARS!!!

As in 2008, I am happy to have been able to attend another historic and record breaking convention. In 2008 I was quoted for saying that we were going all the way; Helen Higginbotham of New Jersey says,” It’s not going to stop - we're going all the way! We WILL be in Washington IN THE White House and IT'S FABULOUS!" http://rochesterhomepage.net/fulltext/?nxd_id=28641 I knew it then, I know it now! I am FIRED UP, READY TO GO and look forward to seeing you at the polls!!!

Each One Register One!!!

 

 



DNC 2012 Day One!!!

Greetings From DNC Convention 2012!

After last night's display of fantastic and thoughtful speakers, I do not have to tell you that I AM FIRED UP & READY TO GO!!!

Tickets were hard to come by so I felt blessed from the beginning. My two goals in attending were to hear both the First Lady and President Obama. So I knew that I needed to get passes for both Tuesday and Thursday night events. Thursday night tickets were pretty much confirmed. I did not, however, have confirmed seating to hear the First Lady speak last night.

MUCH to my delight, one of my contacts paid off and I did manage to get in to hear First Lady Obama live. As it turns out, she was the icing on a very appetizing cake. From beginning to end, each speaker mesmerized the audience with dignity, grace, compassion, intellect and genuine concern for the plight and well being of ALL Americans! They engaged the audience and made clear that the choice in this election is very clear! VOTE FOR THE GUY THAT HAS YOUR BACK!!!

Throughout the evening I was texting away making sure that close Friends and Family were tuned in and not missing this spectacular event. As the night went on I could not believe that the next speaker could be any better or even compare to the previous speaker. I was happy to repeatedly be proved wrong. Amazingly, one after the other gave the most powerful and compelling speech I have ever heard some of them give. Fellow attendees and I high fived, chanted and cheered them on!

We were inspired by a colorful display of eloquent, passionate, articulate and strong willed Democratic Congresswomen and female Democratic candidates. The late Ted Kennedy was channeled via video clips and warned the undecided voter not to be fooled by the many faces of Mitt Romney who was equally inconsistent on the issues in 1994 during a Massachusetts Senator race in which he was soundly defeated by the late Senator. I texted my Friends that the party would be crazy not to use some combination of those videos for a strong campaign message. Mr. Romney leaves no room for doubt that he will say or do ANYthing to get elected. All of the speakers warned of the dangers of this type of "leadership".

Lilly Ledbetter was visibly moved by an audience that could identify with her story and her passion and appreciation for a President who believed in her, in women, in equality and never hestiated to sign a historic piece of legislation that will benefit all women. We witnessed the birth of one who could conceivably follow in President Obama's footsteps and be the next minority Presidential candiate. His speech and his story was phenomenal!!! Governors, Mayors, Real Families, Enlightened former republicans, etc., all challenged us to get out the vote and to leave no mistake about the clear choice and whose got our back in this election.

The evening began with Mayor Corey Booker firing up the base and concluded with First Lady Obama sealing the deal! While First Lady Obama was speaking, I texted to my Friends that in an arena filled to the rafters, one could hear a pin drop. She fully engaged the audience and commanded our total attention and respect. She is a First Lady in every aspect of the term. She looked positively stunning and every woman in earshot was impressed with her perfect physique. It was a wonderful evening at the conclusion of a perfect day!

Days Two and Three will be harpressed to outdo Day One. Stay Tuned...

On This Mother's Day...

The video attached below is from, murder victim Trayvon Martin's Mother, Sybrina Fulton. Her words are very compelling. You can see her pain, feel her void, hear her sincerity... She wants that no other Mother is denied the sweet smell of success in celebration of their child's accomplishments. She wants to make sure that no other Mother has to endure the bitter taste of such senseless and avoidable loss...

Her heartfelt passion puts me in the mind of awakening in sunny Florida on Mother's Day 1997 following the ten year anniversary of my Mother's death. Resenting the pain of my void, I wrote and sent letters to her primary caregivers who I am convinced did not give my Mom the quality of medical care and attention she could afford but more importantly, that she deserved. I shared with them my displeasure with the service and advice provided and expressed to them the depth of my loss. I pleaded with them to be mindful of my pain and asked that going forward they commit to make it their duty to give EVERY Daughter's Mother the same care and advice they would give and want for their own Mother given similar medical circumstance. My Mother died from breast cancer on February 12, 1987. I miss her still...

One doctor is a female gynecologist, still treating and garnering trust of women who rely not only on her medical competence but who also ascribe to her, because she is a female, a badge of heightened concern and empathy, an assumed allegiance to due diligence in the care of women, AKA her "sisters". The other was a male oncologist. Both are still in practice. Of course neither doctor responded. Of course I did not expect them to...

Writing those letters however was therapy for me as surely making this video was for Ms. Fulton. I wanted those doctors to feel the depth of their recklessness. I wanted them to feel responsibility for their lack of regard for my Mother's life and the pain of the loved ones she left behind. I wanted that they recommit to their medical oath of service and that as they continued in practice, treating other Mother's daughters, although buried in the recess of their mind, that every now and again my words and my pain would resurface and resonate in the forefront of their mind and that they would consciously commit to do better! I can only hope...

I am certain that on this Mother's Day, her first without her beloved son, Ms. Fulton shares similar desires. No doubt that she wants george zimmerman, who abused the "Stand Your Ground" law, and proponents, who wrote and/or support this ridiculous law, to feel her pain, appreciate her loss and re-examine the purpose and usefulness of such irresponsible legislation... I am sure it is her hope that the Florida legislators and others realize the potential for abuse and the very real and very tragic human impact of this law, that they feel her pain, consider the pain of other Mothers and rescind and/or stop further consideration of similar legislation. She can only hope...

As a nation, we can do better... As a nation, let's love our Mothers...

Miss Higgi Says, "HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!" to all GOOD Mothers who, like my own Mother, do their very best to love, protect and provide for their children and who regularly give so unselfishly of themselves!!! It is your day and you deserve it!!!

Check out the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrWgdQFgUQ4

Exercise is a MUST. Skinny is NOT the Goal!!!

Saw this article yesterday. Forwarded by my good Friend, Arthur Turner, who keeps me informed... Thank You Arthur!

Black women are fat by what measures? Recently I requested a copy of my medical records and was astonished to find that my doctor described me as "obese"! By whose standards? While I am the typical American who has bought into the national OVER obsession with weight loss (even when not necessary), in NO way do I meet the visual impression of obesity. NO WAY!!!

Many Black women never have and never will fit the body weight/height measurements established with European bone structure in mind. Lay people often underestimate our weight when they try to guess. What do they say, we "carry it well" (smile). As the author points out, we have never embraced Twiggy and never will. YUCK!

While being overweight and unhealthy is NOT good and IS a concern in our community, somehow I am sure that there is MANY a woman who might want to be "obese" like me. I'm Just Sayin'... (smile)

Not that I am downplaying that Black women, like many Americans, are visually overweight, I do not think there is a "one size fits all" model when it comes to assessing acceptable body measurements. Scale weight that is fat and unhealthy on one person might be fit and lovely on another. YES we must be conscious of weight and YES we must be concered with being healthy and fit. But we must stop feeding into the hype of a multi-BILLION dollar industry that thrives on our paranoia and and is vested in and encourages our over obsession with weight. Lose the scale and consider ALL factors when determining health status. Exercise IS a MUST but skinny is NOT the Goal!!!
Be Healthy & Take Care of YOU!!!


http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/06/opinion/sunday/why-black-women-are-fat.html?_r=1

Be Inspired...

Recently I failed to slow down and share some of the very best news I have had in a long time! Bobby Higginbotham, the Mayor Of Waterproof, LA who was railroaded and imprisoned by a broken legal system filled with mean spirited, racist and overzealous jim crow "prosecutors" committed to advancing personal agendas, was VINDICATED! His conviction for a bunch of trumped up charges was VACATED in a 2-1 decision by the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals!!!

As you know, Bobby and I are dear Friends. I met him as I traveled to Jena, LA in support of six young men also being railroaded by the same corrupt and racially biased "jim crow" legal system.

The larger story here is that like Bobby, when you know that you are right, STAND YOUR GROUND!!!

Bobby had the wherewithal, the means, the stamina but mostly the dignity and self pride to defend himself. Despite the questionable and usually effective bullying tactics of the court tipping "justice" in their favor, Bobby REFUSED to yield and plead guilty to a crime he did not commit. Once incarcerated for NEARLY 2 years, Bobby REFUSED to let them break his spirit no matter how hard they tried, and believe me they tried... When offered the possibility of parole if only he groveled and apologized for a "crime" he did not commit Bobby REFUSED and opted instead to maintain his position of innocence and do his time, day for day... In December he walked out of prison, back straight, head held high, still maintaining his innocence and committed to continuing his fight for the truth! Dignity and pride in tact!

Last week he was VINDICATED!!! May we all be inspired by Bobby's strength, his tenacity and his conviction. Most would cave under such odds. Bobby is a very spiritual MAN who passed the test of belief. He NEVER lost confidence and he holds no grudges, not even against the towns people who he tried to help and who lied against him... Talk about forgiveness. He is a bigger person than most, one from whom I gain strength, one with whom I am proud to share my last name and one I am proud to know and will always call My Friend! Love Ya' Bobby!!!!


Be Inspired,

~ Miss Higgi ~
http://www.colorofchange.org/blog/2012/apr/30/colorofchange-members-help-la-mayor-overturn-bogus/

Managing Perceptions...

The photo and the criticism it is receiving reminds me of attending a DNC rally in DC some years ago, during the 90s when DC was still "chocolate", majority Black. A young group of aspiring "future" Democrats attended the rally to conduct a workshop. As their leader was speaking about "future" Democrats, her workers were mingling about the crowd disseminating the new organization's brochures. The cover was adorned with an overhead shot of a group of young people looking face up at the camera, ostensibly depicting the image of future Democrats...

Amongst this planned photo shoot depicting the face of "future" Democrats, was not one face of color! Recall that this group was speaking to a predominantly Black audience in DC, which was likely 70% Black at the time, about the future of the Democratic party, speaking to an audience of Black folks who tend to be blindly loyal to the Democratic party...

The group's leader, a young White woman, was horrified when I pointed out to her what a terrible blunder her organization had made. She apologized profusely, immediately stopped disseminating the brochures and tried to retrieve those already passed around. It was too late, the damage had been done. The message, although subliminal, perhaps unintentional, had already been transmitted...

A valuable lesson on why it is important to give MORE than lip service to one's commitment to diversity... Had there been people of color on her team, they would have immediately noticed and alerted leadership that they were not included in the organization's perception of "future" Democrats. The organization would likely have never published the photo and spared themselves public humiliation or even the perception of future exclusion of persons of color ... While the present photo depicts only a fraction of the Obama campaign staff in Chicago, perception is reality and there is still ample time to manage this image.

I'm Just Sayin'...

Here is link to Newsweek article: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/04/10/an-obama-campaign-photo-that-looks-like-a-young-republican-rally.html#comments

Newsweek: Americans Still Divided Over Race

Recently I read a book wherein a Black character, limited by the impediments of jim crow and the social timing of his existence (late 50's early 60's), pondered how he could live in a cage restricted by circumstance and denial of opportunity and his White counterpart, living in the same time, be oblivious to the "bars" restricting his friend... I found the answer in another book.


One cannot see the bars limiting the existence and growth of another because s/he is not affected by the bars, the plight(s), surrounding others. S/he is indifferent to “the bars”, even when the bars are restricting friends. Also many believe that post President Obama, America has cleared the hurdles of race, bleached the stains of the past and proven to be a "post racial" and harmonious society tolerant of race and diversity. No longer is racism angry, overtly hostile or terroristic. Surely it [racism] must be behind us... It takes only a second to walk in the shoes of another to know that this is not so...

I am reminded of vacationing in Hawaii circa 2001. I met a very nice young White American couple. They were school teachers who explained that during the previous year they had come on vacation, fell in love with the natural beauty and peacefulness of the island, returned home long enough to pack their belongings and quickly returned to settle in paradise until death made them part...

Unfortunately paradise was not so welcoming. They explained that the native Hawaiians and Samoans, mostly young, were not kind to them and did not want them there. They described how horribly they were treated, disrespected and how often the male especially feared for his safety, even in the classroom. They were hurt and sad to be leaving. I will never forget their sharing with me that every White American should live in HI to know “how it must feel to be Black in America”, back on the mainland... It was not the same experience as being a tourist in Hawaii. They were not in the majority and they were painfully aware that they were not welcome [as residents] in Honolulu... I have since corroborated their experience with other White Americans who have also ventured to live there. Their experience was not so unusual...

Race is the proverbial elephant in the American living room. He is recklessly stomping about, blinding us in his shadow and deafening us with his trumpeting blow. We fear him, deny his existence, refuse to see or hear him and we dare not discuss him. So is it any wonder that we are so far apart in our perceptions as depicted in this Newsweek article? http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/04/08/a-newsweek-poll-show-americans-still-divided-over-race.html#comments. One's perception is his reality...

As we pretend that the elephant is extinct or that he will somehow just go away, his might will surely trample us. I’m Just Sayin’…

Time to let the Dialogue, thus the healing, begin…

Strange Fruit in 2012...

I live in upstate NY where I am President of a local branch of the NAACP. On Monday I received a call from a member reporting that there was a Black doll baby hanging from a tree in a nearby town. Ironically, later that day, I had business near that town. I decided to do a drive by and Lo & Behold, in Endwell, NY in 2012 there actually stood a very tall and leafless tree bearing "Strange Fruit"!!! I could not believe it!!!


Here is the link for the eventual story... http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012204020364  The homeowner would have you believe that his 8 or 10 year child playfully and casually threw the doll up in this very high tree some 6 months ago, it got dirty or "molded" while up there, thus giving the appearance that it is a Black doll AND that it just happened to innocently suspend in a manner that resembles hanging from a noose... OK... You Decide...

There Are No Words...

• 

I have gotten many inquiries regarding what is my position on the murder of Trayvon Martin, an innocent and UNARMED Black teenager murdered in Florida, seemingly for "Walking While Black" in a gated and predominantly White Florida community. The murder was committed by a known perpetrator more than one month ago and still there has been no arrest... BEYOND incredulous, if I might say so myself... Cannot imagine under what circumstances and under the protections of what law, a similarly accused Black man would remain free...

Why haven't I written on it? Because it weighs so heavy on my heart. I am deeply dismayed that STILL in America Black life is of so little value, particularly our youth, still we are deemed dispensable and our deaths unimportant, deeply dismayed that STILL in America the pain and tears of a Black Mother following the loss or injury of her offspring is somehow less significant, less gripping, less hurtful to the media and mainstream America...  I am deeply dismayed that STILL in America in 2012, post Rodney King, post Emmett Till, post Amadou Diallo, post Abner Louima, post Oscar Grant that STILL when convenient, we want to make the Black victim of an egregious crime responsible for the acts committed against him... I am deeply dismayed that despite being an attorney in America, when it comes to justice for  far too many folks who look like me, I feel helpless and overwhelmed...

I am deeply dismayed that daily young Black men must deal with the reality that at any given moment they can be regarded "suspicious" and become the next Trayvon Martin...

Again, my heart is heavy...

Our nation is in trouble... Because we have not dealt honestly with the issue of race, privilege and the atrocities of our past (and our present), we are a powder keg waiting to explode. Let's pray that this is not the match that ignites the flame...  This is a very different generation. Not sure we can know what to expect...

I am SUSPICIOUS...  Deeply Suspicious that something is terribly wrong in Florida. Deeply Suspicious that this matter will not be handled properly, Deeply Suspicious that it is about to go completely out of control... I'm Just Guessin'...

Let's Pray Not...

I received the link for this video this morning. Check it out. It sums up what is the underlying issue here... Please watch and as always, pass it on...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJr9ncNzXLs&feature=player_embedded

Too Funny Not To Share...

OK, so I signed up for one of those dating sites where "Black People Meet"... Some random dude wants to "meet" me. I read his message and then check out his profile which suggests that I check out his Facebook page, which I do. Where, much to my surprise, he wrote: "I have been happily and faithfully married for many years. After God my wife is the love and strength of my life."... WHAT??? I couldn't make that up! LOL!


Of course I let him know that per his advice, I visited his Facebook page. I then asked, so which is it? Are you happily married or happily divorced? To which he replied, he put that on FB to keep certain women from hitting on him??? OK, so my head screws on and off!!! Ironically his profile NO longer refers you to Facebook. Surprise. Surprise!!!

Married? Unless you are miserable or married to a creep like this, STAY THAT WAY!!! (smile) Too Funny Not to Share... Happy Monday!!!

RESPECT YOURSELF!!!

Someone posted this photo on Facebook this morning...  I am disgusted by this trend of wearing one's pants below their butt. I am just as disgusted by people wearing their pajamas in the street. Here is my response to the Facebook post:

I ain't mad at this store owner! Some will call it discrimination aimed at Black youth. I call it demanding that these (ALL) young men give to others the respect they crave or demand for themselves. I don't want to see anyone's dirty undies or their crusty behinds - Black, White or otherwise! So if they are not interested in respecting themselves, at least respect me! I hope this sign becomes a trend. I would add however, NO PAJAMAS! If you are too lazy to get dressed before leaving home, STAY THERE!!! And there is my Friday Rant!!! I'm Just Sayin' (smile)

In the words of the Staple Singers; RESPECT YOURSELF!!!

A Mother's Love; A 25 Year Reflection...

As I awake on the 25th anniversary of the death of my own Mother, who I adored and continue to admire, I am saddened by the continuing barrage of news about the death on yesterday of singer Whitney Houston, Bobbi Kristina’s Mother and I am still grasping with the death and preparing for the funeral of a very dear Friend, mentor and my most favorite and inspiring college professor ever, Dr. Flora Dorsey-Young, Bunny & Billy’s Mother…

While death is a part of living, it still hits us like a ton of bricks. Never are we prepared to lose those who are so special in our lives, particularly those who gave us life or those to whom we have given life. They say the two hardest deaths to deal with are that of a parent or a child. Sadly, I can attest to the former…

Incredulously, it has been 25 years since the loss of my Mother. Where does the time go? Seems like another life. So much has changed... Still, I miss her terribly and often wonder what she would look like, what hairstyle she would be rockin’, would she have aged gracefully, remarried, would I recognize her voice, what would have become of her life is she’d had another 25 years and in the words of Eric Clapton, would she know my name if she saw me in heaven? Of course she would… Her presence is still ever so strong in my life that I cannot believe that I have already lived nearly half my life without her. I feel her in my heart and her love is ever present in my mind. She was my rock, my cheerleader, my confidante and my VERY Best Friend! Her unconditional and undying love was enviable. Others should be so fortunate! The maternal love and guidance I received in the first 26 years of my life is more than some will ever know. My words of comfort to those who also awake this morning without a Mother is that she never leaves you…

A few months ago following funeral services for a community matriarch and family friend the procession traveled to the old “Negro” cemetery where my Mother, her Mother and half the Black folks who ever lived in Glassboro, NJ are buried. It was one of those “hotter than July” summer days and my natural hair was fighting recession and my cute little white dress was drenched with sweat as I stood in that cemetery surrounded by dear Friends who are mostly like Family.

Ironically, my place in the funeral procession resulted in my parking very near to my Mother’s grave. Of course before heading to join the others I braved the torch of the sun and my heels getting stuck in the dirt with my every step to pay respect at my Mother’s grave. While I visit often to place flowers, lay a grave blanket or just to be reminded, I have never been one who has found comfort talking to a tombstone. Admittedly, I do take comfort in seeing that huge smile I am so grateful to have inherited beaming back at me from her picture on her tombstone, an investment I strongly recommend to the living of the dearly departed, you will come to appreciate it, I promise you will… So other than a few words of affection and admiration, giving thanks for life, a finger kiss to her photo, a mental embrace and an exchange of smiles, I don’t usually have prolonged conversations with my Mother at her gravesite. I pull some weeds, lay a new adornment, tell her I love her and keep it moving. I suppose because I talk to her so frequently in my daily life, I don’t feel an overwhelming need to have those infamous gravesite chats.

My Mother’s presence is with me at all times. Words of advice I often share with Friends of the recently departed is that you should never lose sight of that. Do not allow that others define or dictate to you how you should grieve or deal with the loss of your loved one. With good intentions, others will often discourage that we talk about, and certainly that we talk to, our dearly departed. They will armchair counsel that we are prolonging our grief, clinging to the past and not moving on with our own lives. Don’t listen to them…

To know me when my Mother lived, was to know that she was my world and that I loved her dearly. I was always telling “Mommy” stories so why would I stop? She is still an intricate part of who I am. Why would I deny or suppress that? To know me post my Mother’s death, is to know that she is still my world and that still I love her dearly. I still tell “Mommy” stories. I am sure that I have new Friends who never met her but who feel like they know her… That’s my testament to her. She continues to be a source of pride and inspiration so quite naturally, I keep her alive… True Friends understand that. So let no one tell you how to grieve. Manage your loss as you see fit…

Now let's be clear, I don’t talk to or about my Mother everyday but she is always on my mind. Ev’ry now and then, I look to the heavens and I laugh because I know she is looking down and shaking her head and saying “Po’ Thing!” like when I burn the boiled eggs, when I touch the iron too long to see if it is hot, when I ruin yet another shirt in the laundry, when I lose another button that will never get sewn back on or whenever else I foul up something that she always did for me that by now I should have mastered. I too shake my head and I say “Mommy, stop laughing at me” as I laugh at myself! I know. I’m ridiculous OR perhaps just not domestic. And I’m OK with that, Really, I am. In these matters, I graciously accept defeat!

Alternatively however, ev’ry now and then, I look to the heavens and I feel her smile as I graduate from law school at the age of 46, as I travel and enjoy the world, as I honor her life and her memory by living in a manner that would make her proud, as I advocate and have compassion for others, fight for what is fair and just and treat others with the dignity and respect I demand for myself. On those occasions I hear her cheering me on! And ev’ry now and then, she finds a unique way to speak to me directly…

When we were children I recall that one of my Mother’s favorite songs was “Only the Strong Survive” by Jerry Butler. OK, young folks, I don’t think that that song has been remixed yet so that you all know the words and think it’s a 1990 original, so I will wait while you go to YouTube to get a quick listen… (smile) So now that you are back, I will continue that while I did not understand it as a child, I realize now that for quite some time, the words on that warped 45’ must have been like an anthem, or a mantra for my Mother. Like women today find strength in Whitney Houston’s “I’m Every Woman”, Jerry’s words empowered my Mother, pushed her to another day and reaffirmed that she was strong and that she would survive…

After less than 10 years of marriage, my father decided that he no longer wanted to be “Daddy”. So without missing a beat and without ever looking back or paying the $25 weekly child support (yeah, $5 per kid), he walked out of our lives and left my Mother at the tender age of 25, to fend for herself and for the five children she now had to raise on her own! Thanks to her strength, her love and her countless personal sacrifices I don’t know what it means to be hungry, to wear tattered clothing, to live without heat or electricity or any of the other realities of poverty, because financially, we were undoubtedly poor! Rich in pride, spirit and countless other virtues, but money did not come easy!  
Twenty five and five babies? Hell! That scares me and I am educated and able to earn a decent living and probably could take care of five children if I had to. But as any good Mother does, she shielded her flock from knowing her fears or the realities of our existence. Appropriately we were allowed to be children so I did not understand then, but I do understand now. I understand the significance of Jerry…

So here I am in that cemetery on that hot July day. The services are over, I share some love, get and give a few kisses and hop in my car to start on my or 2.5 trek back home. Having grown up with such young parents, I grew up with music. So I am an oldies fanatic! I am so in tuned to old music that I am barely aware of the new. I have no regard for rap and lament that our youth who think it music or talent, are culturally deprived. My Mother likely shares my sentiment and is looking down at them too, scratching her head and saying “Po’ Things!, they think that is music”… Sorry Guys. I’m trying… I concede that Tupac was a genius! (smile)

So anyway, I hop in my car and of course the radio is set to WDAS, the station I listened to while growing up in the NJ suburbs of Philly. What’s on the radio? Yeah, you guessed it, Patty Jackson, the DJ, is pumping “Only the Strong Survive”. I kid you not! I could not make this up. Did I mention that I am a frustrated singer and that I wish that I could really sing? Well I do. Without missing a beat or giving any thought to what is happening, I start belting out the song, “Only the Strong Survive, only the strong survive, hey, you gotta’ be strong, ya’ gotta hold on…”

I am in full concert when it hits me! I am in the cemetery, only feet away from my Mother’s grave and I am singing HER song! Call it what you like. Some may call it coincidence, some may call it wishful or foolish thought, and others just may not believe me. I call it the unstoppable, undeniable power of maternal love. This occurred during a time when I was beating up on myself about personal matters in my life, as we all do from time to time. I am sure that I was being more critical of myself than necessary. And usually when we feel like this, it is our Mothers who step in to reassure and make us feel better. It is at that moment that I realize that my Mother still knows my heart and that she is hearing me and speaking to me directly… I stop in my tracks, look to her tombstone and I am reminded of the stock from which I hail. I am comforted by her confirmation that she is still with me, that she still listens and cares, that sometimes she really does laugh at and find me ridiculous! But mostly I am reminded to ease up on myself and to remember that like her, I am strong and that I will survive no matter the situation…

I hate that I am alone and not able to immediately share this experience with someone. But it does not take me long to call my armchair counselor girlfriends to share with them my joy and to solicit their help in my assessment of what just happened. We dissect what my Mother was trying to say. We agree that all we need to know is that she is still present in my life and that on that day, through my car radio, my Mother chose to communicate with me. I did not have to get in my car at that second. The DJ did not have to play Jerry Butler at that moment. I did not have to be in a place of conscious awareness at that time. I will not believe that any of that was coincidence.

Instantly I am now happy that I was alone, quiet in the moment and able to hear my Mother’s voice in the unique manner in which she chose to speak to me. As it turns out, I am feeling pretty happy so I don’t immediately drive home as planned but instead I stop and visit a few Friends and Family. It is dark when I do get on the road for my 2.5 hour journey. I am driving along deep in thought enjoying the silence when I feel myself welling up. I am overwhelmed by my experience and I want to hear my Mother’s voice, I want to know for certain what she is trying to tell me and while I am grateful for my encounter of a unique kind, after 25 years, I still want my Mommy…

Farewell Dr. Young, my good Friend and my mentor. You will be sorely missed. Thank you for the memories and the wisdom that will surely sustain me… And to Bunny, Billy, Bobbi Kristina and all else who will join in our ranks of physically Motherless children, not to worry, your Mother lives inside of you and she will speak to you too. Be Still, Be Patient and Listen…

They Had A Dream...

                                                                                                                                                                                           
My celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday was especially commemorative this year. I spent the weekend in Washington, DC and had the pleasure of touring the White House, the Capitol, the Frederick Douglass house, hearing Reverend Jeremiah Wright preach his annual sermon at my alma mater Howard University, paying homage at the MLK memorial, taking in afrocentric art and portrait exhibits, playing tour guide and enjoying camaraderie and fellowship with a few very special friends, old and new. It was a wonderful weekend indeed!

The real story however that makes it such a phenomenal weekend is how the weekend came to be… I have a very special friend who I affectionately call ‘Uncle Tommie’. Uncle Tommie is 82 years old and uncle to a dear friend whose entire family is now my family. He and his sister, Ms Terlina, 95, are native Mississippians who share my passion for politics, civil rights, race relations and anything Obama. We take much pride in our President and his family. We speak regularly on these and other matters. Always our exchanges are engaging, insightful and always I am guaranteed to learn something new. Having lived in pre-civil rights Mississippi, both have a wealth of knowledge and life experiences to share and I delight in being benefactor of their wisdom and appreciate the generosity of their thoughts. Thank you Uncle Tommie and Ms Terlina…

Some months ago following my visit to DC for President Obama’s official dedication of the MLK memorial, Uncle Tommie and I had one of our regular conversations. Of course he is proud and wants very much to see the monument. However, during our conversation he also mentioned that he especially wanted to see the White House while we have a Black President. It is understandable that a man of 82 from Mississippi never thought he would see such an event in his lifetime. He and his sister are so very proud and like so many from their generation, never thought they would see a Black President leading our nation, a holiday in celebration of Dr. King’s birthday and now a beautiful monument erected on the national mall in his honor. They call it progress…


Although I am no where near as focused or driven, and certainly I do not compare myself, but like Dr. King and President Obama, I too enjoy the occasional dream (smile). I am especially charged when I do focus and manage to make stuff happen! I LOVE seeing folks happy and doing my part to bring joy and make dreams come true. So even though we have a solid five more years of an Obama Presidency, immediately following my conversation with Uncle Tommie, I reached out to his sons, Eric and Vincent, to solicit their support in making real their Father’s current dream to visit DC.


I chose MLK weekend for our trek because I thought timing of the holiday was perfect to honor Uncle Tommie’s twofold desire to pay homage and respect to fulfillment of the dreams of Dr. King and President Obama. We would tour the White House and visit the MLK memorial in their honor. What started out as a simple trip to DC for five people however, quickly evolved into a weekend excursion filled with sightseeing and afrocentric events for 39 people! Our group of invitees ranged in age from 9 to 95 and spanned geographically from Binghamton, NY to San Francisco, CA. Sadly my dear cousin Loretta Crawford, 87, passed away in November before we could make the trip. As the nature of our gathering was prompted by an elder in celebration of Black history, it was important that our group reflect a broad span of the generations.


Eric and I both contacted our respective elected officials, Congressman Hinchey (NY) and Senator Menendez (NJ). Amazingly both offices secured approvals for our request to tour the White House and the Capitol. We decided to take the tour on Friday, January 13th. Although on the eve of our visit, as “luck” would have it on Friday the 13th, our tour time was changed from 10am to 7am requiring that we rise at some ungodly hour to ensure arrival at the White House by 6:30am. In keeping with the spirit of superstition, we had a few expected casualties and lost some members from our group; a few had scheduling conflicts, one became ill, one arrived but then had a tragic slip and fall and a few others were just simply discouraged by an early morning journey. Ultimately 24 people showed up to take part in the White House tour. Our ‘misfortune’ of schedule change however, turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The conflict resulted in our getting guided tours filled with historical fact and presidential anecdotes as opposed to taking self guided tours walking through the White House and assuming the significance of things… While seeing the President and/or the First Lady would have been PHENOMENAL, our visit to the White House was Great!!!


Following our White House tour and a quick snack at Old Ebbitt Grill Express Café, a few locals departed to report for work but the rest hopped on the Metro and proceeded to the US Capitol. Did I mention that it was bone chilling cold and windy and that we had a few blocks to walk on each end? As we were still on a high’ from our White House visit, no one seemed to notice. That is until after lunch when the effects of a long drive for some, 5am or earlier wake up for others and “itus” (a losing battle with sleepiness following consumption of a very heavy meal) for many, began to set in. Upon departure from the Capitol, our group greatly reduced in size and taxis replaced the touristy thrill of traveling by Metro.


We toured the Capitol and then gathered in the cafeteria for lunch and fellowship. As we did not all know one another, we laughed, got acquainted, shared highlights of our tours and talked about how our trip and our group had come to be. There was some rumbling about our “bossy” tour guide, who bore a striking resemblance to me… Hmm, imagine that! Surely her intentions were good. Forgive her… (smile)


Over lunch we discovered that we had history in the making amongst us and we learned what an entomologist is. Kaleela Thompson is a 12 year old girl from Hampton, VA who is already a published author. She KNOWS where she will go to college and she KNOWS that when she grows up she will be an entomologist! Her confidence and determination was inspiring and delightfully symbolic of the historic purpose of our visit. As we gathered in honor of the dreams of elders such as Uncle Tommie and Ms Terlina, and in celebration of the realization of the dreams of Martin Luther King and President Obama, Kaleela and the other youth who traveled with us represented the promise of our future, the realization of our history, our struggles and were gifts to our present. Their presence was absolutely refreshing!


For those who will not admit that they do not know, per Webster, an entomologist is a zoologist who focuses specifically on the study of insects. Come on now, some of you didn’t know that... Not to worry, your secret is safe with you… (smile) Kaleela’s motto is appropriately “Learning is Growing in the Garden”. She has been fascinated with insects since she was four. Her book is entitled Oh Where, Oh Where is My Swallowtail? Google Kaleela and please buy her book in support of her dream and use it to inspire other children to realize their similar potential and to encourage that they too dare to dream…


OK so we lost a few more from our group before heading across town to tour the Frederick Douglass house. A group that began with 24 at the White House and reduced to 20 touring the Capitol was now greatly reduced in size to eight who were going to tour the Frederick Douglass house! The others took this tour on subsequent days during our MLK/Black History weekend. For those of us who visited the Frederick Douglass house on Friday, we lucked out again. We could not have asked for a better tour guide. Jasmine Armstrong, a Park Ranger who hails from Denver, was a real gem! She was passionate about her job, knowledgeable and proud of the subject matter and gave one of the best and most informative tours I have ever had at the Frederick Douglass house. Thank you Jasmine…


Following our last planned tour of the day, we divided even further. Our family of four was off to see the MLK memorial while the remaining of us headed to the waterfront where we enjoyed the view of a beautiful sunset over a scrumptious seafood dinner, great service and wonderful ambience at the Channel Inn restaurant before calling it a night. It was the end of a really long day and we were good and tired! I should note that on Thursday, preceding our White House tour, some of us visited and photographed the White House and the MLK memorial by night. It was an unusually warm “winter” night of about 60 degrees. We cherished the anomaly of the January weather and appreciated the warmth of the night as a tease before the pending freeze that was forecasted to greet us on the following morning…


On Saturday, yet another combination of our group formed. While some toured the Frederick Douglass House, seven of us gathered to take in the exhibits and have lunch. We met at the Corcoran Gallery to see “30 Americans”, an interesting and rather expressive art exhibit featuring works from 30 different Black artists. We meticulously critiqued the displays, each of us arriving at a distinct interpretation, and then we proceeded across town to have lunch at Eatonville, a delightful and soulful restaurant dedicated to the theme and birthplace of renown Harlem Renaissance writer, Zora Neal Hurston. Most had some combination of catfish, greens, cornbread, mac and cheese and/or shrimp and grits. Everyone loved her lunch and again the opportunity to commune with new and old friends.


Amongst us were two San Franciscans and die hard 49er fans. Had that “bossy” tour guide not dropped them back at the hotel so that they could watch the football game, descriptions of her would have become less kind and much too descriptive to print in this friendly forum… So needless to say, the dutiful tour guide deposited these two ladies and their sleepy companion, who again was plagued by the effects of “itus”, safely back at the hotel to nap and/or to watch the game, which by the way, much to their "champagne" delight, the 49ers won. The remaining four of us continued on to the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery where we viewed the next exhibit, “The Black List”, which featured portraits in celebration of 53 noted public figures in the Black community. This was our favorite of the two exhibits. We had a good time and ended another long day on a good note.


Sunday was the treat of all treats! I got to show off my alma mater, Howard University, THEE premier historically Black university (smile). We were riveted in song by university choirs, inspired by prayer from Dean Richardson and others and encouraged in sermon by one of Howard’s favorite sons, Reverend Dr. Jeremiah Wright. Preaching and worshiping at Howard is in such demand that we have outgrown the capacity of our historic chapel. We now meet on Sundays in Cramton Auditorium with seating for 1500, which is not inclusive of the abundance of people assembled on stage and responsible for delivery of the service.


Whenever Reverend Wright preaches, which is always on the Sunday preceding observance of the MLK holiday, the place is guaranteed to be filled to the rafters. Arrangements for overflow seating equipped with big screen television monitors are required to accommodate the large crowd that will not all fit into the auditorium. This Sunday was no exception! Folks showed up in mass to hear Reverend Wright preach. I am happy to report that most from the original group made their way to Howard to hear Reverend Wright preach, some for the very first time. As is often the case, all were inspired and moved not only by his word but also by his patience as he waited and received each who wanted to grab a hug, share a kind word, shake his hand or pose with him for a photo, as did our visitors from California. It was a wonderful and absolutely fulfilling morning. No one was disappointed…


Our long weekend was now coming to an end. We said our goodbyes to those who had to begin their journey home while the remaining eight of us proceeded to Union Station to conclude our MLK/Black History celebration. We enjoyed a continuous flow of mimosas, soulful food, good service and more spirited conversation over brunch at B. Smith’s, an upscale and well known Black owned restaurant located in beautiful Union Station. We laughed, took photos, promised to get together again and just had an overall good time! Before finally retiring for the evening, some again visited the MLK memorial. The view by day is much different than that by night. We wanted to have both experiences…


By Monday, the actual day of observance of Dr. King’s birthday, our celebration had pretty much concluded. Our Californians had another day on their own and the rest of us had to get begin our treks back home. As I was driving I called Uncle Tommie. I wanted to thank him. As it turned out, just before our trip to Washington, DC, the city experienced a cold snap. Although only for a brief spell, the bone chilling weather lasted long enough to snap Uncle Tommie back to reality! It served as a vivid reminder of why he still lives in the south. There is NO WINTER… Uncle Tommie exerted his well deserved right at 82' to do what ever he pleases. He chose to defer realization of his dream until Spring! (smile). We respected that...


So while Uncle Tommie did not physically join us to celebrate his dream of honoring Dr. King and President Obama, certainly he was with us in spirit. It was my pleasure to share with others the fruits of my many phone conversations with Uncle Tommie and his sister Ms Terlina. During our weekend celebration we were all benefactors of their spirit, their wisdom, their will, and their generosity of thought... After all, it was Uncle Tommie’s dream that sparked the vision that brought us together for a beautiful and most successful weekend. We reveled in good company, celebrated Black history and paid honor to the dreams of Dr. King and President Obama. And although we missed you Uncle Tommie, for your dream, we are forever thankful and eternally grateful. We now have wonderful memories and an MLK/Black History celebration to be treasured...


Click on this link and enjoy the marvels of technology:
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj112/iconreese3/holidays/AMLK4.gif

Miss Higgi on Red Tails...

On yesterday I stole a moment to go see Red Tails. It was a movie well done and certainly I strongly recommend that you see it too. However, I found myself imagining that Cuba's character was being played by the late, great and ever talented Adolph Caesar. I kept longing to see Denzel's fine face and fine acting on the big screen. But then I realized that that was "then" and this is "now". "Then" was Glory, Soldier's Story or HBO's movie depiction of the Tuskegee Airmen. The "Now" story about the heroics of Black men in uniform has previously been told, been tried and did very well at the box office...

That being said, Red Tails was an excellent movie and hats off to George Lucas for producing it. The moral is, that when a quality movie featuring a majority Black cast is produced and marketed well, box office revenues will correlate... I am sick of hearing "Hollywood" use the lame excuse that such movies are not profitable as some lame reason or excuse not to produce them or alternatively as an excuse to keep producing offensive and stereotypical junk movies about Black people. Produce a quality product, market it well, distribute it to enough theaters and more often than not, it will sell, just as does any other movie... It really is just that simple... I'm Just Sayin'...

GO SEE THE MOVIE FOLKS! It is nicely done...

The Art of Scapegoating; To "Win" By Any Means Necessary...

Someone on Facebook shared this article. In light of the current use of Black folks as scapegoats or political pawns, I could not resist sharing as well. This is raw politics. The author, Charles Blow, hits the nail on the head in his NY Times Op-Ed piece, The G.O.P.'s 'Black People' Platform, wherein he addresses race in terms of the current republican political agenda. The modern day dixiecrats long ago figured out that blaming the Black guy and inciting tension between the races, particularly between Blacks and the poor and/or uneducated Whites, who is largely their audience, is gold at the polls! Horrible, divisive and detrimental for the nation but gold at the polls.

reagan learned this lesson well. His core political agenda was to divide and conquer, pit the races against one another by convincing disgruntled or disenchanted White folks that they were somehow disenfranchised or being denied their "due right" to opportunity, jobs, promotions, education, business loans, etc to “shiftless and lazy” Black folks who were being "given" all these benefits by those "nasty guilt and shame ridden" liberal Democrats. The constant interjection of reagan’s name and the continued glorification of his “accomplishments” throughout the country, hailing him as some "great president", putting his names on buildings, airports, highways and the like keeps his message of division and White entitlement 'just because', alive and well...

Often I am reminded of Lee Atwater who went to his grave begging for forgiveness for orchestrating much of this hatred and these destructive and far reaching shenanigans. No matter, the 'roves' of the world learned this lesson even better and fine tuned it to a point where NOTHING, NO ONE and NO level of DECEPTION is off limits. Just win, and win at any cost... Of course during these hard economic times when folks of all races are hurting, what other strategy would dixiecrats employ? Historically this strategy has been tried and has held true. So, while surely it will backfire in the general election, as is evidenced by the comments that follow this article, for now it will suffice. It is a means to the end and the end is to beat the "Black guy". Weak and desparate candidates resort to weak and desperate measures....

I hope you will take a moment to read the comments following Mr. Blow's article. I am impressed by the enlightened and fair assessments made by the readers, both Black and White readers alike. It encourages me that all Americans don't have their heads in the sand... I scratch my head however in wonderment as I watch Black [and moderate] republicans who sit idly by and say nothing about the views from which their candidates do not exclude them. Conversely, these Black republicans zealously defend and endorse these candidates. The more racist they seem, the more their Black supporters champion their "cause", don their sheets, become their voice... While I get that, for them, it is financially expedient for these puppets of self hate to deny themselves as they "adjust their bootstraps" and run with their parties' mantle of hate and division, at what point does pride, dignity, self worth, responsibility and/or accountability kick in? I'm Just Askin'...

Please share with your friends and Kudos to Mr. Blow for a most insightful article!

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/07/opinion/blow-the-gops-black-people-platform.html?_r=1