About Rachel...

Recently I watched the Rachel Dolezal special on Netflix, The Rachel Divide. I watched with an open mind. She has been blackballed in most respects. While I don't agree with her behaviors and certainly very little of her logic, I can't say I agree with this social pariah stigma under which she lives.

Sadly, the predicament in which she finds herself was totally avoidable. Black folks, who are some of the most accepting people on earth, would have accepted her as a White woman supporting our struggle. She would not have been rejected by the NAACP. She would have had no problem teaching Africana studies. She could have even adopted Black children. She just would not be having the problems she is having now. Her "friends" abandoned her. Real friends would have...

Of late, she is unable to secure employment and has reportedly been charged with welfare fraud. Some find that humorous and deserving. I do not. I wish her and her family well. She seemingly has raised two grounded and intelligent sons.

Unlike most others, I see Rachel's stance claiming to be Black, as White or middle America's worst nightmare. Despite all the trimmings, rights, benefits and privileges of whiteness, still she aspired to identify as Black. She is the reason Whites flee the neighborhood when Blacks move in or conversely make Black neighborhoods unaffordable forcing Blacks out when they move in. She abandoned her whiteness, that which was to be a coveted and protected status, being White. She threw it away for what is to be regarded an undesirable station in life. being Black. Rachel is not the role model White America wants for their children. Listen to our music, dance and dress like Black folks, even marry and have babies with us but never must they abandon their privilege of being White in America...

I have also always appreciated that in her pursuit to identify as a Black woman, she at least represented a positive image of a Black woman. She carried herself well, she was polished, educated, conscious in appearance, committed to social justice, etc. as opposed to other women who are not Black but who in their efforts to identify as Black, portray the most insulting of Black woman stereotypes and grossly exaggerate the personification of ghetto fabulous. As a proud Black woman, I get it. If I wasn't already a Black woman, hell!, I would want to be me too. So I get it...

I am not defending her but I am not crucifying her either. I don't have the answers for her but I think she has a right to survive. She is Mother with mouths to feed. She has a right to earn a living. I hope she finds her way. Check out the Netflix special. Her son aspired to go to Howard University Law. Howard could have shaped him. He left for Spain to find his voice during the taping. Still, she wants to be accepted as Black. That is never likely to happen despite changing her name to something Afrocentric. The Black community has spoke...

According to the documentary, her book, In Full Color: Finding My Place in a Black and White World, sold only 596 copies upon release. I guess I am one of the few to watch her Netflix special. I have now heard her side and Black Spokane's side of the story. Interesting and complex to say the least...

Listening To That Little Voice...

                                                  

Listening to that little voice...

Yesterday evening I went to a nail salon to treat myself to a pedicure. I had not previously visited this salon. A "bonus" at the shop was that they offered a shoulder rub as you were seated in the chair with your feet under the toe dryer. I thought it too rough and I could have passed on it but I indulged my "special" treatment as it was short lived... The REAL bonus of going to that shop was meeting two new Sistah Girlz'. We laughed and talked politics and race and connected on that very special level because that's what Sistahs do when we gather... I love me some US!!!

At least 45 minutes after leaving the salon, I am climbing the stairs about to enter my building when I feel one of the gold chains I wear falling beneath my blouse. I put everything down and realize that it is the smaller of the two chains I wear. It is the chain with my gold scarab from Egypt that has broken. I have worn it for years. The chain, which is special because it was my Mom's, was there but no scarab. I practically disrobe on the steps leading into my building looking for my scarab. LOL!!! I realize that it must have broke during my "massage" from the guy at the nail salon... Immediately I back tracked my steps through the parking lot back to my car. Although well lighted, it was dark. I don't see it. A neighbor helps me in my search. Thank you neighbor but no luck...

The shop is closed by now. I am recalling that they were sweeping the floor when I left. My 18K gold charm that I bought in Egypt back in 1996 is gone. I lost my prize bracelet from that same trip in 2011 at my mentee's graduation from Binghamton University. It was my first time meeting her parents. They must have thought me crazy when I freaked out and left them at the restaurant to retrace my steps and find my bracelet! I looked like crazy, but no cigar. Somebody got a real find with that one... I remember how heart breaking that was. Insurance claim heartbreaking... It was valuable in more ways than one. I am not as upset about the scarab but I want it back just the same.

Just as I am about to throw in the towel on looking on any further and find resolve in that I enjoyed both pieces, that little voice tells me to go back to the shop and at least check the sidewalk between the salon and my car. Did I mention that before driving home I stopped at KFC? Shhh.... OK I did! I confess! Bad Girl!!!

So my first stop was KFC. I thought this too was a long shot because a young lady had just spilled a soda just before I left. Surely if I dropped my charm there, it got mopped up in the river of soda when they cleaned the floor. But still, I listen to that little voice and keep on my hunt for my lost charm.

I see the penny on the ground between the cars that I noticed previously so I know that I am on the right path. I enter the KFC. It is in the hood and it is chicken so yes, it is crowded! LOL!!! Forgive the stereotype. Hell, I was there too!!!

Anyway, lo and behold and MUCH to my delight, there was my little gold scarab all shiny laying on that burgundy floor just waiting for me to come back and find her. She is a lucky charm! She got stepped on and is a little bent but she is back where she belongs. Who da' thunk' it?

I could not believe it! I fist bumped the cashier who was also happy for me. The customers seemed oblivious to my joy which is a good thing because they might have noticed my little scarab on the floor and given her a new home at the local pawn shop. LOL!

A scarab is a lady bug. It symbolizes good luck. It was good luck that I found my scarab that has been with me for 22 years. It is a reminder of a happy time in my life, my first trip to Africa and one of best my vacations ever! Every Black person should see Egypt to understand, appreciate or be reminded of the depth of our greatness but that is a (his)story for another time, another blog. (smile).

The moral of this story and the reminder for me is to follow your mind. Revisit your dreams. Listen to that little voice that talks to us... Seek the impossible. Step out on faith. Good things and positive opportunities surely won't find or happen for us if we don't seek them. I listened to that little voice, sought my little charm and against all odds, I found it. Now if I could only apply that to other aspects of my life, life would be grand again...

It is Tuesday morning. I should be getting dressed for work but I sit in the middle of my bed writing this blog. Hint! Hint! I hear ya' little voice. Really I do... I hope that you are awakening to do something, go to a place, that brings you joy. If not, know that you are in control. Be the change you want to see... Listen to that the little voice that speaks to you. The voice knows... (smile)

Make it a Lady Bug/Scarab Lucky Kinda' Day!!!

Of Course I Watched the Wedding...

Some say why were others of us so taken with the wedding on yesterday. What did it have to do with us? Well, for many of us it was a breath of fresh air to be distracted from the constant noise and barrage of biased rhetoric that has become the norm in America.

I had not intended to watch the wedding in it's entirety, only in passing. I was sure I would catch the updates on the news for the next several days. But honestly, in light of all that we are dealing with, notwithstanding that a young Black woman was at the center of this historical moment, of course I watched the wedding!

The wedding was lighthearted, whimsical, historical, magical and just beautiful on every level! The wedding was the escape from reality I needed. Thankfully for Harry & Meghan, it is an authentic reality that they get to live. Thankfully for the rest of us, they were gracious enough to share special & welcoming moments of appreciation for diversity and purposeful acts and displays of intentional inclusion, ensuring for each of us, cultural and national pride and a true sense of belonging. It was truly a wonderful event..

This morning the positive beat goes on. I awake to see wonderful coverage on CBS Sunday Morning of the Kanneh-Mason family, the family of the young cellist who performed at the wedding on yesterday. He is blessed to have amazing parents and to come from a close knit family of seven children who are all talented classical music geniuses in their own right! How refreshing to see the media take a break from promoting the negative stereotype of the "broken and dysfunctional" Black family that it has created. Happy to start yet another day on an uplifting note. And then...

The Sunday morning noise begins. My mood is disturbed by stupid politicians trying to justify gun violence and nutty lawyers and law professors distracting us with trump propaganda and the Russian investigation... Yesterday was a day where I did not see or hear anything from that orange, illiterate, subhuman nightmare occupying the white house. How grand is that?

And you ask why some of us were glued to the TV for the wedding? Do you really? Sorry for you that you missed it... I am so very TIRED of America's reality of nonstop drama. I just want the noise to stop!!! Can Harry & Meghan get married again? Anything to stop the damn noise! Of course I watched the wedding! And on this Sunday morning, I chose to stop the noise. I chose to change the channel...

Happy Sunday Folks! 

Choose your noise wisely. Your health & well being may depend on it... 

Graduating with Conscious and Purpose...

I listened today as Howard University (HU) conferred the honor of Doctorate to Chadwick Boseman, a noted actor and HU alum, before he delivered his commencement address to the Class of 2018. I was moved when he spoke of standing his ground and being guided by his principle when asked to play what he thought was a role negatively depicting the Black experience as part of a soap opera cast.

He shared with the graduates, as they go forward, the importance of finding and being true to their purpose and to the proud spirit that was instilled in or confirmed for him and them while students at Howard. I respect that he shared with the graduates his willingness to risk being fired rather than compromise his principle of not promoting a negative perception or portrayal of his people for the world to see or for the love of money. He shared with the students that once he was able to speak to the execs' about how and what he was feeling about his character, he did his best work on that job on that next day which was not surprisingly his last day on that job.

He relieved himself of what was inner turmoil in the work place and therefore potentially toxic for him personally and spiritually. Of course he was fired. Of course he was labeled "difficult", which means he hit a nerve when he spoke his truth, that he has a mind and a voice of his own that he is willing and unafraid to use as his right, which means his mind has been freed from mental chains of any kind, which means he is fearless, guided by and lives by his own principle and which most importantly means that he sleeps well every night the good Lord sends. Oh, how I can relate...

I arrived at Howard University as a woman. I was already 30 years old and had had my underwhelming but thankfully successful undergraduate experience at a PWI (predominantly White institution). But for a very few professors and the benefits of the administrators and fellow participants of a summer program for Black, mostly first generation college students (EOF, Martin Luther King's Scholars Program), I was not nurtured, groomed nor recognized there...

Fortunately for me, unlike many graduate students, I was able to enjoy a significant bit of the real HU undergraduate experience because I had the honor of living in and being a GA (Graduate Assistant) to two incoming classes of blossoming fresh"women" and two years of undergraduate RA (Resident Assistants) students while supervising a dorm at HU. Being a role model to and watching confidence grow in these young ladies is one of my proudest and most fond memories. So many of them still reach out to thank me for some advice or encouragement I gave them or to share with me some positive memory of an experience with me that sometimes I can't even recall. It is so very moving...

I arrived at HU a rebel, I exited a confirmed rebel. It has always been my passion to advocate, defend and speak up for self and for others. I am willing to take risks as did our fore-parents and our valiant civil rights workers who put the collective good before their own good. There is no time for being cautious, taking "baby steps" or being afraid to speak up in the face of injustice. I merely drink the Kool-aid that has been served me and then take much delight in serving it right back, always professionally with a smile that is sure to be laced with lots and lots of honey, purposeful self restraint, tact, diplomacy and dignity of course. In accordance with the wisdom and advice of our esteemed First Lady Michelle Obama, I am appreciative to have a seat at the table but not so grateful that I will forsake why and how I came to be seated at the table. There just ain't no other way to operate... Speak up or Get Up!

As did Dr. Boseman when he found himself in a situation of choosing between work and being true to the principles that guide his life, I find myself there yet again. While my pride and strength was not ingrained in me at Howard, it was certainly fortified while there. I am unwilling to compromise my values for the sake of self at the expense of the collective. Where, I ask, would we be if that had been the position of those who came and paved a way before us? It was that shared pride and strength that likely drew me to Howard and that made me fit, belong and remain true to Howard. I treasure each of my three degrees to include an international experience abroad but it is my tenure at Howard University that is the most valued of my collegiate experiences. 

There is an unspoken, unbreakable, uncompromising responsibility and sense of self pride, therefore Black pride, that comes with having attended an HBCU and certainly for having the honor to call oneself a Howard alum, a Howard Bison. I was inspired to hear Dr. Boseman reinforce and pass that lesson along to yet another generation of young Bison and to remind and/or re-confirm that lesson for the rest of us. It was a beautiful Day, a great speech and yet another Great Memory from Howard University for the Class of 2018. Congratulations to graduates everywhere!

Dr. Boseman closed with these parting words of wisdom: 

This is your time. The light of new realization shines on you today. Howard's legacy is not wrapped up in the money that you will make but the challenges that you choose to confront. As you commit to your past, press on with pride and press on with purpose. God Bless you. 
I love you Howard. 

Howard Forever!