The decision from the Grand Jury regarding the murder of Michael Brown garnered many reactions. Protests erupted in many cities because, you see, This isn't a Ferguson probem. It's an American problem. 

In areas where people didn't feel that physical protest was their specialty, many took to electronic expressions of outrage and action. Many posted pictures of their loved ones with the hashtag #OurBoysMatter, #OurSonsMatter and #BlackLivesMatter. Along with the hashtag, many of the pictures included a story about how great that loved one is. Its a great campaign on all platforms, you should check it out. 


I'm no longer going to create a PR Campaign for my child as if I have to beg people to recognize his humanity in a nation where their ancestors were stolen and brought here. There is no story I can tell you about my son that will create a force field around him. 

You are going to have to get used to my son and other people's sons becoming more comfortable in their space.  You are going to have to brace yourselves as children that look like mine excel in all areas. His greatness will not be gained with your permission. He will take it. 

And he will be angry when injustice happens. because Anger is a logical response when your people are shot in the streets. Anger fuels action and my child and children like mine will fight as they see fit until justice hapens. 

and YOU.WILL.DEAL




 

I have never called myself a feminist. It just doesn't seem to be appropriate for a girl like me... You know, being Black and all. 

Here's the thing about "Feminism:" the concept as used in homogeneous circles isn't intended for women of color. Apparently Feminism looks, I suppose, Like Hillary Clinton, not Michelle Obama... I'm not sure what the difference is (They both hold/held the position of FLOTUS, both lawyers, both given the opportunity to raise young children in the White House)... But reaction to them are extremely different. Which is weird, considering the inspiration of Feminists, according to most documentaries about modern day documentaries, is the leadership of Black women during the Civil Rights Movement era of the 1960s. As volunteers, they saw the strength of these women  and took that empowerment home. 

However with every "Wave" of feminism (whatever that means), it seems like there is a group that isn't included in the agenda. Consistently this is women of color. As if our issues (Achievement/Economic Gap, Racism, etc) Isn't important in the grand scheme of feminism. Like many rights groups, we are told to hold on to our issues until all other issues have subsided. 

Unfortunately, in trying to expand the issues, mainstream feminists try to quiet the voices of Women of Color. This is an issue of Privilege. These women feel that it is our place to follow them and not forge our own path. Just like history should be inclusive, so though issues of equality. Women of all walks should be at the table instead of the current belief that our only purpose at the table is to serve them. Except instead of food, we are supposed to serve them with our ideas, strategies and (wo)man power. 

Thankfully, Social Media has diversified what feminism should look like. There is to much power in the voice of Black/Brown woman to just settle for the theory that Feminism looks like Gloria Steinem, Amanda Marcote, and Michelle Cottle.  

There are some amazing voices out there. You just have to look for them...  Start with the website Hood Feminism then move outward. You're welcome

MBrooks

I have been consistently told that I'm a "different" type of chick... That's fine... Except I don't really know what that means. I don't even think the guys that tell me that know either. Because lemme tell you... *sigh*

Whatever it means, I realize that I have to work with the perception that my #geekstatus puts me in a different group. If this is in fact true, that this other category actually exists, apparently there needs to be some guidelines to how to date a girl like me.  Well, not all girls like me, because apparently I'm "different," but you know what I mean...

 Lent for Christians Began on Wednesday, February 13, 2013.  It's  a period of Fasting and Repentance between Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday.  We give up things as a sacrifice. 


 This year I have given up:  Television after 8 pm, Candy, Soda and  Cursing.While Christians give up visible items, I have realized that there is more to this Lent thing than I previously thought... 


The timing of Lent this year is so crazy to me. My Son's birthday was Monday. My Son is 13 now and I have to "let go" of the fact that he is still my little boy. He is going to be doing more things without my help than with it. It is difficult trying to get that through my own head. Being "The Boy's Mother" has been my title for so long, I forget how to not be that. We probably held his last party this past Saturday. He didn't need me once. 

And then there's Valentine's Day...

I don't really "do" Valentine's Day. Usually because there generally has never been a valid reason to celebrate it. I don't do relationships well at all and the folks I get to "know" generally don't garner the appreciation I deserve. And I know I deserve it because that's what they tell me (for what that's worth). I am using this time to "let go" of the notions that I can control that. There is nothing I can do or my friends can suggest for me to just "get" a Valentine or Sweetheart.  So that means I am going to "Let Go" of the advice I will ultimately be getting to "Get a Man..." I have to start believing that it can't mathematically be true that I am always the issue and then let the chips fall where they may. The perceptions people have that may involve me have can't be altered by me. It is what it is. 

So I am realizing that Lent is more than giving up things... Even though in my head "The Monikarchy is real,"  I have to understand that I can't fight God's battles. Its not my plan so I can't dictate the ending of the plan. I have to understand that I can't force my will to be the will of others. That's not how it works. I can only play in my lane and hope for the uninterrupted outcome. I'm an oldest child, though, so I need y'all to be patient with me... 

Good luck to you on your journey through this Lenten Season. Hopefully, your Letting Go process will be successful and productive. 

OK... So I've been on this "Do Something" kick. I even wrote about it on the Now In Session Page.  I figure that since the media and "Black Leaders" claim to be writing our agenda (the details I was not informed of), we may as well set up a personal agenda to make our families and communities safer. 

This blogging thing is a great way to keep myself accountable for the things I say I want to do. Maybe it was that dag gone Kid President's call for me to Be Awesome (I love that kid) or the fact that every holiday or occasion turns Twitter into the Barlett's book of quotations, where everyone quotes from this guy or that woman depending on the day. These quote blitzes always leave me wondering what site these Twitter Folks got it from because the tweeets before and after generally are filled with ratchet and Melancholy...

So today, I declared that I would tweet a book recommendation everyday. It kind of got some steam. That's pretty cool, right? It doesn't take much to get people to follow your ideas, it just takes 140 characters: 

And That's all it took... So I am now asking it of you. Go to Twitter and recommend a book a day for February with the hashtag #BHM2013ReadThis.  You can also recommend a movie (#BHM2013WatchThis), A song (#BHM2013HearThis),  A Factoid (#BHM2013KnowThis) or a Website/Blog (#BHM2013SearchThis)

Now why would I do this? Why would I bother? Because gathering information is vital to the growth of all people. Information distribution across the masses is worthwhile and vital to the growth of a people. It's how imagination and ideas are born

So there it is. Part of my 2013 Action Items. What are you going to do to make 2013 better?

There is something about the Black Woman... All of us... that makes people stop in their tracks... 


Whether we are "Housewives" or "Dignified" (mind you, those two types of people are interchangeable) or The Bitter, Essence buying, Terry McMillan reading, Man Hater I was described as a couple months ago (Don't ask..), There is something... folks don't even know what.. they love us.. and have no idea why. 

We are awesome in everything we do. Whether we are the Admin you can't get past, or the First Lady, or one in a group that dares to call themselves Educated Hood Chicks. We are ALL valuable in EVERY way.

I  have always believed those "How to be a better Black woman" books were a little much. I' m a Black woman... But not the one that considered "refined" like all those books say.  I really don't fit the criteria of the women that are usually discussed by "Conscious" folks about how I should be like Michelle Obama and NOT NeNe Leakes... AT ALL. 

I laugh inappropriately at jokes and watch reality shows.  My Spotify playlists would make "Revolutionaries" cringe.  If it wasn't for college, folks wouldn't listen to me at all.  Even the way I got through college is not "ideal." I got to college through luck and got through it by Grace. 

And here lies the problem with only defending the "Michelle's" of Black America... It creates a perception that the less refined shouldn't be defended at all. When Evelyn from VH1s "Basketball Wives" had a domestic dispute with Chad Johnson, a majority of the response was "Well... YOU'VE seen her, she is Ghetto, I'm not saying she deserved it, but I'm just saying..."

The better treatment of the "refined" isn't new.  In March of 1955 in Montgomery, AL, teenager Claudette Colvin was arrested for not moving to the back of the bus.  Black organizations at the time didn't believe she would be a viable "Icon" because 1) she was a teenager and 2) she didn't have "The right look."  Rosa Parks did... 

                      "Her skin texture was the kind that people associate with the 
                       middle class," says Colvin. "She fit that profile."


In a realistic world, you can't defend Michelle Obama as a Black woman without defending Condelezza Rice or NeNe Leeks or what ever YouTube video star that has no time for any of it. But in this new Social Network world in which we live in would rather us put the "refined" on a pedestal and spit on the "Ghetto" or "Hood" folks. 

We are All Black Women and we are all awesome. We may not always be the awesome you want, but we all have the power to shape the world. 


But what do I know...