Breaking the cycle...

As much as I say I am Haitian-American, in the United States, I am fully aware that I am Black in America. I have a lot to compensate for in terms of this. No one off of first glance is going to know that I am Haitian-American. What they do know is I am a Black woman in this country and with that, whether I like it or not and whether we admit that or not as a county, this is the life that many women, many Black people in this country face. Because being Black in America means that there are a lot of statistics, stigmas, definitions that are place upon us as a people. Some that we bring on ourselves and others that we allow others to project upon us.
I am not here to argue the relevance of the Black-White Paradigm or whether there are truths behind many or any of the stereotypes that surround the Black community.
However, I would like to comment on one in particular. We (I include myself in this community) tend to raise up those individuals within our family who have done better for themselves than we could have done on our own. What I mean is in the Black community and to a little narrower degree, the Black family we have individuals who we rely on to pull the whole family out of whatever state we are in.
For some, it's the hopes and dreams of a child in college to get a degree that will not only raise that one individual up, but will also raise up the family as well. For some it's the support of watching that star athlete on the b-ball court or gridiron do his thing. Focusing more on the sport than the grades to fall back on. It is in these families that this blog draws from.
I am not saying that the story I am about to tell speaks to EVERY Black family, but it does speak to some. And sadly more than we would like to see. I was watching MTV's 16 & Pregnant it was about this couple who live in Alabama. This young couple got pregnant and decided to get married before the baby arrived in order to create an environment which they thought would be beneficial for their family. 1 I have to comment on the high rate of teen pregnancy and the implications surrounding this and what it says about our sex-education program and the success of the American family. There are many intersections that surround teen pregnancy in terms of education, poverty and family and even friend cycle. There are a lot of things that we need to change in order to make the American family stronger, in order to make the minority family stronger and in order to make the Black American family stronger.
So the father in this MTV story was a star athlete, he had a full ride scholarship to Alabama A&M, his family supported him 100-200%. His dream was their dream and their dream for their son, grandson, brother rested in the success he had on the field. When his girlfriend became pregnant after 8months of dating and they eventually got married without their support hings changed for the family. The father Isaiah and the mother Christina, both had dreams of going to school and becoming professionals as a NFL pro and a inner-city school teacher. But with the arrival of their first child, this family decided to put their dreams of college on hold, which meant that Isaiah lost his scholarship and those dreams of becoming a school teacher were a little farther out. Isaiah's family thinks that Christina trapped him, for those of you who don't know what that means, it means that a girl gets pregnant just so that her boyfriend doesn't have to leave her. And within the Black community, people argue that this comes most often at the expense of the star athlete or the Black man who is going somewhere, considering that there are too many Black men in this country who's only option tends to be a prison cell.
So this family (Isaiah's) holds so much resentment for Christina because they feel that she did just that, she wanted his life and the life and she took advantage of that. Whether or not that is the case, my discontent is that we (the Black community) continue to let this be part of our narration. It saddens to think that young Black women are still being left subject to these circumstances by other Black women. Shouldn't we know by now that WE GET IT. We understand the tragedy that is the Black male in our community. We understand that we are limited in our options of who is still left around to support us when we need it.
but I wish that black women would come together more often. We need to be stronger, for women. And we need to be able to talk to each other in ways that aren't degrading. It isn't the lack of "good men" that make our situation worse, it's how we treat each other as Black women.
Anyway, those were my thoughts here is the story if you are interested..

http://www.mtv.com/shows/16_and_pregnant/season_2/episode.jhtml?episodeID=173722

What makes me tick

I saw this quote while I was surfing Twitter updates and I fell in LOVE:
What lies behind us, and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I think this quotes speaks a lot to the person that I want to become and more importantly the legacy I am trying to leave for my family (whenever that part of my life begins). So let me break down this quote and why I think it is so important to my life.
The other day at work: If you don't know I work with this amazing scholarship program at my University (AU) called, the Frederick Douglass Distinguished Scholars Program. This program is AMAZING and well, as much as it is a development program for our scholars, I am learning so much about myself and my leadership and personal development. Much in part because we have a schedule where we hold weekly seminars for our scholars- this semester our scholars have been reading the

7 Habits of Highly Effective People

This week we had someone come and talk to us about Image & Reputation Development, she talked about it in terms of Self Branding and basically Legacy building. She mentioned this point about a "Thru Line" which in Hollywood terms is the singular story line that runs through the movie that no matter what you can fall back on. It's the drawing point of the movie, so like in the Notebook, the "Thru line" would be the love between Allie and Noah. That despite what happened in their lives, him going to war, she getting engaged to someone else, you as a member of the audience are okay with it all because the two of them still have this love that you know exists throughout the film.
So in taking from her direction, I have been trying to determine what my "Thru Line" has been. And for me it is "Social Justice and or Change." So how does this all apply to Emerson's quote?
"What lies behind us"
If you have been reading "
Inside Keesha's World" you will know that my life has been anything but ordinary, but I have never let that life consume the goals that I have set for myself. And as a kid I knew that what I wanted to do with my life was Change the world in which I lived. My legacy has always been to be known for my selflessness and the things I do for others, not because I want to be praised for these accomplishments, but simply because I do not know what else there is to do in life but to serve and make a difference. By far, as I said, my life has not been a bed of roses, but even in my worst struggles I have never had it as bad as the stories and the lives that I am changing around me.

"What lies before us"
Obviously I have life goals, I want to "Be the Change I see in the world." I want to live my life in constant movement, making a difference and impacting people in every part of my life, even if it is for a few minutes of their life, I hope that when a person meets me they see something great in themselves. Ultimately I would love to run a non-profit and really make a difference in the world around me. But we all have goals, there is this path that we are all on and something is driving us to that path whether we are aware of it or not. Some of us, myself included, have been blessed enough to know what that future would be and have been blessed enough to catch glimpses of that dream come closer and closer to being fulfilled. But what drives many of us is that "Thru Line"- "what lies within us"


"What lies within us"
If you do not know what your worth is, or rather if you have no idea what you stand for or the things that you are passionate about, or what you intend to get out of this life, then I think that you should begin to start those reflections. I have said it before, in order to "be the change" you have to start with self. You have to build your foundation and cultivate it in a fashion that makes reaching that goal "before us" easier. I have been blessed as I say, to know what lies within me. And all of the things that I talk about, "Being the Change" my "Pretty Girl Swag" these are those techniques that help me stay on my path, that help me to continue to cultivate myself in to a stronger better person. These are the methods I use to let go of those things behind me, to be aware of the things before me but to be in the present and focused on what I have power over today.

hmm.. A little more reflection to come, but for now- Take me as I am..

Kanye West is Whack!

So normally a topic such as this wouldn't make it into this particular blog. But there is a message behind this blog that I think we all need to get. Part of Being the Change is about owning and knowing yourself. In order to "be the change" you must build a foundation that starts with yourself and this topic that I am about to discuss, in my opinion it's clear that the foundation hasn't been set. That owning yourself and knowing yourself, are still parts of Kanye's character that he needs to develop.
So why do I say Kanye is whack?!

Take a look at this video:


So why you might ask do I think Kanye is WHACK?!
1) Kanye is ALWAYS apologizing! Dude, you are a JERK, own that.. You sit here and talk about " (you) Manning up to the mistakes that you made..." "(you) being a rational, well thought out human being" BLAH, BLAH, BLAH! You continuously have to apologize for the things that you say. Kanye, look Dude, if you are going to be a blunt person, and speak off the cuff, then be THAT GUY! But don't try to come back a week later or a year or three years later and say that "You didn't have enough information to make that claim." This is not the first time or the last time that you would make this "mistake". So "mistimed" or not own your thoughts, own what you say. I think that we need to stop apologizing for the people that we are, and it says something to me, watching you if you claim to be a changed person be a changed person, it should NEVER have to get to the point where I have to watch you apologize again.
Now I could comment on Kanye's rant about feeling like this whole thing was set up, I could also comment about Kanye's tweets and the fact that he canceled his performance etc. But the point that I want to leave with you is don't be Kanye, if you say something OWN IT. I know that it's easier said then done- when ppl say that they do not regret things in their lives, but look, I think you can't live your life holding on to the things you could have changed, the point is if you think there was something you could fix, then you live your life moving forward from that mistake and making changes that ensure you never go down that path again. And if you decide that you are going to apologize or move forward from a mistake, make sure it's only one time that you have to say you're sorry.

With that, I will stick to the title to my Blog: KANYE IS WHACK!!

Letter to Leann Rimes

Hey Y'all so normally celebrity gossip wouldn't be part of an Advocate- Activist blog about changing the world etc. But this particular blog is a little bit about changing yourself.
It the recent news Leann Rimes has been splashed across Tabloids penned a " homewrecker" a "Stalker" and a slew of other names. Women throwing the first stones and casting all types of blame etc on her. If you don't know the story let me refresh your memory. Leann Rimes and Actor Eddie Cibrian were filming a movie together and fell in love (so they say). Both of them were married at the time of their meeting and Eddie has children involved as well.
The two of the split from their significant others and ended up getting together. A year and a half later their divorces are final the two of them live together and the story has gotten a lot more play due to the two of them taking a more active role in the public by trying to plead their side.
So here is my letter to Leann Rimes:


Dear Leann,
I don't CARE about your life, or the things that you do in your private time. I don't know the story behind what happened to you and Eddie and I don't care. I understand that people might have gotten hurt in the backlash but to be honest that is life.
What annoys me is that your life has now become the front page news, when more pertinent problems are occurring. Such as the Hurricane in Haiti and the Caribbean, Riots in Oakland, the fact that our country just wen through one of the biggest political swings in politics in A LONG time etc.
It's not that I don't think learning about other people's lives is interesting it's simply that I have other things to do in my life and with my time than to be focused on your life and the mistakes you make or don't make. And to be honest the biggest reason I don't care is because, well, People make mistakes and we are human and things like your life happen everyday and no one expects there to be this huge year long battle over it: I mean look at Tori and Dean their marriage is built off of the same start yours is. They met on a set and fell in love. Dean was still married and had kids. And they are now happy and that is the last thing people talk about. And if you all recall the "Brangelina" scandal.. Brad was married to Jennifer Aniston and the tabloids didn't spend nearly as much time casting stones of tossing blame.
I think it is outrageous how many women are the first to blow up on this situation without realizing or acknowledging that we do this to each other everyday. That women and men find someone to love and then like that they move on to the next one. Does it hurt, yes, but is it our business? NO! So to you Leann Rimes,
I'd like to tell you I don't care, because I simply don't. But more importantly I don't care because your life is not mine and I don't feel that it is anybody's business but yours and the people who are directly involved. I'd like to say that maybe one day we'd get used to it.. but to be honest this is the price that gets paid as a celeb.

Sincerely,
A person who has more things interesting to do than focus on your love life.

It's only a little nudge...

.... but it has a big impact.
I have a friend who is despondent about the pace in which this country and this moment in time is moving for change. He reminds me a lot of myself. I freak out about how slow things are going and how I feel like although today's generation has it's moments we aren't as passionate as other generations towards action. I have always said that I sometimes wish I was part of the Civil Rights Era and what kind of activist I would be then.
But I have to say that now when I look at the times, I know that my one chip at the mountain isn't going to make that mountain topple right away, but it will at least cause more chips and breaks that impact that mountain. I do not want to be apathetic, I do not want to just stand around when there are things that need to be done. I think we do them in our own ways, we make the impact when we can. Through conversations that change ones mind, through writing, through action etc. But we all have our ways in which we impact the world to make it better.
I understand like Dr. King once said that " I may not get to the mountain top" but I know that what I am doing now is so that that mountain top can be reached. If we just sit idly by and let these injustices continue than what rights to d we have. It's to me the same feeling and emotion I feel towards people who do not vote. If you do not vote, you don't get a say. I believe that in my gut that it is our CIVIC DUTY as American, Democratic Citizens to impact change in this country and we do that by voting. " If you don't vote, you don't count."
If you don't speak up, you don't count. Life is not about laying down or bowing your head. Life is about making connections with other human beings to hopefully change the way we all live. To better not only our lives but the lives of other people. I believe this so deeply in my heart, that the interactions I have with other people must be intentional. There has to be a purpose. I want to learn as much as I can about a person that I meet even if it is for a short period in time.
A moment. change is like the wind, it might not be bold, but it's there.

When will our time come:

This weekend marks the 47th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's famed - " I have a dream" speech. Dr. King never got to see his vision realized, and although there are great strides to his dream, we, as a nation are far from realizing this dream ourselves.
It's weird to see that one of the country's most outspoken conservative political pundits is planning on having a rally titled "Reclaiming Honor" on the same grounds that Dr. King gave shared his "Dream" with the world. Glenn Beck, the said pundit, says "This is going to be a moment that you'll never be able to paint people as haters, racists, none of it.This is a moment, quite honestly, that I think we reclaim the civil rights movement.-" (From King to Beck: Big rally at Lincoln Memorial Yahoo News.com) Isn't it weird that someone who is promoting a drast immigration policy, that request and supports division amongst American citizens in certain aspects of religious and other beliefs is saying that " This is a moment, quite honestly, that I think we reclaim the civil rights movement?" Which movement Mr. Beck, the one where millions of this country were oppressed and on the outs from "mainstream" America? If this is the idea that you want to create, than I'm sorry to say I don't want it and I don't buy it.
Dr. King said (paraphrasing) that he wants his children to live in a world where they aren't judged, by the color of their skin, but only by the content of their character. We haven't full filled that dream because judgement is still happening when people are denied certain rights because of their sexual orientation, or that minorities still earn less than that of the "average" white American. That dream is not realized when we can't have a discussion on Health Care without the N word being thrown around by members of Beck's fanatical supporters. When there is a rise in Hate Groups after Obama's election- THERE IS A PROBLEM.
A person I know today wrote on her FB that : "No sh*t just met glen beck at the Lincoln memorial. This is gonna be a good weekend. Everyone standing by started singing god bless America. You wouldn't get that at an Obama rally."

Which in response to this and the other many FB posts, and tweets and news about Glenn Beck I write on my wall: Is staying the HECK out of dodge and away from Glenn Beck. This Saturday I will be "HONORING" and THANKING Dr. King for sharing his "DREAM" and making sure that I do my part to make his "DREAM" a reality.. #justsayingdoyourpart!

I didn't post this on her page, I just posted it on my own and left it at that. She responds to my post by saying " Well good thing you won't be out there with the counterprotestors."
My response "To be honest I have nothing against the counterprotestors- Free Speech and ability to contest something that they don't agree with right? Same thing he's doing.. I just have better things to do than entertain that mess... "

And finally her next two responses: a) such an AU response
b)Well, the trouble with our liberal friends is not that they are ignorant, but that they know so much that isn’t so~ Ronald Reagan


Okay. I don't like to partake in such matters often, especially when I think there is no ground for growth on either side of the argument. But to the first response, a) This might be the sentiment that many AU students have, but this response is purely my own, and what do you mean to say " Good thing you won't be out there with the counterprotestors." What if I wanted to be out there with them, they have every right to protest the disgrace of a Historical and iconic figure like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. There is nothing that Glenn Beck is doing that in my opinion promotes the "Dream" Dr. King envisioned for this country 47 years ago. And isn't Glenn Beck's and the Tea Party movement in and of itself is a counterprotest! So what contradiction are you making when you make a comment like that?
and b) DO NOT get me started Ronald Reagan and "Ignorance." I will be a liberal, and that so much that isn't so, well let's think about this.. "The war on drugs" isn't over. And that "Just Say No" campaign didn't stop the problems that the urban environment have faced for the last now almost 30 years since he started that stupid policy. Oh and here is another thing topic in the "so much that isn't so" - YOU Mr. Reagan (may you rest in peace) PUT A DISGUSTING NEGATIVE STIGMA on BLACK WOMEN and BLACK COMMUNITIES, that we have struggled for years to get rid of, and have only continued to fall into and can't get away from.
But you know what this back and forth about who is right and who is wrong doesn't change the state of the world in which we live in. The problem is we have been so polarized in our views that there is no movement to have an honest and constructive dialogue about the issues. We have no middle ground in this country much anymore. It is a left and a right and not very much of any place to actually talk. The harder part is knowing that in an age where we were supposed to be coming closer together we are drifting more apart. I am pleading with the leaders of this nation, politicians, teachers, parents and any other mentors of today's youth- PLEASE TEACH OUR CHILDREN TO HAVE AN OPEN AND HONEST DIALOGUE ABOUT ISSUES THAT BOTHER THEM. ISSUES THAT THEY AREN'T SURE OF, ISSUES THAT THEY STILL NEED TO WORK THROUGH. THIS ISN'T JUST FOR US, IT IS FOR OUR COUNTRY!

So I asked the question in the title: "When will our time come?" When will we be in a space when we can be honest about our faults, while still moving forward to better ourselves and the communities we live in. There is a battle being fought and I think we are distracted from the one we really need to be paying attention to.

5 years ago...

August 29th, 2005 was one of the most tragic natural disasters to ever grace the United States. But what made Hurricane Katrina more devastating was the aftermath and the man-made mistakes prior to and after the storm.
It is clear that the damages that happened to New Orleans and other cities along the Gulf Coast weren't just out of a natural disaster, but of the ignorance of man. Recovery is still in the distance and with the recent Oil Spill in the Gulf it will be hard-pressed to see how much longer Recovery will be.
I think you have heard me say it before: I LOVE NEW ORLEANS. It has a special place in my heart. I have spent 2 Spring Breaks in the city working on rebuilding efforts and meeting with organizations and community members throughout the area, discussing the different techniques they are all using to bring New Orleans back and better than ever.
5 years ago, however the effects of the storm were the most shocking display of pure ignorance I have ever seen. People standing on top of their roofs in stifling heat with little to no water or food are just left there for our public viewing. It was frustrating watching these women, men and children pleading for help and asking to be assisted and not receiving any assistance. It was the most dysfunctional assistance as well. How is it that people who are being transported to other places, don't know where they are going until they get there. And not only that, families are being split up. Children not knowing where their relatives are, parents not knowing what happened to their kids. More than 1 Million people were displaced due to the storm.
The storm revealed much of the corruption and ailments of the city. It allowed the rest of the world to have a sneak peek into the world that many lived in for years. Low wages, horrible education system, a jacked up justice system, a jacked medical system, a class based, race based community that was just getting by.
And what happened now 5 years later. Well 5 years later, we have people still dying from the mismanagement of the FEMA trailers, we have people dying from the PTSD that they are suffering from after the storm. We have an education system that is still fractured, buildings that are still not opened. Communities that are empty. Race and class issues are still prevalent and severely fractured. New Orleans was one of the first cities that had a Public Housing Facility created out of FDR's New Deal. And now, with the effects of the storm and people's greed- we have a "free" lead into Gentrification. All of the Public Housing Facilities are now closed, housing facilities that could have been restored for families to return to New Orleans. But instead you still have meager living wages and now high prices in the housing market- so my question is "What type of community are you rebuilding?" Because obviously it isn't the same one that left.
Now with this Oil crisis, it seems that New Orleans can't catch a break, but you know what I hope that during this 5th year Remembrance period, we the American People and Public realize that a city like New Orleans can't be erased from our history. And that we use New Orleans as a case study and continue to demand that things change. For me New Orleans lives in my blood. I caught the NoLa bug and would eventually love to settle in that great city and help it to rebuild itself, so that the culture and the people can return.
New Orleans serves as a case study for me in regards to what will become of Haiti in 5 years. Much worse than the corruption in New Orleans, Haiti has a Long fight ahead of them, but I think we have begun to see some strides happening in New Orleans that makes me that much more hopeful for the future of Haiti.
Laissez Le Bon Temps Roulet

Here is to the death of tolerance and political correctness...

This blog was originally written August 6, 2010...

So I am a Resident Assistant, and over the last week we have been in training to better understand our roles as RAs. Today we had a session on diversity. I caution looking at diversity as it pertains solely to race. Diversity comes in many different sections and pockets and ones that we don't often think of. This particular session we had these really interesting conversations and activities. I am normally extremely cautious during these conversations because depending on the dynamic I am most often looked to to answer some of the questions on diversity. It is often assumed that because I am a person of color that I am going to know "the meaning of diversity." Part of my uneasiness with these conversations is that I often think that I will be perceived as the "angry Black woman," or the person who constantly has to make things about race etc.
But let me give you a little more background on me, I am sure by the other blogs you have read covering this topic that I do have an opinion on certain race standards in this country and I guess in this world. I do not expect that everyone is going to be "color blind" and "stereotype blind" either. I understand that we are often a product of our environments and that there are many opportunities for growth and development. But I do think that there is a lot that we need to do in order to prepare for this sort of development and one of those techniques is to be open for dialogue.
However, as I mentioned in at least one of these blogs on this topic, in the United States it seems that because of the history of race relations we can't figure out a way to come to the table and have an open and honest conversation about race,difference and diversity, which is inclusive and not one sided.
What sparked my thoughts down the diversity "track" is a video we watched during training called "What would you do?" Apparently this ABC TV show has everyday individuals confront their own biases and stereotypes by a created and often elevated scenarios. For the purposes of our discussion on diversity we watched this video in training. In this particular segment the stereotypes stemmed from "controversy" behind Gay couples. An "undercover" Gay couple was planted into a Bar to test (in many ways) the mindset of the people who utilize this bar. Many of the bar patrons defended the couple when they were being ostracized by another planted actor to irritate the situation.
During part of the evaluation of the scenario, a woman interviewed said that Americans have become more "tolerant" of the differences of people. But I wonder if tolerance needs to be placed in the same category as "political Correctness(pc)?" In the late 90's into the turn of the century, Americans have tried to embody this idea of a "post" Society, whether it has been a "post- racial" society or something else. I think that part of the "political correct" phenomenon is that often being "pc" was inserted without a real understanding. Sentences like " Let me be Politically Correct by saying..." or parents telling kids that it's not "pc" to call a person "xyz" (sorry any of the words that I could insert here are words that I am don't want to say). I think for me the uncomofrtablity I have about being "pc" and being seen as "tolerant" is the fact that we just insert these "" statements wherever we find necessary without really understanding why it is that these phrases or comments can be offensive. And then I guess to pull out the "angry Black woman" these "" terms seem to also fall into those "well I have a Black friend," statements and sort of leave room for a cover to being able to "get away" with certain things and certain language. In public we are "pc" but in private we are still working out our issues. I think in many respects this "pc" and "tolerance" language is only a band aid for a much bigger problem.
Let's look at the most recent examples of the why I think we still have a long way to go: Rev. Jeremiah Wright (President Obama's former Reverend) caught under fire for his sermons which had been detrimental to Obama's campaign. During the Health Care Bill fight- Congressmen and women were being called the N-word by outraged community members and were being told that they were playing into the Democratic relationship with Civil Rights history and "playing the race card." These are things that are scary, how are we not able to have these conversations without throwing out concerns and accusations that every time something happens it turns into people being too sympathetic or rather certain populations are looked at as throwing out the "race card" too often. And for me that is the problem- if we can't talk about these issues that affect us and why they affect us without being programmed to think that in some way it is wrong, how can we be post race, or post-anything? We are far from it and we have a long way to go until we are able to openly have this discussion.
I do not think that having an open and honest conversation about the issues that concern us can cause any harm. I think what it does is open up a space of understanding. People in general do not have to get along, but what does happen is that there is a space created with a deeper level of understanding than has been given before.
I think that there is a lot of growth in conversations and in asking questions. I think that there is more harm than making assumptions than there is in asking uncomfortable questions.
Do I have a solution for these issues? I think for starters levels of civility and curiosity need to begin during childhood. Children need to learn the differences of other people early on. I think that we need to be a country that allows more room for ques tons, much ignorance comes from a lack of understanding, and if we provide our children with the space to question their surroundings I think it will go a long way.
This is an ongoing debate. I think it has to be, and there will be many more blogs that I will use to develop these thoughts, but I just wanted to share this brief moment with you now.
Take a moment, let it marinate and tell me what you think. Change starts here!

Race in 2010

So, I know that I have talked about this before, sort of. Maybe I wrote a draft, but haven't really talked about it. Okay, so in case you don't know, the United States was founded on the backs of ignorance and calculated control. This thing called slavery has been so heavily rooted into the American culture, that we have no idea what is up and what is down..
i have been less willing to talk about race because I don't want to be perceived as the "Angry Black Woman".. and also because I have been reading Malcolm X's autobiography and I haven't wanted to have my militant thoughts be over run with this right now.
But lately there has been so many things that have flared up about race, that it has been hard to not talk about it or be mindful of it. Recently the Federal Government was under fire with a huge allegation against one of their representatives a Ms. Sherrod of the US Department of Agriculture. Apparently at a speech she did for the NAACP, she basically said that she had wanted to deny a white man assistance because of the anger she had felt as a young Black woman in America. But the tape of the speech had been edited and what was cut out was that the woman had in fact helped the young man.
What I find disturbing is that all of a sudden, prominent Black people are sort of being thrown under the bus. We are damned if we do, damned if we don't. We bring up race and we are "pulling out the race card" if we don't bring up race than we are selling out. Sort of like how I feel Barack Obama is now. He's in between a rock and a hard place. He's a multiracial man, for the most part and to many in this country a Black man- who holds the highest seat in this country and he can't even have an open dialogue about race. How do we as Americans begin to have this dialogue with each other if even our President can't be allowed to have these conversations too?
I think this is a subject I will continue to speak about. But here is something that struck me. This came out 2-4 years ago. Chris Rock's Never Scared standup comedy. Anyways, there were many things that struck me about this so here is the video and I'll get to my thoughts:


I'm not sure if this is the clip where Chris Rock said it, but there are many elements of this video where you have to wonder if people really should be laughing of if people are really getting the message behind this- Can we say Dave Chapelle?!
Anyways there was something Chris Rock said in this show to the effect: Black people as slaves- an extension of slave times in today's society is relevant to the inner-city mentality. And that reminded me of all of the stereotypes and the overall image of the "hood." I'm going to let that sit for a minute, stir up your own ideas as you let that settle and come back for another addition of this blog so that I can fill you in some more.
Let me leave you with this, the point of this particular segment of my blogs, is so that we begin to have the dialogue that is needed. If we can't be open and honest about race- how do we expect to change our own views? Deuces!

Redemption Song...

Hey ya'll, so this blog is coming with a heavy heart. We live in a messed up world. But it doesn't mean that you don't do what you can to fix the things that you can fix, when you are able. With that the way I am going to make my small mark is to keep speaking about the injustices that go on in this country in the hopes that we will get it right... I am praying that Oakland holds it together, because it is a city that has been on the rise for way too long, and given this recent news, I can only imagine what could happen.
Where do I start. In the United States Police Brutality is a rising problem. There are many theories that Police Brutality and some parts of the Justice System are just appendages of Slave Era. Most instances of documented police brutality have sparked racial clashes in the areas that they have been presented. Biggest one in my lifetime: RODNEY KING Beatings... I was 6 years old when this happened. This situation was referenced so much in pop culture that I think we became too desensitized to the reality behind it. But the truth is that many minority youth deal with this on a daily basis, this is nothing new, nor nothing that will end, unless we once and for all change the way in which we "use justice."
The next one that I really focused on was a story that I only heard about in 2007 when I had moved to NY. It was the Sean Bell case. In November of 2006 the eve of his wedding, Sean Bell was shot at 50 times. I remember when I arrived, the case was just going to trial, there were all of these rallies and vigils. It was crazy, and then I began hearing the story of what happened, and I was just outraged. How can this happen? I mean how can we continue to live in an environment where this can just be swept under the rug. The worst part was the nonsense that went on in the court room. The man was murdered, and it was like he was on trial. His character was being brought into questioning as a case for the defense- I don't understand how this can be entered into court, it is and can never be in my book justification for a person to be murdered. Police are supposed to "serve and protect" and when these stories arise the only people that some police are serving and protecting is themselves.
I began to be more formally introduced to the back story of the justice system through what is called " The school to prison pipeline." This was directed at minority youth, where there is more funding going to inadequate Juvenile detention centers and not enough funding going to inadequate education systems. During my research I learned of one student who had been suspended from school, but showed up to pick up his/her textbooks and homework one day and the suspension led to an expulsion from the school. I don't understand how this is reasonable when our education system is failing, when we are losing a majority of our minority youth to drugs and violence and yet we turn them away and expect them to make it on their own. I think we need to be spending more money to educate our kids rather than investing in their future in a jailhouse cell. [For more information regarding the school-to-prison-pipeline, type it into a google search and see what it says].
So now you may be wondering what has lead to this recent outcry by me. Well, yesterday a California Jury convicted a Oakland Transit cop of Involuntary Manslaughter for gunning down a guy on New Years Eve 2009. The story goes that Grant had been among a group of rowdy transit riders on New Years Eve 2009. He was removed from the BART train and after being laid on his stomach his back to an officer, Grant was shot by the officer in the back (who had thought he was reaching for his Taser and not a gun) this incident had been caught on a cellphone video and when Grant was pronounced dead the next morning, the city of Oakland and people across the country sat in dismay. For one, I do not understand at all how a trained transit cop could not know the difference between a Taser and a Gun and if the person is already on the ground, on his stomach what is the cause for the Taser at all? If you are too caught up in the moment to know a difference between one weapon and another than you shouldn't be handling them in the first place.
My anger, this is not the first time, and it won't unfortunately be the last time. And my heart aches, because there is that cringe in the back of those left standing that know correcting the injustices of a judicial system that is very much racially charged is a long and hard road. Do I think that the officer was looking for a black man to shoot and kill? No. But the way in which the case was handled, the way in which most cases are handled, does not equal justice. Not in the slightest. I do not understand how he could have gotten Involuntary Manslaughter. Oscar Grant was unarmed, punch him in the face. But don't mistake a taser for a gun and then expect us to believe that you don't know the difference between the two weapons. For Involuntary Manslaughter the Officer convicted is looking at anywhere from 24-48 months (2-4years) in jail in the State of California.
I'm not sure I understand the whole prison sentencing guidelines, as I know that this is easily swayed depending on who is the one convicted. Especially when it comes to mandatory minimums with drug sentencing, which is yet another aspect of this justice system that is faulty. However, what I know is that the way in which we ask our public officials to "serve and protect" us has to change. The public mentality has already changed the way in which these officers view members of the public and the communities that they work in. We have to make these relationships much stronger and more sustainable to really improve conditions for both sides. But the truth is right now a city is outraged for what has happened. And the families of others who have been victims of police brutality are constantly reminded of their pain because of cases like this. The pain doesn't end, and the fear remains. How do you trust someone who took a loved one from you and in most cases did it unprovoked?
I am outraged as well, not only because of the verdict, but sadly the biggest story of the night wasn't that a man's wrongful death didn't see a "right" kind of justice, but that a 25 year old Basketball player finally decided what team he was going to go to. The things we focus on, huh? #what'syourchange? ~ BE THE CHANGE

There are some things that we must not be too quick to forget...

It is my opinion that long-term sustainable engagement is the only way in which we can really make change in the communities around us. The video above this is close to my heart because typically we push so hard to serve directly after disasters, but years out our we suffer from some sort of short-term memory loss. I have mentioned before that New Orleans is deeply imbedded in my heart. You must understand that New Orleans is still a long way away from being "back to normal." It also reminds me that the short- attention span that we have will also impact the way in which we serve Haiti. It is my job to make sure that we remember our obligations as a community, as a friend, as a member of this United States.
Listening to this man's story and his joy and deep appreciation of the crew that helped him is the exact reason I want to be an advocacte for causes like these. What is your cause? #BETHECHANGE

Don't just talk about it..

..... be about it!
So I know over the last few weeks I have "talked" about being the change. I have blogged about different news worthy material that has sparked me to want to be the change. Yet, I do not think I have fully talked about what ACTION I have taken to be part of the change myself. Today, I would like to take a moment and talk about the things that I have done to "Be the change." Please note that this is not a space for me to post my resume, or to toot my own horn, but this is a space for me to let you know of the ways in which we can all play an active role in our communities.
The last two weeks I was blessed enough to attend two conferences that mean a lot to me as far as the work I will be undertaking in the next couple of months (how do you like me speaking my positive affirmations out loud!)
As my profile will tell you, I am Haitian-American. The American side of me is that I was born in the states, and I cannot speak creole fluently. But I am 100% Haitian as both my parents were born and for the most part raised in Haiti, until their families immigrated to the United States in the late 60's early 70's. I have always known that in some way I was going to invoke change. I had wanted to be a journalist. When I was younger, I was quoted in the paper for some activity that was being done at my elementary school. When the paper came out, I read the quote and the reporter got it all wrong. I vowed, that one day I would be a journalist so that I could "Tell the truth." Well, as I grew older I still had a fantasy of being a journalist, but my eyes started focusing on politics. Bill Clinton had just been elected for his first term in office. I went to the inauguration and I fell in love with this world of politics. Years later, I became enamored with a CNN update that ran 24 hours- it was a story unraveling in Haiti. President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was a victim of a coup. It was the first time that I had seen Haiti on the international screen, and it was my first real look at the long road of reconstruction ahead. I began asking my father questions about Haiti, it's history, it's culture, what Haiti was like when he was a kid. As I grew older I knew that my passion for politics would lead me towards a domestic agenda, seeing poverty in the streets, and injustices all over the country I wanted to change things here. But my long-term goals were to always and in some way assist Haiti in the development that I knew it very much needed. I joked (with some seriousness) in High School that I would become the Ambassador to Haiti, one day.
Given the recent devastating earthquake, my passion for making a difference in Haiti's political development has been pushed forward in my life. I with 4 other students, "rose" together with American University in a Benefit Performance that we organized with 1 week and a half of planning. The five us were able to make the earthquake in Haiti something that we could all impact. In one night, that I will remember forever, we raised $30000. For me, this was something that helped me heal in many ways, because I was able to contribute my time and energy to making sure that Haiti wasn't forgotten. I felt helpless watching CNN again, like that time during the coup, and seeing people who could just as easily be family so disoriented by what was going on. This to me was the least I could do, and something that I pride myself on. I know that I may not have a lot of money, but I have been blessed enough with life and time and if that is all I can give, than that to me is enough.
But my passion for change didn't stop there. I have done my best to stay active in Haiti news, latching on to every news source and media link that has referenced Haiti in some way. Just so that I can keep up to date and stay focused on what is going on now. I currently sit on an Advisory Board with my University's Alternative Break Program. This Board is the think tank for the Program's commitment to a 5-year Alt Break Compact in Haiti. Through this think tank, I have implemented meetings with other organizations as we prepare to send students to Haiti on a service learning trip in the next year. Again, I know that this right now, might not seem big, but to me it is the best use of my time. And meeting with organizations is a great way to keep them engaged in the process as well.
Last week, I mentioned that I attended 2 workshops/conferences. The first was covering the Caribbean Diaspora and their role in the Haiti redevelopment. It was such an honor to be able to attend such an event. And the event reinforced the path that I am on as far as career growth etc. It gave me a real opportunity to put to practice everything that I have learned over the last 2 years here in D.C.
In the beginning it was rough though. Myself and another student leader on the Advisory Board, were the only two "young people" there. We were ignored, by Ambassadors and other officials when we tried to talk to them about our efforts.
Finally after a panel, I stood up to ask a question. My question was in concern to Higher Education and the role of youth engagement in this rebuilding process. I asked the panel " What are you doing as organizers to engage the youth and more specifically the 2nd generation in this process? Had we not stumbled upon this meeting through our other contacts, we would have never known of such an opportunity." Mind you I wasn't calling anyone out, it was directed to the panel itself. Well the response I received from a Congresswoman on the panel was "What are YOU doing to engage yourselves?" Now not to be, pompous, but I really hate this answer from the older generation in the political process, and I will get into that when I discuss the second conference I attended, but it is such a cop-out.
I ended up responding to this Congresswoman, by telling her and the audience all of the great things that American University and students like me are developing on behalf of Haiti. I let her know in response to a statement that she made, that I would be happy to contact her assistant with further information regarding what the University and students like me are doing.
After the question and answer session, we broke for lunch and FINALLY people were coming up to us and asking us, what it is that we are doing? They also asked us how they could assist etc. My concern is that it is always a moment of proving ourselves as young people before we are listened to and actively engaged with.
Needless to say my questions didn't end there. I asked a few more pointed questions and then was asked by one of the Ambassadors of the Program to help facilitate one of the breakout workshops! It was a great day, and I hope that the input I gave gets translated into some other form of engagement for both generations to grow.
And with that, I will lead into the second piece of my wonderful journey. I apologize that this is more like a novel and not a blog, but this is important to get out. I attended a workshop on Monday put together through Campus Progress an extension of The Center for American Progress. This workshop was an all day event that featured many great speakers, members coming out of Rock the Vote, The Obama Election Team, Scott Brown's Election Team, analysts etc. The purpose of this workshop was to come together to discuss ways in which to engage youth in the 2010 election.
To be honest the political arena is waiting to see what we do in 2010. In 2008 we voted in high numbers to elect President Obama, in 2009 we fell off so now our credibility as a voting body is in question. But to be honest I feel that it is always in question. We get the whole, we are young we don't understand politics etc. But yet politicians want to make sure that we vote for them and their issues that they care about. But we don't hear much past the need for us to be "just voters." I am a Democrat, I don't know if that matters that much though. But reflecting back on 2008 and the power we had as youth during the Presidential Elections, I find that the Democratic party lost a lot of our support directly after the election. It was almost as if the party thought it was fine for them to ride high on the momentum of the election without actively engaging the voters to continue in this process. I mean there is so much President Obama can do for his party and that was clear in the results of the 2009 Elections. Organizing America has to be the premise for all politicians and it needs to be something that they all unite on. Basically I am more "Fired Up" to do more work, and find ways to get young people to be taken seriously in this political world. We have a lot of insight to offer and it is going to be my generation that is going to change they way in which politics works, so we need to be allowed to be a part of that change.
#BETHECHANGE is the BOMB.COM!

Another day of police brutality...

I heard about this story by a friend last night at dinner. However, I didn't see the video until this morning after another friend posted it on FB. Although, the story begins with an Officer addressing a "jaywalking" incident, I don't think that it needed to end like this at all. However, we do not know what sparked the start of this footage. Whether it was something that was started because the girls were being "verbally antagonistic" or whatever the case may be. I definitely do not agree with the actions taken. If someone is being "verbally antagonistic" to an officer does that mean that the officer has the right to arrest the young ladies? And the way it seems, the officer didn't try at all to explain to these young girls what they were being arrested for. And secondly where was backup, if this was an arrest shouldn't there have been another officer present or something. I think it got way to out of hand. From what I hear from the video, the officer never explained why he was arresting the girl, or that he had intended to arrest the girl until after he had slugged her cousin. And is it necessary to hit the cousin like that, I mean the young girl is screaming for him to let her go and instead of taking better control of the situation he gets more aggressive and violent.
Juvenile Justice is an issue that really gets a rise out of me, and the way in which our police officers act towards certain individuals also bothers me. There are better ways to handle this situation. I would like to see what comes out about this in the next couple of weeks. Regardless the girls were taken into custody and the charge might be "resisting arrest" which was never clear that that was what the officer intended to do in the first place.
But don't take my word for it, look at this video:

Remember your history...

It is 2010, the world sits watching as the World Cup takes place for the first time on the continent of Africa and with that in South Africa. But as we experience one of the greatest moments in history, we must also be reminded of the past.
South Africa, much like the United States was ridden with segregationist and colonial policies known as "apartheid." Apartheid lasted well into the early 90's with ending with the release of one of the most prolific and notable leaders the world over, Nelson Mandela after being held for 27 years in prison. Not to mention was he released but then had served as the first freely elected African President of the country.
The times of apartheid were violent and brutal. Africans throughout the continent were fighting for their voice in a post-colonial environment. It caused a lot of damage to the people and to the heart of the continent as well.
South Africa was no different than the rest of the continent. Like the children of Birmingham, Alabama did in the 1960s so did the children of a province called Soweto in 1976. They (the children) protested the apartheid and the effect it had on their education system. Similar to the students who protested Vietnam at Kent State in Ohio, the police in Soweto answered these children's protests with guns- killing 23 students and sparking civil unrest.
I was supposed to travel to South Africa for the World Cup. But I really wanted to immerse myself in the history, as much as I wanted to catch a game or two. Soweto is one of the places, that when I am able to go to South Africa, I plan on seeing.

Know the history:

Have we gone too far? And when will it end?

(CNN) -- A proposed Arizona law would deny birth certificates to children born in the United States to illegal immigrant parents.

The bill comes on the heels of Arizona passing the nation's toughest immigration law.

John Kavanagh, a Republican state representative from Arizona who supports the proposed law aimed at so-called "anchor babies," said that the concept does not conflict with the U.S. Constitution.

"If you go back to the original intent of the drafters ... it was never intended to bestow citizenship upon (illegal) aliens," said Kavanagh, who also supported Senate Bill 1070 -- the law that gave Arizona authorities expanded immigration enforcement powers.

Under federal law, children born in the United States are automatically granted citizenship, regardless of their parents' residency status.

Kyrsten Sinema, a Democratic state representative, strongly opposes the bill.

"Unlike (Senate Bill) 1070, it is clear this bill runs immediately afoul of the U.S. Constitution," she said.

"While I understand that folks in Arizona and across the country support S.B. 1070, they do so because we have seen no action from the federal government," said Sinema. "Unfortunately, the so-called 'anchor baby' bill does nothing to solve the real problems we are facing in Arizona."

Arizona Republicans are expected to introduce the legislation this fall.

CNN's Ethan Harp contributed to this report



Months ago Arizona was under a fire storm because of a Law they put on the table that would make "racial profiling" less of a discriminatory act. Basically the law stated that police officers could use whatever discretion they wanted and ask anybody they wanted for valid I.D. There is already a federal law in the books that states that you must have a valid I.D. on you at all times. So this law brought many to ask if there was a more specific reason why Arizona would want to push for this. As I stated a fire storm broke out, because for many Arizona was targeting people of Latin/Hispanic dicsent and even more specifically undocumented citizens.
I have had many concerns over the language being placed in this conversation and conversations like the one I posted above. The term "illegal alien," has only been directed at one particular group, those members who have been of Latin/Hispanic descent. This is extremely problematic. To underly issues of race, or discrimination under the premise of "homeland security," infuriates me. It annoys me even more that this isn't the conversation that is being had. Much like my post on Race via Obama, I have to wonder if this is yet another example of how far we have fallen from the direction we were meant to follow.
There was only one comment that I agreed with during this whole clip and that was by Rep Semina, when she mentioned that the reason for Arizona's backlash, was lack of control by the Federal government. Yes, we have a problem with controling our borders and we need to do a better job and come up with better solutions before idiots like the legislators in Arizona continue to come up with these crazy ways to sneak in legislation that goes against everything that this country has stood for at least in this century. It also irritates me to argue on behalf of "original intent" to suit your own needs when clearly the Constitution was written to ensure that only a few privileged people were able to support their own power.
Do I fault Arizona for trying to correct something they feel needs to be corrected? No, I think Arizona is trying to make something work for them within a system that isn't working. But I think that there are better ways to go about it and I still think that we are missing the bigger picture- we have an opportunity to have a greater conversation about cultures and race, but yet we are so flustered at least from Rep. Kavanagh's view with the idea of securing the many lifestyles that vote for him- I wonder too, what category a majority of his voting base comes from. Ah ha!

Issues of Race, where do we draw the line?

I am sure that we could go on and on and on about the role that race plays in the backdrop of US history. But we must not be fooled to think that race issues are dead and gone now that we have a MULTI-Racial President, who is deemed Black in America.
I am hoping the lesson that can be learned from the experience of having a Multi-racial president is that int eh future we begin to engage more in these conversations of race etc. But I feel that there is a time and a place.
If you haven't really been following the news lately we are in day 52 (I believe) of a regional crisis. Oil giant BP had a pipe burst in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico that is causing an unknown amount of oil to be pumped into the ocean. Did I mention that we are 52 days in and this thing is still leaking with no end in sight?! Now, if you have followed my other blogs, I briefly mentioned my new found love of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast due to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I have spent to Alternative Breaks in New Orleans rebuilding, I plan to spend my next Spring Break in New Orleans going to Mardi Gras and rebuilding as well. It is my goal that after grad school I would love to live in New Orleans for a little bit and play a more active role in the rebuilding process. Needless to say hearing about New Orleans warms my heart, it was the birthplace of my indoctrination into social justice and I will always be a champion for that city. With that, this recent tragedy has had me up in arms about how long it is taking. Mainly because no one understand the magnitude of what is going on, and it will be months before we can move into cleanup. Right now we can't even contain this oil spill which is a HUGE problem.
On the political side of this BP and the oil industry are going to take a much deserved hit! I think it is good for them and about time. I also hope that in light of all of this we are able to reevaluate our regulation standards and create a better system for change in the future. However, the problem was BP's to fix, after day 10 we should have had another solution: I.E. the government. I am a huge OBAMA supporter, I think he is just the person we need in office to change the negatives in politics. I think the momentum he gained over the campaign is definitely lost, over no fault of his own. The Democratic party needed to unite and stand behind their champion and instead they went back to "politics as usual" and thought that they could just ride high on the momentum without doing the work. But now is the time that Obama needs to pull experts and step in and fix this. Yes, BP needs to be held accountable for their damage. Financially they need to foot the entire bill to house volunteers, experts, cleanup technicians etc. They need to be putting money into estuaries and into the oceanic research etc. I do not care if BP goes under from this, it was their blunder and now they have to deal with it. But all of this can be taken care of after the initial problem is fixed. PLUG THE DAMN HOLE!!
But instead of coming up with these solutions, the media (I love them for highlighting it) but some within the media are deciding to take frustrations from Obama as a way to argue a race issue. Which I think if the country is going to change, we need to have a serious conversation on race and get everything out in the open, slowly we are doing that. But to make comments that Obama is getting "street" over this oil spill distracts from the real problem- THE OIL SPILL. People are losing their livelihood, this is sweeping through many different states, the long term effects of this tragedy have yet to be determined and we are arguing about Obama's temperament. What solutions are we coming up with to figure this out?
But this is two-fold, I am glad that we are having a conversation about race, despite the fact that I think the timing is off. If you haven't figured it out I am "Black in America" which means that I also face these issues. I think that race is a big factor in the way we play or don't play our politics; it is a long term advantage when people are suffering to still break things up along the color line and it is extremely problematic.
John Blake from CNN created a very well written article shown below. Tell me what you think...

(CNN) -- Here's proof that President Obama has indeed ushered in a new era in race relations.

Who would have ever expected some white Americans to demand that an African-American man show more rage?

If you've followed the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster, you've heard the complaints that Obama isn't showing enough emotion.

But scholars say Obama's critics ignore a lesson from American history: Many white Americans don't like angry black men.

It's the lesson Obama absorbed from his upbringing, and from an impromptu remark he delivered last summer. Yet it's a lesson he may now have to jettison, they say, as public outrage spreads.

"Folks are waiting for a Samuel Jackson 'Snakes on the Plane' moment from this president as in: 'We gotta' get this $#@!!* oil back in the $#!!* rig!' But that's just not who Obama is,'' says Saladin Ambar, a political science professor at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Some of the same people crying for Obama to show more emotion would have voted against him if he had displayed anger during his presidential run, says William Jelani Cobb, author of "The Substance of Hope: Barack Obama and the Paradox of Progress."

"It would have fed deeply into a pre-existing set of narratives about the angry black man," Cobb says. "The anger would have gotten in the way. He would have frightened off white voters who were interested in him because he seemed to be like the black guy they worked with or went to graduate school with -- not a black guy who is threatening."

****Obama ready to kick butt?*****

Now some critics say that Obama should be a little bit more threatening.

On Monday, Matt Lauer on NBC's "Today" told Obama that critics don't want him to react to the oil disaster by meeting with experts and being calm. They want him to "kick some butt."Obama's tough talk comes after criticism mounted over his response to the oil fiasco. During a White House press briefing last week, a reporter told Obama's press secretary that most people haven't seen rage from the president. (That led Obama's press secretary to say he had seen an enraged Obama's "clenched jaws" in meetings.)Obama's cool temperament even prompted black filmmaker Spike Lee to tell CNN that for at least one time, Obama should "go off."

But Obama has "gone off" before and that didn't work too well for him, says Ambar. During a news conference last summer, Obama casually said that police acted "stupidly" when they arrested Harvard professor Henry Louis "Skip" Gates in his home for disorderly conduct after a confrontation with a white police officer. Obama's comments infuriated many white people, and even some black supporters. Obama had to have a Beer Summit to calm the public uproar."He flashed genuine anger," says Ambar. "At that moment, when he touched on the issue of race, he spoke frankly and passionately about what he felt and it got him into a big deal of trouble."Evoking the specter of the angry black man almost cost Obama his shot at the White House, says Paul Street, an author and political activist who worked with Obama in Chicago.


Street says videos of Obama's former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, angrily condemning America were so dangerous to Obama's campaign because it hinted that Obama may have been an angry black man behind closed doors."Rev. Wright almost cost him his run for the presidency because of fears of the angry black man," says Street, author of the upcoming book "The Empire's New Clothes: Barack Obama in the Real World of Power." "What was Rev. Wright but the ultimate symbol of the angry black man who is going to take revenge," Street says. That symbol is hardwired into American history and popular culture. It's Nat Turner, the slave who inspired a bloody 19th-century uprising. It's Malcolm X, the black militant who denounced "blue-eyed devils." It's the hip-hop and rap artists who populate contemporary radio.

***Why Obama can't get angry if he tried****

Obama, though, has spent a lifetime trying to rewrite that script, says Street, who says he worked with Obama in Chicago.

"He is Mr. Equanimity and Mr. Consolation," says Street. "That's how he negotiated his way through multiple worlds, and reached out across bridges."

In his 1995 memoir, "Dreams of My Father," Obama explained why he thought such negotiation was necessary when he met white people as a young man growing up in Hawaii.

"People were satisfied so long as you were courteous and smiled and made no sudden moves. Such a pleasant surprise to find a well-mannered young black man who didn't seem angry."

If Obama wants to go down as a great president, though, he may have to discover the political value of rage, others say.

Franklin Roosevelt was such a president, historians say. During the Great Depression, he went after business leaders who opposed his New Deal policies. Roosevelt once said that he "welcomed the hatred" of the economic elites.

Could Obama become a 21st-century version of Roosevelt, not only in taking on the oil companies but big bankers as well?

Ambar, from Lehigh University, doesn't think so. Obama doesn't share Roosevelt's elite background, which inoculated him from charges of being anti-American. Roosevelt came from a prominent, and wealthy, American family.

"It's easier to do it if your name is Roosevelt," Ambar says. "No one questions your love of capitalism or your patriotism."


**** Obama Challenges Ahead****
The BP oil spill, though, goes beyond race. It is so egregious that Obama now has permission to stoke some "pitchfork, populist" anger, says Street.

"He's now in danger of being perceived as being too soft and conciliatory and too much in the bed of corporations," he says.

Some forms of rage remain a potent political weapon, says John Baick, an associate professor of history at Western New England College in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Tea Party organizers; Democratic leader Howard Dean; former presidential candidate Ron Paul -- all used rage as a powerful organizing tool, Baick says.

"Rage can provide answers to murky questions, rage can provide passion for the dispirited, rage can provide focus," Baick says.

But race-specific anger is off-limits, Street says.

"He would be politically dead; it would be over," Street says.

Yet the call for a black man to show more emotion on subjects outside of race is still a healthy development, says Ambar, from Lehigh University.

"I take it as a sign of progress that people are calling for Obama to be angry, an almost impossible sentiment a decade ago," he says.

Still, Obama must be careful about getting in touch with his inner-Samuel Jackson, others say.

Just as gushing oil lurks below the Gulf's surface, all sorts of ugly, racial undercurrents exist beneath the surface of American politics, Baick says.

"Our commander in chief has many burdens, and among them is our history and culture," Baick says. "Compared to the weight of that, the current BP crisis and the years of environmental damage and cleanup must seem transient."

Welcome to the first Edition of my "Be The Change" blog

Mahatma Ghandhi once said, " Be the change you want to see in the world." This is the motto of my life. If we expect to "solve the world's" problems and really put the world into the path of greatness, we as individuals have to sort of start with ourselves, check ourselves and change ourselves in order to implement change around us.
If you have followed my other blog, you know that I mentioned my love of Politics. I have been told that people could see me running for Office. It has never been my goal to run for a political office, however, I find that if we want to make changes in the world, we have to be active citizens and engage in the process. Which means being as knowledgeable as we can about what is going on around us etc.
I met this gentleman the other day who said he doesn't vote because he's not into politics and it doesn't effect him. HELLO?! It doesn't affect you, politics is personal. Which means that even when you think you aren't apart of it, you really are. Does this gentleman not get taxed everywhere he goes? Does the current economic state not effect him? Does he not know anyone who is fighting in these wars? To say that politics doesn't affect you to me is asinine, I mean of course it affects you, it is all around you.
Needless to say, this is not my life. I am very aware of the way in which the government and politics plays in my life. I am also not one to sit by and let choices be made without me exercising my right to express disdain or dislike, or even agreement with these changes.
More importantly I live my life to serve others who are unable to have access to this process. I think that is where my political engagement lies. The world isn't balance, there are too few people who have a certain amount of power and too many people who don't. Ultimately the future of our world is suffering if we do not create a balanced field. With that I am a human being, and I think before anything else we NEED, no, we MUST take care of those around us. I live fully aware that one day I might need assistance and I want someone to be there to support me.
My life goal is to live that change, to fix problems at the root of the problem and hope that in some small way I am able to change the imbalance. I am extremely passionate about social justice and more specifically about community empowerment. I think that when we look to serve others, we often want to create the solution and move on, we have no real sustainable methods to uplift the community. If we want to empower a community, we have to give them opportunities to learn and grow for themselves, so that when the "help" pulls out they will be able to stand on their own two feet.
I believe that we need to invest in our future, through the legacy that we leave behind. I know that I might not have much, but I have my health, my time and a willingness and passion to serve others. I want to create solutions and not add to the problems.
So with that, welcome to this blog. A place where I might vent about political topics of the day, but also a place where I highlight the solutions to these problems. So follow me as I continue my journey in being the change, I hope that you to can add to my thoughts about the small steps that you are taking to build a sustainable community around the world.