#StoptheViolence

Yesterday another ruthless shooting left one 16 year old girl dead and 4 others wounded. But not only that it has left a community devastated and a country in fear of "the next one."
Her name was Tysha Jones, she was 16 years old and like the other 100s of people at Brighton Beach yesterday, she was just enjoying a fund day in the sun with friends. I don't know Tysha, but I am getting sick and tired of seeing so many people gunned down too early, and not only that I am tired of seeing so many of our youth getting gunned down. When will this stop? What was the gain in killing an innocent girl? What was the purpose in shooting 4 other people?
This all in the wake of the impending release of Johannes Mehserle, the BART Police Officer convicted of shooting and killing Oscar Grant in 2009. I am anoyed with the slow pace that our government is taking with stricter hand gun policies. I am angered with the rate at which young black men are either being killed or imprisoned. I am angered with the deaths of young people like Tysha Jones and the countless others.
Today, Twitter blew up with @UncleRUSH (Russell Simmons) asking his followers to tweet the names of victims who have lost their lives to gun violence, with the hash tag #Stoptheviolence. I will be happy for a day when we don't have to have hashtags like this anymore. If it could fit in 140 characters this would be my tweet:- Victim: Our inalienable rights to, LIFE, LIBERTY and the PURSUIT of Happiness When: Every time someone dies from a gunshot #Stoptheviolence

--That's all she wrote

Music Review with a message- Man Down Rihanna

Hey all:
let me preface this by saying I am the biggest HIP HOP, RAP, GANGSTER RAP fan in the world! It's probably really ironic considering that I am also a major advocate for many different causes, and I have a strong sense of empowering women, well because I am a woman! But I can get down with some hip hop, I take it for its vulgarity, its roughness, its rawness. I see it for its faults as well, mysogony etc. I recognize that while I love it, it can get better be, better and do better. With that, there are few songs/videos that shake me, because in this industry I am expecting my comfort to be pushed, I'm expecting to be rocked. But lately I have been moved in an almost distasteful way by music videos by the female artists. The first was "Ride" by Ciara- I learned to come to grips with it, because instead of being a girl shaking her booty on Jay-z's music video, Ciara took control of her own and let it all out.
The one that is causing this blog to spark from my fingers as I type across the pad of my computer, is Rihanna's "Man Down" video. It has been the topic of much main stream media. I hadn't heard the song, because lately I haven't really cared for Rihanna. But I wanted to know what the buzz was all about, the video premired and Twitter blew up. So I watched the video (click the link above to view it). When I first watched it, I was rubbed the wrong way. Rihanna guns down a guy in the beginning of the video and you don't really get why she did it. But then piecing the video together you realize she was raped by this same guy and that was her revenge. Well, upon first watching the video I was annoyed. I thought the message was too close to waht happened to her when she and then boyfriend, Chris Brown got into an altercation that left her beaten. I was worried that by creating a video like this, she would never really be able to "live that down." Not that I know if I want her to be able to live it down, but she probably wants some sense of normalcy and I wasn't sure if creating that video would get her that normalcy. I don't know it just stirred up some really conflicting messages.
But the other day Rihanna spoke out on 106 and Park saying that the point of the video was to "empower young girls" and that "Rape is something that is still taboo in this country and around the world," and that she " is the voice for her fans, for young girls, for women who had to deal with this for years." When she said that I got it, it made sense.
I had to watch the video again, now taking into account Rihanna's message. She isn't afraid to push the envelope and to make a message about something that we really shouldn't be afraid to talk about. The song when you listen closely, is about a young girl who is faced with this incredible burden, she kills the man who raped her and is crying to her mother about the regret she has for doing it. I think after watching it again, the video was brilliantly directed. The message is clear, I would have liked a PSA of some sort at the end. or maybe even a statistic, but I think it basically got the message across. We all get pushed to a limit where we will do something that we might regret. I think Rihanna leaves it up to us to determine the weight of this video. Which I think is challenging. A young girl murdered someone... that had raped her. But I think with the girl crying to her mother, the point is more to speak out. To own your hurt, your pain and let someone else take the burden for you and as Rihanna says- feel empowered.
I am pleased with Rihanna creating this song and putting herself in a video like this because she does create the dialogue that needs to happen surrounding this issue. If anything, she allowed the rest of the world to take part in something that many have to deal with alone.

But don't take my word for it. See for yourself and join in the conversation.

Invisibility

So I work for The Frederick Douglass Distinguished Scholars Program at American University. Through this position I have been able to work on various projects and develop programs for the Scholars. This summer in particular I am working on the 2011-2012 curriculum. In doing that I came across this website that has basically rocked me too my core today. It is titled "Invisible People TV" . I encourage you all to check this site out. It highlights homelessness in the United States. I was struck by the title-- " Invisible People," I think about the times I pass a homeless person on the street, I don't ever look them in the eyes, there are times when I just keep moving hoping I can get passed quick enough so that they don't see me. I know it's wrong on some level and I don't know why I do it-- I get that some people don't have a choice in being homeless, I have worked in homeless shelters. I have worked in soup kitchens, I have written papers on homelessness. I get the cause, but in my life these people are the people I don't associate with. I guess every country in its own way has their "untouchables," and for me and I think US Society our untouchables are homeless people.
But coming across this site I realized my own faults. I see the statistics and I think wow! this is happening in our country, right here in our nation's capital and with the stresses of a horrible recession, an already horrible economy, not to mention health care, a lack of education-- it's only a matter of time until everything bottoms out. But is this really what we've come to? I think about wealth in America and as a society we live well above our means, well above our comfort levels, while other people suffer. I don't think it's another person's responsibility per say to make it easier for the next person, or to pay for the countries issues, but I think we need to be concious of what it is that we are dealing with. I think about the book Invisible Man. I used to understand that book based on race relations, but now I associate it with the title of this website I came across. We have created a society of invisible people and nobody should really live like that. I wouldn't want to be forgotten and there is a reason they ended up in that situation and with the way things are going with our economy and the like, none of us can risk taking these moments to adjust for granted. Our comfort could very easily be taken away from us.
I recognize every day my limits, I know that I can't possibly solve all the worlds problems, but I can definitely start with myself. My goal, is to not turn away when I see a homeless person. Maybe I can move into the area of talking to them and finding out their story. But being homeless is a huge issue, it intersects with many other social justice issues and can often be seen as the result. There is a need to give everyone a chance. At keast in my opinion.
With that again, I ask you all to please , please, please take a look at this website and if you have any other questions be sure to let me kno.

Best,
Keesha

Tragic story, but what's the reality?

The Bryan Stow story is tragic, but are we right to continue to make this tragedy about the fact that this Young father of 2 was beaten because of the jersey he wore?
http://www.support4bryanstow.com/

Bryan Stow was beaten almost near death by two unknown suspects, Opening Day of the L.A. Dodgers game against the San Francisco Giants. If you are an avid fan of the sport or are up on sports rivalries, this is one for the ages. Well, sort of. The battles between North and South California sports teams is something of interests primarily because of the way in which these teams were founded, from swaps by owners etc.
No one believes that anybody going to enjoy America's greatest pastime should ever not be able to walk out on their own. I would like to think that no one would expect this to happen on any day that they are excited to be enjoying something fun. And particularly for this fan Bryan Stow visiting his World Championship Team on their first game of the season against the Dodgers, this was not what he expected either. But I wonder if we are right in our assessment that this senseless act was simply because Stow happened to be in a Giants jersey.
People attack other people for reasons other than just the clothing they are wearing. I recognize that this might be the easiest of assumptions, primarily because 7 weeks after the attack there hadn't still been a mainstream lead (i.e. arrest) in the case. We don't know why the attackers did what they did and if it was in fact because he was in a Giants jersey then I will let this argument go, but I am fearful, that we will continue to pit this attack on the fact that Stow was a Giants fan, when maybe it wasn't just about that. I urge the media to take the language that yes, this was a tragic event, no person should go to an event fearing for their life, and that maybe this was one isolated incident specific to the team Stow associated with, but I think it paints an ugly picture of Dodgers fans and makes people think that because of this one act, that all fans are like this.
I don't know just my thoughts.

13 Ways of Looking at a Black Man

Hey all:
So my last blog was about the recent word vomit that was Bernard Hopkins against Donovan McNabb and how he was raised. I spoke about the ills of the Black community. One minute we are supportive of the steps one of us takes, but then the next we are spitting hate and calling the upbringing of someone else as a reason to claim them as less authentic to the race. The sad thing is many of us strive for the betterment of the community and we see the rise of the McNabbs or the Hills (Grant Hill) or the Cory Bookers of the world as the place that our community can go. Not in an attempt to be "white" but to be better for ourselves. I am tired of seeing our young Black men being locked up, I am tired of seeing our young Black women continuously being left alone to raise their children, I am tired of having to walk around and second guess whether or not I deserve to be where I am, not for fear of what the "others" will say, but what the Black community will say of my success. There used to be a time when we celebrated the success of "one of our own" and now it seems that we are the first one to stab the knife deep into the back of the "brother or sister" who made it.
I just finished reading Henry Louis Gates " 13 Ways of Looking at a Black Man." This book is a collection of interviews and anecdotes and stories about Black Men:
1. James Baldwin
2. Albert Murray
3. Bill T. Jones
4. Colin Powell
5. Louis Farrakhan
6. Harry Belafonte
7. Anatole Broyard
Gates also talks about how the OJ Simpson trial shaped a new race dynamic in this country. When reading these stories, all I can think about is the pride I feel for the different layers of our community. It also shows the complexity of our identity and the struggle we ALL go through. Anatole Broyard, was probably the most complex of the stories. He passed for most if not all of his life, not really able to embrace his Blackness, or in my opinion truly be comfortable in his own skin. I think for a long time we were taught that Black wasn't beautiful, that we weren't worthy of just being happy with who we are-- some how we have to stop the cycle of self-hatred.
If anything that I take away from this book, is that our Blackness comes in many flavors, in many forms. Each one another brilliant piece to who we are. Yes there are ugly sides of our identity, there are ugly sides of every one's identity, but we can't run from them, we have to do better to improve upon them. We can't continue to kill each other, to get locked up, to remain ignorant, to cut each other down when we make it. And in my opinion whether we think we owe anybody or not, until we are truly equal, it is our responsibility to help the next person and continue to support our community for the better.
So here's my beef. Recently Cornel West (an amazing mind) called out Barack Obama on many different points.

It's not that I expect everyone to be fully supportive of everything that every Black man or woman does, but I don't think we do each other any justice by calling out our authenticity. West said in an interview that "Obama is a white man in Black skin." What does that do for the young Black man who looks up to President Obama to hear him called out not only for his policies but for his authenticity within the Black community? White America doesn't risk being charged with being inauthentic, so why do we do it to ourselves. Why can't we value all the different layers and characteristics of the overall Black identity? Is it not okay to embrace all of who we are? Shouldn't we be proud of our Civil Rights Heritage AND our modern progress. Because it seems that while there are many external factors that hold us back, we are our own worst enemy.
I encourage you all to read "13 Ways of Looking at a Black Man," let me know if you see it as more of an analysis of who the Black male truly is, or is it that each of these men represent many men and not the different aspects of one man?
---that's all she wrote.

What is Black Enough?

When I was a kid I grew up in a predominately white suburban town; Athens, Ohio where the majority of the color came primarily from the college kids that frequented our little city. I didn’t think I was “different” from other Black people, because all I knew was my friends. I don’t even think color really mattered to me, until I moved out of my bubble and got some exposure. I mean, I am blessed everyday for the life that I was born into and the life that I lead, I take pride in the woman I have become and it is all I can do but want to scream when I hear of the stories of us, BLACK PEOPLE breaking each other down. But back to the basics, I didn’t think I was “different” until I moved (forced) to California. My friends, again primarily all white, would make comments like “ You don’t really sound Black,” or “ Keesha, let’s be real, I am Blacker than you.” What does that mean? What makes someone Blacker than someone else. And more importantly where the hell do y’all get that from? HELLO in this country BLACK, is BLACK, is BLACK, is BLACK. Your problems no matter where you are at are still OUR problems. So it frustrates me to think that we still played this fractured game of identity. We are, who we are. To all those who doubt me: MY BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL!! I may not talk like the next Black person, and why would you expect me to? Individuals are individuals, no one person is identical. I don’t “act” like a Black person- or so I have been told.. What’s acting, this right here, IT IS CALLED LIVING!! Damnit, I live Black every day, when eyes are on me questioning my worth, that is BLACK! I do not play the race card because I have a faith in the world that we are better than that, but I am not naïve to think that I have it good. WE as a country, as a world and as one human race have a lot to learn, about ourselves, others and our own culture.
So you might be wondering where is this coming from. My issue is when Black people knit pick against other Black people. It in my opinion continues to show the ignorance of our people. We as a people, across the globe have suffered the most atrocious, disgusting things possible and the only people that get it are the same ones that are dishing shit against each other. Lesson 1: In the U.S there is in my opinion this fractionalization [Yeah I made that one up] between Black Americans and Black everyone else. If you come from Africa ( South Africa, Nigeria, Botswana, Kenya etc) there is this stigma, or can be that you are better than the Black Americans in this country, because the image that is portrayed of us in some countries is not the best image (but it is an image that we still need to embrace because it IS us). So when some Africans arrive, they put themselves outside of the Black American population, only to realize that it doesn’t matter here, you are BLACK as I am BLACK and you have to deal with all that that entails. There is still however a superiority factor despite this awareness, Caribbean folk at the top, African, and then Black Americans (or at least how I have come to see it). Why do we put each other in a hierarchy when I guess to take from the Pan-African viewpoint, we are all one?
Lesson 2: We Black American dish so much crap onto each other, flexin how Black we are compared to another person. And this is the root of my blog today. I have been following Twitter and the news lately (ha that sounded funny, I mean I follow both sources quite frequently) to find this “battle” perpetuated by boxer Bernard Hopkins against Donovan McNabb. Hopkins a loyal Philly Eagles fan has apparently had beef with McNabb for years, calling him an athlete with no heart. I don’t think I mind Hopkins dissing McNabb’s athletic prowess. But I do have to say, McNabb is no longer with the Eagles, so Hopkins—Get over it.. Just saying. But my contention is that Hopkins goes on to say that McNabb isn’t Black enough! WTF!!! What does Black enough mean? This is in the shadow of a Jalen Rose controversy against Grant Hill years ago during the Fab Five fiasco, where Jalen questioned Grant Hill’s upbringing. We are who we are, we have our stories but we are just a different page of Black. It doesn’t mean that one is better than the other. We are still the same people, in the streets or in the office building we still have to overcome a lot of shit and it frustrates me to no end that we can’t seem to see that. And that a man like Bernard Hopkins, Jalen Rose in his own ignorance, and even Jesse Jackson among the other who criticize men like Donovan McNabb, Grant Hill and Barack Obama because of the ingenuity of their parents to WANT and EARN a better life for their kids. I think we (BLACK PEOPLE) should be ashamed of ourselves for allowing this type of belief to persist against us. We already have to face the world and when we add the addition of facing each other, well dang, we are nowhere near overcoming our mistakes, that’s for sure. Instead we are buying into the self-hatred that we learned from years of other people’s ideas about us.
If you could take one thing away from what I am saying to you right now, if anything please, please, please teach our young to be proud of our BLACKNESS. Take pride in all the shades and beautiful displays that we show every day as we express ourselves and the beauty that is our shared heritage and culture. I was watching a show the other day on MTV- True Life, I think the topic was on “passing.” This young girl was mixed (Black and white) she didn’t know her father and she didn’t feel like she associated with the Black in her so she would go to school and tell people she was Costa Rican or something to that effect. We should be proud of where we come from and not to take away from that girl’s story, but I am proud of what my Blackness means, for me. I don’t think that there is one or will ever be one definition of Blackness because there is no one definition or man, woman, child, human etc. We are all a multitude of culture, of creativity and of love. We need to appreciate our differences because it makes us a more valued people. #PGS!
-That’s all she wrote :)

Addendum (12.13.2012):
  Other figures not mentioned in this blog whose Blackness has been questioned by some of the communities most prominent voices- President Barack Obama by Cornel West

And recently, which sparked me reposting this blog through my media outlets: RGIII was called a #Cornball because his fiance is white, and he may or may not be a Republican- UM WHO CARES!

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