A letter of appreciation

Thank you for your encouragement when I didn't feel like being encouraged

Thank you for your honesty when truthfulness seemed distant

Thank you for your humor when I didn't feel like laughing

Thank you for your wisdom, when I felt like I knew it all

Thank you for your conversation, when my text didn't get my tone

Thank you for your patience, when my urgency was a factor

Thank you for your insight, when my sight was limited

Thank you for your touch, when I lacked the feeling

Thank you for your ignorance on subjects that were unfamiliar

Thank you for your time, when you had none

Thank you for your kiss, when I forgot how bliss felt

Thank you for your knowledge, when I needed a reference

Thank you for your eyes, when I needed to recognize success

Thank you for your humility when degrees can jade reality

Thank you for your love when, my heart only functioned for the sole purpose of keeping me alive

Thank you for allowing me to show you appreciation

Fourth World

Our video conference on Feb 28th with Professor Dotson was both enlightening and eye opening. In my travels I haven't been to the midwest as much.  I have mostly ventured in the south, southwest, north, northwest and west. With the recent migration of midwesterners to the south, I had some indication that the economic situation was bad, but had no idea to what effect until Professor Dotson presentation.

Professor Dotson's idea of "Fourth World" seemed a bit mis-useful at first until the pictures began. I think that Professor Dotson did a good job in going over the history of automobile industry. He indicated that many blacks moved from the south to the midwest in search of better jobs and opportunities. However the move was not without it's consequences. Many of the blacks were still subject to racism and discrimination within housing and schools.

Professor Dotson also showed us some clips from Gary, Indiana, (Michael Jacksons birthplace). Gary, Indiana was the thriving in the 50's and up until the 90's. The clip that he showed us was a bit disturbing. There were vacant buildings such as schools, libraries, churches, houses and recreational centers. The city was a complete ghost town, or as Dotson calls it a "Fourth World". Many residents have moved away leaving behind furniture, toys and clothes. The housing market has definitely been hit hard here.  Dotson informed us that there were some contractors who have acquired some of the deserted land and were planning on rebuilding communities, but at prices that would be unaffordable to most families. How does this connect to our readings?  We have been reading and discussing articles on the injustice treatment of blacks. From the strategically placed neighborhoods, to the unequal distribution of resources/money being funneled between black and white schools, which still exist today.

Professor Dotson shared some of his own personal experiences about his grandfather who lived in south. It was an introduction to his life's work with architecture and social justice. He showed us pictures and shared stories about the NAACP organization within his country town.

The presentation and readings were eye opening but not surprising. If we as social justice advocates are to combat these injustices, it is imperative that we don't just focus on one specific area, but look at the whole picture.


Niesha

Is it Black vs White? or Working class vs The Capitalist Class

This is an article from the Bloomberg report. It just reconfirms the oppressor's antics against the oppressed.  I am not so much talking about minorities, but I am referring to those descendants of the white indentured servants who came to America either enslaved or a slave to a debt owed.  While we are up in arms about abortion and "other peoples" wars.  "The Capital class" as Marxs calls it is continuing to profit off of the working and middle class.  How is it that the middle class and the working class pays the most of the taxes, while the 400 of the wealthiest individuals don't pay hardly anything. These people can afford to pay taxes. Did they ever think that if the wealthy paid a percentage of their income to the government as us "working class people" wouldn't that cut into the budget deficit?

Also it is mighty funny that Republicans want to get rid of programs like Planned Parenthood and Medicaid, but they don't want anybody getting rid of an unwanted pregnancy, yet they don't want to help provide help financially either. So, if you keep your child and you can't afford to take care of your child, then oh well. They don't want to increase minimum wage, but they want to increase taxes and consumer spending.


Our problems have gone beyond black and white, it has entered into rich and poor.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/08/how-rich-pay-no-taxes_n_846518.html?ref=nf

International Civil Rights Museum

The International Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro, NC was more local than international. Although the design of the building used both contemporary with a touch of historical pieces, there still seemed to be something that was missing. We started the tour by going down the escalators to the basement of the building. There was a brief pause for a video clip introduction to the history of the Woolworth building. After the clip we walked through a room that were filled with "quasi-graphic" images of blacks being violently killed for any reason that the oppressed felt was disrespectful. The room wasn't as graphic and disturbing as I thought that it would be. It was almost like the images that are shown on TV that are filtered for all audiences. Our tour leader then led us through a series of rooms that focused on the Sit-in movements and other historical facts about Greensboro.
Many of the stories and the photographs shown, were familiar to me, being that I am a native of Greensboro. Though I must say that I did learn some new facts that were interesting to me. I do feel as if the museum took somewhat of what Freire (1970) calls a "banking concept" educational approach to the delivery of the knowledge given to the visitors. Meaning the information was given and not fully experienced. The museum coordinators could have conveyed the experience a little more in depth that would leave me thinking that I wish that I was apart of the movement in the earlier days. Though this was not considered a formal learning process, it was an opportunity for the visitors to learn and possibly used what they have learned to educate others. Am I "hating" in the words of Taurean and being too critical, or am I just a student trying to understand and want to experience more than just a commentary?

Nightmare of a Conscious Mind..

Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep...
What if I were to die before I woke
Would I finally be in a place where my dreams of reality
Are not interrupted by my plight
Would I be able to choose without being chosen
Would I be able to fly without being grounded
Would I be able to grow without barriers
Would I be able to laugh to keep from crying
Would I be able to love without being hated
Could I play without being played
When will this nightmare end?
How can I predict the next event when
the steps to getting there are so unpredictable
When will I be able to navigate through this sea of opportunity
when rough waters, with the absence of storms, continue
to threaten my destination..
If a nudge can't wake me up, nor a loud noise or even somebody
calling out fire, FIRE..
When will I wake up from this nightmare I call a conscious mind...

Game over!

My heart is heavy with disgust
Sick of my obsession with you
So sick I can cuss
It's my own fault
I was going in the game with no way of winning
Just happy to play the game
I disqualified myself from jump
How can I sit the bench, when
I am the star player
and a free agent
Release my heart and
cut me from the team...Playa
Time to be traded
Though my skills are useful
and we make a good team
I am not your number one
GAME OVER

Tavis Smiley meet Me...Me meet Tavis Smiley

"Can't lead without love and you can't save people without serving people." (Smiley)

Tavis Smiley who is a renowned philanthropist and host of his own television show, spoke at McNight Hall on the campus of UNC-Charlotte. Mr. Smiley began his discussion by voicing his concern about the lack of black leadership in our community. His motivating words and quirky sense of humor, seemed to keep the audience engaged. But can his message be linked to other speakers? Was his message something that we have heard before? It seems as if every time we look up, there is a new book, CD, DVD or conference geared to motivate you to get up and MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

The link that I chose to include in this particular blog, was a conversation between Tavis Smiley and hip hop mogul Jay-Z.  In the interview Tavis asked Jay-Z about how he started his fashion line "Rockawear", which is a multi-million dollar company.  Jay-Z explains his forward thinking.  He was thinking beyond what people were seeing. "Greatness"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YcSuHNCCVY

Mr. Smiley asked the question, "Are you chasing success or greatness"? Jay-Z to me was chasing greatness. In his songs he compares himself to Jesus (Hova) as well as other great leaders.  Jay-Z started off selling drugs in the streets of Brooklyn, NY. HE managed to use his metaphorical genius to propel himself out of his environment. Instead of becoming a victim his circumstance he became the culprit of his success.  Many young and old people look up to Jay-Z. But how many potential Jay-Z's do we have in our neighborhoods and classrooms? The money was Jay-Z's motive. Quick money became sluggish wealth. Mimicking the route that Jay-Z took, may not be the legal and best way, but it was his way.  We must find our own way to become great through our own gifts.  Smiley said "when our gift connects with the need, it equals our purpose." That was the most profound statement that stood out to me. I would include in that equation the love of the gift. Some don't like their gift enough to fulfill the need to embrace their purpose. When are we (including me) going to stop listening and start acting.

My final thought: Love God then accept the gift, fulfill the need and walk in your purpose.


Ni