Oh, Humanity

Greetings Earthlings...

2020-05-20T09:41:00.000-07:00

Bienvenidos. Welcome. Enkoan Dehna Metachu.

I'm scooting around this earth on a focused journey to wake humanity up. Frustrated at the dichotomies, injustices and imbalances of the planet. Believing in the power of the people, in the power of global change. I'm living and breathing a new existence into this realm.
Trying to re-connect our spirits to the sacred. Activated. Playing with words to explain (and heal) that which they call the beautiful struggle. Spreading information like a jedi mind master in search of a solution.
I have some. Visions, too. Join me, won't you?

As we dance on dreams of liberation and peace, there’s hope of neutralizing humanity to the point of true world balance. Making dichotomies invisible, disparities a memory, inequality a thing talked about only in past tense, injustice a thing no one recognizes. Where we erase —wars. racism. hunger. oppression. human rights abuses. inequity. generalizations. stereotypes. discrimination. cultural mis-representation. population control. white supremacy. imperialism. neo-colonialism. elitism. And all those other isms— and non-sensical tactics of greed and hate, from our vocabulary.

And replace them with love, sprituality, truth, freedom, empowerment, acceptance, community-and treat each other like humans should...

"Breathe reality into "human rights". I'm over the rhetoric".

Signed,

Peaceful warrior
Selome Araya

Africa Unite!

resource connector network

2008-01-31T13:21:00.000-08:00

Out of all the things I’m concerned about in this world, the stark dichotomy that exists amongst the people of this planet is the thing that perplexes me the most. I commit myself to answering the question:

Why are some people able to live with an excess of resources, opportunities, and peace, while many only receive the bare minimum to survive and find themselves in a constant battle with life?

As we all know, humanity is imbalanced and there is and always has been a stark dichotomy in access to resources and opportunities, basic life necessities, and overall quality of existence.

I first noticed this when i was 14 years old, as I began volunteering with foster children.

I started volunteering at the age of 14; working with abused and neglected children who had to be removed from their homes-also known as “foster” children. Coming from a loving household, I automatically developed compassion and empathy for these children. I often wondered: Why did they have to be born into this sort of existence and I didn’t? It didn’t make sense to me, and ultimately, I didn’t think it was “fair”. Perhaps there were greater reasons, but my 14 year old mind just couldn’t make sense of it. All I thought of was how unfair life could be for some, while it was relatively easier for others. From that moment on, this notion of “fairness” crept into my spirit and I haven’t let it go. But it also inspired me to use my position to help make their lives a little better.

The imbalanced state that humanity remains in continues to perplex me today. And as I and my experiences have grown, I have seen this imbalance manifest in a myriad of ways- racially, economically, politically, occupationally, environmentally, systematically, institutionally, educationally, spiritually, access-wise (health, water, freedom etc.), food-wise, and so on. During my numerous international travels and experiences overseas I have also seen dichotomies illustrated in various ways, where people live in houses made of cardboard boxes, have no water, no means of transportating themselves, nothing to cover their bodies from harsh conditions, and it goes on.

It automatically makes me draw a comparison to the excess and luxuries that people in other societies enjoy; like, being able to buy a $500 bag, for example.

It's not a judgment, it's a reality. But it's a reality that doesn't make sense to me. (And yes, that is an exaggeration, but it still does occur).

It still remains “unfair” (as myself at 14 years old thought), and at the end of the day, no one, no thing, no spiritual or religious belief, and no ideology can make sense of this, at least not for me.

However, as I have recognized these dichotomies as being “our” reality, I have also decided that “we” and the people in need have the power to do something about it. I may not be able to make sense of the “why”, but I can take part in facilitating the change.

Interested in learning how?

Details coming soon!!!

to my children

2008-01-31T12:54:00.000-08:00

She’s our mama
Rich
Spiritual
In all the right places
She nourishes us
Gives us our identity, our foundation
She was hurt
By many dark moments
By many cold people
And she’s still healing
I can hear her

As she asks us to be kind to her

Don’t be mad babies
I am still love
I am still strong
I am still a reflection of you
They tried to rip us apart
Divide us into fragments
Tell us that we weren’t beautiful
And silence our essence

But you know mama
She wouldn’t let that happen
She gives soil to the children
Fertilizing their minds
With traditions that shake up any invasion
And crumble it into the nothingness from which it came

I give to you these powers
These powers of resistance
These powers to define yourselves as beautiful
These powers to stand up
To rise
To unite
To take back your land
To hold each other’s hands
You are all my children
And that makes you each other’s siblings

That makes you shine brighter than any mineral they steal from my womb
From any project they design in our name
Any tactics they have to wipe us out
Any weapons they import to keep us fighting

Just like me
You are strength
You are integrity
You are divinity
You are sacred
You are beautiful
You are humanity
You
Are where it all began

And you
Can bring it all back

The peace
The justice
The structures we had
The systems we built
The way of life that we created
The love between family
The light in humanity
The spiritual integrity that defines us

It is time
To lift me up
I am still your mama
And I know you
I know you are bigger than
Genocide
I know you are more than
War
I know you are more than
Hating your own

You are free now
Free to hug yourselves again
To be proud
To look in the mirror
And see beauty
Don’t let them define it for you

It is the thing that will bring us down

Your mama is here
Watching
Praying
Listening
Hurting

I believe in you
My children
My children

My children spread out
All over the world

I believe in you, too

Please love each other
Please hold each other
Please unite with each other

If not for me
For the ancestors

Love
Mama Africa

here, in this sphere

2008-01-29T11:14:00.000-08:00

Here, in this sphere, we gather ‘round to engage in fruitful dialogues of the mind. Joining force with our spirits, we walk with a conviction that some of us were born into this life to recognize the light in those who walk in darkness. To reflect the truest potential of humanity, from so sacred a space it’s unspeakable. There are some master’s who understand that all that is happening is a manifestation of that which has been willed by the people.

And though spirit is powerful, we are co-creators in this life of ours.

Exactly who or what the people is, well that has not yet been defined. Definitions will vary, as everyone is granted his or her ability to interpret. Interpretation is a freedom we all hold. We hold this gift with honor, for it is the thing that allows us to use our minds to make sense of things, for ourselves. You see, we, we know that we must be connected to what we believe in, or what we believe in will be a mere extension of what someone else believes in, holding no personal connection to our own self.

Detrimental, that is.
Dangerous, as such.
Non-guided, souls- the result.

The power of the coined phrase “the laws of attraction” merits a moment in this sphere. Concentrating. Knowing something will come to life is one of the greatest ways to give birth to your dreams. Listening to your heart speak, your hearts’ speech; I mean really listening to yourself and paying attention.

That’s what we do, here, in this sphere. We invite you to engage with us. Pick up a piece of fruit. Your spirit is waiting…

A Little Girl is Dreaming: Shoebox

2008-01-23T18:37:00.000-08:00

shoebox

a little girl is dreaming. she comes across a bird; slips him a leaf, and goes on about her business. cheyenne loves ice cream. Mint chocolate chip is her favorite. She walks to the park on Thursday nights to speak to ms. Lollipun, the local breadmaker who teaches capoeira in the park. Cheyenne is too young to join; so she takes out a piece of paper, a camera, and some tape, and documents the experience. cheyenne lives in a shoebox, just east of candylane, up the road from twister. she enjoys making lemonade and tickling her own feet. One day, she walked into the library and started speaking really loudly. Why. Cheyenne doesn’t like rules. her shoebox doesn’t follow the speed limits when it cruises down the highway. It likes its freedom. So does she. Naturally, they vibe.

being okay with being you

2008-01-23T15:28:00.000-08:00

I notice zombies’ everyday as I float about this here world. Many people, I notice, spend more than half of their lives in a cage, boxed in to an idea of how they (think) they are supposed to live. They struggle all the while trying to refute the truth their heart speaks to them. For it’s silently shouting: don’t be afraid to be yourself; while society and their insecurities whisper even louder: but, it’s easier this way.

There’s not much difficulty in just blending in and going through those monotonous motions, doing things (or not) based on the opinions of others, frozen in one’s tracks by anticipated judgments, and limited by un-written, made up “rules” that came from somewhere that no one can ever identify.

Essentially, these “rules” are an accumulation of thoughts oozing from souls afraid to live on purpose, uncomfortable in their own skin, and timid beyond a reasonable explanation.

So, us zombie observers turn around, look them in the eye, and ask the question: is the one who lives this mundane existence really living fully and passionately? Do these binds allow one to spread wings and be free in all aspects of one’s life? Or are they providing the perfect ingredients for living a life of limitation and fear?

Well, upon conclusion, we learned that eventually you begin to understand the language your heart has been speaking all along. You start by wondering if there isn’t something greater for you to do with your time in this life. And you slowly come to realize that living your life by the standards of others, or simply for others, is a sure way to suppress your spirit into a drab slab of blah.

Then begins the mental peeling away of the box, the gradual stripping of the fear, and embracement of one’s truest essence.

There goes limitation! (Wave, you won’t see it again).A smile follows. Your skin settles into itself.

And now, you may live your life.

The Battle Between Starbucks and Ethiopian Coffee Farmers

2008-01-23T13:17:00.000-08:00

*news article from December 2006

From Bean to Cup: The Battle Between Starbucks and Ethiopian Coffee Farmers

Every day in the early hours of the morning, the farmers of the Oromia region head out to the coffee plantations in the Ethiopian highlands for a day’s work. Often walking barefoot for miles to arrive, the farmers use their bare hands to pick the coffee beans off of steep mountains in high altitudes and the blazing sun. For these farmers and their families, coffee farming is the only means to earn a living in one of the poorest countries in the world. They earn less than a dollar a day.

Halfway across the world, sleepy office workers line up at the Starbucks on 14th St. in New York City, ready to pay three dollars for their first jolt of caffeine. Starbucks, with over 11,000 stores worldwide and annual earnings of over $7 billion, receives much of its coffees from countries like Ethiopia.

Since its founding in 1985, the company has promoted fair trade as part of its corporate image. Starbucks has courted its politically correct customers with “Fair Trade” Ethiopian coffee in lovely cut out packaging. But the relationship between the corporation and the farmers is more complicated than it appears. Recently, there has been a growing controversy over whether or not Ethiopian farmers and the Ethiopian economy are receiving fair treatment from the multinational corporation. This debate has sparked a fervent campaign
by fair trade organizations, workers’ unions, and the Ethiopian government, who are publicly challenging the ethics of the company.

Conducting Business Responsibly

Starbucks maintains that it enjoys a positive relationship with coffee farmers. With their “commitment to social responsibility”, Starbucks developed an integrated approach to coffee sourcing with C.A.F.E. (Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices), a set of socially responsible coffee-buying guidelines. This sustainable strategy is said to improve working conditions for farmers, helping them earn more while protecting the environment.

Starbuck commits itself to paying premium prices for all of its coffee and attempts to purchase coffee that is certified as Fair Trade Coffee. “Starbucks global purchases of Fair Trade Certified coffee totaled 11.5 million pounds in fiscal 2005, making it the largest purchaser of Fair Trade Certified coffee in North America” the company stated in a brochure. “In addition to paying premium prices for all of our coffees, our investment in social development projects and providing access to affordable loans in coffee growing regions has been recognized for its leadership within the industry,” Starbucks said in a press release statement in October 2006.

Trademark Blocking

However, Ethiopian farmers believe they are receiving the short end of the stick in this relationship. While Starbucks continues to generate billions of dollars each year, Ethiopian farmers and their supporters believe that Starbucks does not wish to see them or their country, reap comparable profits.

Oxfam International, a British human rights organization, claims that Starbucks tried to block the Ethiopian governments’ attempt to trademark the names of coffees grown in its Harar, Yirgacheffe, and Sidamo regions, denying the impoverished country possible revenues of up to $80 million. The U.S. National Coffee Association (NCA) attempted to block trademark efforts, and Oxfam accused Starbucks of being behind these efforts. Although Starbucks denies this claim, Oxfam spokeswoman Jo Leadbetter says there is validity in their claim. “We have heard from a number of sources that actually Starbucks was involved in alerting the U.S. coffee association to block these applications and that it ‘stinks of corporate bullying,’” Leadbetter said.
According to Oxfam, for every cup of coffee sold at Starbucks, farmers in Ethiopia only early about $.03, receiving a very small portion of the profits that their coffee generates from consumers. “Ethiopian coffee farmers often collect about 10 percent of the profits from these coffees. The rest goes to the coffee industry players that can control the retail price, the international importers, distributors— and roasters like Starbucks,” Oxfam stated on its Make Trade Fair website. In response, OXFAM has launched a fair trade campaign to support farmers like the ones in the Ethiopian highlands. “Starbucks has engaged in some positive initial steps in helping coffee farmers living in poverty. I don’t understand why they won’t take the next step and come to the table to discuss Ethiopia’s proposal in good faith,” stated Seth Petchers, Oxfam America’s coffee program manager.

Ethiopia coffee industry

Ethiopia, known as the birthplace of Arabica coffee from its Kaffe region, depends on the production of coffee for its economy. Coffee production is so important to the agriculture-based Ethiopian economy that 50-60% of its export trade comes from coffee income. The industry employs one out of every four people. An estimated 15 million coffee farmers and their families depend on coffee for their survival.

Coffee is also a central element of Ethiopian culture, with traditions that date back to the 10th century, when the first tree was domesticated in the south-western highlands of the country. Coffee is so important to the daily routine of life in Ethiopia that “coffee ceremonies” happen daily throughout the country. A third of the national production is consumed domestically.

Starbucks’ potential impact on the Ethiopian market

Should Ethiopia be successful in trade marking its beans, it will enable the country to control the use of its beans in the market, giving its farmers a larger portion of the retail price. "Securing the trademark for its Sidamo, Harar and Yirgacheffe coffee beans could have allowed the country to increase its negotiation leverage through control of the names and ultimately (derive) a greater share of the retail price in the global market," Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The potential benefits for the Ethiopian market are enormous, according to Hailu Fitsum, the Second Secretary of Trade Investment at the Ethiopian Embassy. “When producers can grow and prosper by not only improving production and quality but also by building up the value of their intellectual property portfolios, then everybody in the coffee industry – including partners in retail and distribution as well as consumers – reap benefits.” Fitsum adds that in a case like Ethiopia’s, “Stronger negotiating power would enable millions of coffee farmers and traders to prosper and invest in the future of these fine coffees.”

Ethiopia’s Position

Tadesse Meskela, the representative for the Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union in Ethiopia, agrees with Fitsum. According to Meskela, Starbucks sells the coffee for $14.00 per pound, but only pays $1.20 per pound, which does not even cover the cost of production.

However, Mr. Meskela explained that the coffee farmers’ issue is also with the World Trade Organization, not only with Starbucks. In a telephone interview, he said, “The WTO controls a huge amount of the profit trade and a change needs to be made in international trade laws. The price we [farmers] receive is very low and it’s lower because of unfair trade laws.”

Meskela is working hard to save his 74,000 impoverished coffee farmers, and he is on a mission to find buyers who are willing to pay a fair price for their coffee. Meskela is also the main character in Black Gold, a documentary that juxtaposes the experiences of the coffee farmers with that of the consumers who purchase the product on the other side of the world. “This film highlights the vulnerability of coffee farmers and the disconnect that exists between poor farmers and huge profits. Oxfam seeks to correct the imbalances of power at the root of unfair trade,” stated Petchers.

Starbucks’ Position

In response to Oxfam’s campaign, Starbucks has launched a counter-attack. “We have never filed an opposition to the Ethiopian government’s trademark application, nor claimed ownership to any regional names used to describe the origin of our coffees,” the company said. Dub Hay, Starbucks Senior Vice President of Coffee and Global Procurement told BBC radio, "We have not been involved in trying to block Ethiopia's attempts. We did not get the NCA involved; in fact it was the other way around. They were the ones who contacted us on this.”

While Starbucks denies being behind the trademark-blocking process, the company doesn’t think that trade marking is in the best interest of the farmers and the Ethiopian economy. “Were trademarks to be implemented -- roasters might shy away from buying the coffees for fear of becoming embroiled in complicated legal disputes. Or worse, they may buy the coffees and just market them without the trademarked names. Letting the high quality beans go to market without a geographic identification would completely undermine the value of the brand,” Starbucks said in a statement.

The Ethiopian government also asked Starbucks to sign an agreement that would enable Ethiopia to have ownership of its coffees. However, Starbucks refused to sign such an agreement, as the company believes that if Ethiopia were to trademark its products it would be excluding itself from the market. According to Hailu, this is grossly offensive. “The only way this statement could be accurate is if Ethiopia completely mismanages the trademarks once they have been acquired, and I would hope that Starbucks is not assuming that Ethiopia is not capable of managing the Intellectual Property assets related to one of its most important exports,” Hailu says.

As an alternative to trademarking products, Starbucks suggests the development of geographic certification programs. Through the certification programs, a country can be identified as the origin of a product. Starbucks says these systems are more effective than registering trademarks for geographically specific names, such as the regional names the Ethiopian government is trying to trademark. The trademark signifies the manufacturer of a good or product while certification identifies that the product meets quality product standards. Alain Poncelet, Starbucks’ head of Green Coffee Purchasing told Spiegel Online, the German online newspaper, that his company “is all for Ethiopia ‘protecting its regional names,’ just not through trademark.”

This position is not receiving much press, however. The company received over 70,000 phone calls and faxes from concerned consumers showing support for the farmers. But does such negative publicity have any affect on the house-hold name and billion dollar company? “Probably not,” says a Starbucks employee in New York City who spoke on condition of anonymity. “People are so hooked on coffee that they are not going to be affected by something that is happening so far away. The only people protesting Starbucks are a minority of activists. Everyone else just thinks about their own problems.” The employee also spoke highly of Starbucks treatment of its employees. “They treat their employees better than most corporate companies and they give a lot back to the community,” he said.

Power positioning

As Meskela pointed out, the struggle between the coffee farmers and Starbucks doesn’t just address the issue of trademark rights. It also highlights the way coffee farmers are almost entirely left out of the trading industry between governments and corporations. The issue addresses the reality that farmers in “developing” countries don’t have much bargaining power in the international trade sector.

Senait Assefa, a resident of New York from Ethiopia, believes that strengthening the position of coffee farmers in the international market should be the focus of the efforts, not Starbucks. “The coffee producers should band together to control the supply of coffee in the international market, thereby enabling themselves to dictate their own terms (similar to how oil producing countries manipulate the price of oil by reducing or increasing production & supply)”, said Assefa. However, Assefa admits that this might not work. “While oil is a resource only few countries are endowed with, almost anybody can grow coffee,” she added.

Although coffee is a crop that can grow in different regions, the high quality of Ethiopian coffee is what makes it so unique. As Ethiopian farmers continue to work hard to produce such fine quality coffee, their position in the international trade market is just beginning to receive worldwide attention, thanks to the tireless work of Meskela and others. While the battle to trademark their coffees continues, the coffee farmers are also left to struggle with trade laws that make them invisible in the chain of international players.

Eyes of Africa

2008-01-23T09:31:00.000-08:00

Mis-Representation at its Best:
Perceptions of a Continent Through Foreign Eyes
*1st published in February 2007 in Pambazuka News

Ask anyone what they think of “Africa” and you may receive a response related to poverty, AIDS, hunger, ‘tribalism’ or animals. Trails of pity might linger in their words as a hint of disgust shimmers in their eyes. They may give an example of how they helped to “Save Darfur” or dreamed of adopting an “African orphan”. Most likely the view of the continent is that it is not a continent at all, but one large country, where everyone speaks the same language, eats the same food, wears the same type of clothing, and creates the same type of art. Yes, in their eyes, “Africa” is a homogenous place of simple people with simple activities.

But, for someone who has never been to the continent, can they be blamed for this ignorance? The media and “humanitarian” field does an incredible job of mis-representing the birth of civilization and projecting it as a down-trodden place of mishaps and has-beens, a place of disease, poverty, and chaos, and a place devoid of any history or future. Even today, it is still depicted as “The Dark Continent”, with dark tales of gore and war. And it’s not just the media. So-called “experts” , practitioners, and scholars perpetuate these stereotypes to no end, continually feeding the mis-representation engine.

This cynicism is not to be taken lightly, but to make a loud statement. “Africa” has been placed at the bottom of every pole on the international scale. It is deemed as possibly one of the worst regions on earth, and this notion is perpetuated continually with images and language, misinformation and racism, and media blitz and negative attention. Very few media outlets provide their viewers and readers with positive information about the plethora of countries and events occurring on the continent. For that would be mundane and not “sexy”. Yes, it seems that “Africa” is sexy these days. A crisis in “Africa” gets more response, more money, and more attention than a positive occurrence.

Granted, there are many issues affecting numerous countries in Africa. But I’m appalled at the fact that every time I hear of this place my family and ancestors call home, it is in a negative light, in a pitiful light, in a savagery light, in a deadly light. What I fail to understand is how all other elements of life are negated for the sake of a “good story” and a dramatic plea for funds. I have seen with my own eyes many elements of life that are beautiful beyond explanation, and I beg someone to explain to me why these elements aren’t projected.

Recently I was skimming Elle Magazine (yes, clearly not a place to be reporting on affairs of an international nature) and was deeply disturbed by the only two pages dedicated to “Africa”. The article disturbed me so much that I had to write a letter to the Editor expressing my utter disgust at their depiction. Africa was [mis] represented as a place where everyone is dying, has AIDS, or who is thirsty and hungry. There was no context provided, nor was there any balance that spoke of the positive elements of the continent. There was no mention of how people are responding to their own needs. All that was discussed were ways in which Europeans are “saving” this dreadful place from falling further into its cave of darkness. I couldn’t help but wonder how many readers of this pretentious high-fashion magazine walked away with a haunting perception of a place that they have never been to. If I were reading about “Africa” for the first time, I surely would think of it as a place that is just a hot mess of hell.

As a graduate student at Columbia University, where so-called “experts” teach aspiring public health students about “Africa”, I experience the same generalizations and stereotypes being perpetuated. These “experts” have dedicated their lives to joining the “savior” movement that’s happening in certain circles of humanitarian assistance. And so, “women” are all victims and need outsiders to help them do everything. “Child soldiers” need to be rehabilitated by people from European countries. “Women and children” need outsiders to intervene and “save” them from the heathens that are the men in their lives. Everyone is dying of some disease. Every home seems to be in a dilapidated state with no food, water, or electricity. Almost everybody is in need of a program designed from abroad. People don’t know (or remember how?) to grow their own food, so they need continual food aid packets dropped in their “communities”. And everyone belongs to a “culture” and has traditional ways that they live their lives, in their villages. “Health” must be shaped from a Western point of view. It sickens me to hear how excited they become as they talk about the next country they are traveling to, to implement their pre-designed projects on people. They are the Lords of Poverty and aren’t even conscious of the stereotypes they carry with them as they lecture. And they’re producing an entire pedigree. Many of the students make drastic generalizations and proclamations about the countries they have lived in (for three months) and become self-proclaimed spokespersons for this region of the world.

There are also many campaigns today that continue to project negative perceptions of Africa onto the world. For people who have no exposure, direct contact, or knowledge of Africa, these campaigns are down right dangerous and counter-productive. Instead of “raising awareness” about important causes, they invoke pity for “the other” and perpetuate the concept that Africa is backwards and in need of saving. The campaigns I am referring to are the “I AM AFRICAN” campaign, the “Red” campaign from The Gap clothing company, and the numerous “Save Darfur” campaigns occurring in the world. As I walked down the streets of Manhattan today, I retained some of the advertisement for the “Red” campaign at the Gap. It pleads for people to help end AIDS in Africa and to save women and children from dying. Again, another universal representation of Africa for all of the Gap Corporation consumers. The millions of Gap Corporation consumers.

The “I AM AFRICAN” campaign is one that may have good intentions, but is grossly offensive and appalling. Appalling because an African woman is behind it, offensive because of the feathers, face paint, and European superstars posing as “Africans”. So now we have Gwyneth Paltrow with striped paint on her cheek, a plethora of jewelry on her neck, with the phrase I AM AFRICAN across her chest. I understand the point is to educate people on the AIDS crisis on the continent, but could it not have been done in a more respectful, tactful, and tasteful manner?

But more importantly, what these campaigns do is make “AIDS in Africa” a commodity, something that is fashionable and marketable, and makes the only reference people have to the continent one that is linked to death and poor health. To have celebrities (who are not of African descent) say that they are “African” is to imply that since they are now “African” they also somehow have AIDS. It’s sending a message that being African is synonymous with AIDS.

International Non-Governmental Organizations who do business in “Africa” are no better. They spend much of their time and resources depicting the continent as a place that only they can “fix”, and spew out endless facts to justify their own causes. Yes, they are there to save the lowly Africans, and the more dramatic the picture or story, the more support they receive. And more importantly, the longer they stay in business.

What people fail to understand is that, while it is imperative to raise awareness about the global poverty that is the reality for billions of people around the world, it is not helpful in the least to project an entire continent through a one-dimensional lens that is lined with despair and imbalance.

If people are going to campaign and discuss such despair, they need to provide context and background information, and underlying root causes of issues like AIDS and other poverty-related concerns. To simply present them independent of any other information is to represent people as helpless, hopeless victims who need saving.

It is time for a change. It is time for “Africa” to be uplifted more often in the media. We need to hear more about the other dimensions of life for “Africans”; those that are not living in abject poverty and dying every second from whichever health concern is “hot” at the moment.

There’s music, there’s movement, there’s knowledge, there’s progress, there’s love, there’s tradition, there’s strength, there’s beauty, there’s nature, there’s power, there’s wealth, there’s health, there’s humanity, there’s history, there’s unity, there’s peace, there‘s LIFE.

Sometimes, wouldn’t it be great to hear about these elements too? Because the “Africa” that I know is much more than death.

sanity on a friday

2008-01-23T09:24:00.000-08:00

during a rough patch in 2006

I, ponder

Dear [ ]

There are times in my life when I feel like my sanity is sliiiiiiiiipping away.

I wonder where my sense goes. And why it gradually becomes so hard to make. Today I am feeling as overwhelmed as I have ever felt. And I can’t rest. Stopping or slowing down are luxuries I can’t afford these next few weeks. But let me tell you, my body aches to be able to read my new Arundhati Roy books, get a full body massage, watch a funny movie, and eat ‘til my jeans don’t fit. You know, all the escapes and pamper-tings.

I am stopping for the moment to eat in solitude. But eating in solitude in New York City really means eating in a bright and noisy joint that’s near your livelihood.

And stopping for a moment is a blessing. There are times (like, uh, now), when I feel as if I’m too scattered to even keep up with myself. Let alone all of the people, all of the projects, all of the unfinished commitments, all of the ideas, all of the plans, all of the things on my to do list. My to DO list is something that belongs at Knott’s Scary Farm. I retrospect on my life and am amazed at all of the things I have been engaged with. But on this Friday, I wonder if it really got my full attention and potential. I wonder if I half-assed so many things as a result of my busy, energetic, and idealistic personality. I wonder what type of mark I’ve actually left. Am I what people really see me as? How in the world is Selome really ‘saving the world’ when hers periodically gets tipped on its axis and doesn’t make much sense to her? As usual, in these times of chaos, I question it all. And it feels like IT all questions ME.

And then those questions lead to more. Questions.

And I remember, that good Lawd, I already know the answers.

It’s because I have always had a fear of sitting still. Of being alone with my (loud) silent thoughts. Afraid to not have anything or anyone around me, keeping me occupied so I’m not reminded. Being afraid to admit that I don’t have it all together, contrary to what the world projects on me. Being too proud to admit that, shit, I got issues too. Afraid to accept that after years of hearing all that you are perfect, you have such a beautiful spirit, you are always happy, you are marriage material, you do such good work, you are such an inspiration, you are always positive, you are sunshine, you are you are you are nonsense, I internalized it all and believed my own hype. Naturally pain would set in as I slowly realized, ahhhhhh, a lot of it IS hype. Because is anyone ever reeealllly happy allllll the time? No. But gosh darnit you couldn’t convince people that I actually did get sad. [[so I ask myself, what are you projecting and hiding to make folks believe this??]]

It’s been the work of a woman searching for a pearl in the Atlantic Ocean to recognize that I’m not all of those things all the time for everyone. Recognize that it’s a part of this human experience to sometimes be weak, and confused, and scared, and lonely, and mad, and unhappy, and just in a ‘regular’ mood. Ha. To even call it a ‘regular mood’ is an eerie thing. Just regular. Why does it have to be regular? Why can’t it just BE? I just AM right now. Not defined by any of the adjectives chosen for me on a given day.

After years of being ‘on’, it’s important for me to turn ‘it’ off occasionally. And that occasion comes more and more, and well received might I add. I produced a severe case of people-pleasing tendencies and stretched myself farther than necessary. Hence the ‘social butterfly’ complex and label, hence the compromising-my-needs-so-that-I-can-see-another-person-smile disease. Wanting this person to like me and hoping this person knows that I’m fresh. The occasion to shut that down presents itself more, again. And with open arms, again! At the end of the day, it’s not about this person or that project or whatever other external matter I’ve fixated my spirit on, it’s about what Selome needs and feels and does internally. It’s about balance man. It’s about me taking care of me first.

Or, simultaneously?

I sing the same song every six months. Revert back to self, Selome. Focus on YOUR needs, Selome. Stay consistent with writing and exercise and cooking and dancing and therapy and sleep and quiet time and leisure reading and book ideas and learning how to make documentaries and…

Instead, I stay consistent with other peoples problems, helping and supporting other people, volunteering, community organizations, work, school, conferences, social commitments, phone calls (with a full mailbox every other damn day), emails (200 a minute), the f’ed up world, social justice, and global poverty.

And we see that the external always take the lead in my life.

And, so it is again. I have made progress in some of these realms. See, the positive. But I recognize how I’m built and what moves me. I am extroverted by nature, whatever that really means. Well, I discovered what it means! It means…one that receives energy from external things and people. Well, if that doesn’t define me, then Webster isn’t real.

a freestyle

2008-01-23T01:17:00.000-08:00

She said whatchoo wanna be

I said: alive

I said alive?

What’s that look like?

It’s like…
Living on purpose
Being free
Eating mashed potatoes
And peaches
Uplifting mama Africa
Stopping International NGO’s from pimping Mama Africa
Taking away disparities in America
Inequalities
You know
All the bumstickety little things that
Make life a struggle for some
But then
Being alive
Also means playtime in the pond
Getting your dance on
Like having conversations with kids
And playing in water
Then you start to remember
They still hanging nooses
Making us run like gooses
Geese
Reacting
Again
And again
As you walk the dog
You wonder when we get to
JUST walk the dog
Instead of walking the dog
And then fighting the judicial dogs
Damn, they doggin us
We doggin each other
Guns
They run amuck
We do it
The police do it too
We feel trapped
We make Sunday dinners
And have birthday parties
Then
It’s back to fighting
But when do we get to have
Sunday dinners
And go to sleep
When do we get to
Live in peace
Justice first they say
Justice
First
First we have to
Spend time
Thinking of a master plan
To re-define a paradigm
That ain’t never gave a damn
That ain’t never cared
To see us rise
So
We rise
Up ourselves
We rise up ourselves
We rise
Up
Ourselves
We get on planes
And greet our Diaspora
We get on planes
And kiss Mama Africa
We get on planes
And ain’t never felt freer
Cuz see
We know we ain’t really living
In a free country
We know
It’s dumb expensive
Freedom for some
At the
Expense
Of oppression for
The others
At the expense-of
Expens-ive
Yea
That’s the same
Basically
It’s costing something
Costing life years
Quality of life
Diminishing
Piling on the stress
Add a Kentucky Fried Chicken
And liquor store on every corner
Equals
Obesity
Alcoholism
Oh wait
We need to stop complaining
Why is it called complaining
Instead of voicing the truth
Storytellin’
Systematically
Our power gets silenced
By labeling us whiners
Whino’s
Complacent
If we stood up
Turned our frustration into
A solution
The disparities would stop
Really?Solutions would mean a straight-up
Revolution
Why?Because this system
This
System
Is arranged so fiercely
That even solutions
Don’t have long impacts
Even solutions
Can’t be sustained
That’s why we say
Revolutionize the whole joint
That’s change the whole joint
Meaning
Re-arrange
Re-a-change
Re-a something
Cuz this ain’t working
And we’re tired
We are tired of: always.having.to.battle
We gotta put on our combat boots
Every week
Every week
Everyone
Gets weak
So weak
“Look around, things are so weak, people are so weak, sometimes, sometimes I feel like cryin”.
We fall back
To thinking like people who have never been here
“Everything is perfect in that country”
Then
We start reaching again
For that rotten pie
Forgetting that that pie
Gives us ulcers
Oh wait,

We were out walking our dogs
How did our mind get on rotten pies
And combat boots
Oh it’s being in the
Belly of the beast
Makes it hard to focus on
The little lovely things
Of life
We always get brought back
Jerked in
Whipped
To reality
Reality right now
Is skewed

Yea, it’s draining
Yea, I’m tired
Yea, I’m trying
No, it’s not over
But yes, we’re still happy

Fear

2008-01-22T19:57:00.001-08:00

Fear
Makes my heart pound
My mind hot pink
Like a bunch of wild roses dipped in ice
Then lit on fire

Feeling like I’m a lemon
Being squeezed of my glory
The pulp was my faith
The juice my stability

I am weakened

Frozen in my uncertainty
Unsure of what is
Or isn’t
Or may be

I’m loosing a grip I never really had
Laughing at the irony in that
Aching from the reality of it

Confused at how I can fake it
All too well

So well, it’s eerie

It’s hidden
As I move through the world
Twisted in a smile
With armor they define as my spirit

Behind the sparkle
Loud words
Giddy conversations

Is Fear

I am in the wilderness
You are in the music
In the man’s car next to me

I am in the confusion of her next decision

The hesitation of her movements
The skepticism behind her views
The apprehension as she walks
The timidity in her eyes
The fear in her voice
The lack in her confidence
The numbness of her actions

She doesn’t move

She stays still
Moving
But going nowhere?

As on a treadmill

Whoa

Heal You First

2008-01-22T07:46:00.000-08:00

Heal You First

I’ve been trying to pay attention more. Listen more…to myself, that is. All things point to how the ways of this world unsettle me in various ways. Coming to terms with so much strife, and feeling a responsibility to do something about it, is a big task for a little person to take on. I’ve been hustling and moving for some time now, still wondering if I’ve been as effective of a force as I can be.

Upon conclusion, I discovered, more than once, that my own needs must be tended to before I can truly exist as a catalyst for change in the external realm. See, people like me, we neglect our own needs for far too long. And realize only later that not only is this detrimental to ourselves, but the work we are trying to do isn’t as effective as it could be.

So, I often ponder the struggles of humanity and race my brain to figure out solutions and remedies. I find myself quite overwhelmed with this notion, but I dive in to whatever is calling me at the moment, momentarily satisfied that I have done something. But, as I reflect, I realize that I’m still unsatisfied with my contribution. Trying not to be too hard on myself, I attribute this dissatisfaction with the fact that I’ve not nurtured myself enough to be the whole, complete, essential being I know that I am destined to become, therefore not realizing my fullest potential as a force for change either.

While I believe my calling is to make differences here, there, and even over there, I have come to accept that the first difference I need to continue focusing on is the relationship I have with myself. For many years I put everyone and everything else’s needs in the forefront, pushing my needs to the back, and not listening to myself as much as I should have. There’s always been something whispering to me, tapping me on my spirit and trying to speak a language that I wasn’t fully ready to hear. That language was one of internal harmony and acceptance. Basically, the ability to be nice to myself, just as I’ve been nice to the world. The ability to allow myself to mess up, go slow, be honest, say no, sit still, and let go. Not be so hard on myself and give praise and thanks for the things that I have been able to do. And realize, perhaps the best is yet to come.

These are all notions that may come easy to some, but for me it’s been a struggle. Feeding off of the external and constantly wanting to please, do, give, and be there. Always feeling an internal push to reach out and make myself available. And being fueled by the praise of it all. Getting high off of the fact that my spirit makes other’s high. So, I continued to spread myself, making them smile. I got caught up, spinning further towards an existence that was draining and damaging to me personally, over time.

Letting go of guilt and looking the other way as the next cause knocks on my door, I’m now trying to center all this madness into a channeled source of clarity. When you have so much exposure, even more passion, yet more energy, and an even bigger heart, sometimes it is the perfect ingredients for a chaotic, self-neglecting journey. But, sometimes you’re blessed enough to repeatedly learn a lesson until you finally pay attention to what the universe, and yourself, have been trying to get you to listen to.

I’m happy to have made great strides towards changing the way I relate to myself. I am happy that I’m making progress. Slowly, I’ve been more still. Gradually, I’ve learned how to close the door to the outside world when I need to. Little by little, I put myself first. And understand, the rest will fall into place in due time.

Listen to what you’re telling yourself. The answers and balance have always been there….let them in and let them heal you. First.

as she continues to burn...

2008-01-21T19:03:00.000-08:00

Sadly, the most news coming out of East Africa is one that consists of brothers (and sisters) fighting each other for "political" reasons that still seem quite unable to justify the continuous murders, displacement, warring, and burning.

Speaking of?

Ethiopia. Somalia. Eritrea. Kenya. Sudan.

Neighbors. Kin. Family. Blood.

There are layers upon layers of excuses that have been conjured up to rationalize the endless (and senseless) invasions, occupations, military deployment, bombings…that inhibit this region from recognizing peace. It goes back further than I can fathom, but not one of the so-called excuses that the so-called "leaders" are whining about seem to be justification to continue to be "at war" with those who are your reflection (in various forms).

Yes. Many of these territories were once part of the other, with overlapping languages, traditions, food, and facial features. Historically, they are all connected to one another. Yet today, narrow-minded men want to spread genocidal tactics until the others are all silenced, forever.

I'm here; way over here, reading, learning, crying. I've been there. And I'm proud to be connected to it all. But this constant barbarism and hate sometimes makes me want to climb out of myself.

This region I'm speaking of. Eastern Africa (with what is demarcated as "The Horn" in there as well), this region is in so much pain. And has been for a long time.

From the Sudanese civil war that's lasted longer than two of my lifetimes
To the Eritrean-Ethiopian familial battles that never seem to end
To the Ethiopian regime attacking Somalia (U.S. style)
To the uprisings and civil battles in Kenya

I am hurting for us. And you know why?

Because every single one of these conflicts--while backed by international governments politically, economically, equipment-wise, and propaganda-wise—are all being carried out between people of the same land, of the same clans, of the same blood. Of Mama Africa.

This is why my heart bleeds. Because we are doing it to ourselves; and for what?

Greed. Power. Money. Territory. Control. Uncontrollable machismo. To appease the string-pullers.

Basically: nothing.

Nothing more important than human lives and civil liberties.

Dark moments in our past may have shaken up our foundation, but it is us that is prolonging our frustrations.

Divide and conquer? It worked. But we are dividing and conquering ourselves now.

Please, please… Send up a prayer to the sun for us. And the babies.

Signed,
A descendant of the region

Tough Rose

2008-01-21T18:39:00.000-08:00

If you look hard enough, the things that you dream about become bits of reality walking past you down the street. Many people don’t understand this, since they are too busy thinking about what they want to do, instead of moving towards it in their mind. You know those things called omens, well those are all the little things that the universe puts in your path for you to latch on to. Those omens are supposed to serve as your guide, directing you to your life’s true purpose. It’s all quite simple, but you have to be open to feel their nudge and absorb their signs. Go this way, don’t do that, they tell you, in subtle, inconspicuous ways. Just listen, for they just might have the answer to your “where am I going’s” and confused mental banter. Like a conversation with a wise elder who cares enough to impart the wisdom.

One such elder was quite respected in my town. No one really understood how, but she always managed to turn the hardest knucklehead into an avid reader and culture enthusiast. Almas had a knack for tough roses. She could always tell when a young person used their exterior armor to shield their pain and frustration at the world. One look at a person could give her their blueprint. She could see past the negative energy and destructive behavior, for she knew that everyone is a product of his or her childhood. Almas always told us, during those ‘youth sessions’ she held at her house on Friday afternoons, that everyone is a stem from a tree. The roots of one’s tree can explain everything about a person’s life, from their dreams and personality to their beliefs and fears, and everything in between. Sometimes, I wanted to ask Almas what was on her tree. But I knew that in my culture, you don’t ask elders these types of questions. You wait for them to tell you.

As soon as Sirach moved on our block, Almas knew that he was troubled. But she also knew that Sirach was a special one. A rose can never hide their beauty, and Almas could see that beneath his anger, Sirach had a heart the size of the Red Sea.

To be continued…

Magic

2008-01-17T13:07:00.001-08:00

Of Water and the Spirit, by Malidoma Some’

There have been a number of books that have moved me on an emotional, spiritual, intellectual, political, and creative level. In these books, I often find myself connecting so intensely to the writer’s thoughts and methods that I feel as if I’ve actually written the books myself. Writer’s who encourage me to keep creating pieces that inspire in ways that are light years away from being mundane, but instead move people to see their dreams, and themselves, fly.

One book that moved me in this way is The God of Small Things, by Arundhati Roy. Her wordplay and artistry are truly visionary and immensely creative; she is a lyrical genius in my opinion, and tells a story with more passion, pizzazz, quirkiness, and fearlessness than I’ve ever seen. Weaving humanity, politics, spirituality, love, sorrow, beauty, humor, discomfort, confusion, supernatural occurrences, and pain together as if they are all one in the same, I read this book and felt myself sink into her process. I took a ride on her mental journey, yes indeed.

I’ve recommended this book to countless people and hail it as one of the classics of our time. (The globe seems to agree with me as well).

I am now on a journey with a book that has not only moved me on all the aforementioned levels (including an esoteric one), but one that I believe is changing and re-shaping my paradigm as a thinker, healer, lover, an African, human being, spiritual being, mystical being, a person trying to make change, a person connected to two places, and a person living in the U S of A. This book, Of Water and the Spirit is causing me to shiver in the deepest parts of my being and causing me to go more internal than anything, ever.

It’s magical, literally; one of the most intensely spiritually divine pages pulled together to tell a (true) story. Reading it connects me to that sacred ancestral energy that's always been brewing in my heart.

I am sharing this not just to babble on about my experience, but to encourage you to read it yourself, if you haven’t already. It is reminding me that those of us who live in North America are quite disconnected from the spiritual, natural “other worldly” realm- that source, and the mind and sense of self to accompany it; and while there are many of us who constantly work at connecting ourselves and do dwell in that dimension, the (material, concrete-laden, fast-paced, greedy, sometimes harsh, Western) environment in which we live keeps us from fully being able to stay in that space (without having to make a conscious effort).

We have to go the extra mile to bring it in, to let it breathe, to nourish that which is already in us and of us; and un-learn certain teachings and principles that are not in-line with our true selves, that clog us up and steer us incorrectly.

But although we sometimes feel “misplaced” in this environment, this book is reminding me that we are (and have been) where we are for very important reasons. Reason’s in line with our purpose; reasons that were created for us long ago; reasons he makes so vividly clear; reasons that I could write a whole book about (and just might).

As Malidoma tells the story of his journey of being forced from his home village in Burkina Faso into the “white man’s world”, back home (initiated into ritualistic, mystical, and magic traditions of his Dagara tribe), then away again, one can’t help but draw parallels to her own life journey and existence in an environment that often feels foreign to her spirit. This feeling is often intensified when she leaves this environment and finds herself in Africa, where she automatically feels “at home”, spiritually and otherwise. As I leave again, I begin to feel the sense that something is missing in me; something that will take much effort and many moons to fulfill.

Perhaps someone reading this can relate to this sentiment, but I can tell you that I wasn’t always able to connect that feeling with what it really meant.

I am now.

Nonetheless, if ever a book has “changed my life”, it is this one. I honestly feel as if I was standing over Malidoma’s shoulder telling him my thoughts for him to write down and form this book. He’s speaking a language that I’ve held inside of me for some time, lingering around my conscience. He’s making sense of many questions I’ve carried with me for years now; indirectly explaining, in my opinion, the very roots of the world’s imbalance and pain. He’s essentially articulating a belief I always carried somewhere inside the ripples of my thoughts and consciousness. He’s explaining the struggles of existing in two worlds at the same time (but for very important reasons), something I can relate to immensely. He illustrates the ramifications of African (and other) people's absorbing strictly European ideologies and practices (and unintentionally denying their own). He is, in essence, speaking for me, ever so eloquently, ever so honestly, ever so captivating.

He speaks of his experiences with magic and ritual and reminds me of the importance of connecting to that source; and how misguided human’s can be if they are not channeled towards it.

He helps to make sense of the negative effects our “education”, conditioning, environment, learned narrow concepts, and harmful societal “principles” have had on us as humans, as Africans.

He makes me understand further the ramifications of religious colonialism and with each word, each story, each experience, increases my pride of being an African. With each story he reminds me how beautiful and necessary traditional African teachings are and how much we need them if we are to exist in this environment with a right mind (and why people are afraid of their power). He also reminds me that forcing someone (or a people) to abandon their indigenous beliefs to adopt a so-called "better" one can only be damaging.

To me, he explains why there is so much discord in the world- people are following beliefs and practices that were imposed on them, causing them to have a constant inner battle between their minds and what their hearts are speaking. Finally, he adds water to my claim that some of the problems of this world exist because people are disconnected from their land, their family, themselves, their ancestors, and their spirits, causing humanity to vibrate at an unearthly tempo.

But alas, without writing a novel trying to explain a novel, I will end here. There is so much more I could say, but these are the words that I could muster to try and articulate my experience with this masterpiece.

If what I’ve shared resonates with you in any way and if you’re ready for a journey of the spirit and mind, I hope you take a moment to explore his life story as well. If not, maybe you can recommend it to someone else. If not, thanks for reading either way.

(And if you haven’t read the God of Small Things, get on that too!)

Ashe’
And So It Is

Guns in Black

2008-01-11T08:11:00.000-08:00

Guns in Black
Accountability for how we’re killing ourselves, too

It’s sometimes addressed. But, not enough.

It’s not just the pigs.

For murdering innocent, unarmed victims, the police are increasingly becoming the target of anti-police brutality campaigns by community activist groups. As they should be: they are killing black men just as swiftly as the KKK hung them.

But recently I heard commentary that was directed towards the (mostly young) black men who have been killing each other for almost four decades now in the United States. I agreed that it‘s time for self-accountability for the black on black gun battles that result in the untimely death of too many young black men. Although the statistics of police murdering innocent victims is higher than it should be (1 is too many), there are far more black people who die at the hands of other black people.

In 2005 alone, 91% of black homicides were committed by black people.

A gun is the answer to any so-called altercation on the streets, and not just those that claim a certain gang or territory. Always out to “prove” something to another man (or woman); the gun has replaced conversations, compassion, and self-love. All consideration for the person’s family and future are set aside for machismo at its worst, for egos in the clouds, and for the sake of appearing to be “hard” and undefeatable.

While the police murders have immensely affected me and are in every way unjust, and something that I have also taken part in advocating to change, I wonder why more pressure isn’t also put on our own folks who are killing off black men. Men who look just like them. Men who have children. Men who have mothers. Brothers killing brothers.

The reasons for this self-massacring that’s occurring in our community are multi-fold. We could do a complete expose’ on the history of how guns, along with crack, were infiltrated into the black community by the CIA to weaken us. We could do a complete expose’ on how people who engage in violent behavior do so out of frustration and lack of opportunity. We could say that guns in our community are a way of surviving the concrete jungle’s in which we live.

We could even talk about the historical fragmentation that has long-lasting ramifications on our community.

We could go on and on pointing to the why’s and how’s, and attacking a system that we already know was set up with the intention of keeping us at the bottom.

But, after hearing this passionate commentary and stepping outside of the victim role, I realized that blaming all of those external and historical factors is not going to end the black on black murders that take our young black men so violently, so swiftly. While we are holding the police accountable (as we should), how weak do we look as a people to allow ourselves to kill each other and not fight for that to end as well?

How can entire communities mobilize to protest and speak out against individual police killings but fail to mobilize around the thousands of black people killed by other black people each year?

If that same energy was also directed internally, imagine what type of change could happen.

But even beyond holding an entity accountable and questioning the community’s response, my heart begs for an answer to this question: Why is this even happening to us?

No, better yet. Why have we allowed this to happen? And why does so much self-destruction continue to permeate our community?

Could it be that we (collectively) have so little self-love, self-respect, and strength that we can fall victims to ourselves so repeatedly, so easily?

Perhaps the lack of self-love assumption is a bit extreme. But it still leaves me to wonder why it’s happening so frequently.

I understand some of the underlying issues. Folks are frustrated, walking around with more aggression in their bones than an untamed lion on the hunt. Jobs are scarce. The environment in which we live is the perfect breeding ground to feel trapped and hopeless. In their brothers they see themselves. In their brothers they see a reflection of the anger they carry around with them. Anger at a system that’s left them out of the game and couldn’t care less whether they lived or not. Anger at everyone around them because pointing a finger is easier than looking within. Anger at everything in the world, angry just to be angry.

But sometimes, I do believe, in this regard at least, that we as a people are weak; and that we have succumbed to the pressure that this system was determined to use to break us down. Not only are we missing a piece of our self-respect and self-love, every time we kill each other or allow killings to happen, we weaken our structure, we weaken our unity. This sort of internal division inhibits us as a people from ever being fully able to come out on top like the kings and queens we are. This sort of internal division gives them more fuel to shake their heads in disgust at us, gaining justification in their analysis that we just simply can’t get it together.

Or that we aren't able to be honest and critical of something that is harming us. It is evident in the lack of community support and fervor to end the senseless murders, it is evident in the division based on territory, color of clothing, self-division by class, and it goes on.

How can we unify and strengthen ourselves to exist in this system if we can’t create and maintain harmony amongst our own?

How did such a culture of violence get extended to so many corners of our community? What’s fueling such a negative response to every little event occurring in one’s world?

I don’t like to place blame where it isn’t due, but I believe there are external culprits identifiable in this case.

The North American government’s tactics of “security” and control” is and always has been one that is entrenched with so much violence, that we cannot go one day without being reminded of its impact on society, on people, on our youth.

These actions have, in turn, undoubtedly contributed to the media’s incessant obsession with promoting and spreading such violence.

Media in the form of your local 11 o’clock news, media in the form of gangster rap stars glorifying violence, media in the form of movies depicting death, media in the form of news about America’s daily foreign policy.

But it goes further. Access to guns in the United States of America is like no where else in the world. Anybody on the block can purchase a gun without a permit. In other countries, like Peru for example, in order to purchase a gun, one must prove that the gun being purchased is for commercial or production use.

And the reality is it isn’t just about being able to “purchase” these guns in stores. There is already an over abundance of guns already in our communities. But alas, we won’t get into detail of how they got there, because they have been there for some time and harping on historical facts isn’t going to remove them.

So, combine these four culprits, mix them with frustration, anger, hopelessness, already existing fragmentation, and what does this produce?

Black people killing themselves at higher rates than the police can. Black people killing our own, further breaking the fabric of an already fragmented community. Black people killing their own reflections, piercing back at them in the midst of their anger. Black people killing their own futures, their children’s future’s, their community’s future.

Now, shouldn’t this get us in an uproar?!

Let’s see the same outrage in South Los Angeles, Oakland, Philly, Brooklyn, Chicago, and anywhere else in this country when another innocent person dies at the hand of his or her fellow brother or sister, with the same passionate energy we have when the NYPD or the LAPD kills one of our own.

Organizing around ending gun violence should include targeting both the police and the people in our communities who go on spree’s taking innocent life. Neither one is right, neither is justified and neither should be excused.

Until we acknowledge this self damage, embrace our young men and women, and pull together in response with that same energy, we will continue to turn on the 11 o’clock news informing us that yet another episode of Guns in Black has wrapped up shooting.

Literally.

It’s a wrap.

Well Maybe I Have a Lot to Say

2008-01-10T18:29:00.000-08:00

Well maybe I have a lot to say. And maybe it’s not going to all come out in the same way. I can write a script, a poem, an article, a novel, an essay, a short story, a non-fiction book, a blog. Well maybe I have too much to say. And getting it all out sometimes overwhelms all twenty-five of my senses. Well maybe you don’t want to hear what I have to say. And seeing my words does nothing for you. Well maybe that doesn’t concern me. Because I have so much to say, I think I’ll implode if I don’t say it.

I want to talk about struggles and injustice. But I want to balance it with the beauty and idiosyncratic events that make life a comedic delight. I want to talk about Katrina and famine. But I want to make sure and cover topics like love at first sight and the importance of connecting the African Diaspora. I want to advocate for an end to police brutality and NGO-neo-colonialism. But I need to share stories of beautiful children and spiritual principles at work, too.

See, this whole joint is just about dichotomies and more dichotomies. Everything is split down the middle from another thing, and one can’t exist without the other. Nor should they. Because, to only deliver strife and sadness makes for a negative existence. But to only deliver delight and joy makes for an existence lived in a bubble. If we provide a little bit of both, perhaps some sort of harmonic solution can be devised. Because at the end of the day, it’s about tweaking humanity to the point where we can only talk about the little things that make you go hmmmm.

Black America and Its Discontents: Makes Me Wanna Holler

2008-01-10T18:24:00.000-08:00

Makes Me Wanna Holler

Nathan McCall and Marvin Gaye used this phrase to rightly discuss the condition of black folk in America. I've used it here to continue in this same light, raising issues that are heavy on my heart. But mujeres y hombres, I'm not just going on a rant here. These are things I'm dedicating time and energy to try and change, or at least raise awareness about. We cannot exist in peace without all of us living with justice. And it's time to hold, not only this "system", but ourselves accountable as well on certain issues.

Political-Systemic-Environmental-Cultural-Self-Inflicted

1. The overabundance of unhealthy food places, lack of grocery stores, and excess of fast food/junk eateries within lower-income cities/neighborhoods in America. I've seen this in many of my travels and in the two places I've lived in in America; New York and California. Studies have already proven that one can find more unhealthy food places in these areas, and there are times when a grocery store or place to buy fresh fruits and vegetables is no where in reach or site by the population. As many of these unhealthy places are cheap, accessible, close by, and quick, they tend to be the main basis of nutrition for people living in economically disadvantaged cities in America. Many studies have made the correlations between the location of these food places with the high rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, lower productivity, etc., that exist amongst this same population. I am sure, if everyone takes the time to peep this, you too will notice how things change so drastically depending on where you are. There are not as many fried chicken, Mc Donald's, or "convenient" junk food stores present when the demographics change to a higher income population. There's way more options of what people can choose to nourish their bodies with. Bottom line is, people gravitate to what is in their environment and what is the most accessible to them, both economically and spatially. This concern is on the agenda of environmental justice organizations and health advocacy organizations.

2. The plethora of liquor stores in lower-income communities, that just so happen to also be the place where blacks and browns live. There are over 360 liquor stores in Oakland. There are approximately 640 liquor stores in South Los Angeles! Growing up in Los Angeles, I saw this phenomenon repeatedly block after block, 'hood after 'hood. In some cases, I've literally seen one on every corner (sometimes two-one on each end). Alcoholism is a large issue in our community, and it's already been discovered that this overabundance of liquor stores is helping to facilitate this disease (yes, it is a disease). Of course, there should be accountability on the part of those that go to the stores and consume the liquor, but my argument is that, if folks are frustrated, perhaps lacking opportunity, struggling to get by, depressed, and/or feeling hopeless, you put a liquor store within reach and that is what they will use to drown out the drama and troubles of daily life. This is my opinion, but I'm not alone on it. "We see liquor stores as symbols of oppression, of poverty, lack of ownership of our communities, and most importantly, racism", writes one author. Studies have shown that depending on the income bracket of the neighborhood, there are very few liquor stores in higher income areas, compared to an overabundance in lower income areas. "Researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health have shown that predominantly black, low-income neighborhoods in Baltimore were eight times more likely to have carry-out liquor stores than white or racially integrated neighborhoods. Such stores have been shown to be an important component of the social infrastructure that destabilizes communities."-JHSPH article. The reality is that the people who own and build these stores are not from within the community and therefore not connected to the possible ramifications that could occur. In other words: $ takes precedent over quality of life and safety.

3. The manner in which members of the police departments in this country use blacks and browns as target practice, and how they get away with making tragic "mistakes". Anyone peeped the Michael Moore joint? Those fools (cops/pigs) are seeing things, and it's RARELY A GUN. These "unidentified objects" end up being wallets, phones, etc. They are therefore killing unarmed human beings then being let free by the "judicial system". But who is shocked? It's the same system that ok'ed lynching's and executions of black men when they "whistled" at white women a few decades ago. There's simply no justice. I won't make a long list of the innocent victims that died at the hands of the police, but I will mention two. Amadou Diallo. A 19 year-old immigrant who lived in New York, he came here for education. As he was approached by the NYPD, he had his wallet in his hand, which they somehow managed to "mistake" for a gun. Shot the brotha 40 times in the back. Clearly, he posed no threat to the cops, but they were able to escape a conviction by claiming that they thought he was "armed" and had mistaken him for someone else. Really? So, basically, there were NO shots fired back, there was no weapon, and you killed a young innocent man. And then the so-called judicial system pardons you for merely "doing your job". Sean Bell is another UNARMED victim of police murders currently zoning attention on the corruption of the NYPD. He was ambushed with and killed by police 50 bullets, and two of the cops were indicted on charges of manslaughter. Since no cops have ever been convicted of these unjust murders, folks are holding their breath to see how "fair" this trial will be. Did I mention that no cops have ever been convicted?

4. Black on black murders. While we do, and should, hold the police accountable for the murders and crimes they commit, where is the same accountability to the folks that are killing each other on the streets, with a quickness to make Jackie Joyner-Kersey look slow? Where's the frustration at how many of our own are killing our own as the first resort? Again, the historical and political reasons for the infiltration of these guns in our community and societal factors that may drive someone to kill with a gun does not justify these senseless murders that occur at far too high rates. We need to do a better job of community support and nurturing so that this doesn't continue to kill us, literally. It's a heart-breaking phenomenon that's tearing us apart and we may be the only ones to stop it. How? I'm open to suggestions.

5. Those hip-hop/rap artists who are irresponsibly projecting images of violence, gangsterism, and misogyny (through lyrics and videos), that millions of young folk and community members absorb, then are weak and selfish enough to claim that they aren't role models. I've worked with young folks that live and breathe their lyrics, but they wanna turn a blinds eye to this reality and not recognize that their music is repeated hundreds of times a day, helping to shape young (and still impressionable) minds? How can they disconnect themselves so easily from their community, claiming to "do what I gotta do" in this game of life? I mean, really 50 cent? Was it necessary to entitle your album "Massacre" while an AK 47 is strapped across your chest? Really Ying Yang Twins? Wait 'til you see my dick? Ain't no fun if the homies can't have none, Snoop? Swiping a card down a woman's ass in ya video Nelly? Artists defend these lyrics and glorifications by saying they are merely "story-telling". I wonder though if this is story telling or simply talking about what they want to engage in, therefore writing a screenplay of things to come? Granted there are artists who are actually telling stories of their experiences, but sometimes, I wonder, are they aware of the potential harm it could do? Does Snoop really have to continue to claim "Crip" and all things blue in his songs?! Scarface's "Diary of a Madman" is another example of this: "Dear diary today I hit a n*gga with a torch/Shot him on his face and watched him die on his front porch/ Left his family heartbroken/". That's cold-blooded. Plain straight up. Byron Hurt rightly held some artists accountable for this in his film "Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes". As Hurt did, I'm focusing my criticism on the one's that speak of these elements of life frivolously, not all artists. [Please note: there are many positive elements/artists within the hip-hop culture and in no way is "hip hop" the reason for the violence and mal treatment of women. But it clearly doesn't help and I do believe they have influence on folks. Hip-hop, however, has been and continues to be used as a tool for social change and speaking about the positive elements of life.]

6. The amount of single black mother's rearing children alone. I understand we live in a system that has made it hard for the black family to remain in tact, but can someone do a movie praising the gazillion women who carry households on their backs, ALONE? I can't even count the amount of times I've been with a group of people when the majority of us can say our father's were not present in our lives. This is not okay, and it never will be justified by the list of excuses we conjure up. Even incarceration isn't always the reason they aren't around. Sometimes, they are in reach, but not present. I can speak from experience on that. Where are the fathers? And where is the accountability? [More rhetorical of a question in nature, since there are varying factors that keep fathers from being present in their children's lives. And I know there are groups/orgs working to address this concern].
7. Gentrification. Period. [Got a piece about this. See 'bout me].

8. Katrina and it's non-natural man-made disaster -ness. Period. [I've written about this extensively already. See me for copies!].

9. The disparity in health conditions that exist in America. So, what I've learned is that African-Americans have the highest rate of everything bad (diabetes, AIDS, hypertension, heart disease, deaths from breast cancer, childhood asthma, etc.) and the lowest rate of everything good (high life expectancy, balanced diet, etc.). Hearing this over and over was something I experienced article after article, class lecture after class lecture, conference after conference. Even though these statistics are accompanied with the socioeconomic, political, environmental, and historical "reasons" or causal factors (such as access, healthcare), it doesn't make it any easier to digest. And it isn't going to change the current reality.

10. The foster care system. Historically and currently known as a racially skewed system that has pulled black and brown children from their homes quicker than a space shuttle to the moon. Having worked in this system, I saw first hand how even the smallest mistakes made by black parents are punished by the removal of their children, while white families are not punished at all for the same issue. I'm not condoning any form of child abuse or neglect, but often times abuse and neglect have not occurred and children have been plucked from their homes for every little mistake made, or based on a judgment of how people live. Another imbalance in this system is the ways in which foster parents are given more support and services than the parents themselves, making it obvious that "keeping families together" is not really the priority. An many children in this system are inappropriately diagnosed with "A.D.D." and "behavioral problems", putting them on unnecessary medication at very young ages. It's a system with many twisted layers (but some positives as well), but one that does not always function in the "interest of the child" in the long run.

11. The Prison Industrial Complex. "it is f****** outrageous, the amounts of blacks and browns they lock up"-from Common's classic One Day it'll All Make Sense. Will it? You tell me when, I'll give you 1,000 kudos bars. The PIC is defined as: "a complicated system situated at the intersection of governmental and private interests that uses prisons as a solution to social, political, and economic problems. The PIC depends upon the oppressive systems of racism, classism, sexism, and homophobia. It includes human rights violations, the death penalty, industry and labor issues, policing, courts, media, community powerlessness, the imprisonment of political prisoners, and the elimination of dissent". It's a billion-dollar industry that runs on the backs of humans, who must be incarcerated by any means necessary. Ya got three strikes, ya got life.

I have some solutions, yes, but that will have to be another blog. First step, awareness! I understand that some people may not "agree" with what I've said, but none of the issues I've raised up are solely based on my opinion. All can be proven, (except maybe the hip-hop one). ;)

this beautiful people

2008-01-10T16:01:00.001-08:00

The guides that initially lead us to humanity are the ones that could bring us back to it.

Before any of this began, the spirits envisioned a people full of so much power and beauty, they would lead us all to create what we now refer to as humankind.

But we didn’t realize that while their strength and spirituality intrigued and motivated the others, it was these very attributes that were to one day be a threat to those of weaker mind and spirit.

We who are of this group of such strength and dignity would, at one (long) point in the history of humanity, rule queendoms and kingdoms that governed life in mystical ways. We of this same group would (for some unknown reason) later be viewed as the most unattractive and unwanted of the human race.

Who exactly is this group of humans? We now call them (us), Africans.

But no matter how they view us, we are steadfast in our belief that we are still beautiful, strong, and overflowing with spirit.

After all, our mother is the richest of them all.

We call her, Mama Africa

Interests

2008-01-10T15:34:00.000-08:00

some of my “general” interests, taken from www.myspace.com/peopleneedwater

the sun. human rights. living outside the box. making my own box. individual thinkers. a united africa. anomalies. throwing people off! pan-africanism. getting on planes and flying far away to other countries. kissing life. spending time with my dear loved ones. RBG. being a sundrop. being my mama's daughter. resistance. being goofy. she-ra. the beautiful struggle. social justice. the art of communication. volunteering. braiding hair. living on purpose. swagger. peaceful passion. making people feel good. planning things. realistic idealism. black. black power. writing writing writing. helping. making a difference. teaching children. learning from children. babysitting. unlimited imagination. my beautiful family. spirit. words. wordplay. water. being in water. thai massages. numberrrrs. math. challenging. the other. weirdos. political discussions. almond oil. music music. classic soul. nature. self-determination. accomplishing missions. thinking of a master plan. the sunshine. being warm. MAMA AFRICA. uplifting mama africa. stopping int'l ngo's from pimping mama africa!!!!!!!!! afro-latin music. peru. international health. truth. thoughtful people. nice people. talking to strangers. being inspired. coordinating events and programs. connecting people to each other and resources. the witty. the clever. tasteful sarcasm. paying attention. listening to myself. listening. memories. serendipitous moments. inter-connectedness. free spirits. justice. freedom. community. love. community love. community organizing. advocacy. villages. ACTIVISM. change. revolution. laughter. transparency. keepin it gully. holding a baby. globe trotting. dancing freely. learning. languages. channeled angst. grits. fruit salads. manifesting a dream. people people people. THE LAWS OF ATTRACTION. yellow. judgment-free zones. making people go hmmm. randomness. washing dishes. sourdough bread. doodling. telling stories. being a sillygoose. multi-tasking. to-do lists. sweet plums. diaspora love. watching basketball. being cozy. indian food. movement. compassion. organized confusion. rambling. just be. googly gobbly wobbly. creating new paradigms. big hearts. rhyming in my head. thinking en espanol. being a busy bee. then hiding out. fulfilling commitments. being supportive. being supported. sincere wishes. watching the waves at the ocean. humans with integrity. machupichu, the 8th wonder. traveling for free. rain when it's hot. smiling at mistakes. letting go. playing with children. coloring. hidden treasures. random acts of kindness. acceptance. being in love. the countryside. natural habitats. computers. technology breaks. taking naps. playing in the sand. making you smile. long friendships with meaning. real respect. consistency. photography. family gatherings. re-defining. 7 hour phone conversations. when people mean what they say. the beeeeach. global awareness. humanity. i'm an african and i know what's happenin'. corny jokes. conversing with elders. finishing something. reading an inspirational novel. correlations. speaking up. counseling others. smurfs. feminine intuition. freedom of expression. documentaries. believing. eternal optimism. open minds. neurotic brains. sensitive souls. the artsy. the little things. life's infinite blessings. courage. fearlessness. being a godmother. hip-hop at its best. mos def's black on both sides. learning amharic. swimming. non-comformity. equal access. the word dichotomy. bike riding. thoughtful people.

Black Nation Charges Genocide

2008-01-10T15:14:00.000-08:00

The Black Nation in North America Charges Genocide

We’re heathens.
To them at least.

Wonder why the police are so quick to pull the trigger (a minimum of 30 times) when they encounter black folk on the streets?

We have no worth.
To them at least.

Wonder why our lives are dispensable enough to be taken in an instant with no reason, no rhyme?

We don’t belong here.
To them at least.

Wonder why the “justice” system allows this to happen continually with no repercussions?

I don’t.

The NYPD, LAPD, and many other police departments in America, operate with the same psychology as the KKK, the CIA, the slave traders, slave owners, the judicial system, the COINTELPRO string-pullers, the pioneers of the Jim Crow Laws, and all the other “forefathers” who so believed that we were 3/5 of a human that they wrote it in their Constitution. As the police departments are descendants of the same government that spearheaded all of these entities, there really is no distinction in their attempts to eliminate and obliterate an entire people. They all seem to chant the same creed.

It says: Black people are just like dirt. To be spat on and thrown out.

And so, The Black Nation Charges Genocide

Yes, it’s that serious. Let the following words serve as an international call to people of African descent around the world to absorb the true conditions of black people living in North America. Contrary to what the media tells you, life isn’t always pleasant in these parts for brown people. We ask for your support and solidarity as we struggle in this police state that has always been dead set intent on wiping us out, by any means necessary.

According to the United Nations, genocide means: any of the following acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group. Acts of genocide include but are not limited to: a.) killing members of the group; b) causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; c) deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part.

The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, an organization I am a member of, has this to say about genocidal tactics: “Political lynching and police brutality/harassment/killings are all destructive measures calculated by the USA to bring about the destruction and or stunt the growth of Afrikan people in North America. We demand that international pressure be put on the USA to cease its genocidal tactics against our people”.

The genocide of African people in America is being carried out by killing and incarcerating them exponentially. The perpetrators committing genocide against black people in America, therefore, are the various state police departments who murder black people (mostly young men) without proper cause and even less remorse. Well connected to an equally corrupt “judicial” system, murders are committed with virtually no consequences.

In many low-income black neighborhoods throughout America, the police serve as an occupying force that preys on people, waiting for the next victim to wipe out.
Unarmed victims are murdered by those allegedly in our neighborhoods to “protect and serve” us. Many laugh at this motto because often, the only thing they’ve been serving is a lot of bullets. There’s often very little rhyme to their reason; it won’t ever flow melodically, as it’s an extension of a system that once allowed the KKK to hang us from trees and put our men prison for even looking at a white woman.

It happens weekly now. I get another email about another young black man (or men) gunned down by the police. Sometimes it’s 10 bullets, other times it’s 50. But one thing that does remain a constant: many of the victims murdered by the police are unarmed. The police in America have what we call “selective vision”. They almost always happen to “see” a weapon, when often it turns out that what they saw was merely a wallet, a cell phone, or any other small object that one may keep in his pocket. Independent film-maker and human rights activist Michael Moore made a short film high-lighting this fact; that all too often officers conveniently “mistake” small objects for handguns. Clearly they have not actually seen a gun, but are trying to provide some justification to their barbarism.

Perhaps Amadou Diallo resonates the loudest with our comrades living in Africa. Brother Diallo was a 23 year-old African immigrant who came from Senegal to America for a “better” life. However, in 1999, he was shot 41 times in the back by NYPD officers (in the doorway to his apartment building) as he reached for his wallet. Apparently they thought he was someone else. So, not only did they have the wrong person, but they assassinated an unarmed, innocent young man. Murdered. By the NYPD.

What was the true crime? Being a young, Black man in America.

But what a lot of people don’t know is that in New York City alone, 140 people were killed by police between Amadou in 1999 and Sean Bell’s death on November 25, 2006.

It happens day after day, state after state. The harassment; the beatings; the murders.

The Stolen Lives Project, which documents police killings in the United States, estimates that 2000 people were killed by the police in the U.S. just in the 1990s, many of which were Black youth and other people of color. Of these cases, only a handful of the cops were indicted, and none were ever convicted.

Let us remember a few of our fallen:

· Sean Bell, 23 years old (50 shots by the NYPD killed him on the morning of his wedding).
· Anatoly Dimitriev, 62 years old
· Malcolm Ferguson
· Timothy Stansbury, 19 years old
· Amadou Diallo, 23 years old (41 shots by the NYPD)
· Devin Brown, 13 years old
· Timothy Thomas, 19 years old

This list is in fact much larger, and continues to lengthen.

We charge genocide because it’s systematic (the police is an extension of the governmental system), it’s all to often targeted towards one group, and more often than not, it appears to be deliberate.

One life is one too many.

Hundreds is an injustice.

No repercussions, makes it simply sickening.

Doom Sayer?

2008-01-10T11:01:00.001-08:00

or...Truth Layer?

Hello Everybody.
Reporting Live from Somewhere.
Lawwwwwwwwwd Have Mercy.
Black Star connect.

Lets see. Today we deliver a bit of sad news. The world is not in good shape. The most recent debacle is that of racism in language and media. I found myself fly swatting rhetoric and verbal blasphemy today. Lawd knows I been placed where Im placed for a reason. The generalizations people conjure up and project onto their audience is the basis for the discrimination and unfounded ignorance oozing from the lips of the simpletons.

You ask yourself where in the world do people get such ideas. You wonder why they are so comfortable referring to "those people" while riding their superior high-horse. The answer comes once you ponder how certain individuals have been strategically conditioned to believe that theyare the epitomy of how life 'should' be lived. Therefore, 'those people' become the poor victims that need saving, looked at as incapable of even the simplest of tasks, hence the programs to teach everything from 'how to breast feed' to 'how to grow food'. As if folk didnt actually teach YOU how to do such things in the first place.

Language is a powerful mechanism that is used (and abused) as the framework to design programs and interventions with (I mean, for) populations the world over. Language is (loosely) used to justify inhumane tactics disguised as 'help'. I caution the rhetoric-spitters from assumptions and mindless chatter when referring to people they know very little about. I caution them because the danger in doing so is the bases for the harmful practices and actions inflicted daily. It is at the root of all discrimination and ignorance.

Those dangerous, over-sexualized, incompetent, illiterate, rape-crazed, unaware, ignorant people.

Those violent, simple, exotic, primitive, uncivilized people.

I am paying great attention to the words they choose to describe people. I am paying attention to the representation of people in the 'developing' but 'way more developed than you' countries.

For some, its commonplace to exaggerate or oversimplify goings-on from the 'other' parts of the world. Its second nature to talk about people as if they are one homogenous downtrodden group. I call for a change in how people are referred to, a halt of assumptions about what people need and most importantly, an acceptance that you cannot ever be their savior.

This struggle, to re-present all forms of humanity in their true light, is a huge undertaking for us. But, we must.

The Return to New Orleans

2008-01-10T10:42:00.000-08:00

My second time in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina
June 2006

I’ve been here for 9 days and it’s starting to feel like home.

Maybe it’s the spirit of this city, the spirit that shant be silenced, crushed, or dismantled.
Maybe it’s the group of dedicated and ‘bout it organizers I’m living and working with.
Maybe it’s talking to the residents and survivors of New Orleans and absorbing their determination and strength.
Maybe it’s all the good food.
Maybe it’s the heat that makes me lethargic.
Perhaps it’s Baba, who has taken us under his wing and showered us with wisdom and love.
Perhaps because I’m giving so much of myself, and not feeling the least bit like I want to stop.
Like, I’m here to fix my home.

The people of New Orleans are just freakin’ tired, obviously. It’s almost been one year now. And many people still aren’t in their homes and don’t even have homes to come home to. Some have even decided not to come back. It is mind blowing how much of the city still does not have a pulse. Not to say that it’s dead, just eerily abandoned and asleep. Not the people. Those that are here shine their light and are rampant with vigor. The empty homes, the shut down businesses, the absence of public services, and the debris keep the city sleep. Escuchela. La ciudad no es respirando. (Listen to it, the city is not breathing). But how can it breathe? It’s being suffocated by chaos. I’m rolling down these streets, through projects, and on blocks where no one lives, and just want to close my eyes and will all the people back to their normal lives. It still doesn’t feel like I’m in the most economically advanced country in the world.

And I don’t have any idea what it may feel like to be pushed out on purpose, and come up short. With no belongings, no community, no dignity. And a lot of frustration.

Last week we spent two days gutting out this house. It’s hard to put this in to words, but this home, in the lower 9th ward, was completely under water. Like, over the roof, nothing spared, under water. This family had a lot of stuff; and it was all still in there. Molding, rotting, smelling horribly, and just down right icky. I believe I have never been hotter. The temperature, with humidity and full protective gear, had to be around 120 degrees, easy. Dripping sweat and lifting, pulling, shoveling, picking up, throwing out, wheel-barreling, pulling down sheet rock, suffocating in my face mask, pools forming in my gloves, sweat dripping down my back, inhaling water every 20 minutes. Taking rests. Joking with my comrades. It’s one of those experiences that is just too much to try and explain. Our homie Steve, who lives right down the block from this home, shows us a few houses that were lifted from their lots and literally thrown blocks away. “You see that house over there…well, it belongs over THERE”. Yes, I saw this before, but you never get used to that type of information. Steve was reiterating this notion of this disaster not being caused by a hurricane. The hurricane had been gone for 3 hours, he says, before the wave gushed through and wiped out this area. This area, my folks, is large. We are talking about an entire city. Hurricanes can’t do that. Man can though. More and more residents are speaking up about how they heard an explosion. They thought they had ‘weathered the storm’, so they stayed. But, then comes water gushing through. Huh? How did that happen?!? Connect the explosion, the three hours later, the fact that only certain portions of the city got wiped out, and then you have your ‘ahh-ha’ moment. I did. Twice now.

They are rebuilding some levee. It’s hurricane season right now. Right now! I’m here, and it’s hurricane season. Right. Now. They built some levee. And it’s hurricane season. Now. I wonder how those two will play out this time. People are on edge, but not really. See, if last years hurricane ‘disaster’ was caused by man, just as the catastrophic hurricanes were, then how likely is it that the same sort of disaster will happen again, the next year? I asked Steve what made him rebuild his home. He said, it doesn’t happen that often. Every 40 years or so. They want to wipe out a new bunch.

We went to projects, trailer parks, and homes to talk to people about joining the survivor’s council. The goal is to get people to join together and have a say in what happens in their lives. We made calls, handed our flyers, and had many conversations. Many. The most impactful experience happened in Baton Rouge, LA. An hour and a half from New Orleans. We spent time in a trailer park, where survivors from New Orleans are being housed temporarily. I can only use minimal words to describe this trailer park. Oh, did I mention it’s an hour and a half from New Orleans? Why did they ship people and plant them in trailer parks an hour and a half away?!??! Same question. I got the same question. And the trailers. Wow. Okay, so basically, they are treating people like animals. As if that wasn’t already obvious. Trailers that are so small, they ‘are like vacation homes’, to quote one of the residents. FEMA decides arbitrarily who they want to cut checks for.

House visits are an important part of the work that People’s Organizing Committee does. It’s important for them as an organization, to organize the people so that they can not only have a voice in the work that is done, but so that they are at the forefront of the decisions being made about their lives. It is the true manifestations of grassroots work and self-determination. POC helped to create the Survivors Councils, an amazing entity of Katrina survivors who meet regularly and respond to individual and collective needs to the best of their abilities, with resource and logistic support from POC. Each council has various committees, such as education, finance, reconstruction, organizing, etc. Having helped to organize and attending two of these meetings (in two separate regions) I can honestly say that people are happy to be able to make decisions on their own. I had so many one-on-one conversations with people who were ready to work with other fellow survivors to resist the bullshit and illegal attempts by the government to keep them out of New Orleans. People are not going to just sit back and be walked all over. And they appreciate being in the planning sessions of what strategies to take. What a vision. What beautiful manifestations of a vision. It’s beautiful to see the type of relationships that are being built across the city. People look at one another and don’t have to say a word. It is understood that the struggle is far from over, and it’s time to work.

The housing situation in New Orleans is still no better off than it was upon my first trip. There are people coming home of course. Many people are having their homes gutted and (hopefully, eventually) these homes will be rebuilt. These are the people who have this option, however. Homeowners. Sadly, for the many in New Orleans, this is not a reality. Which brings me to the battle currently occurring within the housing developments (projects) of the city. Yet another battle, to add to the homelessness, joblessness, mental illness, and familial separation that people are already experiencing. Pile it on, why don’t ya?

And then there are the schools, which remain closed, with no goal in site to re-open them.

*sigh*

This is long enough. The sentiment has been conveyed, I’m sure.

7 months later: my experience in New Orleans

2008-01-10T10:32:00.000-08:00

*written in March 2006, my first trip to N.O. following Hurricane Katrina

"As big business owners rake in massive federal subsidies to loot the Gulf Coast and rob residents of the homes and land for commercial development, the predominantly African-American poor and working-class people of New Orleans are being denied the right to return and reconstruct their communities. They need our help!"- People's Hurricane Relief Fund

First: I must extend a moment of silence and solidarity for those who have unnecessarily lost their lives. For those who are still struggling to access their homes. For those who have been displaced, not due to a natural disaster, but due to a disaster of a system. For those who are getting NO SUPPORT from the government. They matter to me. The sad reality is, this population was neglected BEFORE the hurricane came. It's not a surprise. Many of us already KNEW this racism existed. Now, there's no denying it!

7 months later. And there are still piles of debris, trash, abandoned cars, stench, abandoned homes and businesses, NO electricity or running water in CERTAIN areas, people with no where to live or work, and a population who is being denied the right to return home. You stroll through this city and wonder how on God's earth is this happening. 7 months later. I felt like I was in a 'developing country' all over again. In a country filled with resources. Blasphemy.

I find it necessary to share my experience in New Orleans. Not simply for the shock factor or to upset anyone, but to inform folks about what it's like today, 7 months later. To remind people to keep the survivors in their thoughts; and do what they can to ensure justice prevails. Because virtually no one is down there to assist them and advocate for them. 7 months later?!?!?

During my stay as a volunteer/organizer in New Orleans, I lived in the 9th ward (a lower income, predominantly black neighborhood), and stayed at an abandoned school. We were informed that 200 survivors were forced to stay at this school for ten days, without any help, plumbing, electricity, or food. Feces and garbage was found two weeks ago. It had been there since September. Those who were trapped in this school left a note for the world to see. Bare witness.

September 2, 2005, 9:15 a.m.
"We're sorry for the school but the shelter was a blessing. We had to bring over 200 people here with no help from any coast guard boats, people died and are still in their house. We had to leave them. We asked the coast guard for help and got NONE. Thanks to Micky, McKinley, Eric, Phil, Tyrone, Karl B, Cory J, and J-Roy, Ray-Ray, Richard, Cedric, Jeff D., Ben, Big Greg, Rick, 10th ward Al, Lance, and Anthony. We saved the whole project. THEY LEFT US HERE TO DIE. God Suns/Spirit Gates. R.I.P. to the ones we love"

Standing in this room was sacred. The spirits of the people were with us. We embraced them.
This school is located in an area that is now completely a ghost town. There is no electricity or signs of human life, save for the volunteers who live in this school and the occasional family who comes to sit in front of/gut out their home. The homes are all empty and have spray paint on them indicating number of bodies found and date of inspection. This spray paint became a familiar sight as we drove through the city. Some said things such as "2 cats rescued" or "no bodies found". Some had notes from people who were trapped in their homes; similar to what we saw on the news. But seeing it in person was a powerful experience.

The LOWER 9th ward

I thought I had seen it all. I had been all over New Orleans, peeping the settled water line on the homes. It stretched for miles. It was difficult to grasp the idea that a 40-foot wave rushed through this city. I saw homes that had lost their roofs, a once thriving city eerily still and empty, and more debris and furniture on the streets than I had every seen. I saw spray paint on walls describing the conditions of the houses or notes from people trying to get the attention of the Coast Guard. I thought I had seen it all. Then, we went to the lower 9th ward. Everyone was saying, prepare yourself. You will see destruction like you've never seen it before. Still. As if it happened yesterday.

No matter how strong you try to be, one cannot prepare his/herself for the lower 9th. It's an emotional experience beyond comprehension. A moment of silence is needed; perhaps a short prayer; even a little time to yourself. I shed a tear; wanted desperately to go and be alone. Just for one minute. Had never felt a stronger urge to get violent. It's quite difficult to put into words. Let's just say, I definitely had not seen it all. The destruction is beyond belief; and the fact that it's just sitting there is another blatant slap in the face that lower income people of color simply don't matter. 7 months later!?!?! Damn. Not even one clean up crew from the city or government. Just some small organizations trying to help people. The foundations of these homes are gone. Homes are now piles of broken wood, brick, clothes, and memories. Cars are flipped upside down on top of what used to be a roof. You look around and cannot believe that such a catastrophe receives virtually no response; but then you CAN believe it, because it's the same population that has been neglected and discriminated against since this country's inception.

You look around and wonder whose shoe that is, how old the child was whose toy is in the street, who used the spoon you walk past, and how many people got out alive. There isn't even a wall to read the ever-so-familiar spray painted statistics that exist on the other houses in the city. So, it's quite probable that many people died in the lower 9th. Another moment of silence.
They denied people who lived here from even returning to this area. They are still trying to keep people out. They are trying to EVICT people from their homes y'all!!!

The choice of where to put the RIGHT levees
For some time now, I thought that this destruction was caused by a hurricane. A hurricane that ravaged through a city, taking whatever it wanted in its path. During my trip to New Orleans, however, I learned that it was not solely a hurricane, but a prior choice made about where and how to make a decent levee. The only true devastation that this city endured is in the lower income areas. How else do you explain it but to call it classism? Racism? Human rights violations? The hurricane didn't say, 'Hey, I think I'll just go this way, and skip over this community, and wipe out this one group'. It's just not that simple, as the media and government would have you believe.

I find myself in a sea of anger and confusion. Angry at this system. Angry at the levee that's to my left; a two year old could see that it's a joke to think that this could stop a 40 foot wave from ravaging this area. Angry at the barbaric and evil decisions made by those in charge. They knew this damn levee was not going to protect this community. (I shed a tear here). They were damn well aware of what it takes to protect a community. I know this because we were shown what a real, effective levee looks like. And the area adjacent to this CORRECTLY CONSTRUCTED levee was untouched, rich, lavish and a community of white people. And it's only ten minutes away. It's a blatantly obvious classist/racist set up. A slap in the face. Don't believe the hype. The money and the know-how are there.
And now the bastards are saying they will rebuild a levee that will withstand a Category 3 levee. Seriously people, so that means, this shit could happen all over again. Hurricane season is around the bend.

The issue of homes
In what appears to be a blatant attempt to deny people to return to their homes in New Orleans, people are being evicted, having their leases broken, rent raised, stripped of their homes, and having to prove that they want to come back home. The contractors are trying to move in and 'rebuild'. But the question remains. REBUILD FOR WHO? I saw them. They were CRAWLING around the hood. Driving, looking. Plotting this land for themselves and that land for their cronies. The Bush Administrations 'rebuilding process' is something we must pay attention to. Cause for a long time, the theory has been that the goal is to gentrify New Orleans, and this can only be done one way. Gentrification, an all-too familiar term to people in inner-cities. It's the process of essentially displacing a population so that others can come and 'fix it up', raise the prices, and change the whole make-up of an area.

People have to fend for themselves. One of the houses I helped to gut out was the home of an elderly woman. We were told that the work it took a team of 10 to do in 3 days would have cost her $40,000 dollars. Others told us they went to work on a house that a woman and her 12 year old daughter were working on themselves. Another told us of a 70 year old woman doing the work herself. In the lower 9th, one woman couldn't even FIND her home. PICTURE THAT. Destruction comes and those who have the resources run and hide.

And even if homes are gutted and people could actually afford to rebuild, there are still many health and sanitation hazards rampant, not to mention very few places to buy groceries and supplies.

Rights

"The people of New Orleans will not go quietly into the night, scattering across this country to become homeless in countless other cities while federal relief funds are funneled into rebuilding casinos, hotels, chemical plants, and the wealthy white districts of New Orleans like the French Quarter and the Garden District"

-Founding Statement,
The People's Hurricane Relief Fund

This is one of the most blatant disregards for human rights that we have seen. How about a commission for the Katrina survivors, as there was one for the 911 survivors? How about electricity gets turned back on in our communities down there, so people CAN come back? How about we create jobs and opportunities for people to return home? How about more legal representation for the survivors, so they don't continue to get bamboozled and lied to and shoved out of their homes? How about they build the levee to withstand a Category 5 hurricane instead of re-building one that only withstands a Category 3? (cause God knows they know HOW to and have the MONEY to). How about cleaning up the toxic wastes that is abundant from flooding, mold in houses, and trash that's been sitting on the streets? It's quite obvious what is going on; even if one doesn't want to accept that it's racism and discrimination, go down there. See for your self. There is no reason why that much trash and chaos should still exist; why those levees were built one way in one area and differently in another area; why people are being denied access to their property.

Who is helping?

There is a need for more people to go to New Orleans and assist in the clean up process and ensure that people are getting the services they need. They need legal representation because this system is violating every law in the book trying to keep people displaced and scattered, landless and poor.

I ended up working with two organizations down there, mainly because the one I initially went down with wasn't fulfilling my needs in a community/spiritual/political/historical/cultural sense. I will not get into the specifics of this organization, and they are doing good work; however, they could stand to learn a few things. I ended up connecting with some professors/Black Panthers who linked me with a grassroots organization run by the people, for the people (which I was also indirectly connected to---long story). I had an amazing experience, ended up driving to Alabama and back in one day, met some DOPE freedom fighters, had a life and death experience in my hands, organized folks/meetings, and ended up gutting a house, amongst other things. I'd say the experience was definitely life-changing and it's fueled me to re-focus my efforts back into the U.S., as well as overseas. Folks are getting mistreated in many ways. Even up here in New York, FEMA didn't keep their word, and now survivors are being kicked out of hotels and charged astronomical fees? What IS this?

Not many organizations are down there. A few very visible local ones are doing some good work. The larger one's that are there: Red Cross, FEMA, etc., ain't doin much. It's a PR ploy for a non-profit/NGO to go to a disaster zone and have their trucks drive around. Same thing happens overseas.

I'm going back to New Orleans in the near future. Who's coming? More folks of color are needed! It's apart of our reality to 'do fa self'. Self-determination, cuz nobody has our backs like we do. I shant be silenced.

Pakistan in "The Courtyard"

2008-01-10T09:45:00.000-08:00

"The Courtyard" on 90.7 KPFK Los Angeles

PAKISTAN AFTER BENAZIR BHUTTO

Can Peace reign in Pakistan, and between Pakistan, India, and China, all in possession of nuclear weapons, after the gruesome assassination of Benazir Bhutto?

Join Host: Debo Kotun

and

Co-Host: Ahmed Ali

Mr. Ali is the President of Geo-Etka, Inc., a geotechnical consulting firm in Orange, California. Mr. Ali has been involved in community activities with the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Los Angeles Sheriff Department. He was the president of COPAA, and is currently on the board of directors of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council.

Saturday, January 12,2008 1:00 to 2:00 PM (PST) Pacifica Radio KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles and 98.7 Santa Barbara

Special Guests:

Consul General Syed Ibne Abbas

Mr. Abbas joined the Consulate General of Pakistan, Los Angeles on August 03, 2006. Prior to his present assignment, he served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad as Director General (2004-2006). He joined the Foreign Service of Pakistan in 1983 and held various diplomatic assignments at the Pakistan Missions aboard: Berne (1989-1992), Geneva (1992-1994), Canberra (1998-2001) and New Delhi (2001-2004). He also worked at the Headquarters as Director and Desk Officer, and served as Deputy Secretary, Prime Minister's Secretariat (1995-1997). He has represented Pakistan and led delegations on several occasions on bilateral and multilateral fora. He attended the 1997 and 2006 UN General Assembly sessions as a Pakistan delegate. He represented Pakistan at the Conference on Disarmament and attended meetings of the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) and Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC). He has delivered talks at the Pakistan's premier civil and military training institutions. He holds master degrees in Political Science and International Relations.

and

Dr. Majjida Ahmed

Ms. Ahmed is a practicing physician in Whittier, California and is associated with Beverly, Pacific, and Coast Plaza Hospitals. She has been a member of medical organizations such as APPNA and SMCAANA. She was a first responder for Kashmir, Pakistan Earthquake. She is actively involved in political and philantropic works.

Participate in the conversation by calling: (818) 985-5735

Listen online at http://www.kpfk.org/

A Labalaba Rediffusion Theatre production .

Producer: Selome Araya