Real Talk

Mind you, I am not asking this question because I want an answer. Of course we need Black History Month. We as a society always need be mindful of the history that African Americans have had in this country. A history that includes slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, advances in medicine, technology, and business, and of course, a history that has led us all the way to the highest office in the land-The President of the United States.

But while I was in the grocery store check out line, I was behind a Caucasian woman who was picking through the magazines that often fill the check out area. She was with another woman and as she picked up a magazine, she asked the woman, “Since Obama is now the President, do we need Black History Month anymore?”

I went right home and changed my Facebook status to reflect her question.

Some seem to think that we live in a post racial society. But I am sure most of you (hopefully all of you) know that is not the truth. While speaking of race issues in this country can be a sticky topic, especially on a blog like mine that is considered “a Mom Blog”, I still think I owe it to myself and my readers to speak my mind, even if it might upset a small constituency of my subscribers and audience.

Yes Obama is President and yes we as African Americans have come a long way, but we still have such a long way to go. There is still racism in this country. There are still times when I cringe because someone says something degrading like “You talk white”, “You live in a White area” etc. etc. These misconceptions and tags are still prevelant. Until they are completely gone, there is work that must be done. Work for all of us who live in the world.

There are problems on both sides.

Yes, we need Black History Month. Yes, it needs to be recognized. Because there are a lot of things that society as a whole do not know about, contributions that have been made amongst Blacks.

I challenge each and every one of my readers to take time to research and learn about Black History. And not just THIS month, but the whole year long.

Thanks to @DanniGyrl

On Tuesday, January 12, 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti. The epicenter hit Haiti’s crown city, Port-Au-Prince, and over 50,000 people are feared dead. Haiti is a country known for its poverty and poor living conditions, and this earthquake has irreparably damaged a nation who some thought was on the verge of a rebound.

When I heard this news, all I could do was pray. And then I began seeing on Twitter and other social networks that donations were being taken, so I gave what I had. Now it is time for our country and other countries to step up to bat and help the relief effort. I am asking you, that if you are reading this, give what you can. Money is of most importance now. Supplies are needed but there is no logistics yet set in place to get the supplies to the people. So money is what is needed now.

The media will have you believe that the hip-hop community is a misogynistic group of individuals who only car about money, cars, jewels and women. But we know that is not true. There are those in the hip-hop community, activists and artists like Wyclef Jean who are leading the relief effort in Haiti, and it is now time that we show the world how indeed powerful we are as a group.

Stand up, be counted, be heard, and GIVE! We owe it to ourselves as well as the people of Haiti, a nation who has struggled in modern times, but was once a crown jewel of the Latin America. If you cannot donate money, please visit the American Red Cross and give blood, something that is also vital for the health of Haiti’s survivors.

For more information on how you can help, please visit my blog at http://www.thecubiclechick.com/index.php/2010/01/14/a-song-for-haiti-bloggers-day-of-action/. 

Hip-hop is a strong and powerful art-form, resilient, just like the citizens of Haiti. Do your part NOW!

–
TheCubicleChick.com

Recently, I treated myself to an Internet hiatus for almost a month. For three and a half weeks, I limited my Internet usage to just work and business related items. No Twitter, Facebook, or any other social networking sites I frequented. I focused on my life, my children, my career, and getting in touch with my friends and family by communicating the traditional means including the phone, face-to-face visits, and letters sent in the mail (REALLY). I learned a lot about myself during this time. I began to understand that like with anything, the Internet can become an addiction, and if you don’t keep it in check, it can begin to run your life.

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One of the most wonderful gifts of life is that you can always start over again. Each day brings something new, something hopeful. And when we feel like giving up, the renewal of time is a great tranquilizer to bring us back to reality so that we see for ourselves what life has in store for us.

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Correcting the Mistakes of the Past

As I reflect on my life thus far and my almost thirty-four years on this earth, I feel blessed, encouraged, enlightened, enamored, focused, and resilient. September 3^rd, 2009 marks my official date of birth, the day that my mother and father brought me into this world; their one and only child and baby girl. I have a renewed sense of peace as I enter this new phase of my life and I have been through so many things and I know that this is only the beginning. The mistakes that I have made are life’s lessons that have been taught to me by the finest teacher one can have, but as a nation, a hip-hop community, we continue to make the same mistakes over and over again, which leads me to ask the question, how can we correct the mistakes of the past?

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