Two people from my neighborhood were killed last night while watching a ball game at Custom City Auto Sales and Accessories in Compton. Our families have close ties. I’m at a loss for words… I didn’t know all of the victims, but one in particular I have many memories of… most of us around here called him by his nick name, Bird. The house where I live…many years ago (when I was a kid) was like the neighborhood hang out and he was one of the many people that would be here. To hear that he was killed is just heart breaking and sad. My deepest condolences and prayers.
It is my hope and prayer that the violence in Compton will cease. It is my hope and prayer that the entire Compton community will heal, rise above, and show LOVE for one another. STOP THE VIOLENCE!
R.I.P. Bird
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I got up earlier than usual this Saturday morning. My husband and I spent the day volunteering for Compton Unified School District’s Toy Drive/Luncheon for families in need.
My mom works for a very special department in the Compton Unified School District. The department has an official name but I call it the HELP Department. Why do I call my mom’s department HELP? Well what they do every day is exactly what the dictionary says the word HELP means:
They go above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of others every day. I know some people are quick to say but that’s their job… that’s true. I honestly can’t speak for everyone in my mom’s department because I don’t know them all personally. However, I can tell you firsthand that it’s more than just my mom’s job. Before my mom worked there she was the HELP Department. All of my life she has always helped people whenever and however she could. For her its a lifestyle. It’s in my blood
So when she told us about the annual toy drive and luncheon we and many others were happy to volunteer.
There were many people that were unable to make it but made contributions to help make the day a wonderful experience. My other mom was one of them, she too believes strongly in helping!
Being there was an experience that is difficult to put into words…put it this way, throughout the day I found myself choked up and having to fight back tears.
Watching children’s faces light up as they got to pick toys was awesome. There were some moments that just tugged my heart.
There was a little girl that told us she did not want anything for herself. She said it was her grandmother’s birthday and all she wanted was a teddy bear for her grandmother…
The room was filled with toys as well as other items such as blankets, shoes, coats, caps, underwear, socks, etc…. The children were allowed to pick whatever they wanted without any urging or assistance from their parents.
One would expect that all of the children would pick toys right?
Well it was surprising and heart tugging to see very very small children deliberately and on their own pick COATS and BLANKETS instead of toys! What does that tell you?
There were plenty of smiling faces and full tummies It was a great day.
For me, it was also a time for some serious reflection, introspection, and PERSPECTIVE.
I left thankful, prayerful, and hopeful. BUT even now there is something that bothers me. I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t speak on it.
Now let me be clear, I’m not sharing my experience for props. I simply hope to inspire and motivate people in a position to HELP to step up and help. I’m really surprised that some of those in the entertainment industry that have made their bread and butter dragging Compton’s name through the mud didn’t help out.
THEY CLAIM TO LOVE THE HOOD…ALWAYS HOLLA IT…BUT WHEN ITS TIME TO REPRESENT THEY DON’T PUT THEY DOLLARS IN…—Tommy Lockhart
But I suppose the lack of support from those entertainers always screaming Compton doesn’t really matter because others in the entertainment industry did, my other mom and her family did what others in the entertainment industry didn’t and with late notice!
What did not come as a surprise was that there was no media coverage. Had their been a shooting or a mistress outing Tiger Woods the news vans would have been every where. But I guess that doesn’t matter either because I was there an eyewitness blogging it how I saw it Good Things Do Happen In Compton yall. Believe me when I tell you! “Coming Straight Outta Compton”
I’m just sharing my observations. You can like it, lump it, take it or shake it. If it steps on your toes GOOD. If it makes you mad great. Do something about it! I dare you.
I know we live in a world where there are givers, takers, movers, shakers, and plenty of fakers. Yall know. All I’m saying is lets stop talking about it and actually BE ABOUT IT. This is not intended for those that are already givers by nature or live a lifestyle of helping. This is specifically for the talkers…
I always hear folks talk about giving back. As I looked in those kids eyes today that saying “talk is cheap” came to mind. Its easy to talk about giving back. I know, I know,….it’s a recession, right? Well giving back does not always have to be about giving money. If you don’t have money to give, how about some of your time?
We are all a community and within our communities (especially during this recession) there are so many families that have fallen on hard times by no fault of their own. We hear on the news every day about the job losses, foreclosures, etc… what we do not hear about is what happens to families (children) when disaster strikes. There is no “bail out” for those hardest hit in these difficult times. We all have to step up and be our brother’s keeper. You might be sitting pretty today…you might still have a job and a roof over your head but in these uncertain times you never know if and when the tables could turn. If you suddenly found yourself in a position of need wouldn’t you want some help? How do you think it makes a parent feel to know their child needs a coat and not be able to provide? What if it were you? It’s easy to not even think about these things when you are ‘have’ instead of a ‘have not.’
“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” —JFK
To find places in your local area in need of volunteers contact your local schools, city hall, or non profits.
You can also visit: www.serve.gov
According To the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
The volunteer rates of men, 23.2 percent, and women, 29.4 percent,
were about the same in the year ending September 2008 as in the prior
year. Women volunteered at a higher rate than did men across all age
groups, educational levels, and other major demographic characteristics,
as in previous years.
Persons age 35 to 44 continued to be the most likely to volunteer
(31.3 percent), while persons in their early twenties were the least
likely (18.6 percent). The only age group with a significant change
over the year was 16- to 19-year-olds. The volunteer rate of this
group rose 1.4 percentage points in the year ending September 2008,
essentially offsetting the 1.9 percentage point decrease that occurred
in the prior year.
In the year that ended in September 2008, whites continued to volun-
teer at a higher rate (27.9 percent) than did blacks (19.1 percent) and
Asians (18.7 percent). The rate for each of these groups was either
unchanged or essentially unchanged from the prior year. Among Hispanics
or Latinos, 14.4 percent volunteered in 2008, up from 13.5 percent in
the year ending September 2007.
Married persons volunteered at a higher rate (31.6 percent) than
those who had never married (20.4 percent) and those with other mari-
tal statuses (20.9 percent). Parents with children under age 18 were
substantially more likely to volunteer than were persons without chil-
dren, 33.8 percent compared with 23.5 percent.
Individuals with higher levels of educational attainment volunteer-
ed at higher rates than did those with less education. Among persons
age 25 and over, 42.2 percent of college graduates volunteered, compar-
ed with 18.1 percent of high school graduates and 9.4 percent of those
with less than a high school diploma.
Among employed persons, 28.9 percent volunteered during the year
ending in September 2008. By comparison, 22.3 percent of unemployed
persons and 22.2 percent of those not in the labor force volunteered.
Among the employed, part-time workers were more likely than full-time
workers to have participated in volunteer activities--34.2 versus 27.8
percent.
I found these stats interesting.
I hear people talk about being Christians. Americans are always talking about being a Christian nation (and helping others). Again, talk is cheap. I received a very interesting email forward this week. It’s fittingly appropriate so I’ll share it:
Ruth went to her mail box and there was only one letter.
She picked it up and looked at it before opening, but then she looked at the envelope again.
There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address.
She read the letter:
Dear Ruth:
I`m going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and I’d like to stop by for a visit.
Love Always,
Jesus
Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table.. ‘Why would the Lord want to visit me?
I’m nobody special. I don’t have anything to offer.’
With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets.
‘Oh my goodness, I really don’t have anything to offer. I’ll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner.’
She reached for her purse and counted out its contents. Five dollars and forty cents.
Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least.’
She threw on her coat and hurried out the door.
A loaf of French bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk…leaving Ruth with grand total twelve cents to last her until Monday..
Nonetheless, she felt good as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked under her arm.
‘Hey lady, can you help us,lady?’
Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she hadn’t even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway.
A man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more than rags.
‘Look lady, I ain’t got a job, you know, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it’s getting cold and we’re getting kinda Hungry and, well, if you could help us. Lady, we’d really appreciate it.’
Ruth looked at them both.
They were dirty, they smelled bad and frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to.
‘Sir, I’d like to help you, but I’m a poor woman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread, and I’m having an important guest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him.’
‘Yeah, well, okay lady, I understand. Thanks anyway.’
The man put his arm around the woman’s shoulders, turned and headed back into the alley.
As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart.
‘Sir, wait!’
The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them.
‘Look, why don’t you take this food. I’ll figure out something else to serve my guest.’
She handed the man her grocery bag.
‘Thank you lady. Thank you very much!’
‘Yes, thank you!’ It was the man’s wife, and Ruth could see now that she was shivering
‘You know, I’ve got another coat at home.
Here, why don’t you take this one.’
Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman’s shoulders.
Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street…without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest.
‘Thank you lady!
Thank you very much!’
Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front Door, and worried too.
The Lord Was coming to visit and she didn’t have anything to offer Him.
She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox.
‘That’s odd. The mailman doesn’t usually come twice in one day.’
Dear Ruth:
It was so good to see you again.
Thank you for the lovely meal.
And thank you, too, for the beautiful coat.
Love Always,
Jesus
The air was still cold, but even without her coat, Ruth no longer noticed.
I’ll bet dollars to donuts some smarty pants will leave a comment saying something about the Bible saying there will always be poor among you…for any smarty pants thinking about leaving such a comment be reminded the Bible also says:
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.
All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Matthew 25:31-35
The city of Compton is making great strides in its mission of birthing a new Compton. New businesses are springing up and occupying once vacant lots and buildings. Since Compton was named an entrepreneurial hot spot and ranked #2 for best places to start and grow a business, the city is enjoying a surge in economic growth. We now have Target, Staples, Best Buy, Wells Fargo, Fresh & Easy, Panda Express, 24 Hour Fitness, Ross and more….This is wonderful news for Compton residents as these new and welcomed circumstances create new jobs, new opportunities, more choices, and new resources in our community.
Just yesterday I was driving down Compton Blvd and noticed the new Compton Dance Theatre studio. I pulled over and ran in! There was a rehearsal in session but I was greeted by the director and one of the instructors.
The Compton Dance Theatre is a non profit organization that provides professional training in classical, contemporary, and cultural dance forms to Compton’s youth after school and during the summer.
This is exciting! Kids in Compton interested in the arts have some where to go, learn, and grow! It’s about time! When I was growing up there was no dance studio in Compton. I took modern/jazz/tap on the westside.
I encourage everyone to support the Compton Dance Theatre. I am signing up for classes asap.
Even if you are not a Compton resident support this organization anyway with a donation and/or by spreading the word. This is an opportunity and benefit for young people that should be taken advantage of…this is an after school activity that can keep our kids off the streets and out of trouble…this is an art form that could inspire higher learning and help develop character. This is an organization that is in synch with birthing a new Compton. If you are a fellow blogger, I ask you to blog about it! For more information about the Compton Dance Theatre visithttp://comptondancetheatre.org.
Events in Compton:
Compton Community Pride Day Job Fair and Community Resources Festival Saturday February 16th 2008 9am – 3pm
Gonzales Park
1101 W. Cressey Street
310 605-5510 or 310 605-5557
Enterprise Zone Roll Out Seminar for Businesses Wednesday February 20th 2008 8am – 12noon
Crystal Park Casino
123 E. Artesia Blvd
RSVP 310 761-1452 or 310 761-1431
This month we gained a new member, we are now 5 strong!
We each gave a progress report on our goals, recapped our 1st two meetings, and welcomed and embraced our new member.
We learned about a contest which provides women interested in starting a business with $50,000 in seed money and encouraged each other to participate.
Our growth in our U Grow Girl! Circle of Thought involves changing our thinking to change our lives and life long learning.
Some of our goals include enhancing our finances. So we are proactively changing our thoughts and attitudes about finances and increasing our knowledge and understanding as it relates to financial matters.
We talked about financial empowerment and concepts from Robert Kiyoski’s books. We explored the definitions of:
Asset
Budget
Business Owner
Cash Flow
Consumerism
Earned income
Employee
We also discussed the importance of avoiding cynicism and learning to find the good not just in every situation but in others as well.
In our discussion we also explored:
ASK and it shall be given.
SEEK and you shall find.
KNOCK and the door will be opened.
Our next meeting is December 2nd. Our plan is to continue our discussion about financial empowerment and explore the importance of Sisters and maintaining relationships with girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, nieces, cousins, and extended family.
With each meeting we grow and after each meeting we are all always looking forward to the next. It is a blessing to be in the company of such amazing women. Team work truly makes the dream work!
This is one of my favorite email forwards that makes its rounds a couple times of year. My friend Shonda sent it to me this morning enjoy LET IT GO by T. D. Jakes
There are people who can walk away from you.
And hear me when I tell you this!
When people can walk away from you: let them walk.
I don’t want you to try to talk another person into staying with you,
Loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you,
Staying attached to you.
I mean hang up the phone.
When people can walk away from you let them walk.
Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left.
Should African Americans Get Reparations for Slavery?
When the topic of reparations comes up people get very heated and opinionated… oftentimes without even knowing the facts or history behind reparations. Read the full story
My friend Hollie sent this to me this morning and with her permission I’m sharing it.
MORE DAMN TOY RECALLS……
OK, me, Hollie….is requesting that we all stop purchasing lead filled toys made in China.
We all know that there are issues between the United States and China (and every other country in the world, thanks to Bush). Clearly they are trying to kills us, by what? Killing our children first and foremost. This will prevent us from having a great military force to fight against them later….you know after we lose half the damn military to the billion dollar a month “War on Terror” in Iraq.
They will try to kill us by any means necessary…poisoning our dogs and cats…they know damn well Americans care more about animals than people (just look at the whole Michael Vick issue).
Please be real with your children and explain why they cannot have their favorite batman toy or their favorite doll. All of the toy companies are manufacturing in China. Reid and I have for months stop purchasing toys made in China. Reid is eight years old, if he can do it so can you. Feel free to call Reid and let him explain it to your child…it may come across better from another kid.
Seriously, please stop purchasing lead filled toys from China. If we stop buying, start complaining Mattel and the other manufacturers will have to make a change. It is not just about the toys, but the life long damage to our children from lead exposure. Read the full story
In the words of Marvin Gaye: “What’s Going On?” Do you care?
I saw this video on BlackHandSide of an all star remix of Marvin Gaye’s timeless classic and was moved. Enjoy
What’s Going On (Dupri Original Mix) Co-producer – Wyclef Jean Featuring – NSYNC , Aaron Lewis , Alicia Keys , Backstreet Boys , Bono , Britney Spears , Christina Aguilera , Darren Hayes , Destiny’s Child , Eve, Fred Durst , Gwen Stefani , Ja Rule, Jennifer Lopez , Jermaine Dupri , Mary J. Blige , Michael Stipe , Nas , Nelly , Nelly Furtado , Nona Gaye , and P. Diddy
If you know anything about Compton, you know that Long Beach Boulevard is often referred to as the “hoe stroll” and not because of the many businesses selling gardening tools. No matter the time of day or night , 24/7, 365, it has become the norm to see half naked street walkers peddling sex. Along with the sex service providers come the pimps and patrons…This unsavory element has forced several businesses to close their doors, the most recent business to flee was Quiznos. The City of Compton and Compton residents decided to take action to Read the full story
My heart has been heavy all week with the fires and the tragedy at the Long Beach Pier. I know that I am not the only one as people have been expressing their feelings about it too. At this point I’m not sure what all I can do to show my support other than to pray… I do believe strongly in the power of prayer and I know prayer availeth much. Along with my prayers I hope what I share today on this blog touches who ever it needs to touch……..
There are hurting people all over the world, some near and dear to our hearts. It is often easy for us to be so caught up in our own lives that we are oblivious to what might be going on in someone else’s life…
Living life abundantly means caring not just for ourselves but for others. To truly experience abundant living we must have compassion and Love in our hearts for our fellow man and be concerned not only for our own best interests, but also the interests of others.
Each day the news tells of horrors and tragedies going on all around us. Too often we flip the channel or move on to whatever is next on our agenda because often the story seemingly has no direct affect or impact on our individual lives.(say a prayer, reach out, send a card, do something…)
Everyone is familiar with the saying “it is better to give than receive,” but few understand the meaning behind this powerful principle.
Why is it better to give than it is to receive? The more you give, the more you receive. Success and living life abundantly are rewards granted to unconditional givers.
An unconditional giver is someone who gives from the heart because they want to, not because they have to, or because they feel obligated to do so.
When people think of giving they often think money. You do not have to give money to be an unconditional giver.
When you give of your time, energy, resources, knowledge, skills, and/or talents, with no strings attached, you instantaneously set the Law of Giving and Receiving in motion. You become a magnet, attracting success and abundance.
The universal Law of Giving and Receiving is both spiritual and scientific.
The Spiritual basis of The Law of Giving and Receiving:
Whatever you sow (meaning whatever you plant, disseminate, scatter, disperse, or put out), you will also reap (meaning you will also receive, gain, harvest, accumulate, or get back). —Galatians 6:7
The Scientific basis of The Law of Giving and Receiving:
For every action (meaning for everything you do, every act, effort, or transaction), there will always be an equal or even opposite reaction (meaning there will be consequences and/or repercussions). —Isaac Newton’s Law of Motion.
Reasons People Resist Giving:
People often decide not to give because they think Read the full story
I think saggin pants look ridiculous. It is neither fashionable or sexy. Why wear pants if they hang past your underwear. Why not wear a pair of chaps
I recently received this interesting email forward about “saggin” so here it is enjoy:
Subject: S-A-G-G-I-N
The Other Day, A friend of mine came to my dorm room just to chat while her laundry was drying. As we were chatting, two young freshmen came by. One of the boys wanted to “talk” to my friend (as in date). She asked him how old they were, and both of the boys replied 18. My friend and I both laughed hysterically because we are both 22 years old. After my friend left, the young men were still hanging around and one wanted to know how he could gain her interest.
The first thing I told him to do was to pull up his pants! He asked why, then said he like saggin’ his pants. I told him to come over to my computer and spell the word saggin’. Then I told him to write the word saggin’ backwards. S-A-G-G-I-N N-I-G-G-A-S
I told him the origin of that look was from prison. Men in prison wore their pants low when they were spoken for. The other reason their pants looked like that was because they were not allowed to have belts because prisoners were likely to try to commit suicide.
We as young black people have to be the ones to effect change. We are dying. The media has made a mockery of the Black American. Even our brothers and sisters from Africa don’t take us seriously. Something as simple as pulling up your pants and standing with your head high could make the biggest difference in the world’s perception of us. It is time to do right by ourselves. We need to love and embrace each other. No one is going to do it for us.
It all comes down to perception.What people perceive is whatis reality to them. We have to change not only the media’s perception of us, but we need to change our perception of ourselves. Remember all eyes are on you Black Man. All eyes are on you Black Woman. All eyes are on you Black Child. People are waiting for us to mess up. We have let not only the media, but the government and the world taint the pure essence of us. They have stripped our culture down to the point where we only believe we can become rappers and athletes. We are so much more.
To all my black men:
Its time to stand up. There are billions of Black Women who want to do nothing more than worship the ground that you walk on. We are so in love with your potential. We want to have your back, we want to love, support and cherish every ounce of your being. But with that you have to show that you are willing to be the head of our households. You have to prove yourselves worthy of our submission. We need you to be hard working…Not a hustler. We need you to seek higher education, to seek spirituality. We need you to stand! And trust us; we will have your back. We know that it gets hard, we know you get weary. Trust and believe that there is nothing that a Black Woman and a Black Man can’t handle with GOD on their sides.
To all my Black Women:
It is also time for us to stand up. It is time for us to stop using our bodies as our primary form of communication. It is time to be that virtuous woman that Proverbs spoke of. We can not sit by the wayside while our men are dying by the masses. We are the epitome of Black Love. It starts within us. We need to speak with conviction to let not only our Black Men know, but the world knows that we are the Mothers of this world. We are so powerful. We are so beautiful. We need to love and embrace every blessing God has given us physically, emotionally and spiritually.
For all My Black Children:
We need to love them. We need to teach them. We need to stand up for them. We need to protect them. We need to show them that there are no “get rich quick” schemes. We need to tell them that they WILL die trying if they submit to a life of crime and deceit. We need to teach our children that no one will love them the way we can. And being a basketball player, a rapper, or a drug dealer is not reality.It’s not realistic and only a small percentage of people ever make it as a rapper or professional athlete. We need to teach our children that we can be more than rappers and athletes. We can be the owners of these sports teams; we can be the CEO’s of our fortune 500 companies. We need to believe in literacy. I am almost certain if we were to look back to the 1930′s and 40′s, the literacy rates for Black American Children are probably still the same.
Ok…I am stepping off of my soap box now. Pull Up Your Pants!!
—by CM Lewis
Marenda Says:
I find this email forward very interesting. The author makes some great points... However, I would have to say that striving to be a basketball player, rapper, or whatever one aspires to be (regardless of the percentage of people actually realizing the dream), is and can be a reality with hard work, determination, talent, and resolve.
I don’t necessarily think that being an owner of a sports team or a CEO of a fortune 500 company equates to being “more than rappers or professional athletes.” (I guess I’m not clear on what is meant by more than).
Magic Johnson was an awesome professional athlete and clearly he’s running successful businesses throughout the country. Jay-Z is rapper with part ownership in a sports team and other business ventures.
“They have stripped our culture down to the point where we only believe we can become rappers and athletes.”
I think it maybe an urban legend that people in the black community have reached the point that they believe they can only be rappers or athletes. For every black child that wants to be a rapper or athlete there are 10 more that want to be doctors, lawyers, teachers, computer programmers, etc…
We need to teach our children that they can be whatever they want to be and that they can achieve their goals. We need to encourage and support them 100%. We need to teach our children to think outside of the box and to create their own opportunities. We need to teach our children how to invest (and diversify their porfolios). We need to help our children become well rounded individuals across the board.
There are no limits to what anyone can do, be, or accomplish. The only limits that exists are those which we place upon ourselves. Living Life Abundantly is knowing and understanding that we have limitless possibilities. Living Life Abundantly also means realizing that a job, title, position, social status, financial standing, does not make you more than(>) or less than(<) anyone else. We are all equal (=). the sooner we learn and embrace our humanity the sooner we can get on with Living Life Abundantly.
Remember when Hip Hop songs meant something? remember when there was a relevant message? Today I take you way back with an important blast from the past.
This song burned deep in my mind this morning as I ran a few errands throughout my neighborHOOD. The last verse of the song struck a nerve deep down with an intensity that I’m hard pressed to explain…
If your neighborHOOD is like mine perhaps you’ll feel me…
The last verse of The Message by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five:
A child is born, wih no state of mind
Blind to the ways of mankind God is smiling but he is frowning too
Cause only god knows what you go through You grow in the ghetto, living second rate
And your eyes will sing a song of deep hate The places you play and where you stay
Looks like one great big alley way You’ll admire all the numberbook takers; thugs, pimps, pushers and the big money makers
Driving big cars, spending twenties and tens
And you wanna grow up to be just like them
Smugglers, scrambles, burglars, gamblers
Pickpocketers, peddlers and even pan-handlers You say I’m cool, I’m no fool
But then you wind up dropping out of highschool Now you’re unemployed, all null ‘n’ void
Walking around like you’re pretty boy Floyd
Turned stickup kid, look what you done did
Got send up for a eight year bid
Now your man hood is took and you’re a Maytag
Spend the next two years as an undercover fag
Being used and abused, and served like hell
Till one day you was find hung dead in a cell It was plain to see that your life was lost
You was cold and your body swung back and forth
But now your eyes sing the sad sad song
Of how you lived so fast and died so young
Don’t push me, cause I’m close to the edge
I’m trying not to loose my head
It’s like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder
How I keep from going under
On October 7th we had another amazing U Grow Girl! Circle of thought. At our first meeting we discussed the importance of women rising above divisive old notions and behaviors (jealousy, gossip, hurting one another, believing that we get along better with men…etc).
We committed to support one another as a team, Together Everyone Achieves More. We also talked at length about setting and achieving goals. We each left the first meeting with a poster board and our first U Grow Girl mission.
Our mission was to use the Goal Setting Goal Getting Guide to write out our goals on one side of the poster board and to cut out pictures to create visual pictures of our goals on the other side of the board, and then bring our finished poster boards back to our next meeting.
We completed our first mission.
At our second meeting we shared our goals with each other, shared ideas, and ways we could help each other achieve our goals.
We also spent time talking about staying encouraged during difficult times and overcoming adversity. We discussed the difference between positive thinking and productive thinking and how our goals will only be met with action(s) on our part.
Another interesting conversation in our meeting was about perception and paradigms. We analyzed two images and discovered that upon first glance we didn’t all perceive or see the same thing… we immediately noticed that we all see things from our own perspectives but it doesn’t always mean that our perspective is right or accurate… I think that this is yet another shining example of how 4 heads are better than 1, 8 eyes are better than 2, and how
