Barely Controlled Black Girl: Reimagine the world while surviving it

The Beauty The Sacrifice The Pain The Longing The Hopefulness The Fear The Weight of being a black mother is something that is not being discussed enough. I am so grateful to Tina Knowles for sharing her story in her book Matriarch. She has helped me recenter my focus on my life's purpose.  In this moment I think about Tina on tour with Beyonce and how she supports her daughter and granddaughters night after night. I am thinking about Marian Robinson who uprooted her life in Chicago to spend 8 years in DC to support her daughter and granddaughters. I'm thinking of my mother who moved from Michigan to Ohio to support her 3 daughters and grandchildren. I'm thinking of my great grandmother who birthed 14 children and died too young. There are so many phenomenal women that keep their families at the center of their priorities WHILE living amazing and meaningful lives themselves.  I come from strong, independent and determined people. People who refused to accept the oppression ...

I wanna be at peace, but this world won't let me I wanna be still, but this world won't let me I wanna be calm, but this world won't let me I wanna move on, but this world won't let me  I wanna be happy, but this world won't let me I wanna be unbothered, but this world won't let me I wanna be carefree, but this world won't let me I wanna be adventurous, but this world won't let me I wanna take risks, but this world won't let me  I wanna be free, but this world won't let me The world has so much in store for me, but we are out of alignment  The world disregards my wishes, hopes and dreams The world doesn't recognize my humanity...Do you?

If a riot is the language of the unheard, a protest is the language of the powerless. Those who don't know what else to do, take to the streets. But what if your people have been in the streets for the last 75 years?  The NAACP was founded in 1909 with the mission statement:  "To ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination."  Since then, Black Americans have been in the modern fight for equality. The Civil War and Emancipation Proclamation did not uproot the ugly behavior of our white counterparts. It left us in a position we could not accept. We have gained political power through organizing with discipline and intention. Dr. King was highly intelligent and a gifted strategist. Many people did not understand his tactics and disagreed with his approach. In hindsight, he got his flowers because the result of his leadership is undeniable. That was a moment of political evo...