Kwanzaa! Kwanzaa! Kwanzaa!!

We are in our third day of Kwanzaa celebrations. This was something that Kirby; my little brother; decided all on his own that he wanted to try and celebrate this year and so we as a cluster of family and friends come together and celebrate.

It's been really fun, I have to say!! I enjoy this little quasi-holiday!!! I feel this connection and togetherness when we all gather together around the Quinora (sp?) and give thanks to our ancestors and share thoughts on the night's theme. It doesn't seem so contrived and organized... and it's a nice little pick me up after the mad rush we have created for Christmas. Unfortunately we have turned that holiday into one of fear and dread. There is no Christmas spirit anymore!! We have placed a bar code on the holiday and it's up for sale. Kwanzaa... not so much!! No stress on where to purchase the hottest toy of the season or what size show your nephew wears now. This holiday is simply about togetherness and reflection on our past. LOVE IT!!!! If you haven't experienced Kwanzaa yet, you should give it a whirl!! It's very rewarding!! A nice end to the holiday season!!

The Time Is Now

Barack Obama is leading Iowa. Wow! Barack Obama has a good solid chance at the Democratic Nomination for the Presidency. Wowsers! I was listening to the "I Have A Dream" speech on the plane the other day. The day that Dr. King dreamed about is here. Our time is now!! The time to bulldoze this country over with equality is now, today and tomorrow. What makes us too good to pick up the fight our mothers and fathers and grandparents walked the streets for in the 1950's and 1960's? Why are we not suppose to shout and be heard through fire hoses and dogs barking? There is a black man running for the democratic nomination for the American Presidency... and he has a damn good chance of recieving it. Yet, his major opponents are not the southern conservative racist white democrats, or the New England traditionalist or the bible belt christians. Obama's major opponent are the black people of this nation!! Our enemy's face, shape or color has never changed. It's always been black!! Somehow we have allowed ourselves to become self destructive, killing our community from the inside out. "Nigga's Ain't Shit" "F*ck That Nigga"... we don't trust or believe in one another, so we are at a stand still. When are we going to figure out that "The Man" isn't keeping us down, we are keeping us down!! Everything that our ancestors endured from masters and keepers, we are doing on a daily in our inner cities. Staying true to the streets of your hood doesn't mean that you should encourage and condone the violence that goes on. Babies and young brothas and sistas dying every 6 minutes in some innercity somewhere in this country. We don't have to worry about some white guy doing it... we've beaten him to the punch. Now is our time to grab our young generation of future leaders and hold them close. Encourage them, tell them you love them, show them who they are suppose to be, bring them into society. This is our time... this is the time for every black and brown person to stand up and take control of their destiny. Seize the opportunity. It wasn't too long ago that black people weren't allowed to vote in this country;in fact our voting Amendment is coming up again to Congress next term; and now there is a black man running to be President of the United States. And is in good standing to receive the democratic nomination. This is our time my brothers and sisters. This is our march on Washington! This is our Watts Riots!! This is our Little Rock 9!! No it shouldn't be that big of a deal to have a man of color sitting at the helm... it should just be the natural order of things... but it isn't!! That isn't the world we have created for ourselves. Maybe this is our yellow brick road into TRUE equality!! We have the tools in order to be seen and heard... let our voices ring over the mountain tops and through all the valleys... voices shouting freedom. This is freedom!! Not Operation Iraqi freedom or yellow ribbons tied on trees. This, standing up for the right to be counted in this country... that is freedom. That is the freedom Dr. King shouted about! That is the freedom our grandparents fought waterhoses for. This is our time to get that freedom!!! I pray you are not thinking this is an endorsement for Obama. Though I am a Obama supporter, I am not saying, "vote for the brotha, he's black". What I am is surprised and saddened by the lack of excitement by our community for Obama. White people are more excited about him than we are. We were not put on this earth to simply exist. There is so much more expected out of us, otherwise we wouldn't have been given these brains to create governments and do all the other things we have evolved into creating. And I think that we have been given an opportunity to show unity within our community. Not just in votes but supporting black contributions to mankind PERIOD!!! Let's begin to really celebrate one another and show a gratitude for life and not having to live in this world ALL alone without another one of our kind.

Be the change!

Peace, Love and Blessings!
BK

Brutha's Sista

So...the boys are gone! They are now flying across the state heading toward Atlanta to begin on a new journey in their musical careers. I am overjoyed with pride and happiness, and yet I feel like a part of my body has been ripped from my body. I feel like a lone wolf lost from her pack!!! I have spent my whole life separating myself from "The Boys" so as not to just fade into the background like an accessory. I rarely sing or dance, because THEY ALL DO. I created an eclectic style of dress and lifestyle so that the anatomy wasn't the only thing separating us as people. And yet, here I am feeling sort of empty inside with only one brother left in the city. Do not mistake me, it isn't a feeling of being left behind or resentment... We are on different paths completely... I just feel slightly alone now... I feel weird with so many of them gone at one time... I just feel weird...

Poli Sci 101

I am a woman. I am a black woman. I am a democratic black woman. I am a liberal democratic black woman. I am registered liberal democratic black woman ready to cast my vote. And the question is with whom? The black man? Or the woman? Do I vote for the rookie who is ready to take a chance and go with his gut? Or do I go with the veteran who has a steadier hand balancing her plate with an ease, but not willing to take that leap so soon...?

Hilary is the safe choice. We can easily argue that she is the democratic nominee because it isn't just Hilary we get, its a package deal that worked for us before. We know what Team Clinton is capable of! In a time of division, hunger and pain something familiar is always healing. After everything that we as a people have gone through in the past 7 years, what do we really need?? A sure secure safety net or do we try something completely new.

I cannot help but really be in love with Michelle and Barack Obama... almost just as much as I love Hilary and Bill. Barack is an excellent politician and humanitarian. He sticks to his guns on policy which he has proven in the Senate during the short amount of time he has spent in office. True, he's a newbie to The Hill... but that doesn't mean he is at all incapable of being Commander in Chief.

I know people who are completely dedicated to a single candidate already... I'm talking full blown t shirts, campaigning, phone banking, etc. since the announcements. Unfortunately as bad as this sounds, I'm not married to a candidate yet. I am still in the courting pool excited with the amount of good choices and that we have two very capable leading candidates!! Am I a bad democrat?? Am I a bad American?? All I want to do is turn the republican conservative right wing party on their ass, take over and rebuild and revamp our country!! And to be quite honest I really don't care whether it's Clinton or Obama!!! BUT... Barack did say something that other day on Jay Leno that kinda stuck with me because I had to agree with him, I'm tired of being against something all the time. I've spent the last seven years being against everything, that it would be nice to be to be passion about an issue that has nothing to do with changing someone's fuck up!!! Right?!? ugh!