Last night I attended a fundraiser hosted by Vagrant Poetics at Cafe Good Bellies. This fundraiser was a means to bring about awareness of the Haitian grassroots organizations and all they are doing to rebuild their country in the face of the devastating seven year old foreign occupation and "fraudulent" "elections" and how we can help support their efforts. I and many other supporters from all around the Bay Area joined this vibratious cause, standing in solidarity with the people of Haiti from a far. The night was full of inspiring like minded individuals who was all for Revolutionary change, freedom, and liberation. I met a few interesting folk, conscious folk who is down for the cause. While also eyeing one person in particular who just made me smile. I love Black People. All People!
I have some amazing pics!
A Fundraiser in support of Haitian Grassroots Organizations
Presented by: Vagrant Poetics "Haitian Emergency Relief Fund" Haiti Action Committee
Open Mic with Featured Artist
The Difference Folk
Hannibal Shakur
War Chicken
The Truth
Safahri Ra
Beats and Rhythms by GSTAR
& more
These Women set it off...
Revolution Now!!!
Be sure to check out:
Cafe' Good Bellies
4659 Telegraph Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609 (510) 594-1900
I promise I love BLACK MEN. Why? Because they come in so many shapes, forms, colors, and you deal with various personalities. Even the personalities and characters you may think is not worth dealing with.
Today...I was on my lunch break in North Oakland and I ran into a young man by the name of Jerry. haha Mind you I ran into this young man before on accident. haha. Any how...He remembers me. Compliments me. I am always wondering what do this guy freaking do. Is he employed? Student? What is he and do he do? My question and oh Why are you talking to me? Pretty mean I know but whatever! So we engage in a conversation. Here it is.
Jerry: Wow I am always running into. Do you stay over here?
Me: Nah
Jerry: So why is it I am always running into you? Your gorgeous...
Me: I work over here. & I am on my lunch break. I like this area. (I look away)
**Mind You I mentioned the fact I am on my Lunch break, therefore a sista hungry and want to eat. He keep talking.
Jerry: So when can I get your number?
Me: TJ...JJ...oh Jerry it is. I still have your number in my phone from our last encounter.
Jerry: You haven't put it to use.
Me: Oh.
Jerry: You seem spontaneous, you remind me of a teacher. What you do? I wish we can go out one night and dance. Your different. When I first saw you I thought you were African but you not. You Black.
**Mind You were all African! WTheck Jerry We are all of African decent breh! why do I run into funny folk.
Me: Yeah Jerry that sound nice. You never know.
Jerry: What you about to get into?
Me: I'm on my lunch break (slightly smiling) I will see you around Jerry.
Jerry: Bye Beautiful
The End
I love Black Men, Black People. We are all entertaining. It is all love!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
The Black people I meet. The black people I befriend and the Black people who constantly inspires me as a Black woman is amazing. A friend I met last summer who I have grown to love has inspired me as an individual to utilize my Black growth in society. Empowering and encouraging me to be all I can be as a means to show forth my appreciation of Black womanhood, black worth, and black love today. He has also offered me tremendous support. I have come to realize great friends are often hard to come by. I am surely blessed to have come by him. I honor our Black friendship. I adore, cherish, and dare not trade it in for anything. He is his own Nation surrounded by the sea of life. I’m glad to be a great sea surrounding him. He is truly a flower in my life. A flower I have an obligation to keep watered and in the sun.
I am literally sitting in the living room thinking about all the Black people I have befriended and how each of them has played a role in my life. How some has come and go. Or how some has simply taken me through the motions. But isn’t it mind boggling when you are left thinking about one friend who you admire? It is extremely mind boggling to me. Especially if that friend can see far beyond what others often see when they meet you. Maturity, strength, knowledge, and wisdom are what this friend possesses. Black thoughts are always deposited to me through his Black cultural fuse of the Black experience. This has enabled me as a Black woman to voice my thoughts often emphasizing the richness of Black culture/community.
Have you ever randomly texted a man in your phone asking him “What do he find most attractive about you?” I am pretty sure we all as Black women have before! I have. Before I even continue on with my point. Often when we ask a man this type of question their response is normally something sexual reflecting your physical forage. And we as the vulnerable women we can be is turned on and taken back by their intense sexual lustful description of us! Wow! Oh wow! Yes we are and we find joy out of it. Any how this particular time I decided to ask my friend who is his own nation this popular question. Thinking I was going to get an outlandish response. It took him about five minutes to respond. The five minutes was worth the wait to. When I read his response I thought I fell in love. I just fell in love with how consciously aware he truly was to those he has allowed to enter into his life. So you are probably wondering what he find most attractive of me. Well! What he find most attractive about me is “That u are looking outside what is given to define yourself and the world u live in. And growing in your own consciousness.” (I saved the text and I jotted it down as he sent it to me) Now that’s a friend. A black friend who is able to appreciate the little things in his friend’s life. This is why I love Black people because we as a people will forever encourage, inspire, each other to be all we can be. Even with the negative influences there are Black people who are fighting to bring about change in the Black community. I say can this friend who is his own nation is fighting to bring about a change in the Black/African diaspora community.
It all Love!
Let your Black Men infatuate you. We are worth the Black Love.
We are so exquisite.
Black beauty.
To get West African inspired jewelry as this visit:
I have decided to fast. What is a fast? Well a fast is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time (Wikipedia). One may also decide to fast from electronics, media, anything which may be a hindrance in he/she life. I have also decided to fast from Facebook. That is another story. I have decided to utilize my time elsewhere. So I created this blog not only to track my life, but to keep beautiful humans as yourself updated with the latest. I am simply living, learning. Learning to love, while growing. Always staying positive.
Now you are probably like Ericka why have you decide to fast randomly? Whelp to answer that question. I decided to fast because I am deeply in search of something outside and far beyond what man can offer me. Not only is this a spiritual fast to connect more with my Father (God) but I am also fasting on a physical health black wellness tip. I have been reading so many articles about the state of the Black community health. And felt I should make it a habit to live healthy. Check this! This is really sad! A major issue within the Black community is Diabetes. Yes! Did you know the "National Health Interview Surveys (NHIS) conducted between 1963 and 1990 show that African Americans have a rising prevalence of diabetes. (Prevalence is the percentage of cases in a population.) Most African Americans with diabetes have Type 2, or noninsulin-dependent diabetes. Type 2 diabetes usually develops after age 40. However, in high-risk populations, susceptible people may develop it at a younger age. A small number of African Americans have Type I or insulin-dependent diabetes, which usually develops before age 20 (State of Black People)." Now can you say wow? I know it is crazy. Imagine the rates now.
So that is one main reason why I have decided to fast. "NO MEATS NO SWEETS." Until whenever. My fast can go on for days, weeks, months. Honestly I don't know how long. I do know I am becoming consciously aware of what I consume and when I consume it. I highly encourage you all to think about your health. Eat healthy, exercise, and be happy. I am not telling you to give up meat, sweets, and certain beverages. Moderation is the word. As long as you do everything in moderation. All will be well. Keep me before our one and only Father (God). As I begin my fast. All Love!
**Side Note: This is what I had for lunch yesterday.
Ethiopian Dish.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
For your enjoyment. Music for the mind, body, and soul.
Peace Everyone! Every week I receive emails from Pastor Ray an awesome youth pastor in the Bay Area. These words are always encouraging, empowering, and uplifting to my soul. I just thought I share this word with the World. I pray you all are touched just as I am through the power of Christ.
U R in charge of UR attitude, U R in charge of how U react , U R in charge of UR responses, UR response is what U choose to plant in ur own garden, and U will reap UR choices… At the end of the day it’s on U...
U can't control what others do, but you can control UR response to it-
-Ray Murray
Focus Scripture: Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
Question: How many times have you found yourself declaring that it’s just a bad day, or someone ruined your day and sat back and lost a day that God blessed you to see and enjoy?
Think: The fact that you are alive!That alone is a blessing. Each day you have the opportunity to prove to God that no mistake was made in allowing you to see another day.Your response to God for the gift of life, should be to make the most of it! The only way "they can ruin your day is if YOU let them... the only way the situation can ruin your day is if YOU allow it to! With the power of God in your life, YOU'RE BETTER THAN THAT!
Pay Attention: You can’t control everything that happens to you, but the one thing you can control is your response!Choose to love, to forgive, choose to be patient, to endure…because when you plant these seeds in the garden of your life you will reap the harvest you want!Stop letting people and bad situations, out of your control, affect your harvest. Be courageous!
Strength!!
Ray Murray
**hit me back and let me know how this has helped!God Bless you this WEEK!
***For those of you in who made it out to Chainbreakers last Friday, thank you for your support! Your hearts for God make the experience something that blesses our lives each and every time…God Bless!!!
--
Chainbreakers... MinistryWithoutWalls
Join Us EVERY 1st Friday for The Experience...
Until then you can follow us on Twitter (@CBMWOW) and Facebook!!
To all my Girls who is rocking the Natural Hair.
Power to ya.
It takes much courage, power, and strength to rock Natural Hair.
Natural Hair like all..Perm, Relaxed, and Treated hair need our attention.
Rather you are rocking a fro, locs, braids, or even to step out and shave it all off!
You must keep your hair treated.
Love yourself and you will love your hair.
Black Women!!!
We are versatile, We are Vibrant!
So many women not of African decent (white women, need I say more) would love to have our hair.
Our hair come in so many textures, colors, lengths.
Our hair grows upwards towards the sun.
Our hair is meant to be nappy and all the above.
Embrace it, embrace all we are blessed with.
We are Queens.
Nubian Black.
Our hair is a prize possession of who we are as Africans.
I say let your hair be affirmation of who you are as a true African.
Rock your NATURAL HAIR.
BLACK GIRLS ROCK!!!
**Side Note: I have posted a video for a friend dear to me. You know who you are. Watch it be blessed. Take this style run with it, utilize it to the fullest. You will be amazed of the results. I love you!
I am a driven person and only through Christ, family, school, children, and my art sums my feelings up as a true reason. I often thirst/embrace the “new” life have to offer me. Constantly inhaling and exhaling positive energy around me. Always motivated by black thought and the tons of beautiful people around me activates me a woman. If there is anything around me I can’t inspire (yet change) it brings about a challenge. Knowing I am one easily to inspire, move, and excite.
I am a firm believer obstacles come to make you stronger, and I believe Walls in your life should not be a barrier holding you back from a blessing. Those who stay inspired inspire. And if there is anything around you that can’t be inspired, as I once heard stated "Anything you (they) didn't like about this (your) presentation is evidence of our (your) flaws."
This summer I have really been finding myself and my niche. God has blessed me to meet brilliant, positive, driven black folk who are all about Black Love. Having a likeness, heart, and concern for our own Black community. It is interesting to find myself become more aware each day about the Black community when we as human live in a society where everything is everything. Everything, issue is accepted and embraced.
This past weekend I met the sweetest woman named Angela. She is a Black (African American) woman who has a heart for the brothas, Black Men. As she says "I have a heart for our Kings." She also has a heart for being the black woman, wife, mother, friend etc... She is. She made my heart smile because she stated the truth about the Black community. "The Black Man can have any woman he wants" but it is our obligation as black men and women to teach and foster Black Love amongst ourselves. And leave our professions outside our homes when catering to one another.
**Wondering how all this intertwines:
At the beginning of my post I stated how I am inspired through various things. How I am easily inspired. Well in a nut shell Mrs. Angela truly inspired me to keep the flow of Black Love flowing through the Black Community. Not only to teach it but to foster it. I want to see it every day amongst my people. I want to see Black families. Black couples. All striving thriving to be a better BLACK!
I'm BLACK and literate therefore society labels me as acting WHITE! That's an issue if you ask me. BLACK girl/woman decides to go NATURAL or cut or hair and everyone acts like you've lost your MIND. It is hard to TRUST those who don't LOVE the skin their in. It is a BLESSING from GOD. By the way SOCIETY idea of BEAUTY is dis respectful. I don’t see why everybody gotta tell me how to live my life. Let me live baby, let me live. I like being BLACK. It is the best feeling. I don't wear heels. I love my BROTHAS. Black men are pretty beings. I am a WOMAN...yes I am HUMAN. "Aint I a Woman."
Wow! It is amazing to be disattached from Facebook. Not knowing what is going on in the "Facebook" world has given me the opportunity not only examine myself, but it has allowed me to mobilize my thoughts in action. Meaning I am now able to dedicate much of my time to books, research, and focus my precious energy to issues affecting my life positvely and negatively.
