When you're ready for change you have to get your mind right. The first step in making your mind ready for your next step is recognizing what kind of shape it's in. Strip down to nothing. Look at it in the mirror without sucking in. That's what most of us are simply scared or too stubborn to do. Many times we fail because we don't evaluate before pressing ahead. It doesn't matter if it's romance, a class, or a new job. We have to evaluate and make the decision that we'll do better or just stay the same.
-------------------------- Untitled (like most of my stuff) -----------------
To proud to admit mistakes.
Fake it 'til you make it is what they say.
But the heart can't fake whole after a break.
What do I dream of?
Who do I want?
Mistakes happen but it's up to us not to wait on fate.
It is what we make.
We'll be looking forward to the same thing if our actions don't change.
But how do I change my actions?
I have God's best guide to thrive but I'm still half-baked.
Whatever's missing is on the inside.
I'm what's missing from my life.
We can point fingers, but why lie?
It's up to me to grab success and to thrive.
I only have to focus, pray, and decide.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Pittbulls Vs Young Black Boys: Rally Virgin for Trayvon Martin
As the rep. from the National Action Network (NAN) re-capped the story of a young man who was hunted down like game, straddled, then shot in the chest, tears streamed down my face. This was my first rally.
"What do we want!"
"Justice!"
"When do we want it!"
"Now!"
The call and response chants gave me goose bumps. The energy of the crowd slowly crept up my spine. I was quiet in the beginning. I would have shouted along but my throat was clinched by heavy emotion. By the time the pastor finished with the opening praise I was ready.
"What do we want!"
"Justice!"
"When do we want it!"
"Yesterday!" I shouted.
Now isn't good enough. We need the psychotic man to be thrown in jail before he hurts someone else. One of the speakers commented that Mike Vick went to jail for conspiring to kill animals. He was locked up fairly quickly as I recall. This is the epitome of insult added to injustice. How much is a young black boy's life worth? Not even a pack of skittles? Not even as much as a dog? How is it that our correctional system can be in need of so much correcting? And when will the system start helping our society?
"No Justice!"
"No peace!"
My mom had always warned us about getting involved in rallies and protests. A victim of the injustices of the 60s, she was traumatized. She was in the first black graduating class from her Jewish High school. I'm sure she suffered her fair share of injustices and witnessed many people being beaten and imprisoned- like animals. I'm 24 and full of energy. "An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" Dr. Martin Luther King's philosophy lives in me so it was hard not to be involved in the chants a long time ago. It's amazing what fear can do to a person. But when I walked up to Providence Missionary Baptist Church tonight I let go of the fear that kept we away from rallies in the past.
"Ya uhuru!"
"Ya wu ru...hu?"
"Y'all don't know what that means? It means freedom now in Swahili. Ya UhuRU!"
"Ya Uhuru!!"
The church parking lot was blocked off except for the News and a few individuals allowed to snag a good parking spot. I drove down the small street off of Benjamin E. Mays and hoped the owner of the house wouldn't fuss at me for parking very close to (if not on top of) their lawn. My purse would have been inconvenient so I tossed it in the trunk and trotted up the street. 6:56pm, the rally started at 7:00 and the front of the church already had a crowd. I wanted to be punctual for my first rally."Don't go outside after dark. Someone could grab you!" Strangely enough I didn't hear echos of my mother while I rushed up the street in my pink "Too Blessed 2 B Stressed/ God is Good" baby T-shirt and jeans carrying my 'Trayvon' hoodie.
"Aaaaaa-men" "Aaaaa-men" "Amen. Amen."
Church hymns had already started. Two guys in hoodies strolled in front of me so I darted around them. I stared at the crowd nervously. Would I be welcomed? Would people know it was my first time? Could I yell anything at anytime, or should I wait for the speaker to start a chant? I didn't know how to act but I knew I wanted to be as close to the front as possible. I made a sign, "Justice 4 Trayvon". I held it nervously in my hands. The small poster was damp with sweat from my nervous palms and then the re-cap of Trayvon's murder began.
"This, this, gorilla was on top of him! You could hear the blood curdling screams from Trayvon. You could hear him pleading for his life! Now what type of threat could he have seen in that? A 28 year old man! Against Trayvon 'Babyface' - I call him baby face- Martin."
I couldn't stop sobbing. Admittedly, I hadn't read the full news story. I saw updates in my Twitter Timeline and heard some things over the radio. I don't watch a lot of TV so I missed many interviews. I was hearing all of the details for the first time. I prayed for Trayvon and his family and continued to sob. Photographers flashed lenses near my face. They were surely all taking photos of my sniffling face. Other speakers from the rally spoke of other injustices in the black community. Other murders of innocent black boys and men in New York, Atlanta, and Texas were spoken about. Injustices to blacks everywhere was also mentioned.. "Our sons are endangered," I felt a severe disturbance in my spirit. I was shook realizing how the state of our nation has created the perfect climate and institution for murderers to be able to kill my sons, brothers, husbands, and fathers at will, without reason or consequence. I didn't know what to do with the energy I felt. I wanted to cry some more, shout, stop traffic on Piedmont and scream "Save Our Sons!!!"
"Arrest!"
"Arrest!"
"Zimmerman!"
"Zimmerman!"
"Now!"
"Now!"
By the second half of the rally my voice was straining to capture the power I felt from the energy of the crowd. I shouted with the crowd. Made snide comments with the people around me and saw familiar faces. By the end of the rally I felt charged to do something grand. Something that nobody would be able to ignore. Something that would bring justice in a boldly peaceful way. Realizing that I'm only one person, however, I decided to start by taking the action steps that NAN outlined for us:
1) Sign the petition at
http://www.change.org/petitions/prosecute-the-killer-of-our-son-17-year-old-trayvon-martin#
2) Call the contact numbers provided and demand justice for Trayvon
- 407-688-5070 Sanford Police Department, call to demand the arrest of George Zimmerman
- 407-665-6000 FL DA's office, call to demand JUSTICE and boot out the "Police Chief" in Sanford and
comb thru that station w a fine-toothed comb
- 202-514-2000 US Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, call to demand JUSTICE for our son
- National Action Network, call for info on how to get involved and make a difference and to stay
informed! There's a meeting on Saturday w a recap and updates
3) Come out to the meeting on Saturday w NAN and get involved! 678-732-0405
My next steps will be to challenge my friends to make calls and join me in sitting in public spaces with signs to spread awareness about Trayvon's murder. The first stop may be Piedmont Park. I hope to get friends together and spread the word. But if no one else will join me, I still have the spirit of the rally to keep me company. This energy is what motivates me to make small contributions and fight for justice for my son, brother, father, neighbor, and myself.
I am Trayvon Martin.
"What do we want!"
"Justice!"
"When do we want it!"
"Now!"
The call and response chants gave me goose bumps. The energy of the crowd slowly crept up my spine. I was quiet in the beginning. I would have shouted along but my throat was clinched by heavy emotion. By the time the pastor finished with the opening praise I was ready.
"What do we want!"
"Justice!"
"When do we want it!"
"Yesterday!" I shouted.
Now isn't good enough. We need the psychotic man to be thrown in jail before he hurts someone else. One of the speakers commented that Mike Vick went to jail for conspiring to kill animals. He was locked up fairly quickly as I recall. This is the epitome of insult added to injustice. How much is a young black boy's life worth? Not even a pack of skittles? Not even as much as a dog? How is it that our correctional system can be in need of so much correcting? And when will the system start helping our society?
"No Justice!"
"No peace!"
My mom had always warned us about getting involved in rallies and protests. A victim of the injustices of the 60s, she was traumatized. She was in the first black graduating class from her Jewish High school. I'm sure she suffered her fair share of injustices and witnessed many people being beaten and imprisoned- like animals. I'm 24 and full of energy. "An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" Dr. Martin Luther King's philosophy lives in me so it was hard not to be involved in the chants a long time ago. It's amazing what fear can do to a person. But when I walked up to Providence Missionary Baptist Church tonight I let go of the fear that kept we away from rallies in the past.
"Ya uhuru!"
"Ya wu ru...hu?"
"Y'all don't know what that means? It means freedom now in Swahili. Ya UhuRU!"
"Ya Uhuru!!"
The church parking lot was blocked off except for the News and a few individuals allowed to snag a good parking spot. I drove down the small street off of Benjamin E. Mays and hoped the owner of the house wouldn't fuss at me for parking very close to (if not on top of) their lawn. My purse would have been inconvenient so I tossed it in the trunk and trotted up the street. 6:56pm, the rally started at 7:00 and the front of the church already had a crowd. I wanted to be punctual for my first rally."Don't go outside after dark. Someone could grab you!" Strangely enough I didn't hear echos of my mother while I rushed up the street in my pink "Too Blessed 2 B Stressed/ God is Good" baby T-shirt and jeans carrying my 'Trayvon' hoodie.
"Aaaaaa-men" "Aaaaa-men" "Amen. Amen."
Church hymns had already started. Two guys in hoodies strolled in front of me so I darted around them. I stared at the crowd nervously. Would I be welcomed? Would people know it was my first time? Could I yell anything at anytime, or should I wait for the speaker to start a chant? I didn't know how to act but I knew I wanted to be as close to the front as possible. I made a sign, "Justice 4 Trayvon". I held it nervously in my hands. The small poster was damp with sweat from my nervous palms and then the re-cap of Trayvon's murder began.
"This, this, gorilla was on top of him! You could hear the blood curdling screams from Trayvon. You could hear him pleading for his life! Now what type of threat could he have seen in that? A 28 year old man! Against Trayvon 'Babyface' - I call him baby face- Martin."
I couldn't stop sobbing. Admittedly, I hadn't read the full news story. I saw updates in my Twitter Timeline and heard some things over the radio. I don't watch a lot of TV so I missed many interviews. I was hearing all of the details for the first time. I prayed for Trayvon and his family and continued to sob. Photographers flashed lenses near my face. They were surely all taking photos of my sniffling face. Other speakers from the rally spoke of other injustices in the black community. Other murders of innocent black boys and men in New York, Atlanta, and Texas were spoken about. Injustices to blacks everywhere was also mentioned.. "Our sons are endangered," I felt a severe disturbance in my spirit. I was shook realizing how the state of our nation has created the perfect climate and institution for murderers to be able to kill my sons, brothers, husbands, and fathers at will, without reason or consequence. I didn't know what to do with the energy I felt. I wanted to cry some more, shout, stop traffic on Piedmont and scream "Save Our Sons!!!"
"Arrest!"
"Arrest!"
"Zimmerman!"
"Zimmerman!"
"Now!"
"Now!"
By the second half of the rally my voice was straining to capture the power I felt from the energy of the crowd. I shouted with the crowd. Made snide comments with the people around me and saw familiar faces. By the end of the rally I felt charged to do something grand. Something that nobody would be able to ignore. Something that would bring justice in a boldly peaceful way. Realizing that I'm only one person, however, I decided to start by taking the action steps that NAN outlined for us:
1) Sign the petition at
http://www.change.org/petitions/prosecute-the-killer-of-our-son-17-year-old-trayvon-martin#
2) Call the contact numbers provided and demand justice for Trayvon
- 407-688-5070 Sanford Police Department, call to demand the arrest of George Zimmerman
- 407-665-6000 FL DA's office, call to demand JUSTICE and boot out the "Police Chief" in Sanford and
comb thru that station w a fine-toothed comb
- 202-514-2000 US Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, call to demand JUSTICE for our son
- National Action Network, call for info on how to get involved and make a difference and to stay
informed! There's a meeting on Saturday w a recap and updates
3) Come out to the meeting on Saturday w NAN and get involved! 678-732-0405
My next steps will be to challenge my friends to make calls and join me in sitting in public spaces with signs to spread awareness about Trayvon's murder. The first stop may be Piedmont Park. I hope to get friends together and spread the word. But if no one else will join me, I still have the spirit of the rally to keep me company. This energy is what motivates me to make small contributions and fight for justice for my son, brother, father, neighbor, and myself.
I am Trayvon Martin.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Technological Activism?
The Department of Defense used the Internet in the late 60's/early 70's to protect the country. Other uses in 1989 were for business and made many tasks more convenient (i.e. calculations, data tracking..etc). And now in 2010 we have Facebook to stay in touch and make meaningful connections that would otherwise not be possible, right? I'm not so sure.
The fact is technology serves as an exciting new tool for WOW gamers and number crunchers alike. However, there are societal constructs that are being replaced by impersonal contact via social networks and the like. Is this cure for long distance becoming an incurable disease in itself?
And where do our interpersonal communication skills go if we never talk to people? Yeah, they suck. You can see that through "Customer Service" Departments.
The most recent event that got my blood heated is the Facebook cartoon child abuse awareness movement. On the one hand you could say "It's better than doing nothing. And it promotes awareness." But does it really? There has been way more conversation on Rugrats and Sponge Bob than on the beatings, murders, and rapes happening in our own neighborhoods. So what does it do if it doesn't help any real cause (i.e. no one is collecting donations, no one is promoting volunteer service...etc).
Here's what it does. It makes us complacent. It makes you feel like "Ahh, I'm such a good person." Yeah, not so much. The idea of using technology as a tool to promote awareness is fine, but it does NOT replace actually getting off your butt or your wallet to do something. To be active. To make a real difference. But who am I to say?
This complacency and lack of initiative is a symptom of a bigger issue, the deconstruction of our social infrastructure. Our common spaces to voice our opinion, come together, and fight for a cause are dwindling. When is the last time we attended a Town Hall? Many people have never been to one. What will happen when we lose these connections entirely? Will our passion for social activism be replaced with status updates and profile pic changes?
SN: If you haven't seen WALL-E, you should. It speaks to this subject exactly. That's where we're headed!
On thinking about it, I have noticed disturbing changes in myself lately. I have a terrible habit of not calling people that I care about. I am quicker to text a friend who I miss dearly than pick up a phone (many are out of state). There's always been the excuse of school. But now that I've graduated and don't plan to go back until Fall 2012, there really isn't an excuse. There wasn't ever really an excuse for not keeping up with family and friends. Life is too short to lose communication. Chatting and texting could never replace hearing my friend's laugh or a good game of Egyptian Rat Screw (my favorite card game).
In order to rehabilitate myself (or habilitate myself since this has defined my entire adult life) I have devised a plan to host bi-weekly or monthly get together in an effort to revive the social connections in my life. Maybe I'll call them Personal Interaction Over Facebook (PIOFs). Or Social Revivals. Umm, yeah, I'll work on that. But the idea is to host get togethers with folks and share valuable input on current events and life changes..etc in order to revive the social connections that we're losing. Have a pot-luck, get some games out, laugh and talk into the night. The good 'ol days.
Is technology deconstructing your social connections? Are you comfortable with it?
========================================================================
---Hey sup.
-Nothin. U?
---Chillin'.
-Koo.
---lol. K. ttyl.
-cya. :)
Our text conversations are so meaningful.
The fact is technology serves as an exciting new tool for WOW gamers and number crunchers alike. However, there are societal constructs that are being replaced by impersonal contact via social networks and the like. Is this cure for long distance becoming an incurable disease in itself?
And where do our interpersonal communication skills go if we never talk to people? Yeah, they suck. You can see that through "Customer Service" Departments.
The most recent event that got my blood heated is the Facebook cartoon child abuse awareness movement. On the one hand you could say "It's better than doing nothing. And it promotes awareness." But does it really? There has been way more conversation on Rugrats and Sponge Bob than on the beatings, murders, and rapes happening in our own neighborhoods. So what does it do if it doesn't help any real cause (i.e. no one is collecting donations, no one is promoting volunteer service...etc).
Here's what it does. It makes us complacent. It makes you feel like "Ahh, I'm such a good person." Yeah, not so much. The idea of using technology as a tool to promote awareness is fine, but it does NOT replace actually getting off your butt or your wallet to do something. To be active. To make a real difference. But who am I to say?
This complacency and lack of initiative is a symptom of a bigger issue, the deconstruction of our social infrastructure. Our common spaces to voice our opinion, come together, and fight for a cause are dwindling. When is the last time we attended a Town Hall? Many people have never been to one. What will happen when we lose these connections entirely? Will our passion for social activism be replaced with status updates and profile pic changes?
SN: If you haven't seen WALL-E, you should. It speaks to this subject exactly. That's where we're headed!
On thinking about it, I have noticed disturbing changes in myself lately. I have a terrible habit of not calling people that I care about. I am quicker to text a friend who I miss dearly than pick up a phone (many are out of state). There's always been the excuse of school. But now that I've graduated and don't plan to go back until Fall 2012, there really isn't an excuse. There wasn't ever really an excuse for not keeping up with family and friends. Life is too short to lose communication. Chatting and texting could never replace hearing my friend's laugh or a good game of Egyptian Rat Screw (my favorite card game).
In order to rehabilitate myself (or habilitate myself since this has defined my entire adult life) I have devised a plan to host bi-weekly or monthly get together in an effort to revive the social connections in my life. Maybe I'll call them Personal Interaction Over Facebook (PIOFs). Or Social Revivals. Umm, yeah, I'll work on that. But the idea is to host get togethers with folks and share valuable input on current events and life changes..etc in order to revive the social connections that we're losing. Have a pot-luck, get some games out, laugh and talk into the night. The good 'ol days.
Is technology deconstructing your social connections? Are you comfortable with it?
========================================================================
---Hey sup.
-Nothin. U?
---Chillin'.
-Koo.
---lol. K. ttyl.
-cya. :)
Our text conversations are so meaningful.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Single vs. Married, a battle against ourselves
"I KNOW that she only has a problem with me because I'm married."
"Well, most times, single women DO have issues."
"Is it wrong to want to take a minute to improve myself before I get in a relationship?"
I found myself playing devil's advocate in a conversation on women and envy the other day. The funny thing is there were two advocates defending married women, one man agreeing that women can't get over stuff "They're like velcro" he said, and four other women pretty much silent (three were single). Basically, the argument was that single women (or a lot of them) have a problem with married women.
"Like I don't know what you go through. Maybe some days I wish I WAS by myself, you don't know." One woman explained how a lot of single people make an assumption about married people (women in particular).
After listening to these women (old enough to be my grandmothers) I decided to jump in. My argument is this:
For many women (I don't know about guys) we are judged by our marital status. Identified and validated by whether or not we have a man. Forget whether or not the man's good, he just has to be there -sometimes. It's so bad it's to the point where after having a bad experience and a woman chooses to sit out and take the time to reflect, learn from her mistakes, and try to become a better person, to love herself, she gets funny looks. The response? "Well, usually there IS something wrong with her."
The only thing that's wrong when a person chooses to first love themselves, know themselves, and become a better person is the backward comments he/she receives. "Oh you just full of yourself." "You're so egotistical." When did it become crazy to try and be a better person? And WHAT is wrong with this society when that's looked down upon?
Okay, I'm no fan of 'The Cat Lady' either. But anyone who steps back form romance to deeply reflect, love themselves, and love God is a freakin genius in my book. I really wish there were public forums on this topic. People get so heated defending their chosen lifestyles.
When you don't love yourself, that's a problem. If you can't love yourself and be with someone, by all means, chill out and ride solo. This makes me think of those people who end up getting married, who are not mature enough to handle business in their daily lives, then end up having screwed up kids. THEN people complain about their kids! Excuse me, but they came from somewhere.
Maybe we just need to look at our spiritual reflections a little more, and worry about having a warm body a little less.
"Well, most times, single women DO have issues."
"Is it wrong to want to take a minute to improve myself before I get in a relationship?"
I found myself playing devil's advocate in a conversation on women and envy the other day. The funny thing is there were two advocates defending married women, one man agreeing that women can't get over stuff "They're like velcro" he said, and four other women pretty much silent (three were single). Basically, the argument was that single women (or a lot of them) have a problem with married women.
"Like I don't know what you go through. Maybe some days I wish I WAS by myself, you don't know." One woman explained how a lot of single people make an assumption about married people (women in particular).
After listening to these women (old enough to be my grandmothers) I decided to jump in. My argument is this:
For many women (I don't know about guys) we are judged by our marital status. Identified and validated by whether or not we have a man. Forget whether or not the man's good, he just has to be there -sometimes. It's so bad it's to the point where after having a bad experience and a woman chooses to sit out and take the time to reflect, learn from her mistakes, and try to become a better person, to love herself, she gets funny looks. The response? "Well, usually there IS something wrong with her."
The only thing that's wrong when a person chooses to first love themselves, know themselves, and become a better person is the backward comments he/she receives. "Oh you just full of yourself." "You're so egotistical." When did it become crazy to try and be a better person? And WHAT is wrong with this society when that's looked down upon?
Okay, I'm no fan of 'The Cat Lady' either. But anyone who steps back form romance to deeply reflect, love themselves, and love God is a freakin genius in my book. I really wish there were public forums on this topic. People get so heated defending their chosen lifestyles.
When you don't love yourself, that's a problem. If you can't love yourself and be with someone, by all means, chill out and ride solo. This makes me think of those people who end up getting married, who are not mature enough to handle business in their daily lives, then end up having screwed up kids. THEN people complain about their kids! Excuse me, but they came from somewhere.
Maybe we just need to look at our spiritual reflections a little more, and worry about having a warm body a little less.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Societal Starvation
When was the last time 200k houses were surrounded by liqour stores and Popeye's fast food chains? Unfortunately, these areas thrive in low income places. Why? Because the state doesn't give a damn about kids living off of WIC assistance and people on Medicaid. So what controls it? Zoning laws. It isn't a simple case of "Well, that's just the way it is." People fail to realize that there are things called city plans. Did your city PLAN to have a poor schooling system? Did your city PLAN to have an area with high crime? Without a playground or recreatioal center -and stray dogs roaming around any place that does happen to have one- crime could be an attrative hobby. So what are WE doing to change these facts?
Sometimes you have to wonder, who is pulling the strings, really. Who runs things? And are we doing everything that we can to make improvements?
Is it really a coincidence that the areas with high obesity rates, high crime, poor education, and a lack of access to healthcare are also the ones without a place to buy groceries? Is it an even bigger coincidence that these same places are populated by low income families and minorities? Umm...no.
"What do you mean? That's ridiculous. I mean, who can't buy a tomatoe?"
That's actually along the lines of what a public health student said in a class a friend of mine was attending. You gotta wonder, THESE are the people who will be in charge of eliminating health disparities? There is a blind eye to social injustices in public health and other arenas. What would make anyone confident that a politician has more insight into what the community needs to live a productive life than a public health student? If you aren't properly educated in social determinants of health (where you live, your education...etc) then you're probably blind to the causal factors that affect these communities.
SN: Shout out to Morehouse School of Medicine, the leader in Community Health!
When did we decide that it was OK to let some kids succeed and set others up for failure? Not to say that a kid from a low income, minority family background can't succeed despite these factors, but when is it OK to turn a blind eye to issues staring us in the face? When they don't affect us? Well, news flash, they affect everyone.
When we let some kids harbor all of the opportunities they could ask for and steal these same opportunities away from other kids, everyone suffers. Communities with a majority of individuals with assisted living benefits are not coincidentally places of crime and poor schools. Do you really think a person who gets burglarized had their property stolen by a neighbor in perfect health, with a great education, and a steady job? It's possible, but not very likely.
When you take away opportunity, you set the whole society up for failure.
When you neglect issues surrounding healthcare, the whole community is sick.
When you remove sources of fresh fruits and vegetables, a whole generation is obese.
When you have poor schools in one area, the whole nation has poor education reports.
One community affected by high crime rates means there are other communities affected by high crime rates.
We don't live in bubbles. Investing in his kids, and her kids, means we're investing in our own kids. Improving neighborhoods across the tracks improves our own neighborhood. If we can say these issues arise out of selfishness and greed, then let's talk greedy.
Since when does it benefit an economy to have generational poverty? Mother, daughter, and grandmother, on assisted living. Excuse me, but aren't those your tax dollars paying to support them? If you want to be greedy, let's paint the picture. Allowing communities to fail brings down our economy. A lack in human capital means there are intelligent and capable people who weren't given a chance to succeed to their full potential. That means while we are short on doctors, at the same time we are stealing away the dreams of becoming the next Surgeon General from countless kids. While we are struggling in our economy, at the same time we are creating an environment that imprisons families to cyclical poverty where people rely on assisted living programs.
If people want to be greedy, at least take a look at the whole picture. Productive members of society means that we have more human capital which means our economy is stronger. Communities that are effectively drained of all resources, food deserts, and educational deserts do NOT make us money and do NOT improve our society.
I wish greedy people weren't so stupid.
Sometimes you have to wonder, who is pulling the strings, really. Who runs things? And are we doing everything that we can to make improvements?
Is it really a coincidence that the areas with high obesity rates, high crime, poor education, and a lack of access to healthcare are also the ones without a place to buy groceries? Is it an even bigger coincidence that these same places are populated by low income families and minorities? Umm...no.
"What do you mean? That's ridiculous. I mean, who can't buy a tomatoe?"
That's actually along the lines of what a public health student said in a class a friend of mine was attending. You gotta wonder, THESE are the people who will be in charge of eliminating health disparities? There is a blind eye to social injustices in public health and other arenas. What would make anyone confident that a politician has more insight into what the community needs to live a productive life than a public health student? If you aren't properly educated in social determinants of health (where you live, your education...etc) then you're probably blind to the causal factors that affect these communities.
SN: Shout out to Morehouse School of Medicine, the leader in Community Health!
When did we decide that it was OK to let some kids succeed and set others up for failure? Not to say that a kid from a low income, minority family background can't succeed despite these factors, but when is it OK to turn a blind eye to issues staring us in the face? When they don't affect us? Well, news flash, they affect everyone.
When we let some kids harbor all of the opportunities they could ask for and steal these same opportunities away from other kids, everyone suffers. Communities with a majority of individuals with assisted living benefits are not coincidentally places of crime and poor schools. Do you really think a person who gets burglarized had their property stolen by a neighbor in perfect health, with a great education, and a steady job? It's possible, but not very likely.
When you take away opportunity, you set the whole society up for failure.
When you neglect issues surrounding healthcare, the whole community is sick.
When you remove sources of fresh fruits and vegetables, a whole generation is obese.
When you have poor schools in one area, the whole nation has poor education reports.
One community affected by high crime rates means there are other communities affected by high crime rates.
We don't live in bubbles. Investing in his kids, and her kids, means we're investing in our own kids. Improving neighborhoods across the tracks improves our own neighborhood. If we can say these issues arise out of selfishness and greed, then let's talk greedy.
Since when does it benefit an economy to have generational poverty? Mother, daughter, and grandmother, on assisted living. Excuse me, but aren't those your tax dollars paying to support them? If you want to be greedy, let's paint the picture. Allowing communities to fail brings down our economy. A lack in human capital means there are intelligent and capable people who weren't given a chance to succeed to their full potential. That means while we are short on doctors, at the same time we are stealing away the dreams of becoming the next Surgeon General from countless kids. While we are struggling in our economy, at the same time we are creating an environment that imprisons families to cyclical poverty where people rely on assisted living programs.
If people want to be greedy, at least take a look at the whole picture. Productive members of society means that we have more human capital which means our economy is stronger. Communities that are effectively drained of all resources, food deserts, and educational deserts do NOT make us money and do NOT improve our society.
I wish greedy people weren't so stupid.
If you have a kid...
"I can't control him. He won't stop crying until he gets another burger."
I remember when I first saw an episode of Oprah, or maybe it was the Ricky Lake show where I initially saw it, with obese children. I mean, 4 year old kids that weight more than most 10 year old kids. And babies that can't fit into strollers, they're so big. I remember hearing the sorry excuses from the parents "He eats what he wants." Since when does a 4 year old buy groceries?
I'm sorry, but if you're toddler is obese, you should get some sort of ticket or be brought up on charges. Obesity is one of the major reasons why people predict this generation to not live longer than their parents. Allowing, enabling, and promoting kids to be obese is effectively saying "I don't care if they live or die", unacceptable. This was probably one of the most disturbing childhood memories I have of issues that really got under my skin, even as a young teen.
I wonder what could possibly be going through some one's head to debilitate their child's life in such a way. Honestly, I've babysat for some pretty bad kids in my day, but NO kid has ever made me wanna shove a burger down his/her throat. why on earth would a parent do that to shut their kid up or keep them from whining?
My conclusion is that there isn't malice behind it. In fact, I believe these parents really do just want to make their kids happy -apart from possibly having selfish reasons behind their kids not being able to run around the house breaking stuff and crying all day. There are some severe psychological issues to be examined in extreme cases like this. If these issues are occurring in a household then there needs to be some sort of counseling or FAA (food-aholics anonymous, no joke) type of thing. I'm so glad the First Lady has fighting childhood obesity at the top of her list. If only more schools would take out candies and processed, high-sodium canned foods. And maybe a parenting class on proper nutrition at the local library?
Small steps are fine and a necessary start. But the bottom line is we can't sit back, open up a packet of ketchup, and watch our kids die.
I remember when I first saw an episode of Oprah, or maybe it was the Ricky Lake show where I initially saw it, with obese children. I mean, 4 year old kids that weight more than most 10 year old kids. And babies that can't fit into strollers, they're so big. I remember hearing the sorry excuses from the parents "He eats what he wants." Since when does a 4 year old buy groceries?
I'm sorry, but if you're toddler is obese, you should get some sort of ticket or be brought up on charges. Obesity is one of the major reasons why people predict this generation to not live longer than their parents. Allowing, enabling, and promoting kids to be obese is effectively saying "I don't care if they live or die", unacceptable. This was probably one of the most disturbing childhood memories I have of issues that really got under my skin, even as a young teen.
I wonder what could possibly be going through some one's head to debilitate their child's life in such a way. Honestly, I've babysat for some pretty bad kids in my day, but NO kid has ever made me wanna shove a burger down his/her throat. why on earth would a parent do that to shut their kid up or keep them from whining?
My conclusion is that there isn't malice behind it. In fact, I believe these parents really do just want to make their kids happy -apart from possibly having selfish reasons behind their kids not being able to run around the house breaking stuff and crying all day. There are some severe psychological issues to be examined in extreme cases like this. If these issues are occurring in a household then there needs to be some sort of counseling or FAA (food-aholics anonymous, no joke) type of thing. I'm so glad the First Lady has fighting childhood obesity at the top of her list. If only more schools would take out candies and processed, high-sodium canned foods. And maybe a parenting class on proper nutrition at the local library?
Small steps are fine and a necessary start. But the bottom line is we can't sit back, open up a packet of ketchup, and watch our kids die.
When times get tough...
Have you ever met someone who was so willing to quit? For instance, they make a huge (maybe unrealistic) plan for something and start day dreaming. And when they finally get up to do something as soon as a glitch pops up, they sit back down. Why is that?
What is it about dreaming, planning, and executing a plan that makes people sit back down? When times get tough, someone needs to step up, not sit down. What makes people so afraid of success? Some may say it's harder to be successful than just complacent with whatever your situation is. Personally, I would be extremely uneasy knowing that I had an ounce of effort left in me and I didn't give something 100%.
There was a guy I knew who liked me. I wasn't so sure about reciprocating feelings but we hung out a couple times, he was nice. One day we were eating and hanging out and a picture of a 200k+ house comes up somewhere or another. "Man, I would have to win the lottery for something like that. Damn that's nice" he said. Needless to say, we were never an item. If you can't even dream big enough to make a plan to accomplish your goal or get something "nice" for you or your family, what's the point? Pay bills, live in debt, then die? Umm...I don't think so.
While we're on dreaming, what about the opposite extreme? The people who ONLY dream big and always TALK about their big goals in life and how far they will go. Where do they go? My GPS once told me "The destination is essentially the same place as your current location. Go 0.0 miles." Yeah, people who only dream and don't take action go no where. Setting a goal, making a plan, and failing is better than sitting down in the same spot everyday.
Go to work. Come home. Eat. Sleep. Go to work. Come home. Eat. Sleep.
Most people hate their job and consider it some place full of ill intentioned people. And then aren't happy with their home situation either. Instead of maybe looking for another way to have a career or another job in the same field, or even a new way to use your current skills, most people chill. Instead of talking to your significant other and discussing exactly what makes the relationship unfulfilling and putting in the work to make it better, most people just settle, or do less admirable things even.
What's the point of the inhale exhale if you aren't really living?
The first step is to visualize the goal. Second is to make it real, write an affirmation (i.e. "I have a job, that I love, that pays me over $55,000 a year on March 23rd, 2012"). Third is to set up action steps and deadlines. Fourth is to get out there and do it!
And let's not forget about the people who are dream stealers and hate to see someone doing well. "Why you wanna do that for? This ain't good enough for you?"
Try, "Umm, no, it's not good enough. Because I know I can do better. And I know I WILL do better. So could you if you put in the work too."
Get rid of the dream stealers in your social circle. If someone doesn't want you to do well they will only convince you that your destination IS the same place as your current location and why would you want to go anywhere else anyway?
We should never be afraid to dream. We deserve nice things in our lives. And we are fully capable of achieving our goals, being the person we want to be, and having the life we want to live.
What is it about dreaming, planning, and executing a plan that makes people sit back down? When times get tough, someone needs to step up, not sit down. What makes people so afraid of success? Some may say it's harder to be successful than just complacent with whatever your situation is. Personally, I would be extremely uneasy knowing that I had an ounce of effort left in me and I didn't give something 100%.
There was a guy I knew who liked me. I wasn't so sure about reciprocating feelings but we hung out a couple times, he was nice. One day we were eating and hanging out and a picture of a 200k+ house comes up somewhere or another. "Man, I would have to win the lottery for something like that. Damn that's nice" he said. Needless to say, we were never an item. If you can't even dream big enough to make a plan to accomplish your goal or get something "nice" for you or your family, what's the point? Pay bills, live in debt, then die? Umm...I don't think so.
While we're on dreaming, what about the opposite extreme? The people who ONLY dream big and always TALK about their big goals in life and how far they will go. Where do they go? My GPS once told me "The destination is essentially the same place as your current location. Go 0.0 miles." Yeah, people who only dream and don't take action go no where. Setting a goal, making a plan, and failing is better than sitting down in the same spot everyday.
Go to work. Come home. Eat. Sleep. Go to work. Come home. Eat. Sleep.
Most people hate their job and consider it some place full of ill intentioned people. And then aren't happy with their home situation either. Instead of maybe looking for another way to have a career or another job in the same field, or even a new way to use your current skills, most people chill. Instead of talking to your significant other and discussing exactly what makes the relationship unfulfilling and putting in the work to make it better, most people just settle, or do less admirable things even.
What's the point of the inhale exhale if you aren't really living?
The first step is to visualize the goal. Second is to make it real, write an affirmation (i.e. "I have a job, that I love, that pays me over $55,000 a year on March 23rd, 2012"). Third is to set up action steps and deadlines. Fourth is to get out there and do it!
And let's not forget about the people who are dream stealers and hate to see someone doing well. "Why you wanna do that for? This ain't good enough for you?"
Try, "Umm, no, it's not good enough. Because I know I can do better. And I know I WILL do better. So could you if you put in the work too."
Get rid of the dream stealers in your social circle. If someone doesn't want you to do well they will only convince you that your destination IS the same place as your current location and why would you want to go anywhere else anyway?
We should never be afraid to dream. We deserve nice things in our lives. And we are fully capable of achieving our goals, being the person we want to be, and having the life we want to live.
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