Where Are the Allies?

Due to many circumstances beyond my control, I'm not sure if I will ever get married AND have children.  I'm at a point in my life where I'm through with naming and claiming things just because I have a fleshly desire for them.  I simply want to be wherever and have whatever the Lord wants.

Anyway, if I do end up married with children, I know one thing for sure.  My children will be Black.  I'm not saying I'm not open to an interracial relationship; I'm saying that whether my children are bi-racial or not, society will view them as Black.  Obviously, if their father is also African-American, they will be counted as Black.  But if their father is of a different race, because I am African-American, society will view them as Black.

How can I make such accusations? Case in point, look at our President, Mr. Barack Obama.  He is just as much White as he is Black, yet EVERYONE seems to focus on the fact that he is Black.

All that to say, with my personality, if I do have children, I kind of hope to have boys.  Nothing against girls...I just think I'm better suited to raise boys.

However, in lieu of the George Zimmerman case, I have been thinking more about how much extra responsibility must be instilled in Black boys when raising them.  The case has heightened my awareness of the prevalence of racial profiling and its dangers. We as a nation have to work together to eradicate this as well as other forms of discrimination.  Social justice is not to be championed solely by Blacks and other minorities.  We need everyone to become allies for social justice.

A few weeks ago I looked on my Facebook timeline and saw people from all walks of life band together to put up red equal signs and demand rights for homosexuals: Evangelical, Jewish, Atheist, Straight, LBGTQ, Young, Middle-Aged, Elderly, Black, White, Asian, Arab, Latino, etc. These people wrote how they believed in equal rights and everyone deserved the same opportunities.

But on the evening of the GZ verdict and the Sunday that followed, I found that it was mostly my African-American friends on Facebook and Twitter that seemed to be turning their profiles black and/or talking about the injustice that had been served.  Slowly, I became saddened.

I was confused.  What happened to all of the people that were on the "civil rights" train just a few weeks ago?  What happened to all of these so-called "allies" for social justice?

Perhaps many people know someone who lives a homosexual lifestyle and can relate.  Perhaps fewer individuals have experienced what it is to be Black, particularly a Black male, and the challenges, stereotypes, and grief that can accompany it.  Or perhaps most just don't want to know what it is like; ignorance is bliss.

Many people seem to think that since in 2013 we are no longer (legally) segregated and have President Obama in the White House, the struggle is over.  Unfortunately, as shown by the outcomes of the GZ trial, that is not the case.  Racism persists, just not as blatantly as in the days of our parents and ancestors.

The work of social justice is not for fair-weather fans.  Racism is deeply rooted in the hearts of many Americans, and it will take ALL of us working together to eradicate it.

Play in the Mud: Pure Earth Hair Wash product review

One of my friends likes to try different hair products.  She often gives me the products that don't work out for her.  A few weeks ago I opened a bag from her and found a bottle of mud.  No.  But really.

As I am about trying new things, I was fairly skeptical, but decided to try and keep an open mind.  I mean, I didn't believe in co-washing a couple of years ago, but here I am a faithful co-washer.

So anyway, I tried the Terressentials Organic Pure Earth Hair Wash in the Cool Mint "flavor." (Yes, they are called flavors, not scents.)  This particular flavor REALLY defined my curls and helped me to rock a nice 'fro this week!  The only thing I did not like was that mud got over EVERYTHING!  Mud was dried up on my bathroom mirror, sink, and MY SHIRT!  Hopefully it will wash out easily from my shirt.  I plan to use it again...this time wearing an old shirt ;-)