Black Art?

On this hot, humid 4th of July, I find myself wandering about the hallways of the Smithsonian Art Museum. A cool way to beat the heat a visit the highly anticipated John Miro exhibit. As I walk into the museum I feel stares of confusion from people wondering if I'm aware of the building I'm entering. This can be viewed as presumptious, but I have almost grown accustomed to the strange looks from passerbys. With some confusion I leave the bag check desk as the guard tells me to wear my backpack purse on one shoulder( no bookbags allowed I assume...) As I climb the stairs towards the exhibit I realize I have yet to see a single Black person among the Whites and Asians. A phenomenon I attribute to the same reasons we selectively exclude ourselves. I imagine all the African American baking in the sun on the lawn of the National Mall, while freedom from the blazing sun sits only feet away. Shade that includes history, art, knowledge, and culture. FREE mind you. I see a Black guard... I wave at him and sigh at the irony. Finally, I see a Black couple meandering down the stairs...

Black stereotypes?!

No need for others to paint their face black in minstrel shows to mimic. Saw the new commercial for a cooking show " My Momma can throw down". Yup from the producers of the sophisticated, world-renown cooking show comes this facade of a show whose mere title oozes black stereotypes. Black actors, black chefs. The kitchen set has a deep fryer attached, further perpetuating unhealthy eating habits of continuous fried food and tubs of butter. Maybe I am over analyzing a show that seeks to include the Black community among the beau coups of cooking shows.

ugh 4am rants

Real Change

Just left the Rally @ the State Capitol for Trayvon Martin. And I weep. I weep for him and for his innocence lost. A speaker a the Rally said something prophetic, it spoke to me. We should not have to still give our children the talk about inequality in the world, about racism in the US.

Marches don't make change, politcal action does. Even withing the Civil Rights Movement the marches, the demonstrations were a catyllyst for politcal change. The national attention of overt racism in the South caught the ear of the president who pushed bills through Congress the Civil Rights Act was a result of political action stirred by grassroots momemtum. Keep the dream alive. Get involved! Don't just march, vote! Don't just rally at the Capitol, oppose unfair legislation with your legislators! They are at your beck and whim, but only if you show them who's boss.

Late night strolls

Walking to the gas stations in the predominantly White city of Sandy Springs, I actually get goosebumps, my hearts a beat, I feel a moment of terro realizing what happened in Sanford, Florida could very well happen again. I've been pulled over twice in this area, once while walking down the street I had the search light shined in my face as the officers drive away with no explanation. I find myself walking to the gas station because its so nice outside, and I hope my headache will dissapate before I take the medicine I plan to buy. Should I live in fear of being scrutinized or worse assaulted and killed for the color of my skin. My family taught us about the Civil Rights Movement, about those who fought and died to end injustice and racial discrimintation. But in 2012, how far have we really gotten. We have a Black president, but racism still very cleary still exists. I am ashamed to live in a country that clings to the past to forcefully, it subjects people to live as 2nd class citizens. How can we be the land of the free when we still enslave our own citizens? How can we preach equality to other nations when we have not learned it ourselves?
I should not ever have to be fearful of walking down the street in the city I live in, the country I was born in. No one should ever have to feel inferior based on the color of their skin. When will the madness cease?

Jealously

Have you ever watched someone enviously eye someone, their belongings, or just envy something about them. I have been contemplating this theory that if we instead of coveting another's belongings actually complemented them on their success ( however small because obviously its something you want from them). Then perhaps we can learn from each other instead of hating. This hate filled atmosphere of wanting and envying each other is poisonous and gets our society no where.

The bus

Late for work trying to catch the bus. To the young lady already standing there I ask, actually I hesitate to ask so I can remember which bus comes down this street. Oh that's right the bus is called "The Bus."

Peeking into stranger's cars

On the bus raised above the cars on the highway, its often a habit to glance in the cars passing by. Busy working people scrambling to get to work. The soccer mom darting in ttraffic to pick up her kids. The old man blasting oldies in his new car trying to look cool.

This morning I felt it was worth noting the dark blue car full of kids. Four little ones jammed in the backseat of a compact, one sitting up front. Awww maybe she had twins I think, realizing I had already written this mom off to be another 5-kids-having black welfare mama. I admit it was stereotypical and I resented myself for coming to that conclusion. Then as she rolled her car forward I saw a growing bump emerging from her yellow shirt.

Hmmm hope she was car pooling

Confused

Why are these white people looking at me like they've never seen a Black person in a bookstore before...

DMV

And so I asked, " Where do you work?"
My cousin replied " In the DMV."
"Oh cool, where in the DMV area?"
"No I work at the actual DMV."
"Oh...."

So much for using the area lingo...

Fiction vs. Reality

In Barnes & Nobles, perusing through the aisles. We are so quick to pick up a fictional novel, and for african americans ( and yes I'm generalizing) , some sleezy love or ganster book. When all we need for some fiction is the story of the lives of the people around us. This society is so backwards that we not look for entertainment in movie scripts or the words from authors, just at the airs that are performed by politicians. The ones who lie, cheat, steal, and ironically the blam falls on the good guys. There is nothing like working here in DC that has opened my eyes to the real American we live in.

I know your cold if...

If I'm cold in my sneakers, jeans, sweater, and coat. I know your cold in that mini-skirt, short rain jacket and open toes boots (why? Why do your boots have an opening?).

I don't understand. I know they said it pays to be beautiful, but uhhh phemonia is not a fashion statement.

Why I hate Chris Brown's hair

So I saw this boy on the bus with orange-red hair, and I thought to myself "why?" The minute I realized Chris Brown didn't dye his hair for a part in a movie, I kne I was going to see dozens of little boys changing their hair color too. And I am not against freedom of expression, but I honestly hate fads. Like when are mohawks going out of style... I mean some people look good, but mass grouping of people sporting the same look only works at sporting arenas.

And its not just Chris Brown. I hate the tatted rap artist, basketball players, celebrities, etc. But their fame has already made them money, the other working folks who spend upwards  $70 on their tattoos still need to find and maintain jobs. And having strange designs on your face doesn't make you the best applicant during an interview...

and don't get me started on piercings...

Hablas Espanol

So I walk into the briefing, and the guy asks do you need a spanish interpretor. Ummm no I reply and I sit down and begin headlining my notes in prepreration. Ok that was odd I think, do I look like I speak spanish. And as more people walk into the room he as would you like an interpretor from Spanish to English. Suddenly it hits me. This briefing is about foreign affairs and will be conducted entirely in spanish by our guests. I return to the guy. "Ummm can I have an interpretor please?"

My People, My people

When I was younger I read ( or at least started reading) Dust Tracks on the Road by Zora Neale Hurston. In it she had a chapter titled "My People, My people." Now my age is showing when I say I had never heard that phrase before, but its an older phrase. In the chapter she talks about the woes Black people face, and how saddened it makes her, well the phrase is like a " shame on you mantra." Said with exasperation and sadness over the ways and actions of Black people. I say this phrase sometimes over the foolishness that some Black people subject themselves to. I feel like the white man....sorry the media portrays a stereotype of us, and we try to fulfil it, not undermind it. "Oh my people, my people" when will we learn. When will we rise above the stature that we so " happily" live in, and somebody must be happy because unhappy people strive to become happy to become better than their circumstance.

Attack of the Mosquitos

While watching the sunset behind the Capitol, I noticed a persistant itch creeping at my leg. I scratch once. I scratch twice. I scratch a third time to discover a raised bump on my calf. Darn mosquitos.

Last week was the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference and as an intern with Congressman John Lewis I was privy to events at the conference actually that is neither here nor there.  So I was leaving one event Saturday night, rode the train to the Metro parking lot @ Suitland and got in my junky car. I am driving a long when I notice some bugs flying around the dashboard. I kill one. Suddenly my shoulder starts itching, then my leg, then my other leg. I am so distracted that I can't operate my dern stick shift. I pull over to find my car is infested with mosquitos  who used my car as shelter from the rain. It was almost a small storm of them except they weren't in a group. Needless to say I had an uncomfortable ride home and was plagued with mosquito bites.

Body Maintenance

In the midst of doing my research on sexual behavior of adolescents and young adults ( actual paper progress!! there are words on paper) but seriously I came across this webpage with some advice. We are sexual beings ( some moreso than others) but nonetheless we need to care for out bodies. Mentally, spiritually, and physical. That being said, this webpage includes information on taking care of your "special" physical parts( men or women). Stay sexually healthy!!

 http://www.health.arizona.edu /health_topics/sexual_health/gse.html

Just Sayin'

You...you get my creepy old man stare...yes u have a creepy old man stare and its reserved for you.... lol. My skirt is NOT that short!

Southern girls

Just realized these DC boys aren't use to my Southern thickness lmao

Morning bus ride[ continued]

"Its my body, its my baby" loudly screeches out the mouth of the young mother seated diagnolly behind me.

"Mom you don't him, you only talked to him on the phone"
[The conversation continues with her hysterical outburst through the phone as she scream at her rambunctious children(plural) who run through the bus aisles.]

"He be coming over my house all hours of the night harassing me..."

"Mom its none of your business"

[Conversation II]

" Man I called my Mom this morning, an she she's gonna call him and tell him when the baby's born, I told her its none of her business."

[Lastt remark I transribing]

"And she betta have my $50...she had money to get her hair done, she had money to pay her...and she betta have it, I'm not going to her house i'ma go to her job before the 1st of the month...."

Ok lady, thanks for telling all your business.

Oh and the bus moves out of traffice as she waddles her pregnant belly off the bus.

Good Morning!

That really just happened

And the guy yells to the guys bumming cigarettes off people, " man come and get this rock," he continues, " man come over here don't spend all your money." Ummm where is this bus??...