"YOU PEOPLE"

October 12, 1954- February 09, 2020

Seen more than every before
Talked about because of the time frame you left us
Opportunity to be the bridge the family needed
Loved beyond measure
Energized to be present and enjoy each other as a present
Never Forgotten, EVER

A STOLE is put on a ROBE during the graduation ceremony.

Graduation is a sign of completion, an outward show of success, the center of attraction where all well wishers gather to cheer, support and see you walk across the stage as you get your heard earned diploma or certificate.

Well, yep; you were a graduate too. You signed up for a class in 1954 and you daily: showed up, went above and beyond, passed every test and aced ever impromptu quiz, met all requirements, faced every obstacle and trial attempted to deter, deny, block and omit you.

We knew who you were in our lives and what you meant but this past year REALLY showed us what that here one day and gone the next was real.

Your Lil Lucy said, mommy; America STOLE MY GRANNY FROM ME and today we choose to STOLEN YOU for your dedication in our lives.

Love,
The Family

1 Josh is White, he’s seen as America’s son

The other Josh is Black, and fits the description of the SCARY BIG BLACK MAN so when he was born, his life was done

1 Josh all of his life went to top notch private/parochial/public schools

The other Josh lived in an area where schools were defunded, teschers had to work with less and America legislated education malpractice and curriculum discrimination where money would be made GUARANTEED (school to prison pipeline) because they assured that crime would rule

1 Josh had opportunity given him without question both left and right

The other Josh rose up against a corrupt system because it was now being made clear and he understood because it was no longer covert but in the spotlight

1 Josh had laws penned ON HIS BEHALF, so his KNOWN, WILLFUL AND INTENTIONAL immoral, dehumanizing, corrupt, wrongdoings, malpractice were all allowed, supported and was clear by his donors and contributors who have now all of a sudden abandoned him but when “hidden” they slung him money to keep it going and felt that he could do no wrong even when evidence resonated guilt

The other Josh was sentenced to 8 years for (if the income and hue was right) be seen as a kid expressing outrage, his unhappiness, his displeasure or his grief because a friend nesr and dear unto him was kilt

1 Josh dressed in a suit, this is the mental game in the justice world white folks have been pruned to play

The other Josh came as he was and on his side of the tracks, that’s not a known attire to wear on JUDGEMENT day

1 Josh can show all signs of being a white nationalist, far-white supporter, kkk and white supremacist and uphold those racist philosophies, ideological values and to a lot of Americans  that’s viewed as pride in their country

The other Josh displayed disdain, fatigue, rejection, condemnation, isolation, abandonment and an inward fight that says America is what I sing too, it’s my deep ancestor bloods rising up in my DNA that runs in this soil through and through

1 Josh lived on the side of tracks Dr. King described as flowing with milk and honey

The other Josh lived on the side of tracks Dr. King decsribed as evident that this land and thsese laws, rules, codes, mandates and policies wasn’t made for you and me

1 Josh want to maintain and contain this unjust, illegal, immoral, dehumanizing and racist CONstitution where it said ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL UNDER THIS LAND OF LAWS

The other Josh refused to stand down because AS A MAN, HE WANTED TO BE HEARD, FELT, TREATED AND SEEN AS THUS AND WAS WILLING TO CHALLENGE THOSE WORDS AT ALL AND ANY COST

Yep in the words of Dr. King we live in 2 Americas and we need universal laws, rules, codes, mandates that is across the board in every state

No longer should ones socioeconomic status,  hue dictate innocence or guilt before you reach the stand that decides one’s fate

Can we just torch the CONstitution, Bill of Rights and other parchment paper covetousness words?

The legal and binding documentations perpetuate white supremacy and regift the Black and Brown citizens of THIS country the same outcomes of not having FULL RIGHTS AS A NATURAL BORN CITIZEN and robs us of life, liberty and the PURSUIT of HAPPINESS in a country literally built with our blood, sweat, tears and STILL upon our backs.

TO SEE MY MANY FACES IN DIFFERENT SPACES!

TO KNOW ME
TO HEAR ME
TO FEEL ME

TO SEE MY MANY FACES IN DIFFERENT SPACES!

TO FACE OFF WITH ME
TO GIVE ME
TO DENY ME

TO SEE MY MANY FACES IN DIFFERENT SPACES!

TO BE REJECT ME
TO BE MISUNDERSTAND ME
TO SILENCE ME

TO SEE MY MANY FACES IN DIFFERENT SPACES!

TO SEE ME SUCCEED
TO SHARE IN MY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
TO BE A CHAMPION CHAMPION FOR CHILDREN

TO SEE MY MANY FACES IN DIFFERENT SPACES!

TO SEE ME ANYWAY
TO HEAR ME INSPITE OF
TO BE CLOSE ENOUGH YOU KNOW MY SO WHAT

TO SEE MY MANY FACES IN DIFFERENT SPACES!

400 PLUS YEARS DOCUMENTED AND PROVEN THAT WE BLACK WOMEN HAVE HAD TO SMILE, LAUGH AND JOKE TO STAY AFLOAT

O THE JOY I GOT TO SEE MY CHOICE TO SMILE, THINK, SPEAK AND SHOW UP CENTER AND SMILE!

WORSHIP
CLARITY
STRENGTH

IN THESE MANY FACES IN DIFFERENT SPACES!

SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY TO BE A BLACK WOMAN IN AMERICA TODAY!

 A SEAT AT THE BUT INVISIBLE

A SEAT AT THE TABLE BUT DISREGARDED

A SEAT AT THE TABLE BUT OVERLOOKED

A SEAT AT THE TABLE BUT DISRESPECTED

A SEAT AT THE TABLE BUT NOT CONSIDERED

A SEAT AT THE TABLE BUT NO DIALOUGE

A SEAT AT THE TABLE BUT NO REAL IMPACT

TO HAVE A SEAT AT POWER TABLES

TO HAVE A SEAT AT IMPORTANT COMMUNICATION TABLES

TO HAVE A SEAT AT DECISION MAKING TABLES

TO HAVE A SEAT AT POLICY MAKING TABLES

WOMEN AND YES BLACK WOMEN  HAVE HAD THE HONOR OF SITTING AND PARTICIPATING IN DIALOGUE AND ACTED LIKE THEY WERE REPRESENTING THE INVISIBLE AND MUTED BUT YET; LOOK AT US.

BLACK WOMEN HAVE HAD SEATS AT THESE TABLES BUT SEEMINFLY FORGOT WHO THOSE AT THE BOTTOM ARE.

WHEN YOU DON’T GET AN HONEST INVITE, OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, SHOW UP OR LEAD THE CONVERSATION IT IS FRUITLESS.

JOIN THE CONVO?

BLACK POOR WOMEN NEED TO LEAD THE CONVO

UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY DEATH OF A BLACK LOVED ONE

UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY LOW WAGE BLACK EARNER

UNDERSTAND THAT FAKE ASS DEGREES WE HAVE BEEN SHOVED

UNDERSTAND THOSE 1800’S LAWS, RULES, CODES, POLICIES, REGULATIONS AND MANDATES JUST REPLACED THOSE BLATANT WHITES ONLY SIGNS

UNDERSTAND THAT IN THIS MOMENT IN TIME, UNLESS WE UNIFY; WE WILL INDEED PASS ON PISS STANK SHIT TO OUR FUTURE

UNDERSTAND THAT AMERICA OWE US BLACK AMERICANS, PERIOD!
#ReparationsNow

LOOK CLOSELY, PLEASE LOOK CLOSELY!

What we see is not really what we see.

What we see is a journey.

What we see is many relationships.

What we see is evolution.

What we see is growth.

What we see is contentment in who we are and what we’re becoming.

What we see is a desire to be seen and heard and understood.

What we see is individual thought that is owned by the owner.

What we see is OWNERSHIP of identity, without restraint.

What we see is once muted and invisible expressions.

What we see is the shaping, modeling and forming and processing and making sense of it all.

Sitting at the table of the son and he shows me a picture of himself and asks me, what did I see?

I knew it was something deeper but had no idea of what.

I said I see you on a car with your man bag on your first day of work at Mastercard.

He said look closer.

I looked and looked and STILL couldn’t see.

He maximized the picture and behind his car was my mother in love’s car.

She was there waiting and proud of this young man walking into manhood.

PATHWAYS to citizenship

UNDOCUMENTED immigrants

I am ALL for it because we are indeed a nation of immigrants that have played a vital role in resurrecting this glorious place to what we stand pride in today.

BUT BEFORE WE DO THIS, WE MUST address, assess and acknowledge the KNOWN, WILLFUL, INTENTIONAL AND PURPOSEFUL word PATHWAY and 400 plus years of enslavement, imprisonment, injustice, oppression, false narratives and erroneous information pertaining to BLACK LIVES ALREADY IN AMERICA.

When I think of the word PATHWAY, it is how we BLACK CITIZENS got us ALL here.

We were FORCED here

We ARE here

We BUILT and is STILL building this thankless and ungrateful country through these racist and divisive policies, rules, mandates, regulations, legislations, codes, credentials, DOUBLE D’s, licenses, taxes, restrictions, red tape and other oppressive ways America repackaged to replace those Whites Only signs that have ALWAYS locked us out, omitted, excluded and denied us legally to compete, have access, opportunity and a way out.

Pathways/Footprints!

Pathways/Footprints are something wonderful to gaze upon but they are only behind us.

Pathways/Footprints are essential for showing us roads we’ve traveled but not roads we will head into.

Pathways/Footprints are behind us because if they were before us we would miss all kinds of people and opportunities because we always know what’s best, so we think.

Pathways/Footprints or our earthly traveling shoes, they intertwine and interconnect us with humanity.

Pathways/Footprints, if we never took our feet out of cement and made a conscientious step forward towards a better tomorrow, life, open relationships or inward healing then we would STILL be in the SAME place.

America is not where we are because from 1619 to 2021 it has always been the MINDS AND MUSCLES OF BLACK PEOPLE who have built, maintained, upheld and progressed it.

Now, Joe Biden even YOU had to acknowledge our devotion, unwavering support and collective loyalty to a party that have moved only under benign neglect.

Shame on you if you put 11 Million Undocumented Immigrants above OUR BLACK CONTRIBUTIONS, DEMANDS AND LIVES…….

TAKE ALL STEPS TO RIGHT 400 PLUS YEARS OF LEGISLATIVE WRONGS, MALPRACTICE AND MALTREATMENT OF BLACK LIVES.

As we pause to pay honor to Rev. Dr. #martinlutherkingjr #MartinLutherKing #MLKWeekend #mlkweekend2021 #MLKDayofService if I could not only nominate but award these people the #NobelPeacePrize I would.

We have seen on a platform( how a certain group of educators who aren’t really equipped, sincere nor built to teach our inner city babies CRACK UP, BREAK DOWN AND AREN’T USED TO HAVING ANYTHING TO WORK WITH AND DEMANDED THAT THEY PRODUCE GREATNESS) what they have been dealing with in education in our inner cities since they received their approval to go into the classroom letters.

Yet:

THEY SHOW UP

THEY ARE PREPARED

THEY ARE CREATIVE

THEIR ARE NOT UNDERSTOOD

THEY ARE COMPASSIONATE

THE ARE LOYAL

THEY ARE FUNNY

THEY ARE BRILLIANT

THWY ARE DEVOTED

THEY ARE SINCERE

THEY ARE AGENTS OF CHANGE

They each bring to the education profession their own set of seeds and sawdust that they invest into the lives of the impoverished, nutritionally challenged, homeless and disenfranchised that inspire them to want to reach, envision and accomplish anything.

They go above and beyond their call of duty for THE FAMILY. They also have HIGH STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS AND A NO EXCUSE POLICY.

YOU ARE OUR #MarvaCollins in the flesh.

I salute all teachers in our inner city that flawlessly and effortlessly teach babies that resemble you just like they are yours because you ALREADY know their strength, power, creative juices and wisdom that they bring into the classrooms.

BLACK TEACHERS IN OUR HOODS, TAKE A BOW! #blackexcellence #BlackTeachersRock

so this  NEW”buzz” word

so this NEW “slogan”

so this NEW “jingle”

so this NEW “expression”

so this NEW “saying”

so this NEW catch phrase

SO THIS CANCEL CULTURE is supposed to be something new?

America has been CANCELING CULTURES since its inception.

America in 2021 do not do it the way it used to be done; overtly but today it is covertly and called: LAWS, ORDER, POLICIES, RULES, CODES, MANDATES, REGULATIONS and other redlining and loopholin methods to lock OUR BLACK culutre up, out, down and in between.

America have been cancelling BLACK  CULTURE since 1619.

They CANCELLED us because of our hair

They CANCELLED us because of natural features

They CANCELLED us because our dialect

They CANCELLED us because of our broken english

They CANCELLED us because of our language

They CANCELLED us because of our  special and ethnic sounding names

They CANCELLED us because of our attire

They CANCELLED us because of their need of us

They CANCELLED us because they used, misused and unused us

They CANCELLED us because of our  PROVEN qualifications

They CANCELLED us because of our educational attainment

They CANCELLED us because of our years of experiences

They CANCELLED us to DENY, OMIT, REJECT, EXCLUDE AND CANEL US.

The privileged

The entitled

The pale

The affluent

The control freaks

The oppressors

The colonizers

The white supreme ones

No matter the name or title, it is they who paint this cancel culture as a bad or anti thing because we are unapologetically, unafraid and intentionally speaking up and out on malpractices and maltreatments and holding true to legislation and policies.

These people have always been centered, seen, the best, the brightest, the highlights, the owners, the movers and shakers and now they are being pushed back, out, down and away of which makes them cry a sea of white tears, create falsehoods, be victims of imaginary crimes

So this CANCEL CULTURE is absolutely nothing new and have been in WHITE FOLKS DNA since forever but today BLACK FOLKS are taking it and DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY of which is nee to them.

OVERTHOW DEMOCRACY?

YES ACCOUTABILITY IS INDEED ESSEENTIAL

Why is it that in our inner cities we are forced to shove our children into antiquated, failed and outdated schools and threatened with criminalization, DCFS, and others crap that has law enforcement and documentations attached that will strip us of any form of matriculation, elevation and success?

America has NEVER had DEMOCRACY because our ancestors and their descendants have never been allowed to live out the DREAM OF REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

That CONstitution is phony as 45 says. We BLACK AMERICANS have yet to fall heir as we work hard, long and much to barely survived. Words such as Tyranny and Treason is so America.

WHAT IS DEMOCRACY?

I HAVE READ, I HAVE HEARD AND I ACTUALLY BELIEVED THAT IT WAS SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT BY THE WHOLE POPULATION WHO VOTE IN THOSE WHO REPRESENT US.

Every piece of legislation and political jargon in America is intertwined and rooted in those racist and oppressive 1800’s pieces of parchment paper.

In those “coveted” documents that assured, maintained and oppressed BLACK CITIZENS of this country; those laws, rules, codes, regulations, mandates and policies all were and yet are re-gifted, re-phrased and they are attached to DOUBLE D’s.

When it come to BLACK CITIZENS, those laws have Distance and Dollars attached to it and that is what we are denied and defunded.

America legislate the very thing they criminalize us for that are used to prey upon the vulnerable, impoverished, legislatively ignorant and harshly criminalize and dehumanize BLACK FOLKS that resurrected and yet uphold this country ever so illegally, immorally and unjustly.

How can those in impoverished areas attend educational institutions not knowing their worth, their ancestors rich, meaningful and well documented contributions to the advancement of this country. Why do you intentionally, willfully and knowingly withhold information, resources, access, opportunities and ascensions for all of us?

So if you continue to say OVERTHROW DEMOCRACY, DEMOCRACY has never been obtain.

So if you continue to say OVERTHROW DEMOCRACY, DEMOCRACY has never allowed ALL to have a voice

So if you continue to say OVERTHROW DEMOCRACY, DEMOCRACY has only a wish and a prayer for us poor.

Trump is afraid

Trump is exposed

Trump is ignorant

Trump is vicious

Trump is malicious

Trump is inferior

Trump is weak

UNTIL AMERICA DO RIGHT BY HER BLACK PEOPLE, THERE IS NO DEMOCRACY!