“Let no man of us budge one step, and let slaveholders come to beat us from our country. America is more our country, than it is the whites-we have enriched it with our blood and tears. The greatest riches in all America have arisen from our blood and tears.” David Walker
“What you are calling African history and Negro history is nothing but the missing pages of world history. Read the history of the people who took you out of history and you will find out why they were so insecure (that) they had to take you out of history, why they could not stand for your history to compete with theirs.” Arthur Schombur
“If they won’t teach it, won’t fund it, or try to erase it- then we’ll do it ourselves, for ourselves, by ourselves. That’s the energy we need moving forward.” BLACK History Saturdays
2026 IS THE YEAR OF BLACK POWER
“I want to make it clear that the black race did not come to the United States culturally empty-handed. The role and importance of ethnic history is in how well it teaches a people to use their own talents, take pride in their own history and love their own memories.” Dr. John Henrik Clarke
“The more closely united we are, the better we will resist oppression, corruption, and those divisive maneuvers which experts in the policy of ‘divide and rule’ are resorting to.” Patrice Lumumba
“Whatsoever things common to man, that man has done, man can do.” Marcus Garvey
“The day will come when history will speak. But it will not be the history which will be taught in Brussels, Paris, Washington or the United Nations…Africa will write its own history and in both north and south it will be a history of glory and dignity.” Patrice Lumumba
“Black men, you were once great; you shall be great again.” Dr. Marcus Garvey
“African unity and solidarity are no longer dreams. They must be expressed in decisions.” Patrice Lumumba
“We have a wonderful history behind us. … If you are unable to demonstrate to the world that you have this record, the world will say to you, ‘You are not worthy to enjoy the blessings of democracy or anything else.” Dr. Carter G. Woodson
“I say if Black people don’t unite and begin to support themselves, their communities and their families, they might as well begin to go out of business as a people. Nobody’s going to have any mercy. And nobody’s going to have any compunction about making slaves out of them.” Dr. John Henrik Clarke
“Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history.” Dr. Carter G. Woodson
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK and being transparent.
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK and exhibiting ethics.
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK and showing morals.
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK and filled with compassion.
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK and considerate.
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK and enlightened.
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK exposing lies.
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK countering false narratives.
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK and eloquent.
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK and classy.
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK and dignified.
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK and patient.
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK and disciplined.
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK and intellectual.
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK and confident.
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK and proof of our exceptionalism.
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK and dominant.
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK and competent.
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK and strong.
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK and not mediocre.
You’re WOKE when you’re BLACK breaking down every barrier, road block, obstacle and hardship and YET REMAIN GREAT.
It is sad that WHITE FOLKS refuse to see us as assets, team players and not liabilities given that everything from 1619-present that we have advanced, achieved, influenced, invented, innovated, created, started and made they have profited, benefitted, elevated, progressed, gained generational wealth and dominance over our Grade A status.
HOW FITTING, YOUR LAST CD WAS LIVE AND TITLED ANTHOLOGY
YOU AND SO MANY OTHERS LIVED, SERVED, GAVE, LEAD AND HEALED US WITHIN THE BODY OF CHRIST.
AN ANTHOLOGY IS A COLLECTION OF YOUR WRITINGS, MUSIC AND MINISTERIAL BODY OF WORK OVER THE YEARS.
TODAY, THE DAY YOU ASCENDED HEAVENWARD; WE HONOR THE 5TH PRINCIPLE OF KWANZAA WHICH IS NIA, PURPOSE.
EARLIER I COMPLETED MY INTRODUCTION TO MY BOOK I AM WRITING IN HONOR OF THE LATE ERNA FRENCH.
HER SIGNATURE IS SOMETHING SHE SAID OFTEN AND WAS LITERALLY HOW SHE SIGNED OFF, THE TITLE OF MY BOOK “CARRY ON!”
2026’S BLACK HISTORY THEME WILL BE “A CENTURY OF BLACK HISTORY COMMEMORATIONS.”
AS WE GO DONE MEMORY LANE HONORING THE TRANSFORMATIVE MUSIC YOU BLESSED THE BODY OF CHRIST DURING OUR VARIOUS STAGES, SEASONS, CHAPTERS, LEVELS AND PHASES ON THIS JOURNEY, YOU GAVE THE MAESTRO DONALD LAWRENCE THE BATON AND NOT ONLY TOLD HIM TO CARRY ON BUT TOLD HIM TO DO WHAT GOD ASSIGNED HIM TO DO AND PRODUCE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR MINISTRY AND IT APPEARS YOU UNDERSTOOD THE LYRICS TO REMAINETH A REST!
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These qualities, cultivated by the Holy Spirit, reflect God’s character and are contrasted with the “works of the flesh,” representing spiritual growth and a godly life.
When we were SEGREGATED/SEPARATED we were well off. We owned, we created, we made, we succeeded, we had, we dominated, we advanced, we were exceptional, we were PROUD to be Black.
“A child cannot be taught by anyone that despises him.” James Baldwin and we’re not.
“There will never be another Black Messiah unless we create him.” J. Edgar Hoover
“We need leaders not in love with money but in love with justice. Not in love with publicity but in love with humanity.” Martin Luther King Jr.
“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” Dr. Marcus Garvey
“You cannot serve people by giving them orders as to what to do. The real servant of the people must live among them, think with them, feel for them, and die for them…The servant of the people, unlike the leader, is not on a high horse trying to carry the people to some designated point to which he would like to go for his own advantage. The servant of the people is down among them, living as they live, doing what they do and enjoying what they enjoy. He may be a little better informed than some of the other members of the group; it may be that he as had some experience they have not had, but in spite of this advantage he should have more humility than those whom he serves.” Dr. Carter G. Woodson
“The ends you serve that are selfish will take you no further than yourself but the ends you serve that are for all, in common, will take you into eternity.” Dr. Marcus Garvey
“The race needs workers at this time, not plagiarists, sopists and mere imitators; but men and women who are able to create, to originate and improve, and thus make an independent racial contribution to the world and civilisation.” Dr. Marcus Garvey
Every student of political science, every student of political economy, every student of economics knows that the race can only be saved through a solid industrial foundation; that the race can only be saved through political independence. Take away industry from a race, take away political freedom from a race and you have a slave race.” Dr. Marcus Garvey
“Whatsoever things common to man, that man has done, man can do.” Dr. Marcus Garvey
“Some of us seem to accept the fatalist position, the fatalist attitude, that God accorded to us a certain position and condition, and therefore there is no need trying to be otherwise. The moment you accept such an attitude, the moment you accept such an opinion, the moment you harbor such an idea, you hurl an insult at the great God who created you, because you question Him for His love, you question Him for His mercy.” Dr.
Marcus Garvey
“Show me in the white community where a comedian is a white leader. Show me in the white community where a singer is a white leader, or a dancer, or a trumpet player is a white leader. These aren’t leaders. These are puppets and clowns that have been set up over the Black community by the white community and have been made celebrities, and usually say exactly what they know the white man wants to hear.” Malcolm X
We are going to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery, for though others may free the body, none but ourselves can free the mind. Mind is our only ruler; sovereign.” Dr. Marcus Garvey
“Often the Negro business man lacks common sense. The Negro in business, for example, too easily becomes a social “lion.” He sometimes plunges into the leadership in local matters. He becomes popular in restricted circles, and men of less magnetism grow jealous of his inroads. He learns how richer men of other races waste money. He builds a finer home than anybody else in the community, and in his social program he does not provide for much contact with the very people upon whom he must depend for patronage. He has the finest car, the most expensive dress, the best summer home, and so far outdistances his competitors in society that they often set to work in child-like fashion to bring him down to their level.” Dr. Carter G. Woodson
“Men, there is much to live for, and there is much to die for. The man, the race of nation that is not prepared to risk life itself for the possession of an ideal, shall lose that ideal. If you, I repeat, must be free, you yourselves must strike the blow.” Dr. Marcus Garvey
“You at this time can only be destroyed by yourselves, from within and not from without. You have reached the point where the victory is to be won from within and can only be lost from within.” Dr. Marcus Garvey,
“White Americans needed us for LABOR and for SPORTS, now they can’t get rid of us. We cannot be exiled, and we cannot be accommodated. Now, something’s got to give.” James Baldwin
“I’m BLACK, they never let me forget it.” Jack Johnson
“The search for the “white hope” not having been successful, prejudices were being piled up against me, and certain unfair persons, piqued because I was champion, decided if they could not get me one way they would another.” Jack Johnson
” At that time, it was NEVER acceptable that a black player was the BEST. That did not happen.” Bill Russell
Jim Crow Etiquette
A Black person SHOULD NOT assert that a white person is lying.
They SHOULD NOT imply a white person is from an inferior class or demonstrate superior knowledge.
They SHOULD NOT laugh derisively at a white person or comment on the appearance of a white female
BLACK WOMEN has a 400 plus year legacy which is the longest and oldest PHILANTHROPIC DEMOGRAPHIC in America. There would be NO USa without US, America need to pay us our REPARATIONS.
“But what of Black women?… I most sincerely doubt if any other race of women could have brought its fineness up through so devilish a fire.” Dr. W. E. B. Du Bois
As long as we BLACK WOMEN were: conceiving, nurturing, nursing, cleaning, cooking, plowing, picking, sorting, cultivating, bringing death back to life, midwifing, raising, chauffeuring, mastering, inventing, influencing, making, progressing, achieving, protecting, fixing, and assisting, assorting , assembling and ALL FOR FREE, WE WERE IDEAL, ESSENTIAL AND COVETED.
IF WE ARE THE MOST EDUCATED GROUP IN AMERICA, ALL WE NEED TO DO IS UNIFY AND OWN WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO AND ALWAYS HAVE DONE FOR THE PAST 500 PLUS YEARS..
Mackenzie Scott is said to be Americas their most generous philanthropist.
O REALLY????
JOBS DON’T DEFINE BLACK WOMEN……
BLACK WOMEN are the longest and oldest PHILANTHROPIC DEMOGRAPHIC in the world and especially in America.
BLACK WOMEN conceived, protected, nurtured, birthed, nursed, raised, and readied dominant athletes, mathematicians, and any other professionals.
I pass out HONORARY PHD’s to BLACK WOMEN during BLACK HISTORY MONTH and WOMEN HISTORY MONTH to not only remind them of who they are and what all they have accomplished but what’s in our lineage of which is nothing but greatness, goodness, morality, ethics, humanity and love.
I also do it to grant us permission to look at, acknowledge and honor the plethora of hats we wear to make life worth living for everyone seemingly but us.
Listening to you, I am reminded of 2020 when America shut down and small businesses grew for Black woman in the last 30 years. Why?
BLACK WOMEN got weekly stimulus checks and not clocking in for anyone.
“But what of black women?… I most sincerely doubt if any other race of women could have brought its fineness up through so devilish a fire.” W. E. B. Du Bois.
The Poignant Words of Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois reminded me of two scriptures from the bible:
John 10:10 A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.
James 1:17 Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light.
From 1619 to present THE BLACK WOMAN have been instrumental in civilizing, educating, guiding, birthing, cultivating, advancing, successful, achieving, highly scholastic and athletic assets and labor that benefitted WHITE AMERICA, that WHITE AMERICA gained generational wealth and profit.
Yet, YOU ARE THE MOST PHILANTHROPIC?
Now your beginnings and wealth started with Amazon, right?
AI Overview stated that Amazon’s percentage of Black hires varies by role, but recent data (around 2021-2024) shows Black employees make up a significant portion of its overall U.S. workforce especially in labor roles (around 28-31%), while underrepresented in senior leadership (around 5.5%), despite goals to increase Black representation in higher-level positions by 30% year-over-year from 2020 levels and doubling Black VPs/Directors. In 2021, Black employees were about 28.2% of the total U.S. workforce but only 5.5% of senior roles, indicating a push for more diversity in leadership.
BLACK HANDS ARE THE AGRICULTURAL GENIUSES.
BLACK HANDS HAVE A HISTORY OF BRINING DEATH BACK TO LIFE AND TAKING CONTAMINATED SOIL AND MAKING IT PURIFIED.
We BLACK people went from CULTIVATING cotton seeds to cultivating your dream to bring life to it.
We BLACK people went from nurturing the cotton seedlings to nursing your parents 300,000
We BLACK people went from PICKING COTTON TO PICKING PACKAGES
We BLACK people went from SORTING COTTON to SORTING PACKAGES.
We BLACK people went from STACKING BAILS OF COTTON to STACKING BAILS OF PACKAGES.
We BLACK people went from weighing BAILS OF COTTON to WEIGHING BAILS OF PACKAGES
We BLACK people went from PRODUCING WEALTH FROM COTTON OF WHICH JUMP STARTED THE ECONOMIC BOOST FOR WHITES TO AMERICA TO YOU BEING AN EX WIFE OF JEFF BEZOS WHOSE HISTORY IS ROOTED IN RACISM AND WHO WERE THE GO TO DEMOGRAPHIC TO ELEVATE HIM TO BEING ONE OF THE RICHEST MEN IN AMERICA?
BLACK POOR WORKERS.
When AMAZON, FED X AND UPS hire, they created these jobs for minorities because of our work ethics.
6888 showed them who we are/were and what we could accomplish when unified l, invigorated and focused.
They attached dollars we hadn’t seen before to these gruelling and arduous labor and offered it to us and without fail, we took it and built AMAZON to what it is today.
Listen, BLACK people around the world, we have ALWAYS been: Accomplished, Advanced, Obedient, Law Abiding, Civil, Inventive, Trailblazers, Upstanding, Creative, Influential, Creative, Talented, Gifted, Dignified, Good, Just, Inclusive, Moral, Ethical, of Good Character, Considerate, Communal, Compassionate, Giving, Obliging, Accepting, Caring, Loyal, Cooperative, Ripe, Having High Standards, Successful, Smart, Having High Expectations, Productive, Strong, Caring, Exceptionalism, Being Superior, Being Excellent, Selfless, Mentally, Confident, Emotionally and Physically Competent, Champions, Being Great, and Being Intelligent.
They are well aware that when it comes to Africans and African Americans we are STILL enslaved by Whites.
White folks STILL benefit immensely from our conception, birth, blood, sweat, tears, gracious work ethics, labor, lives and death.
Amazon reminds me of the assembly line or chain gain but today it is JUST: REformed, REimagined REworded, REwritten, REvisioned, REadjusted, REdiscover, REbuilt, REjoined, REbrand, REbought, REassemble, REasserted, REassigned, REarrange, REsold, REarticulated, REpositioned, REversed, REdo, REinacted, REoccured, REworked, REtweeked, REplayed, REwear, REaddress, REgrow, REattain, REtell, REhearse, REaffirm, REmake, REcoup, REhire, REfund, REtie, REfer, REcommit, REtest, REawake, REconstruct, REject, REelect, REpeat, REwind REadmit, REpay, REclarify, REtort, REopen, REenergize, REcap, REmember, REflect, REdigest, REsume, REseek, REenlist, RElist, REvise, REcount, REcharge,REcall, RErun,REimerge, REsurrect,REamended, RE, RE, RE, RE, RE and we all know that RE means AGAIN.
Slavery reincarnated
Slavery REvised
Slavery REnamed
Slavery REpositioned
Slavery REpresented
Slavery, same concept and same results.
White people invaded and infiltrated our spaces, places and schools and CONvinced us that our BLACK disciplining style was ABUSIVE, TOO STRICT, AUTHORITARIAN, TOO HARSH and didn’t allow our children room to MAKE CHOICES, HAVE A VOICE AND OTHER FOOLISHNESS.
When WHITE FOLKS CAME into our world they came with their:
white entitlements
white disrespect
white disregard
white exposure
white education
white values
white systems
white work ethics
white weakness
white mediocrity
white incompetence
white immoralities
white artificiality
white thievery
white destruction
white knowledge
white dehumanization
white ignorance
white illiteracy
white incivility
white lawlessness
WHITENESS that today is a tool that have us burying and imprisoning our BLACK FUTURE younger and younger and younger and younger.
2026 BLACK HISTORY theme is A Century of Black History Commemorations.
How must we do this COLLECTIVELY if we:
NOT look back
NOT know
NOT understand
NOT care
NOT desire
NOT initiate
NOT read
NOT inquire
NOT think
NOT write
NOT commune
NOT fellowship
NOT interconnect
NOT reconnect
NOT connect
NOT wish
NOT want
NOT appreciate
NOT celebrate our rich BLACK contributions, competitiveness, abilities, resilience, dominance, determination, advancements, curiosity, successes, exceptionalism, inventions innovation and genius?
This brings to light the saying SLAVERY is white history, how we survived it is BLACK HISTORY
IN SPITE OF LEGISLATED IGNORANCE
IN SPITE OF LEGISLATED ILLITERACY
IN SPITE OF LEGISLATED OBSTACLES
IN SPTE OF LEGISLATED BRUTALITY
IN SPITE OF LEGISLATED HARDSHIPS
IN SPITE OF LEGISLATED POVERTY
IN SPITE OF LEGISLATED OPPRESSION……..
BLACK WOMEN STILL CONCEIVED, NURTURED, PROTECTED, BIRTHED, NURSED RAISED GUIDED, AND REDIRECTED CHILDREN OF MORALITY, RESPECT, DIGNITY REGARD, EXCEPTIONALISM, MERIT, SUCCESS, ADVANCEMENT, EXCELLENCE, BRILLIANCE, GIFTEDNESS, HIGHLY SKILLED AND INNATELY TALENTED ASSETS TO AMERICA.
UBUNTU IS I AM BECAUSE YOU ARE OF WHICH MEANS WE ARE INTERCONNECTED TO OUR BLACK HISTORY, BLACK FAMILY AND BLACK COMMUNITY
The WISDOM AND WAYS of our BLACK elders were so profound , intuitive and threatening to white dominance, they HAD to “GIVE OUR BLACK CHILDREN FREEDOM FROM IT, FROM THEIR BLACK ELDERS.”
Our BLACK elders understood we had to be raised differently and had different laws and it was a communal effort to guide us.
They were painted as domineering, overbearing , strict, controlling, oppressive and authoritarian leadership because they had high standards and expectations, expected superiority and excellence and we had to be mentally, physically, spiritually, morally, ethically disciplined and emotionally strong.
Today they have us weakened all in the guise of living “like kids” ” being free to make their OWN choices” and having autonomy over their own lives as we are burying our BLACK BABIES and imprisoning our BLACK BABIES younger and younger at rates our people have NEVER seen, socially engineered and by design.
THANK YOU DR. MARY WILLIS AND DR. JOSEPHINE WILLIS FOR BLESSING EAST ST. LOUIS WITH DR. ROBERT BO WILLIS
“We (Black people) have always used our creativity to battle and we’re not the only ones. Black Americans are certainly leaders in that simply because we were denied education and dealt with enforced illiteracy. But people see to always forget that literacy is not the only way of learning things or conveying knowledge.” Dr. Nikki Giovanni
“I want to make it clear that the Black race did not come to the United States culturally empty-handed. The role and importance of ethnic history is in how well it teaches a people to use their own talents, take pride in their own history and love their own memories.” Dr. John Henrik Clarke
“You know, you don’t have to have money to be successful businessperson. You don’t need a college degree. You just need a lot of common sense backed up by a willingness to work hard.” Farrah Gray
YOU WOULD TALK TO ME ABOUT PICKING COTTON, NOW AS I REFLECT OVER YOUR LIFE AND OUR RELATIONSHIP AS CUSTOMER AND , I UNDERSTAND JUST HOW YOU MASTERED DEALING WITH THE MANY PERSONALITIES, ATTITUDES AND EXPERIENCES THAT WALKED THROUGH YOUR DOORS. YOU MASTERED PULLING WEEDS AND BRINGING DEAD SOIL BACK TO LIFE. YOUR PICKING COTTON WAS TEACHING YOU ABOUT LIFE AND LIVING AND YOU BROUGHT THAT RICH KNOWLEDGE UP NORTH. YOU UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF UPROOTING DEAD SOIL TO GET TO PURIFIED SOIL. SO THE SCARS YOU ENDURED OUT IN THE FEILD MADE YOU THE CAUTIOUS AND INTUITIVE BARBER ONCE YOU MIGRATED UP NORTH.
YOU BROUGHT THE COOLNESS WITH YOU
YOU BROGHT THE PATIENCE WITH YOU
YOU BROUGHT THE CLARITY WITH YOU
YOU BROUGHT THE UNDERSTANDING WITH YOU
YOU BROUGHT THE COMMUNITY WITH YOU
YOU BROGUHT THE SOUHTERN HOSPITALITY WITH YOU
YOU BROUGHT THE CONFIDENCE WITH YOU
YOU BROUGHT THE GRIT WITH YOU
YOU BROUGHT THE WORK ETHICS WITH YOU
YOU BROUGHT THE COMPETENCE WITH YOU
YOU BROUGHT THE STRENGHT WITH YOU
YOU BROUJGHT THE ADVENTURE WITH YOU
YOU BROUGHT THE FEARLESSNESS WITH YOU
YOU BROUGHT THE LEADERSHIP WITH YOU
YOU BROUGHT YOUR WISDOM WITH YOU
YOU BROUGHT YOUR SKILLS WITH YOU
YOU BROUGHT YOUR TALES WITH YOU
YOU BROUGHT YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH YOU
YOU BROUGHT IT AND WITHOUT RESERVED SHARED IT
YOU DID MORE THAN CUT HAIR, TRIM BEARDS, AND ARCHED EYEBROWS, YOU EXHIBITED MASTERY IN ALL YOU DID
YOU UNDERSTOOD THE ASSIGNMENT, EVEN WHEN YOU ASK ME, “THE SAME?”
YOU UNDERSTOOD YOUR PURPOSE IN BRINING IN THE COMMUNITY FROM ALL WALKS OF THE BISTATE AREA, FROM EAST ST LOUIS, ST LOUIS, SHILOH AND BELLEVILLE AS WELL AS FARTHER, EVEN FROM OUT OF TOWN, THEY SOUGHT OUT MR. BO’S BECAUSE BO KNOWS!
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE ME AND THAT IS THE ONLY CONSTANT, TALKING ABOUT OUR FUTURE, TALKING ABOUT EDUCATION AND HOLDING THOSE OLD HEADS RESPONSIBLE AND ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE PLIGHT OF OUR FUTURE
YOU WERE NOT ONLY MAGNETIC BUT YOU WERE INFLUENTIAL AND IMPACTFUL
When I first met you, I was a single mother of one and I was crying out of brokenness confusion, rage, anger, uncertainty and fear.
Today, I am yet again, the mom of 3 with clarity, joy, appreciation, and happiness and crying tears of honor, appreciation, gratitude and thanksgiving and it is STILL centering me as a single parent from one to three.
YOU ALLOWED US TO COME IN LOOKING HELLA CRAZY BUT WHEN WE WALKED OUT OF YORU SHOP, WE HAD A NEWNESS ABOUT US AND ABOUT LIVING AND LIFE, A NEWNESS OF VIEW, A NEW LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE, AN UNDERSTANDING OF DISCIPLINE
YOU SHAPED NOT ONLY HAIRLINES, EYEBROWS, ATTITUDES AND CHARACTER BUT FOR ME, YOU MADE ME THE EDUCATOR I AM BECAUSE I SAW MY COMMUNITY WITH THAT SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY YOU BROUGHT UP NORTH WITH YOUR FAMILY
THANK YOU MR. BO FOR NOT ONLY YOUR MASTERY IN YOUR CRAFT, MINISTRY AND LOVE BUT OPEN DOOR POLICY.
YOUR LEGACY WHEN BEYOND CUTTING HAIR AND MAKING US LOOK AND FEEL GOOD BUT YOU WERE A MAN OF YOUR WORD AND YOUR WIFE, DAUGHTERS AND GRANDS WERE INDEED BLESSED TO HAVE YOU AND I THANK THEM FOR ALLOWING YOU TO BLESS OUR HEADS AND EYES, SPIRITS, HEARTS AND SOULS.
YOU WERE A MAN OF LEADERSHIP
YOU WERE A MAN OF COMPASSION
YOU WERE A MAN OF INTEGRITY
YOU WERE A MAN OF PRIDE
YOU WERE A MAN OF THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE AND BY THE PEOPLE
YOU ARE CULTURE
YOU ARE US!
THERE WAS NO QUESITON IF YOU WERE PROUD OF YOUR YOUNG LADIES, I RECALL ONE VISIT YOU LOOKED DOWN AT ME AND SAID, “I AM GOING TO RETIRE” YOU WORE BEING A GRANDFATHER WITH GREAT ADMIRATION, APPRECIATIONG AND PRIDE. YOU SAID YOU WANTED TO NOT MISS ANYTHING THEY HAD GOING. I ALSO RECALL THE REALITY OF IT WAS WHEN YOU TOOK TIME OFF AND INFORMED US, I’M GOING TO SPEND TIME WITH MY GIRLS, YEP, I WAS MAD BUT I UNDERSTOOD. YOU WERE INDEED A FAMILY MAN, YOU WERE A PROVIDER, YOU WERE A PROTECTOR YOU WERE IN YOUR PURPOSE AND WE YOUR DEVOTED CLIENTS INDEED APPRECIATED YOU.
YOUR MOM MARY, IS PROOF OF THE QUESTION, “CAN ANYTHING GOOD COME OUT OF NAZARETH?” YOU ARE PROOF THAT YOUR MOM WAS THE EPITOME OF BEAUTY AND INTENTIONALIITY WHEN SHE RAISED YOU, HER ONLY BEGOTTEN SON. SHE RAISED YOU AND ASSURED YOU TO DEVELOP, RECOGNIZE AND OVERCOME OBSTACLES AND STRUGGLES AND SEE YOURSELF A LOT MORE ACCOMPLISHED AND GREATER THAN THE SOUTH PORTRAYED YOU. HOW DO I KNOW THESE THINGS? I WAS ELEVATED IN A SEAT YOU STOOD BEHIND FOR THE PAST 30 PLUS YEARS. YOUR MOM WAS YOUR GREATEST INFLUENCER AND YOU HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT AND INFLUENCE IN EAST BOOGIE FOR SURE. YOU REMAINED DETERMINED, DEVOTED, CONFIDENT, AND ASSURED. YOU ALLOWED US WTIHIN BO’S KNOWS TO VOICE, ENVISION, SYMPATHIZE, EMPATHIZE, CELEBRATE AND BE COMMUNAL AND FOR THIS AND THAT I SAY THANK YOU! IN YOUR SHOP, THIS EDUCATOR WAS SHAPED, MOLDED, AND MADE TO SEE LIFE AND LIVING FROM VARIOUS ANGELS AND THE MEN, DIDN’T LET UP ON ME NOT ONE BIT BECAUSE I WAS A WOMAN AN I NOT THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE MEN BUT IF IT GOT TOO HEATED YOU KNEW EXACTLY WHEN TO STEP IN AND SEND OUT. YOU WERE OUR CHAMPION IN THE COMMUNITY. YOU UNDERSTOOD BLACK CULTURE, BLACK COMMUNITY, BLACK RESILIENCE, BLACK LACK AND BLACK WISDOM. YOU CHANGED US PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY, SOCIALLY, FINANCIALLY AND MORALLY.
YOU WERE THE CHURCH OTHERS DIDN’T UNDERSTOOD THEY WERE HEARING AND SEEING AND FEELING.
YOU HAD NOTHING TO PROVE BUT YET DAILY YOU IMPROVED THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO ENTERED YOUR DOORS JUST BY BEING, MR. BO.
LIFE IS SO FUNNY, IT HAS A WAY OF BEING CYCLICAL.
IT WAS OUT OF THE ORDINARY THAT I WAS TOLD TO GO AND PICK UP A CAKE FROM A CHERISHED ELDER.
I WASN’T EVEN EXPECTING IT BUT GOD KNEW I WOULD BE SITTING, REFLECTING, AND RELEASING, HEALING AND GROWING.
THE CAKE I PICKED UP WAS A LEMON CAKE, AS I RANTED, RAGED, SHARED, AND VENTED ABOUT MY LIFE’S LEMONS, YOU IN ALL OF YOUR COOL, PAITENT, UNDERSTANDING, CLEAR HEADED AND INENTIONALITY, NEVER CEASED TO GGIVE ME THE TEA AND LEMONADE. YOU ALWAYS GAVE YOUR ADVICE (EVEN IF I DIDN’T WANT TO HEAR BUT YOU KNEW IT WAS SOMETHING I NEEDED TO HEAR) AND IT CAME JUST WHEN IT WAS NEEDED AND NOT BECAUSE YOU COULD TALK BUT BECAUSE YOU CARED ABOUT PEOPLE.
ONE VITAL AND SOFT SPOKEN WORD YOU GAVE ME THAT WILL ALWAYS STICK WITH ME WAS, “YOU CHOSE” “YOU MADE THE CHOICE” ” YOU HAD AN OPTION” IT WILL TAKE MO ON FROM HERE.
I END WITH THE WORDS OF OUR ELDER TO SUM UP YOUR MESSAGE TO ME TO CARRY ME ON…….
YOU MADE ME A BETTER MOTHER
YOU TAUGHT ME THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION
YOU TOLD ME THE POWER OF CHANGE
YOU TRANSFORMED ME
BECAUSE OF YOU, I AM, WE ARE
Your motto was, “Tell it like it T-Iz.”
IT WAS YOUR ELEVATING US IN THE CHAIR AND YOUR ASCENION TO HEAVEN THAT I CAN HONESTLY AND WITHOUT A DOUBT AND RESERVE SAY, AND DID…….
WHITE MEN SHOWS JUST HOW LACK OF SELF DISCIPLINE THEY ARE
WHITE MEN SHOWS JUST HOW UNTRUE THEY ARE
WHITE MEN SHOWS JUST HOW IMBALANCE THEY ARE
WHITE MEN SHOES JUST HOW COWARDLY THEY ARE
WHITE MEN SHOWS JUST HOW THEY ANESTHETIZE VIOLENCE AND THAT IS WHO THEY ARE
WHITE MEN SHOWS JUST HOW THEY NEED TO CONTROL LANGUAGE TO REMAIN RELEVANT AND IN CONTROL AND POWER
WHITE MEN SHOWS JUST HOW POWERLESS THEY ARE
WHITE MEN SHOWS JUST HOW MUCH THEY RELY ON COMFORT, CAPITALISM AND CAUCASIONS TO FEEL EMPOWERED
WHITE MEN SHOWS JUST HOW UNRITUALISITIC THEY ARE
WHITE MEN SHOWS JUST HOW UNREALISITIC THEY ARE
WHITE MEN SHOWS JUST HOW REJECTION IS NEEDED
WHITE MEN SHOWS US JUST HOW OPPRESSION IS NEEDED
WHITE MEN SHOWS JUST HOW DEI IS A THREAT TO THEM AND THEIR FAKE POWER
WHITE MEN SHOWS JUST HOW THESE LAWS, RULES, CODES, MANDATES AND LEGISLATIONS SHIELDS THEM FROM RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
WHITE MEN SHOWS THAT MONEY, POWER, DONOARS, INVESTORS AND TAKES PRESIDENCE OVER RIGHTS, FREEDOMS, HUMANITY, AND DIGNITY
WHITE MEN SHOWS JUST HOW LEGACY IS RELIED UPON TO REMAIN AFLOAT
WHITE MEN SHOWS JUST HOW MANIPULATIVE THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
WHITE MEN SHOWS JUST HOW THEY NEED UNEARNED ACCESS, OPPORTUNITIES, CAREERS, POSITIONS, POWER, COVERING, AND TITLES TO BE HANDED THEM TO BE VALID, LEGITIMATE, AMPLIFIED AND INFORMED.
