Engaging Urban School Reform

There are many critics out there who misdirect the public's attention regarding the cause of school reform. These critics direct the public to think that a plethora of people and organizations are responsible for the state of America's educations system today. Politicians, land developers, think tanks, unqualified teachers, and whatever group you want to add to the list are not responsible for the events that lead to failing test scores, school closings, and the emerging trend of privatized education. That is not to say that they, too, are not apart of the problem. However, they are not the originating source. The  truth of the matter that is not being discussed with the public can be obtained with the yes or now answer to the following two questions:

1. Generally speaking, is education (the process of learning, retaining, and demonstrating knowledge) a priority in every home of students across the country?
2. Generally speaking, is every parent who is involved with their child, truly able to assist their child in pursuing and appreciating the education they receive?

The answer to these questions, unfortunately, are "no." Of course, there are individuals who are the exception: there are parents who do instill the notion that education is a priority in the home over other things, such as entertainment, materialism, etc. and these same parents explain the value of education their child. But this is not happening in every home; this is a truth that you should not deny.

The conversation about the advantages that some households have over others in reference to money and ethnicity can continue ad nauseam. Get off that narrative! Continuing to play the role of the victim is precisely what lead to school closings in the first place! This mindset allows for politicians, land developers, think tanks, unqualified teachers, and whatever group you want to add to the list to take advantage of you. Stop blaming others for your weakness and your unwillingness to admit your part in this debacle. It is only after you admit responsibility for your actions (or in this case, lack of action) that you can begin to truly address and resolve the mess that you created.

In case you have not realized it, there is a war going on...an education war! Those who do not prioritize education will be without it. Those who are not involved with assisting their child in pursuing and appreciating their education will be left to complain about what to do with their child when the doors of the neighborhood school are permanently closed.

Unfortunately...this is already happening.

However, things are not as bleak as they appear. War-like times call for war-like measures. Besides admitting guilt for taking the system for granting and expecting someone else to do what you should have done yourself, you need to completely and totally change your mindset. You must do whatever is necessary to ensure that your child's rights to receive a quality education is not infringed upon. That may mean that you have to make sacrifices; more than you are already making. This is the nature of parenthood, and therefore, must be done. Do not continue to listen to the critics out there who continue to tell you. They are not the ones who are directly effected--you are. Work on two things to achieve the results you are looking for:

1. Take the time to reflect on what you can do as an individual. Remember that your battle is an individual one. Join groups and organizations to help your cause, but do not solely rely on them to achieve the results you are looking for. That kind of thinking leads you right back to where you started. Come up with a series of plans that demand accountability on the part of all those involved. Just as you had to become accountable for your actions, so do they.

2. Stay informed and communicate with others. If the mayor, chancellor, or any other politician is making certain decisions that you don't agree with, make sure that your voice is heard. Also make sure that others know what is happening, too. If you think that it takes a village to raise a child, then the village needs to stay concerned about, and always be aware of the status of the war.

The fight for your child's education should not have started when the announcement came that school doors were permanently closing. But now, hopefully, you are ready to engage the problem known as school reform. There will be many battles to fight. Remember, anything worth having is worth fighting for, and trust me, the right to a robust and rewarding education is truly worth fighting for.

Weak Points and Strong Points

It's been a long time since I've put up a post. I apologize for that. Life is an art form, and with that said, I needn't go into detail about how life introduces you to things that either knock you off your course or aid you in fulfilling your goals. My life is a combination of both, as is most people. But enough talk about me and let's get on with discussing this art form we call life.

I only mentioned something about my personal life to elaborate further on the topic of this blog entry: one's weak points and strong points. It is irresponsible of anyone to deny the fact that they have areas of weakness, and it is just as irresponsible for anyone to exaggerate their strong points. Life is all about becoming aware of one's own weak and strong points and knowing how these either hinder or assist one's ability to think and act in the world. No one needs to be reminded of the fact that life is not perfect. Life often throws us curveballs and brings us moments of sadness, inadequacy, fear, and loneliness but, at the same time, it presents us with opportunities to learn, grow, mature, and rise to face the obstacles that may be on our path. I specifically want to address weak and strong points as it relates to one of my favorite films of 2012: Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained.

I am fully aware that this film came out over 4 months ago and that my contribution to the dialogue about this film is late--and possibly repetitive--but I will not let that stop me! I will make my comment brief and I hope that I give you a thought to think about. Just like Django, we are all slaves to something or someone in this world. This is not debatable--this is a true statement that you may not like to (or want to) admit, but it is nevertheless true. It is an unfortunate position to be in; we live in this world and because it is intricately designed, we are participants in religious and political movements, philosophies, and/or ideologies that are already functioning the minute we are born. Our parents, teachers, politicians, family members, and friends all try to sell us a bill of goods and it is up to us to either adopt or reject those goods. The invisible chains we wear everyday are just as iron-clad as the metal chains of slavery; they may not resemble metal in the slightest and you may not think that you are helping someone else profit off of actions, but you will have to think again. Every person is different and I cannot elaborate on every person's set of chains (or more than one). But they are there, they are real, and we are constantly trip over them.

The only difference between us and Django is that Django knows how to free himself from his chains. For us, it is a lot harder, for the world is a lot more complicated than the world of 1863. The first step, however, to freeing ourselves from our chains is to admit that they are there. This takes a lot of reflection--not just of yourself but also of the world around you. This awakening is definitely a test of your weak points and strong points. It will either help you understand that the world you think exists is actually a lie or it will only solidify your initial perspective about your position in the world, and cause you to reject anything that opposes your perspective. For those of you who begin to see that the bill of goods you have been sold is not immaculate, you are becoming stronger. You slowly become aware that the bill of goods you were sold helps make you weak and this is no longer acceptable. Now, you will begin to feel your chains loosen and become less restricting.

From here, you must embark on a long journey; not necessarily a physical journey, but a journey nevertheless. The  journey you begin will steer you in many directions, as it will test you to really think about all the things you think you know, believe, and have faith in. This journey is not for the faint at heart--again, it is only for those who want to free themselves from the chains that bind them. Everyone's journey varies but there is one common factor: there will be at least one person who will want to keep you in your chains. That is what the character of Stephen represents in Django Unchained. And the world is full of Stephens and they come is various shapes, sizes, and colors. You two may have to duke it out with each other a couple of times before one of you is victorious. The question, however, is simple: are you willing to do whatever it takes to be victorious and free yourself from chains that you know are holding you back and keeping you in a limited place (physically or psychologically)?

YOU are the only one who can answer that question. YOU can either control the situation or YOU can let the situation control YOU. I don't advocate for weakness. I advocate for transforming weakness into strength. This brings about true happiness and freedom. Don't continue to make the mistake and think that you are free. How do you expect to create a work of art out of your life if your chains continue to trip you up? Be better. Be wiser. Be stronger!

How to Prevent the Killing of Another Trayvon Martin

A day after the Trayvon Martin hoodie rally is over, a question that is on my mind is what will happen next? After so many hundreds of people band together to show solidarity in acknowledging that the death of Trayvon Martin is an atrocity, what will those people do next? What else will they do to help ensure that justice is reached?

Probably just talk.

A few of them may hold on to their anger about the situation a little bit longer. They may even sign the petition. But the majority are just going to post pictures of themselves wearing a hoodie on Facebook, take pictures with their friends of them all wearing hoodies, or contribute to the water cooler conversation about how they were in the march when they get back to work or school Monday.

This will, unfortunately, end up being another situation like that of Troy Davis. You remember, Troy Davis, the black man that was executed a few months back. Don't you remember hearing how outraged people were the week of his execution? Didn't you see people listen to the radio or watch the news when  the execution became official? And what happened after that?

Absolutely nothing-just more talk.

My point is this-where is action? Where are the families taking the law into their hands and making people accountable? I had not heard about the New Black Libertarian Militia suggested to make a citizens arrest of Trayvon Martin's killer but is that not a good idea? I can see how it may be considered "messy" by some, but could it still not be done? It is going to be messy, regardless of who takes the initiative to do it, but it still must be done! No one should complain that the killer is not behind bars when people who have the power to make that happen won't do anything. If the person who threw flour on Kim Kardashian can elicit a citizens arrest, why can no one arrest this killer?

Fear. The answer, unfortunately, is fear. I take that back-its fear and laziness. People are more concerned that they will suffer some kind of way and less concerned with doing the right thing. People are also invested in a system that has people take care of situations like this so that they will not have to be involved. This is what buying into the dream of the Civil Rights movement in the United States has brought black people-another dream. It's a dream that we have better jobs, better houses, and a better education. We sold ourselves short. In exchange for this dream, black people gave the system closer access to them. It is easier now to harass people-they want to be harassed in exchange for the job. They'll put up with it as long as they're getting paid. It is easier now to imprison black people-black people want the things they we tell them they can't have. We'll convince them they can work hard for it but at the same time, we'll make it hard for them to get and they will get frustrated and try to find an illegal way to get it (and we've created the law which makes it illegal, too). We'll take them out of the fields and put them into our offices where we can still make a profit off of them and take advantage of their labor but as long as they get some trinkets here and there (a paycheck every two weeks), they will be none the wiser.

What am I getting at? Stop aiding the system. It does not do anything except keep you on a short leash. Don't ask for accountability-make people accountable. Don't expect someone else to do something that you are more than able to do yourself. Maybe I am not going to buy a plane ticket to Florida and conduct a citizens arrest of Trayvon Martin's killer but maybe I am planting seeds of wisdom to make whomever reads this see the prison that they live in for what it is-a prison-and convince them to take some action to break out of it. Your action against the system may prevent the killing of another Trayvon Martin.

Where is the History in Black History Month?

Yesterday was a very strange day. I don't know about you but I felt the presence of a very strange energy in the atmosphere. I don't necessarily think that I can fully describe it but I do know that made me feel as if it was a sign of God's anger, God's sadness, and God wondering, "What the Hell is going on!"


I'm not just saying this because yesterday just so happened to be the day that Whitney Houston died. But her death is an example of the symbolism of the strange energy that seems to be in the air.

But what do I mean?

Whitney Houston was a troubled woman who some say died too young. I am extremely saddened by her death but it's not because of the fact that she died at the young age of 48. She was a troubled woman and, regardless of whether or not some people want to admit it, she was troubled long before her marriage to Bobby Brown. She was bred for disaster.

But what do I mean?

Whitney was groomed to experience failure due to the fact that she subscribed to the wrong kind of faith-the faith of others. She had faith in many things: Jesus, the church, her mother, her cousin Dionne, her voice, Clive Davis, her husband, her daughter, her entourage, her name, her drugs; anything and anyone but in herself. Whitney had what many people were jealous of and would have killed for: natural, God-given talent. Unfortunately, due to the desires of her family to "reach the top," which they instilled in her, Whitney began to walk down a dark and lonely path of selfishness and self-destruction. The walk was long and documented but even Stevie Wonder could see that it was only a matter of time before she reached the end of that road.

Not only am I saddened by Whitney Houston's death, but I am also disturbed. Whitney Houston was thought to have it all: good looks, great talent, money, fame and fortune. Clearly, even Ms. Houston herself couldn't and didn't even see all that she did have. From the outside looking in, at the beginning of her career, she was an idol-so much to the point that she helped to create a wave of female singers in the generation behind hers. But to be that idol and still feel the need to take drugs is a clear indication that something was not quite right. But in her mind and in her heart, she was not happy. There is no telling what she had to endure in order to reach "the top"-that story hasn't been told and maybe it never will. But what has been told: the years of drug abuse, the gradual loss of her magnificent voice-was a well documented spiral of grand proportions. I didn't know Whitney Houston and I could see that she was unhappy. I could see that she was in need of desperate help. I could see that she was living a lie and that she knew it too. The drugs were here release from the fantasy that is called life. She ran away from the chaos to find what she thought was peace. And now, whether accidentally or intentionally, she has reached the ultimate state of peace.

Whitney Houston's tragic story is not the first story ever known to tell the tale of a talented person in the music industry whose life is squandered. My disturbance comes in when I think about the fact that, in the month of Black History Month, Black History seems to be isolated to just the month of February. It is not something that most black people celebrate 365 days a year. It is not something that is truly studied, for both the good, the bad and the ugly. It is just the good news that someone wants to hear about someone doing something that's considered an accomplishment. But what about the history, or mistakes, that people in the past have made? Isn't it important to look at those facts in order to not repeat them? Billie Holiday is a perfect example. She died at the age of 44 in a hospital bed with almost no money to her name. Billie Holiday was a drug addict! She faced the ugly realities of racism and segregation in America and attempted to find an escape from the pain with the use of drugs. Billie Holiday didn't have any role models or mentors to help steer her from following this path. Her life should have set an example for generations to come about the dangers of drugs and the importance of having a strong sense of self. So what the hell happened to Whitney Houston?

No one seemed to teach her about the pitfalls of an industry that uses you and abuses you (especially if you are a woman), instead she was thrown into it for the "fame and fortune".  No one told her that she could still be famous and begin her own record label instead of have to meet the demands and follow the rules  of "the powers that be". No one seemed to instill in her the knowledge of how to love oneself, regardless of the pitfalls that life deals you.

There are definitely people to blame for Whitney Houston's "untimely" death. But if you take a real look to see who is really to blame, you might not like the answer. It's a hard pill to swallow. It might make you angry; you might even deny what you really do see. The History is there for you to see-all you have to do is not be fooled by the drugs that life provides and attempts to cover up what is really real. Let the history speak to you; don't cut it off after February 28 (or 29th this year). Don't limit the history that you experience-go as far back as you possibly can. History will always teach you something at the right time...make sure that you are ready for it! Don't let the death of Whitney Houston be whitewashed as just a sad, isolated event where you only want to focus on the positive things. Look at her whole life and if you look at it long enough, you'll begin to see that her death was a result of incorrect priorities, a wrong placement of values, and a lack of knowledge about avoiding the mistakes of the past in order to insure a sense of peace.

And I hope she now has a sense of peace. She went through a hell of a lot (unnecessarily) to get it.

Using Your Energy Wisely

Tomorrow will be January 1, 2012 and the countdown for the end of the world will begin. Some people will spend each day worrying as if it will be their last and try to use some of their time to perform acts of kindness. Others will be completely selfish and will engage in acts that will only satisfy their needs and forgo common sense or reason. In all seriousness, if 2012 ends up being your last year on earth, how should you act, behave and belief? Will thoughts of 'would of', 'could of' and 'should of' monopolize most of your thoughts and affect your "future"? Will your fear of the world coming to an end influence however many days you have left on this earth?

Maybe, just maybe, it would be a better idea to use your energy wisely. Living your days like they are going to be your last is not a bad idea. When you put your mind into that perspective, you might appreciate the people and the things in your life that should matter most. You might seek out experiences that give you a sense of peace and tranquility. You might work harder to accomplish all the goals you set for yourself. Or, you may find a sense of purpose in the world that you did not have in the past because you took life for granted or did not take life seriously.

You don't have to believe in a higher power or go to church every Sunday to adopt this new perspective on life. It's just an adjustment-not a simple one but it does take small steps. When you make this change, you must understand that you are beginning you use your energy wisely. You are thinking about your next move before you make it. You are being more thoughtful when it comes to how you act around other people and less concerned with the nonsense that surrounds you. Life becomes more precious. The world becomes more precious.

Illusion and Reality: What You Should Really Be Thankful For

Illusion: The Pilgrims and Indians were "friends".
Reality: The Pilgrims and their descendants took away the land, killed hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of their "friends" in order to create the foundation of the American Dream.

Illusion: Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence that "all men are created equal".
Reality: Indians, Africans, and any other person of color was forced to become Anglicized, discriminated against in their homes, jobs and various other aspects of everyday living, humiliated and dehumanized for hundreds of years.

Illusion: Slavery ended with the victory of the Union over the Confederacy along with Lincoln's signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Reality: Slavery still exists in the United States. Slavery is a global epidemic. Slavery does not look like it use to-it has taken many forms so that it is unrecognizable for the willingly ignorant, sleeping majority. Slavery takes place in your home when you are being forced to pay outrages prices for your rent and mortgages. Slavery takes place when you are harassed on your job in addition to having to work outrages hours for a minimum pay that you have to turn around and pay your monthly expenses with. Slavery takes place when you are being bombarded left and right with advertisements to buy, buy, buy (mostly things that you don't need) which helps to make someone else's pockets richer. Slavery takes place when the 1% control the 99% and the 99% are the ones who allow for it to happen.

It's time to transform yourself from one of the willingly ignorant to willingly educated and proactive. It's time to shatter the illusions of yesterday and take a good look at the reality that's right in front of your eyes. Yes, the reality is harsh, more gritty, more...real. It's not as comforting as the illusion-and it's not suppose to be. The purpose of the illusion is to keep the 99% under control; to keep the 99% into feeding the illusion so that the 1% can remain in power. This needs to be flipped upside down and turned inside out!

It's time to realize that life is simple-it's the complexities that are created by man (the 1%) that make life more complicated and take away from the simple truths of life. There are certain truths that we should all be thankful for: the ability to breath, family, friends, purpose, help out our fellow man and protect our environment. These may sound so simple-cliché even, but it is these simple truths that some "civilized" civilizations are backing away from-even forgetting. This reality is becoming more and more an illusion when you think about it. When you read stories about how shoppers step over a dead body in order to continue their Black Friday shopping, you wonder. When you read stories about prominent, adult men sexually abusing little boys across the country for decades, you wonder. When you read stories about mothers or fathers kidnapping and killing their own children or other family members, you wonder. When you read stories about "reality" TV stars as if they are news and that their lives are more important than other, unheard stories of people who are starving, homeless, jobless, and abused, you wonder.

Or don't you?

I know I do.

Transferring Energy: the Problem with the 99%

Yes, I said it-there is a problem with the 99%. No, I take that back-the 99% are the problem. Yes, that's much better. That makes more sense. Everyone I hear and everything that I read discussing the financial problems of the 99% don't ever mention what the 99% were doing before their problems occurred. That's because they didn't have any. Yes, they may have had problems with getting a flat tire, missing the bus to get to school on time, or turing in a bill to their creditors late. But they were ok with these problems. They were ok with supporting the system that put them into debt. They were ok with contributing to a system that wanted to put them into debt. But now, the system has backfired on them. The system that they taught was so stable is collapsing on them.

Now they want to complain about it.

Now they want to march and protest.

Now they want to "occupy".

Where was all this enthusiasm before? Simple-it didn't exist. It didn't exist because they were ok with the status quo. But the status quo was flawed. It didn't just happen overnight. The status quo of overworking the lower class to support the bank account of the upper class. The status quo of abusing and ignoring the rights of the majority to support the whims of the minority. The status quo of marginalizing those who create the wealth to support those who will steal the income of the working class.

Well, when I put it that way, I hope you are asking the same questions that I have been asking myself: how can 1% lead 99%? How can the minority rule over the majority? How does that work?

The only answer I can come up with is that the 99% created the problem, not the 1%. The 1% can only take advantage of the 99% if they are allowed to. The 1% cannot be held responsible for the lack of action of the 99%. Who is really at fault here?

It's time to wake up to the truth of the matter: the 99% are responsible for the mess that the world exists in today. The 99% are the ones who don't take action until after they have been negatively affected. They are working hard while the 1% are working smarter. While the 99% are working, the 1% is plotting and scheming of ways to take advantage of the 99%. And the 99% are too busy caught up in things that really don't exist and as a result, they are not paying attention. The 1% do what they do because they are allowed to do it-they aren't stopped and they know this. They know that they will get away with their plotting and scheming because the average person, the 99%, is not going to stop them, and if they attempt to do so, it'll be too late.

It's time to to wake up and start a new routine. Now is the time to start transferring our energy and focus on what's real. Real things like positive relationships between men and women, parents and children, employee and employer. Real things like taking care of our health and our environment. Real things like nourishing our spirit and expanding our knowledge.

But maybe you'd rather continue to point fingers at what other people aren't doing. And maybe you're too afraid to look in the mirror to see what it is that you're not doing. Whatever the case may be,  don't forget that you weren't told that you are apart of the problem and that you need to do something to become apart of the solution. Transfer your energy and become apart of the growing 1% of the people who are genuinely out there to help people and set things right. Transfer your energy from complaining and blaming into growing a backbone and taking action.