opinion

Have you ever heard the saying, "starting is the hardest part"? On many occasions, I've heard people say the secret to getting ahead is getting started. But how does one get started if one lacks the resources and knowledge to do so?This is an issue that I have noticed amongst many women across the country, especially women of color. They have goals, they have ideas, they have drive and motivation, but they don't have help. And they actually want help! Black women are described with the "positive" stereotype of being "strong." Often black women are portrayed as not wanting help and wanting to do it on their own. We are stereotyped as "angry" and/or incapable of working with others. So, instead of being offered help, we are left to "figure it out." I recently started a YouTube channel where I provide tips for aspiring boutique owners, and the number of women with amazing ideas, but a lack of knowledge and support, was so shocking to me. I uploaded a video providing information that seemed to just not be out there and, seemingly overnight, my emails, comments and DM's on social media were flooded with questions from women all over the world wanting to open boutiques. They explained that they were looking for answers, but the answers were not there.I'll never forget the first message I received from an aspiring boutique owner who told me that she had obtained all of her licensing, but just couldn't figure out where to obtain quality merchandise to sell. She had been searching the internet and asking around, but no one was giving her answers. I recommended a website to her, where she purchased merchandise, and a week later, she made her first sale. Just like that she was $100 richer from the profit she made. With one piece of information, she was on her way to being a successful business owner, and her success was in no way going to affect my success. They say if you don't ask, then you'll never know. But these women had been asking and were receiving no answers! It became my mission to provide information that no one else was willing to share. I realized that there was this belief that because one business owner had struggled to find answers, everyone else should struggle too. I don't agree with that! I feel that if one more woman is able to start a business, that's more money to support her family, more food on her table, more money for the economy, hopefully more jobs created and more success in our communities! A few months ago I joined an amazing Facebook group called The Broke Black Girl,  which allowed thousands of women of color to provide support to one another on a daily basis (side note: this post is not intended to criticize the group, but to show an observation). During my first month of being in the group I noticed a reoccurring theme in many of the posts. There were so many women who had goals of starting their own businesses, but not a lot of women who were capable or willing to provide tips and advice — at least not out in the open. There were more women following the posts to see responses than there were women answering the questions.For example, a woman would make a post asking about tips for opening a boutique, and instead of someone commenting and providing the advice, they would instead tell them to send them a message, or tell them that they would send them a private message. Now, this wasn't the case with everyone, but it was often the response I saw. It seemed that there were a few women who were willing to help, but it also seemed like the tools for starting a business were a secret.Now, I'm a very observant person, so once I pick up on something I like to look into it a bit more. So I made my way over to another one of my favorite apps, YouTube, and typed in the search bar, "How to Open a Boutique?" I was eager to see what results I would receive.The first page of results returned various videos from two of the same women over and over again, and a few videos from women of color. I clicked one of the videos that had over 40,000 views expecting to hear something valuable, but she didn't give up anything. Instead, this is what she said:"One of my pet peeves is when somebody has the audacity to ask me where I get my product from. I find that to be an insult."She then goes on to say, "I will never share that with you, so please, respectfully, do not ask me."My response: "Girl bye! It isn't that serious!"Being a retail manager and buyer myself, I know that there are thousands of vendors who sell wholesale merchandise to boutiques all across the world. I also know that there are millions of products to choose from out there. There are literally more than enough products out there for all of us to start and run successful boutiques. I watched a few more videos and the theme remained the same. The women would say, "you need to get a business license," "you need to get a seller's permit," "you need to save money," but none of them directly answered the questions that women were asking.It became apparent to me that there was a large amount of selfishness in this world, especially amongst women. To this day, I'm still trying to figure out why the road to success has to be a secret. It doesn't make sense to me! Why do these women believe that because they struggled to find answers everyone else should as well? It's such a sad reality.If more women were willing to share knowledge, more women could find success. As women, we have to support one another. We have to cheer each other on. And we don't have to cheer from the sidelines or support from afar. You can stand right next to her, hold her hand, guide her in the right direction. Give help to those seeking it. Give help to as many people you can!I know you've all heard the scripture that states it's better to give than to receive . We have to stop focusing so much on our own successes and our own pockets and instead give to those in need, those in need of support. If you've already found success, it won't hurt you to help someone else find success as well.So, the next time you see someone post that they need help and you have the solution to their problem, be direct, comment right then and there for EVERYONE to see. I guarantee there are other people watching and waiting for someone to reply. Be the person that was a driving force in someone else's success. Be the person who helped someone else to take the next step in their path towards success."Black Girl Magic" is described as a movement to "celebrate the beauty, power and resilience of black women." What better way to display Black Girl Magic than to celebrate and support one another in all of our endeavors! Black Girl Magic is when we all win, when we all succeed and when we do it together! ...

As women in a historically male-dominated society, we have become so used to putting up with misogynistic and patriarchal ignorance that seems to go unnoticed by even the men closest to us.Part of this is so ingrained in how men interact with women, and the other part of it is exerted expression of willful degradation of women in general. Either way, it's time for us to let these boys know that we are not cool with it!As the discussions of gender roles, anti-misogyny, #TimesUp and #MeToo have been the center of attention lately, as well as powerful voices of women like Janelle Monáe and Cardi B reclaiming the divine feminine narrative through creative expression, "Mansplaining,” which has been a thing since forever, is being less tolerated by women. Mansplaining (a blend of the word man and the informal form splaining of the verb “explaining”) means "(of a man) to comment on or explain something to a woman in a condescending, overconfident and, often, inaccurate way.Through my own negative experiences with men, I've uncovered different ways in which we run into mansplaining and ways in which we can combat toxic masculinity and misogyny within everyday communication and interaction with men, and on a macro scale.When Men Use The Word “Female” When Addressing Women In ConversationAs a woman, how many times were you engaging in a normal conversation with a man and then, boom! He nonchalantly acknowledges a woman in casual conversation — as “female.” For any man reading this paragraph, let me set up the scenario.Just a week ago, I was working the door at a popular bar, and the man, whose name we'll say is Kenny, was not found on the list. He aggressively claimed that he indeed RSVP'd, but never received a response email. I called his bluff and asked him to pull up his email, and though he was in fact on the list, something else about his email bothered me. The words I read on his RSVP stated, “Kenny plus 3 or 4 females.” I almost wanted to pretend like I did not care about the fact that he was on the list. Why could he have not just wrote Kenny + 4, or Kenny with four guests? His innate conditioning as a man in this society blindly allows him to not see why that is problematic. How weird would it sound if Kenny was Kelly, and wrote on her RSVP, “Kelly, plus 3 males”? It doesn't even sound right when you read it.When women address men, we call them men. When was the last time you as a woman were talking to your homegirls, about a guy that you're dating and addressed him as “so this male I'm talking to right now…”? I'm pretty sure that this is not likely. Men need to understand that by refusing to equate a woman with more than her sex is a microaggression that subjects women, and perpetuates a misogynist and patriarchal society that clearly degrades and marginalizes women.There are female cats, dogs, turtles, elephants …. people have even claimed that bell peppers have a gender! Either way, opting to call a woman female over just calling her a woman, is part of an old toxic masculine paradigm.Men, we respect you and address you as a man, not male. Please return the favor.Ladies, the next time you feel like biting your tongue, or grinding your teeth when a man ignorantly uses the word female inappropriately, please kindly ask him to refrain from doing so, and briefly explain to him why.Catcalling Isn't InnocentWe live in a world where if you have a vagina, you most likely fear for your safety on an everyday basis. This is not an exaggeration. Everyday women walk the streets with an underlying anxiety and paranoia of being catcalled, or harassed by a random male stranger.How many times have you been minding your own business, only to be verbally or physically ambushed by a man, or group of men? I have even gone as far as crossing the street if I see a group of men ahead in order to avoid dealing with the headache of potential harassment or, in the very least, uncomfortable staredowns. I liken this paranoia to the same feeling a person of color might get when police officers are driving behind them on the road. It's an inherent sense of fear that exists due to a pattern of conditioned societal norms.Please do not ask me to smile, as if you are entitled to your perceived notion of my attitude. Please do not ask if you could walk with me along my trip, as if you are entitled to disrupting my solitude. Please do not comment on my appearance, as if you are entitled to disclosing your sexual attraction to my body. Please do not curse me out or berate me when I do not accept or respond to your harassment, as if you are entitled to my acknowledgement of your intrusion. Above all of these requests, I ask that you respect my boundaries, not only as a woman, but as a human being.Men, if you have a hard time understanding why catcalling of any kind is not innocent, and a direct assertion of your disrespect for women, just ask Dave Chappelle. Surprisingly, he has been able to “mansplain” his awareness of the misogyny, that women likely face on an everyday basis by comparing it to receiving a large amount of drug money to carry on his way home. “Jesus Christ, if motherfuckers knew much money I had in this backpack, they’d kill me for it. Then I thought, ‘Holy shit, what if I had a pussy on me all the time?’ That’s what women are dealing with. […] If those same drug dealers gave me a pussy and said, ‘Put it in your backpack and take it to Brooklyn,’ I’d be like, ‘Nigga, I can’t accept this.’Ladies, the next time you have to school a man on the inappropriateness of catcalling and he's not trying to listen, just put on that Dave Chappelle skit.Why Rape Culture Is RealPiggybacking off the last topic of catcalling, rape culture is the larger epidemic that encompasses this. By definition, rape culture is a sociological concept that describes “a society or environment whose prevailing social attitudes have the effect of normalizing or trivializing sexual assault and abuse.” (Wikipedia)In addition, “behaviors commonly associated with rape culture include victim blaming, slut-shaming, sexual objectification, trivializing rape, denial of widespread rape, refusing to acknowledge the harm caused by some forms of sexual violence or some combination of these.”Social movements such as “Me Too” and “Times Up” has ushered a wave of women standing up against the quieted trend of men getting away with assaulting and raping women by sweeping this abuse under the rug, and condemning or disbelieving any woman who stands up for herself or demands justice. From Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby, to James Franco and Aziz Ansari, women are demanding that abusers from both ends of the spectrum are held accountable for their actions.Recently, in a personal experience with a hostel mate, according to him, one of the critiques men apparently have with these movements are that they seek to equally punish men for sexual wrongdoing of all levels. He even went as far as to say that rape culture is not real. Clearly he seems to only hear what he wants to hear, and willfully denies the truth in the purpose of these movements. Of course, if a man uninvitedly slaps your ass while out dancing he should not receive the same penalization as a man who drugs and molests you while under the influence.The whole point of this conversation, however, is to acknowledge that regardless of the level of wrongdoing, the realization of rape culture, no matter how trivial or non-existent you think the violation is, must be addressed with the same vigor as a rape suspect. No one says that someone who smacks your butt should be thrown in jail. The problem is, no one speaks about why a man who smacks your butt needs to be set straight too.In another recent conversation with a man, he disclosed to me his opinion about a woman who was raped. He said that rape has a positive effect on a woman in the long run. In his clarification, he said that a woman learns from the experience. If he can nonchalantly say this with a straight face to me, a woman who has experienced sexual assault and comes from a family and circle of women who have experienced it as well, what makes you think that he thinks twice about penalizing a man who unsolicitedly gropes a woman on the dance floor or passive-aggressively tries to coerce sexual intercourse?Ladies, if you are unfortunate enough to have a man like this in your life, cut him off. This is a clear display of your zero tolerance for misogyny at any level. After my hostel mates displayed their ignorance, I completely ignored their presence. The second one thought that we were all cool and the next day he texted me an invite out to eat. I responded to him with a stern warning to never say another word to me again, and I blocked him. For the duration of my time in those hostels, neither men ever dared to approach me again. For what it is worth, I planted a seed. A seed that hopefully sprouts into a positive change in their toxic masculinity.Sexualization And Narration Of The Female FormFor as long as I can remember, the policing of women and their bodies has been dictated by patriarchy. From high fashion gatekeepers, to hip-hop music video directors, what is considered attractive when it comes to how women should look, act, speak and express themselves has been contorted through the lens of the male gaze. Some men can't even walk down the block without mentally undressing a woman they're attracted to.This is not to say that women don't also check men out, but we don't have a whole system that degrades men. I can't even use the word matriarchal, because that is not the opposite of patriarchy, due to the simple fact that “rule by women” has never existed in the patriarchal sense of “rule.” (Johann Jakob Bachofen, The Mother Right)A recent article on xoNecole described the raw truth about the extent that women go to alter their bodies to fit a cultural expectation of an artificial and monolithic view of ass and tities, or the “bad bitch” physique, which has led to artists like Keisha Nicole putting her body through extremities that ultimately led to poisoning her own body. No doubt the pressure to fit into male orchestrated boxes have led to many women doing the most to feel attractive toward men.It is also safe to say that patriarchy and toxic masculinity has also perpetuated divisive riffs among women of color when it comes to colorism. When you watch music videos, you are sure to see a light skin, “good hair having,” stretch mark free, voluptuous woman as the featured model. The assertion that light-skin is considered exotic, and dark skin is considered less than, has rooted itself in our popular culture. Though times are changing and representation of all shades and body types of melanin are being embraced, we cannot be blind to how the narrative has been shaped by misogyny to begin with.Men, your sexual preference is individual to you. One man might find a well-endowed woman attractive, while another man might be more interested in a slender or petite woman. Either way, the female body is not yours to control, influence, critique or hyper-sexualize.Ladies, your body belongs to you. Whether it's light skin or dark, whether it's shapely or slim. We are entering a phase of divine feminine reclamation of not only our bodies, but also our vaginas, wombs, femininity, masculinity, self-expression and self-care. Present yourself as it is most true to you, and no one else. Do not be ashamed of your own body, and do not allow male policing or sexualization to make you feel guilt, shame or unworthy.Balancing The Divine Masculine And Feminine EnergiesLastly in this discussion, is the concept of balancing both the divine masculine and feminine energy within everyone. We have been socialized to believe that being a man means to be wholly masculine and being a woman means to be wholly feminine. This is an illusion that keeps the balance between both male and female identities compartmentalised in this way. Think of gender identity in terms of Yin and Yang. There is not one without the other.“The divine feminine is not exclusively gender specific — nor is the divine masculine. As we heal, the divine aspects of what appear to be two dualistic genders are eventually desired, integrated and embodied to replace our sense of separation. Both feminine and masculine divinities are simply healed expressions, or attributes of our recognized and embodied oneness.” (Nouk Sanchez, “Divine Feminine and Divine Masculine”)As women are embracing the divine feminine, there is an awakening that many believe is occurring for the divine masculine. As women begin to rise and take hold of their masculine energies as leaders and freethinkers, men are being prompted to dissolve the toxic masculine ego and learn to live from a state of being heart-centered.The key to understanding this concept is to realize that no matter what your sex or gender identifier is, the two polarities that exist are of the divine masculine and feminine energies. To ignore this is to ignore your own spiritual and energetic elevation. This inner alchemy is what will allow every human being to understand empathy, compassion, unconditional love and Universal Oneness.Through these understandings, systemic structures such as patriarchy, misogyny and racism can, and will be,...

You’re not busy. You’re a sh*tty manager of your time. There, I said it. I have been meaning to get this off my chest for some time. And by you… I mean the collective you, not you personally unless this applies to you.I’ll be the first to admit guilt. Meaning I have uttered those words, “I’m busy.” You have said it, too. Anyone over the age of 11 has implied it more than once this week alone.Let’s climb into the tree of trust and have a moment of get-realness. The real reason you didn’t make those brunch plans, write that business plan, finish that home improvement project, go to the gym, call your mother, update your website or live your best life was that you did not make it a priority. When something or someone (this applies to any relationship) is a priority in your life, you rule your time to connect with it.This is a trivial example, but it works. I am the proud owner of a unibrow. If I were stranded in the wild, my brows would connect and grow into my baby hair. I know you’re probably thinking that I wake up like this, but there is a considerable amount of effort and trick lighting to make this happen.Since I have no desire to look like Al B. Sure “On Your Own” circa 1988, I have a standing second and fourth Tuesday appointment to get it sorted. I will shut down my laptop, cease the tweeting and doing it for the 'gram so I can ensure my brows are two separate and distinct individuals.When you think about it, if you really wanted to have brunch with “so and so” from the “such and such,” you would have whipped out your phone/calendar and booked it on the spot. That business plan that you have been meaning to write, you would have made space in your life for it if it was a priority.Here’s a couple of tips to rule your time:Wake your a$$ up earlier:  If you need to fit a little more in your day, try waking up 30 minutes earlier. This is great for side hustlers and part-timepreneurs.Live by your calendar: Block out time in both a paper and digital calendar for your professional and personal time. STICK TO IT.Don’t be a jerk to your future self: Organize your day the night before. Draft your non-negotiables (that’s another post), pack your lunch, set up coffee if you don’t own a Keurig one cup or lovely Nespresso and lay out your clothes. Beyond prepping the day before, think of most tasks through the lens of your future self. So is Current Keita setting Future Keita up for unnecessary shenanigans (i.e. saving all her receipts in an orderly fashion to make tax time a breeze)?Set timers for time sucks: Have you ever looked at one Instagram post and then realized you have lost an hour? I recommend checking social media like meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner and a light snack) and keep it to 15-minute chunks (unless you’re social media influencer, then get your coins).Just say no: Rulers say no with ease. To focus on your priorities and/or goals, you may have to say no to Taco Tuesday or Winesday after work to get things done.I’m going to say something controversial. Stop trying to manage your time! Management implies that it has free will and a choice in behaving. I’m going big and crowning you queen or king of your time! Let’s move our mindset from manager to monarch. Rule over your time as it is the only commodity you cannot get back. #WakandaForeverSee, you’re not that busy. You read this to the...

My bestie asked me how I felt about Black Panther. Knowing me as well as she does, I had an idea of the answer she expected.At the time she asked, I had already seen the movie, twice. I will see it a third time with my spouse.It was amazing to see our community organize around a movie with an all-black leading cast and director. I received a Facebook event invitation to see the film opening weekend (February 2018) in October of 2017. I knew of the comic book. I own the first copy written by Ta-nehisi Coates. It's still in the plastic. But I didn't understand why I was receiving an invitation so early. I didn't understand the excitement around the movie until closer to the release date, when I started to understand the pride. Then, there was the #BlackPantherChallenge, started by Frederick Joseph, to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Harlem, where I volunteer.I understand the importance of providing youth with positive examples. I understand the importance of supporting a predominantly black cast and director. I was thrilled to observe the excitement. Adults organized theaters full of friends, in Afrocentric attire, to see the film. Donations poured in from individuals and celebrities for the #BlackPantherChallenge. I know several people that have seen the movie multiple times. It grossed more than a billion dollars worldwide and is the highest grossing superhero film in US history.But this is not why my friend asked me the question. She knew my observation and analysis would have nothing to do with the aforementioned statements. As I watched the energy and effort put into organizing support around this movie, I could not help but think, "What if we organized like this around ANY of the issues effecting our community?" Why don't we support our institutions this way, with small donations?As people plan their imaginary trips to Wakanda and contemplate how life would be in the fictional place, what work can we do to create Wakanda where we are?  Wakanda is a self-sustaining nation of people who isolated themselves from the outside world and built a strong country, all while closely observing what was happening in the rest of the world. I am not advocating for segregation, but I am saying we should begin to financially support our institutions, businesses and the candidates and elected officials who advocate for policies that improve our communities.The financial support for this movie illustrates that we have the economic power to do it. If all of us donated the cost of a movie ticket to our local nonprofits, cultural institutions, political action committees or elected officials that support our communities, we can begin to build power in our communities.If we can effectively organize our friends and family for a movie outing, what is stopping us from doing the same on primary and general election days? Together, we can ensure all are registered to vote, informed about candidates and ballot proposals, have the appropriate identification (months in advance) and execute an election day plan.  What is preventing us from using this same energy to advocate for our communities? Why don't we organize our friends and family to contribute the cost of a movie ticket to candidates whose policies align with ours?Believe it or not, $15 to $20 contributions to a candidate from you and your friends, or a theater full of people, can make a difference in a campaign. In New York City, those funds are matched six to one, so a donation of $25 yields $125. You can make a reoccurring donation of $10 per month to a candidate or a political action committee (PAC) like Higher Heights for America and The Collective PAC, that support women and people of color running for office.What transpired with Black Panther shows me what is possible when we decide to devote our time, energy, resources, money and focus to a cause. My only wish is that we galvanized our networks in the same manner with all of the issues impacting our communities. If we did this, Imagine where we would...

In April, Starbucks found themselves caught in a public scandal when two black men in Philadelphia were escorted out of the store by police after employees reported them for loitering. Multiple white customers pointed out immediately that they had spent time at the store without purchasing something and did not prompt police responses.Starbucks moved quickly to respond, issuing a statement announcing that it would close all of its locations May 29 in order to give its employees implicit bias training. For many Americans watching the story unfold, it was the first time they saw a conversation about implicit bias hit the spotlight.Implicit biases are attitudes, thoughts and opinions that may be subconsciously imprinted in our brains. They’re not necessarily beliefs we agree with, but they’re beliefs we’ve been exposed to repeatedly, such that we have internalized them and consider them subconsciously.When the Starbucks employees called the police on two black men who were sitting in the shop, while ignoring white customers around them, they allowed their implicit bias to subtly suggest to them that black men hanging around are automatically dangerous and predatory, rather than merely regular people using Starbucks as a meeting space, as it’s advertised.The whole debacle revealed some important characteristics of implicit bias in America.1. Even Progressives Carry Implicit BiasStarbucks has long positioned itself as a progressive, diverse organization that advocates for equality and acceptance. It’s the company that once tried to “promote conversations about race” by suggesting that customers should ask baristas pressing or difficult questions about racial tensions while ordering a latte. It was a half-hearted attempt at best, but it certainly reflected the values of the company.So what does it mean that something like this could have happened in an organization lauded for progressive politics? Well, it means that absolutely no one is immune from displaying implicit biases. They’re embedded in society and everyone is exposed to them — even people who are opposed to them or raised knowing that it’s hurtful to believe them.For black Americans, escaping the consequences of implicit bias feels virtually impossible. Even in leftist or progressive spaces that advocate for anti-racist ideology, black people often find themselves treated just a bit differently, like slightly suspicious outsiders rather than fully integrated members of the group. Being liberal is no panacea for subtle racism.2. It Doesn’t End with Implicit Bias TrainingAnnouncing plans to put everyone through implicit bias training is a bold step on Starbucks’ part. It indicates a total dedication to addressing the matter via rigorous training. They’re bringing in a number of organizations to help lead their training, including DJs with turntables, and even responding to public criticism to some of their decisions and changing up the roster.But the implicit bias training simply won’t be enough to completely re-haul racial dynamics in the United States, which means this incident in April will not be the final incident in which black people are made to feel like suspicious unwelcome strangers in a Starbucks. That’s because studies indicate that mandatory implicit bias training isn’t as hopeful as we hope it would be in actually reducing discrimination and biased behavior.In order to institute long-term change, Starbucks has to develop a long-term plan that includes reinforcing lessons with regular conversation, and rewarding concrete efforts to improve diversity and inclusivity.3. White Allies Have to Doubt ThemselvesWhen it comes to addressing unconscious biases, people have to come to terms with seeing their own faults. White allies in particular have to come to terms with the idea that perhaps their feelings, thoughts and concerns may be misplaced or coming from a place of implicit bias.Although we can put a lot of blame on Starbucks and make them the public whipping boy for the matter, the truth is the same thing could have happened in any other store because racism in embedded in American culture. Which means while companies should be proactive about addressing racism and implicit bias, it’s important to remember that it’s up to individuals to address and correct their own behavior. Addressing implicit bias requires a desire to be less racist and a willingness to acknowledge your own flaws.Kudos to Starbucks for setting a day aside for training, but this cannot be the end of the conversation. This has to be the beginning....

Propaganda is defined as information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view.  Black-aganda is defined as positive images and narratives used to promote awareness of black excellence.There are so many negative and misleading images of us. So many that it makes us question ourselves at time. Everything that we love and glorify about ourselves, is somehow turned into negatives by those lacking melanin. But then, those same things (i.e. features and personality traits) are stolen. What is important to remember is that the ones that steal cannot make a move without us. They wait on our next move so they can join the wave and claim it as their own. In the words of Paul Mooney, “Everybody wanna be a n*gga, but don’t nobody wanna be a n*gga.” News Flash to the world, specifically the United States: We are DOPE! But with that dopeness people will continue to attempt to capitalize off of us, and then paint us as the bad guy when we speak up. I’m sure you have noticed that when one of us are killed, they will pull up every negative thing they possibly can. But when they shoot up a school, they are mentally ill and given the royal treatment, without a hair being touched on their head. Did you also notice how no one mentions the possible PTSD that we suffer from watching us being killed in cold blood without any justice? Our mental health is discredited and overlooked.  That’s why Black-aganda is so important. It literally has to be a grassroots effort.The attack starts with our babies, and self-hate is taught at a very young age. The vast majority of superheroes and Disney princesses are white, the picture they try to mass produce of Jesus is white, the recent BS on the news painted Nefertiti as white, and most commercials have white actors. Additionally, we have the school systems teaching history of people who do not look like us and they try to down play their roles in murder, rape and theft, or they don’t mention it at all. This is all the while not even mentioning our greatness and contributions to this country or world. Our legacy did not start with slavery, and will not end there. I’m also sure you saw the study where the black and brown children preferred a white doll over a brown doll because they thought that one was prettier. This is why we have to manage what our kids read, see and hear. Marley Dias even said she was tired of books about white boys and animals, which is why she created 1000 Black Girl Books. This is also the very reason why I wrote and illustrated Perfectly Brown and Just Justice, to provide positive images of the black family and community as a whole. There were absolutely no melanin characters in my hometown library. My Goddaughter wasn’t reading about herself and I had to change that. These two books not only have a positive story line between the parents and children, but the positivity between the whole community. This is what propaganda neglects to show and doesn’t want the world to know about.We must show our magical, melanin, beautiful and intelligent children who they are and what they come from so they will understand everything they can become. They are unlimited in their abilities and they need to hear it from us so society and propaganda isn’t telling them who they are.  Through Black-aganda we get to control the narrative. To learn more about J Terry, visit...

There’s Washington, and then there’s D.C.In Washington, there’s the White House, lobbyists and those who choose to only walk along the fringes of the city. In D.C., there are longtime residents, junkyard bands, Go-Go music, mumbo sauce and conversations that sometimes begin with “cuz” and often end with “bet.” There were those who traveled around the outskirts of the city, and those who are the pulse of the city. Outside of D.C. few understood the necessity of recognizing what’s been happening in the heart of the nation’s capital.Growing up, newspapers hit my grandparents’ kitchen table hailing Washington as a pristine political space. Concerts at the Kennedy Center and Constitution Hall were the noted facets of culture making the news. Between these lines were the nuances of D.C.’s culture taking shape, from artists like Shy Glizzy, to the opening of popular retail and bar space Diet Starts Monday.I went on Amazon and ordered every single book about Go-Go and went down a social media rabbit role looking for cool things to check out in D.C., as if I were a tourist preparing to go to uncharted territory. I was only moving back home to D.C., a city whose youth culture has evolved as much as the ever-changing landscape of the city. While youth from communities of color continue to set trends and define what’s cool in D.C., the press is only beginning to pay attention to its implications.Broccoli City Festival has become the much needed point of entry for D.C.’s black youth to thrive. The festival, now in its fifth year, spotlighted local artists such as Lightshow, DJs Spicoli & Bombay and Malcolm Xavier, as well as national artists Cardi B, Daniel Caesar, H.E.R, Nipsey Hussle, Rich The Kid, Hood Celebrityy, Grits & Biscuits, Migos and Miguel. Popular DC streetwear brands like, Paradyce and EAT were also present.The city has often only acknowledged its youth through bureaucratic transactions such as, standing in line for a summer job assignment or playing the lottery to go to a school in another Ward. Washington built a wall, and to enter, a permit was needed for youth to share experiences in spaces that normalized respectability politics and misunderstood those who didn’t fit their process. When entering these spaces, it was unacceptable to bring a sense of cultural identity and pride. However, this doesn’t exist at Broccoli City Festival, a movement where the synergy between politics and art exist. Beyond the turn-up, the festival encourages dialogue around issues faced by communities of color. Leading up to the event, youth and others were tuning into the needs of their communities, through park day cleanups, school beautification and after-school reading service opportunities, as an incentive to earning a ticket to the festival. Toyota sponsored BroccoliCon, a series of panels meant to connect communities of color to environmental needs.The festival went from shutting down Half St. in Southeast in 2013 with 5,000 people, to moving over the bridge to the Southeast Gateway a year later, and now selling 30,000 tickets and moving to the parking lot of RFK Stadium. Despite the city’s changing demographics, this festival remains an accurate depiction of the heart and pulse of D.C., one that’s vibrantly contributing not just to the city’s culture, but political voice — without picking sides.Upon my arrival, I was welcomed by a city branded with Broccoli City Festival, and up and down my social media timeline, the festival’s green logo watermarked photos of fly youth turning up and party flyers. I made plans of experiencing the full weekend of events. First up, there was Diggin’ Thru The Crates, an event curated by D.C. native Matthew Talley, featuring DJ Alizay, dedicated to vinyl music. Next up, there was Broccoli City All Night, which took over various warehouses in Union Market, with activations hosted by D.C. party veterans Unkle Scooty of Rock Creek Social  Club and newcomers, The Brownies, a women led book club and consulting agency.This was non-existent when I left for college in Philadelphia, and after graduating, went straight to New York. Five years later and the city is now branded as up-and-coming with a growing art scene. While gentrification and policing have caused D.C.’s culture to be reshuffled, Broccoli City Festival serves as a podium where D.C. brands, artists, and youth can unite.These days I find myself trying to play catch-up with both the old and new things popping up in D.C. Now, not just Washington, but all over the United States, people are finally paying attention to the parts of D.C. once tuned out and erased. People now want to travel here and cop some of the city’s cultural cool that the youth are largely responsible for...

My grandfather was born in 1947, his grandmother was born in 1905 and her grandfather was born in 1857 — you see where this is going?It wasn't that long ago that members of my family were considered to be the property of other human beings. Knowing this has made me even more respectful and reverent of the many black people who were enslaved, because I, like many other black people my age, am not that many generations removed from it.When I heard Kanye West make a comment in a recent TMZ interview suggesting that black people were enslaved by choice, or by perhaps even a lack of resistance, I couldn't even get angry. The statement was so ridiculous to me that I initially laughed.American history would have us believe that enslaved Africans universally accepted their condition as slaves as their ultimate fate. Many people were made to believe that enslaved black people were too docile, too afraid and too ignorant to fight against their own captivity, and just waited until Abraham Lincoln came along and "freed" them.Well, American history is a lie.Black people have consistently resisted slavery and all subsequent forms of oppression in this country for over 400 years. Our ancestors ran away, they broke equipment on plantations, they'd poison their masters, they read and they'd plan massive rebellions.Consider people who organized large scale rebellions like, Nat Turner, Denmark Vesey and Gabriel Prosser. Consider the countless black people who rose up in Bacon's Rebellion against Virginia's wealthy white planter's class in 1676.Consider the Maroon people, blacks who escaped from slavery and settled in the Great Dismal Swamp region. Consider The Underground Railroad; consider Harriet Tubman.Enslaved black people in America never collectively laid down and just allowed their humanity to be stripped away, and to even suggest such a thought is not only subtly anti-black, but it's incredibly disrespectful to our ancestors.Of course, not every black person's ancestors led the rebellions, but many of them did something else which was also revolutionary: they survived.They grew up, they had children, they made each other smile, they read, they laughed, they sang, they prayed, they loved each other all in a society which deemed them subhuman and sought to break their spirit.Referring to slavery as a choice falls into the same school of thought (or lack thereof) as people who say poverty is a choice, or that women choose to be in abusive relationships. It blames individuals for the trauma which systems create and uphold, while those systems, in fact, minimize the individual's choices. Victim blaming 101.When I study my family tree,and see how few generations I am from slavery, I often wonder what I would do if I were the one who was enslaved. Thanks to the sacrifices and the strength of my ancestors, I guess we'll never...

In recent weeks, we have heard a lot from the man, the mogul and the artist, Kanye West. Kanye West has returned in usual fashion and has taken to his typical marketing strategy of meaningful twitter rants — tweets about his ideas, people he’d like to meet with and, once again, controversy.For most Kanye fans, we were in our early to mid-teens when he first came out and we grew up with him. We saw Kanye when he had the shutter shades, a pink polo and a Louis backpack. Kanye showed us that kids from the hood can be different and proud, and his music/lifestyle opened the door in hip-hop for a lot of the new age artists. Kanye made songs like “Jesus Walks,” “All Falls Down,” “Family Business” and “Heard ‘Em Say” that built on the hip-hop legacies of A Tribe called Quest, Mos Def and Common. He conveyed beautiful pro-black concepts and messages through his art, which was why we allowed him into our hearts.Throughout his career, Kanye spoke outwardly against racism, oppression and the overall convoluted system that controls America. We felt that we had a voice rooting for us and attempting to shut the system down. Ye stated on live television that “George Bush doesn’t care about black people,” regarding the former President’s Hurricane Katrina efforts, which did little to aid marginalized communities suffering in New Orleans. We elevated him to the point of stardom he is currently at today because he was always the controversial voice that spoke our truth. That is why this hurts so much. By openly supporting Donald Trump and distancing himself from “conventional black thought,” it’s like he’s turning his back on us.Kanye West has conveyed in his tweets and in his most recent single, “Ye versus the People,” that conventional black thought is a concept used to control and put fear into black people. It is the concept that because you are black, you must adhere to a certain ideological mind state or the black community will disown you. He believes this is a tactic by America to keep us enslaved and limit our ability to think freely. However, Kanye West, someone who has contributed largely to this idea of “conventional black thought,” refuses to acknowledge that this concept only applies to hatred. Across the spectrum, what most people within the black community hold near and dear to their hearts, as an oppressed people, is unity. Our music, lifestyles and struggles have all led back to unity. As a people, we cannot tolerate hate in any way, shape or form; which is why if you have any hate in your heart, the black community will not support you.Trump’s campaign has allowed hate groups in the U.S to flourish without consequence, has ridiculed black protestors, objectified/assaulted women and has degraded people from our country and immigrants alike. He has used his platform to promote hatred, which has allowed hate crimes and overt discrimination to flourish and grow because of this. He has built a nation that is comfortable with brandishing a narrative of hateful thinking. Kanye believes that by wearing the MAGA hat he can promote unity and love to snuff out hatred, but instead he is being used as a pawn to further a more hateful agenda. As Janelle Monae said recently, "If your free thinking is used as fuel by oppressors to continue to oppress black people, minorities — I think it's bullshit and not OK.” While I believe his heart is in the right place, his methods are surely off.Ye has assisted in the evolution of hip-hop into the introspective, expressive, honest genre it is today. He has revealed much of his fallacies, insecurities and fears with us on 808s & Heartbreaks. He has cultivated a style in which the voice can be a musical instrument, as he did on the songs “Lost in the World” and “Runaway.” He made it popular for God to be mentioned in hip-hop outside of gospel with “Jesus Walks” and “Ultralight Beam.” Without Kanye West, hip-hop would not be as emotionally expressive as it is now; he has largely contributed to the progressive hip-hop era we live in.I believe Kanye’s support of Donald Trump, is misguided, but not malicious. Kanye has always been the voice of the people and so I will not give up on him just yet. Ye’s parents and grandparents were activists, and he’s been a revolutionary voice for black people since the inception of his career. If Kanye is wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat, then I have faith that he believes that he is on the right side of history and in our corner once again, although I disagree with his methods. If anything proves to be true about Kanye, his heart is always in the right place, but his methods are always questionable. As the infamous Kendrick Lamar once asked, “when shit hits the fan, are you still a fan?” And here I believe this holds true more than ever.Please Kanye, take the hat...

As I look around the world today, I am troubled by the atrocities that have plagued our communities. At the same time, I am inspired and encouraged to see incredible examples of excellence that are blazing new trails across diverse industries. I truly believe that we are hitting a tipping-point moment in the world. We are awakening to our greatness as a community, and I am glad to see examples of us uniting together for such important causes. I believe this is the only way to see our community advance. We must have a vested interest as shareholders in the progression and prosperity of our communities.Now, more than ever, I believe that we have started to make big strides and that we are renewing our commitment to excellence. We have a rich heritage and audacious examples that have gone before us. In essence, we have the prophetic blueprint and now it is time to build at a brand-new level. Here are four ways we can continue to move forward:1. Continue to use the power of our collective voices to make a difference.One thing I know for sure is that we have tremendous power as a community. When we come together on important issues we can affect real change. The beauty of the civil rights movement was its powerful illustration of the beauty of unity. We must continue to do the important work, facilitate environments for meaningful dialogue, challenge norms and biases and hold leaders accountable. Unity demands that we have shared vision and shared values. It is not ignoring the concerns of others. Ultimately, it is continuing to work to find common ground. When we are undivided we are truly unstoppable.2. Create opportunities and bridge gaps.As an entrepreneur, I discovered years ago that some doors were not going to open unless I opened them myself. It was one of the reasons that I started my business years ago. I have worked tirelessly to break down walls, shatter ceilings and create bridges that those coming behind me can walk across. We are in a renaissance era for African American entrepreneurs. Now, more than ever before, we are rising up as a people and understanding how incredibly powerful we are. We must continue to be innovative and create spaces for our genius to flourish. I believe over the next 10 years we will see exponential growth and acceleration of black businesses.More importantly, as we create businesses, we create opportunities for the advancement of our communities. I am proud to be an entrepreneur and I know this is an incredible vehicle with unlimited potential. I have made a commitment to use my voice, relationships and resources to elevate our communities. In addition, I have vowed to use my influence to empower others to follow their dreams.3. Demonstrate the incredible buying power of our communities.I am so proud of the progress we have made as a community. However, I know that there is so much more work to do. The reality is that the world has started to see the buying power of the African American community. It is something I have known for years, but I am glad to see that the world is paying attention. We need more black businesses and more trailblazers. We need these businesses in our communities and we need to give them our full support. It is important that we make a strong stand and that we challenge the assumptions and misconceptions about us. For example, I have vowed not to support businesses that promote inequality, racism and inequity in their practices. One thing I know as an entrepreneur is that money talks. When we refuse to support those that undervalue and dishonor our communities, we show the world just how much power we have as a community.It is important that we send a strong signal to organizations and leaders that seek to be condescending and callous towards our communities. Money is a powerful tool. Money gives you a voice and the power to make a difference. Let’s continue to pour money into places that celebrate and honor our contributions.4. Never lose the resilient spirit that makes us great.I can remember sitting and talking with my great-grandmother years ago. She would tell me the stories of injustice that she encountered growing up in the south. It was a difficult time in American history. She was denied access and opportunities because of the color of her skin. However, she did not allow any of those experiences to stop her. I often pause and appreciate the sacrifices of my grandmother and others like her. While I know it was not easy, they remained resilient in the face of great resistance. Thankfully, the civil rights movement came and we saw some progress made. Obviously, everything is not perfect and we still have lots of work to do, but the same time, I look at my parents and I can see progress. Then, I look at my own life and I see more progress.I am very aware that we still face inequities and inequalities, however, I am also aware of the privileges and opportunities that we have. I have been blessed to earn two college degrees, start a business and experience some success in my life. None of this would have been possible without the sacrifices of our forefathers. We owe it to them and future generations to continue to raise the bar. As we rise, we must commit to continuing to lift each other up. May we all model excellence and rise...