What Really Counts Anyway

Greetings Family,

Below is an e-mail discussion I had with a good Facebook Friend DeWayne Williams, a journalist and highly intelligent man which I ALWAYS learn from with every exchange.  I decided to reprint the latest conversation as I gained an astounding realization in responding to DeWayne’s observations……

DeWayne’s Post: I am merely making an observation that’s all. I have always said you gotta keep up or those who are against us will let us know again and again where we stand with them. As long as we have Donald Sterling, the Koch Brothers and those of their ilk controlling this society and making policy we are in more of the same. I pointed out the Maya Angelou vs Mya to show how inept some of us are in fact.. We know about education and economic situation confronting us. I posted two articles about this and both got very little attention. As a former Journalism student and reporter I believe in keeping up with current events. . I cant predict what will happen when I am gone but the future does not look bright. I say that sadly and not derisively. What will my kids do in the world that is coming. I always try to be optimistic but what I see is negative. I wish it were not but that is what I see. I want to be positive but I have to be realistic.

Kioni’s Response: Now I see why we’re supposed to talk. I’m going to break down your observations numerically:

 1^st observation, “you gotta keep up." 

My suggestion, “you have to set the pace and create the game others are to play, live, by in their interactions with you.” That’s what our Ancestors did in captivity by literally raising the European children and adults by instilling values some of them lacked and I am talking spiritually, mentally and emotionally.  

2^nd observation, “those who are against us will let us know again and again where we stand with them”.

My suggestion:  “So what.” They've been doing that since they kidnapped us.  Problem is we did not believe them. Thus countless and unreported “slave” rebellions and run-aways which the European tried to counteract with “laws” to “keep us in our place”  coupled with “science” which proved our “inferiority” along with ideologies stating “what’s ‘wrong’ with us because we did not  like “slavery” because the “master” is so good to us.  And realize too this county was split in half, via the Civil War, due to opponents of “slavery many of them white, remember John Brown ethnicity was European. 

3^rd observation, “I pointed out the Maya Angelou vs Mya to show how inept some of us are in fact.”

My suggestion: You’re missing teachable moments as many of us DON’T know what our history or our Ancestral Heritage and seven years ago DeWayne I was one of them.  My question to you, “How would how do you address others for the “lack” of knowledge?”  Because my feeling is everybody knows something and what they my “lack” in historical education, is trumped by life experience-but that’s another conversation.  

4^th observation, “We know about education and economic situation confronting us."

 My suggestion, “Do we really?” Since you are referring to the present, many of us have acculturated into the Capitalistic brain washing of consumerism which, in my opinion is the new slavery subjugating legions of people worldwide due to the business practices of this county. However even that is slipping as America is in debt to other countries, China primarily, and remember too this county has no gross natural product i.e. we import more than we export. All of that to say, many us, hell many people in general DO NOT know the economic polices Corporations are espousing on America’s behalf.  Which is yet, another teachable moment on how it’s your dollar and not marches that will affect and eradicate racism.  Because what I have discovered DeWayne it is not about black, or white or brown or yellow it’s about GREEN and it has ALWAYS been that.  Corporations are using racism as the ultimate diversionary tactic, so you DO NOT see what they are doing to protect THEIR green. 

5^th observation, “I posted two articles about this and both got very little attention.”

My suggestion, “‘Think quality not quantity’ because your posted articles did get “some” attention and that counts. All it takes is one (1) to create a movement.  Harriet Tubman is one. Malcom X is one.  Fannie Lou Hamer is one. Dr. John Henrik Clark is one. Alice Walker is one. Ivan Van Sertima is one.  Dr. Rovenia M. Brock A.K.A. Dr. Ro is one. Cheika Anta Diop is one. Iyanla Vanzant is one. Meri Ka Ra A.K.A. Richard Bird of KRST Unity is one. Oprah Winfrey is one. I am one. You are one.  We are an African people and it is orally, from mouth to ear, lessons were passed from time beginning-commencing with our Ancestors- progressing to the present-through the Ones that have awaken-and will carry us into the future through the generations now who are struggling to know what racial segregation is as they have not ever experienced it. And do not get me wrong racism is still prevalent as a new studies show that education in poor communities are abysmal compared to whites.  However, let people of color start pulling their children out of public schools and see how long that disparity will last. I will reiterate, the new marches, are where you put your dollar and that will create cents (sense).

6^th observation, “I can’t predict what will happen when I am gone but the future does not look bright. I say that sadly and not derisively. What will my kids do in the world that is coming. I always try to be optimistic but what I see is negative. I wish it were not but that is what I see. I want to be positive but I have to be realistic”  

My suggestion, “Be positively realistic.  Because predicting the future is not the issue here, the issue is now.  What NOW can I do? My answer is from a brilliant response from Jada Pinkett-Smith at a luncheon. A two word response that stunned as well as silenced the room, “Do you.”  Help by transforming the darkness that is on your spirit by becoming the Light I SEE IN YOU.  You’re mad, angry, because you care  and love your people and your people are  the civilization  Human and this includes animals as well as the environment   Journalism reports current events truthfully so the reader can make an informed decision. Yet if the Journalist is disillusioned how then can he be of service.  Pray to your Higher Power, DeWayne to lift the darkness and relinquish the anger, rage even, cause it is blinding you to the truth, that can make your enemy your foot stool.  Fore by being a shining example of Lena’s beautiful baby boy HE CAN TRANSFORM THE WORLD WITH HIS WORDS ON THE PAGE.  Maya Angelou said, “Words are things” I’m getting chills as I type, because words are living entities that when used properly can tear down walls. Yet conversely used improperly, words can erect valleys, mountains, negative spaces that give the illusion of being insurmountable.  Yet here we are and despite the political antics of the 1% could not un-elect an African-American President-TWICE.  And you know they tried HARD and are working HARD when he does leave office to un-do the progress-that’s where you doing you comes into play.  Now are you going to complain about it or are you going to be about it? And this question is not case specific to you DeWayne but EVERY body who is moving their mouth and not their behind into action.  And your part, you doing you does not have to be running for office.  It can be helping that woman across the street.  Speaking a kind word to another you see could use encouragement.  Or Family, not posting racial pejoratives on Face Book like: “Black people never help each other”, “Black always bring each other down”, “You can’t trust Black people to do nuthin’”.

Now Family after 50 years being on this earth, I must say, I’m-sick-and-tired of hearing this mindless, senseless verbal abuse wage against our people.  Our people are great, then and now. So those of you who are attempting to degrade our people with divisive judgments, by reciting the same old rhetoric-STOP IT-STOP IT NOW.  And I am curious, especially if you are African American, are you removing your skin color when you make this snide remarks i.e. you’re temporarily another race-is that when you put “Those people” kind of attitude and I’m guilty of it too. 

However when I became conscience seven years ago, I stopped because I realized; I was only contributing any solutions, just lamenting the problem. Galvanize by doing something, anything like the aforementioned examples I stated earlier.  My something is to start a non-profit, which I’m currently seeking funding, to help people of color re-build self-esteem.   I am also in the middle of creating a T-Shirt business to put uplifting thoughts across people’s chest a.k.a the Heart Chakra. At the end of this year I am running in my first a half marathon to help AID’s.  What Mr./Ms. Black People Never Help Each Other are you doing? Gandhi said it best, “BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD”. And I’m going to leave it there.

So in conclusion the reason DeWayne I said at the beginning of my response to you, “Now I see why we’re supposed to talk” is because-I was you.

And the same darkness that is on your spirit was on mine and it took seven years in an emotional and verbally abusive relationship which freed me from my anger.  The moment, when I could no longer take the same-old-same-old from my EX, is when my Creator, Yemaya said, “Are you ready to take my hand?” My response of, “Yes” ejected my hand from  my Ex-boyfriends fusing it onto Yemaya’s as well as the Ancestors, and I’m crying as I type, to love me in way I thought I could not ever be LOVED and I through this I was made whole. This transformed me into the Light Yemaya and the Ancestor’s wanted as well as needed me to be.  And this was not based on an exclusionary, but inclusionary principles culminated when I returned to my spiritual center, KRST Unity, which planted the seed and now had grown to become rooted in me to blossom into my authentic Self.

Go stand in the light, the sunshine, DeWayne, because once you transform your perception your perception of things transform.  Fore having the willingness to see things differently creates a paradigm shift

And I’ll make a prediction, when you invite the light of your Creator to reside in your heart, no one will say, “What happened to you?” inferring you are unattractive, ever again.  As the Creator’s Light will transcend your “looks” as folk will now be drawn to the substance of your Be-ing and really DeWayne that’s what really counts anyway.....

Blessings of Peace,

Kioni

 Further reading:

They Came Before Columbus by Ivan Van Setima

The First Americans Were Africans by David Imhotep, PhD

Destruction of Black Civilization by Chancellor Williams

Christopher Columbus and the Afrikan Holocaust by John Henrik Clarke

Ancient Black Hebrews and Arabs by Anu M'Bantu & Gert Muller

Civilization or Barbarism by Cheikh Anta Diop

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe