I'm on the phone with this guy I used to date right now and we separted almost a year ago because I couldn't be devoted to him. We saw the relationship wasn't going anywhere. Anyway, I'm married now and with a baby on the way and he contacts me out of the blue (which i think is a test from GOD) and ask me to come see him. I could tell he was thinking sexual things. I told him I was pregnant AND married and he still wants to see me. I explained to him that it would be cool to kick it but I know he's going to flirt. He's still on the phone right now as I'm typing and all i hear is blah blah blah because he's talking about how he wants a girl from another country. Which isn't the first time I heard this from a brotha. This is like the 8th guy who told me he's giving up on black women. It's frustrating and I'm almost in tears because we are BEAUTIFUL and I'm looking at the women on this site and my friends and all I see is inspiration.

Yesterday was my husband's grandfather's/father's birthday. I felt moved to pour libation in honor of him. I didn't know how to do it, but I did what I felt. I know it probably wasn't the proper way, so I am interested in learning how to do it properly. I was so moved once I came back inside because of the decision to pour libation, and also by the fact that it was the first thing that I have done that connected me to my culture and that I did on my own free will in connection with the Creator and Ancestors. I also included my husband and children of course and that is a big step because I know I just started a fight. I say that because it will soon get back to my Christian family that this was done. My husband said that for the first time since his grandfather's death he felt like he was present. That meant a lot. I am glad that I have been able to find the strength the make such a big step, but I want to do it correctly. Thanks in advance for any advice.

I am new here although I have been lurking off and on for sometime. I am going through a major transition in my life.

I am not sure what I believe spiritually right now. As of late, it is easier for me to tell you what I am still unsure of or currently working through and where I have come from. I live in the Bible belt and was raised in the C.M.E. church. I was never given the freedom to make my own decisions as to my spiritual path, which is why at 32 my journey is beginning/continuing with much fervor and excitement. I practiced Yoruba/Ifa briefly but gave it up again when I returned to my parents house. My father would have preferred that I was a boy so I have recently been introduced the thought of the divine feminine and it is still unfamiliar and foreign. All that to say that I am here to learn, to take notes, to continue my journey of evolution. I look forward to growing with you all.

I’ve recently finished reading A Taste of Power, an autobiography of ex-Black Panther Elaine Brown. It was truly a fantastic journey; I loved traveling with her as she recounted her days as a youth in North Philadelphia (not too far from where my own family lived) who desired to use her education, light skin, and “good hair” to assimilate into whiteness, her days of “Becoming Black” (one of the chapters in her book) when she finally understood her own oppression and was able to connect that to the oppression of her people, and her rise to power in the Black Panther Power, the vanguard of Black Revolution in the 1960s and 1970s.

See and hear what spiritual Jamaicans have to say about how this practice is linked to the slave trade, abuse of Christianity, capitalism and white western illusion. To see a documentary worth watching...click below and click on 'see film'.

http://www.documentary-film.net/search/video-listings.php?e=80

Bless,
InnaRae

Peace and Blessings All,

Good/Evil; Right/Wrong; God/The Devil....

Before the beging, before the mix of colours, 'whites' were predominately left brain thinkers, linear thinkers. The segregaters & the separaters. The writers of the bible who say "we should be no part of the world", that there is an elite group in which we can contain ourselves. Also 'men' are dominately left brain thinkers. Men who see no connection with the female womb & the heavens.Men who believe their power (physical strength) can over power all. Left brain thinkers who believe that one is better than another...

Something to think about...

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I am Hatshepsut(pronounced Hatchepsut)and I ruled as King during the 18th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt(Africa). During my time it was not uncommon for women to have a high status in our society. However it was not all that common for a woman to rule as King. There were other Queens before me that ruled in their own name such as Khentkaues, Sobeknefru, etc. However, my reign lasted successfully about 22 years(the longest reign of any woman of Ancient Egypt)and brought a lot of prosperity and peace to Egypt(Africa). My name Hatshepsut means "foremost of noble ladies" and it is very befetting of me. Being that my father was King Thutmose I and my mother was Queen Ahmose, I was born royal. When my father Thutmose I died his son(Thutmose II, my husband to whom I was the Great Royal wife) became Pharoah. Thutmose II died shortly after his Kingship leaving Thumose III heir to the throne. However, he was too young to serve as King. So, I became Regent which simply meant that I acted on his behalf. I acted as regent for some time and then I made a very bold move. I declared myself King making me the 5th Pharoah of the 18th dynasty.

Hey people, this is your media amasser Helese for Brown Eyez Magazine bringing you some shocking information about Haiti, one of the many African Nations (what I mean by that is inhabited by native peoples of African descent) that has been raped by this country and Canada and France alike (Oh, Canada?! Yes, Canada). It pays to know the truth, not just HIStory. It may be Haiti today, but it could be Brooklyn tomorrow.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=14726- A Giant Step for Mankind Made in Haiti-The Bwa Kay Iman Uprising Against Slavery
During a 2003 interview offered to the author of this article, esteemed American physician and author Paul Farmer commented that, more certainly so than for the 1969 moon landing, he considers the Haitian Revolution to be “a giant step for mankind”.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=13280- What is Canada Doing in Haiti?

Peace and Blessing to all,

I’ve been getting some feedback about how I’ve chosen to represent myself over here and the message that I may be trying to get across. I recognize that this is a sisterhood, with that in mind I think it’s fitting for me to explain to a degree my identity, who I am, and my purpose. Became Become Becoming is representative of RasTafarI that became for INI to become the manifestation that is most becoming of us. I can overstand sisters how this statement may seem invasive, however, its said wherever there is understanding, all is forgiven. (Sanskrit proverb)).

Okay so I get on the web and the first thing I see is this story about the "Lil Monkey" dolls. It made me shake my head and laugh because the powers that be have tried to reduce us down to animals for so long that this did not surprise me. The deep thing about it is europeans have a history for being uncivil, treacherous and barbaric...but we are animals? Some of us do act like animals because we have picked up some bad habits from this society. A wise man once said, "just because someone calls you an ass does not mean you will grow a tail and long ears" and because I find that to be true I don't let stuff like this upset me. However, I am glad that we raised a little cain. Besides it's not what others think of us it's what we think of ourselves. I hear that the doll has been pulled from shelves because of the people that raised hell, but sometimes I don't understand my people. We are quick to point out racism and disrespect when it comes from a person of another color, but we have deaf ears when it comes from our own. The same way we raised hell about this doll we should raise hell about stations like B.E.T.

How do you shed light on the darkness of ignorance if no one is listening?

new post at dustdawta.wordpress.com
follow me twitter.com/dustdawta

So hermanas..I am so glad to be backup and about...kind of. Recently I had major surgery...I had a hysterectomy. For those unfamiliar with the process it is the removal of your uterus. Graphic..Eh...but I'm proud and I embrace my condition. So many women lament the loss of this. NO, I embrace it. It is not "a bitter pill to swallow" as actress, Fran Dresher said on Oprah not too long ago. I knew I could not have children from an early age and so rather than sit on my ass and lament this fact I did something about it. I adopted. It was an incredible endeavored and it was just as emotional as giving birth-it took 2 years. My son's have been a blessing even if their actions have put us through hell. It has been the journey that each individual, from the youngest to the extend family of tias and tios (aunts and uncles) had to take in our family. We are all better people for the hardships that we have traversed.

"Respect means listening until everyone has been heard and understood, only then is there a possibility of "Balance and Harmony" the goal of Indian Spirituality." - Dave Chief, Grandfather of Red Dog

Lately I've been doing a lot of contemplation on the subject/state of Blackness. It has taken on so many different forms over the course of my life. It has been wielded against me as a weapon ("You're not Black enough, you're not a real Black person."), treated as something to be ashamed of, (stereotypes of Black folks as lazy and stupid), or as a very exclusive club you needed to have the right reading list and attire to belong to. I've watched people carry it as a weight, as if the struggle was our truth. What I realize now is, the struggle was never our truth, that was something other forces threw at us to try and break us down. Our truth has always been the joy, creativity, and love we birthed in spite of our struggle. Our truth is making a way out of no way, wearing a smile when those around us might say there's not a damn thing to smile about. We find beauty in the little things.
My own understanding, which I've struggled to hold onto as I sift through the din of voices and images telling me what I'm supposed to think about, is this:

...I enjoy confirming the mysteries of womanhood and wisdom that run through me. Thought to share today's bit. The picture is "Madonna". The wisdom quote, below:

The true Indian sets no price upon either his property or his labor. His generosity is limited only by his strength and ability. He regards it as an honor to be selected for a difficult or dangerous service, and would think it shameful to ask for any reward, saying rather: "Let the person I serve express thanks according to his own bringing up and his sense of honor." - Charles Alexander Eastman, Santee Lakota (Sioux)

This community is awesome.

I am so happy to have found you all.

I have been a blogger about Hip Hop and Feminism since 2005,
and I often bristle at how the gossip blog's go so hard at trashing Black
women.

I really look forward to building community with you.

Warmly,

Renina

The plight of black people can be explained in this simple analogy...

For the past few weeks I've been going through the interview process in order to join americorps for a program addressing issues of hunger in New York. The question that keeps coming up is, "you're an artist. Why are you interested in community work?" It's a valid question, but one I always have to answer when I'm up for any type of community position, and I wanted to expand on that since it's been on my mind.
I consider artists to be a vital part of any and every community. It's important that we have our finger on the pulse of the issues, and provide perspective, healing, a record...whatever we choose to express. The artist is a mirror of her community and also a catalyst for change.
I think there's a stereotype of the artist being locked away in a studio, or isolated is some fancy gallery, and not really being of the people. I know so many artists, most of them artists of color, who do just the opposite. They engage with the community in so many ways. They teach, help build community gardens, speak to youth...and it helps fuel their creative work as well, and also expand their audience.

Sun Apr 19, 12:16 AM

LONDON (AFP) - The father of "Slumdog Millionaire" child actress Rubina Ali tried to sell his nine-year-old daughter for adoption in a bid to escape the Mumbai slums, a British newspaper said Sunday.
ADVERTISEMENT

News of the World alleged that Rafiq Qureshi wanted 20 million rupees (400,000 dollars, 310,000 euros) for the girl, who played the young Latika in the British hit film set in India.
Read the rest at http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/090419/world/entertainment_oscars_film_br...

The first thought I had was "Horrible!" but then of course I remembered that desperation can make people do what the rest of us consider to be awful things. Question is, is it awful, considering the parents' reasons? And, now that his intentions have been publicized, will it be difficult for anyone to come forward to adopt her? And, is this the beginning of an approved trend? Is this slavery?

All things in the Universe are a part of a whole. Every element in the solar system/space exists within us (humans), especially the Blackman and Blackwoman because of the high presence of melanin, but to be more exact its elemental name is Carbon. The entire Universe is a manifestation of pure consciousness, in this consciousness as in anything becomes divided into two aspects or poles neither can exist without the other.
The yin and yang concept is an obvious example of oneness. It represents the opposites of a phenomenon; and yet, together, to be one unit. You cannot have an all-black or all-white yin and yang. There is a clear and distinct separation of the two colors. Yet it is this distinction that gives purpose to this symbol. Just as important is the form of the line that separates the two. The Yin/Yang is not just a circle with a straight fixed division down the middle. The curved line creates the impression that black and white are flowing toward one another, creating a cycle.

Given to me today in ceremony by a great teacher Reverend Heri Khafra, my new name is Mafdet Maat Serqet Amen!

As many of you know, our ren(name)is very important. When you say a name,the sound must resonate a fulfilled feeling within your spirit. Otherwise it will not help you with tapping into your life quest to fulfill your destiny.

In this western society we become accustomed to not giving it another thought of what our name means to us or how significant it is. Many of us are still keeping slave names or will change only change our last name to only take on another slave name.

This is the reason why many who embark on a spiritual path in their lives take initiative to change their name to one of deeper and significant meaning.

My name is a Kemeitc(Ancient Egyptian). In Kemetic language the word name is "Ren". Most Kemetic names reflect Kemetic animals,aspect of th divine(deities),character,morals,or a philosophy.

After reading this article on the Internet it confirms all the more why I hate medication. I suffer from migraines and in order for me to take some pain medication my head has to be on the point of exploding.

Suits Saying Pfizer Experimented on Nigerian Children Are Revived
By Joe StephensWashington Post Staff WriterSaturday, January 31, 2009;

A federal appeals court on Friday revived two lawsuits brought against Pfizer by Nigerian families who say the giant drug maker used their children in an illegal test of an experimental antibiotic.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit in New York ruled that the suits, dismissed earlier by a lower-court judge who said they should have been brought in Nigeria, can now go forward in the U.S. courts. Lawyers said the ruling could set a precedent affecting other American companies accused of wrongdoing overseas.

So I went to this bomb SOLSTICE sistah gathering in Baltimore in December and one of my favorite topics came up: MENSTRUATION of course...Yay to women talking about their blood. I didn't even start the discussion, sistahs talked about the need to examine negative views about menstruation. When one of the sistahs brought up menarche parties, some sistahs didn't know what she was talking about because no one taught us the word MENARCHE (first menses). But now we can do the teaching - BECOME the teachers,which is who we naturally are...Honor your menses sistahs!

Here are some EASY ways to start:

1.Self-awareness is the first step toward HONORING our blood. We must explore our beliefs, views and feelings about menstruation. How do you feel about your blood? Explore where your beliefs came from and why do you feel or believe what you do. Are your views positive,neutral, negative? Do you need to release some beliefs?

MENSTRUATION definitely tops the taboo/don't talk about that list! And when we ARE discussing our mense, we are often talking about it as a negative part of womanhood, when it's just the opposite. A few months ago a sistah friend asked me how I caught my blood. Her question was another reminder of how little we talk about the happenings of our wombs. Not surprisingly how we catch our blood says a lot about how we perceive our blood. And how we see our blood is connected to how we see our WOMANHOOD!

So how do you catch your blood? You know there are many ways to absorb our blood. Honestly, we do not have to use artificial absorbent products at all. Some women recognize when they are bleeding and just go to the restroom and do not use pads, cups, or tampons. But for the rest of us there are menstrual cups, cloth pads, and sea sponges and natural disposable pads to catch our blood. The average woman may not know she has multiple options because the menstrual industry companies dominate the market. This is the same industry that portrays menstruation as a nuisance and hindering. Did you know the mainstream products contain bleach and chemicals?

Our first blood or menarche (pronounced men –ar-key) is our rites of passage into WOMANHOOD. It is the onset of fertility, intuition & power! Most of us never forget when we started our period. We remember where it happened, how it felt and who was there. Now days menarche is a negative, insignificant, or non-event for many young women. But it doesn't have to stay that way! WE can CHANGE that!

Imagine if you had known at eleven or fourteen that your blood was powerful, that menstruation was a blessing. Think of the unnecessary pain & abuse we put our wombs through because we didn’t know better. What happens at our first menstruation can shape us for years to come. It can influence how we view our blood, womanhood, and sexuality. The messages whether societal or familial can impact our perceptions of menstruation and ourselves deeply.

I started bleeding in 1988, I remember it like it was yesterday! I was living in Wagoner, Oklahoma with my grandma & mama. I went to use the bathroom and saw blood, I screamed happily for my mama and she came running. She looked at the blood in the toilet and congratulated me. We were both happy.

If women didn't bleed none of us would be here yet menstruation is looked at as nasty by society. Menstrual blood is the very blood that feeds the continuum of the human race! Our blood is the elemental power of our womanhood.The value we put on menstruation truly correlates to the value we put on womanhood. Not surprisingly we've been bamboozled thru patriarchy and oppression, convinced our blood was a curse, when it's a blessing.

Menstruation created the world according to Judy Grahn. She reminds us that menstrual blood is the only source of blood that is not traumatically induced (meaning any other time we see blood there has been a injury to the body). Grahn says menstrual blood is mostly hidden, rarely spoken of and almost never seen. Yet prior to artificial light, menstruation was used as a tool for measuring time. Ever noticed the similarity between the monthly calendar, the moon, and a woman's menstrual cycle??? (It's all connected!)

Hallo to you :)

Whether you just happened to find this entry or made a special trip, thank you for reading my blogs. I hope this blogging morphs into something even more inspiring next year and it still catches your attention.

This is the last blog entry of the year... well wishes to you and yours! We are off to drink copious amounts of 'Goats do Roam' red wine and loads of Norwegian potatoes and meat.

Oh! and of course learning to Ski.

See u fat and happy in the new year. :)

Mzansi.madame