Hair Today

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Natural hair for African American women is a term used to describe the state of one's hair when there is no perm in it. Hair in its natural state has become a craze due to mainstream vocal artists such as Jill Scott, Angie Stone, and Janelle Monae (not sure if she is natural) to name a few. The one issue that holds black women back is manageability. Most women allege that they cannot manage their hair without a chemical relaxer.  These relaxers whether professional or “kiddy” strength change the texture of the hair from coarse to smooth.  Most women don’t realize that these relaxers are harder on the body than they appear.  Consider that physicians do not want women to relax their hair when they are pregnant.  That says a lot.  I admonish women of color to embrace your own hair.  I won’t say everyone who relaxes their hair is trying to be someone they are not because some women look really nice in relaxers and their hair remains healthy.  However, why keep relaxing your hair if you see noticeable damage to your nape, thinning in your crown and edges?  Hair in its natural state is much healthier and requires less maintenance believe it or not.  This is because all the time that you spend un-doing the damage a relaxer has caused can  be invested in strengthening your pretty original hair.    

 

Kwanzaa (Cooperative Economics)

Today we celebrate the fourth day of Kwanzaa as Ujamaa. That means cooperative economics.  The headlines are flooded with "fiscal cliff" conversations. This term is dubbed from a speech Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke delivered before Congress earlier this year. Simply put the 2% tax break that we all felt in our pay checks will disappear. The government will cut spending on key programs that affect the elderly and working poor.  With this in mind, we can make great use of the money we do have access to.  I see many advertisements on television that suggest we don't get rich off saving money. But it sure does help to have a few dollars for any unforeseen expenses. I am not the best at saving myself. What I will do is if I have additional money from my check, I will put 20 more dollars on a small bill to get a tiny step ahead.



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Another thought is, support black businesses when we see them. I often get items from other ethnic groups such as beauty supplies and household cleaning items. However, if I see a black store, I will make my purchase from them. The main reason their prices are higher is because new black owned stores don't have “the connects” that the experienced merchants have. It amazes me how we stand in line for sneakers that are marked up 400 percent, and we know were created with child labor in harsh conditions. Yet, we complain about giving a black store owner 3 more dollars for a tab. Our priorities need to be re-evaluated. 

Kwanzaa (A sense of purpose)

 

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The fifth day of Kwanzaa is calledNia. That is to have a sense of purpose. What is your purpose? The word"calling" can substitute purpose.  This purpose can be on many levels as wetypically wear more than one hat.  Areyou a caregiver in your family? Are you a leader on your job?  Do you have responsibilities in your religionthat you follow reverently? Are you active in your community?  Who looks to you for advice?  Who always needs favors from you? Whatchildren are in your life? What seniors are in your life?  Many questions can be directed inward when itcomes to purpose. None of the questions to ask ourselves involve titles becauseour sense of purpose comes from within.  Itis not made by men. We all matter to ourselves, to our creator, and to thosewho need us most.  This can be a startingplace for our purpose.  The environmentis a great way to extend our purpose.  Doyou litter? Do you clean your yard?  Doyou recycle? Again, the purpose of this blog is to help you recognize that youhave purpose and you matter to the community. Take a great purpose into thecoming year with you.

Kwanzaa ( Collective Work and Responsibility)

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Today is the third day of Kwanzaa which is celebrated as Ujima. That is collective work and responsibility. We all know the talk shows where the paternity test is given and the host states who is the father of a child. We watch the mothers run off in disbelief. This makes entertainment for some people. However, are we helping these men and mothers take responsibility for their actions?  It takes a village to raise a child. These couples have fun creating a child, but they need to have the same amount of fun when they raise the child. Educators, caregivers, and religious leaders alike have an influence on a child's upbringing.  The church needs to be a reliable safe haven for youth in other areas outside of traditional ministry and church services. Our great collective responsibility is to do the very best we can to band together to develop our young men and women.

Kwanzaa (Self-Determination)

The second day of Kwanzaa is Kujichagulia. That is self-determination.  In this age where the computers do everything for us, we need some motivation to stop being lazy.  We need patience. Self-determination could serve as a great backdrop to get things done.  I can think of some things that I am determined to complete with excellence. This mindset is good because we all get discouraged. Think about someone in your life who is determined. What are some of their character traits? Are they always punctual? Are they detail oriented? Do the follow through with tasks to fruition? This self- determination thing is contagious. Surround yourself with like minded people. We can do as Angela Davis says "lift as we climb".

Kwanzaa (Unity)

      Today is the first day of Kwanzaa which is Umoja. That is unity. Some African American Protestants have an issue with celebrating Kwanzaa as they see it is a replacement to the extremely commercialized Christmas. I question the lack of understanding of this week long celebration. This celebration is not based off religion. Therefore, it should not replace any religious practices.  On the surface it could be confused as a pro-black thing. However, this is a movement by one of the fine African American men that can serve as an example to our dying generation-Dr. Maulana Karenga. This light skinned trendy looking gentleman has come up with a positive holiday. This holiday is not built around door busters, nor does it conflict with the fiscal cliff. It is one of reflection. The concept doesn't suggest we act like ancient Africans for a week. Rather, it lends itself to the basic principles of any human. If we unite, we can accomplish things on a grand level that the evils of government cannot fight against. Happy Kwanzaa!

National Rifle Association N.R.A. Press Conference

A week and a half after the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, I still see flags flying at half staff in my own small town. This makes me reflect each time about the tiny faces we will never see again in this life. Wayne LaPierre, the N.R.A. vice president, said at a media event following the shooting, “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” To an extent, that is true. We can't bring a knife to a shoot-out. However, the thought of going to college to teach and then have to train to kill in the gun range makes me uneasy. The idea of a strapped kindergarten teacher will never sit right with me. At this rate, the teachers would have to at best have an assault weapon because a simple hand gun would not be powerful enough to counteract the machine guns that these intruders carry to complete a deadly massacre.  Sadly enough, we see that courageous teachers who tried to trick the intruder still lost their lives.

      LaPierre was also correct about the violent video games and media. This is what has been raising 80's babies and their off-spring. Suspense and action packed movies that show machine guns and people's heads getting blown off are always top sellers. These socially immature, cognitively bright young people think these images are cool. This plays in the background of their mind. This breeds insensitivity to gun violence amongst young people. Everyone who was affected in any way directly or indirectly by the shooting at Sandy Hook has my deepest sympathy as we try to make sense of this matter