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I have not done a lot of posting to this Blog in the last week or so because the events in the world of late have made my spirit so sad that it was truly difficult to post about Shoes, Bling, Clothes, etc. Specifically the racially motivated murders of 9 people in the Mother Emmanuel AME Church on June 17, 2015 truly broke my spirit for awhile. It made me really question who we are as human beings in the United States of America and whether we have come very far in race relations in this country. I usually don't post about political or religious issues on my IG account because I want it to be a light and fun place for women like me to go and get style ideas and tips. But what happened on June 17 really transcends all of that for me. As a Black American Woman of West Indian Ancestry (Tobago, WI to be exact), I have experieinced racism all my life in the United States. From having fruit and other items thrown at me on a school bus because my parents chose to integrate an all white neighborhood), to the more subtle types of racism of everyday life (being followed in a retail store, being passed over for promotions at work, having my ideas questioned and then validated when the identical thought came out of a white mouth). The fear I live with everytime my 15 year old son is out of my presence as I worry that he could encounter the wrong cop on the wrong day. This is everyday life as a person of color in the US and none of us can escape it. But what happened in Charleston really shook me to the core. For a person to walk into a Wednesday night Bible study and execute a pastor and his congregants because they were black is just beyond the pale. That individuals running for President refuse to recognize this as a race based act of terrorism is beyond the pale. That our country refuses to do ANYTHING about gun violence and remains in the grip of the NRA who our elected officials allow to dictate our gun policy is beyond the pale. That the Confederate Flag flies on public grounds anywhere in the United States is beyond the pale. That schools, parks and other public buildings in 2015 are still named after individuals who sought to overthrow the US government in order to maintain an economy and way of life built upon the enslavement of people who look like me is beyond the pale. So what can WE/YOU do about it? VOTE. VOTE. VOTE. Not just in national elections but most importantly in your local and state elections. Hold your elected officials accountable and vote them out of office if they fail to do what is right and in YOUR interest rather than the interest of corporations or special interest groups. Don't know how to register to vote? Here is a link to help you: http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Voting/Register.shtml Know anyone who is not registered? Share this link with them and encourage them to register as well. So many people died to ensure that we all have the right to vote and we do them a disservice when we fail to do it. The other thing you can do is to recognize and call out racism and bigotry anywhere you see it. Do not just let it slide. Whether it comes out of the mouth of a stranger, a relative, co-worker, or a friend CALL THEM OUT. And finally, do not forget those who lost their lives on June 17. Do not allow this event to become about the murdered. Always remember the victims. Their names are:
Cynthia Marie Graham Hurd (54) – Bible study member and manager for the Charleston County Public Library system; sister of Malcolm Graham
Susie Jackson (87) – a Bible study and church choir member
Ethel Lee Lance (70) – the church sexton
Depayne Middleton-Doctor (49) – a pastor who was also employed as a school administrator and admissions coordinator at Southern Wesleyan University
Clementa C. Pinckney (41) – the church pastor and a South Carolina state senator
Tywanza Sanders (26) – a Bible study member; nephew of Susie Jackson
Daniel Simmons (74) – a pastor who also served at Greater Zion AME Church inAwendaw
Sharonda Coleman-Singleton (45) – a pastor; also a speech therapist and track coach atGoose Creek High School
Myra Thompson (59) – a Bible study teacher
If you are not a part of the solution you are a part of the problem. Be Brave. Be Active. Be a part of the change you want to see in the world. God Bless You All.