Alone you sit on the shelf,
the only one of your likeness
among many tan shades, blue eyes,
blond tresses, and smiling faces.
Your sistas stare at you
from across the room between
blonde strands of hair blowing
in your face.
They hope you take notice,
but you continue to look ahead
while wearing a plastic grin
and a plastic fro.
I've caught you every now and then
glancing at the tan Barbie Babes
and I moved you to a different spot.
Your sistas told me to make some room
for you near them, and I did.
But you kept falling over!
I would bend your legs,
support your back,
yet you would still fall!
So I moved you back among the Barbie Babes
and their you rested on their shoulders.
Nicholl McGuire
http://lovepoemsbynicholl.blogspot.com
http://www.twitter.com/poemsbynicholl
Friday
Thursday
Why Some People Refuse to Move to the Back of the Bus
He's afraid he may lose
his position in society
too determined
too frustrated
too worried
too stubborn
to move to the back
because if he does
he may be crowded out
forgotten
instead he rather be bumped in the head
pushed to the side
hit with bags
or hurt someone else
She's afraid like him to move
to the back
too many protests, tears, and screams
to be in the front
neither one wants to step
behind the line
neither one wants to sit in the back
so afraid, so afraid
they observe their surroundings
and hold fast with all their might
by all means
to their positions in society
their territory
their pride
their dignity.
Nicholl McGuire
http://www.twitter.com/blackspotlight
his position in society
too determined
too frustrated
too worried
too stubborn
to move to the back
because if he does
he may be crowded out
forgotten
instead he rather be bumped in the head
pushed to the side
hit with bags
or hurt someone else
She's afraid like him to move
to the back
too many protests, tears, and screams
to be in the front
neither one wants to step
behind the line
neither one wants to sit in the back
so afraid, so afraid
they observe their surroundings
and hold fast with all their might
by all means
to their positions in society
their territory
their pride
their dignity.
Nicholl McGuire
http://www.twitter.com/blackspotlight
Wednesday
Hip-hop: Trashing The Rights Of Women
Hip-Hop music includes violent and abusive lyrics that could possibly mirror other illegal activities used for sexual intent. The music identified as hip-hop verbally violates basic human rights, particularly the rights of women. Excessive and blatant sexual abuse connotations can be found in almost every musical score, as women are portrayed as whores and assets worth no more than existing for man's sexual pleasures. Much of the lyrics in rap songs are abusive and degrading to all women.
Hip-Hop is a manifestation and spin on exploitation of African-American and Latino-American youth, and is often considered to have sexism and misogyny attributes. New York City blacks and Latino youths originally started the hip-hop culture, with included rapping, dejaying, break-dancing and graffiti-writing. But, it has evolved into something much more than just local expressions.
Hip-Hop is a lifestyle for many people between the ages of 13 and 30. It involves music, videos, fashion, club-scenes, and the ways that young people interact with each other. The media has embraced and adopted the hip-hop culture, as well as big corporations, such as Coca-Cola and Burger King. Versions of hip-hop can be found in marketing media and corporate advertisements. The Brooklyn Museum of Art even has an exhibit dedicated to hip-hop culture.
The most influential part of hip-hop has become known as rap music. Rap music is a form of poetry, recited over musical instrumentation. Many consider rap music to be brutally honest, violent, and misogynistic. But to others, the violence to and hatred of women appears blatant and offensive.
Much of rap music portrays black women in negative images. The hip-hop culture views all women, but mostly black women, as sex objects. Most hip-hop videos show women dancing or displayed in explicit sexual poses, clothed in bikinis (or less), with the focus on their body parts. The images go hand in hand with the explicit language that suggest women are nothing more than sex objects or money-generating commodities. Many rappers describe themselves as 'pimps' and women as second-class and sexual commodities. Many rap songs, not only, glorify the pimp lifestyle, and refer to women in ways a pimp might describe their prostitutes, but the lyrics promote violence to women that “disobey.”
Of course, not all rap music is misogynistic, and not all black men think of women in this light, but large percentages within the hip-hop culture do. The name calling in the rap music dishonors, disrespects, and dehumanizes women. When society accepts labeling women in this manner, will physical and psychological abuse become acceptable? Unfortunately, many black men battle racism or oppression within hip-hop culture, and have been conditioned to distrust intrusive feelings of trust and love.
Many women consent to these collaborations, and believe racism or subjugation are viable excuses or justification for the practice of degrading and exploitation of women. The numbers of women that show up for unpaid try-outs for video shoots indicate that significant amounts of hip-hop consumers are women. Groups of women can be seen loitering in concert backstage areas, expressing their willingness to perform sexually in return for money and jewelry, or perhaps realize a feeling of being wanted.
Black women have, historically, been used as sex instruments, and continue to fight for power and material wealth. When slavery was legal and rampant, black women were routinely sexually abused by any man that wanted her. They could be used for breeding purposes and create more slave trade for their owners. Black women, also, used sex in order to lower chances of cruel treatment by the slave masters. They were paying with their bodies to survive and achieve better treatment within the uncontrolled, abusive slave life.
Black women emerged out of slavery as oversexed and promiscuous. Some viewed themselves as society dictated, and believed they did not have control over their bodies. As they tried to fit into white societies, some black men wanted the women to be employed in subordinate roles in a white household; while some black women wanted the men to acquire jobs and be the sole provider. Hip-hop culture displays similar oppressive obsessions. Some black women prefer to use sexual powers to reap economical gain. And, many black men have learned how to manipulate women by using money. In order for many black women to get what they want, they accept mistreatment and allow themselves to be exploited through hip-hop images.
Sometimes black women are uneducated and have no job skills. Many believe their bodies are all they have to offer to gain status. Many dysfunctional relationships can be found within the hip-hop culture. Some women believe men are instruments of use to gain access to money; some men think women are only have value when it comes to sexual gratification.
Would censoring hip-hop music and lyrics be an answer? Perhaps, the solution would be to change the hip-hop society and ideology by discontinue negative and misogynistic lyric promotion. But, the first step to change gender relations within the hip-hop community is education. People need to be made aware of the negative and derogatory connotations that continue to violate the rights of women, in sexist lyrics, physical interactions, and at hip-hop gatherings. But, of course, people need to be receptive to the devastating results that violating human rights cause, and be willing to change.
Are human flesh traders alive and well in the United States? Of course, we all know trafficking women is illegal, but considering the more than 45,000,000 dating websites on the Internet, is this a modern legal tool that continues the exploitation of women?
Speaking out against exploitation of women in hip-hop cultures, and for women everywhere, can help change ideologies. But, if women are not interested or willing to stop exploitation tactics, they will continue to be used and considered as just sexual instruments.
Although women have come very far, their work is not finished, and they have a long way to go before equality will be realized.
By: Jessie Penn
Hip-Hop is a manifestation and spin on exploitation of African-American and Latino-American youth, and is often considered to have sexism and misogyny attributes. New York City blacks and Latino youths originally started the hip-hop culture, with included rapping, dejaying, break-dancing and graffiti-writing. But, it has evolved into something much more than just local expressions.
Hip-Hop is a lifestyle for many people between the ages of 13 and 30. It involves music, videos, fashion, club-scenes, and the ways that young people interact with each other. The media has embraced and adopted the hip-hop culture, as well as big corporations, such as Coca-Cola and Burger King. Versions of hip-hop can be found in marketing media and corporate advertisements. The Brooklyn Museum of Art even has an exhibit dedicated to hip-hop culture.
The most influential part of hip-hop has become known as rap music. Rap music is a form of poetry, recited over musical instrumentation. Many consider rap music to be brutally honest, violent, and misogynistic. But to others, the violence to and hatred of women appears blatant and offensive.
Much of rap music portrays black women in negative images. The hip-hop culture views all women, but mostly black women, as sex objects. Most hip-hop videos show women dancing or displayed in explicit sexual poses, clothed in bikinis (or less), with the focus on their body parts. The images go hand in hand with the explicit language that suggest women are nothing more than sex objects or money-generating commodities. Many rappers describe themselves as 'pimps' and women as second-class and sexual commodities. Many rap songs, not only, glorify the pimp lifestyle, and refer to women in ways a pimp might describe their prostitutes, but the lyrics promote violence to women that “disobey.”
Of course, not all rap music is misogynistic, and not all black men think of women in this light, but large percentages within the hip-hop culture do. The name calling in the rap music dishonors, disrespects, and dehumanizes women. When society accepts labeling women in this manner, will physical and psychological abuse become acceptable? Unfortunately, many black men battle racism or oppression within hip-hop culture, and have been conditioned to distrust intrusive feelings of trust and love.
Many women consent to these collaborations, and believe racism or subjugation are viable excuses or justification for the practice of degrading and exploitation of women. The numbers of women that show up for unpaid try-outs for video shoots indicate that significant amounts of hip-hop consumers are women. Groups of women can be seen loitering in concert backstage areas, expressing their willingness to perform sexually in return for money and jewelry, or perhaps realize a feeling of being wanted.
Black women have, historically, been used as sex instruments, and continue to fight for power and material wealth. When slavery was legal and rampant, black women were routinely sexually abused by any man that wanted her. They could be used for breeding purposes and create more slave trade for their owners. Black women, also, used sex in order to lower chances of cruel treatment by the slave masters. They were paying with their bodies to survive and achieve better treatment within the uncontrolled, abusive slave life.
Black women emerged out of slavery as oversexed and promiscuous. Some viewed themselves as society dictated, and believed they did not have control over their bodies. As they tried to fit into white societies, some black men wanted the women to be employed in subordinate roles in a white household; while some black women wanted the men to acquire jobs and be the sole provider. Hip-hop culture displays similar oppressive obsessions. Some black women prefer to use sexual powers to reap economical gain. And, many black men have learned how to manipulate women by using money. In order for many black women to get what they want, they accept mistreatment and allow themselves to be exploited through hip-hop images.
Sometimes black women are uneducated and have no job skills. Many believe their bodies are all they have to offer to gain status. Many dysfunctional relationships can be found within the hip-hop culture. Some women believe men are instruments of use to gain access to money; some men think women are only have value when it comes to sexual gratification.
Would censoring hip-hop music and lyrics be an answer? Perhaps, the solution would be to change the hip-hop society and ideology by discontinue negative and misogynistic lyric promotion. But, the first step to change gender relations within the hip-hop community is education. People need to be made aware of the negative and derogatory connotations that continue to violate the rights of women, in sexist lyrics, physical interactions, and at hip-hop gatherings. But, of course, people need to be receptive to the devastating results that violating human rights cause, and be willing to change.
Are human flesh traders alive and well in the United States? Of course, we all know trafficking women is illegal, but considering the more than 45,000,000 dating websites on the Internet, is this a modern legal tool that continues the exploitation of women?
Speaking out against exploitation of women in hip-hop cultures, and for women everywhere, can help change ideologies. But, if women are not interested or willing to stop exploitation tactics, they will continue to be used and considered as just sexual instruments.
Although women have come very far, their work is not finished, and they have a long way to go before equality will be realized.
By: Jessie Penn
Some Parents Too Trusting When it Comes to Letting Others Watch Their Children
Whether it's Uncle Tommy or that friend in the family that everybody loves, I think in the black community, mainly the low-economic areas, parents tend to be too trusting of who they let watch their children.
Now I know "money is funny" so some say, but in some of these low-income areas you get what you pay for, but is it worth exposing children to foolish adults or putting a child's mental or physical health at risk!?
Some people have no business watching children! When you know a cousin just got out of jail, why would anyone entrust his or her child around them? What about a boyfriend or girlfriend who exudes sexuality parading around children with no shirt on or a skirt that you can see her thong? What about those impatient folks who are always yelling and fighting with their partner, lying and cussing, smoking weed and other drugs, or beating on their kids, yet its okay for them to watch children? Please!?
When you warn some of these fools about their actions, they always have an excuse and the minute something happens, "Please pray for me because I'm about to kill..." Why would you keep letting your child go over his or her cousin's house knowing those kids have been exposed to all sorts of things? "Well I needed a break and you don't understand...you going to pay my bills!" Wake up! What would the parent do if his or her caretaker suddenly died? What would the parent do if his or her caretaker said he or she didn't want to watch the kids anymore?
Sometimes excuses just make people look like fools, its better just to keep one's mouth shut!
So I leave you with this, if you know someone who keeps taking a chance leaving their child with someone you know "ain't right" get a list to them as fast as you can of alternative care, share your thoughts, or look the other way -- your choice, but the writing is on the wall when the children start acting distant (rarely laughing/smiling,) acting disrespectful, having sexual experiences with other children and so on. If you know the child is acting negatively and you have children, don't allow that one apple to spoil the whole barrel.
Nicholl McGuire
Now I know "money is funny" so some say, but in some of these low-income areas you get what you pay for, but is it worth exposing children to foolish adults or putting a child's mental or physical health at risk!?
Some people have no business watching children! When you know a cousin just got out of jail, why would anyone entrust his or her child around them? What about a boyfriend or girlfriend who exudes sexuality parading around children with no shirt on or a skirt that you can see her thong? What about those impatient folks who are always yelling and fighting with their partner, lying and cussing, smoking weed and other drugs, or beating on their kids, yet its okay for them to watch children? Please!?
When you warn some of these fools about their actions, they always have an excuse and the minute something happens, "Please pray for me because I'm about to kill..." Why would you keep letting your child go over his or her cousin's house knowing those kids have been exposed to all sorts of things? "Well I needed a break and you don't understand...you going to pay my bills!" Wake up! What would the parent do if his or her caretaker suddenly died? What would the parent do if his or her caretaker said he or she didn't want to watch the kids anymore?
Sometimes excuses just make people look like fools, its better just to keep one's mouth shut!
So I leave you with this, if you know someone who keeps taking a chance leaving their child with someone you know "ain't right" get a list to them as fast as you can of alternative care, share your thoughts, or look the other way -- your choice, but the writing is on the wall when the children start acting distant (rarely laughing/smiling,) acting disrespectful, having sexual experiences with other children and so on. If you know the child is acting negatively and you have children, don't allow that one apple to spoil the whole barrel.
Nicholl McGuire
Monday
Minority Women Scholarship
As a single mom, I've had to pay my way through college with grants and scholarships. So, I've looked at a lot of different programs and along the way, I've found several minority women scholarships that I'd like to share with you.
The United Negro College Fund offers scholarships for women going to historically black colleges such as Spellman and Howard University.
The Hispanic College Fund offers programs at a designated Hispanic serving college.
MillerCoors offers scholarships at designated universities through the Adelante program.
The Ron Brown Scholar program offers graduating African American high school seniors up to $10,000 per year for college.
African American students majoring in Science and Technology fields can apply for the $2000 Development Fund for Black Students in Science and Technology (DFBSST).
World Studio offers scholarships to women of color who specialize in the arts.
The Margaret MacNamera Memorial Fund offers aid to women over the age of 40 who were born outside of the United States.
And, graduate students aren't left out either. The American Association of University Women offers generous grants of $5000 to $20,000 for women attending law, medical, or business school.
Getting a good scholarship reduces the amount you have to pay back later in loans. It also may mean the difference between going to college and not being able to get the education you need to get ahead.
I hope you've found the resources in this article helpful. Just as others have helped me on my journey to return to college, I want to pay it forward. So, if you are looking for a minority women scholarship, consider the awards in this article. As a single mom, I've had to pay my way through college with grants and scholarships. So, I've looked at a lot of different programs and along the way, I've found several minority women scholarships that I'd like to share with you.
The United Negro College Fund offers scholarships for women going to historically black colleges such as Spellman and Howard University.
The Hispanic College Fund offers programs at a designated Hispanic serving college.
MillerCoors offers scholarships at designated universities through the Adelante program.
The Ron Brown Scholar program offers graduating African American high school seniors up to $10,000 per year for college.
African American students majoring in Science and Technology fields can apply for the $2000 Development Fund for Black Students in Science and Technology (DFBSST).
World Studio offers scholarships to women of color who specialize in the arts.
The Margaret MacNamera Memorial Fund offers aid to women over the age of 40 who were born outside of the United States.
And, graduate students aren't left out either. The American Association of University Women offers generous grants of $5000 to $20,000 for women attending law, medical, or business school.Getting a good scholarship reduces the amount you have to pay back later in loans. It also may mean the difference between going to college and not being able to get the education you need to get ahead.
I hope you've found the resources in this article helpful. Just as others have helped me on my journey to return to college, I want to pay it forward. So, if you are looking for a minority women scholarship, consider the awards in this article.
By: A. Jones
The United Negro College Fund offers scholarships for women going to historically black colleges such as Spellman and Howard University.
The Hispanic College Fund offers programs at a designated Hispanic serving college.
MillerCoors offers scholarships at designated universities through the Adelante program.
The Ron Brown Scholar program offers graduating African American high school seniors up to $10,000 per year for college.
African American students majoring in Science and Technology fields can apply for the $2000 Development Fund for Black Students in Science and Technology (DFBSST).
World Studio offers scholarships to women of color who specialize in the arts.
The Margaret MacNamera Memorial Fund offers aid to women over the age of 40 who were born outside of the United States.
And, graduate students aren't left out either. The American Association of University Women offers generous grants of $5000 to $20,000 for women attending law, medical, or business school.
Getting a good scholarship reduces the amount you have to pay back later in loans. It also may mean the difference between going to college and not being able to get the education you need to get ahead.
I hope you've found the resources in this article helpful. Just as others have helped me on my journey to return to college, I want to pay it forward. So, if you are looking for a minority women scholarship, consider the awards in this article. As a single mom, I've had to pay my way through college with grants and scholarships. So, I've looked at a lot of different programs and along the way, I've found several minority women scholarships that I'd like to share with you.
The United Negro College Fund offers scholarships for women going to historically black colleges such as Spellman and Howard University.
The Hispanic College Fund offers programs at a designated Hispanic serving college.
MillerCoors offers scholarships at designated universities through the Adelante program.
The Ron Brown Scholar program offers graduating African American high school seniors up to $10,000 per year for college.
African American students majoring in Science and Technology fields can apply for the $2000 Development Fund for Black Students in Science and Technology (DFBSST).
World Studio offers scholarships to women of color who specialize in the arts.
The Margaret MacNamera Memorial Fund offers aid to women over the age of 40 who were born outside of the United States.
And, graduate students aren't left out either. The American Association of University Women offers generous grants of $5000 to $20,000 for women attending law, medical, or business school.Getting a good scholarship reduces the amount you have to pay back later in loans. It also may mean the difference between going to college and not being able to get the education you need to get ahead.
I hope you've found the resources in this article helpful. Just as others have helped me on my journey to return to college, I want to pay it forward. So, if you are looking for a minority women scholarship, consider the awards in this article.
By: A. Jones
Friday
Hip-hop Fashion Roots And Originality
Hip-hop fashion can be traced back in The Bronx—areas in New York City where most low-income African-Americans reside. Later on, styles and distinctive elements have been influenced by the scenes in Los Angeles, Detroit, and Philadelphia among other cities where the hip-hop culture originated. Significant changes in hip-hop styles and trends can be due to such sporadic elements. Today, hip-hop fashion is not only prevalent among African-American youth, as it became popularized worldwide by African-American trendsetters in the entertainment scene.
The roots of hiphop fashion are influenced by Africanism and Black Nationalism of the 80’s when most hip-hop artists and rappers don themselves with attire, hairstyle and accessories that reflect traditional African themes. Blousy pants, Kemetic ankh designs on kufis, Kente cloth hats, and red, black, and green clothing reminiscent of the flag of Ethiopia were staples until the early 90’s.
The mid-90’s paved way to gangsta rap which eventually altered the hip-hop fashion to something that would most identify with the current trends. Baseball caps and starter jackets became the emblem of the new era in hip-hop culture and as if to stick with the “gangsta” attitude, incidents of theft of expensive starter jackets were reported in the media during that time. The gangsta hip-hop fashion is said to be influenced by the styles of West Coast street thugs and prison inmates. It can be recognized in the fashion sense of Chicano gangsters who are frequently seen wearing baggy and dark denim jeans worn low and sagging without a belt, sporting bandannas on the head while having their bodies painted with black ink tattoos. Other cultural analysts would say that the sagging, baggy jeans style is brought about by the realities in urban poor communities wherein clothes have to be passed down from the eldest member of the family to the youngest sibling to cut on clothing budget.
Hip-hop fashion also plays a major role when it comes to the dichotomy between the urban poor African-American and the “ghetto fabulous” elites of the high street. Gangsta fashion is still the name of the game but for those who can afford double-breasted suits, bowler hats, silks and alligator-skin shoes, the classic gangster fashion of The Godfather fame is more prevalent than the previously mentioned threadbare attire.
Since the media is more hyped up on the ghetto fabulous fashion, most African-American youth across the States are driven to sport the same expensive attire. Those who could not afford were conveniently catered by counterfeiters capitalizing on the hip-hop fashion craze. Fashion garments piracy worsened when hip-hop became pop during the late 90’s.
From being a fashion statement that says a lot about idealism and beliefs, it is now apparent how hip-hop fashion has made a 360 degrees shift to becoming a fashion trend that emphasizes materialism and consumerism among today’s youth.
The roots of hiphop fashion are influenced by Africanism and Black Nationalism of the 80’s when most hip-hop artists and rappers don themselves with attire, hairstyle and accessories that reflect traditional African themes. Blousy pants, Kemetic ankh designs on kufis, Kente cloth hats, and red, black, and green clothing reminiscent of the flag of Ethiopia were staples until the early 90’s.
The mid-90’s paved way to gangsta rap which eventually altered the hip-hop fashion to something that would most identify with the current trends. Baseball caps and starter jackets became the emblem of the new era in hip-hop culture and as if to stick with the “gangsta” attitude, incidents of theft of expensive starter jackets were reported in the media during that time. The gangsta hip-hop fashion is said to be influenced by the styles of West Coast street thugs and prison inmates. It can be recognized in the fashion sense of Chicano gangsters who are frequently seen wearing baggy and dark denim jeans worn low and sagging without a belt, sporting bandannas on the head while having their bodies painted with black ink tattoos. Other cultural analysts would say that the sagging, baggy jeans style is brought about by the realities in urban poor communities wherein clothes have to be passed down from the eldest member of the family to the youngest sibling to cut on clothing budget.
Hip-hop fashion also plays a major role when it comes to the dichotomy between the urban poor African-American and the “ghetto fabulous” elites of the high street. Gangsta fashion is still the name of the game but for those who can afford double-breasted suits, bowler hats, silks and alligator-skin shoes, the classic gangster fashion of The Godfather fame is more prevalent than the previously mentioned threadbare attire.
Since the media is more hyped up on the ghetto fabulous fashion, most African-American youth across the States are driven to sport the same expensive attire. Those who could not afford were conveniently catered by counterfeiters capitalizing on the hip-hop fashion craze. Fashion garments piracy worsened when hip-hop became pop during the late 90’s.
From being a fashion statement that says a lot about idealism and beliefs, it is now apparent how hip-hop fashion has made a 360 degrees shift to becoming a fashion trend that emphasizes materialism and consumerism among today’s youth.
African American Soul Food: Changing With The Times
African American soul food comes from a long history of struggle, triumph and survival. There are many reasons it has lasted over 400 years and continues to be one of the most popular cuisines created in America. Born out of slavery, soul food recipes have evolved into a billion dollar food industry today. It continues to survive and flourish because it has the ability to continue to adapt to the changing times and needs of the consumer.
When Southern American slaves needed it to provide nourishment to help them do back breaking labor from sun up to sun down on hot sweltering days it provided. When segregation and Jim Crowism limited the opportunities of African Americans, it provided the comfort food feeling that allowed them to carry on the struggle for equality. And it provided the same qualities during the Civil rights movement of the 60’s and 70’s when the term soul food was first coined. Now over 400 years later soul food continues to evolve to meet the needs of the people who love it.
Today’s soul food recipes have grown healthier. New cooking techniques, lighter ingredients, less fats and more natural seasonings have made today’s southern favorites adaptable to meet the needs of the health conscious consumer. Other changes taking place is the introduction of video to the many recipe sites on the internet. Adding video allows the consumer to reduce the time and mistakes involved in preparing and cooking popular southern dishes.
Yes, as soul food recipes continue to grow more popular they will no doubt continue to adapt to the changing needs of the consumer. As you read this expert cooks work tirelessly to provide quicker, easier and more convenient was to help you make tasty dishes for your family. All this works to keep the popularity of soul food kitchen recipes alive for another 100 years.
By: Roy J. Primm
See top 20 soul food recipes chosen by readers this month. Go to Free Soul Food Recipes
When Southern American slaves needed it to provide nourishment to help them do back breaking labor from sun up to sun down on hot sweltering days it provided. When segregation and Jim Crowism limited the opportunities of African Americans, it provided the comfort food feeling that allowed them to carry on the struggle for equality. And it provided the same qualities during the Civil rights movement of the 60’s and 70’s when the term soul food was first coined. Now over 400 years later soul food continues to evolve to meet the needs of the people who love it.
Today’s soul food recipes have grown healthier. New cooking techniques, lighter ingredients, less fats and more natural seasonings have made today’s southern favorites adaptable to meet the needs of the health conscious consumer. Other changes taking place is the introduction of video to the many recipe sites on the internet. Adding video allows the consumer to reduce the time and mistakes involved in preparing and cooking popular southern dishes.
Yes, as soul food recipes continue to grow more popular they will no doubt continue to adapt to the changing needs of the consumer. As you read this expert cooks work tirelessly to provide quicker, easier and more convenient was to help you make tasty dishes for your family. All this works to keep the popularity of soul food kitchen recipes alive for another 100 years.
By: Roy J. Primm
See top 20 soul food recipes chosen by readers this month. Go to Free Soul Food Recipes
Tuesday
Do We Really Need A Black History Month?
It is February again, that time of the year when America celebrates Black History Month, just like the month of October in Britain. But do we really need that kind of celebration? Is it really helping understanding or, could the annual nature of it, like a cuckoo in a clock, and its exclusive label rob it of its validity and significance?
As one who has spent the last 14 years promoting multiculturalism from the rooftops in the UK, through the only book on the subject in Europe, and two annual national diversity awards, I have been pretty saddened to hear government ministers and others trumpeting that 'multiculturalism isn't working' or we 'cannot celebrate diversity because it encourages difference' and keeps us separate. But both statements are based upon ignorance and fear which does not really help a diverse community to move forward together.
Every human being desires four things in their life to feel good about themselves as individuals:
a. To be significant
b. To be accepted
c. To be valued
d. To be included
What I call my SAVI empowerment concept.
It means that the behaviour of every person in our world is related to at least one, or all, of those requirements because they all underscore respect. Minorities in a majority world desire 'significance' and 'inclusion' most of all, exactly what they have been broadly denied in the UK through their routine exclusion from high office, the media, arts and politics.
There is nothing wrong with celebrating diversity or encouraging multiculturalism. What has been terribly wrong is a marked absence of respect on both sides of the cultural divide which makes appreciation difficult. The word 'respect' is glibly shouted by everyone in times of crisis, especially in seeking those SAVI attributes, but it seems to be only in connection with our own needs and viewpoint and very little to do with others. We all seek respect, we feel we are denied it, we accuse each other of not giving it. But in reality, we are simply in love with the idea of the word itself, not its implementation. This could be because we really do not understand the meaning of this important word.
Respect is not a single word that we assign as a cure-all to any situation. Respect has six dimensions within it. Genuine respect starts with curiosity of another, then taking the time to give attention, then having a dialogue with them, and with sensitivity for their feelings. These actions should lead to empowerment and healing. Since 9/11, in particular, there has been little respect shown on both sides, particularly in the blanket targeting of Muslims, the insensitive way many have been treated and, for their part, the violence accompanying any criticism of destructive beliefs and behaviour. Vociferous minorities would also deny the same free speech they enjoy to any form of criticism or debate which concerns them. That is not respect. Even worse, an absence of respect has been alive and well in our daily lives, despite denials to the contrary, which makes it difficult for one side or the other to cry foul.
Let's cite a few routine examples which get to the heart of the matter.
Origins of Disrespect
1. Black History Month. This is October and, as usual, it is Black History Month to celebrate Black heritage and culture. This is not just a showcase but an educational opportunity for the White majority to learn about their minority neighbours. It empowers Black people to take pride in their identity and thus a wholesome cause for celebration. There are also many pointedly 'Black', 'Asian' or 'Muslim' organisations which were created for both a positive identity and to guard against isolation, primarily because of their exclusion from the mainstream. Nothing wrong with that at all. However, how would members of minority groups feel if they suddenly saw signs and promotion for a 'White History Month', 'White Women Forum', the 'White Professional Association' or the 'White Entrepreneurs Club', labels which are clearly racist and exclusive? They would rightfully be up in arms. But where is the sensitivity (respect again) for the pointedly White exclusion in those labels?
2. Negative media coverage. There should not be a need for a Black History month at all. There is a flurry of activities in October (February in America), a month saturated with events where everyone tries to be heard, to be significant and valued, and then nothing else for the other 11 months. Like cuckoos, they go back inside their clocks. That is very sad. But Black History Month emerged because of a lack of positive attention to minorities (respect again!) by the media. The only time you hear about minorities is when something negative (like the veil issue?) is being reported.
Minorities in Britain are virtually invisible in every aspect of life except crime. We hear about them ad nauseam in relation to terrorism and street crime but hardly in any other dimension. For example, the focus on celebrities is pervasive in our society. But where are the minority celebrities? The ones well known in their communities but are ignored by the mainstream press? Where are the minority guests and achievers on chat shows? On discussion panels? On entertainment programmes? Once again, they are deprived of significance and value through invisibility but take centre stage when it's negative. Such an exclusive and racist approach keeps minorities in the public eye as extraordinary and non-contributing beings. It uses them in situations that bolster national fear (immigration and crime) while ignoring the vast majority of law abiding, legal citizens playing their part in society. Minorities are also used in a cynical way to show national pride abroad, as with the Olympics, when multculturalism was suddenly cool and essential, but are largely excluded from the preparations and nearly all the service contracts.
Lack of Recognition
3. Absent Media Faces. Today I visited the website of a top national newspaper and, of its 24 writers paraded for the public, only one was Black. I won't even mention television and radio because commercial radio, in particular, is dismal when it comes to representation of their diverse audience among radio staff. Is it any wonder that the views in the media are so skewed against minorities when there is hardly anyone giving an alternative view? Especially when the service provided for them is so negative and exclusive. That is why there is very little sensitivity (respect again) to minority views and feelings. Being on the negative end of any reporting, they are fair game for people seeking sensational headlines.
4. Separate existence. We talk a lot about the need for integration and the separateness of communities, but it has not been minorities who have cut themselves off from the majority, especially in our schools, it is the other way around. Many Whites have a negative view of minorities, fed by the media, and actually move away from areas with a significant minority population to 'preserve their culture'. The result is virtual apartheid in certain localities. That is very sad because neither side is making the effort to learn about one another or mix together. So how can there ever be a better understanding of difference? It really takes both sides to compromise, to engage in dialogue and to be sensitive to each other's needs and perspectives. But simple racism has spawned a lot of lip service while discrimination and exclusion run riot.
Diversity is here to stay
Diversity and multiculturalism can work beautifully when all parties are prepared to compromise, and accord each other respect, but it has to be genuine in every sense of the word. We cannot simply demand respect for ourselves while giving none to our peers because no country can thrive with a divided nation. If we really love our country, we strive to make it a great place to live. There are rights and responsibilities attached to being citizens of any country and merely stressing the rights without the responsibilities is folly and can only lead to isolation, discrimination, resentment and divisions. Clear guidelines on what it means to be British is crucial if the country seeks the respect of all Britons, if it hopes to make them feel empowered and to bring about healing. The Government also needs to add, equally clearly, that if life in Britain is not to one's liking, a life which we freely choose, there are many other countries one can go to that could be more suitable. That should be the bottom line for unity while ensuring due respect for those who choose to celebrate being British, regardless of their culture.
Starting from that base, Black History Month should be scrapped and minority heritage and culture celebrated ALL year round, just like that of the White majority, but under a diversity label. For example, what about Our Diverse Music in January, Our Diverse Literature in February, Diverse Arts and Crafts in April, Dance in May, Diverse Foods in June?...You get the drift. It means that, instead of just focusing on minority crime and negative issues around minorities, the White media can actually begin to pay some proportional attention, throughout the year, to the positivity of being a minority, particularly encouraging involvement and patronage by White participants, sponsors and patrons. That is the only way to make all people feel included and to engender loyalty and pride. It is also the main way to change White perception of their Black neighbours and for all British citizens, whatever their origins, to feel significant, appreciated, valued and included.
ELAINE SIHERA (Ms Cyprah - http://www.myspace.com/elaineone) is an expert author, media contributor and columnist. The first Black graduate of the OU and a post-graduate of Cambridge University. Elaine is a CONSULTANT for Diversity Management, Personal Empowerment and Relationships. Author of: 10 Easy Steps to Growing Older Disgracefully; 10 Easy Steps to Finding Your Ideal Soulmate!; Money, Sex & Compromise and Managing the Diversity Maze, among others (available on http://www.amazon.co.uk). Also the founder of the British Diversity Awards and the Windrush Men and Women of the Year Achievement Awards. She describes herself as, "Fit, Fabulous, Over-fifty and Ready to Fly!"
Monday
Top 20 Black History Month Quotations
Although the article you are about to read was written back in 2005, I thought it was relevant to today since so many people like to quote various entertainers, writers, poets, philosophers, politicians, ministers and more on Twitter. Take a look...
- I am America. I am the part you won't recognize. But get used to me. Black, confident, cocky; my name, not yours; my religion, not yours; my goals, my own; get used to me." -- Muhammad Ali The Greatest (1975)
- "Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise I rise I rise." -- Maya Angelou "Still I rise," And Still I Rise (1978)
- "Racism is not an excuse to not do the best you can." -- Arthur Ashe quoted in Sports Illustrated
- "Just like you can buy grades of silk, you can buy grades of justice. " -- Ray Charles
- "The past is a ghost, the future a dream. All we ever have is now. " -- Bill Cosby
- "There is no negro problem. The problem is whether the American people have loyalty enough, honor enough, patriotism enough, to live up to their own constitution..." -- Frederick Douglass
- "You can be up to your boobies in white satin, with gardenias in your hair and no sugar cane for miles, but you can still be working on a plantation." -- Billie Holiday
- "Greatness occurs when your children love you, when your critics respect you and when you have peace of mind. " -- Quincy Jones
- " Do not call for black power or green power. Call for brain power." -- Barbara Jordan
- "Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better." -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
- "The battles that count aren't the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself--the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us--that's where it's at." -- Jesse Owens, Blackthink (1970)
- "I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminshes fear." -- Rosa Parks
- "Have a vision. Be demanding. " -- Colin Powell
- "Be black, shine, aim high. " -- Leontyne Price
- "God gives nothing to those who keep their arms crossed. " -- African Proverb
- "Freedom is never given; it is won." -- A. Philip Randolph in keynote speech given at the Second National Negro Congress in 1937
- "When I found I had crossed that line, [on her first escape from slavery, 1845] I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything." -- Harriet Tubman
- "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed." -- Booker T. Washington
- "Black people have always been America's wilderness in search of a promised land." -- Cornel West, Race Matters
- "We should emphasize not Negro History, but the Negro in history. What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hate, and religious prejudice." -- Carter Woodson on founding Negro History Week, 1926
Resource Box - © Danielle Hollister (2005) is the Publisher of BellaOnline Quotations Zine
- A free newsletter for quote lovers featuring more than 10,000 quotations in dozens of categories like - love, friendship, children, inspiration, success, wisdom, family, life, and many more. Read it - online
Thursday
We Cried for a Black Leader, God Gave Us One
We hugged our loved ones, laughed, celebrated with family and friends, "We got a black man in the White House!" Even non-blacks had to be happy for us! It was big, it was profitable, and it was all a lie!
Ladies and gentlemen we have a puppet in the White House. If all the men who took office prior to President Obama's arrival had a puppet master, why did you think he would be treated any different?
Within the first 100 days of office, President Obama's face has changed. He went in like many before him with an excitement and a passion to get all of America's requests done all at once. He was "allowed" to say everything he was going to do to help America, but then he shook hands with reality. When the television cameras were off, behind a closed door, he met the Puppet Master. They told him the truth. He took the oath and Obama hasn't looked or talked the same since.
The president sounds mechanical. He has been manufactured. Behind the scenes they are working out a plan for Obama's replacement. A new script is being written in the New World Order and Obama is just the Master of Ceremonies. (Remember this past summer's UN conference or were you working that day? They wanted you to miss it!)
So while we were hugging and celebrating, the Puppet Master, the architect, the god, the devil, Satan was given permission by God to give us what we always wanted -- a man to lead us. Does the story sound familiar? Read your Bible for the conclusion.
Trust in the Lord your God with your heart and lean not on your own understanding, Proverbs 3:5.
Nicholl McGuire
http://www.twitter.com/blackspotlight
Ladies and gentlemen we have a puppet in the White House. If all the men who took office prior to President Obama's arrival had a puppet master, why did you think he would be treated any different?
Within the first 100 days of office, President Obama's face has changed. He went in like many before him with an excitement and a passion to get all of America's requests done all at once. He was "allowed" to say everything he was going to do to help America, but then he shook hands with reality. When the television cameras were off, behind a closed door, he met the Puppet Master. They told him the truth. He took the oath and Obama hasn't looked or talked the same since.
The president sounds mechanical. He has been manufactured. Behind the scenes they are working out a plan for Obama's replacement. A new script is being written in the New World Order and Obama is just the Master of Ceremonies. (Remember this past summer's UN conference or were you working that day? They wanted you to miss it!)
So while we were hugging and celebrating, the Puppet Master, the architect, the god, the devil, Satan was given permission by God to give us what we always wanted -- a man to lead us. Does the story sound familiar? Read your Bible for the conclusion.
Trust in the Lord your God with your heart and lean not on your own understanding, Proverbs 3:5.
Nicholl McGuire
http://www.twitter.com/blackspotlight
Wednesday
More abortion clinics in black neighborhoods?
"Well masa can't use a black woman's offspring to work his plantation, so he encourages her to get an abortion nowadays," this is what I thought when I recently heard a Christian broadcast that reported there are more abortion clinics in black neighborhoods than anywhere else.
According to Klanned Parenthood they provide the following stats on abortion.
On the Black Genocide site, they report "Minority women constitute only about 13% of the female population (age 15-44) in the United States, but they underwent approximately 36% of the abortions." They don't specifically state black, but either way this is a wake up call for all women of color!
When I read these statistics, I remember hearing a young African American woman on a radio broadcast tell the host why she was pro-choice. She said that she would get rid of her baby if she became pregnant, because she knew she couldn't care for it. She added, if she became pregnant would the radio host care for her baby? The radio host said no, but he was a wise man and posed this question, "Suppose you became pregnant, would you kill the baby after he came into this world? She said, "What kind of question is that? That's ridiculous. I wouldn't do that. The baby didn't ask to come into this world!" So he then said, "Well what's the difference? You kill the baby before or after?" She then retorted, "You can't change my mind!" He then followed up with, "You are right the baby didn't ask to be born. What is wrong with inconveniencing your life for nine months and then giving the baby up for adoption rather than aborting? Newborns are always wanted at adoption clinics." Of course, she stuck with her argument.
I personally never saw the pro-life argument in that way, but I agree. What is wrong with inconveniencing one's life for what some consider a mistake and others consider a blessing? Why resort to violence? Anytime someone is removing a being, blob, or "it" that otherwise would be called a baby if the parents wanted it, they are correct it is murder. I was asked if I wanted to abort my first child by a white nurse who asked me before I could even wrap my thoughts around the fact that I was pregnant. She said according to Pennsylvania law, she was to ask. Funny, my story has its roots in Pittsburgh, known for its racism.
I don't know what is going on in the black community when it comes to our mothers, sisters, daughters and other women we associate ourselves with, but their is a spirit that "can't stand those bad a** kids!" It doesn't matter whether newborn or full grown, I have said for years that many black mamas "ain't feelin' their children!" But why? Could all this negativity have something to do with the breakdown of communication between black mothers and fathers which ultimately leads to folks cheating on one another, cussing, fighting, and walking out? "Your no good daddy! I ain't bringing no babies into this world! My mamma gave me h*ll and I ain't giving you h*ll too!"
Maybe in these young women's minds they feel like they are protecting their future offspring from their "sad, sassy, so-called lovin' me" self. The truth is you can't love you if you are even thinking about killing a part of you! I speak from the heart, because I know that feeling -- the one where you can't stand to see the face looking back at you in the mirror. A perfectionist type, you see your actions worse than others would see them so you think by ridding yourself of "the problem" you will get back on the road of perfection. But at some point you know you will reap whatever you sow or didn't sow.
The nurse who asked me about getting an abortion sent me home with the weight of her words on my back. I thought about aborting even when I couldn't quite fathom the fact that I was pregnant, but this was one fight I had to win, so I chose differently. Meanwhile, I had a friend who had went with her abortion and needless to say I never heard from her since.
I agree with anyone who says that abortions are the new lynching for our future offspring. Although I escaped that noose three more times afterward, I know that someone somewhere has a lynch for my four black sons and all I can do is keep them in God's hands through my prayers.
Nicholl McGuire http://whenmotherscry.blogspot.com
Black Entertainers: What god are they thanking?
When most entertainers take the stage, especially black ones, after receiving an award they thank god. Noticed I didn't capitalize, because not everyone is serving the one true God we read about in the Bible. Although some think that is who they are acknowledging, the truth is they are so confused they don't know who they are serving. Some of these people once knew the God in the Bible, but once their "handlers" (people who tell them where to go, what to wear, what to say, etc.) got a hold of them, they don't even know Him anymore. So what god really are they giving praise too?
Well, lately after viewing image after image and reading text after text about Jay-Z's involvement with the occult, Beyonce, and many others, I found they are involved in fraternal organizations like Freemasonry that conduct ceremonies involving a god who they call the architect of the universe, others refer to as Osiris. Because people from all religious backgrounds attend these meetings they pick a generic term that supposedly is all accepting. An ex-mason explains it like this on his site Ephesians 5:11 , "Suppose that a group of pagans got together and decided that they wanted to form a men’s club and each man independently decided that he wanted to start every meeting with a prayer to his demon god. They could all agree to this, but they would have a rough time selecting a name which all could embrace. Hindus would want to worship Vishnu, and of course, the men of other pagan religions would want to worship their demon god by the name they commonly use. They could not agree to use the name for the demon god of any one pagan religion without favoring one religion over another. Additionally, if they choose to use an obviously pagan name for the object of worship, they will have a hard time getting even immature Christians to join the club and join in worship with them. (And that is exactly what the demons would want.) If they choose a neutral name, such as the Sovereign Grand Creator of the Universe, and open all of their prayers in his name, all of the pagans can be satisfied. But are they now worshipping the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of the Bible? No, they are still worshipping demons."
So when you see an entertainer curse, dress up seductively, act foolish in videos, throw up strange hand signs, and other dark or weird types of behavior then get up on a stage and "thank god!" They are not thanking the God of the Bible. It doesn't matter what they think, "Well I know I was thanking God!" The truth is they are deceived, hypocrites, the occult doesn't draw people in droves, but people who pretend to serve God does. They know what they are doing!
Nicholl McGuire
http://www.twitter.com/blackspotlight
Well, lately after viewing image after image and reading text after text about Jay-Z's involvement with the occult, Beyonce, and many others, I found they are involved in fraternal organizations like Freemasonry that conduct ceremonies involving a god who they call the architect of the universe, others refer to as Osiris. Because people from all religious backgrounds attend these meetings they pick a generic term that supposedly is all accepting. An ex-mason explains it like this on his site Ephesians 5:11 , "Suppose that a group of pagans got together and decided that they wanted to form a men’s club and each man independently decided that he wanted to start every meeting with a prayer to his demon god. They could all agree to this, but they would have a rough time selecting a name which all could embrace. Hindus would want to worship Vishnu, and of course, the men of other pagan religions would want to worship their demon god by the name they commonly use. They could not agree to use the name for the demon god of any one pagan religion without favoring one religion over another. Additionally, if they choose to use an obviously pagan name for the object of worship, they will have a hard time getting even immature Christians to join the club and join in worship with them. (And that is exactly what the demons would want.) If they choose a neutral name, such as the Sovereign Grand Creator of the Universe, and open all of their prayers in his name, all of the pagans can be satisfied. But are they now worshipping the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of the Bible? No, they are still worshipping demons."
So when you see an entertainer curse, dress up seductively, act foolish in videos, throw up strange hand signs, and other dark or weird types of behavior then get up on a stage and "thank god!" They are not thanking the God of the Bible. It doesn't matter what they think, "Well I know I was thanking God!" The truth is they are deceived, hypocrites, the occult doesn't draw people in droves, but people who pretend to serve God does. They know what they are doing!
Nicholl McGuire
http://www.twitter.com/blackspotlight
Monday
New Twitter Account Just Opened!
We couldn't keep our opinions and stories limited to this blog now could we? We have a new page on Twitter. We are BlackSpotlight! http://www.twitter.com/blackspotlight. We are shining the spotlight on everything black from black folks to black lists -- whatever is black will be talked about in the future. So if you have room on your list, add us! We want to see what you are talking about on your Twitter pages! So please, follow us and we will be sure to follow you!
This is yet another creative idea from Nicholl McGuire, Writer, Author, Poet, & Mother.
This is yet another creative idea from Nicholl McGuire, Writer, Author, Poet, & Mother.
Friday
Black History Month - Nelson Mandela, How Do You Embrace Freedom?
You've probably heard the term, 'embrace freedom'. But how do you truly do that?
First of all, in order for you to embrace freedom you must first believe that you are free. Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years. How do you suppose he maintained his sanity for such a long time and rose to the top to become President of South Africa?
There had to be something greater than his natural surroundings, his circumstances. He was physically imprisoned, but no one can truly imprison one who's liberty is in his soul, whose freedom is not dependent on external circumstances but who has freed his mind and found liberty within himself.
Freedom must first come from within, then, no one can limit you because you are coming from a place where no human hands can touch and keep you in bondage; the place where the Holy One dwells and where you are hidden in Christ in God - the place where you discover that you are one with the Master Freedom. What bars can hold such a person who is so connected. Who can enter into that realm to hold you hostage?
Therefore, no matter what your external conditions try to say to you, you shift your mental focus to the inward voice and become one with it. Then, you can truly say to your external circumstances that you are free. Free to live and be. Because he that dwells within, whom you have become one with and heed the voice, has given you the freedom to be you.
It took Mandela 27 years of preparation for what was to be a major change in modern history. Once you've acknowledged and embraced your freedom, let that be your state of heart and mind regardless of what the external says. As Mandela did, use this time as the preparatory period for the manifestation of your liberty.
It is imperative that you hold on until the inner reality becomes physically visible so that you may be a demonstration and testimony to others that freedom truly exists.
Shake off the shackles from your mind. Let your mind line up with the voice, the creator that is one with your spirit. Then you would see your world from a different view point and live the life you were placed to live; a true ambassador of the kingdom of heaven.
What internal shackles do you need to break free from your mind?
To learn more simple doable step-by-step strategies, that will get you from where you are to where you want to be and experience a transformed life, I invite you to claim your free ebook Changing Inside Out Now! The Power of Unconditional Love and get access to regular life-changing strategies at http://www.changinginsideoutnow.com.
From Alicia Isaacs - Changing Inside Out Now!
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African American Planet: Relationships, Education, Products & Lifestyle by Nicholl McGuire is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at africanamericanplanet.blogspot.com.
