Reflection of Darkness

We wear the mask that grins and lies,

It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,–

This debt we pay to human guile;

With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,

And mouth with myriad subtleties.



Why should the world be overwise,

In counting all our tears and sighs?

Nay, let them only see us, while

We wear the mask.



We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries

To thee from tortured souls arise.

We sing, but oh the clay is vile

Beneath our feet, and long the mile;

But let the world dream otherwise,

We wear the mask!

- Paul Laurence Dunbar, We Wear the Mask

My manifesto on darkness is an attempt to talk about race in America through a theatrical piece. Since reading Toni Morrison’s book, Playing in the Dark, I have tried to see the occasions where discussions or portrayals of my race were “playing in the dark” in my own life. A perfect example is why I and others are considered Black or African-American. This misnomer makes the assumption that any ethnicity other than a European-American is not an American. This is inaccurate because I am American, born and raised in the U.S. Morrison (1992) states, “As a metaphor for transacting the whole process of Americanization, while burying its particular racial ingredients, this Africanist presence may be something the United States cannot do without. Deep within the word ‘American’ is its association with race… American means white, and Africanist people struggle to make the term applicable to themselves with ethnicity and hyphen after hyphen after hyphen… The American nation negotiated both its disdain and its envy in the same way Dunbar did: through a self-reflexive contemplation of fabricated, mythological Africanism.” This reflection is my musing over being a minority in the overall population but the majority of illiterate, impoverished, and imprisoned populations in America.

In the words of W.E.B Du Bois (1904), “Why did God make me an outcast and a stranger in mine own house” (p. 3). Yes, we just elected our first black President but what is the likelihood that we will ever elect one again? This is what is considered the dark comedy of this milestone in history. We can celebrate but are quickly somber by the reality that most political, civil, and social relations will elude race.

One of my favorite quotes from a professor of my undergrad history classes was, “We are a great nation in spite of our history and not despite…” As a country we are wrought with misunderstanding, fear, frustration, and confusion. These feelings often rear their ugly heads concerning difference, and what is more different than “white” and “black” Americans? As Du Bois states about our complex history, “The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color-line — the relation of the darker to the lighter races of men in Asia and Africa, in America and the islands of the sea. It was a phase of this problem that caused the Civil War” (Du Bois, p. 13, 1904). Therefore, how do I negotiate the dark and the light.

If I could write a play, the first scene would be:
Narrator at center stage
the lights evade the narrator
until finally the narrator speaks

“Call me by my color dark for that is what I am…The dark compared to light.
I will let you describe me
to dream up exaggerations like blackface
and keep silent as you are engrossed, enchanted, enthralled, intrigued, and entertained by my darkness.”

Remember that darkness is quiet, an ever silent presence; but, a presence nonetheless. For example, Du Bois in his book, The Souls of Black Folks, states, “To the real question, How does it feel to be a problem? I answer seldom a word.” (Du Bois, p. 2, 1904). In America, race matters and diversity counts. Before Morrison’s study, race in literature was often not questioned nor explored; but rather hidden like a dark stain on the white dining room linens. Many black characters in literature are racialized and/or stereotyped; yet, race is unlikely to be a major theme in the plot. Race is rather used to highlight the differences between the minor Africanist characters who are portrayed as poor, silly, criminal, ignorant, and/or superstitious; in contrast to the major White American characters who are portrayed as well-to-do, smart, brave, beautiful, and forthright. In other words, the color/race of the the character means something to the author that is transferred to the reader. Morrison points out that most literature uses race as caricatures which is misinformed, ignorant, and/or exaggerated entertainment.

Although race was first conceived as this country was developing, the race concept and racism are some of the oldest social theories upheld in America from the 17th century to the present. At the same time our founding fathers agreed on life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; they also agreed to participate in the Transatlantic Slave Trade and adopted the policy that a slave is only ⅗ of a person in the U.S. Scientists in the 18th century said race was genetic and manifested through genotype and phenotype characteristics such as skin color, behavior, and intelligence. There was a Negroid, Mongoloid, and Caucasoid, American Indian, and Malayan race. They tried to explain difference with science and Darwinism; as a result, miscegenation laws were enforced so that the races were separated because they were considered different. Current historians, anthropologists, and sociologist scholars understand that race is a social concept to maintain hierarchy and stratification in America.

The American dichotomy is the concept of slavery and freedom. While, African-Americans have been freed from chattel slavery a little more than 140 years, freedom still evades most due to lack of education, poverty, and imprisonment.

Scene Two:
A voice comes from the dark.
“I may not understand,
but I know why I was silenced
in order to be free, the founders felt that
they had to enslave
you, have your freedom
now let my people go.”

Light center stage on narrator
“I will no longer be silent or in the shadows
1954, 1968, 1972, 2005, 2009 will come.”

When I first read Morrison’s Playing in the Dark, I first concentrated on her overall message. Yet, it wasn’t until I really started to delve in and understand the text that Morrison began to explain her thoughts on race. For instance, she states, “The need to establish difference stemmed not only from the Old World but from a difference in the New. What was distinctive in the New was, first of all, its claim to freedom and, second, the presence of the unfree within the heart of democratic experiment – the critical absence of democracy, its echo, shadow, and silent force in the political and intellectual activity of some not-Americans. The distinguishing features of the not-Americans were their slave status, their social status – and their color. It was not simply that this slave population had a distinctive color; it was that this color “meant” something (Morrison, 1992).” She eloquently explains her research and literary critic to unearth the underlying messages of race by American literary giants in order to better understand the connections with attitudes and policies concerning race (formal and informal) in America. For instance, Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, had a central black character yet his voice and perspective was told through Huck Finn’s interpretation and stereotypes.

Through her research, she found that there is still a shadow among the dark. Especially, when the experiment of democracy is still being conducted and attacked everyday by private interests—that is how she was able to write Recitatif. She showed that the characters, plot, and journey have no significance if they do not have attributes whether they are black or white. These colors mean something in everyday America.

Race is an example of the highest forms of human rationalization. We make differences when there is similarity. We make similarities when there is difference. What is “White” when it constitutes such different cultures, religions, and traditions spanning North America, Europe, Middle East, Latin America, North and South Africa, Australia, Asia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. What is “Black” when it constitutes such differences as well spanning the Caribbean, Central America, Latin America, Africa, South America, Europe, North America, Australia, and Middle East. Morrison (1992) states, “Images of blackness can be evil and protective, rebellious and forgiving, fearful and desirable—all of the self-contradictory features of the self.” Race gives us a finite understanding of ourselves as opposed to the uncertainty of infinite possibilities. The Africanist character is a surrogate and enabler for tangible and finite characteristics such as desire and fear. In other words, Race/color is a physical attribute but also a social and mental characteristic.

Scene Three:
Center stage with bright lights on narrator.
“We would rather be compared to each other
in order to define our finiteness
in opposition to otherness
rather than embrace the infinite
Lawd, have mercy on us
for trying to define our own souls

Lights turn different colors depending on the narrators command
“It’s black, red, yellow, brown, white…
it’s grey
a complicated mixture of light and dark.”

DuBois states beautifully, “It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity.” As an African American there is a dual nature to your identity. You are dark in the midst of light; you are enslaved in some sense but free in others; you have African roots but American born and bred.

So after reflecting on this issue, I can better understand who I am as an African and an American. It’s a balancing act not to be overwhelmed or be torn apart from this inner battle. I like both sides to my human nature. I know what it means to be multicultural. Yet, I can not let either side have control of my entire being. I am a fluidic identity of both African American as opposed to a static definition of either.

Scene 4:
narrator at center stage
Dances in and out of the spotlight
To represent moving in and out
Of Black and American identities
music and dance
Ragtime
Jazz
R&B
Hip Hop
music and dance

Then the narrator is flooded with lights
Blinded and surprised
Then dark
Narrator speaks from out of the dark
Narrator: “Call me by my color dark for that is what I am…
to you, and you, and you, and you, and you.”
light spotlights wherever the narrator points

P.S. It’s important to be cognizant of discussions or portrayals of multicultural issues “playing in the dark” in our own lives.

References

Dunbar, P.L. (1993). The Collected Poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar. Joanne M. Braxton, ed. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia.

DuBois, W.E.B (1904). The Souls of Black Folks. A.C. McClurg & Co. Publishing: Chicago, IL. pgs. 1-265.

Morrison, T. (1992). Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination. Vintage Books: New York City, NY. pgs. 1-91.

Morrison, T. (1992). Recitatif. Vintage Books: New York City, NY. pgs. 1-91.

More Than A Woman

It’s all about being more than you expect.

More than a name, a symbol, or a role. It is I AM woman… Hear me roar! Hehe!

What good timing that I would write about the adventures (and misadventures) of being a women in the 21st century when the media is heavily focused on the recent comments of Sen. Arkin concerning women’s bodies.

In context of this media frenzy surrounding women, I recently watched a movie that looked at the identity of women in society. It is an unusual movie full of symbolism and more artistic than a boy meets girl story. There was a young woman character that really intrigued me because she was trying to cope with adolescence and her journey of becoming a woman.

She looks to the other women in the movie for guidance but they are so stuck in their own identity crises that she is over-looked. The women characters symbolize different roles of women in society: the successful professional, the intellectual scientist, the hopeful romantic, and the provocative stripper… almost like my favorite show Sex and the City!

Fortunately, there are many more roles for women that are not portrayed in the movie. There is also much more flexibility to shift and out of these roles to have an identity matrix. Thinking about the women in my life, they have dynamic and fluid identities to be a… DaughterSisterStudentLoverWifePartnerMotherWorkerColleagueAdvocateProfessionalMember and the list goes on and on. Often I have seen these roles as representation of the relationships that we have with family, friends, romance, school, work, church, recreation, and others.

Feminist and black liberation scholar bell hooks states that, “[Women] have resisted continued devaluation by countering the dominant stereotypes about us that prevail in white-supremacist capitalist patriarchy by decolonizing our minds. Here decolonization refers to breaking with the ways our reality is defined and shaped by the dominant culture and asserting our understanding of that reality, of our own experience (pg. 2).” In other words, women have utilized mass media such as this film and pop culture to offer different images of womanhood.

Yet, like this movie and other pop culture, women are typecast in rigid and static definitions of femininity. There’s Ellen DeGeneres, Toni Morrison, Missy Franklin, Jennifer Lopez, Audra McDonald, Meryl Streep, Snookie, Toni Cade Bambara, Angela Merkel, Gabby Douglas, Debbie Allen, Soledad O’Brien, the Teen moms, Whitney Houston, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kimora Lee Simmons, Queen Elizabeth, Margaret Cho, Paula Abdul, Beyonce, Sarah Palin, Anika Noni Rose, Diane Ravitch, Lady Gaga, Rachel Roy, Oprah, Taylor Swift, Suze Orman, the Girls Next Door, Maya Angelou, Gwyneth Paltrow, RuPaul, Adele, Jean Phinney, Tina Fey, Sandra Cisneros, Judge Judy, Nicki Minaj, Anna Freud, Alanis Morrisett, Sofia Vergara, Barbara Streisand, Connie Chung, Sally Fields, M.I.A, Paula Deen, Phylicia Rashad, Mia Michaels, Alice Walker, Karrine Steffans, Esperanza Spalding, Susan Lucci, Penelope Cruz, Jane Austen, Madea, Lisa Leslie, Housewives of Orange County, Michelle Obama, Kim Kardashian, Kristen Stewart, Alice Davis, Miley Cyrus, Diane Ravitch, Emma Stone, Shakira, Rachel Ray, Condoleeza Rice, Betsey Johnson, Nikki Giovanni, Mary Ainsworth, Laila Ali, Drew Gilpin Faust, Lindsay Lohan, Cathie Black, Michelle Rhee, Pamela Anderson, Yoko Ono, Ellen DeGeneres, The View, Billy Jean King, Hilary Clinton, Tyra Banks, Britney Spears, Sara Lawrence Lightfoot, Kathy Lee Gifford, Serena and Venus Williams, Barbara Walters, Marlee Maitlin, Madonna, Heidi Klum, Candis Cayne, Margaret Meade, Halle Berry, Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth, J.K. Rowling, Whoopi Goldberg, Angelina Jolie, Sonia Sotomayor, Scarlett Johansson, Rachel Maddow, Brittney Griner, bell hooks, etc. Most of these women are known for one talent or accomplishment. The public most often does not see that these and other women have diversified their images (esp. fame and fortune) in other areas to fulfill their work and dreams.

I don’t blame pop culture for using gender roles in marketing or exaggerating roles for entertainment purposes. However, we do need to offer some alternatives for young girls trying to become women, like the character Edina in the movie. I still remember my mother’s words to me, “Congratulations on becoming a woman!” I looked at her as if she had two heads because I had no idea what she was talking about. Yet, she and other women in my life were the best role models. Also, I remember my Dad telling me that I can do anything that I wanted to do. Again, I looked at my parents as if they had four heads. I thought to myself, “Of course, I could do anything!” I had their love and support to help me. This is how we can be more than a name, a symbol, or a role. We can become more than woman.

bell hooks (1993) states, “The white-dominated mass media have changed little in the way in which they represent black women. We have changed. In the last twenty years black women have collectively challenged both the racism and sexism that not only shape how we are seen but determine how everyone interacts with us (pg. 1).”

I love pop music like the next chick, yet it is really disheartening when I hear music lyrics that stereotype women as consolation prizes, employees, sex objects, or wardrobe accessories. As most women I’m not defined by a color, body part, music lyric, advertisement, poem, clothing, or painting. I’m influenced by my gender but I define my roles as a woman. For most of us we don’t dress and act to simply please ourselves but to gain approval from the other women in our lives. They have such strong influence to help us figure out who we are as women.

The movie ends with the professional talking to the young woman about her choices in life that lead to success. Then she embraces the young woman to comfort and reassure her that everything will be alright. As women we have to deal with our own identities as well as help others realize their potential.

Bell hooks (1993) states that, “… [Women] have had the joy of ecstatic sustained bonding with one another. We have witnessed the power of sisterhood. We have experienced self-recovery. We have known, and continue to know, the rewards of struggling together to change society so that we can live in a world that affirms the dignity and presence of black womanhood (pg. 6).” Yes I am a “bad chick” but I am so much more than a name. We must be ever vigilant because the struggle continues. We are more than women.

P.S. Celebrate how YOU are more than a name, a symbol, or a role in your life and the lives of others.

The 1st Anniversary of my blog, PlainSpeak!

“Speech is of three kinds: the first comes from the desire of the self, the second from reason, and the third from love. Speech which arises from desire is troubling and insipid, giving neither pleasure to those who speak nor profit to those who listen. That which arises from reason is accepted by the wise and gives pleasure to the listener and the speaker, and speech that arises from love renders enraptured those who listen and those who speak.”
- Rumi, In the Name of our Infinitely Compassionate and Merciful Source.*

This post marks the 1st anniversary of my blog!

So in this post, I want to reflect on the past year.

First, I want to say thank you to everyone who has read and/or subscribed to my blog! It’s refreshing to know that others share my views and care enough about the world to stay informed. I am fortunate to have a fair number of readers that span the world and every demographic; so, I want to continue to expand my writing topics.

As I’m reflecting over the past year of blogging, I would like to share some timeless wisdom; so, who better to help reflect on this past year than Rumi, the beloved Sufi master.

So who is Rumi?

Rumi was a Sufi mystic of Islam that flourished in the 13th century in the Persian-speaking lands from Turkey to Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia. According to Rumi scholars Kabir and Camille Helminski, Rumi dedicated himself to be open and rely on the deeper joy of Love, through every gesture, experience, and poem he wrote.

So the first Rumi poem that I want to share is “Everything is Inscribed Within,” which states, “A human being is a wondrous thing: everything is inscribed within him, but “veils” and “cloudiness” are various preoccupations, worldly schemes, and desires. Yet, despite all these things that are hidden in the “darkness” behind the “veils,” the human being can still read something and is aware of what he reads. Consider how “aware” he will become when the veils are lifted and the darkness disappears and what knowledge of himself he will discover within. All these different trades – tailoring, building, farming, gold-smithery, astronomy, medicine – innumerable professions – have been discovered from within the human being…”**

This is a perfect way to reflect on this 1st year anniversary of my adventures in blogging. As a parallel to Rumi’s journeys, this blog has been a great adventure for me. The adventure is allowing my inner quest for knowledge to explore some of today’s problems and discuss possible solutions. I’m grateful for thie opportunity because I am able to not only elaborate on my own thoughts; but also, take inspiration from current events in order for my posts to be relavent to everyday life. For me, it is a process of combining experience and knowledge, which wells up and flows from within the heart. The Helminskis (2012) state that, ” ‘Consult your heart,’ is Rumi’s continual advice, and if the heart is pure it will lead you to the highest spiritual truth (pg. xiii).” I truly and wholeheartedly believe this!

Through my blog I have stayed true to myself and my concern for education in the U.S. and the world. I frame my conversation in the context of current events, people, places, and policies; yet, the topics of blog including diversity, multiculturalism, innovation, creativity, youth, education, and development are timeless and universal.

In addition, the Helminskis’ (2012) state that according to Rumi, “Everything beautiful is made for the eye of one who sees, and the human being has an extraordinary potential for vision (pg. xiii ).” Vision is one skill that I have in abundance. Being a creative and innovative person, I have many ideas and inspiration comes from even the slightest or most remote comment/gesture. This can also be painstaking as I can be a perfectionist and stubborn about carrying out my vision. Yet, in the end I always enjoy the process of transforming ideas into a project/plan (such as PlainSpeak!) because my visions come from a humble, cheerful, good, hopeful, and faithful heart.

My family and friends have commented that my blog can sometimes be much more complex than just plain-speaking. This may be due to the fact that I am writing or “speaking” from my mind as well as my heart. When I choose a topic for discussion, although it is an intellectual approach to a common, everyday topic, I write with passion because I care deeply about people who may be impacted by my writing. I care very deeply and I hope it shows in my writing.

Although my style varies from education jargon to slang, I try to give a unique vision of what education and the world can be. I use a narrative voice that connects the post from beginning to end. I also try to present a clear and succinct opinion, in order make sense to such a diverse demographic. This is often missing in some intellectual conversations because the objective can be more about being persuasive rather than educational. It is important to present different views and/or limitations in your own perspective. I’ve also tried different styles of writing such as op-eds, reviews, articles, and my all time favorite of plain ol’ venting. Overall, I want to provide a different perspective with solid information to add to the discourse on education.

So we are all capable of intelligent thinking and enlightenment through opening our hearts and minds; yet, what about staying true to one’s heart?? Kabir and Camille Helminski (2012) explain, “One of the important themes in Rumi’s universe is the metaphysical notion that what is most real is beyond appearances and forms, yet perceptible to the purified heart. The human heart has the capacity to directly perceive the spiritual nature of reality, to witness the qualities and signs of God in the theater of manifest life, and yet too often we chase after shadows that have no real substance. We have an itch and a restlessness that we do not know how to satisfy. Underneath all our forms of restlessness and desiring is a yearning that is precious, but when we scatter ourselves we betray and abandon that yearning (pg. xiii).” As a sect, Sufis commit themselves to spiritual practices to harmonize their wills with the Divine Will. In a sense, they choose to ignore the ego and live through Divine Intelligence and Love.

Throughout the joys and pains of this past year, which included major milestones in my life but also financial trials, I’m still standing! I would even go as far to say that I’m better at this point in my life than last year. This is due to the fact that I’m still doing the best that I can with my mind, body, heart, and soul to make an impact in this world. It seems that every year, my restlessness grows less and my yearning grows more. I’m able to apply the lessons learned so that my life is more and more fulfilled. The acts of learning, reading, writing and/or teaching, without taking human truths and enlightenment to heart, is empty. In other words, one has to pursue meaning to receive the blessing of living.

This leads to transformation. And, quoting from many spiritual traditions, the greatest agent of transformation is love. Out of his most well known book, The Mathnawi, Rumi explains that love is an explosive force that causes, “the bitter to become sweet; copper into gold; the king becomes a slave.”*** So this blog is a lesson in learning and speaking with my heart to grow in love. However, what about being an agent of change??

In another poem, “With One Answer All Problems Are Solved,” Rumi explains that, “All desires, affections, loves, and attachments people have for all sorts of things, such as fathers, mothers, the heavens and the earth, gardens, places, endeavors, knowledge, food, and drink – one comes to realize that every desire is a desire for the Divine, and these things are all “veils.” When one passes beyond this world and sees that Sovereign without these “veils,” and “coverings” and that all along what everyone was seeking was really that one thing. Every difficulty will then be resolved, and every thing will be seen face to face. It is not God’s way to answer every problem individually, but rather with one answer all problems are solved…”** As humans, we have to understand that it is not just “Me” or “I” but “We”! Once we make this realization, we can truly celebrate with each other and our Creator. We will be able to share and rejoice in every human being’s efforts to find fulfillment and better understand the mysteries of life.

Another theme in my blog is that it takes a united effort to be an agent of change and make a lasting impact. I write from a Black American woman’s perspective and write about topics that are important to me. I write from my own experiences because it is how I understand the world. In doing this, I’ve been able to share my experiences, facts, life lessons, history, popular culture, media, philosophy, religion, etc. to add to the dialogue of education for a multicultural world.

However, through writing and the responses that I’ve received, many of the topics that I discuss affect every race, culture, ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender, age, ability, nationality, religion, etc. In essence, we are all seeking one thing… fulfillment. What makes us individuals is what we consider fulfillment and how we each pursue it.

We are all unique in one way or another. Yet, we have similarities as human beings to strive to be a more knowledgeable person. Humanity shares truths and a collective experience of being human such as birth, family, learning, growth/development, love, friendship, sex, adversity, pain/suffering, success, play, work, sickness, death, etc. In America, our Western/individualistic society enables us to explore our unique strengths and weaknesses. Yet, what is the purpose of learning or enlightenment if we keep it to ourselves? In the words of my little cousin, “This little light of mine. I’m going to let it shine!” Therefore, through realizing one’s potential, we can share our experiences and perspectives to work together for a common goal. Then, our efforts to impact our world are even greater. Multiple approaches/strategies are always better than one!

Rumi’s poems are great inspiration to understand how a person can sync his/her heart, mind, body, and soul to be an agent of love and change. Furthermore, each of us has to work together to help each other seek fulfillment of important human truths.

All in all, last year my blog focused on creating a brand for myself and my views. This coming year will be even more fun to stretch my ideas and find more ways to apply my heart to my ideas.

P.S. In reflection, PlainSpeak has been a project of enlightenment, mindfulness, and love from my heart to yours.

*Menaqib al-Arifin, passage 414, excerpted from Rumi and His Friends, Stories of the Wise, selections from Aflacki, translated by Camille Helminski and Susan Blaylock. Boston: Threshold Books 1995.

**Fihi ma Fihi (Farsi), Amir Kabir, Tehran, 1385 (AH). Discourse 9 and 11.

***Mathnawi III: 4, 129. From Jewels of Rememberance, translated by Camille and Kabir Helminski. Boston: Threshold Books 1996.

****The Mathnawi of Jalalu’ddin Rumi, translated by Reynold A. Nicholson with Persian text. London: Luzac & Co. 1925, 1929, 1933 reprinted 1982 E.J.W Gibb Memorial Trust, Cambridge, England.

The Rumi Daybook, selected and translated by Kabir and Camille Helminski. Boston: Threshold Books 2012.

Freedom!… You gotta give for what you take!

“The best things in life are free”
- Janet Jackson

“Freedom! You gotta give for what you take”
- George Michael

So this blog is all about everything free!

If you’re anything like me, you have days where you’re trying to do something and anything for free.

However, freedom is not free. It comes at a cost.

Some examples include: the barriers for women to attend higher education in some cultures/countries, the ban of gay/lesbian couples to marry in most U.S. states, the limitations for disabled individuals to adopt children, the insecure and unsafe measures of deportation for immigrants, the lack of religous tolerance and freedom for public worship of religious traditions, and also the heavy cost of treament and health insurance for poor families.

People often pay for freedom over many years or lifetimes. People often pay in blood, sweat, and tears. A few even pay with their lives. It includes days and nights of adversity, hardship, and grueling work without praise, admiration, and/or rewards. In one way or another, everyone sacrifices for the cost of freedom.

Since we have celebrated the 4th of July U.S. Independence Day and the 2012 London Summer Olympics, I thought I would reflect on freedom and its impact on me as an African American.

Chris Rock tweeted an extreme statement that he viewed the 4th of July as European American’s Independence Day. I strongly disagree due to the civil rights struggles and sacrifices that have enabled me to enjoy civil rights, liberties, and freedoms as an African American. With every abolition speech, stop on the underground railroad, Buffalo soldier, Historically Black College, reformation policy, lynching, bombing/fire, assasination, fire hose blast, police dog attack, arrest/incarceration, raid, broken color barrier, sit-in, march, vote, worker strike, boycott, act of civil disobedience, elected official, court case, and desegregation policy, my freedom was bought and paid for by my ancestors, elders, and their allies.

I’m so proud to be American because of this special tradition… freedom. This is ironic for a Black person to say (trust me I really had to think hard about saying this!). Yet, no where in the world do I have as much freedom as a minority. I’m not saying that I have total freedom as an African American with policies such as racial profiling and inequalities such as racial achievement gaps; but comparatively, I have lots of freedom as a progressive young heterosexual able-bodied single African American women protestant in America than anywhere in the world! Go America!

Then I read a quote from President Barack Obama where he stated, “We need to out-innovate, out-educate and out-build the rest of the world,” he said. “We have to make America the best place on earth to do business. We need to take responsibility for our deficit and reform our government. That’s how our people will prosper.”

My answer is we do. We out-freedom everybody.

We need to keep these traditions such as democratic education so that people understand and appreciate the great sacrifices that people have made for our freedom. Democracy is a grandiose ideal in America that has taken many years of reformation to improve. We need to understand that, as Americans, we have always been contradictory and conflicting in our views of freedom and access. Our democractic government ensures that we can pursue life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Yet, for whom?

Early in American history, democracy and freedom did not include various groups such as Blacks, Native Americans, ethnic groups, women, disabled, immigrants, Catholics, Jews, or the poor. These groups did not experience full American citizenship, if at all. However, From the work of diverse minority groups, individuals, and allies, more and more people are able to experience the ideals of freedom and democracy in their everyday lives.

Through democracy, we have the freedom to be creative, critical, and innovative without fear. I could denounce the American flag without worrying about any government repercussions. I can praise Jesus, Allah, Yahweh, Buddha, Brahma, money, the moon goddess, Mother Nature, the Sun, etc. and I will not be condemned or ostracized in society.

As a progressive person, it’s a double-edged sword to seek further equality because in America we equate equal rights to infringing on others’ freedoms. However, if everyone can’t experience democracy, then no one can truly be free. Freedom will always come at a cost for someone. In this world, we have enough resources and freedom to share with the world; therefore, we must work towards life, liberty, and happiness for all. In theory, we wouldn’t need social programs, if people had full freedom and resources to provide for themselves. For example, I have told people that I hope my job and research in ethnic minority recruitment would no longer need to exist. Someday, underrepresented minority groups would no longer need to be considered a special population. Then, minorities will be fully integrated in mainstream society and equal opportunities.

As a people, we have to care for freedom and for people. Therefore, I will continue to be assertive for freedom for all. In true American tradition… Give me freedom (liberty) for all or give me death!

P.S. Everyone has degrees of freedom in their lives. So, why and how are you thankful for the freedoms that you enjoy? What can you do to ensure your freedom and the freedom of others?

Cultural Literacy is Fundamental!

I’m not only talking about reading fairy tales to kids like Little Red Riding Hood or perusing through the O magazine. I’m talking about literacy and particularly cultural literacy. For example, during the singing of the national anthem, everyone acts respectfully. It is respectful in Latin and some European cultures to greet people with kisses on each cheek. In some Asian cultures, it’s respectful to take your shoes off when entering someone’s homes. As a matter of respect in some African cultures, you must first take care of your elders before eating your meal.

In my experience, a liberal arts education is a prime place where social rules and cultural traditions are taught. We all have the capabilities to understand different cultures. Yet, how is cultural literacy learned without intentionally teaching students in the liberal arts tradition to be socially aware and critical thinkers.

Globalization has made our small world even smaller. Therefore, students need to be prepared to work and learn in many different environments and people with different backgrounds.

My college pursuits allowed me to have a very different life prior to turning 18. I decided to attend Notre Dame, an historically European American private Catholic university which was very different from my African Methodist faith and European American Protestant public school background. Yes, I was only going to the next state to attend school but it was a world of difference. Even though there were philosophical differences between these two worlds, I learned more about my own beliefs. In college, I majored in psychology and conducted multicultural psychology research. To further my education I attended Harvard, another predominately European American private university, for graduate school. In Cambridge, I studied multicultural education to better understand the relation between education and human development.

Since college I’ve enjoyed working in higher education, where I have been able to help students transition from high school to college. When talking to families, most parents feel apprehensive when their son/daughter are interested in a liberal arts major like psychology. They explain that it’s not engineering or business where the student is guaranteed a job. They often ask me how their student can use a liberal arts education.

This is my simplified answer… You will learn so much about yourself that you will embark on a lifelong journey of finding out exactly what you want to do. In laymen’s terms you will have a basic foundation of skills to help guide you for whatever, whenever, wherever for the rest of your life.

My experiences taught me to appreciate diversity and gain cultural literacy. So, no matter where I am or who I am working with, I have the interpersonal skills and cultural competence to work effectively with others. My research training improved my skills of inquiry and critical thinking. Plus, I want to emphasize the importance of reading and writing in our world today. From psychology, I learned the importance of understanding adolescent development and it’s impact on career and college choices. Due to my liberal arts education, I was able to study my academic interests and be a knowledgeable person always seeking to find creative solutions for a problem.

One of the most prolific current works in education and human development is Howard Gardner’s Theory on Multiple Intelligence. We all know kids that are smart in many different ways. For instance, we know students who are good with their hands, have advanced musical abilities, or athletically talented. This theory of multiple intelligences should be applied to career choices… Are you good with math and problem solving? You should consider a career as a statistician. Are you a creative thinker and enjoy writing? You could be a web marketing designer. Do you enjoy science and helping others? You could pursue a career in health public policy. All of these jobs stem from majors in liberal arts.

Cultural literacy is not an easy skill to learn. So, this is my advice to students and their parents concerning liberal arts education:
I was never guaranteed a job and I didn’t choose the typical path for a psychologist. Yet, I can say that I am happy and I am pursuing what I love. I have so many options such as teaching, research, leadership in higher education, non-profit philanthropy, educational event planning, and even blogging!

P.S. Learning cultural literacy will not only open your personal world but also career possibilities. So, with a liberal arts education, don’t do what’s easy… Do what is right for you!