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Showing posts from May, 2012

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Conservatism, Reaction, and the Elder's Responsibility: A Message to My Age Grade

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Conservatism, Reaction, and the Elder's Responsibility: A Message to My Age Grade Great Day, Fam. This one right here? It’s not for everyone. If you’re not at or approaching Eldership—defined in our tribe as about 55 years old and up—you might not feel all of this. But if you’re curious, or if you’re one of those younger souls already walking with wisdom, you’re welcome to keep reading. This message is for the Elders. For those of us who should know better. And yes—I’m including myself. Let’s Start With the Mirror I’ve got to confess something. I’ve been guilty. Guilty of being reactionary. Guilty of falling into the trap of conservatism. Guilty of romanticizing the past. Guilty of looking at our young people and calling them “soft”—as if we were born warriors, as if we didn’t have to become who we are through fire, failure, and guidance. Many of us Elders are stuck in a loop. We remember only the highlights of our youth—the toughest times we survived, the boldest moments ...
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How Can You Denie

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How can you denie/  the power of Umoja/  when its in your face?  Gye-Nyame has been existence for quite awhile and I took a serious look back and was amazed by how people in the tribe and those on the fringes have benefited. Through partenerships, collaberations, and unity we have been able to create opportunities from absolutely nothing. So I have to ask the question asked in my Ha2ku, "how can you denie the power of Umoja (unity), when it slaps you in the face?: Housing over 25 young men, 5-7 at a time and being able to feed them and help the majority of them survive the summers from 1999-2007 Sending at least 5 boys a year to Simba camp 1999-2005 and then through a collaberation with (UW) increasing the number to 10-12 per year from 2005 to present Providing or openning opportunites for over 20 individuals to make money as either employees or contractors Openning opportunities for individuals to travel across country and to network with like minded people Creating...
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Thank you

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Thank you very much/ For within your behaviors/ Lies a lesson for me/ I have not posted in a while. I don't know if it is because of frustration or just plain laziness. Today the inspiration hit me and I didn't have time to write at work but I felt it was important enough to pen my thoughts on this situation. Modern tech has made it so easy to share and I have been investing a lot of time on my spreaker station, but this Ha2ku needed to be discussed through the pen or should I say the key board. While working with young people today I ran into a young man whose behaviors were irrateing me to no end. He couldn't or wouldn't (I don't know which) stop moving or talking with me. He was a case study for persistence. He had it set in his mind that he was going to get what he wanted and started asking me for it over and over and over and over..... hopefully you get the idea. I noticed my breathing began to shift and became shallow I noticed my body began to heat up,...
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