Various BWE (Black Women Empowerment) bloggers have been hosting ongoing, transformational conversations in support of abundant life for Black women. I'm always pleased to see African-American women add their voices to these conversations. I'm delighted whenever other Black women step out of the bystander role, and actively support this message by preaching the truth.
It can be intimidating to step up to the soapbox. That's why relatively few people do it. We often feel that we're not ready to preach the truth unless and until we feel as if we've "arrived." Meanwhile, a life's journey is never truly complete until death.
Rainebeaux's contributions have greatly added to the already-outstanding work that CW (blog host of Black Women Deserve Better) has been doing. So here's a standing ovation for Rainebeaux, who has been guestblogging over at Black Women Deserve Better. If you haven't already seen some of her posts, take a look at http://thecwexperience.wordpress.com/
13 comments:
Hi Khadija
Once again a BIG WELCOME BACK!
I am so proud of Rainebeaux & the other bloggers for sharing their stories...Black women are often afraid of an all too familiar brand of judging which keeps others in silence...My goal is for BW to have this forum in order to: 1. Learn from our mistakes...2. Reduce the amount of new ones...3. Live the most successful life possible...
Looking forward to your future endeavors!
Hello there, CW!
{excited waving}
Thank you so much for your kind words, encouragement, and most of all the outstanding work that you've been steadfastly doing over at your blog.
I appreciate all that you're doing to encourage new bloggers. I've also been very excited to see how you've taken your work to another level with the Building on the Change and Taking the Pledge efforts. Furthermore, I can't applaud loudly enough for your latest post encouraging folks to unplug from the audio madness! {wild cheers and standing ovation}
As you noted, it's very hard to take folks seriously when they LIKE music and other products that debase THEM. Anybody who wants abundant LIFE is going to have to make some choices about the various deathstyle products in their home. Across the board. There's no way around it.
In any event, I'm still reading through the articles you linked to in the post. Thank you for providing that information.
And I have to ask: Where are so-called "our" African-American social scientists on the research question of "What are the long-term effects of listening to self-degrading music and talk?" Are any of these AA social scientists researching the everyday, unquestioned harm that we do to ourselves? Or is all their research about the effects we suffer from outside racism?
Not to beat a dead horse (I've ranted about this before--*smile*), but we need an overhaul of ALL of our esteemed AA scholars. I notice that the bulk of our scholarship is NOT producing anything of any value to anybody, including our own people.
Where are AAs in the human marathon of advancement? Is everything AAs say, write and do geared around crying about outside racism? Or crying for somebody ELSE to come fix our internal rot and save us? {smh}Hmmph!
Anyhoo, THANK YOU!
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
(Humbled By The Applause)
"Where are so-called "our" African-American social scientists on the research question of "What are the long-term effects of listening to self-degrading music and talk?"
Probably cowering in a corner seeing the backlash that Bill Cosby & Pres.Obama received touching on these issues...
"As you noted, it's very hard to take folks seriously when they LIKE music and other products that debase THEM."
And it's not about being prudish...As I mentioned in the blogpost, adult topics can be sung about without resulting to vulgarity (Luther anyone?)
"...Furthermore, I can't applaud loudly enough for your latest post encouraging folks to unplug from the audio madness!"
There are steps we can take to unplug from the madness altogether, however something as seemingly trivial as music can be a life-altering thing...We adapt to our surroundings...If that includes degrading music, it will change our psyche...The mind and soul cannot rest listening to a bunch of garbage...Realistically we cannot avoid ALL encounters with negative music, but BW don't need to invite denigration in and warm it a plate!
It can be intimidating to step up to the soapbox. That's why relatively few people do it. We often feel that we're not ready to preach the truth unless and until we feel as if we've "arrived." Meanwhile, a life's journey is never truly complete until death.
^yes, THIS. The above quote is exactly why I'm doing this. I thought about family and friends talking me out of things that most likely would've benefited me in the long run. Also, I couldn't shake the feeling that a BW or two was stuck; I want to help get them unstuck any way I can while helping myself. Thank you, Khadija! It's not often I run out of words to illustrate how humbled I am.
CW,
You said, "Probably cowering in a corner seeing the backlash that Bill Cosby & Pres.Obama received touching on these issues..."
If so, then they are of NO use to the rest of us. Just some more dead weight to be LEFT BEHIND in 2010. Onward and forward!
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
Hello there, Rainebeaux!
{wild cheering}
You're welcome, and THANK YOU!
You said, "Also, I couldn't shake the feeling that a BW or two was stuck; I want to help get them unstuck any way I can while helping myself."
This is exactly why I'm so happy to see your guest posts. AA women are facing a variety of circumstances and challenges. I believe it's important to hear a variety of encouraging voices talking about their own experiences of seeking abundance. This way, a reader who can't relate to what one speaker is saying can find clarity in what another speaker is saying. The message of abundant life for BW covers more ground this way.
Again, THANK YOU for stepping up to the plate and adding your voice to the empowerment message! Onward and forward!
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
As a poster on CW's blog I have to say I am enjoying all of the new bloggers! Rainebeaux's especially! I think everyone is doing a wonderful job and the different perspectives are so refreshing!
It's amazing to me that by the internet we have all formed this solid community of uplifting black women and rebuking the myths that surround us. Truly a blessed and wonderful thing!
Hello there, Traci!
{wild cheering}
THANK YOU for actively supporting the message of abundant life for BW by stepping up to preach the truth.
You said, "It's amazing to me that by the internet we have all formed this solid community of uplifting black women and rebuking the myths that surround us. Truly a blessed and wonderful thing!"
Yes, it is!
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
@ Khadija
I hope you are coming back to blog for awhile...I really enjoy your posts!
Traci,
Thank you for your kind words; I truly appreciate it.
To answer your question: Except for the announcement post when the new site is up, I don't plan to publish any new blog posts here. I'm saving the ones I'm working on right now for the next website.
So, I will be posting again---but it'll be at the new site when it's ready (which will hopefully be by the end of this month). Again, thanks for asking!
Peace, blessings and solidarity.
It was extremely interesting for me to read the article. Thanks the author for it. I like such topics and anything that is connected to this matter. I would like to read a bit more soon.
I remember when Tavis Smiley was informing every one to questioned Obama just like the rest of the canidates. It does not matter if he is part African.
lois
I agree with cw aboutthe music: this stuff affects many people especially black girls and women, I believ i t makes us feel 'less than' Its best to listen to Gospel music that uplfts the spirit, theres gospel with good beats;you dont have to listen to music that calls you a 'ho or a golddigger. Wheres Johnny mathis or Nat King cole when you need them
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