Friday, November 25, 2016

On Black Friday


What do you want the world to look like in 2017? I ask this question because I feel like today, the day after we've collectively "given thanks" and have had some time off to reconnect with family and friends, hopefully sleep in and rest a little, tend to our basic human needs and enjoyed some comforting food, and hopefully maybe had a few still moments to just take a good, deep breath, we're equipped to look forward. I ask this question today because, this is the dollar sign day. Everything is for sale and on sale and we're experiencing peak capitalism right now, in this moment and all weekend long. And as you know, money talks. And as you know, you can cast a very impactful vote with your coins. And as you know, capital amplifies your voice.
So what are you saying, today? What will you say today and for the rest of the year to cultivate your vision for yourself, your babies, and our world for 2017?
I bought pajamas for my 3 year old, today. Not because I want to feed the monster that is capitalism or fund oppression. I bought pajamas for my 3 year old today because she needed pajamas and I could get the best deal on them, today. I have a single income. I have 2 children. I want to opt out of capitalism ALL THE TIME, but that's a luxury that I and many others don't have right now. Folk don't shop at Walmart because they hate their fellow man. They shop at Walmart because that's what's available to them. That's what's so sinister about this system... It feeds on the working class and impoverished and forces them into a cycle in which they have to rely on this machine that is destroying them to eke out a living and provide for their families. It makes us victimize each other. It pays us almost nothing so that all we can afford to buy is sweatshop clothing and contaminated food, sourced/picked/packaged by other people who are being paid almost nothing.

I'm worn out by it. I'm tired of giving Proctor & Gamble and whoever else my money. I don't want their shit in my house, on my body, near my kids, and I don't want the blood on my hands. And so far, I've done a decent job of escaping the all consuming vortex of mass market conglomerates. When I look at my medicine cabinet, I feel good. When I look at much of my wardrobe, I feel like an okay person who is clearly trying. The electronics market is a lot harder to navigate, for sure. Thankfully, the world of resale helps with big ticket items like furniture. A lot of work goes into steering clear of companies that do not align with my morals and politics.

I try to pay a little more when I can, after having researched the sources of the materials and the working conditions of the people that make the thing I'm buying, hoping that I'm casting a good vote. Hoping that companies will get the message that yes, we do want pesticide-free, cruelty-free, sweatshop-free goods and services, and yes, we do want sustainably sourced goods, and yes, we do want a healthy world, and yes, we do want ingredients that won't sterilize and/or kill us and our children, and yes, we do expect them to not just provide stuff for us to buy but to stand for peace and justice, and the eradication of poverty. But there are only so many hours in the day, and WE only have so many dollars.

All of this is to say, do your best. Do what you can. Don't beat yourself up when you fall short, especially when you had to decide between the cheap option because that's what you could afford and the expensive one that aligned more with your politics and your morals. But spend the extra when you can, because it does matter. Put your money where your heart is.

I get the feeling that our vision for 2017 is similar. I also get the feeling that collectively, we can get there. We've made some poor choices for... Pretty much our entire existence, at this point. But, grace and mercy has us here, still clinging to this planet, white knuckling it into another year. We're still here, which means it's not too late to start making some better better choices. Let's begin by supporting organizations such as The Body is Not An Apology, an organization that is dedicated to eradicating racism, cisheteropatriarchy, islamiphobia, and on and on and on and which has a subscription campaign to fund the radical self love work that will help get us all free and Say Word, which has taken on the critical task of guiding and empowering our youth. Let's buy black by supporting businesses such as Thewrap.life, Planet Lucid, and Philadelphia Print Works. Let's give our discretionary income to ARTISTS, specifically the ones who are LOCAL so that they can continue to make a living painting, dancing, writing, providing the soundtrack to our lives, inspiring the world, and being great.

Forreal, YOU DO NOT have to CONTINUE TO INVEST IN A SYSTEM that has SOUGHT TO DESTROY YOU AT EVERY POSSIBLY OPPORTUNITY. You don't.

As native Americans are being physically attacked because they don't want their water poisoned -- Let that sink in --HUMAN BEINGS ARE BEING PHYSICALLY ATTACKED BY OTHER HUMANS BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO BE POISONED -- It's important that we stand together. It's important that we make some tough choices and maybe a few sacrifices. That might mean saying, "no" to getting a gigantic TV for $45 at Best Buy, today, or resisting the convenience of walking into Target next week to pick up a few rolls of Angel Soft for the low low and putting for the effort and extra money to get toilet paper from Freedom Paper, instead. It's worth it. We're worth it.

I want us to rise next year. I want us to thrive next year. I want you next to me, whole, healthy, free, and in your right mind. We gon' get there, or nah?

Thursday, September 22, 2016

New Interrupting Racism Workshop: I Own Myself



There's a new Interrupting Racism workshop coming up Sunday, October 2, 2016 at 1pm PST/4pm EST. Ebony Janice of The Free People Project​ and I will be discussing black women's body ownership and providing some language for discussing ways we give and take ownership of ourselves to others. Sensuality, esteem, religion, patriarchy, media... All of these topics will be addressed. We hope that you will join us then and tell a friend. RSVP at thefreepeopleproject@gmail.com.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

That New New!


Hey, boos! I'm hoping this blog finds you well and in your finest new school outfit. I've been busy, procrastinating on school assignments and raising the next generation of magical black girls. I also decided to get my life together and launch a new, fancy ass site. It's actually still a bit of a work in progress, as most life things are. I'll be adding new pages and content as the need arises. Oh, and there will be new product, too! Will it be a book? Butt implants? Who knows? Check back in the coming months and find out!
In the meantime and in-between time, I'm giving away one free copy of Uppity Negress to one lucky new email list subscriber, so tell a friend and if you're not signed up already, make sure you get it poppin'. Sign up on the website between now and Sunday, September 11th  2016 to get a chance to be randomly selected to receive a free book. The winner will be announced on Monday, September 12th 2016. Super simple. 

You're awesome. Take care. Let's chat later.

Monday, June 6, 2016

Because I Wonder What Brock Allen Turner's Dad Would Have Said if His Son Had Eaten Human Flesh for a Mere 20 Minutes

Cannibal Culture

He was hungry
So he ate her
Hey, you know
Boys will be
Carnivores
She said, “No.”
But it was only
One time
She should’ve
Done more to
Fight back
Her hands
Weren’t tied
She said, “No.”
But, she really
Meant, “Yes.”
Plus, it was after
He had already
Rooted his teeth
She left the house
Half dressed
What did she
Expect to happen
With the meatiest
Parts of her body
Exposed
These cattle
They ought to
Know better
These hens
Never seem
To learn their
Lesson
You know
These girls
Can’t make up
Their minds
You know
These girls
Can’t manage
Their wants
You know
These men
Have needs
You can’t
Hold his hand
And refuse to
Feed him
You can’t
Have culinary
Conversations
And then act
All shy
When he
Expects a feast
You went back
To his apartment
What did you think
Would happen?
You sat comfortably
At a set table
You willingly
Went into his kitchen


He was hungry
So he gorged himself
On her fat
Disemboweled her
Consumed contents
Of open cavity
Cupped hands
In shallow pool
Of pulsing wound
Drank until no more thirst
Chewed through muscle
Gnawed on tendons
Until incisors accosted
Bones
He video taped it
He took pictures of her
Dismembered
He told his friends
And they told him
That they had
Tasted human
Before
Ex-girl friends
Gone missing
Schoolmates
Neighbors and strangers
A pile of rotting remains
Who’s names
They barely remember
They were hungry
So they fed themselves
Hey, you know
Boys will be
Carnivores
Hey, you know
These whores
Cannot be built
Into housewives
You’d better
Burn down the building
And start from
The beginning
You know these
Women weren’t
Raised right
These single mothers
Don’t parent properly
You know these
Young girls
Are bold nowadays
You’ve seen these
10 year olds
Who look 18
How’s he supposed
To know
Who to bite
And who to keep his
Mouth away from
It’s impossible
You’re illogical
Stop being unreasonable
The Bible has you
Acting
Like you don’t want
To have your flesh
Torn from your bones
The Qu’ran has you
Thinking
There’s something
Wrong
With becoming
Remnants of meat
A man will pick
From between
His teeth
You think
You’re too good
To be consumed
You are stupid
To assume
A man will
Control his urges
It’s your
Responsibility
To keep him
Preoccupied
It’s your job
To convince him
You deserve
To keep your skin
Stay sober
In the company
Of male acquaintances
Stay out of the cars
Of men you know
Casually
Cover yourself
When you
Are the subject
Of his gaze
Stay out
Of bars
Parks
And alleyways
Don’t invite him
Over after the
Neighbors have
Lowered their blinds
Don’t travel
Where there is
No one to watch out
For you
You don’t know
What to do
In these situations
In this big, beasting
World
In these forests
Little Red,
He will rip the hood
From your head
And your scalp
From your skull
Right along with it
These women
Need to learn
Not to be a tease
Not be loose
Not to be bitches
Not to be rude,
Bitches,
Keep your pretty little
Knees
Together
You’d better
Smile
When he advances
When he compliments
When he whistles
When he howls
Don’t provoke him
He was born hungry
You know,
Boys will be greedy

©2013 Blakbird Publishing

Friday, June 3, 2016

I'm Actually Gonna Leave My House This Weekend! And Next Week, Too!


I've got the nerve to have things to do this weekend! Apparently, I think I'm grown. You can have the nerve to have some things to do, too! Let's do them together.

On Saturday (that's tomorrow) I'll be reading in the 1:15 pm Poets and Allies set at LitFest Pasadena in the Zona Rosa alley. There will be other amazing poets there as well. If you're in the area, come and see us! Come and say, "Hi". The entire day is FREE and takes place all over the Pasadena Playhouse District. There's even a Octavia Butler  & Afro Futerism presentation at 11 am that sadly I won't be able to go to because my 2 year old has dance class. Bring yourselves out and enjoy!





Also, if you're free on Monday night, I'll be a featured poet at Poets and Allies, which is a reading that also takes place in the lovely city of Pasadena. It starts at 7 pm and is also FREE. It will be taking place at the Sidewalk Cafe which is located at 2057 N. Los Robles, Pasadena CA 91104. I'd love to see your face!





In other, not necessarily poetry related goings ons, you may or may not have heard that Black Lives Matters Activist Jasmine Richards was tried and found guilty of felony lynching. Yeah, you read that right... FELONY LYNCHING. So, here we have a clear case of the criminal justice system being used as a weapon against activists. This is not a new phenomenon, however Jasmine has become the first political prisoner of the Black Lives Matters movement. In an effort to support her and send a clear message to the powers that be regarding the mishandling of the law and false imprisonment of Jasmine Richards, I encourage you to sign this petition and if you're able, attend her sentencing on Tuesday, June 7th in Pasadena (damn, Pasadena is lit!). The hearing will take place at 8 am at 300 E. Walnut Street. The objective is to pack the courthouse.



Also, Tuesday is the Primary, so if you're in California and registered to vote, do yo' thang.

I think that's about it for right now. If I don't see you in the next few days, I certainly hope to in the future. As always, keep up with me on InstagramTwitter and Facebook. If you haven't already gotten your copy of All My Exes Want Me Back, Uppity Negress, or the classic Five Three and Rising, you can fix that situation at blakisbeautiful.com. Oh, and did you know that you can sign up for my email list? Yeah, shawty! Do the damn thang, right 'chea:





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Alright, be good and take care of yourself!