Inauguration Day is here: It’s time to wake up. Our “race” needs to get started…again.
Election night changed me…it made me realize what’s important. That empty pit in my stomach that night and the next morning told me I must refocus on what’s important and it starts with me and it ends with my people. Besides me initiating plans to move abroad, I immediately considered how I need to change my focus. Those of you that are under the age of 20, you have your whole life ahead of you. Your dreams and directions are still valid. Nothing has changed for you, except maybe you have motivation to do something about our race.
Wait let me be clear, I’m speaking to the next leaders of my race. I’m speaking to the kids that are doing well in school or at least trying. I’m speaking to the kids that attend class, the kids that care about doing what’s right. I’m speaking to the kids that stay out of trouble that want something better for themselves. I’m not speaking to kids that don’t value education. I’m not speaking to the wanna be thugs. I’m not speaking to kids that want to be cool over wanting to be intelligent. I’m not speaking to kids that don’t have a dream. This is not the blog for you, I’ve heard and seen enough from you. Go to another site cause today, these words ain’t for you. Don’t waste your time here, not today. I’m speaking to the scholars, the scientist, the mathematicians, the oratory contest winners, spelling be participants, kids in class that raise their hand, the nerdy awkward kids and the loners. I’m speaking the next leaders among you.
Young people of color, time and time again, people of color that came before you and faced the harshest of circumstances, have done more to put you in this position of opportunity than you have done for yourself…and they’ve done it with less. What’s your excuse for not being excellent? Decades ago, young black kids that had one book and determination, had more than you with “Google” and an excuse. What are you waiting for? What are you afraid of? Not being cool? Being smart? Having a job? What is it?!…because I want to know! I’ve lived half my life and I did ok but I want something…I need something to believe in today. I need you. Comment on my page, help me out here.
We now know we are not living in a post-racial America, so what are you going to do about it. The opposition has played his hand there are no new surprises. Don’t wait for somebody to make something “great again”. Get up off your butt and do something. What’s your plan, I’ll help! You don’t need to watch any more political antics, it’s nothing new. You don’t need to rant on Facebook, the “Likes” are not important. Time for blaming is over. No more hoping, we have to start doing. We have to be better towards one another and it begins with us. We have to patronize minority owned business, we have to give to those that are not yet where we are…do it privately. Stop looking for someone to thank you or the recognition just do what’s right.
We have to support each other. We know no one else is going to do it for us and we can’t take any shortcuts. The next generation has all the metrics and data to understand what’s at stake and what’s been proven to work or not work.
We all know the shortcuts don’t last, don’t work and they don’t pay.
We all know what works and what doesn’t. We have to go back to the “Black and Proud” days where we protected and respected our women. Where we respected each other, where we cared about each other, when we spoke to each other. We can no longer blame anyone else. We know all we need to know about this wonderful country, and if you don’t know by now, you won’t ever know. Racist people don’t care about us but it’s not them that’s killing us…it’s us.
We have to throw out the excuses, throw out the ignorance, the violence, the killing and hate. We’ve been deliberately kept in the dark and lost for too long. We are not even being kept in the dark, some of use just like to keep our eyes shut. We’ve been convinced that we need to compete with each other and hate each other. We have to lift each other up.
The leaders have to stop following and the followers must stop misrepresenting us. If you can’t be positive for something, just shut up. You are not saying anything we haven’t heard before. Just take your excuses, negativity, ignorance, and victim mentality…just pick it all up and get out of the way.
I think we have veered too far off the path of what’s right. We’ve forgotten what’s important, we’ve become selfish and that’s NOT who we are…we’ve been convinced that that’s who we are but they’re wrong.
Quite simply…we have to focus on us because no one else will. You, the younger generation have to mobilize and make the positives happen. My generation is looking for the next leaders, tag…you’re it.
MPM
“Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
Muhammad Ali
Middle Passage Mentor 