If I could change one law, it would be this: every person who has completed their sentence should automatically have their voting rights restored. No paperwork. No petitions. No second punishment. While I am speaking about women, this doesn’t exclude men. I am simply reporting on a topic I have experience with.
Addiction plays a major role in this. Women are more likely than men to be incarcerated for drug‑related offenses, and more likely to have experienced trauma, domestic violence, or homelessness before arrest. When addiction goes untreated, the criminal legal system becomes the default response, and mothers pay the highest price. Separation from children increases stress, relapse risk, and instability, all of which make reentry harder and recidivism more likely. I believe that anyone who has served their time deserves the right to vote, unless there are justified and extreme cases barring them from doing so.
Because voting isn’t just symbolic. For mothers, it’s a tool of stability. It’s a way to advocate for the services that prevent relapse, keep families together, and reduce the likelihood of returning to prison. It’s a way to participate in shaping the world their children will grow up in. And it’s a recognition that once someone has paid their debt, the state should not keep collecting.
Restoring voting rights after time served is not leniency. It’s alignment. A person still has to choose to exercise that right, but at least it is available. It matches our stated belief in rehabilitation, reintegration, and second chances. I have written about women receiving a second chance after incarceration before. With structure many people do well, that is a good thing. This is a Christian value that I hold that after you pay a penance, served your time, and rehabilitated yourself while incarcerated you can do good for society with civic duty.
No one has to remain in a victim state. But it is ok to acknowledge that some people were dealt a raw deal. Now is the time to educate the disenfranchised on how to participate in this new economy. Educate them so that they can educate their children. I am not an expert, but I am loyal to second chances, and I imagine most people would be if given a shot.
Source
Data summarized from Incarcerated Women and Girls – The Sentencing Project.
If the country is moving to a merit-based society, that is great. However, there are some places that will need to modernize their infrastructure. But in the meantime, we like to get in motion as much as we can until the pendulum swings in our favor.
As a child, my parents chose where we lived based on the school district alone. When my mother was just starting out in her career and had to work nights at the hospital, she would do something that I actually could not do: she would drive from the city to the suburbs—a forty-minute commute to Ann Arbor just so I could go to school where she felt I would get the best education. The irony was that there was a school right on the corner where my grandmother lived, but my mom wanted a school where I could be creative and thrive. I actually moved around quite a bit as a child, but each choice was made based on education. Admittedly, no one should have to deal with those extremes, but throughout history, parents have made sacrifices whenever they could to ensure their children’s success. Today, you have that opportunity with school choice—if that is the choice you would like to make. It is not for everyone, but it is an option that could shore up a need for your child. Also, there are all kinds of reasons a parent may want to change their kids schools. Maybe their gifted, play an instrument, are inclined to science, or need special education; the list goes on. But I don’t personally believe you should be caged in for any reason. School choice is not solely economic to me, it’s about access and exposure because we all learn and thrive from each other.
A Trajectory of Choice
We often think of “School Choice” as a modern political debate, but in the 18th and 19th centuries, it was the only reality. Before the “Common School” movement of the mid-1800s, education was a decentralized tapestry. Families “chose” through homeschooling, private academies, or community-funded one-room schoolhouses.
Notably, in many underserved communities, the most effective models were the women-led, Black-led schoolhouses. These weren’t just buildings; they were centers of self-determination where the curriculum was tied to the community’s survival and success. When the public system was eventually standardized, many of these intimate, effective models were lost in favor of a “one-size-fits-all” factory model.
The Equity Gap Post-Brown v. Board
The landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision was a victory for desegregation, but its failure was the lack ofequanimity. We integrated the students, but we didn’t integrate the resources. Decades later, a child’s zip code still largely determines the quality of their school’s roof, the depth of their library, and the safety of their halls.
This is where the agency of choice shores up the gaps. Choice should work both ways: we must invest tax dollars to build up and modernize our neighborhood schools so they become places of pride once again. But while that infrastructure is being rebuilt, parents need the “motion” of choice to ensure their child isn’t left behind in a failing building.
Diversity as an Asset
True diversity is not just racial—it is a diversity of thought, talent, and pedagogical approach. Some children thrive in a traditional classroom; others need a vocational-heavy environment or a specialized arts curriculum. When we allow funding to follow the student, we encourage a marketplace of ideas that benefits everyone. Choice isn’t a mandate; it’s an option that respects the diverse needs of the modern family.
The Landscape in Maryland Today (2026)
In Maryland, this “motion” is happening through programs like BOOST (Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today). As of 2026, BOOST provides scholarships to nearly 3,000 low-income students, allowing them to attend participating non-public schools that fit their specific needs.
While Maryland is currently making historic $10 billion investments into public school modernization via the “Blueprint for Maryland’s Future,” the BOOST program acts as a vital bridge. It offers immediate relief and equity for families who can’t wait a decade for a building to be renovated.
How it works in MD:
Eligibility: Primarily based on Free and Reduced-Price Meals (FARMs) status.
The Process: Parents submit Federal 1040 tax returns to verify income.
The Outcome: The scholarship follows the student to an eligible private or community-led school, covering or significantly offsetting tuition.
Education is the engine of a merit-based society. By supporting both our public infrastructure and the individual right to choose, we ensure that the next generation doesn’t have to drive forty minutes away just to find a fair start.
Here are some tips:
Step
Action Item
1. Find Your Funds
Check if your state has an ESA (Education Savings Account) portal.
2. Audit the Fit
Visit at least three schools. Look for “Shadow Days” where your child can attend for a day.
3. Verify Logistics
Can you handle the transport? Does the school offer after-care?
4. Watch Deadlines
Many choice programs require applications 6–9 months before the school year starts.
Have you ever driven through a beautiful neighborhood and thought, Wow… look at these flowers, these painted porches, these little pockets of calm everywhere? It feels effortless, almost like the neighborhood just became that way.
But here’s the truth we don’t always say out loud: those places look like that because the residents invest in them. They organize clean‑ups. They build Little Free Libraries. They add onto their homes. They show up for their community. They shape the environment they want to live in.
Somewhere along the way, many of us started believing that only big gestures matter. We forget the heart of that famous John F. Kennedy line: ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country. Small actions still matter—and they matter more than we think.
Life Is Busy, and That’s Real
When people say they’re too busy to get involved, I agree. Life will have you scrambling. One minute your child is falling behind in school, the next you need a new roof, and you still haven’t made that doctor’s appointment. Meanwhile, you look around and think, The city needs to fix this. This is falling apart. We don’t have enough resources.
It’s overwhelming. And it’s human.
But small changes—tiny, manageable ones—can shift the entire way we live.
Small Things Shape Big Outcomes
I’ve said it here many times: small things matter. They shape our daily lives more than we realize. We love to quote “Be the change you want to see,” but then we wait for someone else to make the change happen.
Some changes require policy. But many can start right where we are.
Even in your home or apartment—temporary or not—you want it to feel good. You want it to be comfortable. And when you eventually level up, you want the next person to inherit something cared for. That mindset alone is powerful.
Using What You Have to Build What You Want
I went to art school, and only now am I really thinking about how to use that training to improve my life and my community. You can do the same with whatever gifts you have.
One thing I rarely hear discussed is how to keep your property values high after you buy a home. Yes, there are injustices that affect communities—things I’ll talk about another time—but residents still have power.
I’m not a fan of having a bunch of smoke shops in my neighborhood. Through research, I learned that if the rent is cheap enough, they can move in easily. But if they don’t have customers, they can’t stay.
And honestly, I don’t want our kids growing up thinking vaping is harmless. I tell my own children all the time: you are blessed, but your blessings can literally and figuratively go up in smoke if you start adult habits too early.
At the same time, I try to remember that everyone has a job to do. Everyone is trying to exist. So I’ve also wondered: could these shops be made less of an eyesore? Could they be more elegant, more integrated into the neighborhood? Where I live, some of them are decent. They could be decent everywhere.
Temptation is personal. But community standards are collective.
Getting Involved Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated
City council meetings are online now. Your city website lists committees you can join. You don’t have to show up in person, you can listen in on Zoom while you drink your coffee.
Is it exciting? Not always. But here’s something I learned working in finance: the people who can endure the boring parts often end up with the biggest influence.
If your attention span is short, think of it as a creative challenge. Your voice matters. Reasoned, constructive conversation matters. And yes, some people will try to shut you down. Don’t let that discourage you. Those folks usually get moved aside eventually.
Action is the shortest path to victory.
Start With Your Block
Beautification doesn’t require a grand plan. You can do a lot with one neighbor. One idea. One shared effort. This is a no-brainer when it comes to helping people become useful right where they are. It is the very definition of lifting as we climb as stated by Mary Church Terell.
But if you’re doing major building, please pull a permit. And if the process moves too slowly, well… social media has a way of speeding things up.
Saint Josephine Bakhita stands as a quiet but powerful witness to survival, dignity, and hope. She is the patron saint of people who have been trafficked, abused, and exploited—especially those subjected to slavery and sexual violence. Her life reminds us that sanctity can rise even from the deepest suffering, and that no human being is ever beyond redemption or worth.
From Enslavement to Freedom
Josephine Bakhita was born around 1869 in Darfur, Sudan. As a young child, she was kidnapped by slave traders, torn from her family, and sold multiple times. During her captivity, Bakhita endured brutal physical abuse, psychological trauma, and repeated violations of her body and dignity—experiences that closely mirror what many survivors of sex trafficking face today.
Her captors gave her the name Bakhita, meaning “the fortunate one,” a cruel irony given the horrors she endured. Over time, she was forced to forget her birth name and even her native language, a devastating loss of identity that is common among trafficked victims.
St. Josephine Bakhita for kids
Encountering God in the Midst of Trauma
Eventually, Bakhita was brought to Italy, where slavery was no longer legal. For the first time, she encountered kindness without violence and authority without abuse. It was there that she learned about Christianity and came to understand God not as another master, but as a loving presence who had been with her even in her suffering.
Bakhita later said that if she met her captors again, she would kneel and kiss their hands—not because what they did was acceptable, but because, through her suffering, she came to know God. This radical forgiveness does not erase injustice; rather, it reveals a profound spiritual freedom that no chains could destroy.
Why She Is the Patron Saint of Trafficking Survivors
Saint Josephine Bakhita is the patron saint of victims of human trafficking because she lived their reality. Her sainthood does not romanticize suffering; it validates it. She represents:
Survivors who have been silenced
Bodies treated as commodities
Lives fractured by exploitation
The long, painful journey toward healing
Her life tells survivors: You are not defined by what was done to you. Your dignity is intact. Your story is not over.
A Saint for Our Time
Human trafficking is not a problem of the past—it is a global crisis happening in plain sight. Bakhita’s story urges us not to look away. She challenges us to listen to survivors, to support organizations that protect the vulnerable, and to confront systems that allow exploitation to thrive.
Her holiness was not forged in comfort, but in endurance, compassion, and love. In a world that often reduces trafficked persons to statistics, Saint Bakhita restores the human face.
A Prayerful Call to Action
Honoring Saint Josephine Bakhita means more than remembering her story. It means committing ourselves to justice, mercy, and solidarity with those who are still trapped in cycles of exploitation. Whether through advocacy, education, prayer, or direct service, each of us can play a role in ending trafficking and supporting survivors.
Saint Josephine Bakhita, patron saint of those who have been trafficked, pray for us—and especially for all who are still waiting to be free.
This site is a holistic media endeavor. Soon, it will be opened up to even more minds and opinions. That is not only how community meets the moment, but art. Art and media are two conjoined halves in my opinion. They function best when they’re interdependent. In our politically charged society we have the opportunity to mine the fields for problems and see where art can tell a different story and advance a better future.
In our politically charged society, we have the opportunity to mine the landscape for problems and explore where art can tell new stories. I taught a workshop on technology and art for the Women’s Caucus for Art a couple of years ago. I am an advocate for digital tools, artificial intelligence, and digital art and sales. I believe there are not only creative, but fiscal, opportunities available within this genre.
Traditional Art Practices
While in-person engagement with art is increasing and traditional forms remain a mainstay of the status quo, the digital world is still evolving. There is as much possibility there as the mind can imagine, and I champion it. Throughout history, art has always faced attack. Artists are close to the Creator —they bring forth the unseen. That is a great deal of power.
So will art survive the moment with integrity and dignity? Of course they will. They are the moment.
It’s also comforting to know that artists still retain control over what they make and how they choose to say it. Artists are needed. Art is the baseline of all innovation, while words shape the language around it. Together, they form the rhetorical world-building pillars of society.
If I had a question, it would be this: how will art rise to the occasion? How will it shape new narratives? Through UNESCO we can study cultural globally and how to preserve it, yet what arw futurists envisioning now? We have spent a fair amount of time uncovering problems and successfully answering some of them. How do we take it a step further while building our own magical society? That is the power of art. I will always be a believer in the small steps. The small details. The small wins.
I believe in each brick that carefullt builds out our daily dreams and lives.
I want you to have your dreams. I want to show you that there are tangible ways to obtain them. When this site evolved a few years ago, the tagline was information is access. It still is. Here is another piece of the puzzle so you can rest your head in your own space. You can be proud of yourself and your children can be proud of you. You can do this!
When you’ve been researching housing initiatives for a while, you learn to spot the difference between programs that simply sound good and those that actually shift the landscape. BirdSEED is one of the rare ones that does the latter.
This isn’t just another down‑payment assistance program. It’s a grant rooted in reparative justice—a direct acknowledgment that generations of discriminatory housing policies created real harm, and that real repair requires more than words. The call for restoration was made and a proram like BirdSEED answered. BirdSEED steps into that gap with tangible support for families who have been historically shut out of homeownership.
Why BirdSEED Matters
If you’ve ever tried to buy a home, or walked alongside someone who has, you know the down payment is often the biggest barrier. BirdSEED offers grants (not loans) to help close that gap. No repayment. No hidden strings. It is support designed to help families finally step into the stability and wealth‑building that homeownership can provide.
For many, this isn’t just financial help. It’s the difference between renting forever and building generational security. It’s the difference between being pushed out of a neighborhood and having the power to stay rooted.
What Makes This Program Stand Out
It’s grounded in justice, not charity.
It acknowledges historical harm and responds with real resources.
It’s accessible, with a clear mission and straightforward application process.
It’s designed to repair, not just assist.
I am a believer that a big part of the American dream is stability, and home ownership is a big part of that picture. There are stories of women becoming widows and finding out they no longer own their homes due to property taxes or title loss or through divorce. Some people simply want a better way to raise their families and to give them a small something. This is it. I have been around for a long time, and I can tell you that programs like this don’t come around often. And when they do, they deserve to be shared widely. Act now and keep your ears to the ground and your eyes open. Your justice is yours to pursue. If you don’t pay attention, I believe that some of these opportunities will be off the table. You don’t want that. You want to give your family the most invaluable thing going—stability.
How You Can Take Action
If you or someone you know has been dreaming of homeownership but struggling to cross that financial threshold, take a moment to explore BirdSEED. Share it with your networks. Post it in your group chats. Mention it at work. These are the kinds of resources that change lives when they reach the right people.
Justice grows when we pass the seeds along. I am a huge supporter of non-profits that actually do things and are committed to making a real impact.
Additionally, Investopedia summarized some benefits for new homeowners and here are some things found on the federal level that should be of interest to you. Remember, to win is to be smart, knowledgeable, and keeping it simple. Good luck. I have mentioned before that our state has quite a few programs and anything that you do not qualify today–keep trying ladies.
As I step into a new year, the idea of establishing a new way of living, thinking, and moving in our ever-shifting world feels both daunting and exhilarating. The world around us is in constant flux, with changes happening at an unprecedented pace. In such times, establishing a firm foundation in our lives becomes crucial. This year, I aim to explore what it means to create a life rooted in stability, while also considering the dynamic nature of scaling which is a concept often associated with rapid growth and expansion.
Establishing vs. Scaling: A Delicate Balance
The word “establish” resonates with a sense of permanence and solidity. It suggests planting roots, creating a foundation, and building something that can withstand the test of time. Establishing a new way of living means consciously choosing values and practices that ground us, even as the world around us continues to evolve. It’s about finding what truly matters and nurturing those aspects, allowing them to flourish and provide us with a sense of stability.
On the other hand, “scaling” is often associated with speed and agility. It implies quick growth, adaptability, and the ability to expand rapidly. In our fast-paced world, scaling is essential for staying relevant and seizing opportunities. However, scaling without a solid foundation can lead to instability. Therefore, it’s important to strike a delicate balance between the two: establishing a core that can support growth, while remaining flexible enough to adapt to change.
Embracing Change with Intention
As we embark on this journey of establishing a new way of living, it’s important to embrace change with intention. This means being mindful of the shifts happening around us and within us, and consciously choosing how we respond. It involves cultivating resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to learn and unlearn as necessary.
To do this, we can start by examining our current habits and routines. Are they serving us well, or do they need to be re-evaluated in light of new circumstances? Are we holding onto outdated beliefs or practices that no longer align with our values? By asking these questions, we can begin to make intentional changes that support our growth and well-being.
Setting Goals for a Grounded Future
This year, my goal is to establish a life that is both rooted and dynamic. I aim to cultivate practices that provide stability and nurture my core values while remaining open to the possibilities that change brings. By doing so, I hope to create a life that feels both grounded and expansive. A life that is resilient in the face of uncertainty, and full of potential.
As we navigate this new year, let’s consider what it means to establish a life that is both deeply rooted and capable of growth. By finding the balance between establishing and scaling, we can create a future that is both stable and adaptable, providing us with the strength and flexibility to thrive in a shifting world.
If I had to choose a world I want to leave my children, I would always think about things being firmly rooted and established. It’s possibly the only way to make it last forever. How will you plant your flag? I hope it is not fleeting.
Over the past few days I took a break on social media in order to spend some quality time with my family watching movies. I am very into inspirational movies that have a lot of high drama and then wrap up with a happy ending. I must admit, I am a sucker for love and a hopeless romantic.
I watched a really crazy one called The Kept Woman, that I felt I needed to be rescued from. There was so much symbolism in there that was clearly inferencing conservatives vs liberals in a tongue in cheek, Norman Bates meets Laverne and Shirley type of way. The not so subtle politics of it all got me thinking.
An Interesting Politiview
I used to secretly call myself a liberal traditionalist. It’s a name I coined which means, I believe in tradition for me and liberal values for you, if you chose them. But, as a law professor I worked with once said, “you just want to do what you want and have someone else pay for it.” I’d never thought of it that way, but I plead the fifth to that statement. I’ve given this statement a bit of thought over the years and have come to the conclusion that it’s basically a common sense moderate. 
When I turned 18 and was finally able to vote I was an environmental girl. It made sense that I was planning to cast for the Green Party yet I clearly remember being told by a classmate at the University of Michigan that “we” were all voting blue. So I voted for President Clinton, and I didn’t give it much thought because I was not fully invested in politics. Like lot of young people I was concerned about rushing, partying, going to classes and dating. Also, I thought he did a great job. I don’t regret voting for him. My money looked great at the time he was in office. I mean, what was not to love?. I’ve since learned that life is more nuanced than that and I know many people had a fair amount of complaints during that time.
During those years, I was very much into my church. Although I occasionally went to mass by myself, I considered my church home to be the non denominational church, Word of Faith. I was very into my church sorority/fraternity on campus and they thought differently about politics. I simply assumed that my pastor was a Democrat. I learned later that he was not. He was the person that advised me to stay in school and then pursue my acting dreams and I’d be blessed. I wish I listened. I went my own way, only to come back to what he said, and finally get back on track.
In college I was close with his daughter as well. We lived in the same dorm and she was a good friend and even mentor. They were a family strong on family values and adamantly against abortion. At the time, it was not a big deal for me. Again, I was against it, but I also didn’t feel that connected to the issue. I didn’t know anyone that had one. I didn’t plan to get one and I figured that it would all take care of itself. This is the mindset of a lot of wait and see individuals.
I also regretfully condemned people on other issues. Those typical Christian arguments about not being fully submitted to God or who drank alcohol. Ironically, as I began to enter the Feminist arena later in life I took the simple stance of women being equal. Equal pay, equal opportunity, etc. That was until I learned about the movement during the 19th century and the role of African American club women. LThese highly privileged women did not resonate with me at the time, but they would later in my life. They share my values and beliefs and their ideas of advancement work in tandem with men. Yet, I still remained dissociated from my politics, like a lot of people, because I figured it would all work out by the hands of “they/them.”
At some point, that changed. When I grew deeper into my faith as a Catholic, I did not become political but I did have a fire lit for life and service. I also began to think logically about how a non profit could help, or my challenges and losses could benefit others, and myself. Additionally the trials of Women in the Bible inspired me and their stories are not always spoken in the way I’d like to see them. They are juicy, controversial and powerful—they are the blueprint.
I hate to pit one value against another politically because ideally we should all be independent. We should embrace the ideals of charting a new course while giving a portion to those that need it and who are finding their way.
I have spent the last year continuing to create my own new plan. I had to take a step back to take a step forward. I kept asking, “Lord what is your will for me?” Even if it is slower going, I believe when we are given a vision it is to be carried out.
This vision changed how I see things politically. As an entrepreneur, how am I best served? I know that as a person, I will help others. But how can I be in a position to do that? What are my beliefs around food and medicine? Who is aligned with what I actually believe? For many of us, the area is gray. But who is that?
I am not the first to say it, nor would I be the last, but we are more alike than we are different. Which is why we focus on issues that are more personal and make them grand scale. Government should focus on major issues that are often out of our control. They shouldn’t be like a helicopter parent telling us how to live our lives. However, there are times when it has to be. This is unfortunate because we continue to slide back into rhetoric that pulls us back and causes us to behave in a way that is detrimental to our societal civility. I want to be where the rhetoric is for all. Where I feel uplifted and not like a fool. I want to feel like I am moving forward and not stuck and where my difference is ok.
The very thing that makes this country great is its diversity. No one should be minimized or should minimize themselves. If you carry the light of the world in your heart, you don’t want to see anyone abused and downtrodden. It’s like a marriage.
A Marriage of Opposites
In my marriage I used to say, let’s try to give each other the benefit of the doubt. Let’s see the good in each other instead of clinging fast to the negative narrative. The truth is being told to you, right here and right now. Can you see it? Yes. But sometimes it’s hard to feel it. We want to feel the difference and that’s harder.
Friends, I have to be honest. My ideas often did not get through. In a marriage of complete opposites and beliefs in every way, agreeing is struggle on all levels. However, through that lens and challenge came an understanding that for some people it is harder to have them see a new way. Their heart is hardened from hurt and disappointment. They may never recover or believe what they see. They want change but they want the comfort of knowing that the one in front of them is still the boogeyman—then they can be right.
This is also our political arena. So, for me faith is very important. You can do and say all that you want, but faith and hope are required for change and that is a spiritual design. That takes time.
I too suffer from my own limited beliefs. I can’t let myself off the hook entirely. You may be like this, “I believe in change and goodness, just not from you neighbor! You are a hopeless case.” Well, that is a little true. And we are all someone’s hopeless case. But the biggest rewards come to those who endure big challenges. Similarly, to take on the Feminist ideology of the personal is political, it all still holds true. Our lives effect our choices depending on the day. I’m also still green leaning. I believe compassionate people care about this earth. Caring about space and nature brings us into the magnificence of creation and a natural connection to each other.
In conclusion, I have changed only in the regard of me being aligned in an intentional and logical way when it comes to how I view politics.
Here are some things to consider:
Do you care about what happens to your immediate life or on a grand scale? Who makes those decisions?
If you are a new parent, changed religions, or identify with the LGBTQ community or have family that is incarcerated how does that affect your decisions?
If you are largely stable and you want as much of a melting pot with shared values within a pluralist society how does that affect your decisions?
These thoughts help to align us with our true selves and allow us to authentically negotiate what is right and true in our lives.
You may lose a lot following your convictions. I didn’t do anything radical but talk about my spiritual walk and it caused my world to crash down. However, that is ok. What is good still stands and old things continue to pass away. This too shall pass.
The best way to do something is to do it. Faith without works is dead. However, when you feel that you’ve done all you can but you still can’t “make it” then it’s time to investigate the genesis of your discontent. I like to use marriages of opposites as a point of reference. For example, the glass half empty person married to the eternal optimist. In both case they are not right, or wrong, but what can be agreed upon is that there is a glass. The contents of it is a matter of perception, and therein lies your discontent, or your joy. If you focus on the glass, you will see that the glass itself is malleable. It can be utilized and symbolizes opportunity overall.
There is a school of thought where people wait for their cup to be filled and others learn to fill it themselves. Which is better? I personally am self-motivated and activated. While it is always nice to have the support I desire, I am not entitled to a sustained stream of anything. If I were, that means that someone is giving for me and taking from them, and that could leave them in lack. The goal is always to be what I desire and to share it. That is the most abundant state and one where most giving can be genuine. I feel alot of people would categorize themselves as genuine, altruistic, and even selfless. Yet, the real challenge comes when your help is no longer needed or someone you helped surpasses you. Will you be able to handle that? Most of us can’t. We want you to do good, but not necessarily that good.
You Don’t Really Grapple With Truth, You Grapple With Interpretations
This is where the idea of living out a truth as opposed to talking about a truth has a different feel. It will cause you to think logically upon the things you claim to value and to become honest about your desire to share them. For example, when we say “our shared history” what does it mean? If everything thing is shared and we came up together, can anything be appropriated? Of course. The truth discontent is the lack of citing the sources, or citing the creator. It doesn’t mean that it won’t be taken, it absolutely will be, and monetized as well, but at least we will know where it came from.
Does this communal sharing work both ways? Of course. You wear my dreadlocks and I dance the Irish jig. However, what is lost, is individuality. A menudo and melting pot isn’t necessarily diverse on the surface. It appears more like a goulash and less like a buffet. Personally, I like everything having a cultural diversity. I think now people comfortable embracing their heritage and they want to figure out a way to keep it a normal part of their existence without it being a centerstage issue. They don’t want to be set apart for it, judged for it, discriminated against because of it–but it also doesn’t need to suck the air out of the room. How is that done? I have my ideas but I will wait and see. I guess this can be solved within in a pluralistic society, yet technically we already live in one. We live this everyday, and it’s what makes this country great, but there is a disconnect. Many people feel trapped in a state of discontent. I think what we desire is to feel a sense of connectedness, and that comes from a connection that goes beyond the law books and the dogma and into the heart. That can only happen without interference.
One of the best things to come from this election was the honesty of the people. I actually think that we grow more and more honest and resolute each day. Instead of planning what to say next in the debate of life, it may be even better to listen. Listen to what is being said and valued. The ideals that are being actualized in this moment are centered around strength, peace and empowerment. Empowerment now, not when someone provides the parameters.
It is also important to note that some people simply do not believe in that line of thought. That has to be acknowledged as well. Again, there are two different schools of thought. Neither is right or wrong, but for increased success and greater buy in, it’s best to know true intentions and feelings. Once all of the cards are on the table, can their be room for certain complaints? No. If you like or dislike something, you will take the consequences because it was your decision. Disenfranchisement is actually born from the hopelessness of true change occurring. It is the very definition of apathy and going along to get along. Sadly, far too many people are ok with that. Can they be trusted to serve my interests if they don’t trust me to understand? Not at all. At every level there not only should be transparency, but an understanding.
Now is the time to live it and be it. And before you take hold of this message, make sure it rings true. In this day and age, everyone subscribes to a different truth. It’s best not to criss cross the lines in the sand, unless you are truly in the middle. We need people who will fight with intelligence and integrity, not for solely for their own futures, but for quantifiable differentials that will produce substantial long standing outcomes.
The love will come from us coming up from the trenches together. We are all in this together. I know what it is like to have to make some intense grocery, travel and shopping decisions. But I also know, like many of you, that I have a good life because of my values, who I am, and how I live my life. This is the time to learn new skills in finance, business, and even the circular economy. This is a time to get excited about what you can do to make your dreams come true. If you fall short, so what? There is a deep satisfaction that comes from trying in the first place. Good luck.
All of my endeavors have been in the realm of publishing. Within the realm of media you have the ability to touch upon many topics. I began my first newspaper while living in Ft. Riley, KS. I was in the fifth grade, and we all sat at a four-top table with me at the head giving out the writing assignments. I remember calling one of my friends on the phone over the weekend to see if they would bring their pages in on Monday so we could staple the newspaper together. She told me that she may not be able to because she only had pens at home. Maybe we only could use pencil. I’m not sure, but that’s a memory that still speaks to me.
It was all so simple then. When you wanted to get something started, you just did it. In fourth grade, I used to love the Babysitter’s Club series and decided I wanted to start my own. So, I made the flyer. My mom made copies, and I put them in my small neighborhood on the military base. I babysat two times. I was actually a bit nervous so it didn’t last long, but I liked getting paid. I liked knowing that I could start something and just go do it.
Today we have so much red tape. We are discouraged before we start. I think because we are thinking in the “middling” space. See, big dreams need lots of people. Small dreams can become big dreams, but they need fewer people to start.
In the middle you often get tripped up and therein lies the problem. You also have people with bigger voices coming to take the food from the small fish, but as a highly intuitive empath, I am here to let you know—that time has come to a halt.
No longer will you, your ideas, and your freedom of expression will become engulfed by people that will use your vulnerabilities against you, especially for profit. There is a shift in the atmosphere.
James 3:3, in the English Standard Bible, talks about the “bit in the horse’s mouth used to steer him.” To me, I read that as the power of spirit being able to use an individual to do a good work. This same spirit calling a people who believe on faith, in humanity, and the goodness of their fellow man and woman to speak a truth that will continue to balance the scales. This is a powerful thing. It is also a truth that speaks to how David was able to overtake Goliath. See, freedom of speech is a slippery slope but it also has its confines, or it should. Unmitigated freedom of speech, that operates outside of the civility for which it was intended—is incendiary and dangerous. Yet, with the “bit” in our mouths and the roots of truth as our foundation—then the truth becomes the power. True is Power because like a math equation it largely follows a pattern. If you go forward and contextualize truth as unemotional facts, they become easier to work with and then bring forth new emotions.
Free speech should to some degree should stop at actions. If harmful actions follow words, then we have work to do when it comes to educating the public how to discern and respond to information.
With or without permission, the choice and the ability to rewrite your story and to exist in a world where you feel validated and seen comes from the bottom up. Not the top down. Freedom was bestowed on you at birth but the noise of the world will force you to fumble.
At the end of the day it should be family first. Safety first and honoring the divine call that resides over the lives of us all. My work with The House of Maryam is a passion. It is an inter religious endeavor that centers peace, resource management, and sacred living practices that will actually save lots of families and individuals. Peaceful religious freedom and expression is not only a must, it is needed. The Maryam is seen in many ways throughout many traditions but the mother figure as a whole is constant. Yet even that constant is nuanced. This isn’t about being kissy-face and pinching cheeks this is a matriarchal call. To be a matriarch is not about money, she is the stability of the family. She is the lighthouse and standard bearer of the generation. When the matriarch passes she becomes the ancestor we call upon.
Matriarchs and patriarchs are the leaders of our world and they grow into position. We need a nation of individuals that ok with cultivating wisdom and becoming those people who are able to give wise counsel. Therefore we need our minds, our choices and our voices to be free. Let the voice of reason and truth be the unifier. Let common sense and empowerment be the unifier—not solely your pain. Trouble doesn’t last always but your progeny and your legacy will.
You may not be strong enough to do this today. But you will grow into it. You will respect every aspect of your life because your imprint will be on it. To me, that’s how you rewrite the story. You rewrite it together, throwing out the old wine and braking down the old vessel and making room for the new.
I dream of a New America. Where someone is not constantly telling me what to do. Where even if I am wrong, I can die knowing that I have the tools to think for myself. I have the wisdom to know that I can better myself or someone can lead me to that notion. But I will no longer sit in the passenger seat of my own life.
Peace be with you.
Don’t forget to subscribe and share. Thanks for reading. Very much appreciated. Please share your thoughts. It’s better not to write in a vacuum. You matter to me.
What is something others do that sparks your admiration?
We live in a world where the bullies run anti-bullying campaigns, people with unchecked mental health are preaching health and wellness, and the unhealed are navigating folks through healing journeys. That’s just the beginning.
These ironic themes that pepper our existence have gone on for quite some time. We have allowed it to perpetuate while residing in a sleep state they keep calling “awakened.” In actuality it can be semantics to some degree. If you are operating against your interests to some degree, your lids are still a little low. It’s time to rise and see.
The Real Hero
The hero is always the person strong enough, brave enough, and bad enough to stand up and tell the Truth. The truth has a ring to it and it garners the respect of the people.
It’s hard to come to grips with the truth because for so long not only do we not acknowledge what we are seeing, feeling and experiencing—we actively work against our betterment and then complain about it. In my opinion, it’s better to have someone say, “hey, I don’t really like you, but I want you to be safe.” Instead of, “of course I have no problem with you. You’re amazing and you are welcome anytime!” While doing everything in their power to harm me or covertly erect barriers to my true success.
This is the gaslighting hidden behind the “gas face.” Don’t get me wrong towing the line has its advantages. You get to live largely without static. But, the moment you answer the call of truth get ready for some pushback. Most of us have no idea that we live in a state of quasi-mediocrity at times. It’s because we preach that Christ was once a benevolent meditating shaman-esque archetype, who now resides in heaven, and is patting the heads of all the goody-two shoes down here on Earth. That’s not true. That’s the sugar laden milk we feed the little kids to get them excited about something they don’t understand fully. You don’t chastise the church, call people out, and tell people who are struggling to “rise and be healed.” You don’t really beat up benevolent people who live on the outskirts of society quietly restoring the sight of blind people and raising dead people up. That guy would be considered a one man non-profit if he needed the cash. (Apparently a rich man, paid for his proper burial after he died. But as we know, he was already gone. Still a nice gesture though.)When someone like that is in your midst you go and see about the person who is disrupting the status quo, and getting the lame off the streets. Especially when, to some degree, someone feels their abject poverty serves a purpose.
I talk about Christ a lot because the more you know Him, the more you begin to believe in the unbelievable. As a self-crowned theologian, I like to compare his early church wisdom teachings, that rattled the cage of every double-minded individual of his time, to the calm and loving genie he is often reduced to today. I like old Jesus better. The more you think you know, you realize you know nothing. That’s a good thing.
See, if you don’t tell the truth about the most courageous person who suffered intolerable cruelty and humiliation for sticking to his guns—you’ll never understand the suffering in your own life. Regardless of whatever marketing campaign or social media influencer mantra that we are force fed—every person living is subjected to suffering. Everyone. No person alive, due to money, status, ethnicity is able to escape suffering because death meets us all. It is one of the reasons I am a student of eschatology,because it’s best to get comfortable with that fact. It also allows you to have compassion for your fellow man.
To know God is to suffer with Him.”
At times, while we are speaking a truth to power, we are then harmed and temporarily dismantled. Yet somehow we become more refined, and even more beautiful and courageous, through our trials. This is the hope of our calling.
TheCourageous
I admire the courageous. The ones that can walk away from a tough situation that erodes their self respect. I also admire the steadfast and unmovable. The ones that are willing to be martyred for a cause. The ones that resist the goading and temptation of the enemy and cause the unrighteous to flee.
Sometimes standing is stronger than running and silence is more powerful than words.
My question today is, what truth do you stand on in this moment ? What principles are you willing to fall on your sword for even if it means losing those closest to you?
Take a moment before you answer:
Do you love what you see when you look yourself in the eyes? Are you able to live with your choices and the truth of who you are? If so, then you win the gift of perfect peace and more.
If not, the challenge for you is to keep pushing. Keep digging. Keep being honest until you are fearless. On the other side of your fearlessness is faith and after that—your real life.
A lot of people are up in arms about the Washington Post’s recent decision to not endorse a political candidate. However, I have to admit, I never liked the idea of mainstream media endorsing candidates, due to its sway over the masses. Malcolm X spoke about this power of the media to make the “innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent.”
Now, in fairness, we depend on the news media to hold themselves to a high standard of journalistic integrity. But, with money as a strong influence behind the scenes, many wonder if that’s possible. Especially when there are bills to be paid and doors that need to be kept open for employees. But we are not ignorant of the power of media in all its forms. I am very familiar with the power of influence and the effect it can have on one’s life. I watched one influencer for ten years straight. She was mom and she had several failed relationships and she was always chasing a dream and a dollar. She was very beautiful, very vulnerable, and a stay at home mom like me at the time. I resonated with each crying spell and homemade fried chicken enchilada. But, the more I watched her, the more my life mirrored hers. I was slowly becoming a volatile red-lipped mess yelling at my kids to clean, and dreaming of dreams that I wasn’t working towards.
That is the power of influence and the reason I pay more attention to what I consume. You should too. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. Remember, not only are we who they say we are, but we become what we focus on. It’s the reason I thought long and hard about the importance of sharing the problems, but highlighting the solutions of our world.
Plato once said that, “those that are able to see beyond the shadows and the lies of their culture, will never be understood, let alone believed by the masses.”
I have personal experience with being ahead of my time. It kind of forces you into a corner or the outskirts of your social circle. No one has the time or the capacity to think too deeply, too long, or too hard–and it’s an exhausting endeavor to be believed. But, I feel that change is coming. Who other than the news media, the most powerful entity in the world, should bare the responsibility of being factual and neutral? We are reliant on those overseeing our information to be fair, just, non-biased and balanced. Now, the people who work at institutions have opinions and they should, but they shouldn’t make it to the media.
“One of the reasons that we are in a free speech battle and many other societal battles at this time is because we have given freedom to the masses without parameters and ethics”–Luz
Yet when you think about the press and why people start them up, (myself included) it happens because you feel either misrepresented or overlooked. We do this because of those words imparted by Plato and Malcolm X–we need control and representation! You may feel that major outlets aren’t covering your issues. That’s a fair assessment as well. But, one of the reasons that we are in a free speech battle and many other societal battles at this time is because we have given freedom to the masses without parameters and ethics. I am largely speaking in the realm of journalism but you get my point.
Therefore in my opinion, major news outlets should not endorse candidates. They should remain objective and allow the people to make their decisions. Now, concerning the onslaught of misinformation administered by citizen journalists, and bloggers focused on entertainment operating with or without ethics, only reinforces the necessity of major news outlets being the standard-bearers of neutrality. In doing so, it serves as a form of checks and balances in the realm of reporting and influence. In my opinion, it was the right thing to do, and strong move for helping skeptical readers regain trust in their information sources.
What do you think? Should mainstream newspapers endorse candidates or lean heavily into religion?
When it comes to African Americans taking control of their lives in any way that appears to reflect autonomy it becomes threatening. People coloring outside of the lines, going off of the beaten path, attempting to live outside of “groupthink” can appear suspect. However, a visionary’s job is to see what is coming and therefore it takes a few discerning individuals to be able to follow the signs of them that believe.
I have been on my spiritual path since the age of twelve. It began to shift into high gear at 13 and every five years thereafter. This last five years has been quite mind blowing in terms of intel and has caused me to finally answer the call by incorporating the wisdom of various interreligious elders with similar experiences as mine.
Pictured above is Aunt Caroline Dye. She was a 19th century healer, hoodoo woman, rental property investor, soothsayer, rootworker and conjuror from Arkansas. She was more like a prophet than a fortune teller and she used playing cards to keep her concentration straight. I have mentioned before in my writings, that it was a woman like this, and La Madama, that appeared in my home with a cleaning item ( a broom) pointing to cards on a shelf for me. At the time, I denied them. I was scared. Also, I felt it went against my beliefs. But as I studied the narratives of enslaved people in Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, the Sea Islands of America, Virginia, and the Carolinas–my people–we were the medicine women. We were the people with the answers. The people you don’t touch, even to this day. The day I touched my playing cards for myself, the sky looked brighter.
Since then, I have come into a oneness of self. I didn’t need to be “taught,” everything simply came to me. That’s the spirit of my heritage I am most proud of and a large part of what continues to change my countenance. I also believe that we need to be open spiritually and grounded in morality in order to discern and perceive resources and opportunities correctly. If not, we will continue to spin the wheel as we have always done. The salt of the Earth has produced many fruits but has eaten none and it’s time that has changed.
I love to travel and live in other countries. But there is no place like home. There is no place like America. As Americans, we are in the best place for opportunity. We are in the ripest season to rewrite and reshare all of the international dishes and cuisines at the table of opportunity and narrative history. The opportunity is here and the harvest is here. But, many of us are looking at the food and we can’t eat it. We can’t pick it up. We need to be reeducated and things need to be paced out. But first we have to clear our blocks and break our binds–daily. Every single day. That is why forgiveness is instant but healing takes time.
Although this work is not easy it is not necessarily arduous and you can have a good time doing it with family, culture and traditions. Remember these quotes by Mary Church Terrell and John F. Kennedy Jr.: “Lifting As We Climb” and “One person can make a difference, everyone should try.” Yes, that’s how I see it sometimes.
The Conjure Woman, by Charles W. Chestnutt is an interesting read. One that could almost echo todays societal voices.
The ancestors don’t desire for me to be as earthy as they were, but they do want me to help people as they did. Aunt Caroline drew people from all races to her seeking her wisdom and council. Many from over 400 miles away. I already get requests. Many more formal than I did in the past, and I like to imagine Aunt Caroline and many others watching over me.
Daily writing prompt
What aspects of your cultural heritage are you most proud of or interested in?
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