Trumpet Awards: the best award show you've never heard of.

I kid you not.

I guarantee you that if you are reading this, you are one of the thousands if not millions of people who have never heard of the Trumpet Awards. This is an award show thatacknowledges the accomplishments of men and women who have significantly contributed to enhancing the quality of life for all. If you click on the hypertext you can see the website for the Trumpet Foundation.

Anyways, really great awards program. But it is so overrated. It was taped in January but they showed it just this past Sunday on TVOne. It is absolutely the most important and well-done awards show that you probably have never seen or even heard of. Important because you get to see African Americans honored for things other than entertainment and sports. Well done because, unlike other Black awards shows (Source Awards come to mind) it was so classy and professional.

The Trumpet awards philanthropists, scientists, businessmen, actors, singers, artists, etc. There is a focus, however on those figures who do good in the community and not just do their respective trades well. I think too often African-Americans are awarded for their talents and not enough for their work int he community, and that's unfortunate. That's why the Trumpet Awards needs more publicity.

In addition, why is this showing on TVOne and not BET?

but that is a WHOLE 'notha topic.

Before I wrap this up, check out Concrete Loop for pics from the event.

Obi, this one is for you.

Daily Obama Bonus: JD tells Obama he wants to wife up Janet.

WTF?

Dupri Tells Barack Obama He's 'Determined' To Wed Janet Jackson

By Staff

Mar 19, 2007

Rap mogul Jermaine Dupri is planning to wed his longtime girlfriend Janet Jackson after telling presidential hopeful Barack Obama she writes him the sweetest love notes.
Dupri met up with Senator Obama at a party in New York last week (05Mar07), and the subject matter quickly turned to Ms. Jackson.

can somebody explain to me why JD seems to think Barack cares about his love life? 'preciate it.

Fox Attacks: Black America

speaking of politics: look at this brief reel about Fox News attacking Black America. On the subject of Obama, they've really been digging into the man...it's too darn early for that kind of foul play if you ask me...but Fox News gets pretty bold. Check it out.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thenewswire/archive/../../2007/03/14/compi lation-of-fox-attack_n_43390.html

a 'thank-you' shout out to obi for this submission.

Daily Obama: Barack does Manhattan.

btw: if there are any articles you'd like to see included in the Daily Obama, holler at a playa.

anyway...Obama is in Hilary's territory now...she betta watch out...

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117960894.html?categoryid=18&cs=1
Obama takes Manhattan
Presidential hopeful stumps in NYC

ObamaSen. Hillary Clinton may have a presumed edge toward bagging the lion's share of high-profile Democratic donors in New York, but Sen. Barack Obama raised about $1 million during a week of fund-raising in Gotham.

Obama, Clinton and other candidates have been working at a breakneck pace to raise money before the end of the quarter.

One of Obama's first stops in Gotham last week was a $2,300-per-person fund-raiser hosted by Island Def Jam chairman L.A. Reid and attended by singer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Beyonce, Island Urban president Jermaine Dupri, Universal Music president Doug Morris and record executives Steve Bartels, Sylvia Rhone and Andre Harrell.

On Friday night, Obama held two fund-raisers at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, including one where he earned the endorsement of speechwriter Ted Sorenson, one of the last surviving top aides to John F. Kennedy. Among the 400 donors at the event were Jeh Johnson, a top Air Force official during the Clinton administration, as well as financier Orin Kramer.

At a much larger fete later in the evening, aimed at young professionals, some 1,500 people paid $100 each to hear Obama.

Like his speech before Hollywood donors last month, much of what Obama said was meant to carry an inspirational tone.

Stalking back and forth onstage in front of a massive American flag, Obama again preached the politics of unity, telling the SRO crowd, "We are in one of those moments where we can't afford timidity, and we can't afford smallness, and we can't afford division, and we can't afford nastiness. If we focus on what we have in common, what binds us together as a people, there's no challenge that we can't meet. And that is the spirit we are seeing in this campaign across the country."

Obama's wife, Michelle, introduced him, contrasting her husband's superstar status on the campaign trail vs. the guy at home who can't do laundry.

Watching her husband on TV, she joked, is like watching some other Barack Obama. "If I'm lucky, one day I might have a chance to meet him."

All candidates are required to file reports of their fund-raising activity by April 15, in what will be an indicator of their campaign's strength and viability.

But as in Hollywood, some donors have yet to declare their endorsement. Rapper Jay-Z attended an Obama event after having dined with Bill Clinton only nights earlier.

Hov!

if i had a boyfriend, i'd make him buy me amy winehouse's new album.

but i don't, so i'll buy it myself this weekend.

take a listen.

gotta love british soul.

Daily Obama: or should i say, O'Bama?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article1512094.ece

Historians unearth Obama’s Irish roots

The United States has a long tradition of presidential hopefuls drawing on their Irish connections to win votes.

Hillary Clinton has already been working her Irish links, through her husband, Bill, but now she finds competition from the least likely source.

Family historians have unearthed the Irish roots of Barack Obama, the son of a Kenyan goatherder who is being touted as potentially the first black US president.

Ancestry.co.uk identified his great-great-great-grandfather on his mother’s side as Falmouth Kearney, who fled Ireland and the Great Famine at the age of 19. He arrived in New York from Liverpool on March 20, 1850, then moved on to Ohio to be among relatives.

Simon Harper, managing director of the website, said: “A great deal has been made of Obama’s Kenyan roots, however, his European ancestry has been overlooked.

“If Obama becomes the next US president, he may well be the first to have Kenyan ancestry, but he will also join a long list of those with Irish ancestry, including Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, and of course, John F. Kennedy.”

The first mention of Mr Obama’s Irish ancestor was found in the 1860 US Federal Census, which listed his occupation as a farm hand.

So now the brotha's Irish? Well, maybe he wasn't Black enough after all :-)

on: approaching relationships "like a man"

i've tried it.

my friends have watched in amazement as i approached a potentially dramatic situation "like a guy" would.








it doesn't work.

i'm not sure why it doesn't work.

the other day i ran into someone i went on one date with. before we could go on a second date, he disappeared into thin air (see my september entries).

the girl in me wanted to say

"where have you beeeeeen?" and maybe attempt to tell him off.

instead, i acted all cool like i wasn't bothered by the fact that he promised another date and then didnt' deliver.

i thought this would give me the upper hand, maybe get him a little nervous because he can't believe i'm acting so calm.

he acted just as cool as if nothing happened. it infuriated me. he had the audacity not even to act guilty!

and i'll tell you how i know this doesn't work: i can't stop thinking about him.

????

this wasn't how this was supposed to go!

the real issue is: women and men are wired differently; whether we want to admit that or not. so we approach relationships much differently as well. so really, when we think we're acting like a guy---we're really acting the way we normally act because we don't know any other way.

either that, or we're trying to front and failing miserably.

i think we do it because we think it'll trip the man up. we think he's "too stupid" to recognize the difference. but....he knows. that's why he hits us right back with it. game recognize game.

and right now....i'm losing.

Daily Obama: "It's time to Bring Our Troops Home"

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7006720819

Obama Tells Iowa Caucus "It's Time To Bring Our Troops Home"March 12, 2007 4:30 p.m. EST
Julie Farby - All Headline News Staff Writer

Muscatine, IA (AHN)-Illinois Senator and potential 2008 Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was in Muscatine, Iowa on Monday to speak to an estimated 1,300 party activists and Democratic supporters at West Middle School.

The main purpose of Obama's speech was to discuss the war in Iraq, which the Democratic Senator from Illinois maintains should never have been waged.

Obama, who wants to implement a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq beginning as early as May 1, told the enthusiastic crowd, "It's time to bring our troops home."

Obama also touched upon relations between the Palestinians and Israelis, telling the audience, "Nobody is suffering more than the Palestinian people."

"If we could get some movement among Palestinian leadership, what I'd like to see is a loosening up of some of the restrictions on providing aid directly to the Palestinian people," Obama went on to say.

Obama also said that before a resolution can be reached, the Palestinian government must renounce the use of violence and recognize Israel's right to exist.

However, he added, "There is also no doubt that we have a huge strategic stake in bringing about a peaceful resolution to the conflict."

Wow, Barack. That part about sympathizing with the Palestinians took a lot of cajones. I'm worried about the backlash from this...because I just know it's coming. As for bringin the troops home...sorry, not impressed. EVERYBODY and their momma are gonna hit us with that line. It sounds good...sexy even. But where's the game plan?

~L.

Ladies and Gentlemen: the Daily Obama.

This is something I'm starting this week. I'm sure i'm the 193847595759th blogger to do this, and no, this doesn't necessarily mean that i'm definitely voting for the man, but I am very interested in tracking the journey of one of the first legitimate Black Presidential Candidates. My commentary is in italics, as with other posts. Click on the link to see actual video so that you're not on some "we don't believe you, you need more people."

http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_071165711.html

CBS) NEW YORK--With the race for the Democratic presidential nomination already in high gear, the Reverend Al Sharpton jumped into the fray today with some tough criticism for Senator Barack Obama. The outspoken reverend offered the harsh comments to Obama just as he looked to build support for his candidacy in the black community.

"Why shouldn't the black community ask questions? Are we now being told, 'You all just shut up?'" Sharpton told CBS 2's Marcia Kramer Monday. "Senator Obama and I agree that the war is wrong, but then I want to know why he went to Connecticut and helped Lieberman, the biggest supporter of the war."

Sharpton also questioned why Obama supports "tort reform, which hurts police brutality victims."

What set Sharpton off was a published report that he is trying to hurt Obama's campaign because he's jealous. Sharpton says that claim is untrue, charging the story came from the Obama camp to pressure him into an early endorsement.

"I'm not going to be cajoled or intimidated by any candidate not for my support," Sharpton said.

Political pundits say Obama is anxious for Sharpton's support because it could hurt Hillary Clinton and help Obama raise money. "At this stage of the game, it's all about the money and I think you're going to see the candidates with the biggest fund raising making it through the end of the year," Political Consultant Joseph Mercurio said.

[pause] Let's be clear. I HIGHLY doubt Obama is thinkin about Sharpton like that. Sharpton, while a good spokesperson, and a good for calling people out on their BS, is unfortunately not in the "in crowd". He's no longer on the list of people you must cater to in order to win an election. [play button]

Does Sharpton's endorsement matter? CBS 2 polled some New Yorkers and the results were mixed, but the majority appeared to lean toward the side that believes Sharpton's endorsement will make a difference.

[pause] can i PLEASE answer this one? Naw playa. Sharpton's been real critical of Obama from day one, and in the Black community, Obama is surpassing Hilary so far, and that's sans a Sharpton endorsement. [play button]

Team Obama did not immediately return calls seeking comment. Sharpton says they reached out to him this morning, but he didn't take the call. He adds he won't make his endorsement until after his National Action Network summit next month. Obama, Clinton and other candidates are scheduled to attend.

All jokes aside, I think it's unfortunate that Sharpton is so critical of Obama so early on. It's not a good look. I'm almost inclined to say that this is a crabs-in-a-barrel issue, which is too bad. One more word, and Al Sharpton's gonna be soundin like this guy:







At the same time...maybe it wouldn't hurt for Obama to at least reach out to him. You know, to save face and hear him out. It's never a good look for two Black leaders to beef, whether it's one sided or not. A friend of mine pointed out that Sharpton simply doesn't understand what it takes to run for president in this country. In short, Obama can't cater to the Black community all while running for president--we're only 11 % of the population. I'm not sure if it's exactly that simple though; there's nothing wrong with supporting and speaking out about issues that effect the Black community--and yes, i DO think that healthcare, Iraq, social security, etc. are all things that in someway effect my community. But--unfortunately, things that DIRECTLY effect African Americans have to be at the bottom of the to-do list for Obama. What do you all think?

Malcolm Gladwell

I'm sure I'm later than a Black wedding, but I just recently heard this speech this speech by writer Malcolm Gladwell, where he's talking about hit engineering (ie, what makes songs a hit? why does the public like and dislike certain songs? how does a hit make us feel?)

I think his book "the Tipping Point" is next up on my "books to read" list.

I realize i ride pretty hard for nerdy Black men.

Hello, World.

I'm back. Sorry I've been gone for so long. I guess life happened.

anyway. Check out this video by Tabi Bonney. He's a hip hop act out of good ol' Washington, DC. people are saying he will put DC hip hop on the map but only time will tell. What do I think?

I think his music is very, very fun. This song is really dope, nice lil groove to it. But I worry that his style is too regional. "Put me in the pocket" is a new DC term for getting someone's number. As in reaching into your pocket to get your phone so that you can enter it into the phone book. I don't know if the rest of the hip hop world will "get it"...if you've been here for a while like me or if you're from here you get it right away.

Funny story. When I first moved here, there were these guys named Bonney and Carter. They were sellin their cds out the trunk of their car in frickin' Georgetown on Wisconsin Avenue. One of them tried to get my attention but my lil freshman behind was not tryin to hear it. Would you believe the laugh I had when i readthis Wiki article and realized it was him!

anyways...The Pocket by Tabi Bonney.

feels good to be back in the blogosphere.

"2006 is Butt Nekkid Wednesdays"--e. badu

you've gotta love Erykah Badu. This clip is from Before the Music Dies, a documentary I saw a few weeks ago at a screening in DC. The documentary is about how the commercialization of music is killing the artistic value of music today. This part of the documentary is showing how a pop star is "built" and marketed...and probably explains why non-singing folks like Cassie have a career.

World AIDS day.

Today is World AIDS day. Get tested if you haven't already, pray for loved ones who have been effected by this epidemic, donate to AIDS research and advocacy groups. Do your part in fighting the good fight.

"no day but today"--RENT

HIV 'afflicting global workforce' HIV/Aids is having a crippling effect on the workforce of many countries, a report by the International Labour Organization for World Aids Day says.

The ILO said HIV/Aids killed almost 3.5 million people of working age in 2005.
South Africa, among the worst-affected nations, has announced a plan aiming to halve the infection rate by 2011 and to boost the use of antiretrovirals.
In a speech to mark World Aids Day, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan urged more frank and open discussion of HIV/Aids.
All politicians had to consider themselves personally accountable for stopping the spread of the disease, Mr Annan said, as did every individual.

"It requires every one of us to help bring Aids out of the shadows and spread the message that silence is death," he said.
South Africa's government has in the past been accused of not doing enough to fight the HIV/Aids pandemic.
More than five million South Africans are infected with the virus.
The announcement by Deputy-President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka of a five-year action plan was expected to mark a significant change in policy.
However, the BBC's Southern Africa correspondent Peter Biles says Friday's launch was downgraded from a fully-fledged plan to a framework document.
Many details of the new policy have still to be spelt out, he says.
South Africa's former policy, which emphasised diet over the use of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, was widely criticised.
The health minister responsible, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, is reported currently to be on sick leave and has played little part in recent developments, our correspondent adds.

'Breathtaking' challenge

Figures recently released by the UN reveal that in terms of numbers, India is now facing the most severe HIV/Aids burden of any country in the world, with 5.7 million people infected.
Former US President Bill Clinton said in a BBC interview that India was the new epicentre of global infection.
He described the challenge to control the spread of the virus in India as "breathtaking".
Elsewhere, countries are marking World Aids Day with a series of events, including:

*The broadcast of radio and television messages in 25 countries across Africa aimed at preventing the spread of the disease among young people

*A march by Indonesian activists through the streets of the capital, Jakarta, demanding an end to the stigma attached to HIV/Aids

*A plan by activists in Thailand to create the world's "longest condom chain", a ribbon of 25,000 condoms stretching through a Bangkok park

*An announcement by Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer for an extra US$170m (£83m) to help its Asia-Pacific neighbours tackle the HIV/Aids epidemic
In its report, the ILO calls for sustained action worldwide to improve access to AVR treatments to cut mortality rates.

Without this, it estimates that the cumulative loss to the global workforce from the virus could rise to 45 million by 2010 and almost double again by 2020.
ILO estimates that more than 36 million people of working age are now living with the virus, the vast majority in sub-Saharan Africa.

HIV/Aids is adding an enormous burden to countries struggling to emerge from poverty (Odile Frank ILO ) This has had a damaging effect on the availability of labour in the worst-affected countries and has stunted economic growth. The ILO conducted research into the impact of the virus on 43 countries with some of the highest rates of infection in the world.

More than 70% of these countries were in sub-Saharan Africa.

Based on its findings, it has estimated that 1.3 million new jobs have been lost every year between 1992 and 2004 because of the virus.
This, in turn, reduced annual economic growth by an average of 0.5% over the period and 0.7% for sub-Saharan countries.

"HIV/Aids is adding an enormous burden to countries struggling to emerge from poverty," said Odile Frank, one of the report's authors.

"We need more employment opportunities for people with HIV/Aids and an end to discrimination against people with the virus to help them to secure work."

Treatment imperative

More than two million children around the world are now living with Aids while those aged 15-24 account for half of new infections.
The ILO said many children were forced to seek employment because they were living in extreme poverty, while their parents had either died from Aids or were too sick to work.
Other children found themselves working in unregulated industries such as the sex trade which exposed them to being infected.
The ILO said increased access to ARV treatments could significantly reduce the impact on the global workforce.
"The prospect of averting between one-fifth and one-quarter of potential new losses to the labour force should serve as a powerful incentive to target the workplace as a major entry point to achieve universal access to ARVs," the report concluded.

Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/business/6197074.stmPublished: 2006/12/01 13:29:05 GMT© BBC MMVI

Nas won.

I like Jay-Z just as much as the next sista, but Nas is really impressing me with this new single. Kingdom Come is starting to grow on me, but for a comeback album "Show me What you Got" seemed kind of anticlimactic for me. Will I be the one on the dancefloor two-steppin to that joint? of course. But I still think Jigga could have come harder than that.

Yes, I'm ready for my WHAT? BUT THAT SONG IS HOT! rebuttals. :-)

Nas delivery, lyrics, and message is just stronger to me. He saw an opportunity to "change the game" and he took advantage of it.

Oh, and the video is way more interesting to look at than Bey-Z stuntin' on a yacht.

one question: why?

cuz if I was the communications director this never would fly...and i'm only a couple months in the PR game!

anyways...look at this foolishness:

NEWS ALERT : PELOSI TELLS HASTINGS NO ON INTELLIGENCE CHAIRMANSHIP

After meeting with House Speaker-elect Pelosi this afternoon, Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., issued a statement confirming he will not serve as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. "I have been informed by the speaker-elect that I will not serve as the chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in the 110th Congress," he said. "I am obviously disappointed with this decision."

Hastings won election to Congress in 1992, after having been impeached and removed from office as a federal judge. He concluded his statement by saying, "Sorry, haters, God is not finished with me yet."

RIP Bebe Moore Campbell.

About a year ago my aunt gave me a signed copy of Bebe Moore Campbell's children's book, Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry. That story almost moved me to tears. I was just thinking about this story when I saw the following report.

Author Bebe Moore Campbell dies at 56
Mon Nov 27, 4:35 PM ET

Bebe Moore Campbell, whose many best sellers such as "Brothers and Sisters" touched on America's ethnic and social divides, died Monday. She was 56.Campbell died at home in Los Angeles from complications due to brain cancer, said publicist Linda Wharton Boyd. She was diagnosed with the disease in February."My wife was a phenomenal woman who did it her way," husband Ellis Gordon Jr. said in a statement. "She loved her family and her career as a writer.

Her books, largely fiction and based on real-life stories, included the perspective of many ethnic groups.

One of her first novels, "Your Blues Ain't Like Mine," was published in 1992 and spanned a 40-year period. It dealt with prejudice in the United States. The book earned her an NAACP Image Award for literature. She followed the book with "Brothers and Sisters," which focused on race relations in the corporate world after the 1992 Los Angeles riot.Among her other novels were "Singing in the Comeback Choir," "What You Owe Me" and "72 Hour Hold," the latter dealing with a mother coping with her daughter's bipolar disorder. Her 2003 play, "Even With the Madness," also focused on mental illness.

She also wrote children's books, including "Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry" in 2003, which won the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Outstanding Literature Award. Another children's book, "I'm So Hungry," will be released next year.

As a journalist, her articles appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, Essence and Ebony.Campbell, whose full name was Elizabeth Bebe Moore Campbell Gordon, was born in February 1950 in Philadelphia. She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1971.

Campbell is survived by her husband; a son, Ellis Gordon III; a daughter, Maia Campbell; her mother, Doris Moore; and two grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements were pending.

Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press.

From my cold, dead hands.

We're privileged to have Omar Woodard, a very good friend of mine, to bring his thoughts on gun violence in our communities to Ignorant Art this evening. Omar is an MPA candidate at The George Washington University and a Philadelphia native.

Where I'm from, gun crimes are typical. In Philadelphia, there have been almost 360 gun homicides alone since January 1. It was nothing for us to lay down and hear not firecrackers, but the sound of 45's clapping in the air. But recently, in the past year I've lost too many friends and family members to guns. One is too many, five is unbearable.

On my birthday, my best friend and prom date, Ardyce Hogan was shot and killed. My cousin was shot and killed just last night, over an Eagles jersey. An Eagles jersey that he didn't want to give up, so he gave up his life. This isn't a black issue, either. White folks have been killing each other for a long time now, I'm not sure if anyone has noticed flipping through your history books. But in America, our gun related homicide rates in major cities and rural areas are high every year. In PA, averaged over the past ten years, 70% of ALL homicides involved a gun. (source below)

I say that to say this: there are forces at work in our country that are actively opposed to the cessation of gun violence. ACTIVELY. OPPOSED. In my native state, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the legislature refuses to pass a one-gun-a-month law. They refuse, on the ground that it is unconstitutional to bar citizens from their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. So they can circumvent existing law to wiretap Americans, under the auspices of keeping America safe, but they can't bar someone from buying more than 12 guns a year that may actually go a ways to keep Americans safe?

Rural folks say that people in urban areas need to stop shooting each other. Would that it were that simple! It isn't about the urban and rural divide anymore, it's about priorities; it is about doing what is appropriate to keep kids safe on their streets. The Bush Administration thinks we should fear terrorism from Islamic extremists? We should fear the continued inaction of our state and national government. That is a far cry from being safe, from real "homeland security" - whatever the hell that means.

A single father of five was shot two weeks ago in Philadelphia, the victim of a stray bullet. It hit him in the head and killed him instantly. And we are scared of terrorism? Families are fearful to step outside their homes!

There are forces at work that actively oppose the cessation of gun violence in America. All the while, people are dying. Why won't we stand up to them? Why won't we demand that enough is enough? My family, my friends are being killed by guns, not bombs. They are not being killed by bearded Muslims, but by clean-shaven Americans.

Charlton Heston, the famous actor who once played Moses in the film The Ten Commandmants, and who walked with MLK Jr. in the March on Washington, uttered the now famous words, "They will pry this rifle from my cold, dead hands." Ironic, isn't it? The man who played Moses, the man who offered the Ten Commandments, one of which said, "Thou shalt not kill" - was President of the NRA?

There are forces at work that actively oppose the cessation of gun violence in America. People are dying. I'm not talking about taking anyone's guns away. But if 70% of ALL homicides over the past ten years in a state with 12 million people in it involved a gun, maybe we should reduce the number of guns available to people who shoot other people. Common sense measures can be adopted.

1. Limit purchases to one-gun-a-month

2. Renew and make permanent civilian ban on assault weapons

3. Increase age to buy guns through private sales to 21.

4. Allow local authorities, like Philadelphia, to set gun regulations

5. Adopt a national registration system, like for cars. We know what car you could hit someone with, why not know what gun you could shoot someone with?

Sources:1.http://bjsdata.ojp.usdoj.gov/dataonline/Search/Homicide/State/RunHomStatebyState.cfm

2. www.nra.org

3.www.ceasefirepa.org

*To my friends who worry about a career in politics, don't worry. I'm not.

Homecoming.

This Christmas will actually be the first one I spend with my east coast fam since I was at least 7 years old. I'm excited, but I think I'm also a little sad. My childhood friends like to say, "You're so east coast!" whenever I come back from DC. Sometimes I wonder if it's because I've been away for that long or if it's really that I've "adapted" to life in the DC Metro. Have I REALLY traded my flip flops for timbs and hightops? Nah, not really. I'm still a Cali girl at heart. I miss the Chuck Taylors with the fat white laces. I get hype when they play old school Snoop in the clubs out here. I like my latte with soy milk. I still get slightly irritated when it's below 60 degrees outside. And sometimes I am still amused with how many people don't drive out here. As comfortable as I am with Washington, I find that I miss home a lot, even when I don't want to admit it. I miss Los Angeles "staples"--Venice, In and Out, Coffee Bean, Roscoes, Poetry and jazz sessions in Leimert, Watts Towers, stilettos and cellphones in Beverly Hills. I miss palm trees in the middle of December. I even miss the long bus ride on the 210 to my high school sometimes.

But the more I think about it, it may have been easier to adjust to DC since much of my family's roots are here. My mother grew up in Southeast, my father in Northwest. I mentioned in my last entry that I was contacted by my cousin, who has been researching his family history for ten years. I learned some things I hadn't known about before, and a few things I had wondered about but hadn't gotten answers about. For instance, it was confirmed that my father's side of the family had migrated to DC from the Carolinas and Virginia, respectively. Talking with my grandmother and with my cousin about our family history, I learned we can trace our family as far as Frances Simmons, who was a sharecropper like many Blacks after the Civil War.

Some of my relatives live in a house in Northeast Washington DC. When I was there for a small family gathering in April, it was mentioned that the house had been in the family since the 1890s. My great-great grandmother owned that house in during those years; she was a stenographer, while her husband was an insurance broker.

All of this begs the question--knowing that my great-great grandmother moved to Washington circa 1919-1920 (the tail end of the Great Migration)...knowing that my fam has roots in Virginia and the Carolinas...knowing that some of us got to the Carolinas by way of Haiti...where were we before then? The easiest answer is Africa, but I can't help but wonder where in Africa. It's one thing to guess or hypothesize, it's completely different to really know.

When I spoke with my cousin, I asked about if he had been able to research past the late 1800s. He said that the hardest part is the disconnect caused by slavery--before Reconstruction, most Black folks were recorded as "property" so birth records and Census data would not have accounted for that. Family units were divided again and again as slaves were bought, sold and sometimes killed. As a result, the familial bond was oftentimes broken. "It's possible though," he said in a more hopeful tone. "It would take more work, but if your Grandmother and I keep talking and researching--and if you keep doing the same and keep learning more--maybe we can get more questions answered."

For Black families, researching family history can be both frustrating and painful. Frustrating because our history of slavery and opporession makes it even harder to reach conclusions about where our roots really begin. Painful because--as with any family of any race--there will always be questions that some family members would rather be left unanswered. But just beginning to talk about things as simple as when your grandmother moved into her house or where your aunt went to college can spark a conversation about why your family is the way they are. Taking the time to talk about things that are not-so-pleasant as well as the good memories and anecdotes is just part of the "healing process" if you will. It's one of the first steps in strengthening the familial bond that we've lost in our past.

Knowing where you came from

I received the following email today from a cousin I haven't even met:

I am your cousin.
I am going to do a relationship chart to show you how we are related:

James and Bessie Dixon
children:
Miriam =Sisters=Bessie
Michael =1st cousins= Jacqueline
Anthony = 2nd cousins= John
Angel =3rd cousins= Lauren

I just wanted to contact you because we are cousins and we are the same age. you were born in Feb. and I was born in April. Just give me a call so we can stay in touch.

all this time I was thinking that I didn't have any cousins who were the same age as me, and then I find out that I actually do and not only that, we used to live practically around the corner from each other! He's been researching his family lineage for ten years now; his father is my grandmother's cousin. Apparently, he can trace our family back to Norfolk, Virginia in the late 19th century. This is very exciting and it makes me want to learn more about my family's history; I only know bits from talking to the older relatives and from my own research on my great-grandmother's life.

He's coming to DC in a few weeks, so we'll actually be able to meet face to face.

This will be continued...what a way to end the night...

Wednesday is only one step closer to Friday.

but until then...a little humpday humor. a friend shared this with me and it made me chuckle a bit.