You cannot talk about Black History Month without talking about entertainment and when you talk about entertainment within the black diaspora you have to mention the mecca of music, the Apollo Theater. I traveled up to Harlem, New York to learn more about the history of the iconic building and speak to the in-house historian on all things music, history and more. Let me know what you think.
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This week hearts across America are heavy. As the nation's first black leader, President Barack Obama, leaves office, President-elect Donald Trump enters the role after one of the most controversial politics campaigns the country has seen. Opinions aside, for the next four years we all must figure out how we will continue to encourage one another, continue to do great work and continue to build for a better tomorrow each and every day.
This is not the first time we will have a transfer of power and this will not be the last. Happy, sad or distraught we must continue to build. President Obama spent eight years building up the economy, giving more than 8 million Americans health care and creating programs like, "My Brother's Keeper" that uplift inner cities instead of tear them down. These things are in jeopardy, but there is no time to get down. Instead, this is an opportunity to rise up. We fought for equality in the 20th century as if our lives depended on it. What will we do today? Movies like "Hidden Figures" and "Fences" remind and educate us about the past. We must acknowledge our painful past to understand our path in the future. Fighting for our place in life is nothing do. With transition of power comes transition of ideals and values. Also, comes transition of mindset. We may be losing the country's first black president, but the hope and the real change we gained individually over the last 8 years isn't lost. Come January 21st we will get out of beds and get dressed as we have many times before and do the great work we know we were meant to do. As most of television struggles to find itself, rewrite what's already been done and squander away, it's been digital platforms who've become more enticing. As a result, it's the best, most relatable content that will survive on television screens. Oprah Winfrey's network, OWN, once on the verge of collapse, has since been stepping up and churning out high-quality scripted series as of late. From "Green Leaf" to "The Haves and Have Nots", OWN has figured out a formula and run with it. But it's the surprise of the bunch, fiction drama "Queen Sugar," that may be the network's crown jewel. The show is set in fictional Saint Josephine, Louisiana, chronicling the life of a tight-knit black family coming together over the death of the grandfather and the inheritance of his 800-acre sugarcane farm on to his children. I heard the show was good, but I had no expectation the show would be amazing.
The greatness of the show can be equated the cinemetopgraphy, the acting and the script, even the setting but what stands out to me the most is the relevance to current issues plaguing America right now. The storyline of black farmers has never been given such a platform and yet it the plot of a seemingly unrelatable family still hits on so many issues Americans from all over deal with on a daily basis in 2017. From race to priviledge to the positive presence of strong black women, "Queen Sugar" has it all and it's interlaced so flawlessly. (Shouts out to Director Ava DuVernay.) From the onset of the show we see race and priviledge at the forefront. The Bordelones are a black family competing in a white dominated field of farming. No one except their own family wants them to succeed and we see race play out in how other farmers try to take their land from right under the family. Nova is a fierce journalist who calls out the disproportionate police activity of the local police, yet she, herself, is dating a white officer. It shows the difficulty of following your heart and mind and questions if she's doing anything wrong at all. We see priviledge early through one of the Bordelone daughters, Charlie, who is married on an professional basketball star who cheats on her. Yet, unlike what we usually see on TV, Charlie is self-made. She doesn't roll over or succumb to her husband's cheating ways, but instead she gets more strategic and tactical. Even still, as she transitions from high-class suburban life to rural farm life we see her struggle with her own priviledge she didn't know existed. This is imporant as we continue to push for a fair shot at life, so as we call on others to acknowledge their own shortcomings, we need to check ourselves. The role of the strong black woman is another key component in the show. From Aunt Violet as the new anchor of the Bordelone family, to Nova as this unfeathered journalist, to Charlie as this fearless businesswoman who is unwilling to back down from the richest and the most powerful. There are many examples of dynamic black women that are not often portrayed on screen. Too many times black women are successul, but cannot keep a man or only raise their voices, but these women are great at their job and they find love throughout. In fact, in 2016 black women are the single most educated group in America. It's about time we see this on TV. These are just a few of the most poignant themes that "Queen Sugar" uncovers and takes a full dive to really grasp onto the complexities of being black in America and being black in a white space, in farming. Almost every family can relate to the struggles of their own family relations and almost every family can relate to not everything always going their way. Yet, hopefully "Queen Sugar" inspires you to fight for love and fight for what you know is right. One thin I do know is, I cannot wait for season 2! sWe’re at a pivotal moment in time where in 2016 black and brown bodies are too often devalued and underappreciated in many pockets of the U.S. The use video, advances in technology and social media puts the injustice that’s been a staple of modern history right in front of everyone to see. You can ignore the fact that young, unarmed black men and women are being gunned down or killed at the hand of law enforcement or you can step up and do something about it. The Delta Beta Executive Alumni Foundation seek to move the conversation forward and come up with concrete solutions to push community and police relations forward in a positive manner.
On Thursday, October 13th the DBEAF organization gathered in Harlem, New York to host a panel called, “The State of Police & Community Relations: Let’s Come up with Solutions”. The panel was free and open to the public and sought to move the narrative from anger in the community for law enforcement towards specific ideas to move better relations between police and communities of color. There were about fifty community members in attendance for the event, free refreshments served and a dynamic group of individuals on the panel to shed light on the issues of the evening. Panelists included Charlene Wyands, a retired deputy inspector for the NYPD, Nigel L. Farinha, Chief of gang prosecution in New York City, Royce Russell, a Defense and Civil Rights Attorney and Guy Mitchell, a NY County Criminal Court Judge. The panel was moderated by Lamond Williams of WBLS. Williams opened the panel by offering the panelists an opportunity to talk about the current state of police and community relations from each of their unique perspectives. All the panelists agreed that there were issues that plagued communities or color, but also acknowledged the tough roles of law enforcement. “It’s not as easy as most people think, “ Wyands said. “No cops wants to use their weapon, and in fact, most don’t discharge their gun their entire career.” The conversation moved to how each of the panelists wants the community to understand the plight of both sides and think about how we can work better together if we understand one another. “Put yourself in the place of a cop going into some of these communities,” Farinha said. “They are doing the best job they can do. We need to call out those not doing their job in the right manner.” Another idea discussed was talking about who should patrol what neighborhoods and what kind of qualifications an officer should have. The middle portion of the evening hinged upon what police are doing now to improve relations. After a Q&A portion from a number of those in the audience Williams summed up the group’s collection of how we can come together as a community to move forward. The biggest takeaways as solutions were to join community groups who go door to door and come together and inform the public about their options for gaining jobs and getting involved with community initiatives. Another solution is amplifying small and minority owned businesses to come together to provide opportunities and event for the community to become engaged with. In general, the ideas that formed collectively tied together the idea of coming together and helping police one another before officials have to be involved. By the panel’s conclusion it was evident that this conversation just began to address the wide-ranging issues of the community. It was an amazing program put together to talk about real issues and DBEAF has ensured this is just the beginning. ROOTS! It's what took place before you or me was even thought of. It's the history of our family and our community and how we got to where we are. It's important, because you can't begin to think about where you want to go unless you understand where you came from. It's more imperative on some groups to know more about their roots than others because we don't have the advantages of relying on privilege or a specific contact to push us through.
Right now A&E Networks is in the midst of a four-night series of the re-imagined show ROOTS. It's a bold move showing across three channels: including History, A&E and Lifetime. What was once a 13-day phenomenon in the late 1970s has been remade, recasted and reproduced to present to the current generations. Most of those watching the show today do not remember what the original was like or what it meant for society as a whole. The nearly two weeks of the show then meant constant conversation and discussion about what this storytelling meant for current times. There's been much made about whether ROOTS is relevant today, whether it's necessary and whether it's needed - to which I answer yes to all of these questions. ROOTS tells the story of a family (regardless of location), of struggle (regardless of economic status) and of triumph. You go through every emotions possible through the life and eyes of the protagonist, Kunta Kinte. But the question I wish to raise seeks more understanding: Why are we continuing to deal with a lot of the same struggles as 40 years ago? Forty years ago people of color were discriminated against because of the color of their skin, social classes meant less opportunity for those at the bottom and the group in power continued to thrive as long as they followed "tradition". This is where my issues lies in the world we live in today. It's less a question of whether we should show the film, but why does it still hit home? What made ROOTS so ground-breaking in 1977 was that it sat families and groups of people down to have a conversation about race and treatment. In 2016 we are reminded of race and treatment every time we turn on the news or log onto a news site. It's everywhere, yet we haven't learned from our past. But what can we do to be better? I appreciate what ROOTS stands for. We need to continue uplifting people of color in films. We need to continue to create programs that allow those born into unfortunate situations have the opportunity to pull themselves out. We also need to continue to have checks and balances in our systems in place that those in top don't continue to run away with it all, while the bottom majority scramble over what is left. I appreciate that A&E Networks took a chance on showing something that makes people uncomfortable. When you have something that pulls out so many emotions, you know that you have something that's real. Most importantly, when you understand your ROOTS you can be sure you're moving forward instead of in reverse. It's easy to go to a place every week, sit down to receive a set of directions and sort go through the motions. Sometimes it easiest to fall into a routine, and play it safe in fear of the unknown. Millions of people do it week in and week out at a place called church. The harder part to do is to listen to what the pastor is actually saying, internalize it and apply it to your everyday life. It's easy to hear 'love thy neighbor even when they're wrong', but when someone bumps into you in the street are you actually showing them love in your response or are you doing the total opposite?
The pastor's theme for this year at my home church in Harlem, New York this year is "The Year of the Doer." This can mean a number of things, but to me this means there's no time to waste, there is no better time than now to get something done. This is the year I got a new job, I am building a stronger relationship with God and I am strengthening already pre-existing relationships in my everyday life. I encourage anyone I come in contact with to inherit the mantra, "The year of the doer" because it truly brings the best out in people. Too often do we choose to put things off or hold ourselves back. We need to push ourselves for the ultimate achievement. This year I took a step out on faith by leaving my secure job at NBC and taking a job at A&E Networks as a Manager of Social Media for a new digital space under the History brand called, "History Now." I did not know what to expect, but I did know that God was on my side and when I have him anything is possible. Now three months later I could not be happier with my decision. Certainly there are things I miss about NBC in the people and processes and most importantly the food, but I also have been growing so much in my new role. No longer and I micro-managed in getting things done, but instead I come up with content and I maintain a new entity. In many ways History Now is my baby and I am willing to go to bat for it. I want this to be something great and really become something I am proud of and people can for a sense of inspiration and I know that's what it will become. In the year of the doer it's time to step out on faith and believe in what you hear on Sunday morning. In the year of the doer it's time to sacrifice in the short term for a long term gain. In the year of the doer it's time to start doing and believing. I'm ready to do, are you? Today rapper J. Cole released the first installment of five in his mini-docuseries that chronicles his last year on tour. In 2014 the North Carolina native released his 3rd studio album titled, "2014 Forest Hills Drive" and it took over the rap game. In the first week alone the album sold more than 360-thousand copies, which is unheard of in this era of illegal downloads and Internet pirating. To say Cole is in his element is an understatement. Not only does he credit his success to his childhood in North Carolina, Cole also credits his time in the best city in the world, New York City. J. Cole attended and graduated summa cum laude from St. Johns University in Queens, New York in 2007. Ironically enough it wasn't until earlier this year that he received his physical diploma because he never returned a library book. But J. Cole is arguably one of the best rappers in the world right now. His discography from his latest work shows he is making music from the soul. He is speaking truth about his life. He is releasing really dope visuals about his current journey. In the video he even said he no longer worries about his legacy as he can admit he did years back. At this point he has confident in what he can do and is doing.
All the excitement about J. Cole got me thinking about his success and what he credits to his success. He constantly shouts out St. Johns and New York City and it makes me believe only the strong survive in the concrete jungle. In what can be an overwhelming city at times, New York also boasts opportunity. The real key is more about how dedicated are you to attaining that success going after what you want. I have nothing but the most respect and admiration for anyone out here doing what makes them happy and getting after it with everything that they have. That is what J. Cole has done and to think he's just starting to come into his own is a scary thing. In his own words, "G.O.M.D.!!" It's been a long week for the state of Missouri. First, a graduate student at the University of Missouri went on strike because of racial issues having gone unaddressed. Then, a group of African American football players on the Mizzou squad said they would no longer participate in any football related activities until the school president stepped down or was removed. This morning I woke up to the news that school faculty would stage a walkout at some point today standing in solidarity and support of the students on the campus and the issues they too saw on campus. But that walkout never happened. It wasn't necessary because late this morning the president of the University of Missouri system formally resigned. It was a shocker to most, coming just one day after President Tim Wolfe released a rather adamant statement that he would continue his job and somehow work through the issues that he never felt the need to be addressed previously. But ultimately the voice of students prevailed. And the onslaught did not stop there. Late this afternoon the school chancellor said he too would resign. It's the beginning steps in the healing process to a school and a community that has gone through so much.
Less than three miles away Michael Brown was gunned down by a Ferguson police officer in August of 2014. But there were no school statements, no school wide discussions, nothing. Students shared incidents of racial slurs being called the "n-word" while walking to and from class. Another student said a professor once said she was there because of affirmative action. It was incidents like these and others that led to built up frustration on the campus. Then, the tipping point came when a swastika was drawn with feces on the wall of a campus building. Many students had had enough. The school was not doing anything, so the students would make something happen. The voices started small with demonstrations. They grew louder as time went on. There was the time when a group stood in front of Wolfe's car during a parade in a peaceful demonstration. Wolfe's driver revved the engine and had police escort them away. But still no conversation and little to no acknowledgement. The football team decided to step up and step up in a big way. Their sacrifice made this a national issue. The SEC football team said they would stand up for what they saw was right. Their head coach supported them. It was unbelievable to watch the number of events that unfolded. It was inspiring. It make so many people feel hopeful, but we must understand it's the beginning steps. There are real issues. There is teaching that needs to take place and there are demands that need to be met. When people question diversity, they question true growth. Much of the ignorance going on around the world is rooted in the past and/or rooted from a place of misinformation. When people say black students take up most of financial aid, they're wrong. When they say all black people benefit most from affirmative actions they're wrong, women do. There are a lot of disconnects. It starts with education of facts and the education of different cultures from a young age. Then things will not be so foreign. As the University of Missouri enters into its second phase of healing, there needs to be an entire culture shift at the school. All the students need to be treated equality. All issues to any group should be treated with haste and seriousness. No student should be marginalized or like she/she does not belong. This is America we are talking about in 2015 and we continue to deal with real issues that should have been addressed a long time ago, but we push on. We learn and we grow. We see what true democracy looks like. We see what real unity is. We see what we can do when we stand up together for a cause. We see our voice matters. If this is what we can do on a school level, imagine what we can do on a national stage. This week Republican candidate Ben Carson is the new national leader in GOP polls. He has replaced Donald Trump atop the GOP field and Carson's fundraising has been through the roof. His politics are out there, his subdued demeanor is unique and his latest radio ad is driving people nuts, but together it's all working. It's a far cry from the man I grew up admiring when I read his autobiography "Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story". It actually hurts my soul, but the reality is Ben Carson is who he is.
Carson's childhood wasn't easy. He grew up with one brother and was raised by a single mother after his father left the family when he was young. Carson's mother worked two and three jobs during his childhood just to make ends meet. As a teen Carson dealt with anger issues as he chronicled in his book. One time he almost hit his mother with a hammer over a clothing dispute and another time he nearly stabbed a friend for changing the radio station. Carson benefitted from public assistance as a youth. He went on to West Point, Yale, then Michigan Medical. He has a wonderful story of persistence and hard work, but today Carson has turned from his childhood. The help he once received he now seeks to take away from others. In 2014 Carson said Pres. Obama is depressing the economy to keep people on welfare. Carson also believes sexual orientation is a choice. He has argued that “a lot of people” in prison change their sexual orientation. As many people have pointed out, sexual behavior is not the same as orientation. He also says Pres. Obama signed immigration reform to bring in government-dependent voters. I cannot understand how someone can live through a struggle and turn from everything that struggle has taught them. How can you receive help and when someone else asks for a hand up, slap it away? I raise these questions because I really want to understand who the real Ben Carson is. Is Carson the product of the American Dream from Detroit? Or is Carson a hoodwink of a man who can't stand for something positive? I am not sure, but when it comes to voting we all have a voice. Then it is our chance to speak up. I ask one more time, 'Will the real Ben Carson please stand up?'. Twenty years ago I was four years old. I couldn't do much for myself except maybe string a few words together or stuff my face with food that was put in front of me. But little did I know on October 16, 1995 an enormous movement was taking place in the nation's capitol and it was called the Million Man March. I was too young to remember it then, but it would shape a big part of the present-day civil rights movement.
This weekend I took it upon myself to make sure that I was a part of history this time around. I made the trip to DC with a couple friends to take in the sights and sounds and be among others who in many ways are craving something in terms of inner peace and understanding. The 20th anniversary marked a large return to the site where the original march was first held. The slogan of "Justice or Else" was the rallying cry for the day. Tens of thousands, or maybe more, showed up to come together. I didn't know exactly why I was there, but I knew I did not want to miss something that could change my life. A series of speakers graced the Capitol building steps and one by one expressed why we needed to come together. In simple terms people of color have been forgotten about. We've been abused in many ways and not appreciated in others. We no longer have to take this. We demand justice and equality OR ELSE. The 'or else' part can be anything. It means economic boycott and continued calls to action. It means movement on a local level to disrupt. It means whatever it takes. Overall the weekend made me feel proud to be a young black man. I have never before been surrounded by so many other young black men and people of color in my life. There were no fights, no incidents. We all were there for a purpose. But one day is not enough. It's the start of a wake up call. We all need to have the million man march in our hearts on a daily basis in many ways. Each day I know that I need to realize that I did not get here solely on my own, but there were people before me who sacrificed so that I could live in some type of peace. One thing that struck me from the weekend was in reading more on Louis Farrakhan. He is a controversial man, very much like a man I work with Rev. Al Sharpton. In the past he has said things against homosexuals and women. And I strongly believe in calling for justice, you cannot stand for one group and not the other. You have to stand for everyone. So I struggled with picking through what Farrakhan said and his positions on issues that he's been wrong on in the past. But I also acknowledge his honesty on things like the death of Malcolm X and growing ideals. I believe he is progressing into 2015 with his beliefs, but I also understand no one is perfect. We all have our faults. We need to come together more so we can talk and understand each other better. When I walked away from the March I felt assured that I was there for a reason. I felt comfortable knowing change is coming. It is slow and steady, but it already has begun. The society we live in continues to change around us and we all have to be willing to adapt. This weekend I found out more about myself. I learned to be open my mind. Twenty years later I learned what standing together can really look like. |
Marquise Francislives by one word: achievement. in anything and everything, achieve. Archives
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