starting over.

How annoying is it for your life to be filled in boxes? Well for one, you can't find things. . .things you need.

I spent the second half of Sunday trying to find my birth certificate. The first half was spent sleeping and watching the Life of Pi. I really like that movie! And it got me motivated to purge. Well, actually doing my taxes and finding my birth certificate got me to purge. But there is a part in the movie where Pi speaks of losing Richard Parker. After all the trials and tribulations they went through together, all the memories they shared from the weeks, months at sea, as soon as they hit dry land Richard Parker simply turns his back on Pi and walks aways from it all. Mr. Parker had moved on. Pi proclaimed it as letting go, and it was much more difficult for him to "say goodbye" to the life changing experience he  had just survived through. I can relate to Pi. Though I hope he wasn't at sea for 2 years, he had experienced some extreme traumatic circumstances that would effect any young person; thrown over board into the depths of sea, losing his entire family, leaving his friends behind, and the life he grew up with, and then being stranded on a small boat with a live wild carnivore! That's definitely some stuff to make you want to pray!

Through it all, Pi never lost faith in God, but then why was it so hard for him to believe his life was about to change once in Mexico? Why was he soo attached to an animal that he feared would eat him alive? Why was it hard for him to let go of his new "lifestyle", that he knew would be temporary? Because when trauma hits, it doesn't just effect you for the moment, it's a chemical change that is stamped in your soul for life. And it doesn't matter the degree of trauma, anything that is outside your range of "normality", I believe could be considered a life changing experience. And of course there is the time factor. Major things may happen once, and quickly, but minor things may happen again and again over time, so, eventually your habits change. Seeing millions of ants in my SE Asian apartment wasn't necessarily a "painful traumatic" experience, but it was annoying as ever!, and there seemed to be NOTHING I could do to keep them away. So, even now, a whole year later after living in Viet Nam, I have a fear of leaving food out in the open, or leaving crumbs on the counter, because all I see is a mad rush of sugar-sucking spider-shaped ants coming to feast on whatever morsel they can clench their jaws on. So as I purge and search for my birth certificate, I ask myself, why not make life easy and turn in my expired pssprt? (yes I abbreviated the word because I declared it as "lost".) Because, I don't want to give up tangible evidence of the life I once had.
Because, I may share the story with my children one day and they may not believe me.
Because, I just can't.
I also found old letters from a love I once had. I thought about getting rid of those too, but I didn't. Why waste the space? Because its evidence that someone (outside of my family) truly did care for me unconditionally. Evidence that a man can and will put in the time to remind his woman how special she is to him. Because it reminds me not to give up, but to start over. 

differentiate.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting New York City. The last time I hit the big apple pavement was back in '07. The World Trade center site was still a disaster, with minimal progress on the memorial. At that time the city was fun as always, but still scary and a "big deal" to maneuver my way through the subway system. My recent visit was a much different experience.

Thank God for girlfriends who let you crash at their crib. My friend J loaned her couch and a set of keys to me for the week in the city. She lives in Queens, which is a neighborhood of New York I had never visited and never knew where it was located in relation to Brooklyn. Aside from my experience of Jamaica Queens in Coming to America, this burrow might as well be on the moon. In my mind it was a far distant land, like Staten Island. But something in me has changed since living over seas. Nothing excites me anymore. It's not that I don't find anything exciting, I just did not view New York City as the same frightful place. Give me a map, a transit pass, and some cab fare, go. That's really all you need, well maybe a little more money and a fearless attitude. I've been a tourist and an expat lost in foreign lands for so long, nothing phases me. I've seen some crazy ish, stuck in the middle of nowhere-Cambodia/Philippines/Malaysia with oxen mooing at me, and lost in Bangkok ghettos, so why would the dirty streets of NY cause a stir? New York felt foreign just like the other cities I traveled to (Macau, Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok), and just like I maneuvered through the concrete jungles of SE Asia, I did the same in NYC, feeling like I was conquering new territory.

Of course I still got lost. Even with my handy NYC Mate app, I realized the cray cray of MTA. Why is there no train connecting Queens to Brooklyn? They say use the G line, but according to one native New Yorker, it is the bastard child of Mass Transit. New York on the weekend is relaxed, and apparently so are the trains. They don't run as frequently, and some completely shut down after a certain time. I realized I do not like the subway system in New York. I actually prefer Chicago's elevated trains. At least I can see sunshine, breathe fresh air, and jump if a terrorist attacks. I also realized New Yorkers are very nice, helpful people. . . except when you ask for directions, because I also realized NOBODY really knows where they are going. It's like an unwritten rule that if you want to look like a New Yorker, you don't carry a map. Good thing I don't care. If I relied on people's false sense of "I know where I'm going" I would have never got home. Funny thing is, everything you need to know about the trains is written plain as day inside the subway on the Helvetica-printed signs. Good thing I can read.

Vietnamese New Year Celebration and Dragon Show

I didn't see fire breathers or men hanging water buckets from their eye lids in NYC, but I did see my fair share of street performers and skateboard acrobatics :-) 

shifting, changing

Since I have returned to my home country from my self imposed exile I have not been inspired to write, but the spirit of writing about unconventional adventures is not dead, just dormant. I am sifting through ideas of where to take this blog or how to expand its reach Another physical trip may not happen soon but there are still journeys that I want to explore. Discovering my ethnic heritage is one I'd like to dive into. I am also passionate about the African-like cultures I learned of in the south pacific like the Melanesians or the Aborigines. Where did they really come from? Along with all that anthropology I am passionate about humanity, the way people are treated, in this country and abroad. So I may take my blog in the direction of humanitarian issues that relate to the places I've been.

One issue that came across my daily reading was human trafficking, which doesn't just happen in Thailand, it happens here, in America too. Jada Pinkett Smith has created a web space to get the word out and new music video (Jada can sang!) with her group Wicked Evolution. It melodically explains in Spanish the experience of a young girl caught up in a sex trade.

I present the video to you as a challenge. This week I challenge you to use your creative talents to produce a positive change. Ignore the superficial, minute simple conversations about hair, someone's personal views on trivial politics, and chicken sandwiches. Invest time in fighting and protesting serious, and unnecessary struggles that are negatively effecting people as I type.


Jada's Video 
DONT SELL BODIES!  

Pinks and Blues

One of many things to look forward to in summer is sitting outside and watching the sun set. Sure you can do this year-round, but it's more fun when you're beach side wearing a sarong instead of seven layers of clothing. As of now I have yet to see a sunset as beautiful as the ones I saw in the tropics of SE Asia. Here are a few moments captured when the sky is painted pink and blue:

"A  September dusk", View from my Viet balcony in HCMC

"A December Sunrise" in Palawan, Philappines

Almost up,  in Palawan, Philappines 

Bali Sunset

Boracay Sunset, Boracay, Philippines

Cambodian Sunrise, Angkor Wat

6:00 AM Sunrise, Angkor Wat Temples, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Sunrise, Gulf of Thailand, Absolute Sanctuary Resort, Koh Samui Island

I Have Learned the Secret!

If there was one reason why God sent me to live and work in a foreign land, less prosperous than the one I came from, then this verse says is beautifully: Philippians 4 verse 10-13

Thanks for Their Gifts

¹⁰ I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. ¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

The Realities of American Education

Education vs. Incarceration

gud thangs.

3 Good Things about living in Atlanta

1. Abundant choices of Black Hair products, especially at the World Natural Hair Show.
2. Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, they just opened a new International Terminal too!
3. All kinds of sweeet-soulful-southern yummy food you can eat.

New Age

Applying for jobs has been fun. . . not. But, I did receive a quirky application the other day. After succeeding to Round 2 of virtual interviewing, I was asked to answer the following 3 questions:

Q. What is Scoutmob?
A. Like Goodie Mob of the app world; a super-swag mobile app, born and bred in ATL, Georgia, used for scouting out the best of the best locally-owned businesses in your city to help you get "tha hook up".
Q. If you had one last day in Atlanta, what would you do and where would you go?

A. Funny you ask, because I’ve had two “last day” moments. My first “last day” in Atlanta, so I thought, was spent packing and buying décor for my first apartment in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. I was geeked to move to the urban environment and attend grad school at SAIC. My second “last day” in Atlanta was 2 years and 2 months ago. I spent quality time with the fam, and then flew across the world to my new home in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

    However, if tomorrow was another hypothetical “last day” in Atlanta, I would use Scoutmob to find the best Vietnamese phở for breakfast, or a cute café in Virginia Highlands. I’d scout the best southern style soul food for lunch, and for dinner I may check out my favorite spot Loca Luna. In between the meals, I’d eat again. I’d use Scoutmob to find that west midtown bakery that served Coca-Cola cupcakes back in the day, I think it's called West Egg (now they have Sweet Tea Liqueur Milkshakes, whaaat!). 
    Actually, for dinner, I would find a restaurant serving African food. It would be my going away celebration, because my next destination would be Cape Town, South Africa. Design Indaba, here I come!

Q. Design a quick logo refresh of your favorite Atlanta brand/hotspot/locale/joint/team/strip club.

Strip Club? Can't say I have a favorite one in ATL or anywhere for that matter, but I will say my favorite area, Little 5 Points, could use a nice imagemark. 

Learned Behavior

So, its been almost a month since I've been back. 25 days to be exact, but who's counting? Took a couple of weeks to get used to the time zone, and "daylight savings" business. I'm happy to be home, to smell grass, and trees, hear the crows, scare the squirrels and watch out for deer. My parents work later than normal so I get to smell real breakfast food in the morning instead of rotten dog meat or whatever it was cooking in the hem next to my complex. I can drive a car again, yaaay, and listen to the latest hood music on Atlanta's r&b/hip hop station. I can bop my head along, snap my fingers, do a twist and have no one stare me up and down. . . well they might stare, but not too hard.
Its almost like I never left! I mean, it's not hard getting used to something that hasn't changed in two years. However, since I've been back there are certain habitual Southeast Asian tendencies I have yet to let go. Here are a few learned behaviors or things I've grown to appreciate while living in Vietnam:

1. I can honestly say I am comfortable being over heated until I break a sweat. I can drive in the car and not turn on the AC. Instead I roll down the windows and keep it movin. Nothing wrong with sweat, its melted fat. Though I can't do this with my mom in the car, she has hot flashes.

2. I rinse out every glass jar till its clean before I throw it away. I think this is a good habit, it will keep the trash from smelling rotten, but the habit started to keep the ants away.

3. (My mother had to remind me) "Do not put water on my floor!" Okay, ok, I've gotten used to showering directly on a tiled bathroom floor, no bathtub, no inclosed structure just shower and floor. In Vietnam structures are built to hold or repel water and built strong to hold high winds. But it gets me thinking, How come U.S. houses in flood/hurricane zones aren't made with concrete?

4. I live for juice. . and water, I'm always thirsty! Unfortunately I don't have a juicer, so I put my 'rents blender to use. I made my mom a cucumber/lemon juice/mint/honey smoothie to die for!
Add a little rum. . . It's the drink of the summer ;-)

5. I'm extra conscious about my surroundings and security. Always checking my back, people walking behind me, and I still turn my check card around so when I open my wallet you don't see the words "Bank of America". You don't need to know where I'm from. For all you know, I could be Guyanese. And, I refuse to be a victim of identity theft. 

Calm? before the storm

PEACE OUT VN!

So a typhoon came through HCMC the Sunday I had to fly out. I got out of Vietnam safely, though it was pure craziness up to the hours before my flight left. Seemed as if everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Electricity went out, stiffed with a crazy amount of money (USD) bill written in vietnamese which lead to being cheated out of my security deposit, freelance project almost went awry, typhoon came, bags too full, luggage broke, my thumb is bleeding, I mean really???

But lets count our blessings, I have the world's greatest friends, who came to the rescue to help me escape out of my apartment before the landlord could ask for more money. So thankful for the extra luggage they spared to help save me some dough for over-sized bags. Their wit also helped me sneak my super extra heavy carry-ons on the plane, though neither bag could fit in the overhead or underneath the seat. The small black bag made it to Tokyo when the handle snapped off as I exited the plane. Awesome! Now I have to drag the bag behind me, which already weighs about 40 pounds, while carrying a 30 pound-child of books on my back. Blessing number two, Narita has handy carts available for no extra charge. This made my 8 hour lay over very pleasant. Once I get to the gate I noticed a group of Black Americans waiting to get on my flight. After I get my seat number one of them offers me a seat and starts chattin it up. Not really in the mood to talk, this dude quickly mentioned he's with a traveling singing group called "The Platters." Yeah, I figured they were singers. The name doesn't ring a bell, but I smile and nod and watched the video footage on his ipad of their performance in Manila. Of course he was trying to spit game, but Blessing number three, he was kind enough to help with my bag all the way to Atlanta. He got it on the plane at Narita, in the over head bin, then took it down once the plane landed, stood in the customs line with me holding it, and took it down to the baggage claim area before security check in. I miss Black men! It dawned on me later in the flight, that the older Black man sitting behind me on the plane, who was part of this guy's entourage, really was part of the original singing group The Platters, and helpful-kind dude was his son. Crazy, "Only You!" lol I guess they have an international following.

Well I still had 3 large bags to lug to the second security check point, and stand in a long line again, with this 30-pound-child like back pack just to go through another set of metal detectors, then to the "plane train", then to baggage claim. The silver lining was knowing that my dad, who I have not seen since Christmas 2010 would be waiting for me on the other side of the black tape at Hartsfield-Jackson. There he was looking the same, with glasses and sweat suit. His face is skinnier, looking more like an older Barack :-) There's nooo place like home!

Wale of a tale.

wales!

Its the very last night in our little paradise of Absolute bliss. To end this lovely spa holiday we went snorkeling and on our way to the next destination we spot a wale!! Actually it was two wales, possibly a mother and child. It got closer and closer and we saw some gills. . . and a mouth. Amazing!

Tonight we will eat our last super-food healthy meal and watch Eat Pray Love in the hotel theater. Awww, I definitely don't want to leave.

Anh Thong National Park, mixed water lake

the James Bond, near Anh Thong National Park

Yogi Monster Day 3

chill-laxing

The pain in the back of my legs will not go away. It is the end of the last day of our 3-day rejuvenation spa holiday and I feel great. Just had my colon cleansed for the first time, and it actually made my arthritic hands feel better. After performing Hot Yoga for the last time, I ended the day with a tumeric scrub. I'm squeaky clean!
Here's how the day went:
6:00 AM
Wake Up
6:33 AM
Breakfast: chocolate muffin (it wasn't that great), with bananas, goji berry tea w/ honey and soymilk with brown rice porridge, cinnamon, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds.
8:00 AM
Colon-hydro therapy info meeting. Gotta know what's about to go where the sun don't shine.
9:15 AM
Alright lets get this over with.
10:15 AM
Sleeping by the pool. Although quite uncomfortable, the hydro cleaning therapy made my arthritis feel better.
1:00 PM
Pilates with Sean, the Brit.
2:00 PM
Lunch: Pineapple, coconut and mint juice, Greek salad w/ feta and bell peppers, Tom Sum Soup with chicken and brown rice
3:00 PM
Facial
5:00 PM
Nutritional meeting with Janell, the resident Naturopath
6:00 PM
Super Hot Flow Yoga
7:00 PM
Thai Herbal Scrub
9:00 PM
Dinner: the last supper :-( Green salad with hummus, carrots, flax seeds, cherry tomatoes, Poached shrimps w/ lemon juice dressing, shallots, cilantro, and fresh greens. Papaya blend juice to drink, it's my last free juice, tastes like liquid honey comb cereal.

Yogi Monster Day 2

our last free juice :-(

I'm super sore. So lets start the day off right with the Steam Room, and of course more juice!
7:10 AM
Steam room then juice, cucumber, lemon and honey. Its like lemonade with cucumber.
8:30 AM
Beginners Hatha, Intro to Yoga
9:35 AM
Breakfast: today was coconut yogurt (yummy goodness) w/ fresh fruit and a porridge of brown rice with warm soy milk, cashews, cinnamon and chunks of young coconut.
10:15 AM
Wrote in my blog.
11:00 AM
Tooo tired for hot flow yoga, so I just went on the treadmill.
12:00 PM
Aroma therapy Massage
1:10 PM
Leg and Tummy workout practice routines.
3:00 PM
Lunch: seaweed wrap first, then black bean burrito with soy, wheatgrass and coconut water juice, mixed salad. That wheatgrass was hard to swallow.
4:00 PM
Sat by the pool, then slept for the rest of the day
9:30-10:00 ish PM
Dinner: veggie salad w/ hummus flax seeds and pumpkin seeds, poached chicken w/ mango, goji berry and ginger tea

Yogi Monster Day 1

It is the end of day 1 (Tuesday March 20th) of my yoga retreat with Tiffany. We started the vacay with Angor Wat first. That was quite the excursion, with the long bus ride to Phnom Penh, then another bumpy 7 hour ride to Siem Reap. Climbing through the temples from dawn till nearly dusk, in the heat was also exhausting, but lots of exercise. So it was a relief to finally get to our island destination of Koh Samui, Thailand for our 3 day rejuvenation session at Absolute Sanctuary.

Since we're on a 3-day rejuvenating plan, we have a limited menu of meals, but 3 meals a day, all very fresh and delicious food. BUT the best part of this spa holiday is the unlimited juices, yes unlimited. I love it. For my next blog entries I am going to share my day, the schedule and what I ate during my 3 days of rejuvenation:
7:00 AM
Breakfast at the Love Kitchen.1 silver-dollar sized pancake with the most delicious coconut yogurt. Scrambled eggs with salad and lemon grass tea. Also had some pineapple juice
Sauna for 10 minutes
8:30 AM
Detox Yoga
10:00 AM
Flow Yoga
12:00 PM
Lunch (thank goodness, I was starving)
1:00 PM
Consultation with the receptionist
2:00 PM
Sauna, again and juice!
2:15 PM
Head, Neck and Shoulder Massage with heat compress
4:30 PM
Infra Red Sauna
5:00 PM
Welcome Ritual (Foot Massage)
6:00 PM
Hot Flow Yoga, it's like a milder version of Bikram, but still very intense.
9:00 PM
After sweating myself silly we get to enjoy a small, but filling dinner. Thai glass noodle salad with sesame was the starter. Then steamed sea bass with yummy mango, papaya, pineapple salsa, served on a banana leaf. To drink I had a refreshing iced mint tea. Like mojito without the kick.
Good night!

Post 100!

I made it to 100! Just shy of 3 weeks till my exile in Vietnam is over. I think anyone who has been in exile, whether a self-imposed metaphoric prison or forced detainment in a cell, can agree you have a lot of time to think or read or write, or design or to do something more constructive since watching television may not be an option. During my two-year exile I've found more time to read more books, especially those in the Bible, and watch movies with a different perspective. My new perspective prompts me to do research and through that research I always find information that relates to my current situation.
For example, I've seen the movie ALI with Will Smith, 50 thousand times, but there was one particular time I watched it that prompted me to do research on Ali and his fighting legacy. I guess I needed more, because I felt the movie focused too much on his political activities in NOI, and less on his career. This is when I discovered the phrase "Thrilla in Manila" was reference to his fight against Joe Frazier in Manila, Philippines. And all this time I thought it had to do with Phillipine-American war.

So today I had the pleasure of watching The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 . http://blackpowermixtape.com/
Its an interesting amalgamation  of video footage taken by Swedish reporters, because they were curious to know what was going on in America in regards to the fight for freedom, the rallys, the riots, and the systematic oppression of Black people. It was fun to watch, because as an 80's baby, its hard to believe how hard life was "back in the day". Especially for us children of parents whom were strong enough and smart enough to keep it moving and live their lives in peace and productivity, not peril. Sometimes this meant moving out of a predominantly Black neighborhood into a "safer" suburban environment. So growing up in lily white Green Bay, Wisconsin I can truly say I do not know what it's like to be involved in a rally, sit-in, or hear a church bombing. But my mother made sure my brother and I knew our history. Anyway, as I was watching the movie it got me thinking about a conversion I had yesterday, Saturday night. I attended a bar-b-que hosted by my South African friend. I guess ZA's love to bar-b-que! She invited her new South African friends over. They brought South African sausage, Boerewors. It's kinda like bratwurst, but a bit dry. While waiting for the food, I got into a serious conversation with a grey-eyed ZA regarding ancestry and cultural lineage. I told him I would love to know about my African ancestry, and he proceeded to tell me about his Estonian-German heritage. However, since raised in South Africa, he has no desire to be or feel connected to these cultures. Long story short, he posed the question of,
Q."You know, I see how African-Americans have separated themselves and created their own culture, isn't that good enough?" In other words, why try to find the connection to a culture that I don't know much about and don't have any evident contemporary cultural ties to?
A. Because my history did not begin with slavery. Because in America I am not "American" I'm "The Black girl". Because, it's not soo much that Black people want to separate ourselves, it's that we were forced too, just like we were forced on slave ships and forced into slavery in foreign lands, the government systematically tried to force us to be drug addicts, stupid, and broke, SO since no one asked me or my ancestors whether or not we wanted to take part in the making and building of the history of one of the most "powerful" countries on the planet, I think I have a right to say I want to know my true heritage that was essentially stolen from me.

Any who, of course watching this movie also prompted some research. Did you know Stokely Carmichael was married to Miriam Makeba? And, unbeknownst to me Miriam Makeba is from South Africa. How many times have I heard her song "Pata Pata"? I'm sure some American ad agency has also bastardized it in a television commercial during my childhood. :-) 

Everyone looks great in an Ao Dai.

Even Me. I've been thinking about getting one made. I'm not sure where I could wear it. Maybe to a wedding or fancy New Years Dinner, but I must have an ao dai (pronounced "ou yai") before I leave Vietnam. Its one of the treasures of this culture I would enjoy taking back home. Though much of the modern fashion in this part of the world is quite tacky, the ao dai is cultural attire that fits the female form just right and can be versatile as business casual or formal wear. Of course I have to get one in purple, and possibly black too. Here are some interesting ways the Ao Dai can be interpreted to fit different cultures: Miss Earth 2010

the last leg.

On my way to take my last trip to Mui Ne.  *sigh*  Time has passed away quickly. I still remember my first trip there with my girl Nicole. I will miss her dearly.  As I scurry along to finish all my projects and begin packing, I'm struggling to stay strong and hold back the tears. I will miss soo many people, and I have no idea when I will see them again.

I hope they know they have made my life sweeter, and my memories rich. Like a piece of chocolate lava cake, from MOF, lol, my love for you all spills over into ooey gooey goodness.  

We certainly have overcome. . .

"Instant Brown" Poster Graphic from
http://www.blackbettyposters.com/pages/posters.html

Walking in the Light.

CAUTION: Revolution-Walking©. Martin Luther King Leads Selma-Montgomery March, to Protest Lack of Voting Rights for African-Americans.

Wait don't go!

Welp, that was quick! The month we're suppose to nationally acknowledge the history of people of African descent in America is over. As always I will continue to celebrate my life and history all day everyday. I had an interesting skype conversation with a friend last night. I'd like to share it with you:
(Previous words were exchanged about the unity of Black folk in America and what certain Black leaders like Farrakhan and Obama are doing or not doing to help the unity)

"Friend" 2/28/12 10:46 PM

The problem in the US is very simple, all the community are devided, i've never been to Chicago, but i got lotta friends in the US and they all TOLD ME THE SAME ish, they said Unity? only among the christians, or muslims, or black Caribbean...

unity won't exist between other blacks if they got different believes etc

i mean all of my african friends told me that

"Me" 2/28/12 10:47 PM 

interesting opinion

there's more to it than that.

"Friend" 2/28/12 10:48 PM 

so if you didn't hear about what N.O.I. [Nation of Islam] is doing for the community (muslim), based on their talkin (my friends) it won't surprise me

"Me" 2/28/12 10:53 PM 

Americans in general, who have been in the country for many generations have lost their original culture, and especially in the case of those who are of African descent, but were brought over as slaves, our heritage has been completely erased. So we try to form our own "Black" culture, but honestly, though it is rich, it's not enough, and not well defined, and not concrete, or has any solid foundation anywhere but from slavery. So, in my opinion until Black people can hold on to a solid sense of self worth (which also comes from knowing and believing you are a valuable child of God who is loved by God) and an actual heritage that was formed from a specific culture i.e. cultures in Africa, only then I feel can you begin to understand who you are and where your values should come from

it won't solve all the problems, but I do think in general youth in America and Black folks struggle with a lack of identity

too many Black people are complacent and feel that just being "Black" is acceptable. it's not

yes we are American, no doubt, but I'm not "The American" until I leave America, that's kinda strange

that i'm not even accepted "as I am" in my own country

So I think it's wise if Black folks embraced and researched their African-ness

but too many Black folk are too lazy, too naive, or

tooo caught up in James Brown Philosophy "I'm Black and I'm Proud"

to even investigate what their true heritage is

"Friend" 2/28/12 10:56 PM 

T there's nothing to add, you said EVERYTHING, im 100% with what you said

"Me" 2/28/12 10:56 PM 

a lot of us are not just "Black" we're African + Native American + European (Anglo-Saxon) . . .

and we have a means to figure this out now, the African Ancestry kit

so there's no excuse, but it is a bit pricey

"Friend" 2/28/12 10:58 PM 

i feel you girl, i think it's very important for the black american to know their history and from where they are coming from, i had several convos with few of them and T i couldn't get why they were so embarassed to be assimilated to their african brothers

"Me" 2/28/12 10:59 PM 

. . . of course at first it's a bit daunting, but the reality is we are from Africa

Because we're soo far removed, its hard to really relate to a culture you don't know anything about 

however,

and this is why more Black folk need to travel. . . we are still African, partly, half, quarter whatever, we're a lot of things, and unfortunately unlike other countries like France, or Brazil, we haven't been able to be proud of ALL of our heritage

but this is America in general, a lot of white folks couldn't tell you their heritage either

Americans are happy just being "American" and that's good enough for them, like some Puerto Ricans [Jennifer Lopez] are happy saying they are 100% Puerto rican,  but that's a lie

they're Spanish + African + Native American,

Jamaican's are happy saying "I'm Jamaican" when in reality you could potentially have Chinese, African, Irish and Indian in your blood line. . .

. . . Long story short, Let's take this exile to Africa!