The Portrayal

Remember, media is controlled by those who want certain images to be portrayed and certain beliefs to be spread and accepted. Look beyond, local news and find your own news. Yes, they want us to be viewed a certain way. Yes, negativity about us is disseminated more than the positive. However, we know the truth. We know who we are. We know what we are capable of. We know what we have done. We know what we continue to do.

Thessalonika Arzu-Embry is not an ordinary 14-year-old. She is getting ready to graduate from Chicago State University with a B.A. in Psychology. Read more about this amazing young lady here http://newsone.com/2635319/thessalonika-arzu-embry-graduates-college-at-14-video/

Understand that our portrayal is controlled by those who want us to continue to be deemed as inferior, violent, ignorant etc. However, we do not have to accept this portrayal. Use your life, accomplishments and struggle as a rebellion against the portrayal. Use your education as a vessel to others that the portrayal is false and that there are many positive stories of the greatness we do and are.

16 year old Temar Boggs saved five-year old Jocelyn Rojas from an abductor. Find this heroic but, not widely spread story here. http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/07/20/meet-temar-boggs-rescuer-of-a-kidnapped-little-girl/

Educate yourself, because we are not what they view us. We are what we make of ourselves. We are cloaked in strength and armed with the passion to succeed. We are implanted with resilience and determination. Do not let the neglect of the beauty of who we are and the negative portrayal of us negate who YOU are and WHAT you do. They do not define you, YOU DO! -M. Millie

 

FATHERS, WHERE ARE YOU?

I can not express the importance of having father figures in black family households. Now we black women for years have been being both mom and dad. Doing the best that we could to raise our daughters and sons when their fathers would not. However, it needs to STOP! Black men have to take responsibility for their children and help raise them. Fathers need to help teach their sons how to be men and their daughters that they can succeed in doing anything and how they should be treated by men.

Now, Black Women we have done well raising our children, but we need to allow their fathers to help raise them if they are willing too. I know far too many black men who are positive and hardworking, but are not being allowed by their children’s mothers to raise their children. Child support does not equal raising a child. We have to allow our children’s father to do more than that. Now sistahs I say this not to disrespect anyone, but to tell you that we have to let go of our issues with our ex’s and allow their fathers if they are willing and have good intentions to be fathers. Brothas, I ask you to step up and be fathers because our communities need it.

Too long, have black women solely raised black children. It is unfair and is not allowing our children to grow with full awareness of themselves and their backgrounds when they are raised without one parent. I was raised mostly, by my mom. My father was neglectful at times, but he did help raise me. I feel like I grew up with a sense of understanding about myself that I might not have gotten by only being raised by my mother. We were a family unit and despite my father’s absence and the dysfunction, my mom allowed him to raise me the best way he could.

Brothas it is time to wake up. Stop the abandonment of your children and raise them. Sistahs, it is also time to allow black men to be fathers. Thank you to all the Sistahs who have raised their black children by themselves and struggled to do so. Thank You to all the black men, who have been fathers and helped raise their children. We need to work together, black mothers and fathers to help raise a future generation of proud black little girls and boys. Lets raise our future leaders of tomorrow together.

Happy Fathers Day to all the real fathers. Black women lets not take this day away from black men. Let’s honor all of the black men who are fathers. Who do not just provide financial support, but positively impact the lives of our children. Thank you black fathers. Please continue to be the best fathers you can be. -M. Millie