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

 

Are you a Queen or a Bad Bitch? Your choice.

BITCH!!! Who are you calling a bitch? I am not a bitch. I am a Black Woman. I am a woman of immense worth. I am a Queen!

I have never understood why the word bitch has been used to describe women. I am not a female dog. I do not care how unreasonable or annoying I may be at the time. Calling me a female dog is the ultimate disrespect to me. Now, many women have done what many have tried to do with the N- word. Many women now have tried to change the negative meaning and connotations associated with the word bitch. They have embraced the word bitch as a positive word or compliment. They now call themselves “bad bitches.” This word is supposed to be a way of them complementing themselves. I guess “bad bitch” is supposed to mean hot or sexy.

What happened to just saying I am hot and sexy? Why are we getting the name for a female dog added to the way we compliment ourselves and each other. I am sorry to break it to you ladies, but calling yourself a bad bitch is calling yourself a bad female dog. I do not get it ladies.

I would never call myself a bad bitch. I would also never disrespect my fellow black women by calling them a bitch, or compliment them by calling them a bad bitch. It is a hateful word that has for years been used to disseminate misogyny, hate and the degradation of women. Why use a word built on so much hate to compliment yourself? Think about it ladies. it does not add up.

The adjectives, I use to describe myself are beautiful, intelligent, determined, motivated, queen who believes in herself and knows her worth.

Ladies, you deserve to be respected by all. You also need to know how to respect yourself. There are far more respectful ways for you to compliment yourself, for others to compliment you and for you to compliment others. Describe yourself the way you should be and present your beauty as one solidified on knowing you are worth respect and good treatment. -M. Millie

Lelia Foley Davis A Name You Should Know

Lelia Foley Davis was the first African American woman to be elected mayor in the United States. She lost her seat and regained it again. She was and currently is mayor of the all black town, Taft, Oklahoma. EVERYDAY is Black History.

Davis was born on November 7, 1942, and raised in Taft, Foley-Davis graduated in 1960 from Moton High School. In January 1973, Foley was a divorced mother of five, surviving on welfare. She had run for a spot on the school board of Taft, Oklahoma. She lost the election, but was inspired to positively changer her town and by the successful election A. J. Cooper as mayor of Pritchard, Alabama. Davis raised $200 dollars from her supporters and family. She then pursued Tafts’ mayoral seat.

On April 3, 1973, the citizens of Taft elected Foley as mayor. In doing so, she became the first African American female mayor in United States history. Her election predates that of Doris A. Davis, who was elected mayor of Compton, California later that year. In the wake of her victory, Foley would confer with Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter. In 1974, Oklahoma named Foley Outstanding Woman of the Year. Davis lost her mayoral seat in the 1980s,, however she continued to serve her community. In 2000, known Lelia Foley-Davis regained her position as mayor. At the beginning of the twenty-first century she continued to reside in Taft, where local highway signage proclaimed the town “the Home of Lelia Foley-Davis.”

Lelia Foley Davis is truly an amazing black women pioneer. She was the first black woman to become mayor of an American city. This accomplishment is grand. What is grander is Davis ability to strive despite difficulty. Davis was a single parent of five children, but still felt passionate about pursuing her dreams of helping her town. She did not become a victim of her circumstance. She exuded the inner strength, confidence and hard work needed to reach her aspirations. Family, this is what we must do to. We must not become victims of our circumstance. We can change any problems that enter our lives, as long as we do not give up. Use your situations as Davis did to motivate you towards triumph and happiness. We can all become better and have our lives flourish if we make it happen and believe in ourselves. ~Know Your Worth~ -M. Millie