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Keep the distinctive culture-bearing power of grandmothers!
Read more: Keep the distinctive culture-bearing power of grandmothers!I grew up in a family dominated by authoritative and assertive women. I remember my grandmother, a no-nonsense woman, who would bathe you, feed you, or love and hug you with one arm, and spank you with the other if you misbehaved. Women like my grandmother were never afraid to speak their mind. She was…
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Keep an oppositional gaze!
Read more: Keep an oppositional gaze!There is a Black exodus happening in academia. It is female, oppressive, and recursive. The latest, Dena Simmons of Yale University. She left the university citing ‘racism and years of bullying.’ She didn’t feel ‘valued’ or ‘protected’ at Yale. I spent my Sunday afternoon reading brief but concise social media postings on Dena. They were…
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Keep persisting with mothering love!
Read more: Keep persisting with mothering love!I have got three bright sons, one barely 7 months old, the other 4 years of age, and my first, 6 years old. Like most mothers raising black boys in America, I fear always, like I am raising targets. No amount of my education, my gender or even class, can protect my sons from the…
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Keep being an instrument of Peace!
Read more: Keep being an instrument of Peace!Can one become an instrument of Peace? The prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi insists it is possible. So does the late Dr. Howard Thurman, the former spiritual mentor of the late Dr. Martin Luther King. That we can pray to become an instrument of Peace, was something he described ‘as the most insistent conditions…
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Keep knowing who you are!
Read more: Keep knowing who you are!‘Do you know who you are without what you do?’ These words were spoken often during my doctoral studies at Penn State University by my doctoral advisor, Dr. Collins Airhihenbuwa. To him, our research identities, often influenced the research we conducted. If all you see is what you do, he would go on to say,…
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Keep knowing how lucky you are!
Read more: Keep knowing how lucky you are!In the middle of a very chaotic day, with my house literally in shambles, a stranger knocked at my door. He plowed snow for other homeowners in our village and wanted to know if we needed help plowing our snow. He noted that he used to plow for the previous owner and he would love…
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Keep empathy!
Read more: Keep empathy!What would you do, if you had a water leak? In your home? On your ceiling or your brand-new kitchen, brand new cabinetry? Would you scream, yell, even curse, as you try to make sense of the endless outpouring of water, snow, ice, melting too quickly and bursting pipes? Or would you remain calm, remain…
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Keep your blessings in mind!
Read more: Keep your blessings in mind!Yesterday, the front of our house, was full of birds. Robins are found almost year round in Missouri. At the back, there were deers. Mule deers with their antlers still on their head. To be surrounded by abundance, in my front and my back, by nature’s finest creatures is a thing of joy. Brilliant and…
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Keep love
Read more: Keep loveWe started today in love. My 2nd son is also turning 4. So our home was filled with love. We choose to celebrate it today as his birthday is on Wednesday. Something about birthdays and days dedicated to love, fills my heart with joy. Like with my daughter’s gifts to everyone today. Handmade cards for…
















