New Endeavors

It has been a while since I blogged and for good reason. I have been supremely busy, which for me, is great. And I have taken the plunge and am working on my first book. I learned a few things since I began. First of all, writing a book is truly a process, especially the type of book I am writing. My book is an autobiography but not in the traditional sense of Andréa Danielle DeBerry was born March 15^th, 1981, blah, blah, blah. My book will be periods of times in my life, sectioned into smaller sections. The reason I decided to structure it this way is because there were some pivotal periods of time in my life that I need to share with others. I feel deep down that this book is going to be life-changing for me and life-saving for those that read it. I know that this book was destined to happen. I had a loved one ask me yesterday why was I writing the book and what was its purpose. At first I wanted to get angry but then I remembered something about having vision. People , even those closest to us, will not understand the vision or why we have chosen to endeavor  such things. I do not hold this against those who do not understand, it’s not their vision—it is mine. So, for now, I am working diligently on this work of mine. There have been tears shed, frustrating moments, and times in which I just did not want to write but I am continuing on my path and praying that God continue to guide and direct me. I am setting  a deadline of December 31^st for this first work to be completed. I will update you guys on the progress!

One Love,

Andréa

“The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious."

— John Scully

Missing Maya

The world has lost a jewel in the death of Dr. Maya Angelou. She was an activist, a poet, an intellectual, an inspiration, a mother, sister, friend, and

daughter. She epitomized the quintessential artist; a beautiful, intelligent, black woman—someone I personally idolized for her abilities. The first time I read the book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, I was a young girl who loved to read, as Maya had often said she did. My very soul was stirred by her sharing in her life and as a consequence of my reading that book, I continued to seek out her work. Her poems were sometimes sweet as honey, as raw and gritty as a city street, or as lighted-hearted as children at play. Reading her works inspired me to continue to work at my craft and give me hope that maybe one day something that I have written or said will change a life as she had changed mine so many years before. Maya Angelou was one of the voices of a generation that has gone on to glory and though we sorrow in her passing we rejoice in her living. Her words breathe life into dead situations and provide a voice to the forgotten. I love her and all she has given to the world. I am so glad and blessed that she found her voice and made the decision to share her voice with the rest of us.

 Rest in Peace Maya Angelou! You truly will be missed and surely never forgotten!

Support Your Community

Over the years, I have read many works on the topic of Black Wall Street and I am one of the few who actually seeks to support black owned business. Although there were more than one of these "wall streets" in the US in the 1920's-1940's, the one in which I have studied the most is the one that existed in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is a fact that one of the reasons the people there were so wealthy was because of the length of time that it took for the dollar to leave the community. It circulated over 100 times before it left the black community. My people have lack because we refuse to learn our history and apply the lessons of those who have come before us. We often repeat negative history but we do also have the ability to repeat positive history also, it only takes conscious effort. I hear people say that they give black businesses a chance, but often are not happy with the goods or service. Well, they are your brother, they are your sister, pull them to the side and tell them with love what you did like about what they provided, then provide them with constructive criticism, but do not stop supporting them. We need to unify. It is not a racial thing, it is a pride and a love thing. There is no way that I can help any other groups, until I take care of home first.

One Love,
A

Sunshine and Good Mood

It is funny the way the weather effects my mood. If it is sunny, I tend to feel extra happy and joyful. It is no secret to those who know me best that I have a very positive and "sunny" attitude. With the warmer weather comes the opportunity to go outside and make memories. Living moments is what life is all about. Yes I have to work full-time in order to properly care for my family and maintain my obligations. But my job is not my life. Yes I enjoy watching the Knicks play on my TV and listening to music on my IPhone but my possessions are not my life. Material possessions will inevitably come and go but memories are lasting. Often we attempt to fill the empty spaces of our life with material things but what do you have when they are gone? Buying more and more things will provide you with a temporary satisfaction but what we all desire is enduring joy. When you die, will people remember that yellow leather Michael Kors bag or the way you made them feel when they went to your house for a cookout. If and when we grow old, will we remember the flat screen TV we purchased 30 years prior or will we remember the way our spouse looked into our eyes when we spent a day at the beach with our children. Live your life! Go outside, enjoy your family and friends, and make memories. They will thank you for it!

One Love,
Andre'a

Maher's Moment

Well, it is time for me to add my two cents and you all know how I like to do that! There has been uproar over Bill Maher’s twitter assertion that March Madness is “a stirring reminder of what America was founded on: making tons of money off the labor of unpaid black people”.  What is the problem with the statement and why are people hot under the collars? Well, first of all, those individuals that profit off the games, etc. do not want the truth to be known. God forbid we actually become conscious of reality and begin to pull away our support. The guys work tremendously hard and do not earn one red cent. Number two, the college years of playing allow for those players to be showcased in a way that could potentially change their lives forever, for instance, many of our now NBA superstars (Carmelo Anthony, Dewayne Wade, Derrick Rose, Deron Williams, Kemba Walker, etc.) were once players in March Madness. Lastly, whether the players are motivated by exposure and hopes of being in the NBA draft or not, no one makes them play. Yes, people are profiting and have done so for years, but the stark difference in this situation is that it is not forced. No one is threatening their lives (that we are aware of ). Maher makes a valid point. The NCAA makes a millions if not billions of dollars off the blood, sweat, tears, (and ticket sales) of these athletes. According to Department of Education, men and women sports generated $12.6 billion in 2011. Which brings me back to the point—was Maher wrong in his conclusion? I think in the broad overview of the situation, he was right. But, are we not all partaking in the “exploitation”?  There are much more sinister events and injustices occurring daily and for us to give so much attention to Maher and what he says are a waste of time and energy. Maher is doing what he does best-speaking his mind. There is much to be concerned about but this is not it. What about those working on the new age plantation AKA prison? What about our youth who are locked up at ages as young as 12 with grown men only to be abused and scarred for life? What about the gun violence that continues to ravish our communities? What about the lack of pride in our women? What about the poor educational infrastructure? Is this worth an argument? You make the call.

One Love,

Andréa

Marissa Alexander-- Miscarriage of Justice

Marissa Alexander and I have a lot in common. We are both of the same age (I will be 33 in a week and a half); we are both mothers; we both had abusive husbands; we are both black. But there is one huge difference between Marisa and I—I am not facing 60 years in prison for firing a warning shot at my would-b e attacker husband. But I could have been. Florida is no place to be for an African American. One either side of the law, whether we are the aggressor, as Zimmerman claimed Trayvon Martin was, or the victim, as Marisa had been as she was attempting to protect herself and her children—Florida views us as guilty.

Many people do not know the details of the case. Marissa had just given birth and her husband was threatening to kill her. He was physical with her and she did not shoot at him. She shot into a wall to make him flee. Now, I do not know about the next woman but after giving birth , your body is going through so many changes. You are exhausted, your bodily functions are trying to return to normal, you are bleeding, and you are having to adjust to not being pregnant anymore. Now imagine someone pushing, hitting, and threatening you after you’ve performed a miracle of God. There is no way that an individual of sound mind can look at the events of the case and not say that Marissa was under duress and that her actions were warranted.

Some people say she should have called the authorities. But, sometimes the authorities are not your friend. Would they have taken her seriously or just thought it was some lovers spat? I am praying for Marissa and all the other unjustly prosecuted individuals in this country. What chance do we have when this double judicial standard is allowed to continue? My fear is that other states with similar laws as Florida will begin to initiate similar actions against our people to add to the already fattened pockets of the prison industry. The plantations still exist but the “fields” are the prison compounds and the labor and abuse is legal. Shame on those who seek to steal the life of this vibrant young woman and mother. Shame on the state of Florida for continually seeking to destroy the lives of the black man and woman. Shame on the prosecutor seeking to sentence her to 60 years. And most of all, shame on those who chose to keep their mouths, eyes, and ears closed to the real issues of this world. Just because you state “Speak no evil, see no evil, hear no evil” , doesn’t mean that evil no longer exists—that’s what evil wants you to do!

One Love,

A

Life

Life is a funny thing. Sometimes you think you have it all figured out. You know what you want to do, who you want to be with, how you see things playing out. And then it happens. You wake up and realize that the life that you thought you wanted is not what you want at all. You realize that you are not the same and therefore your needs and desires have changed. What do you do and how do you handle it? I do not have the answer but I do know that when I have followed my first mind, I always had a more favorable outcome. Over the past few years, my life has been one big whirlwind, trial after trial with glimpses of hope and small triumphs along the way. I likened my life to a wilderness that I was caught in. Initially I fought with every ounce, but one day I decided to stop fighting and to simply be patient and take one day and step at a time. I felt such a sense of peace within from focusing on the task at hand and not allowing myself to be consumed with issues that were out of my control.

If you know anything about hurricanes, then you are aware that the eye of the storm is the calmest. But you may not know that the eye feeds the storm, acting as a vortex, and as long as it feeds the storm, the conditions persist. I was living within the calm of the eye but in doing so, was feeding the storm of my life. When debtors called, I let the call go to voicemail. I isolated myself from others so as not to have to answer questions about “what was going on”. I ignored my heart—I was hurting but I was too stubborn to admit it. I felt rage if I cried, my tears reminders of the pain I felt deep within. So, I did the impossible—I went into the storm and submerged myself into the tumult. I opened my eyes wide and analyzed my situation and realized that either the storm would kill me or it would strengthen me. I have experienced a level of peace and an increase of strength by allowing myself to let go that I know I will never be the same again. And it is my belief that since I left the eye, the storm in my life lost strength and is dissipating.

 In my life, I have experienced great loss, loss so heart wrenching that there were times when I wanted to end it all but the Most High had a plan for my life as He does everyone else. He and He alone is responsible for my triumphs and successes. I look at the lives of other people in my life, friends and family and associates near and far and it has become so clear to me just how connected we are and how our lives are intertwined. I realized the true meaning of testimony and know that others are better of my will.  My outlook on life has changed dramatically over the past year. I view the world on a much deeper level. Life and time are precious commodities and we must not waste them because we will never get it back. Life is fleeting and time waits for no man. I now know that I do matter and life is a thing to savor. When I eat, I am aware of each flavor; when I hold my children close, I cherish each heartbeat and word they say; when I look into the mirror, I see a full-grown woman. I love her. She is not perfect but she is a work in progress. She aspires to greatness. She is me.

One Love,

Andréa