Thursday, September 10, 2015
Thoughts of a Lioness: James Baldwin once said "To be a Negro in this cou...
Thoughts of a Lioness: James Baldwin once said "To be a Negro in this cou...: James Baldwin once said "To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time. ” No word...
James Baldwin once said "To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time. ” No words ring truer at this particular point in our history. We live under the constant threat of attack and possible death, if not by our own people then by those who wear and badge and drive cars emblazoned with the phrase "To protect and to serve". These tools of "white supremacy", coupled with the continual reporting of worldwide injustices against our people, the lies of the media, the systems of control, and the silence of those who should be working towards change, are at times overwhelming and too much to bear.
Each day we rise to yet another story , another murder, another loss. It is so disheartening. We are at war and have been in this war for so many years, the majority of us think that our lives are "normal" . I myself dream of liberation for all Afrikans. I dream of a time where we can educate our children, have our own systems of commerce, education, and healthcare, our own self-sustained communities, and are no longer subjected to the whims of oppression and those who support it. But, I realize that idealism has no place in the life of a revolutionary. I am a dreamer but I had to wake up from the dream because my people are living in a nightmare. From the shores of Amerikka , to the islands of West Papua, to the terrain of Australia, to the cities of Europe, my people are all suffering.
It is the duty of each of us of the Afrikan diaspora to do what we can where we are . If each of us in our respective communities would do the needed work in those communities, we would see systemic change. But, we need to start. I am inspired by some of the actions and initiatives of some of my comrades throughout the US. Many are purchasing land (or aspiring to), some have youth groups, some have homeschooling programs,teaching on economics, outreach programs, some are fighting their local governments regarding human rights violations , and so on and so on. These are the every day heroes that the world doesn't recognize. I see you!
I could go on and on but I won't . Instead, I will get back to work. No one is coming to save us and we have to deal with the fact that those who should care do not and the ones who should have our best interests at heart do not. We are the solution. Every day , more and more and facing the harsh reality of life as an Afrikan. We come from greatness. We will return!
Hetepu,
Andre'a The Tru Lioness
Monday, August 17, 2015
Remembering Garvey
Today marks the 128th birthday of one of our most beloved ancestors, Marcus Mosiah Garvey. He has left an indelible mark upon the lives of every Afrikan living , as well as the world at large. I wanted to take this time today to reflect upon his life and to share some interesting facts about the man.
Marcus Mosiah Garvey Jr. was born August 17th, 1887 in St. Ann’s Bay, Jamaica to Marcus Mosiah Garvey Sr., a stone mason, and Sarah Jane Richards, a domestic worker. He was the last of 11 children and only he and one of his sisters lived to adulthood. Garvey was largely self-educated. He became a printer’s apprentice at age 14. He traveled throughout Central America working as a newspaper editor and writing about the exploitation of migrant workers before traveling to London and attending Birkbeck College (now the University of London). He worked for the African Times and Orient Review.
In 1914, Garvey along with 5 other associates, created the Universal Negro Improvement Association. One month after the first UNIA division was established in New York in 1917, the organization reached 2 million members in the U.S. By 1914, the UNIA had 4 million members. He also created the Negro World newspaper, which at its peak had over 200,000 subscribers. Garvey held meetings and rallies as well as conventions, the largest being held at Madison Square Garden with over 25,000 attendees.
Garvey also launched the Black Star Line, a shipping company that would establish trade and commerce between Afrikans in America, the Caribbean, South and Central America, Canada, and Afrika. In addition to the Black Star Line, Garvey also established the Negro Factories Corporation in 1920. They opened a chain of grocery stores, restaurants, steam laundry shop, publishing house, doll factory, and millinery store. He was a staunch believer in us “doing for self”.
Garvey died in 1940 in London after suffering several strokes. Garvey was exhumed and taken to Jamaica, where the government of Jamaica proclaimed him national hero and re-interred him at a shrine in National Heroes Park. The accolades for Garvey could go on and on as he influenced so many of our leaders such as the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm X, Patrice Lumumba, and many others.
Let us do as Garvey spoke, “We are going to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery, for though others may free the body, none but ourselves can free the mind. Mind is our only ruler; sovereign.”
Hetepu,
Andre’a the Tru Lioness
Marcus Mosiah Garvey Jr. was born August 17th, 1887 in St. Ann’s Bay, Jamaica to Marcus Mosiah Garvey Sr., a stone mason, and Sarah Jane Richards, a domestic worker. He was the last of 11 children and only he and one of his sisters lived to adulthood. Garvey was largely self-educated. He became a printer’s apprentice at age 14. He traveled throughout Central America working as a newspaper editor and writing about the exploitation of migrant workers before traveling to London and attending Birkbeck College (now the University of London). He worked for the African Times and Orient Review.
In 1914, Garvey along with 5 other associates, created the Universal Negro Improvement Association. One month after the first UNIA division was established in New York in 1917, the organization reached 2 million members in the U.S. By 1914, the UNIA had 4 million members. He also created the Negro World newspaper, which at its peak had over 200,000 subscribers. Garvey held meetings and rallies as well as conventions, the largest being held at Madison Square Garden with over 25,000 attendees.
Garvey also launched the Black Star Line, a shipping company that would establish trade and commerce between Afrikans in America, the Caribbean, South and Central America, Canada, and Afrika. In addition to the Black Star Line, Garvey also established the Negro Factories Corporation in 1920. They opened a chain of grocery stores, restaurants, steam laundry shop, publishing house, doll factory, and millinery store. He was a staunch believer in us “doing for self”.
Garvey died in 1940 in London after suffering several strokes. Garvey was exhumed and taken to Jamaica, where the government of Jamaica proclaimed him national hero and re-interred him at a shrine in National Heroes Park. The accolades for Garvey could go on and on as he influenced so many of our leaders such as the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm X, Patrice Lumumba, and many others.
Let us do as Garvey spoke, “We are going to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery, for though others may free the body, none but ourselves can free the mind. Mind is our only ruler; sovereign.”
Hetepu,
Andre’a the Tru Lioness
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Thoughts of a Lioness: What Are We Dealing With?
Thoughts of a Lioness: What Are We Dealing With?: I remember growing up and hearing my grandmother say "We don't hate people, we hate their ways. Some people allow themselves to be ...
What Are We Dealing With?
I remember growing up and hearing my grandmother say "We don't hate people, we hate their ways. Some people allow themselves to be ruled by devilish things and behave in hellish ways." That sentence and its sentiment mean so much more to me now than in years past. My grandmother was a devout Christian however, many of her ideals and ways of conduct were direct from her Afrikan roots. She knew and understood vibrations, higher and lower self, etc , though she never used the terms.
These acts of genocide that are occurring are not new. We have been victimized for so many years by the same groups of people. There is a rationale to the behaviors, though it is not clear to so many people. These groups of people have been conditioned, not for years, but for centuries, and they are the offspring of the same people who lynched, burned, raped, stole, and tortured our people without regard or empathy. We need to overstand that people are spirit, then body and since spirits have no expiration date, meaning that they do not die, these same low vibration, Set-mentality driven beings, continue to be reborn over and over again , influencing new generations of people. There is a war that is being waged that has been happening for years but we are so consumed with the lies of the media, the overall busyness of the world, that we are missing so many important things.
The blessed ancestors desire for us to truly awaken, ask for their assistance and guidance, and operate on a higher level. We have to find our way back to the old ways. People speak often about being "conscious" and "opening their third eye" but once you have the knowledge, how do you apply it? Are you studying just to know or are you studying to actually do? I am always seeking ways to progress, improve myself, and cause change through my actions. I realize the importance of having a right mind and how thoughts manifest.
We have no more time to waste. We have lost 5 of our sisters while they were in police custody, we have our children being attacked, we have our men being murdered as well. Each one has a duty to work toward our liberation. We have to play for keeps. Time is of the essence. Vibrate higher and focus all of your energy towards this cause!
Peace & Multiple Blessings,
Andre'a The Tru Lioness
These acts of genocide that are occurring are not new. We have been victimized for so many years by the same groups of people. There is a rationale to the behaviors, though it is not clear to so many people. These groups of people have been conditioned, not for years, but for centuries, and they are the offspring of the same people who lynched, burned, raped, stole, and tortured our people without regard or empathy. We need to overstand that people are spirit, then body and since spirits have no expiration date, meaning that they do not die, these same low vibration, Set-mentality driven beings, continue to be reborn over and over again , influencing new generations of people. There is a war that is being waged that has been happening for years but we are so consumed with the lies of the media, the overall busyness of the world, that we are missing so many important things.
The blessed ancestors desire for us to truly awaken, ask for their assistance and guidance, and operate on a higher level. We have to find our way back to the old ways. People speak often about being "conscious" and "opening their third eye" but once you have the knowledge, how do you apply it? Are you studying just to know or are you studying to actually do? I am always seeking ways to progress, improve myself, and cause change through my actions. I realize the importance of having a right mind and how thoughts manifest.
We have no more time to waste. We have lost 5 of our sisters while they were in police custody, we have our children being attacked, we have our men being murdered as well. Each one has a duty to work toward our liberation. We have to play for keeps. Time is of the essence. Vibrate higher and focus all of your energy towards this cause!
Peace & Multiple Blessings,
Andre'a The Tru Lioness
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Thoughts of a Lioness: Pain & Peace
Thoughts of a Lioness: Pain & Peace: Peace and many blessings to each of you! I have been wanting to write for some time now but it seemed as though the words would not formula...
Pain & Peace
Peace and many blessings to each of you!
I have been wanting to write for some time now but it seemed as though the words would not formulate and I just was feeling simply "uninspired". Anyway, life happened, as it will and I felt overwhelmed. I lost a dear family member, ended a relationship, felt consumed by all of my financial responsibilities, all the while I pretended that all was well and I had it all under control.
These past few weeks have been difficult to say the least but, as I sit here , I can feel nothing but gratefulness for the trials. Each experience, negative or positive, can be a very useful tool. First of all, these trying times will reveal people's true intentions towards you. People tend to get very fickle when the sun stops shining and the torrential rains pour.
Secondly, experiences have the ability to build your resilience. For example, many people know that I have had a lot of loss in my personal life. I lost my father and my younger brother in a 2 week time span in 1995. I lost my grandmother in a horrific manner in 2001 and so on. However, I did not allow their passing to hinder my growth. Those terribly sad moments were integral in my development into the Tru Lioness. I was not born strong. I was not born with this unyielding resilience. These character traits are a different response to life experiences.
Lastly, these experiences allow you to become more personable and to more easily relate to others. Everyone has lost someone, everyone has had some type of difficulty in their life. However, some people do not possess the wherewithal to actually successfully overcome the battles to win the war. Some turn to drugs, some turn to relationships and those relationships are usually unhealthy, some become violent. We all have calling in this life. You can inspire others. Your battles can free someone from the mental and emotional prison they have built due to not being able to withstand the pain.
We all desire peace from the woes of life. You may find solace in music, work, art, dance, whatever. I encourage you to pursue those things that bring you peace and joy. Our world in its present state is tough to navigate and tough to survive in. We have to find balance. I myself have to literally make myself slow down and remember that I have one life to live. I do not want to just survive, I want to thrive. Trials and tribulations will come, but joy, peace, love, happiness can also happen. We have to rise the occasion, raise our vibrations, and cherish the precious moments.
Ase',
Andre'a the Tru Lioness
I have been wanting to write for some time now but it seemed as though the words would not formulate and I just was feeling simply "uninspired". Anyway, life happened, as it will and I felt overwhelmed. I lost a dear family member, ended a relationship, felt consumed by all of my financial responsibilities, all the while I pretended that all was well and I had it all under control.
These past few weeks have been difficult to say the least but, as I sit here , I can feel nothing but gratefulness for the trials. Each experience, negative or positive, can be a very useful tool. First of all, these trying times will reveal people's true intentions towards you. People tend to get very fickle when the sun stops shining and the torrential rains pour.
Secondly, experiences have the ability to build your resilience. For example, many people know that I have had a lot of loss in my personal life. I lost my father and my younger brother in a 2 week time span in 1995. I lost my grandmother in a horrific manner in 2001 and so on. However, I did not allow their passing to hinder my growth. Those terribly sad moments were integral in my development into the Tru Lioness. I was not born strong. I was not born with this unyielding resilience. These character traits are a different response to life experiences.
Lastly, these experiences allow you to become more personable and to more easily relate to others. Everyone has lost someone, everyone has had some type of difficulty in their life. However, some people do not possess the wherewithal to actually successfully overcome the battles to win the war. Some turn to drugs, some turn to relationships and those relationships are usually unhealthy, some become violent. We all have calling in this life. You can inspire others. Your battles can free someone from the mental and emotional prison they have built due to not being able to withstand the pain.
We all desire peace from the woes of life. You may find solace in music, work, art, dance, whatever. I encourage you to pursue those things that bring you peace and joy. Our world in its present state is tough to navigate and tough to survive in. We have to find balance. I myself have to literally make myself slow down and remember that I have one life to live. I do not want to just survive, I want to thrive. Trials and tribulations will come, but joy, peace, love, happiness can also happen. We have to rise the occasion, raise our vibrations, and cherish the precious moments.
Ase',
Andre'a the Tru Lioness
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