I have an obligation to Detroit. I love the city and it is hurting me to hear all of the things that are happening. Even though I am hearing great things are also happening. I feel powerless to one extent because I want to be in the City, working with youth and walking with young women that feel as though their only options right now are to sell their body, or "hustle" in ways worth much more than any money they will ever make. Discussing true genocide with young men and growing understanding in how dangerous the lie of this economy really is. I want to be there and share this information and this knowledge.
I however am a student, and I believe it is a strong mentality that "Don't take money advice from those that don't have any" thus, I feel as though I can't say anything. I also have a strong distaste for those that look like they have money, but are one paycheck away from losing their footing. This is an epidemic.
Somehow, the African experience has been watered down and mashed into an unrealistic understanding of "money = power". This is false, money is not equivalent to power in the African culture, money can add to the power that one has already, but if that power if forfeited before the age of knowledge, then what is the use?
I bring this up because there is a limited understanding of the power that is taken from the African-American community. We conceive and bare our children in a European-American way, with lack of regard of how our children will be effected by our actions, and lack of support for our children when they are born, and then we put them in schools with a European-American based "mindset" or "curriculum" telling them how to think about things, and watering down the essence of their lives to basic minute concepts that are so (for lack of a better word) "simplistic" that often times the thought process is "It can't be that easy".
The significance of this is powerful, as a community, we have to think so far ahead that our children are brought back when they begin Kindergarten, basically needing to retrain themselves to think like "everyone else", we are not everyone else. When reflecting on this it is important for those of us in the midwest to remember that the rest of the country does not think like us. Our children and families need exposure to the rest of the country, and definitely the rest of world when able. What does this have to do with Detroit??
When Detroit is all that we know and the people fail it as we did when Kwame Kilpatrick was voted into office, and when the State of Michigan allowed Engler in for another term (which effected the whole state, but definitely did not help Detroit), and like now, when our people are hurting and fighting a battle against oppressive Michigan government, how are we going to feel about ourselves? Not like we can make difference. Not like there is anything that we can do to make this situation any better. Definitely, not like there is somewhere that we can go, or that we want to go. It's time for those of us that can begin to organize to make the conscious choice to act on the behalf of those that can not act for themselves and make a stand.
"Healing the Heart" is an artistic movement making a statement about the oppressive racism in Michigan, Detroit is the base, but I would ultimately like to have a Statewide movement. If anyone is an artist in any way and would like to contribute to a citywide statement on the racism in Detroit and the Metro-Detroit area please...Please PLEASE let me know and contact me via facebook, twitter, and if you have it my g-mail. It is VERY IMPORTANT TO ME that we at least try to take a stand and make a statement that reflects our view of racism in our community.
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