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Boadcast
Current Events - Naturals in the News
I keep hearing about tax cuts and healthcare but not to much about the current acts that impact immigration. On the news immigration, at times seems like a issue of the others. The truth is, there are several Americans that are undocumented. Imagine being brought to the US by your parents as a child. You only know the US as your home. The problem is, being undocumented does not allow you the ability to legally work, access financial aid, vote or other basic needs we take for granted as US citizens. Read actual stories, or share your own.
We have an opportunity to change this for about 65,000 youth…
About the Dream Act according to Wiki:The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act (the DREAM Act) is a piece of proposed federal legislation in the United States that was first introduced in the United States Senate on August 1, 200 and most recently re-introduced there and the United States House of Representatives on March 26, 2009.
This bill would provide certain undocumented and deportable alien students who…
* graduate from US high schools
* good moral character
* arrived in the U.S. illegally as minors
* have been in the country continuously and illegally for at least five years prior to the bill’s enactment
The opportunity to earn conditional permanent residency if they complete two years in the military or two years at a four year institution of higher learning. The students would obtain temporary residency for a six year period.
Within the six year period, a qualified student must have “acquired a degree from an institution of higher education in the United States or [have] completed at least 2 years, in good standing, in a program for a bachelor’s degree or higher degree in the United States,” or have “served in the uniformed services for at least 2 years and, if discharged, [have] received an honorable discharge.”[2]
How you can help…
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Boadcast •
This week’s inspiraton is not a music video, but a news story.
Its so weird hearing about your dirty laundry on the news like featured on our past post I can’t Sweat My Hair Out. Yeah - us Black women have some issues of self hatred, but we’re working on it…dang! It is however, an amazing feeling to know our issues are American issues. They are no longer just discussed in the privacy of our home, but on movie screens and late night news. There is no where to hide!!!
After watching Rochelle Ritchie’s story on Going Natural (video posted below) my eyes filled up with tears . This video, unlike Good Hair didn’t just talk about our imperfections, but provided a solutions… I won’t ruin the story for you…just watch below…
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When I think ghetto wig, I think messy, unmanageable, plastic like. Something with little class or taste. Sometimes the term ghetto is typically used in relation to something broken, and fixed cheaply. But depending on who does it, it may be considered green. We can probably talk for days on the meaning of ghetto. Any hoot…
I quickly forget other people’s perceptions of ghetto. For some, people see a Black person, and think ghetto. What about Sasha and Malia?
During the day, I am a hotel sales woman. A local country club called our hotel wanting to collaborate. She explained how impressed she was with our Bellman. She explained he was an tall African-American handsome man. She continued to say she was so impressed with him. He was polite, seemed to love his job and CLEAN.
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Random Thoughts • Just Sayin' • Conspiracy Theory • Finds • Boadcast •
Thanks to my new friend, I am now in the loop of amazing African-centered events in the Richmond area. Friday, I had the opportunity to hear Dr. Cornel West at Virginia Union University’s The Forum on Religion and the Contemporary World! His lecture was titled LIVING AND LOVING OUT LOUD
Who is Dr. Cornel West you ask?
Cornel Ronald West is an American philosopher, author, critic, actor, and civil rights activist. West currently serves as the Class of 1943 University Professor at Princeton University, where he teaches in the Center for African American Studies and in the department of Religion.
West is known for his combination of political and moral insight and criticism, and his contribution to the post-1960s civil rights movement.
The bulk of his work focuses upon the role of race, gender, and class in American society and the means by which people act and react to their “radical conditionedness.” West draws intellectual contributions from such diverse traditions as the African American Baptist Church, pragmatism and transcendentalism.(1)
As I sat in the lecture, I took a few notes…
Expelled from School
Dr. West described himself as a young gangster. In his youth, he was kicked out of the 3rd grade for punching a teacher! He knew of his uncle that was lynched, and wrapped in the US flag. His teacher asked him to stand, and solute the flag. When he refused, his teacher slapped him, and he retaliated. Although he was blessed with a full loving family, he still had lots of rage. He explains his past “gangster” mentality is a form of rage.
As a child, braids were the norm. Little Black girls had cornrows. My mom didn’t like beads. Instead she laced my hair with colorful yarn (short lived style of the 80s).
Naturally.Elemental brought to my attention a story of a young girl. A young girl who believes she was attacked because of her braids. This is almost as ludicrous as the teacher who cut off a student’s braid. I am sure we don’t know the entire story, but the concept of being attached because of a hair style is an interesting one. Click ‘Read More’ for the video.
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