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  1. #1
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    Default State of Blackness in 2016...

    So now that everybody is back and Black :-), let's try and get some discussion popping.

    So one of the things I've always loved about NP is that it keeps me connected to culture--I've been overseas for over 10 years now and NP has been my lifeline into regular blackness for much of that time.

    I feel like black communities, worldwide, have undergone a LOT of change between 2014-2016. There's the recognized prevalence of police violence and brutality and the absolute nothing that governmental bodies have done about. There's the sudden proliferation of thinkpieces and blogs and vlogs all about being black and black culture--some are great but some are so defensive I feel I can't relate, tbh. There's the near-normalization of nappy hair. And then...I go on to social media platforms frequented by much younger people or I talk to my younger siblings and everything is light skin that and good hair this and white girls are better etc.

    WTF is happening? It's like we've reached maximum conscious and maximum assimilation all at once.

    Anyway--let's talk. What is the state of Blackness, 2016? What's going on in our cultures, in our countries? What is great? What needs change, still?

    Living abroad? Thinking of moving, or just moved back? Check out the Expat Nappies group!

    Don't forget to THANK PANK!

  2. #2
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    Default Re: State of Blackness in 2016...

    First off, thanks for creating this topic @tjolims .

    It's a very interesting place in time in general for the "State of Blackness". Maybe I'm a forever optimist but I'm (for a lack of better words) optimistic about this bubbling movement of pro-blackness that we haven't seen since the 90s.

    You have more and more artists, known figures and athletes speaking out about being unapologetically black and standing firm. We have a larger platform to network and potentially quickly gather either local think spaces or worldwide internet spaces to commune.

    It almost seems like a "war" between proud black citizens and "everyone else" in regards to social media. You can't find one news article or twitter post about a black citizen without seeing some gang of alt-right nutjob spazzing in the comments. It's frustrating - but it's frankly the nature of America.

    This dynamic can easily add to strengthening the state of blackness by simply having us step back and think - "You know what? We are not wanted, we are not appreciated and we are all that we have." Heck, conversations are already starting with more investments into black businesses, moving funds into black-owned banks, indulging in entertainment created and produced by brillant black minds.

    It's a lot needed to be done - but hey, our folks from the late 1800s - 1950s have done it and created very strong and prosperous communities (before they were all seized by eminent domain and razed to make ways for good ol' freeways) .

  3. Thanks deecoily thanked for this post
  4. #3
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    Default Re: State of Blackness in 2016...

    Quote Originally Posted by BasementBeat View Post
    First off, thanks for creating this topic @tjolims .

    It's a very interesting place in time in general for the "State of Blackness". Maybe I'm a forever optimist but I'm (for a lack of better words) optimistic about this bubbling movement of pro-blackness that we haven't seen since the 90s.

    You have more and more artists, known figures and athletes speaking out about being unapologetically black and standing firm. We have a larger platform to network and potentially quickly gather either local think spaces or worldwide internet spaces to commune.

    It almost seems like a "war" between proud black citizens and "everyone else" in regards to social media. You can't find one news article or twitter post about a black citizen without seeing some gang of alt-right nutjob spazzing in the comments. It's frustrating - but it's frankly the nature of America.

    This dynamic can easily add to strengthening the state of blackness by simply having us step back and think - "You know what? We are not wanted, we are not appreciated and we are all that we have." Heck, conversations are already starting with more investments into black businesses, moving funds into black-owned banks, indulging in entertainment created and produced by brillant black minds.

    It's a lot needed to be done - but hey, our folks from the late 1800s - 1950s have done it and created very strong and prosperous communities (before they were all seized by eminent domain and razed to make ways for good ol' freeways) .
    Thank you for recognizing this! I still believe that if our people want to progress, we need our people in office to make a difference. We need to be so independent (Greenwood, Tulsa-The Black Wall Street) that it shouldn't matter who's President in the future. In addition, we need a brother or sister as President who will promote math, science, NASA, etc. in the community. We as a people need to start this sooner than later. If Trump is one of those white presidents who want to "help" us, then let us take advantage of it and build ourselves up, quickly. We have been taken advantaged of--it's our turn.

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  6. #4
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    Default Re: State of Blackness in 2016...

    It's unfortunate, but not surprising, that it had to come to this BUT that said...not only do we need to come together and make our own communities and businesses strong, we need to strive to be as independent from mainstream power structures as possible. I realize that we will still have to pay taxes but we need to come together and make sure those taxes (local and state) work for us or we need to put people in office who WILL make sure our interests are represented. When it comes to voting, we need to make sure everyone who can vote is able to vote even if that means paying for their ID and driving them to the polling place.

    All of this assumes, of course, that the laws that gave us our enfranchisement will still be intact. (You ever stop to think: If we're so inferior, why do they have to work so hard to keep us down?)

    Many times over the years I've heard black folks say "We need to be more like Jews" or "We need to be more like Koreans." It's not like our cohesion ever completely went away, but it has definitely frayed over the years. Perhaps we became too complacent. Well, not only would I like to see us come together again, I want us to make sure that there won't be a repeat of Rosewood, or Tulsa, or any of those other situations where white folks just had to prove their superiority. As the Jews like to say: Never forget. Never again.
    Hello, 2021. Glad to see you. Hope you're bringing us goodness and light this year!

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  8. #5
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    Default Re: State of Blackness in 2016...

    I have to admit that I'm exhausted. Not enough to quit, after all, how do you quit being black? It. Is. EXHAUSTING. But I love it and revel in how strong I am to just survive mentally and physically to middle age, considering I live in a country/a world that places no value on my brown skin. Yeh, exhausting.

    I need to step back and recharge. I am beginning to feel that the tactic has been to destroy our sense of self worth and wear us down. Right now there is SO much going on #ITSTOOMUCH. We destroy ourselves within and definitely fight the outside forces. Figuring out how to self-love is damn near impossible. I do-but my upbringing was strong and it's isolating and lonely. Yeh, to all the previous posts.

    With the latest Charlotte ruling, I'm convinced that they want us to become desensitized to our very lives, to stop caring about one another and ourselves. What I fear is that has happened. But what others will need to fear is a people that have nothing to loose, have just that, nothing to loose. Your life, my life, society, nothing will matter in the direction we are headed and I don't want to be here for that aftermath. We are not alone though, Muslim immigrants, jews, LGBTQ community are all feeling it. It's a critical time for a a breakthrough, but it's going to get really dark before it gets better-and I think this is the new period of history that we are all a part of with the turn of 21st Century racism and turmoil. The world is choosing isolation and dictators in spite of a globalized world. The very policies that have been created the break down borders contradict the direction of governments that created and enforced these laws and policies that have led to such civil unrest and economic disparities.

    I also have realized that I have now lived long enough to realize that NOTHING changes, everything repeats itself and stays the same. I am an affirmed cynic, playing a role in a sick game called life.

    As neg. as this post sounds I have hope in my God-but not in this world. It deserves none. The lack of empathy shone the past 4 years to those of brown skin hues has been DEPLORABLE and inhumane, and an establishment that supports and opposes the right of all to live in safety and value their lives, has no empathy for lives that are not white while forcing ALL to pay taxes into is disgusting and I have no chill for it. My eyes are wide open, sadly. To reach middle age and see things worse than they've EVER been in my lifetime has shattered my equilibrium with this Presidential campaign solidifying my disdain for those that dehumanize brown lives.

    I am an Activator and just need to rest/recover-then DO? There's not much time, the enemy is already steam rolling ahead on agendas to police my brown skin and take away more rights, while taxing me more, I get that, exhausting. I want to go to old folks homes and talk to them for wisdom and direction. I've heard from a few and they are far from surprised and are surprised that we are so shook up. They've lived long enough to see this before. Now, I'm learning that I have too. I want more of their survival stamina bc the world I thought I knew has been shook. Thanks for creating this thread and Dee this 'space' to share just a few of my many thoughts.
    Last edited by KnottyAuthor; 12-02-2016 at 10:45 AM.

  9. #6
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    Default Re: State of Blackness in 2016...

    I am in complete agreement with the OP on this thread.

    When we think back to --- say 15 years ago, the Black visual identity was struggling and we used our wearing (of what was then a rebellious act) of our natural hair as something to gain from and hold root. It seemed that by learning to love and accept a part of ourselves that had been vilified by OUR OWN people as well as other races (I believe was partly as a result of our own complacency in allowing ourselves to be race-shamed) we could continue to grow into better society with the new strength in self respect we were discovering..

    I was listening to a show the other day where the man said to call White Supremacy what it really is, Black Inferiority. When you dwell on that it changes your perspective.

    Instead of the natural progression to taking back community power and becoming more self-aware, we were slammed into a recession which caused crises, then the election of a Black president began the re-emergence of white nationalism and extremism in the highest offices of our government. And it is on its way to become normalized.

    Now we see Black folks being shot down by the law, in and out of courts, in the streets - and perpetrators in uniform walking free. BLM was formed and now is called a terrorist movement by the media. Kaepernick peacefully kneels and he is vilified for showing no respect.

    And yes our young Black girls still hate their hair.

    And here we are. Distracted by shiny things. Black people are consumers STILL spending money to enrich their oppressors when they have a choice not to.

    Education is failing. Critical thinking is rare. Facts are optional. Fake news is real. And Don Trump is the leader of the free world.

    I am not dealing very well with this situation right now and it's difficult to keep my thoughts together.
    "The truth is, your natural hair, in all its texture, is the hair that is ideal for YOU.."
    ~Dee~


  10. #7
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    Default Re: State of Blackness in 2016...

    Boycott begins tomorrow!
    Hope others will join....https://www.facebook.com/shaunking/p...type=3&theater

  11. Thanks Mojito Chica, deecoily thanked for this post
  12. #8
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    Default Re: State of Blackness in 2016...

    Very good topic starter OP

    State of Blackness...when it comes to natural hair I feel as if people are embracing their natural hair at a higher rate. In education I see more girls with a healthy set of natural hair and they are looking to me as their inspiration. I'm glad we have reached this point however newbies would not appreciate sites like this to where we were searching for a haven to collect information and share knowledge.

    Black education
    There has been an increase in charter school which is supposed to provide parents options for their children to seek alternatives if they are not satisfied with their public school choice. I like the option of charter schools and I work for one so I see the pros and cons.

    However education in general.....not to pleased with it and I am not too sure how it is preparing our babies for success.

    Police Brutality
    I respect BLM. The only concern I have is how do we change the police force to hold them accountable for their actions because unlike the govt to where our "votes and voices" matter, it is different when it comes to changing law enforcement and holding them accountable

    Personally I try to support black businesses as much as I can In addition, I try to educate other people on black culture when needed
    2 Awesome 2be forgotten Mia Fite/ etifaim luv u 4life

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  14. #9
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    Default Re: State of Blackness in 2016...

    Quote Originally Posted by KnottyAuthor View Post
    Boycott begins tomorrow!
    Hope others will join....https://www.facebook.com/shaunking/p...type=3&theater
    I'm in - I'll spread the word too.
    "The truth is, your natural hair, in all its texture, is the hair that is ideal for YOU.."
    ~Dee~


  15. #10
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    Default Re: State of Blackness in 2016...

    Quote Originally Posted by canarsiechik88 View Post
    Very good topic starter OP

    State of Blackness...when it comes to natural hair I feel as if people are embracing their natural hair at a higher rate. In education I see more girls with a healthy set of natural hair and they are looking to me as their inspiration. I'm glad we have reached this point however newbies would not appreciate sites like this to where we were searching for a haven to collect information and share knowledge.

    Black education
    There has been an increase in charter school which is supposed to provide parents options for their children to seek alternatives if they are not satisfied with their public school choice. I like the option of charter schools and I work for one so I see the pros and cons.

    However education in general.....not to pleased with it and I am not too sure how it is preparing our babies for success.

    Police Brutality
    I respect BLM. The only concern I have is how do we change the police force to hold them accountable for their actions because unlike the govt to where our "votes and voices" matter, it is different when it comes to changing law enforcement and holding them accountable

    Personally I try to support black businesses as much as I can In addition, I try to educate other people on black culture when needed
    I respect BLM too - I just don't see a strong cohesiveness. I see one area going off in one direction and another in another direction. Maybe that is because there is so much to do on so many levels. BLM is a general term, like Civil Rights - it refers to a wide range of issues. Civil Rights focused on segregation, voting rights, discriminatory policies, many things that were protected in law. BLM is even broader, going after societal norms that aren't so easily defined or quantified. Maybe it is just a reflection of Black society in general and part of evolution of this world.
    "The truth is, your natural hair, in all its texture, is the hair that is ideal for YOU.."
    ~Dee~


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