Rising To The Occasion for A New Birth of Freedom!

FSB Associates (www.fsbassociates.com) are in a unique position, one that they are used to in providing internet marketing services by seasoned publishing professionals. If it's sales, marketing and internet experience in providing a total package for the ultimate literary experience they are preeminent in this field. Alas, the clock is ticking with a different view of history fast approaching, and what an exciting time to be an American brimming with anticipation! On January 20th Barack Obama will become the President of the greatest country in the world, with his mantra that "change can happen!". We will be in position to witness a day that will illuminate a new awareness that will resonate in time. What an appropriate time to introduce to you an outstanding book definitive of this time - 'STILL I RISE'  by Roland Owen Laird Jr., Taneshia Nash Laird, and Elihu Bey.  More about this book, the authors and others who are touting it is as follows:

"As a contribution to illustrated history from a Black point of view, " writes acclaimed foreword author Charles Johnson, "Still I Rise is a unique achievement, one that will be valued - like Art Spiegelman's Maus: A Survivors Tale...by students, educators, collectors, and general readers for a long time to come." Newly available in an updated edition, the compelling and irreverent graphic history that recounts the entire scope of the African-American experience, now concludes with Barack Obama's groundbreaking 2008 Presidential candidacy. 

Still I Rise traces the epic struggles and victories of African-American in the face of racist obstacles and unfathomable hardships. It follows the rise of slavery the Nat Turner Rebellion; military contributions of African-Americans; the birth of modern integration; Freedom Summer; the emergence of the Black Power movement; the Million Man March; and Hurricane Katrina. Cultural milestones are also found here, from the Harlem Renaissance and the Invisible Man to heritage festivals and artists who illuminate the complexity of African-American life. Heroic notables and visionaries are introduced such as Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Madame C.J. Walker, Ida B. Wells, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and many more. Lesser-known luminaries are featured too, including Carter G. Woodson, the father of Black Studies, and Deadria Farmer-Paellman, who campaigned for restitution from modern companies that played a direct role in the slave trade.

The insightful text is sometimes acerbic but does nothing to lessen the impact of the book. Other times there's humor with a powerful if not honest demeanor.  Taking its title from a Maya Angelou poem, STILL I RISE is a moving and inspirational account of the rich history of African-Americans. Now, about the authors: Noted African-American entrepreneur Roland Laird is a co-founder of Posro Media, a Trenton, New Jersey-based company that produced the comic book series MC Squared: A Man With a Serious Game Plan, and the syndicated comic strip The Griots. The company has worked and continues to develop a number of animated and documentary projects for film and television. For this book, the authors' first rate scholarship s supplemented with a healthy dose of attitude, and Bey's illustrations are both energetic and uncompromising. If you are a true comic book fan you will want this book!

Holiday Memories

Memories of Christmas for me throughout the years have had special thoughts in an individual way. You see, I had problems sharing it with six other kids who more often than not invariably spoiled things whenever they could. Being the eldest kind of gave me free rein on 'first' things - like being the first to see mom and dad call themselves fooling us to believe that Santa really existed; and first to not fall asleep waiting for Christmas to come; and the first to ride the bicycle that had to be shared six different riding terms. Did I really believe in Santa Claus? I originally thought so until about seven years old when the cat was let out of the bag - literally! Back then one of the toys that Dad brought to place under the tree rolled out of his toy sack. From my vantage point under the stairs (which was a good hiding place) I had a perfect view. When I tell people that I remember verbatim what happened on that Christmas Eve they tend to look at me with jaundiced eyes, but I KNOW what I saw! I tried telling everybody that Daddy was really Santa Claus but quite a few people told me otherwise and several times I was threaten with whippings.

Then there was the matter of the Christmas tree. I hated that tree! Why? Because every time it would shed those needles guess who was summoned to clean them up? Yep, Me! I must admit though, that the best part of Christmas for me was always the bright lights and ornate displays. Mom and Dad used to take us all around town visiting neighborhoods oohing and aahing at how creative people were. What made this so fun was the fact that my Dad would round up all the other neighborhood kids and we'd make the rounds. This of course were during the times when there was a real village raising us, and Big Mamas had clout.

Yes, there were a few other things that made it memorable to think about how it was back in the day. I remember Union 5 roller skates, sweat shirts with our names sewn on the back and all of us skating in packs on real sidewalks in and around the tenement projects. I remember tangerines, pomegranates, egg nog (without the rum, darn it!), a bicycle built for seven, and fruit cake that I absolutely hated (even today!). Deep down inside I've always wondered what was all the hoopla was about...all I ever wanted was a good book and a warm space to crawl into.

Nowadays as the holidays approaches, I'm now reminded that things indeed are different and how children are STILL in suspense as to the who, what and why of it all. I must remember not to spoil it for the kids. To me, Christmas is not the same anymore. People change, times change, but the authenticity of this holiday is not celebrated right. Perhaps one day, unlike 50 years ago when I was seven the real reason for my season was getting to the bottom of the stairs just to get the jump on the rest of my siblings. In 2008, I'm smarter and spiritually aware that the birth of Jesus is being taught to my grandkids, and that Kwanzaa has significant meaning as a viable alternative to paganistic verve and commercial ill. 

A Senior Moment at the Polls

How many of you already are feeling the excitement of what this election has wrought? You should be proud of the multitude of folk who put aside everything and voted! The goose bumps appear every time I think about the audacity rendered for change.  Change and Hope have somehow become partners in anticipated anxiety. I think about the elderly, the physically challenged and people who may have voted for the very first time. There's stories to tell by all of the aforementioned. Especially from those with hallowed remembrance of yesteryear when Jim Crow ruled, ranted and renounced rights. Then came our senior citizens looking for reprieve and second chances. One such lady shared  her opinionated thoughts with me as I cast my vote. I'll call her Miss Ida.

I spotted her as I ambled toward the long line snaking around the building. Looking at me as if daring me to ask why she was in such a long line, I saw an unmistakable look of determination and thought better of mere casual conversation. I decided to wait until there was a favorable time to engage her in conversation. Miss Ida was one for the numbers! She was decked and dressed to the nines, with a conservative but natty two-piece suit with matching purse and shoes!  She leaned on the cane that defied the weight that gingerly held her up with a distinct aura. She continued to stare which made me uncomfortable to say the least, but out of the corner of my eyes I saw that she was chomping at the bit with something to say.  I decided to oblige her and break the steely ice between us. I asked two questions that morphed into one querying sentence - "Ma'am do you really think Obama will win; and, will white folk vote for him?

She hesitated much more than a pregnant minute, looked up at me with shining eyes, all the while pausing with dramatic effect as if the delay warranted my immediate attention, and said slowly and deliberately, "Son...not only will he win, but they have no choice but to vote for this man! They are 'tween a solid rock and a good hard place now that the Bushes they thought protected them have been exposed!"  She paused to catch her  breath, and ambled on, "Not only that, it's high time that the balancing act comes full circle". I implored as to what did she mean by that, and she was off to the races again. She shifted her weight, sighed and gave me a pitiful look as if admonishing a child for knowing something that should be etched in stone, and asserted, "they owe us, do you hear me? They OWE us! We have taken and nurtured their children, cleaned up after them, sat around passively throughout history and allowed them to define who we should be in their eyes. They have raped us as long as I can remember, stealing our inventions while using calculated divide and conquer techniques to keep us separated and adrift from our rich historical legacy".

At that moment my body longed to get this over with. I needed to vote, but Miss Ida commanded my attention as I began to see her in a different light. This erudite octogenarian-type woman brimming in rich-text format held me rooted to the spot. I imagined her back in the day formidable in her bearing and quite imposing like some of the women I've known, that not only talked a good game, but ruled with authoritarian grit. That was my 'Big Mama', who assisted the village with glee while raising me to uphold standards and think positively. This is all the reason why I felt bad for slipping, and for a moment forgetting all that she stood for by asking Miss Ida, 'do I think Obama could win'. My silence must have unnerved her as she hit me in the shin with her cane and demanded that I give a comment. What could I say to this lady? I knew I had to say something, and it had better be of worth and a gem of an answer. I muttered rather clumsily that, "yes, it'll be a history-making time, alright."  She looked at me askance, not pleased at all with my comment, and voiced more venom against the imbalance of racism during her hey-day.  

"Son, careless whispers have gotten louder and white folk are wringing their hands in dismay knowing that Bush is through. They can't vote for McCain, and now they have to cast a vote for a Black man. I 'spect though, that a lot of them will go to their grave 'fore they vote for one of us."  At that moment she burst out in a raucous laugh so hard almost losing her footing. She jabbed her cane forcefully on the sidewalk and yelled, "Hell no, I ain't voting for no McCain!" By this time a crowd gathered along with those still in line as she looked at me with a jaundiced eye continued, "Yeah, son we done come a long way and they owe us. It's our time, you know. We helped build this country with the forced and unforced labor...they steal our music, claim it for themselves and embrace our culture as if it was their own. I won't even talk about the many contributions we've made to society that our ancestors fought so hard to keep. Louis Latimer and a host of others are turning in their graves with glee knowing the real truth that Elijah McCoy spoke of. Yesiree!! You can bet your bottom dollar and every penny you find that this is one man of color that will defy all the odds, Honey!  Who else they gonna vote for?"

Dismissing me with a smirk and a firm grip on that cane, she gave a parting shot by saying, "Yep, we GOT this, believe that...we're on the threshold of history!"  Watching her walk toward the voting booth I felt the pride and knew that pomp and circumstance had finally given a real meaning to what is at hand and how it will effect us as a race. But there was more on my mind. Will this presidency have reverberating windfalls in areas that we cannot see or even fathom? I worry will they steal the election from us like they did in Florida, and whether we will actually get out and vote en masse? I earlier surveyed the crowd that attended one of the many local rallies, and my immediate perception gave reason that perhaps this time around the last will be first and the first will now bring up the rear. Miss Ida was live, in color and spoke for all senior citizens at the polls, and I respectfully saluted her. WOW!

It's A Done Deal - By Divine Order!

Let me share this with you, but you will need your bibles to fully fathom the gist of this essay. I imagine our ancestors are doing a jig watching what has unfolded in this past presidential election. They rejoice knowing that the day has finally come where there's a chance for change, and that a Black man is orchestrating it! I volunteered my services and campaigned for a man that stood head and shoulders above his opponents. Remarkably, he defied biased agendas and didn't allow race to color his canvas. I watched all of the debates, looked on with chagrin hearing people voice sentiments of not wanting to vote for him because of his color, or looking on in dismay as they attached his religious affiliation. I even watched with a heavy heart as they found conceivable ways to besmirch his character.

I honestly feel that God had a lot to say about the state of affairs that made up this remarkable happening.  I hasten to say that it had already been ordained biblically, and the spirituality of it should not be ignored. The Divine order depicting that "the last shall be first and the first shall be last" in my opinion is relative to us as a people of destiny finally being favored to improve our lot, and Barack is the standard bearer and icon for it at this point. Of course, we the people are not exempt from doing our part. As such, we should adamantly and unapologetically take advantage of the significance of what has been achieved.  Needless to say, Obama will need help, and what a magnificent time to step up to the plate. Moreover, I will paraphrase a bit of that biblical content thereof to illustrate my point in two scriptures that God identifies and implicates His visionary.

Go if you will to the book of Hebrews 11:32-34 as it hails (Barak) a man of faith: "Barak, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength and who became powerful in battle routing foreign nations".  Reading through the lines and interpreting from a broader perspective, one could easily assess this to our present situation with what has transpired with Obama.

But wait!  Now go to Judges 4:6 - God through Deborah commands Barak to "Go lead the way"...isn't this what he is doing present-day? Better yet, the aforementioned passages in Hebrews gives us an insightful view of the type of man Barack Obama seems to be, as God has plans for such a man. This too me is AWESOME, and self-explanatory!  There's no way in the world to not convince me that this man wont be successful. His disposition and penchant for orderliness amid the earmarks of a born leader is evident. And he's smart! If indeed you think as I do you'd know that this is our time. It's a chance to purpose in your hearts what needs to be done individually and collectively to insure success. The threshold has been crossed. We must do our part to ensure that this is a total effort where all of us can band together as one -- both nations Black and white fulfilling what God has already revealed. Only then will the audacity for hope, and the fulcrums of change can manifest destiny. It's a done deal in this case because the time is NOW!

Is the New President-Elect Allowed to Sleep?

Wanna know who won the presidential election? Okay, bear with me as I give you this opportunity to be clairvoyant. My crystal ball is clear. What you see in this picture is a man who prevailed and gave his country a chance for change -- something we could believe in. Yes, he earned it fair and square! President Barack Obama has run a brilliant and well-oiled campaign to gain the highest office in the world. He survived the overt head of racism as it rose time and time again; he withstood ridicule at the hands of conservatives, including a nasty in-family arrogance at the hands of the Clintons who surely thought they had the Black vote in their pockets; he overcame attacks on who, where, and why of pastoral pangs with the Jeremiah Wright malaise; then came the cartoonish Senator (McCain) and his pallid running mate Pallen. Suffice it to say, and contrary to the ills that has seemingly transformed the global pecking order, the president of the United States still resonates with significance. Who then, is this man so determined, so dominate and ever so determined? Was he indeed the best man for this office? You becha! Coming on slowly but steadily, he built his resume and applied sophomoric efforts that required perseverance and patience. This, despite the fact that life in Congress was not picnic, nor was it paved with with gold, like some yellow brick road. Yet he trudged on with an agenda. Here was a man undeterred and wasn't denied using tried and true measures that he embraced.  He survived up to this point by employing a work ethic that transcends moralistic value coupled with applications to change status quo.

To say that America need Barack Obama would truly be an understatement, but there's no understated pessimism that tints this man with much color and charisma. America is at its crossroads, and this country was faced with the most critical election in its history. Yes, our country is in a pickle, but with a chance to come out Kosher, even. George W. Bush is a farce and should have been impeached. Liar extraordinaire with a penchant for being a rhetorical wreck, the weapons of mass destruction are now aimed at the Republican party and poised to allow the American people why chance is inevitable.  We are reeling, and from where I sit in my community the change of the guard will reverberate with new optimism. The Iraqui war, the collapse of our financial system, a revamping of our educational system, millions of people without health insurance, and with serious attention needed to be paid to our industrial infrastructure are but a few challenges that face Obama. Can he pull it off? Yes, it can be done, and he will be challenged. it's time for a change, though and we're ready! 

In all of my 58 years I'm most proud of my constituents and common folk who eschewed passivity and voted! Moreover, I've never experienced the type of political interest and participation as I've witnessed in all phases of how this man was embraced. It forced people to see beyond their ignorances and demanded that multicultural makeup of many segments of our society display a needed and diverse way of thinking. It wholeheartedly attributes toward a consolidation of ideals. The new President brings a lot to the table. His cool demeanor harkens to a man who has responded like a true statesman with a style that is believable - well, like a president should! Now that we are out of the Bushes as it pertain to the wherewithal for a new lease on life, we the people need something that can help us turn the tide and gain a toe-hold for temperance. We are in an economic funk with decadence abounding and unabated. Now comes the brash and confident Senator from Chicago with a plan.  I feel confident myself that he has the intelligence and steady temperament needed to run this country. Witness how the aforementioned campaigns were were marked by patience, planning, discipline and organization.  When the crisis struck, he handled them with aplomb and gave one of the most poignant speeches demonstrating a profound respect for the electorate. 

Verbose he was, and not apologizing for it, his oratorical skill in my opinion was the center of his campaigns, and has returned eloquence to its essential place for good politics. Hearing my friends of other persuasions echoing disapproval, and championing the color of a mans skin rather than the content of his character rang true of the bells of discontent having a Black man for president.  My feelings are strong and opinionated about this whole affair. We've just transcended the threshold of history and the world should be rejoicing!  Think about it: the times have changed and we are changed with them.  We KNOW that these are perilous and troubled times. The annals of history has proven that we are a people of destiny and have survived because of, and not despite overt prosecution. We have weathered storms and have withstood being much maligned. But guess what? America needs this uplift amid the realism for change.  It most definitely needs a leader with intelligence  and a disposition that is emotionally attuned to our rapidly changing times. I can hear my ancestors at the turn of each century rising in their graves spurring us on. Booker T. Washington is in accord with W.E.B DuBois and Frederick Douglass is giving yet, another oratorical gem of a speech extolling our preeminence. Then there's Martin Luther King standing with reverence on the mountaintop (with God's blessings), with outstretched hands helping Marcus Garvey reach the height of his ideals. "Up you mighty race!" he proclaims. But I, an humble man of idealistic fortitude can be heard saying in my own vice -- "get over it America, and thanks for electing Barack Obama to serve in the Black House! God said that the first will be last, and the last will be first. That's enough for me, so be it!"

How Important is Reading to You?

There’s nothing like a good book, right? I agree, and I’m dismayed every time I read about the demise of books and the de-emphasizing of reading. Reading is the forerunner to accumulated knowledge and our livelihood depend on it! I allude to the countless stories abounding online and in social circles relative to how the internet makes books obsolete. I’ve turned this over in my mind more often than not and always come up with the same conclusion - that reading, in all of its virtues real or imagined are still important to me! My first encounter with books began with a question mark and continues today emphatically as an exclamation point! I cannot remember the first book I read, nor can I recall how many, but I do profess to have an on-going love affair for the written word. As such, when I was quite young I was in awe of the local librarian of the elementary school I attended. 

Of course, she was the first who impressed upon me the many virtues of reading for pleasure, and later reading for knowledge. Mrs. Kimbro, the respected and revered head librarian at Miami’s Douglass Elementary in the Overtown section of the city was indeed special. She lit fires that are still burning within my literary soul, the embers simmering and smoldering ready to be illuminated at a moment’s notice. She instilled in me throughout my lifetime that books are commodities that will place you at the forefront of any presentation through imagery and intuitiveness.

How important is reading to you? The purpose of this essay is to bring to the front the basic realization that reading is fundamental and how it has revolutionalized my intelligence quotient. At this point in my life, I know that the basic fabrics that weave my soul and invigorate my mind are riveted in place by the plethora of books I’ve accumulated over the years. My personal library is bulging at the seams, where purging is a time I come to loathe. Somewhere down the line I have to depart with a title that the inner soul would admonishes me to keep. We as individuals in the information age rely on technology to stem the tide to thwart ignorance at every turn. Thus, we are stimulated by many things, and influenced by circumstances relative to experience(s) central to certain nuances thrust upon us by insensitive intellectuals - like ridding the public of books and eschewing the benefits of reading. 

These among other maladies in our academic surroundings are being circulated in academia; and today we STILL wonder why Johnny can’t or won’t read. Too many young people are missing out on the pleasures and opportunities that come with reading. Back in the day at Mrs. Kimbro’s domain, I was a rambunctious kid thirsting for knowledge and she constantly challenged me to understand what I read long after I left her school. Yes, she was an integral part of that village that raised me, and kept me focused on all things literary.

I’ve asked myself what are the signs that I missed that have given people the audacity to suggest that reading has become passé? Moreover, is it that pronounced where technology has systematically redirected mindsets to forego status quo for a perceived new way of assessing knowledge at the expense of reading? Although I won’t attest to the aforementioned, but I WILL adamantly surmise that for some it comes down to a lack of interest, and for others a lack of ability. Lack of ability is the fulcrum that is turning the wheels of illiteracy and is my greatest concern. I feel that it reverts to the genesis of the problem: parental dysfunction in familial settings and communal disinterest where schools are placing emphasis on assessment testing vs. nurturing children in the fundamental aspects of why books are still the elements of learning.

 I would like to see families take an inherent interest in making sure that their children are reading, visiting libraries, and developing written and oral communicative skill; I worry about schools not providing the best curricula of inclusion for disadvantaged children not affording the opportunity to move forward; and lastly, what exposure are youngsters getting to books in general, and the ability to excel specifically?

If reading is important to you as it is to me, then wouldn’t it behoove you to allow initiatives to share in its relevancy so other can be enlightened? I’m an advocate of family literacy and know of no other way to champion the cause. We as concerned citizens and parents should be yelling loud and long for justice to be served. The myth and misplaced forum for the ‘No Child Left Behind’ debacle is enough to hone our minds for a greater challenge. Reading is still important to me; it’s fundamental, necessary and needed, so let’s endeavor to do our best to take some child in your midst and nurture him with a story; read for yourself for both knowledge and pleasure. READ – your life depends on it!