Fear of Stable and United Africa

Question: What do you know about Africa, and what have you been taught or told about it? What images have you seen on TV? Have you visited? Do you know any Africans? Think about the impressions that you have of the continent, its people, and of the countries that comprise it…now let’s flip the script… 

Imagine for a moment that all 54 sovereign nations in Africa were 1) at peace, 2) politically stable, 3) economically independent/viable, and 4) united in official economic and political partnership through an African Union. Imagine an Africa that controls 100% of its own natural resources which are responsible for everything from the diamonds in your jewelery, to the cocoa in your chocolate, to the chips in your cell phone. Imagine an Africa free of rampant disease and poverty. Imagine 1 billion+ Africans (almost 15% of the world’s population) with a united voice and purpose working toward peace, and prosperity, with the aim of rectifying past wrongs and striving toward a brighter future – controlling their own collective destiny. In the same way that the rise of China is making the rest of the world sit up and pay attention, the rise of strong and united African nations will upend the Euro-American hegemony that currently pulls the strings of world events. 

We currently operate in a world driven by globalization and capitalism or perhaps more accurately, the globalization of capitalism, as spread by Western nations throughout the world for both economic and political purposes. It is a system that claims to benefit all, yet mysteriously only advantages the fortunate minority who already control the majority of the world's capital. We seem to live in a world operating with Orwellian, "Animal Farm" logic in which, "all humans/nations are equal, but some humans/nations are more equal than others." Apparently Africa falls into the "less equal" category as evidenced by its history. No other continent has been invaded, conquered, enslaved, raped, pillaged, exploited, subjugated, and impoverished for as long or in as systematic a fashion as Africa. I am careful not to play the "who suffered more" game, nor am I ignorant of the role that Africans themselves play (in recent history) in perpetuating the status quo. What I am trying to draw attention to is the fact that it is in the direct and best interests of the "powers that be" (A.k.a. the permanent members of the UN Security Council and most industrialized Western nations) to keep Africa poor, uneducated, fearful, and as destabilized as possible in order to maintain the current balance of world economic and political power.

Two simple observations: people who are more concerned with their daily survival do not have the time, energy, or even presence of mind to concern themselves with issues beyond meeting their basic necessities. People who are poor and hungry are easily controlled – a fact most effectively exploited under feudalism.

On the other hand, people with resources, education, courage, and stability are not easily controlled – in fact, they are very DANGEROUS! 

There are few things more dangerous than unrealized potential, so it benefits the “powers-that-be” for Africa to remain stuck in the purgatory of “what could be.” 

Borrowing from a spoken word poet named Shadokat, this is the first of many “mind-rocks” I will be slingin’ at the establishment in an effort to call attention to and dismantle a long broken system…

Pick up your mind-rocks, this is a call to arms…

The revolution will not be televised…

Peace,

A-i-T

PS. This is the Africa they never show you on TV – if the world continues to think of us as perpetually poor and struggling, it then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy…

How Many Dates Until a Woman Pays?

It's been a while since I've done a relationship post, but I was talking to one of my boys the other day when he posed this question, "how many dates should you take a girl out on before she pays?" I couldn't think of a better topic to reengage with...!

We are in 2010, and women have fought for and reclaimed equality in many areas of life, from the workplace, to education, to the bedroom. Women are taking charge and have established equal footing (as it should be) with men across various aspects of life and in the dynamics of male/female relationships. However, there are still certain realms that remain conspicuously untouched -- one of these is dating, and specifically, the issue of who pays when and for what. The question here is, why does the push for equality end when it comes to who picks up the check at the end of a date? 

They say that art imitates life, so let's have a quick listening session to examine the perspectives from both sides of the dating dinner table (you may click each link for a quick listen if you like): 

Ladies:

-Exhibit A: Destiny's Child - Bills, Bills, Bills 

Lyrical Excerpt: Can you pay my bills/ Can you pay my telephone bills/ Can you pay my automo'bills/ Then maybe we can chill/ I don't think you do/ so you and me are through...

-Exhibit B: Destiny's Child - Independent Women

Lyrical Excerpt: Tell me how you feel about this/ Try to control me boy you get dismissed/ Pay my own fun, oh and I pay my own bills/ Always 50/50 in relationships...

Gentlemen:

-Exhibit C: Ne-Yo - She Got Her Own

Lyrical Excerpt: I love her cause she got her own/ She don't need mine, so she leave mine alone/ There ain't nothing that's more sexy/ Than a girl that want but don't need me.../ I love it when she say/ It's cool I got it, I got it, I got it...

-Exhibit D: Ne-Yo - Miss Independent

Lyrical Excerpt: Ooh there's somethin about/ Kinda woman that can do for herself.../ There's somethin about her/ There's somethin oh so sexy about/ Kinda woman that don't even need my help/ She said she got it she got it no doubt/ There's something about her...

Looking over at the ladies side of the table, men either see confusion or a split between "traditional," versus more modern values. The former advocates that men should pay for dates (among other things) as they are "taking the woman out." The latter would argue that women are just as capable of paying, and it is in fact an assertion of their independence to exercise this right. The men's side trumpets in unison that men would LOVE for women to pay for dates. Men would tell you that they are even turned on by just the offer from a woman to pick up and/or split the bill -- better still if she executes. Nevertheless, some men are also traditional, and are comfortable or even prefer to pay for dates. But, should the man have to or be expected to pay every single time? (Though there is argument to be made about who made the plans -- i.e. if the man plans, he pays.)

I currently live in NYC, so let's do the local dating math for the typical dinner/movie date:

-Dinner + drinks for two at a mid-range restaurant = $50-$80

-Movie for two (excluding snacks) = $26 (regular), $29 (3D), or $38 (IMAX)

-Total: Low end = $76-$79; High end = $118 

I don't know about you, but to me, that's expensive. Many men (especially in the current economy) operate with this rubric in the back of their minds:  After 3-5 dates, the girl should start picking up some of the tab. Example: if a man takes a woman to dinner and spends around $100 and then they go to a movie, he would appreciate the woman paying for the movie. Ultimately, men are advocating for balance. 

Most men don't want to be looked at as a source of free drinks, meals, and other entertainment when they date. From the male perspective, men put out/sacrifice a lot when it comes to dating at the risk of receiving little to nothing in return. There are no guarantees in dating, and I have friends (quality guys btw) with $200 date stories that never led to date #2. The ball truly is in the woman's court as she is essentially auditioning the man/men she is seeing. This is not to say the man completely lacks control, but if things don't work out after 3-5 dates, then he is out every dime that he spent getting to know/demonstrating interest/and even trying to impress woman X. Women get 3-5 outings for the price of their time (also valuable, I know).

After the 5th date, I think it's fairly safe to say that the relationship is starting to go somewhere and that both parties are developing a connection deeper than the initial attraction that brought them to the dinner table in the first place. Given that commitment levels, interest, and feelings are growing on both sides, is it fair for the man to continue to operate at the same level of financial output that it took to even get to date 5? Should a modern, independent woman sit back and watch a man open his wallet each time they go out if she has the means to foot half or even the entire bill? 

In this scenario, one might ask, "does the man's job and by extension his income matter?" For example if a lawyer man is dating a social worker woman, should he be 100% expected to pay for everything? What happens if we flip the roles/salaries and the woman makes significantly more than the man, should she still expect him to pay for most dates, even though it might be breaking his bank? Should who pays be date specific -- the more expensive dates picked up by the man, and the lesser by the woman? Should splitting the bill become the new modus operandi in the 3-5 date range? 

I realize that there is a definite slant toward the male perspective in this post. In A-i-T's/men's defense, let's look at how society has traditionally structured things: The man is expected to court a woman and generally pay for most if not all outings. In the long-run he is also expected to save around 3 months worth of salary to buy the engagement ring. Finally, in marriage, he is expected to be the main provider (mortgage, tuition, bills, etc.). What my friend and many men are saying is this: Given the immense financial burden of expectation traditionally, and still placed on men in the dating/relationship game, can we not catch a break and at least have the woman pay for that $50 meal or that $26 movie? In the end, if she doesn't pay, she could at least offer, and give the man right of refusal - is that so much to ask?

I'll end with this -- NBA almost great, Grant Hill, tested his wife-to-be by pretending to forget his wallet at home on a date to see if her reaction would be, "don't worry, I got it," or "what the ___!" They have now been married 11 years. Most guys are not making pro-athlete money, but all men appreciate a woman who will at least meet them half way... 

Fellow Adults-in-Training, what's your perspective on who should pay and when? Is there a date number threshold at which things should change? Do you have any feelings about the questions relating to income and/or modern versus traditional gender roles? 

Peace,

A-i-T

"Ten Things I Want To Say To A Black Woman" (Uplifting My Sistahs and Women in General)

I saw this video on a friend's Facebook page (thanks Cece!) the other day and just had to share it. Black women (and women in general) are too often the unsung heroes in life and society. As I grow together with my wife, another strong and beautiful black woman, I do my best celebrate and appreciate her in every way that I can. The gentleman in the video below, boiled down the essence of the love, respect, and admiration I have for all the women in my life, and poured it into words I could never quite so eloquently and lyrically manifest even on my best day.

So a dedication to my A-i-T sistahs of all hues and women of all races...enjoy this celebration of you!

Peace,

A-i-T

Sometimes You Just Gotta Push Through...

 "Sky is the limit and you know that you keep on/ Just keep on pressin' on/ Sky is the limit and you know that you can have what you want, be what you want, have what you want, be what you want..." ~Chorus from Notorious B.I.G.'s - "Sky's The Limit" (F. 112)

2010 has been an interesting and tough year, to say the least. Putting aside the natural disasters, the global economic crisis, and the most recent man-made environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, on a more personal level, many people I know are going through some hard times -- shoot, I'm dealing with some stuff right now as I write this post. Life is full of ups and downs - that's nothing new - but for us A-i-T's, meeting the challenges that come with becoming grown folk (GF), well, these are novel as we haven't quite reached GF status just yet...There is something about this year that makes me feel as if many of us are facing those situations in life, those rights of passage that will eventually get us to GF status. The question is, how do we successfully pass through these trials, tribulations, and the sometimes just pure unnecessary drama, and come out on the other side as more fully formed A-i-T's? 

Recently, I must confess that I have caught myself looking at teens and even younger children with a slight degree of envy, thinking about how uncomplicated their lives are, and how relatively less complicated my own life was even just five years ago. We A-i-T's are now more than a few years removed from college, some of us are in our second or even third job, not having quite found the right fit. In recent times, some of us are between jobs -- and I say that on purpose to keep the faith that the next job is out there for you and I. Some of us (like me) are in grad school (whether by circumstance or by choice), trying to make affirmative moves toward starting or advancing a career -- but no matter where we find ourselves, we seem to be facing unprecedented personal challenges. Whether it's the death of loved ones, personal or familial health problems, foreclosure and other housing issues, financial troubles, or being hit by some intelligent driver in the parking lot, someone you or I know is going through it. What heartens and encourages me is that despite and in spite of  these circumstances, A-i-T's are keeping on...

In the midst of crisis, we all seek escape. I that sometimes I just want to go to sleep and be woken up once all the drama is over, but despite how hard things can get, if life was easy, it ultimately wouldn't be worth it. Why is it that we don't trust people who haven't been through anything? As the picture for this post says, "Life is a Beautiful Struggle." Without pain, we would not appreciate pleasure. Without sadness, joy would be that much less sweet, and without struggle, we would not revel in the times when life is flowing smoothly. The beauty lies, not in the easy times, but in what emerges from the tough ones...one place I look for inspiration and hope when I feel like the protagonist in a Greek tragedy, is my faith...

There is some great wisdom in this book called The BIBLE (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth ~ GZA - "B.I.B.L.E.) -- and in times like these I look to James 1:2-4

"(2) Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, (3) because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (4) Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Whether or not you are Christian, the wisdom of these words is undeniable. Trials suck, there is no disputing that, but what you gain from passing through in terms of growth in mind and character is priceless. It's been a funky year for me and many others, but despite it all, sometimes you just gotta push through...as it's all part of the journey toward GF status. I did not write this post to provide solutions or resolutions, but to encourage my fellow A-i-Ts in facing whatever challenges they might be encountering.

"Stay far from timid/ Only make moves when ya heart's in it/ And live the phrase Sky's The Limit..." ~Notorious B.I.G. - "Sky's The Limit"

Peace,

A-i-T

Does Upgrading Your Wardrobe Make You A Poser?

Recently I got an email from one of my boys and just had to turn it into a post -- a slightly edited version appears below:

"Alright, so to my knowledge we all come from middle class families and did not grow up rich. And we are all black males growing up in America, attempting to be successful. So, I studied and went to college. I worked hard to find a good job so that I could buy the things I like. Now a lot of my clothes come from Brooks Brothers, JCrew, Johnston and Murphy etc., things I couldn't afford in college. I dress different now than I did in college; some would classify me as preppy. Yesterday, I went to a polo match in Greenwich, CT.  I mainly went for the tailgating and company of my friends, but I was criticized by another friend. I was told that I am being a poser, dressing a certain way and going to certain events to indicate that I come from money. I really didn't see it that way. I saw it as doing something different and being with my friends. I guess my point is that none of us dress how we used to dress, and we buy things that come with certain labels or indications of wealth, but does that make us posers?  Does that mean we have forgotten where we came from originally? Because I am from Queens, NY should I be anti experiencing a polo match? If I wear a seersucker jacket am I trying to be something I'm not?"

To me, his various friends' criticisms reek of "hater," but the issue goes much deeper than that. To me, it speaks to an extremely myopic vision/definition of what it means to be Black -- both within the black community and society at large. We are not (nor is any other race/ethnicity) one monolithic culture represented by one form of dress, one style of music, or a central brain directing our collective thoughts. Which authority said that buying JCrew, wearing a seersucker suit, or attending a polo match definitively falls outside the "Black experience," and makes my friend or anyone "less Black" or less whatever identity they are?

As a young, black, male, A-i-T, I am extremely aware of the fact that how I and my fellow men of color (MOC) dress, seems to define us more so than many other groups.Why should being Black (or any race) place boundaries on one's experience -- isn't it each individual's job to define his/her own experience as s/he sees fit? Why should it be that clothes define it for us?

Society would have you believe that the official young black male (YBM) uniform is Timberlands/Nikes, baggy/saggy jeans, a tilted baseball cap and a shirt from hip-hop fashion label X. I had my days wearing nothing but Ecko, but now I'm a little older, a little married, and a little working, and my tastes have changed. There is no judgment being passed on my part on anyone who still wears hip-hop fashions -- but herein lies the issue -- The clothing an MOC chooses to outfit himself with seems to speak volumes louder than for your average White (and maybe Asian) guy, and comes pre-loaded with a set of value judgments that he must disrobe himself of in order to be seen for who he truly is.

(Please feel free to comment/debate with me on these opinions/observations, because A-i-T is not a dictatorship -- it is OUR forum)

Think about it, is there any such thing as a typical young White male uniform (YWM)? Does one, or several possibilities come to mind? In contrast to the YBM uniform, which the average person can conjure up in seconds, the YWM uniform is very eclectic, hard to pigeon-hole, and does not necessarily define the wearer's entire identity. How a YBM dresses seems to sharply define his character and separate his identities. There is the presumed, "hood brotha," identifiable at 500 yards by the "YBM uniform" and living a struggling/hustling existence. There is also the "wall street brotha," who "made it" out the hood, as distinguished by his suit. For some strange reason, society says that these two individuals cannot occupy the same body - yet ignorance would dictate that my friend should show up to his finance job wearing Timbs and a do-rag because he's Black...how ridiculous is that?

Buried within this maze also lies class issues, which could fill an entire post. At the end of the day, however, my friend wears Brooks Brothers because that is the uniform at his job, which gives him the means to afford the label. His style of dress may have changed but it has not intrinsically changed his character, in the same way your fashion journey has not altered who you fundamentally are. I will freely admit to having issues with hipsters (the whole trend seems kinda forced), but in general, the notion that upgrading/changing one's wardrobe and having a few experiences outside their norm should make someone a poser, is dubious on its best day...

Adults-in-Training, have  you ever received criticism because your style or extracurricular activities have changed and/or differ from an old set of friends?

Peace,
A-i-T

Where Are The Men In Helping Professions?

In the days leading up to Father's Day in 2009, President Obama reminded men everywhere that their responsibilities do not end with conception. Paraphrasing, he went on to say that the measure of a man is not his ability to create a child, but having the courage to raise one. It is clear that the absence of the male presence in the home is endemic in the US, and has a serious impact on the upbringing of children. Given my current surroundings, I wonder if the lack of men in the helping professions (social work, counseling/ therapy, teaching, etc.) is having a similar impact on youth and wider society in this mission field?

I currently attend Teachers College (Columbia University) where I am pursuing a Masters in Mental Health Counseling. Focusing on my specific program, I am one of approximately twelve men in a cohort of over 100 students! What's even crazier is that due to the recent recession driven return to grad school, I learned that my program has two or three times as many men as normal! This means that under normal circumstances I would be one of maybe 3-5 men total in my entire program. Taking an institutional view, the current figures reveal a gender (im)balance in of 76.8% female to 23.2% male in a student body of 5,388. This effectively means that a miniscule 1 in 4 students is male. This may be the accepted status quo, but to me, it poses a problem. We all know that the helping professions have traditionally been dominated by women -- the underlying issue being socialization around gender and gender stereotyped career paths. Unfortunately outside of 75%-25% ratio at institutions like TC, the world that helping professionals (HPs) serve is basically split 50-50. How well can HPs fully address the needs of clients without close to matching representation?

Follow me for a moment: I was at the beach recently with my wife and another couple. As we observed some very engaged fathers playing with their young children, our discussion turned to whether it is better to be raised by a single mother versus father. After clearing the initial hurdle of the different needs of girls/boys, we agreed that many of the problems faced in adolescence and adulthood relate back to absent fathers. The term "daddy issues" pervades pop-culture as a somewhat sarcastic but truth-containing label, often placed on women who can't seem to be in "healthy" relationships, or the out of control teenage boys (stereotypical examples, I know). The term "mommy issues" hasn't quite caught on - partially because mothers rarely forsake their children, in addition to the the tangible differences in impact of each parent on a child's development. As mentioned in a previous post (Daddy Issues Recognizing the...) no matter how great a mother is, she cannot MODEL for her son what it means to be a good man. She also cannot MODEL for her daughter how she should expect and demand to be treated by men and what an example of a good husband/father looks like - this latter point applies to both. The operative word here is MODEL. Bringing the conversation back to the helping profession, the same issue applies, given the tangibly differential impacts between male versus female HPs on clients -- based on this ability to model...

Let's not get it twisted, this is not about one sex/gender being superior the other within the helping field. Predicated upon the goal of meeting the needs of the population, shouldn't HPs ideally be as diverse as the communities they serve, be it by race, ethnicity or gender? There are certain ways that a male social worker or therapist might be able to connect with a troubled teenage boy and show him how to better channel his aggression etc., that may not be accessible to a female counterpart. A teenage girl who has often suffered in her relationships with the male figures in her life might benefit from experiencing a healthy male/female relationship with her male case manager. With the predominance of women in the field, these opportunities are simply being lost, and it is the clients who suffer. Ultimately, this discussion is a recognition that men are needed to step up not only as fathers, but also to fill the ranks in a professional area that is critical within society. 

Fellow A-i-Ts, do you work as a HP and do you also see this trend? Do you agree/disagree that more men are needed? Let me hear your thoughts. 

Peace,
A-i-T

Sidewalk Casanova

I've said this over and over again, but dang, it's hard being a woman! (speaking from personal experience, of course) From NY to Paris and elsewhere, from the streets to the boardroom, women are constantly being approached by men (young and old), unsolicited -- who misguidedly think they are performing a public service by reminding women how good they look, just in case they somehow forgot that day. Frankly, I don't know how y'all put up with it and some of us men sometimes. It's embarrassing, and occasionally it crosses the line, but I gotta admit, sometimes its just funny to watch.

I was walking down the street this morning, and in classic fashion, another Sidewalk Casanova spots a woman who peaks his interest. He stops dead in his tracks, swivels his head like a sweeping surveillance camera, and with the seriousness of a judge delivering a sentence says something earth shattering like, "Hey ma, you look beautiful, can I talk to you for a minute?!" As if this brilliant, one-time-use observation automatically merits him some face time during this woman's day. What kills me sometimes is how bold these men are and the "righteous" indignation they show when the woman rebuffs their ever so well thought out, sincere, and earnest supplications for the woman's attention.

I'll never forget my wife telling me about her and her friends' misadventures with various Sidewalk Casanovas. One of my favorites involves the 4-year old son of a would-be SC who told my wife's friend, "you beautiful!" while his father was hitting on her. Apparently, it was take your son to work day, and Street Don Juan Jr. was shadowing his father at the office. Apparently, Fisher Price has a, "My First Pick-up Line," division I was unaware of. Another one of my favorites just illustrates how nothing is sacred anymore and Street Casanovas will stop at nothing to get the math that adds up to a phone conversation with a woman in the near future. A kid, no older than 17 was hitting on my wife with the typical lines, when she told him that she had a man. Unfortunately, Positive K's 1992 classic, "I Got a Man" helped Street Casanovas everywhere to reply "What's your man got to do with me?! I ain't tryin'a hear that see!" So homeboy persisted, until she finally told him that she was married (we were engaged at the time). He paused, momentarily defeated, and then with the audacity of a streaker at a sporting event he said, "yeah, but are you happy?"

WHAT!!! ARE YOU FOR SURRIOUS?!?! Yeap...as Sarah Palin on oil drilling!

I fell on the floor laughing, but this incident was kinda scary cos...is truly nothing sacred anymore? Not even marriage seems to be off limits (Check out my previous post: Have an Affair...)? Undoubtedly the nature of male-female relationships has been evolving or devolving depending on your perspective, but into what? Seemingly gone are the days of serious courtship, "going steady," etc. replaced by the current era of friends with benefits, the overall hook-up culture, and websites like adultfriendfinder and cougarlife.com (fodder for future blog posts - the radio commercial for the latter is hilariously disturbing). The issue lies on both sides. On one hand, men need to come correct and approach women with the respect they deserve. On the other, you ladies need to search out and sternly lecture that one girl who was like, "OMG, I loved your pick-up line! Here's my actual phone number, call me!" Cos with men, all it takes is that one girl to inspire hope that it can/will happen again - y'all know Darrel right?

Call me old-fashioned, but when did it become okay to disrespect women with sophomoric come-ons that just add more C02 to the endangered atmosphere each time a Street Casanova opens his mouth? This summer is hot enough already, we don't need any more greenhouse gasses making things worse.

At the end of the day, the most interesting man in the world put it best -- see the video below...

A-i-T Ladies, what is the most comically memorable Street Cassanova encounter you have had? Men, has a woman so fine ever brought out your inner Street Cassanova?

Peace,

A-i-T

The Gift & The Curse

We all know the saying, "With power comes great responsibility," but what is the companion to awareness? Grassroots movements, political campaigns, and corporations all rely on the concept of awareness/awareness raising, in order to advance their agendas. This is a logical and sometimes noble aim, but often, awareness without action is fundamentally useless. It's like standing at an ATM trying to take out money when you have $19.95 in your account -- ain't nuthin' gonna happen! (credit to a forgotten comedian for this image). Awareness is supposed to be empowering whether it's in mental health, education, or public policy. It should be the spark before the flame, or the realization that causes revolution. Awareness needs something backing it up, otherwise it is rendered life-less rather than life-giving. Now, let's have some fun with a tautology: 

Premise: Knowledge = Power = Responsibility

IF: knowledge is power

AND: awareness is tantamount to knowledge 

THEN: awareness is power 

THEREFORE: Awareness = Responsibility 

If you are aware of something and do nothing, you might as well be oblivious because your awareness has done nothing to affect your actions. In this age of information overload, there is too much going on in the world that we are aware of, to sit by idly doing nothing. I am now finding that I can no longer exist like this. Through my experiences thus far as a counselor-in-training (C-i-T) and just generally becoming a more conscious A-i-T, my awareness of the world around me, my own thoughts/feelings/reactions to it, and even a heightened sensitivity to what is going on with others is really opening my eyes to how myopic my vision was before. Though I am an African man who has spent the majority of his life on foreign soil, through my classes and readings I am now more aware of the impact of race/racism, heterosexism, and even the invisible male privilege I carry around. I am more aware of the many "marginal" identity badges that people wear in this society and the plethora of "isms" that ride alongside. I am also becoming more aware of how critical social justice is within this and any society. As a result, I now see how many cracks there are in the image of what could be an immaculate society if we only took action to make it so. 

"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men/women to do nothing"   

This awareness is a gift...I can see, understand, and experience more than I ever could before. It's like Neo in The Matrix proclaiming, "I know Kung-fu!" At the same time, I feel cursed...because I can't turn it off! Everywhere I go, and with everything I see and do, there is now a heightened level of awareness. I find myself, asking myself what is the deeper meaning, and how does it affect me/others? It's like having a computer program running in my mind's recesses 24/7, but with constant pop-ups when it detects something. What in the world do I do with this?!?! Do I rage against the machine, or simply was poetic on my blog and call it a day? 

Why not both? My future profession calls me to advocate for my clients, and on a higher level, for social justice. My faith and my humanity compel me on an even deeper level to do the same. In the past, I have shied away from being vocal when I encountered certain situations in public and even from approaching certain topics on my blog. Today is a new day, and the difference I can make is a large or as small as my sphere of influence. This blog falls within those bounds. From now on, I hope this blog can support those hard but necessary conversations, because they are part and parcel of what it means for us to be A-i-T's trying to get our grown folk on. I hope to use the power of this blog (whatever that might be) to responsibly turn awareness into action through the sharing of knowledge and diverse perspectives. 

The gift and the curse...well, that all depends on what we do with it... 

Fellow A-i-T's, what are you doing or going to do with your gifts? 

Peace,

A-i-T

Broken but Strong

It's been an interesting journey thus far as a counselor-in-training. This summer was emotionally intense in a way I could never have anticipated - yes, I said, "emotionally intense." I cried a couple times [*cough* - what?] I took an individual counseling skills class plus a group counseling class, in which we the students, also doubled as clients/group members. This means that instead of role-playing different scenarios, we actually bring in real issues from our lives, to give us real material to work with, that we might encounter in a real therapy session. Are you noticing the trend here? Basically, things got REALLY REAL, with anxiety, tears, and fears flying everywhere because life provokes those feelings sometimes. In swimming through all those stories and related emotions, it is easy to feel sad, depressed, angry, etc., which I felt at times, but ultimately I came out on the other side marveling at the strength of the human spirit. 

We currently live in a society, in the US especially, that seems to be doing everything it can to not feel. It is as if we are on a mission to rid ourselves of any emotion in what I'd like to call the "blind pursuit of happiness," which seems to mean a life devoid of any other emotions. If you are down take an upper, if you are up take a downer, if you can't get it up take Viagra, if your kid won't simmer down give him/her Ritalin, and all for what? This is not to rail against medication, because it does serve a purpose when used properly, but we live in a pill-popping, instant-fix, on-demand society where your emotional and other troubles are a doctor's prescription away from resolution. What ever happened to going through stuff and coming out on the other side a stronger, better, faster you? 

Through this process of becoming a "counselor," I have learned a lot about myself, one thing being that I intellectualize my emotions. I reason them away, which probably means I have never really felt their full depth and intensity. This A-i-T is supposed to have his business together and appear cool, calm, and collected at all times. A-i-T's cracks could not show, and that took more work than I ever realized. Any of you ever been there? All that stress and pressure on myself to keep it together, really only resulted in more stress and pressure. I had spent so much time trying not to feel, that I forgot how necessary it is to just feel sometimes. Society tells us that we are weak when we cry - whether you are a man or a woman - yet through recent experiences, I learned the opposite to be true: Sometimes we are the strongest when we are able to cry...when we are able to sit through and deal with our emotions directly.

In A-i-T's humble opinion, in our self-medicating society, alcohol, pill-popping, sex, and other pursuits are mere distractions, with temporary results at best. Facing our emotions, now that's the real challenge. Life can be as hard as it is beautiful, and many of us are facing/will face health issues, death in our families, financial difficulties, heartbreak, etc. Yet, somehow, we manage to keep on going. In my program, I am surrounded by individuals who are going through stuff, and yet they manage to work, maintain relationships, family obligations, balancing their personal life with the demanding life of master's level work, all in the pursuit of becoming a "wounded healer" (credit to Maria for that term).

My ethics professor said it best, "If you don't think you have any issues, that's your issue!"  

What I am seeing, through my classmates, friends, and even in my own life, is that though we are all broken in some way, we are still strong. This may sound biblical to some, and I am not shy to say that's part of my worldview, but it's also just keeping it true. We are all much stronger than we think we are, we just need to give ourselves permission to be broken, and to cry a little if/when necessary... 

Fellow Adults-in-Training, in what areas of your life do you feel broken but strong? When was the last time you allowed yourself a good cry? 

Peace,

A-i-T

Why is Television Art Not Reflecting Life?

Demographers predict that between the years 2030 and 2050, people of color (POC) will become the numerical majority of the US population. We are in the midst of radical demographic changes, and I'm sure the 2010 census will go a long way to support this prediction. Social scientists and academics refer to this ongoing phenomenon as the "diversification of America," or more literally, the "changing complexion of society." My simple question is, why is today's major network television not yet hip to the game? Why is television art, not yet reflecting life? 

This observation is not new, nor would I pass it off as such, but it's just been smacking me in the face of late as I have witnessed most recent roll-out of new and upcoming network TV shows. Back in the day (as in late '90s/early 2000s), Chris Rock, in one of his many brilliant social critiques summarized and renamed the major network television stations as follows:

-ABC = Anything But Color

-NBC = Nothing But Caucasians

-WB  = Where the Brothas At? 

In 2010, Rock's observations still ring true...and perhaps even more so. It seems no matter the theme of the show, or what state, city, or town the shows are set in, one factor remains constant, there apparently exists a magical America where POC just don't exist. If they do exist, thanks solely to the benevolence of the writers and network executives, POC simply serve to provide a colorful backdrop (literally and figuratively) for the White main characters to interact with. Frankly, it's just getting on my nerves...

I recently started watching this ABC show called "The Deep End," about five young, brilliant, first-year associates at an elite LA law firm. It's an entertaining show if you can look past how glamorous they make the job look -- I'm sure all my lawyer A-i-T's can attest to that. What irks is me is how four of the five young lawyers are White, plus the obligatory token Black male. Are you honestly telling me ABC could not cast even one Asian, Latina/o, Native American in one or two of the other roles? If we wanted to get technical, looking at educational trends related to sex, it would be more accurate to have three women and two men versus the current balance. One of the White male characters is Australian, fresh from down under, which adds national diversity but does nothing for the complexion of the show.

In cities like New York and LA where approximately 1 in 3 people are foreign born, how is this show or any other show supposed to relate to current life in the US?

And let's be clear, this is not just a Black and White thing. Aside from B.D. Wong on Law & Order SVU, and Lucy Liu's brief stint on the small screen, how many other Asian characters of any significance can you name? George Lopez is no doubt doing his thing, but if Latinos are the largest minority group, why aren't there more representing on shows not found on Telemundo or Univision? Native Americans? The forgotten aboriginal people of this land...can they get a cameo please? And these are just the check boxes we are all forced to fit ourselves in on the census form -- what about all those who don't identify with one of the five major racial categories recognized in the US?

Granted, strides have been made in diversifying the look of television. There are definitely more POC in leading or main character roles across networks but it still feels like token efforts. Commercials are the one place where diversity is truly taking hold, but to me, it's dollars driving advertisers' diversity sense. If you want everyone to by your product, you had better feature EVERYONE in your commercial. I doubt it's more complicated than that.

I am definitely waiting for this generation's Cosby show, and no, I don't mean Tyler Perry's, "Meet the Browns" or "House of Payne." I just want to see on TV the diversity I see everyday when I walk out my door. The United States is the most diverse nation in the world...I think it's about time its TV shows began to FULLY represent that fact... 

Fellow Adults-in-Training, I know TV is meant for entertainment...but do you feel like TV art is reflecting your life? 

Peace,

A-i-T