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(Manhattan Beach, CA – January 18, 2023) – At this year’s Independent Book Publishers Association’s annual conference, IBPA Publishing University, the conference will explore the theme of what it means to “Navigate, Innovate, Elevate” within the independent book publishing industry. The theme is a meaningful reference to IBPA’s 40th anniversary, which the association is celebrating in 2023, and its role in the past four decades advocating for, and helping independent book publishers to build long term, successful businesses. With this theme in mind, IBPA is excited to announce that one of the three keynote presentations at the conference taking place May 4-6 in San Diego, CA, will feature a panel of highly respected industry leaders whose publishing businesses have spanned decades and have overcome every type of challenges along the way. The keynote panel “Legends of Black Independent Publishing: Learning from the Best” will invite onto the stage: Dr. Haki Madhubuti, founder of Third World Press Foundation; W. Paul Coates, founder of Black Classic Press; Kassahun Checole, founder of Africa World Press and The Red Sea Press; and Wade Hudson and Cheryl Hudson, founders of Just Us Books. The panel will be moderated by Troy Johnson, founder of the African American Literature Book Club (AALBC.com). With a combined industry experience of 150+ years, these publishers will answer the question, “What do you do when your community is under-served, under-represented, and under-published?” You serve, represent, and publish! The complete conference agenda can be viewed at https://www.publishinguniversity.org/schedule. In addition, registration is now open for IBPA Publishing University ### To moderate this panel is truly an honor. When I first sat down to start AALBC, in 1997, all of these businesses were firmly established, but I did not know anything about them. I soon learned about all of them and their significant impact on Black books and by extension our culture. If you are a book publisher, you really need to attend IBPA Publishing University It is not often you'll get these icons in the same room.

greg consistently does this one thing and it confirmed my suspicion early on that he's a white nationalist in a digital blackface. greg writes white with an uppercase "W" and Black with a lowercase "b." Black people wrote Black in uppercase long before it appeared in the AP style guide. So, if this were a game of poker, that would be his tell.

I hope (and believe) this generation of boys can figure this out for themselves. Because too many generations in the past have brainwashed them into thinking they are good for nothing. Those who don't know their strengths aren't necessarily physical will always fail themselves, the Black community, and ultimately society. Custodial mothers, fathers, and even two-parent households who are wise enough to know what we don't know have reached out for help from those in the know. (not opinion-givers) And we have educated our children, especially boys, to know physical strength isn't enough in a society that requires intellect and problem-solving. Those children are our communities' success stories. Still, civilization requires Hypermasculinity coupled with hyperintellectuality in battle. And as history shows, it can occur in any sex when necessary and as needed. Sankofa. If you don't know your history, go back and retrieve it. Check out Nyabinghi. We, as a species, adapt to our environment for survival. It doesn't require anyone's approval. Those who don't adapt perish. The last woman Dahomey warrior died in 1979. According to historical records, Dahomey's army fought against colonization until 1892, that was about 200+ years of women and men fighting off European colonization. When the French colonized them, they made sure to subjugate women. Because subjugating women is an Anglo thing. Because - No Nation Can Rise Higher Than Its Women.

Recently an article was published on the Oprah Magazine website, “119 Black-Owned Bookstores in America That Amplify the Best in Literature.” While I was not attributed as a source of the list, I know I was because my bookstore list contains at least one bookstore that is not a bookstore . But the list was widely copied so who knows where they sourced the info (including my rouge “bookstore”). Unlike many of the other sites which used the list, Oprah Mag at least included AALBC as a store, so I’m good. Oprah Magazine also created another article, "12 Authors Share Their Favorite Black-Owned Bookstores." This is was an really cool thing to do too! One of the 12 authors, Mitchell Jackson, even cited AALBC.com as his favorite bookstore! But here’s is the thing, and it is a big deal, when mentioning the author’s books, the Oprah Magazine did not send readers to a single Black-owned store. Instead they linked to a white-owned business (bookshop.org), for the book sales — missing a tremendous opportunity to direct those sales to Black-owned bookstores’ websites! It is fine to say how much you support indie booksellers, but the biggest thing supporters of Black-owned bookstores can do is to send book buyer to our stores and websites. Far too many “supporters” send book buyers link to Amazon, and now increasingly, to Bookshop, while voicing support of Black owned bookstores (read more on why linking to Bookshop.org does not support Black-owned Bookstores). Several authors have told me that they don't want to show favoritism for one Black independent over another. However these authors easily show favoritism by linking to Amazon or Bookshop. In 2020 no one needs to be told they can buy a book from Amazon, and Bookshop gets free promotion that really was intended for Black-owned stores If you want to support Black-owned bookstores, stop promoting Amazon and promote a Black-owned bookstores instead! I know most supporters of Black-owned bookstores simply don’t know this, and this is why I'm writing the message. I didn’t know either; While I've been selling books, on the web for almost 23 years, most of that time I was selling books as an Amazon affiliate. Despite my advocacy for Black owned bookstores, I was completely unaware of how my affiliation with Amazon was undermining independent booksellers. Once I started selling books directly, boycotting Amazon just made common sense. However replacing Amazon with Bookshop is only a marginally better solution. Amazon pays affiliates 4% and Bookshop pays 10%, far less that what an indie bookseller would make on a sale. You have to actively support Black-owned stores if you believe they are important. The idea that Amazon has the best prices is often not true, so that argument no longer holds. Often books sales on Amazon are actually fulfilled by third parties anyway, so Amazon is not really adding any value. Indeed, they are reducing value by acting as an intermediary who make money on every transaction with zero risk. The American Booksellers Association (ABA) used to tout an solution called Indiebound.org which allowed supporters of indie bookstores to provide book links without showing "favoritism" to any particular bookseller or linking to Amazon. For example, if someone wanted to provide a buy to Mitchell S. Jackson's book, Survival Math: Notes on an All-American Family they could use a link like this: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781501131707. Once the book buyer reached the indiebound site they could enter a zip code, say my local zip code 33647, and a list of local booksellers would be shown. Indiebound would send readers to local indie bookseller sites to complete the sale. It seems like the ABA is pushing the Bookshop solution which is a mistake in my opinion, but again I advocate for independence. Reliance on Bookshop or Amazon to process our book orders and take most of the profit, is the opposite of Independence. Clearly Amazon wants us to be dependent upon them. I doubt Bookshop is any different. Now I understand that some brick and mortar booksellers are unable to sell books on the web and the pandemic has only made things worse by closing some — not all — physical stores. But imagine if the Black independent booksellers, who can handle the sales, got the business that we are sending to Bookshop. Support Black-Owned Booksellers.

AALBC. Was. Created. In. 1998. ..25. Years. Of. Troy. Bringing. Black,Books. By. Black. Authors.....Poetry. ,And. Black. News, ,Culture ,,Discussions. .....Congratulations 25 years......Church. ,Sunday. The. Black. Christians. Will. Go. To. Church. Helping. The,Snake. Preachers. Pay. For. Their. New. Cars. ..Amazing........

By no means am I underestimating white power or it's destructive impact. And we know how large numbers of whites can be galvanized by racist appeals, But the monolithic notion of white unity is a fallacy. Talking and thinking about whites as a unified group ignores whites' self-perception as individuals. It also fails to take class and gender inequality into consideration. More importantly, it disempowers black people fighting for positive social change by focusing on some kind of unattainable " black unity" to counter racism and economic injustice. Because white people are so numerous and relatively well off in most ways as a group compared to black people it's easy to think they are constantly motivated by some sense of racial consciousness. Of course, discrimination against us makes it seem that way. But whites think of themselves as individuals first and foremost. They come together only to the extent that certain individuals see mutual benefit in doing so. They compete and they conflict in all kinds of ways and whiteness is never a consideration unless or until black people come along. However not all whites are racist, nor have they ever supported it. White people do things for each other out of moral consideration or self-interest not whiteness. But it's important to recognize economic inequality and the class divide. Rich white capitalists past and present have often exploited and undermined all workers regardless of race. So radical and reform minded whites have fought to tame Capitalism or Socialists have called for its abolition. By reforming the socioeconomic system (think - center left liberalism) through the New Deal America became a better place mainly for white working people. None of this excludes male domination and sexism against women. White men felt justified as men denying women regardless of color the right to vote or do anything else in society until women mostly whites fought for social change. Even in that endeavor race complicated things. Black men and women fighting against racism also challenged gender inequality. But many white women fighting sexism past, and present are racist too. The challenge is for black people who oppose racism, sexism, and economic injustice to build mass support for social change among other blacks and non-blacks. It is important to recognize that black people differ among themselves too. Some oppose activist struggle for change. They believe in adaptation or accommodation. There are wealthy blacks who don't want the economy changed. Other blacks believe in male domination over women black or white. Black people have all kinds of views. We are Black Nationalists, Socialists, Conservatives, Moderates, Democrats, and Republicans. Some of us think improvement is collective while others are individualist. Ultimately unity in some monolithic sense is not possible.

'Discharged from hospital to recuperate at home after a bout with covid flu. That was no fun. Interesting hospital experience, however. Tended by a flurry of nurses, many of whom were effusive gay men, along with Hispanic cha-chas, misled by my Spanish first name. Indian and Asian doctors, of course. Sistas shuffling round, tellin' me, "you gonna be OK, momma." A very interesting pecking order at this state of the art medical center right around the corner from where I live. Prognosis is OK, all things considered which means my age is a factor. Whatever. If anybody watched the Girot Awards on CBS last night, as black folk, we should've been encouraged! Hope everybody had a nice Thanksgiving. 90 is a lot of months away but, I'm tryin to hang in. Luv ya all! Jeeze, this really came out big!

In another thread @Mzuri wrote: Anyway, Merry Christmas to you all and your families!!! And stay safe everybody. 2022 is going to be GREAT! Whatever one chooses to celebrate or not, I hope that everyone is having a safe and happy holiday season. Looking for 2022 to be a better and brighter year for everyone.

When @Pioneer1 mentioned taking a break in that thread, I asked him to return ASAP. As far as forum participation goes, there seems to be folks who enjoy reading it based on the view numbers. Maybe they're enlightened and/or entertained by the regular contributors. I joined because of the ongoing dialog between @Pioneer1, @Cynique, @Troy, @Mzuri, @Delano @Chevdove, @daniellegfny to name a few. I know folks get tired of reading some of the same ole rhetoric or grievance or whatever. But, the conversations are still interesting and entertaining in proportion to participant perspectives. I'm enjoying my arm chair around here. So, even if I'm one hand clapping, I'll keep bringing up topics, adding my 2 cent narrative and looking forward to reading everyone else too. Come on back to those I mentioned above and anyone lurking. The forum can be as lively as we make it.

Here in the US, folks are mainly divided into two camps politically...Democrat or Republican (GOP). On the surface it looks like the two parties have different platforms (liberal or conservative). Yet, they share the same ideology which is the maintenance of white supremacy. Both parties are juggling balls i.e. platform issues. While folks are pre-occupied with the balls in the air, they're not watching the sleight of hand tricks happening below. i've never been under the illusion that either party has ever given a d8mn about the peple. Both parties make decisions based on what's good for business. That is the business of maintaining white supremacy. Regardless of who occupies the White House, they are two sides of the same coin. Follow the money. POTUS PJB (Papa Joe Biden) is the flip side of the same coin once occupied by Agent Orange. Different agenda. Same paymasters.

Cynique writes, "Tell all of my AALBC 'frienenemies' I said, "stay well." I know we all (at least I have) have been jonesing to read something from Cynique about the passing scene: “Welcome to 2020! I always knew things would catch up with this country, but I never imagined that I would be around to see it. Unlike some, however, i don't believe a conspiracy theory is at work via the new world order; the inevitable has just come to pass. I don't think the USA will ever be the same after this pandemic, and the shit is really gonna hit the fan come election time. But, whatever. I'll be doing good to even be around in November. So far, i haven't exhibited any corona symptoms and like everybody else, I'm social distancing myself on voluntary quarantine. If the virus doesn't get me, my intense loathing for Trump might bring me down. I.DESPISE.HIM. I can't believe how the Universe has put him in place as a leader during this time of crises. But with his luck, he might just emerge smelling like a rose when this new flu proves to be much ado about nothing and that the real disaster was our overreaction to it. Me and my cynicism do find the way the media is handling it to be a bit much. Yet, I have mixed emotions. In addition to the radiation being emitted by cell phone towers being the origin of the virus, another one of the theories out there on FaceBook is that if your ears are ringing, you are getting signals from unseen forces about to take over Earth, and my ears are really picking up a lot of static! Oh, well, i always did think I was an alien. And the bizarre supernatural activity that continues to occur within the walls of my bedroom in the middle of the night are very unnerving... “

Hello All, No, I'm not dead yet! Just happened to come across this thread because every once in a while i check out this site and VOILA! this time I see this headline. So, yes, I am alive! Well? Not so much. I'm tired and burdened with impatience over not being able to figure LIFE out. Too much for me. And the eventuality of the Cyber world is very scary. In the physical world it's like i'm suspended in a surreal supernatural limbo of para-normalcy. Like I'm shifting between 2 parallel universes. Too weird to go into.. My grandson's dog is my now my faithful companion, a mixed-breed mutt who is a canine version of me. We hang out together, both of us being too lazy to exert ourselves very much. I think he can read my mind. i look into his big soulful eyes, and i swear, it's like there's a human in there somewhere. If it wasn't for my Smart Phone and my TV i would just be a vegetable because i have no interest in pursuing wholesome senior citizen activities or in being a doting grandmother to a bunch of krazy Milllenials and GenZers. My kids are so old they, bore me, too, and FaceBook is the same ol, same ol. I haven't gotten my Covid shot yet, but will probably get around to it soon. Still take walks around the neighborhood, weather permitting, and still go out at night and commune with the Universe and confide in the Moon. Still hate right-wing Retrumpicans and all of the lies they are trying to convert into the truth. Still sick of niggas killin' each other. Chicago has become a combat zone, kids gettin' caught in gang cross fire, road rage drive-bys,car-jackings and police chases. So disheartening. I continue to be intrigued by quantum theories especially a new field of speculation called Biocentrism which proposes, among other things, that human consciousness imagined the universe into existence because unless something is seen it doesn't exist. Whatever. Trying to hang on for my 88th birthday on August 18th. After that all bets are off. Nobody asked for an update but there was this blank space here, so thought I'd fill it.

@Troy I can't remember disagreeing with @Cynique @Chevdove or @zaji in any way that would cause me to want to express that disagreement. I may have a different opinion about something but their presentation allows for me to consider their perspective. I've even found myself doing some research and keeping an open mind for more information to possibly advance the discussion. But I don't disagree with them. Even if you can find where I said "I disagree" know that I misspoke. I believe most women are socialized to have a perspective that is built on a foundation of evidence. Unfortunately, here in America women are often dismissed as NOT having knowledge about a topic. Even In your thread about instagram - you decided I didn't have knowledge of world wide web and its commercial activities. You didn't even ask me, first. But that's the world women live in - so when we express an opinion or subjective observation, trust most of us have a mountain of evidence to back it up. I don't bet on stuff. Aside: I used to bet on horses but racing horses is cruel and inhumane so I don't do it anymore. I would absolutely miss Cynique if she leaves the board - but I saw that in my email and I had to stop what I was doing to respond to this thread. I really appreciate you @Cynique ! You add the je ne sais quoi to this forum that allows so many of us to think and consider your words, experiences and thoughts. You are a magus and beautiful philosopher!

This is Cynique. As previously announced, my new user name is "aka Contrarian" so "A" is now me. I don't know why I'm still alive. But I am. Since I have nothing better to do, unless I sudndenly croak, I'll be hanging around here, injecting my contrary opinions from time to time. zzzzz

If I ever needed a definition of what it looks like to Love another - this is the best definition, "Caring for someone without expecting a return on the investment"

Thank You! And thank you for sharing! I hope to write more. Kim gave a great interview. Yes -I kind of new she was close because we knew the same alumni. She was in. the band and graphics major when they had to typeset advertisements and articles lol. So much has changed

She looks great in the Vogue Cover. I don't think it has to be emasculating or diminishing ASAP Rocky. It's about her rise or perhaps re-emergence not only as a star but a business woman and mother. He's there supporting her and holding her hand as a symbol of the bond. But that's just me. We want to talk about black people being liberated and strong over white racist dominatdomination yet black people male and many females still see patriarchal control as positive and necessary. Black Freedom then merely becomes freedom for black men to control black women and communities. I just think it's a good cover.

For me, hands down, (pun intended) Bridge is my strategic game of choice. I've been playing Bridge for 70+ years, dating back to my Freshman year at the University of Illinois, during the 1950s. Back then. Bridge wasn't just a pass time, it was what students stayed up all night in their dorms playing, or cut classes haunting the Student Union lounges huddled around tables, deciding which suit to bid. It was the favorite after dinner activity at Sorority and Fraternity houses, a fanaticism that jeopardized the scholastic standing of a whole lot of students, - included myself. So Bridge is my thing and when it comes to being a strategic game, there is no substitute for just plain old gut instinct and good judgement as opposed to the crazy "cue bidding" compiled by so-called experts who have diluted the purity of the game. I've been asked by people to teach them how to pay Bridge. But i always refused the request, telling them I can't teach you Bridge. You learn by playing it. You have to have what is known as "card sense". After all this time, I'm still learning the game. Although complicated, Bridge is also simplistic. No bells and whistles, just a 52 pack of cards to deal out to 4 people for whom nothing is more fulfilling than bidding and making a grand slam - unless it's throwing your cards across the table at your partner for making a stupid play! This is why down through the years Bridge clubs always topped my list of recreational activity. But those days are gone, along with all my old buddies who have ascended to that big card table in the sky. Bridge, itself, was dying out because it tended to be an "old people's game" but it is making a come back, and I go on line and play it every day with computerized robots. And if ever anything cast doubt on the reliability of "Artificial Intelligence", it's the game of Bridge. Robots make terrible Bridge players! They lack human instinct and are unable to establish rapport with their partner or to observe their opponents style of play and sense whether a queen-ace finesse will work. So my fascination with this game continues but, of course, the day will come when instead of bidding, I will pass...

@Pioneer1, I have much respect for your raw views (even if I don't agree with some of them and even when I'm offended by some of them) on this and other discussions. Your responses are truly thought-provoking. Thank you. @Chevdoveyour observations are on point. I, too, have seen lots of 'promo' for LGBTQ, BlPOC, and even with specific content requests. IDK, but what I can attest to is the challenge of marketing/promoting with impact (which is a whole other discussion) Haha… @Troy I was one of those (in your own words) ‘narrow-minded’ sistas who self-published on am*zon, but it was solely because, when researching how to self-publish, the resources listed included only the well-known sites. I can't recall how I found AALBC, but I'm delighted that I did - you do better when you know better. (Wink) To give input into my thoughts of the 35% fewer books published by black authors in 2022 than in 2021 and almost 50% fewer than the peak published in 2015, TTTGA (that thing that’s going around) played tricks with many our minds in that many of us spent the last few years so worried about our mental well-being, physical well-being, and overall spirit that, for me, I could not settle down - fearing that depression, restlessness and pity parties would rule the day. Safe to assume that 2019 - 2021, at least, remained consistent, or, at least, not much of a decline? Sh&@! by 2022, I was still recovering from the mental burnout of TTTGA, and yeah, I admit that it handled me a little as I witnessed what was happening around me, and I’m not one to be handled (I much prefer to be loved for the beautiful mess I am). Don’t get me wrong, the downtime kept me ‘still’ and allowed for some great self-reflection which included working on book IV, which, by the way, thanks to aalbc, I’ve printed copies via BCP digital, and self-distributing, temporarily, that is, until I list on aalbc, but the down time didn’t sustain my attention until mid-2022. The impact of TTTGA is not an excuse, but, in fact, a ‘whole event’ (whether a conspiracy or reality or our imagination) that influenced heavy adverse outcomes. BUT, what remains consistent is the resilience of my people - We still stand, we still have lots to say, and we will see an increase in black author publications!, again! Just look at me - ‘I wrote you 37 letters’ published in December 2022!!! Not sure if my December 2022 publication had much impact on the stats, but I'm baaaaack!

we incur this as a consequence of living here. I’m not really aware of a place you can go to fully escape it. I disagree because, and this should be obvious, not every white personal is trying to demasculate me or anyone else. You’ll make yourself crazy finding boogie men everywhere. ****** A girl, Joy Rose Johnson. Engaged.

@GregSMH You are so dense and dumb - the total captive of your one-track mind. The "superior race" headline is a play-on-words pun referring to a sporting event (race) which because the members of one team ran faster than its opponents, their team proved to be the best (superior) one by coming in first. Your stupidity apparently extends to your eyesight, making you unable to see that 2 of the runners on the team that won the race were "white". Once again your lack of critical thinkin skills makes you mentally inferior and just plain stupid.

I claim it all, with neither shame nor judgement.

Field & Track Women—Hairstyles I just want to reflect on something else today because I am weary of all of depressing media hype about mass shootings and killing Black people. So, I want to share something about spectator about spectator sports, and something that I like to watch that inspires me to be active and set goals for getting better physical, mental and emotional health. The competition has begun! A few days ago, the recent track and field meets have showed up on my channel and I am amazed at these awesome and powerful beauties. And at first glance, it may not seem to be the main focus, however recently, what seems obvious to me would be the significant differences in the hairstyles displayed of some of the top Black female athletes from the recent past. Is this a brief trend? In the past few widely internationally broadcasted events, some athletes on the starting lineup were pictured with flamboyant and brightly colored or long, blonde, and bone-straight hairstyles. Obviously, it was done so to make a statement just as in the past some athletes donned unique and ‘signature’ uniforms and I am reminded of the late and incredible Flo Jo. But so far, in the few competitions that have occurred recently no one has started the line up as in the past events. My all-time favorite Track and field Olympian, Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce, whose other devotion, her hair salon back in Jamaica, stepped out recently with on the field with a lovely dark and braided hairstyle. Shelley-Ann Frase-Pryce No matter though, she looks adorable and so elegant in whatever style she has worn, IMO. Another ‘new’ world favorite athlete, Elaine Thompson-Herah has seemingly burst onto the world scene out of nowhere and now has become a household name for many. She steps onto the field with the most lovely and classy type hairstyles recently but, for me it’s her glow and her smile that shows her beauty. Elaine Thompson-Herah And to my surprise, our own American athlete stepped out with a beautiful appearance, Sha’Carri Richardson. She already wins hands down on being a beauty anyway though, but she also came back on the field with a blast. Richardson came in second behind Thompson-Herah in one of her races. Sha'Carri Richardson These recent and awesome women of the track and field today, have inspired me to contemplate and do more research history about how Black African women have had to deal with so much controversy over our hair. And what new stories I have found! But as for now, due to so much talent today and the new winners, it gives me great inspiration to add some more new favorites to my list and to share. Some of these athletes have consistently dominated their race so well, that it can be expected that they will be celebrated for a long time. Like Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce who has become a legend of all times, however, there are some new wonders. Of course, my other all-time past favorite also competed recently, Allyson Felix, and it was said that this would be her last time. But now, there are a few more lovely superwomen to cheer on such as that pretty girl, Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, the lovely Swiss’ Mujinga Kambundji, Jamaica’s doll Shericka Jackson, our lovely New Jersey lady Athing Mu and the smart beauty who just dominated her race, Gabby Thomas and more. Ironically for me too, would be that although the past hairstyles have been eye-catching, what seems more amazing would be the age of some of these athletes who have dominated and won the foot race. This has given me the most inspiration to believe that I can get up and do something healthier to combat my health problems today. In my middle age though, I sometimes look back in time when I was younger and imagine myself sprinting that fast, but at the end of my dream I always have this re-occurring imagery of me coming through the finish line with a complete horrendous falling to the ground with a horrible horse-like uncontrollable breathing and inevitably ankle-rolling into a blundering crash with my arms flinging wildly and hitting the ground first with one knee and then enduring a complete earth-smacking, elbow-knee roll, covering a large area before finally coming to a miserable end. This fear sort of reminds me of a time when, as a gymnast, my coach believed that I was a sprinter and so, she one day abruptly surprised me and moved the springboard far away from the horse and told me to sprint into my vault. I panicked. I was so angry at her and imagined that I was going to crash into that horse and kill myself. I pulled if off successfully to my shock and surprise. But now, I have also considered being inspired by an older group of athletes who run the marathon too. Nevertheless, the older track and field stars deserves the glory that they have earned! Allyson Felix not only gave birth, but she stepped onto the field at the age of 36. And incredibly all of the women trailed far behind the Jamaican wonder Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce who stepped up to the challenge at the age of 35 and after she also gave birth recently. But now, I have a new favorite that stepped onto the field at the age of 29 and some sports experts believe that she stands to improve her time. This amazing PEARL recently came in close behind her American teammate, Sha’Carri Richardson and in another recent race, she stayed in second place behind Fraser-Pryce until the last moment, Jenna Frandini. When I think about this beauty, I think about Delano who also has some pearls in his life. Jenna Frandini replaced Richardson in the Tokyo 4X 100m relay and led our U.S. team to claim the silver. Recently, Frandini clocked in at 10.75 in a 100m race. It’s impossible not to watch her run over and over and over again and not spring up as she approaches the finish line. Like Elaine Thompson-Herah, it seems as if Jenna Frandini might become another household name. So I would love to share some brief clips and videos of my inspirations. At 35, Jamaica's Fraser-Pryce holds off deep field of Americans in Prefontaine 200m | NBC Sports 210,578 views May 28, 2022 https://youtu.be/nfbJeOCU0pc 2015 Beijing Olympics—Allyson Felix, Jenna Frandini, Jasmine Todd and English Gardner take the Silver! Jenna Frandini & Gabby Thomas in the Tokyo 4x 100 relay—Silver June 4, 2022 – Jenna Frandini Jenna Frandini 2015 100m Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Still Dominating At 35-Years-Old

@KENNETH Abortion has always been a luke warm issue in the black community because an unplanned pregnancy that results in bringing a baby into an unstable environment is something that dates back to slavery days, and is an experience imprinted on the black psyche, which instinctively adjusts to adverse situations. So having a baby is something many black females just take in their stride... Society doesn't seem to care about this. Nor is there any concern emanating from the conservative ranks of latter day slave masters masquerading as pro-lifers about the plight of such children. There is, however, a tendency among certain blacks to be lax in critical thinking when it comes to this issue. The situation isn't exclusively about abortion; it's about control. Those with the authority to make a woman have a baby, can also force her to not have a baby. The only person who has the right to exercise control over a woman's body is the woman, herself! Black people should be very leery about laws that intrude on an individual's personal choices. These insidious bans can be a gateway to enforcing other restrictions.

Regardless of how the media tried to criminalize the victim, George Floyd did not deserve to be murdered. While George Floyd may not have set out to become a martyr, his murder put a bullseye on American police brutality. In fact, I think George Floyd's execution date should be another federal holiday to commemorate all of our brothas and sistas wrongfully murdered by race soldiers.

True - but it helps folks like us to not carry them. They need to be left in their hell...they don't need us to remain there with them. (Aside: Someone killed my loved one and I forgave him on day one. And when I look back I think about my loved one and all the beauty he brought into the world)

The left is not hurting black people and the political right is not helping us. Most black people are moderate or reform minded in their politics they don't go for socialism or anything radical. The problem is conservatives wrongly conflate moderate and liberal black Democratic politicians with leftists. This is only a tactic to scare and discourage people whether it's blacks or working class whites from supporting any kind of forward thinking political reform that might lead to a fair economy that benefits us all with equal rights and opportunities for all. Make no mistake about it the agenda of the political right whether it's white people or blacks is to insure a stable, orderly, society built on tradition that is skeptical and generally opposed to change. A society like that especially in the US has never been or can it be conducive to the economic, social, and political wellbeing of black people. We don't benefit from unregulated capitalism, a government that is unresponsive to social problems, or using the state to impose so called traditional values. All these things are advocated by the political right. Does any of this mean that black people should be passive or uncritical supporters of the left or moderate to liberal Democrats ? Absolutely not. We must think, organize, and challenge anything or anyone who does not offer a plan or platform that advances our struggle against systemic racism which also encompasses economic inequality.

At this juncture in black history, i find the questions "what types of leaders do back people need?" a rhetorical one, not rising to the level of seriousness, Sorry, Del. America is the origin of the "rugged individualism" ideal, as I'm sure you know. Which begs the question, who leads the white masses? The Asian ones? The Hispanic ones??? Why do black people need leaders?? Why must they be on an eternal quest for a captivating man on a white horse to lead them?. Why, among blacks, is there always a yearning for a savior? if Jesus can't get the job done, then who can? When are America's step children going to grow up and become independent? When are they going to realize that when they do unite. it becomes a matter of misery loving company and never reaps permanent results, done in by the egos of mortal men and the seductive corruption of power. Prominent figures are, of course, worthy of being respected and appreciated but I find myself raising an eyebrow at the idea of Miles Davis, in particular, being a black leader. This ill-tempered, wife-beating, heroin addict may have been a great trumpet player who took jazz to another level but that wasn't enough to land it in the mass popularity zone. Yes, he played by his own rules and defied white convention but he died of sickle cell anemia, being nursed by a rich white female patron. A dubious role model. Barack Obama achieved the epitome of leadership but never commanded the unanimous approval of black folks because they are multi-faceted and are not of one mind, black men being among his harshist critics, accused by some of being driven by jealousy. Many older blacks remain mired in the slavery mentality that keeps them congregated in churches, praying for a Moses to lead them to the promised land. But upcoming generations pay homage to the almighty dollar that this Capitalistic society promises to those who learn how to "play the game". The black diaspora grows more diversified by the year, and the idea that individuals can command the loyalty of this multitude of non whites is wishful thinking. The answer to the perennial question about "what black folks need to do" is: Aspire to live your best life and, along the way, each one teach one. But always keep in mind that - the Universe doesn't give a damn about you.

@Mel Hopkins I miss you, too! @ChevdoveGlad you still show up occasionally to disperse the pollution @Troy i'm glad you haven't lost patience with me when it comes to my squaring off with my female antagonists. @Del and ProfD. i appreciate your two having the broad minds to keep things in perspective. 'Hope my reappearance annoys the right wing lackeys who slither around this forum.

(bad link removed) Throughout the history of the internet, Messageboards have been one of the foundational tools people have used to connect with like-minded individuals on the web from all over the world. They have stood the test time, predating the AOL Craze, Myspace, and lasting into what we know as the current generation of Social Media with Powerhouses like Facebook and Twitter. The ability for Online-Forums to last so long is the need for people to have meaningful discussions with a form of depth and anonymity that other forms of Social Media cannot not provide. While the heydey of forums can be considered to be over, the continual prominence of several large messageboard that cover all niches of life speak to their importance even in today’s climate. One of the world’s largest and most active websites ‘Reddit’ is a Messageboard. Several prominent forums like Boxden, BlackHairCair, and Kanyetothe.com, have thousands of active members who readily contribute often controversial opinions to different takes on Social Events in Urban Culture. Forum’s still have a unique ability to unite groups of people and provide a depth of information and discussion not often found on certain subjects. One thing that is lacking, are large and prominent Black-Owned Forums. It is even quite hard to find a time in the history of the internet when a true black forum could be considered one of the Top even in the niche of Black Websites. If we take a look at the largest ‘Urban’ (and I call it this instead of ‘Black’ sites for a reason) like the ones mentioned in the previous paragraph, and add in a few others like Lipstick Alley, The Coli, and Topix African-American Forum, we can go as far as to say that the majority of these sites are owned by non-black entities. That’s why we want to provide a list of the best True Black Forums on the internet, ones that are really Black-Owned, and that facilitate positive discussions and representations of the Black Community Honorable Mention – The Black Board Community Forum (bad link removed) bad link removed Did you think we wouldn’t mention ourselves? The newest forum out of all the ones mentioned, it could be argued that it deserves a place near the top of this list. But to be fair-and-balanced (since we are writing this article after all) we will leave it off the official standings. The Black Board opened in early 2016 and has already established itself quickly as one of the best places on the internet where Black People can discuss a variety of issues under a Black-Owned Umbrella. The Black Board focuses on general discussion on News and Social Issues, and also on everyday experiences in Life. The owner of the website is active in the local and national Black Activism community and partners with a variety of other Black Websites and Media Content Creators. They also have a great form of community currency that encourages interactions. # 5: Black Visions (bad link removed) bad link removed Black Visions is one of the oldest sites on this list. They describe themselves as “ your go-to place to experience news, information, entertainment, and political discussion with black people from all around the globe. Post your thoughts on a modern, efficient bulletin board software system, with a full suite of text editing, emotes, pictures, and videos. Connect with your black brothers and sisters everywhere at any time, with our message board.” Black Visions focuses on more serious discussions, often on political topics. They also feature a system of closed membership that vets potential members. This allows them to closely control the quality of discussions and enforce anti-Black trolling. 4: Cocoa Lounge ((bad link removed)) (bad link removed) The Cocoa Lounge is a O.G. on this list. Around for over a decade, it has managed to remain at the forefront of Black Forums and maintain, while many other sites have come and gone. The Cocoa Lounge specializes in discussions that involve Black Literature, Poetry, Spirituality, Current Events, and Celebrities. While not as active as some of the other sites on this list it has years of an incredible backlog of great discussions due to it being a mainstay for such a long time. The Cocoa Lounge has more than earned it’s spot in this conversation. 3: SomaliSpot.com (www.somalispot.com) somalispot.com SomaliSpot is technically the newest forum officially on this list, but they are by far the most active. They broke out of long established messageboard SomaliNet just a few years ago and already have appeared to supplant that site as the Premiere discussion forum for the Somali People on the internet. A general discussion board that focuses on conversations going on in Somali Culture, the site as already proven to have a influential reach, with discussions there going viral and even spilling over into News Stories that effect real life situations, going as far as Elected Public Officials. This site also may be the most controversial on here as well because of some of these situations, but there is no denying SomaliSpot and it’s Owner appear to have etched their mark in The Online World of The Somali People in a short time, which deserves respect on it’s own. 2: AALBC (https://aalbc.com/) aalbc.com AALBC is unique in this list because they specifically focus on African-American Books & Literature. This also gives them their strength, as you will be hard pressed to find a forum with more mature discussions from a Black userbase on the internet. Also focusing on Cultural and Racial Discussions, AALBC puts a spotlight on journalists and writers in the Black Community, with a dedicated owner who is respected in the field and also covers events that he features on the site. AALBC is about educating and networking, and the importance of that work in the Black Community gives them their well-deserved spot as #2 on this list. 1: Destee (www.destee.com) destee.com The Granddaddy (Grandmother) of all Black Forums, past or present, on the internet. There was absolutely no question that Destee would perch itself at the very top of this list. Around for almost 20 years, Destee.com is the trailblazer for all Black Forums on the web. The namesake of the forum’s owner (Sister Destee, one the most respected Black figures online) Destee is the number one place on the web for no-nonsense, 100% pro-black, discussions. The greatness of Destee lies not just in it’s ability to stand the test of time, but also by without hesitation eliminating any negative conversations or members that wish to harm the black community. Although heavily moderated, and not as active as other sites on this list, Destee has more than earned it’s spot as the leader of Black Forums, period. We look forward to 20 more years of seeing Destee remain one of the Best Places online Period for Black People!

@Pioneer1 are you still out there? It is not the same around here without your incorrigible self Please don’t tell us you got Covid… It was almost like good old days a few weeks ago with @ProfD joining and @Cynique making a surprise appearance., of course @Delano and @Mzuri and others coming to make things interesting…

With NYC Central Park Condos going for nearly $10 million, imagine how much Seneca Village would be worth today? Descendants of the Lyons family may know the dollar amount but they probably will never see a penny. I shared this NYT article from my account it should be open to read. Their Land Became Part of Central Park. They’re Coming Back in a Monument. A new sculpture will honor the Lyons family, black activists and property owners who once lived in Seneca Village, a community destroyed by the creation of the park. A double ambrotype portrait of Albro and Mary Joseph Lyons. The city is planning a monument depicting them, along with their daughter Maritcha, in Central Park.Credit...Smith Collection/Gado, via Getty Images Also, check out the book Black Gotham |A Family History of African Americans in Nineteenth-Century New York City  by Carla L. Peterson, "an academic who wrote a book on investigating her own family history. Dr. Peterson is a great-grand-niece of Maritcha Lyons."

Who would ever think that people in Lake Tahoe and California would be devastated by the raging fires that seem to be unstoppable? It is reported that at least 15,000 fire fighters are working day and night to extinguish the deadly Caldor fire. There is no question that these brave fire fighters must have gas mask to protect themselves from smoke inhalation. But how many people know including these fire fighters that a Black inventor invented the gas mask which operates according to the same principles as the gas mask use today. This inventor's name is Garrett Morgan. He invented the gas mask during his day it was known as a smoke helmet to fight fires. The purpose of the helmet was to allow the wearer to enter a room filled with noxious gas, fumes, or smoke for the purpose of saving human life and property. And this is the same purpose of gas mask use today by fire fighters. Today’s gas mask is known as an air-purifying respirator which is standard equipment used around the globe. So the similarities between today's gas mask and Morgan's smoke helmet match. Morgan discovered that no matter how dense an environment is pure air is always located near the floor or ground. Given this fact, Morgan’s gas mask was engineered to access pure air from the ground or floor. The ability to breathe pure air in a noxious gas environment whether through accessibility or purification the goals are exact. Not to mention the saving of human lives. The gas mask is the largest prevention of deaths when attempting to extinguish a fire. Some 50–80% of fire deaths are the result of smoke inhalation injuries, including burns to the respiratory system. It is safe to say that Morgan's smoke helmet which fire stations have modeled the principles of its operation, is responsible for saving thousands of lives. With the raging fires in Nevada and California I haven’t heard of any report extending credit for Garrett Morgan’s gas mask. The safety and welfare of our society humbling given through a safety device by a Black inventor has been repeatedly ignored. This lack of consideration is a reflection of the past. Garrett Morgan was directly involved with saving lives of underground workers after an underground explosion in Cleveland, Ohio. The mayor at that time at an awards ceremony did not even recognize Morgan for his outstanding achievement of bravery along with major newspapers. The lesson to be learned is that we should always give reverence to those who are in some way instrumental with the saving of human lives. If not, this heartless action adds doubt to our humanity. By Herbert Addison Burns Reference Sources Citizen Advocate, “A Great Hero Rewarded”, 1916 NY Times, ”To Save Lake Tahoe, They Spared No Expense” 2021

Hey Del, I should've known you'd be interested in hearing about my weird paranormal experiences! We always were kinda on the same wave length. So, i will share some of them with you because YOU will possibly not think i am crazy. What i would initially say about these surreal episodes is that they are what i imagine it would be like to take LSD or maybe magic mushrooms because they are, for want of a better word, "psychedelic". I have also considered that they could be side-effects of the blood pressure medication i take or - signs of early dementia, considering my advanced age. Whatever. These "post-midnight-witching-hour" interludes have been going on for about 10 years. In fact, I have mentioned them before back when my alter ego Cynique was a regular contributor to this board. But they have increased with time and fallen into a kind of pattern which i suspect might be tied in with the phases of the moon. Anyhow, the most unsettling ones are those where i see huddled shadowy dark figures in my peripheral vision when i am stretched out, relaxing on my recliner, which has become my permanent replacement for a bed because its cushiony features and adjustable positions enhance my comfort and easily induce sleep. Yes, my recliner has become my best friend and that's a story unto itself.. (Some times when i do go out and socialize with my family or the few living friends i have left, the thing that gets me through a hectic or boring gathering is the thought that my recliner is waiting to welcome me into the relief of its arms when i return home!} But, I digress. As i was saying, the shadowy figures i see out of the corner of my eye disappear when i turn to gaze directly at them, seeming to be an example of some kind of quantum theory phenomenon. These dark figures are sinister but on other occasions there are colorful animated activities going on involving people or animals or objects, all of which vanish when when i turn to check them out head on. These "hallucinations" are usually accompanied by the sound of what can be compared to birds singing. Other times i shift into a dimension where all the objects in my bedroom are vibrating as i view them with something akin to x-ray vision! For instance: looking at the photographs on top of my TV can really be scary because images are jumping out at me from their frames, appearing to be more like skulls than faces. Then, there's the world that exists behind my eyelids when i close them and instead of blank blackness, i am surrounded by an entirely different vivid environment, sometimes a beautiful garden or a lively crowd scene. Unfamiliar people also appear before me and when i reach out to touch them, they disappear. Then. there are the phantom smells, usually of food, and the recurring dreams about dead family members and friends or ones where i am always trying to find my way out of a large factory building with no exit. Frequently someone seems to be grabbing my hand or shaking my feet while I'm dozing. Lastly there's the grand finale when the recliner jolts slightly and the next thing i know a tingling sensation is creeping through out my body from my toes to my neck almost as if this mysterious recliner has morphed into a lover\incubus. What i have described here is not constant but brief sporadic incidents that happen to me on a monthly basis. More often there are nights within the walls of my bedroom when everything is perfectly normal, allowing me to watch TV or scroll through my Android smart phone (and argue with conspiracy theory nut cases or "like" other peoples' comments and memes on Face Book or watch YouTube videos...and occasionally check out this site. One would think that i would be grateful to have so many fascinating occurrences going on in my sheltered little world. But i prefer solitude and tranquility and i am weary of this out-of-sync bizarre world, feeling as though i've out-lived my time here. It's like Humanity's chickens are coming home to roost and the final result will be an implosion that will be a prelude to the end of Life as we know it. Speaking of which, i am curious as to why when i go out to gaze at the night sky, there are no stars visible anymore. Do you see any in Australia? Also my cat and my dog seem uncharacteristically drawn to me, wanting to rub up against my legs and mew and whimper and make eye contact with me. Strange. Well, ol buddy, you asked for it. And you got it! Thanks for letting me unload all of this. Verbalizing my abstract experiences has provided me with a certain degree of perspective. I'd be interested in your feedback or that of anybody else who has an explanation for my surreal experiences, other than the conclusion that i am insane.

Those who have rarely been the target of organized police gangsterism are once again lecturing those who have about how best to respond to it. Be peaceful, they implore, as protesters rise up in Minneapolis and across the country in response to the killing of George Floyd. This, coming from the same people who melted down when Colin Kaepernick took a knee — a decidedly peaceful type of protest. Because apparently, when white folks say, “protest peacefully,” we mean “stop protesting.” Read the entire article by Tim Wise. https://medium.com/@timjwise/violence-never-works-really-e0af884c03b4

We are all aware of the mainstream media's negative narrative about black men. We are constantly bombarded with stories of high incarceration rates, black on black violence, deadbeat dads and of course police brutality. From the outside looking in it appears that black men are destined for failure and there is nothing that can be done to change the implied negative trajectory that black men are on. But is the media's narrative true? Are black men really an endangered species? I believe the answer is an emphatic no and I have made it my life's to work to support and empower black men to overcome the negative stereotypes and to create extraordinary lives. In order for black men to succeed the first thing they must do is understand how societal conditioning contributes to creating a negative mindset and attitude about what it means to be a black man. Too many black men feel hopeless and powerless as a result of the constant barrage of negative images and stories coming not only from the white biased media but also from the black media that definitely contributes to the negative narratives about what it means to be black. So what can be done to support black men in overcoming the multiplicity of challenges they face on a daily basis? How can we help change the mindset of black men and empower them to know they have unlimited potential and the future is extremely bright for those who are willing to put forth the effort? I believe the key to resolving a large percentage of challenges facing black them is to support them in changing their own inner narrative about themselves. The good book says; "be ye not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Herein lies the key to transforming black men's lives. We must be willing to encourage black men to examine the internal negative beliefs and perceptions they have about themselves. We must engage them in a dialog about what they believe, how they feel and what they think about being black. Too many times their inner dialog about themselves is so negative they have no choice other than to act out that negative internal dialog. Therefore it is incumbent upon us to change their inner dialog by providing resources that support them in changing their negative mindset and attitude. This can be accomplished through things like workshops and seminars, reading books, listening to audio programs and creating support groups that provide safe spaces for them to speak openly about the highs and lows, joys and pain of being a black man. When we help them change their inner dialog about themselves it will give them a sense of optimism and hope for the future which will then encourage them to develop a positive mindset and attitude that will keep them from falling victim to negative media generated narratives about who they are. It is definitely possible for any black man to live an extraordinary life. We are all capable of creating inner peace, dynamic health, great relationships and financial abundance. To do so, a black man must be willing to take 100% responsibility for his life turning out the way he wants it to. The only way to do this is through changing his inner narrative about himself and recognizing that he has the capacity to do anything he sets his mind to.

i don't know what Mel's response to Pioneer will be when it comes to her ex-husband, but she sure got it right in her assessment of that loud mouth hypocrite Ali, whose choices of women were always examples of those consistent with western standards, - always bragging about them having long pretty hair which was anything but kinky. He also regularly referred to joe Fraizer as a monkey. In his heyday he was typical of misogynisitic chauvinistic men of islam, expecting their women to be totally subservient and obedient to their dumb asses, but in his final years, Ali was a helpless cripple at the mercy of his controlling manipulative 4th wife. Poetic justice. Always the defender of Islam and its shady leaders, one can't help but wonder why Pioneer never became a Black Muslim. They exemplify everything he believes in.

Thank you for posting. I believe tat it's fine to attack and idea but not the person. I have been guilty of that more than once. I publicly apologised and felt quite contrite. It's great to be passionate however when it becomes aggressive, that's problematic. I don't think unity is possible amongst Black people. And I have used the dynamics that play out here as an example. I have been angered and saddened by the vindictiveness of of statements made to make a point. The Dove is an appropriate moniker. I have said you are so nice that I can't argue with you. I have also tried to change my debating style. Some perceptions of me are so ridiculous that I don't respond. And recently there seems to be an agitation or irritation that members display. Usually it towards one person. I want to do less of that venomous personal attack. It creates a negative vibe. At times I have found it so frustrating that I have gone on hiatus, or have not responded to statements.

Well, certain of you conveniently ignore what i said about the book written about King by his closest confidante, the Reverend Ralph Abernathy, in which many of the rumors were confirmed. i, myself, saw a play about 10 years ago based on King's affair with a young women, which if it hadn't been accurate could've been the subject of a suit by his heirs. And it never was. I don't profess to know about any homosexual activity. When you seek the truth, it is not always what we want to hear, especially if it is about our heroes. Pioneer also seems to completely disregard how JFK's involvement with Marilyn Monroe was sensationalized, to the extent of even advancing the idea that that he was involved in her death, which his accusers say was murder, not suicide. As for King, as far as i am concerned, his greatest asset was that he was not self-aggrandizing. it was never about him when it came to the movement, it was about his urging black folks to keep their eyes on the prize. Or did he originally seek leadership. He was chosen for it because of the obvious qualifications he displayed as a relatively unknown preacher. What he did in private was not something i was ever eager to cast stones about. Since his wife seemed OK with it, and he was doing a good job of advancing the black cause, i gave him a pass. His legacy speaks for itself because it involves his being instrumental in the passage of civil rights legislation. Some historians say that had he not been assassinated, his star would've faded as the days of civil disobedience fell from favor. As it was, his death made him a martyr. The same with Malcom X. So be it. About the term, "illegitimate", it had to originate somewhere, and it makes sense that that place was in courts of law where it is routinely used.

@Troy, I didn't agree with everything you wrote in the full comment where I pulled this quote from but I put a "like" on it because it was thoughtful. As for the quote, I hear a lot of people say and write this sentiment. I wonder, however, why some believe that it's up to someone outside of us to provide for OUR emotional and physical needs. Biologically, I understand the need to procreate with more than one person - women have been doing it since females began mating with males... but sex for pleasure has nothing to do with variety... (and no, I'm not speaking from ignorance - I've had my fair share of sex partners and lovers). And variety definitely has nothing to do with satisfying an individual's emotional needs. When I hear this, I know that the person has not matured to the level necessary to engage in a fulfilling relationship with another person. Our parents choose to provide for our physical and emotional needs and if they do their job right - we learn how to engage in loving relationships with others. We can have successful relationships without expecting others to do the job of our parents. Maybe that's why polyandry, polygamy, and polyamory appeal to so many "first world" citizens. We've been raised to believe others are supposed to do our heavy lifting whether it be physical, emotional, financial or spiritual. I can testify while we may thrive in a nurturing community - the aforementioned is an inside job.

K2 I've deleted a portion of your comment for the reason previously discussed. Again the rule applies only to this to this conversation. Cynique makes a good point if the barbs witty and clever AND written in jest it is all good -- indeed desirable. And the fact she stopped reading the posts was what I was afraid of happening. If she is not reading them why would someone, who is new, read them? @Chevdove, waded through the morass and made some excellent contributions only to inquire why did the conversation go south? Her question was part of the motivation for this discussion Mel, K2 as far as a vote down button. I'm sure that would not have any effect. Indeed Pioneer does not even use the like feature. Generally, if I disagree with something I express that disagreement with words. But I'll check to see if the software has a dislike or down vote options. You can currently block a posters comments, allowing you to completely ignore another poster. That approach is pretty heavy handed, but it has been used by some. Well, I look forward to more comments.

My apologies @Mel HopkinsBeing insulting or condescending is no way to have a discussion or even an argument. Mea Culpa

You all bring so much passion and fire to your posts! I appreciate ALL of your words and look forward to seeing many more thought provoking posts such as the ones I've read. I really do mean it when I say I appreciate ALL thoughts, not just some. Watching the opposition between ideas sharpens me and makes me even more desirous to fall back and detach from views that could be debated all day long. Bottom line, 99% of what we know we get from methods we cannot personally confirm. It's a sad truth. But it is what it is. I lay wait like a lion in the bushes for new information to guide us to truths. Stay lively and keep bringing the fire! Thanks for having me here!

@Mel Hopkins Yes!!! I have had far too many "coincidences" for it to be only a coincidence when I tap into folks. I dreamed a rather frightening dream 12 years ago. I have found that I tap into numerous aspects of my abilities, in dreams, clairvoyance, clairaudience, telepathy, etc. In the dream, I was losing my teeth. I learned from my grandmother about what this dream means, but never took much stock in it. I figured it was foolishness, old wives' tales, whatever. So I went about my life not thinking about such nonsense. Typically in the dream, one tooth falls out. In my dream, all my teeth were coming out. This was strange to me given that at 50 years old, I've never had a cavity. Ever. I was terrified and woke in a frenzy. Given that I've had other strange occurrences, some dream related some not, which i always shared after an incident happened, I decided this time I would tell someone about it in advance. I called up a friend and told him about the dream. I then sent myself an email, typing out the entire dream. Although I wasn't fully on board, it was unnerving this time around because it was the third time I dreamed of teeth coming out and someone died shortly after. So by this third dream, I was virtually converted. The first two dreams, only a single tooth came out. This was on a Sunday. My father called me on Wednesday to tell me that my 16 year old sister, with no illness, no previous medical conditions, collapsed during outdoor gym and died on the spot. Throughout my life, I've had numerous things like that happen. I would say something to someone and they would tell me they were just thinking that. Knowing who was calling when my phone rang...before caller ID. Now, with caller ID, sometimes knowing who I will soon get a call from. Thinking about someone heavily for a day or two, someone whom I hadn't spoken to in over a year, then they call me. My lover saying something that I was thinking, but we'd never discussed. So many stories. Too many. I agree on how THE ONE MIND expands and how we seek peace. THAT is the crux of how I see it, at the end of it all. When we return to one mind, seeing each other's thoughts, we return to peace. Nothing in me panics when I imagine sharing one thought with numerous people, or not so much a single thought, but a connection to all thoughts. In Deep Space Nine, there is a being called a Changeling. This Changeling comes from what could be called a sea, or ocean. The ocean is all the Changelings together in their original form, knowing every thought and experience of every Changeling that has gone into the world to form as a "solid" to experience what it is like to be a bird, or human, or object. That is how I view The ONE. The Changelings individuate to learn, then come together to share and be at peace.

Looks like twins, Mel and Del, will have to broadened the kinship between them that I recognized earlier. I am now about to induct zaji into your family and declare the 3 of you to be triplets. Your souls are not strangers. And, to my eyes, all of your words resonate with a familiarity of unknown origin. And check out Troy! Expounding with the expertise honed by his technological background, grooving on the same new age wave length with us, sharing some deep thoughts!

There are so many............ These aren't in any particular order of importance and I'm sure there are some that SHOULD be included in the top 10 that I'm not thinking of right now but here are 10 just off the top: Message To The Black Man (The Honorable Elijah Muhammad) Up From Slavery (Booker T. Washington) The Phantom Tollbooth Black Labor White Wealth (Claud Anderson) Mein Kampf (Adolph Hitler) The Bible The Autobiography of Malcolm X (Alex Haily) Think and Grow Rich (Napoleon Hill) Time Machine (H.G. Wells) Life After Life (Dr Raymond Moody) It's been years since I've read them and I don't have the best memory in the world to remember every detail of them, but I do remember how much I got caught up reading these book and just thinking about them still brings comfort to this day.

Thank you @Troy for your thoughtful words. I appreciate that we can all have slightly varying opinions yet stay respectful. I've worked with children aging out of foster care so can appreciate @Mel Hopkins work with at-risk children. I can also appreciate the wisdom and life experience of our elders and retirees such as @Cynique. And much appreciation for @Delano and "keeping it reel." Wishing you all a great day!

@Cynique who knows maybe Nubianfellow has it point. Maybe it's the black woman's hair that is the key to black people's success.. My friends call my family the hair bear bunch because we have very long hair that grows from our roots... (see my profile pic - yep that's mine) So, maybe because we don't have weaves it allows us to communicate with directly to the Universe from which all our blessings flow you know god gave it to us for a reason. ...And it makes us super smart so we don't have ever worry about being in the bottom 20% of those poverty-stricken folks. We don't need weaves, because we love showing off our beautiful locks, because, well who doesn't love our hair. By the way loving your hair, automatically translates into us loving ourselves because hair is the major key.. And, of course we attract men who are not deadbeat dads. Because of our flowing Rapunzel-like locks we attract the men who have the most money, best character and family adhesiveness ... As for the men who feel it's ok to lie down create babies and flee the scene. Well, we all know they got that way because of some weave-wearing black woman - who didn't cheer them on when they did something you know, mediocre.... I just can't.

Best Wishes,Respect For All The Black -Mothers,Grandmothers,Aunts, On Mothers Day..It Has Been -Said That Black Women .Are The Strength Of,The Black -Community...Extra Respect For Black Mothers Raising Children -Alone And For Black .Mothers Grieving Over their Sons --,Murdered By Nazi Terrorist Police And Street Gangs...I Think --,Cynique Is A Mother And Grandmother..A Perfect Song For -Black Mothers And Girls Is Black Pearl,By Sonny Charles -And,The Checkmates.....

It doesn't necessarily follow that monogamy leads to a happy home life. Being polygamous is not the same as cheating. I have known and met people who have open relationships. Otn one instance the adult child was more upset than the partner. What is moral, ethical and good is another debate. I also knew a couple where the woman was a leabian. However that was more of a business situation. Plus she did use sex as a weapon. But he didn't care. I also had a coworker that said certain sex acts her partner should see a prostitute. There's what works and what works for you. They are not always the same. Interesting. Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher had an open relationship. But it broke yp when he hid one his lovers. At that point he was cheating. Its not cheating if the other person knows about your lover.