Mel Hopkins

@Troy we're not divided. Black women are still holding down the fort. Subjugation, sexism, gender and racial discrimination et al. are all included in the fight against racism because oppression is the result of the global patriarchal structure that gave rise to the zero-sum economics we practice. It is the sole reason, according to historians, that the terms black vs. white entered the lexicon of the American economy. "divide" is the tool of the oppressor and it seems some fall for it every time... One would have to ask themselves, If black women are fighting a battle they believe is important and black men decide it isn't and walk away. That's not division - that's black men leaving black women to fight the battle. Black men left the fort. The one who stands their ground in a battle isn't the cause of division. But let's back-track a bit, Black women "be staying on the front lines" for every cause that affects all blacks in America." From the time of slavery in America to the present. For example, In Detroit, 1930, it was the Detroit Housewives League who made it possible for 70,000 jobs to open up for the black community. By the way, they weren't really housewives - because they said they couldn't afford to be but the organization founded by Fannie Peck called it that... “It was an attempt by African-American women to essentially try to expand the job market for all African Americans in Detroit by boosting the businesses, black-owned businesses, and pressuring white-owned businesses to hire African American workers,” Victoria Wolcott said. (in an interview with Michigan Radio talking about her book "Remaking Respectability: African-American Women in Interwar Detroit." They came up with the slogan "Don't buy where you can't work" "In 1935 they set a huge packing warehouse on fire protesting against high prices, and later joined thousands of Chicago housewives in a march that shut down the city’s entire meat industry. " Black Women continued to stay on the front lines... The Civil Rights movement was started by black women until they had to take a back seat to black men who for some reason thought to move them out of position. Many report that experiencing gender discrimination in the civil rights movement caused them to use their energy and expertise in the feminist movement in the 70s... However, that's not when Women's rights activism started here in America.. We have Isabella Baumfree's story that allows us to take a look back at the movement that was included in abolitionist's movement. Those pioneers realized early on - that they couldn't rid the U.S. of slavery without working to "free" women too. Not only did Isabella Baumfree (Sojourner Truth) free herself, give a speech " at the Ohio Women's Rights Convention - she later began recruiting black men to fight in the civil war... In the same year Beyonce' graced the cover of Time 100; "In 2014, Truth was included in Smithsonian magazine's list of the "100 Most Significant Americans of All Time" In the year Michael Brown was executed in the street black women started the Black Lives Matter" Movement against police brutality holding the law enforcement structure accountable...today we have police body cams, and even police officers being indicted for reckless behavior - some serve time some don't but this is the result of black women keeping their eye on racism - and black men's lives in society while they themselves, as black women, hover around the bottom rung. The only black man (half-black) man to assist in the plight of black women was President Barack Obama and for 8 years he passed laws and initiatives that directly raised the economic profile of black women. But I digress. We're still here doing what we've always have done. We're battling oppression. Still all our marching and rallying for equity and against racism in America has benefited black men economically. Black women are still at the bottom of the economic ladder while continuing to be the cornerstone of our communities and political landscape. So while you may not see feminism as important - it is. Especially if black women only have themselves to count on when it comes to fighting battles that directly affect their sovereignty. Nope. There's no division. Any number divided by itself is one.

Who's using whom is the question... or is it a collaboration on a level most black people aren't privy to... But first, I'd say anyone who sells their labor is a slave. The industrial economy wage system, according to some was built on the slave-master model. In this discussion, Janet Mock is closest to describing the reality of the use of this image. ... One who uses their talent and image for gain is usually in a licensing agreement. You literally have to enter into a contract to use someone's image. The person licensing the image sets the terms and compensation. In this case, Beyonce licensed her image to benefit her product. Beyoncé Exclusive: Watch the Official Video for "Pretty Hurts" TIME Video Apr 24, 2014 Beyoncé graces the cover of this year's TIME 100 issue and she's made TIME.com the first official outlet to show her "Pretty Hurts" video. The latest clip from her fifth, self-titled studio album strives to explore the definition of pretty. Starting today, Beyoncé asks you to join the conversation. How do you define pretty? Upload a photo or video to Instagram tagged #WhatIsPretty that captures what the word means to you. Visit WhatIsPretty.com for additional details. From Rollingstone "Beyoncé is this year's Time 100 cover star and to celebrate the occasion, the news outlet has debuted the official video for "Pretty Hurts," the opening track to her surprise 2013 album, Beyoncé." To help promote the video and its body-positive message, Beyoncé and Time are also asking fans to upload photos or videos to Instagram with the tag #WhatIsPretty. You can find out more details on the WhatIsPretty website as well. " As I've mentioned before - NOTHING and I mean Nothing happens without Beyonce's approval and her calculated moves. She runs her empire and manages her brand. So if she decided to appear on TIME magazine in a two-piece bikini w/ coverup to promote her (at the time, secret album) and first "single" Pretty Hurts... It's seems she got a two-fer from Time. (An award while promoting her new release) Time-Warner owned Time, Inc. and still owns HBO. So I'm not surprised. Beyonce always releases her newest projects through that media giant - (Time was sold in June 2014 - a little bit after her album release and cover) In February 2016 - Beyonce tapped Warner Bros Exec to run her parkwood entertainment label...so there must a powerful deal between the two entities - One that her record label isn't in on. Now that's the real story! As for the body conscious outfit on Time, Inc. cover. I wasn't surprised. I mean what would one expect her to wear? She wears body conscious costumes during all her performances - it's her brand. Thinking she would appear out of costume is like asking Bootsy Collins not to wear skintight pants and platforms or Sir Nose D'void of funk not to look like Pinocchio (or vice versa) Beyonce dresses conservatively for interviews - but not magazine covers. That would be a rare cover. *** By the way, @Troy what does feminism mean to you? Feminism has several layers and means different things to different people. Some feminist are activists and do their best to remind men not to hog space. Some just want equal treatment/equal rights and equal pay. For others such as me, Feminism means you don't get to usurp my agency. You don't get to tell me how I should feel or behave AND definitely not what to do with my body I'm responsible for my actions and I don't ask permission. I decide my value and worth not someone outside of me. I tell you how much you'll pay me for what I offer. Sometimes I'll negotiate. Sometimes, I'll gift it but it's my choice. I'm the we stand together in a partnership or I walk alone type of feminist. Beyonce represents that brand of feminism partly and she's also subscribes to womanism (which the old school definition was very protective of black men in addition to black woman's agency). She reaches her publics by reminding them they are "unapologetically" women, in charge of their lives, firstly. She reminds them through her music they don't need permission to be great or even small. It's their choice and they should own it all. I'm surprised this isn't clear to everyone. But I guess they aren't paying attention to Beyonce's actions, her artistry or even music selection. Just looking at her as if she's making a spectacle of herself.

The best! I got quite a chuckle out of this invention. I carry a lot of stuff in my bag - and my family members always ask "can you fit anything else in that bag?" After watching this video, I thought if they asked me again, I'd say "Why yes, here's my desk"

@Troy, this inspiring post made me tear -up... #verkempt. I spotted it while reading your newsletter. I do my best to "press this" your newsletters but this morning I stopped to read to see what part I wanted to feature. I got to this story - and got so filled up. @Delano, is so right - your story needs to be told -in a way that's uniquely you. You are our modern-day true Griot.

According to this article, Yusef Williams, the celebrity hair stylist, was born and raised in Miami, FL , he looks African-American but I couldn't find ethnicity. Miles Aldridge, the fashion photographer, according to the internet, is British, He was born in London, England Yep! this is why the Nubians instructed students in the ancient School of Mysteries to "Know ThySelf" ... It's the most important educational undertaking in life.

Yes! That is exactly what I felt when I started typing...It was as if the information flowed to remind me of those dimensions we (you and I) wrote about in another thread.

@Pioneer1 That quote is from this thread "Have you experienced mental telepathy"... In fact,most of your comments in this thread are quite lucid and inspiring .. As for my Twin, @Delano and I share some of the same language symbols. It's like we belong to a tribe where the dialect, subtleties and colloquialisms are understood. I understood his reference points in the context of how he used "past", "future" in his divination. I understood these references as research and communication tools. I also wrote I use "past and future" for communication purposes but I don't believe they actually exist. Everything is in the "Now"

@Pioneer1 well yes he did know the "future" - and he predicted the time in 1 week accuracy and he prepared for it and prepared me for it too. But not in the way, that I could make sense of his babbling at the time - but when the time came his words made sense to me. My mom can also see the "future" and has altered outcomes by speaking it aloud. OMG... I just realized something by writing this lol - that's quantum mechanic principle! When you look at an atom you alter its behavior - when you claim the future you altered its behavior. Anyway - I don't believe in the future , past. I believe it's all happening in the now.

This comment would be perfect for "Why Black Men Cheat". I'm not saying you would @Troy but I've heard a lot of men gravitate towards women who praise their success and usually that woman' isn't the wife. I've made that mistake one too many times before I noticed the pattern. Now I just keep my opinion to myself - even though cheerleading is my default status lol. I think family see the ups and downs - so it's not as impressive to them as it would be an outsider. But yes Troy, soldier on - eyes are watching and you are inspiration.

@Cynique I went to Miles Aldridge website (Dude is fixated on boobs, a lot of color especially pubis hair string bikini lol) and Yusef's Instagram and saw what he did to Rihanna's hair for a shoot in Paris and I got such a tickle; I... all of ranting - and none of us included the "Art" angle. But then again, Art is what will get a rise of folks. Kudos to @Pioneer1 for noticing.

I've done this once with great accuracy. The other person was also concentrating. She was in Ireland - I was in West Virginia, another friend was in Wisconsin (I think). I can't remember what messaging system were were using - I want to say icq) I remember just sharing the mental images - the images weren't coming in whole form but pieces... so I'd shared it one at time sort of like putting a puzzle together, while I was constructing what she was thinking of ... then I got the picture and I told her what I saw. Here's the kicker though I didn't receive what she said she was thinking of... I saw Viennetta Ice Cream Cake . She confirmed she was indeed eating viennetta ice cream cake while playing along... it was the most bizarre experience because I didn't think I would ever receive a mental image from someone else. Especially something as specific as the type of ice cream. lol. I think the key here was she was open to sending - but just didn't realize what really had her attention lol. Now I just act on the "Something said" and "hunches" but I'm confident even if it's a big ole miss. I agree doing it independently of someone's awareness maybe difficult and even unethical. I suspect , however, we do it all the time and receive mental images from anyone anywhere.

Miles Aldridge, hair stylist Yusef and Viola Davis on set for TIME 100. Courtesy Miles Aldridge https://www.instagram.com/p/BTJi-U5gHbt/?taken-by=yusefhairnyc A picture is worth a 1000 words... and the story we tell as a result reveals so much about ourselves.. Famed Fashion Photographer Miles Aldridge and Stylist Yusef , (a black man) collaborated on this cover... according to Yusef, he did her make-up and hair and seems to be quite pleased. Ms. Davis' s dress is green, think: chroma key to make it easy for Photoshop. It appears, however, that Ms Davis isn't re-touched. Here's time's article "The Story behind The Time 100 Most influential People's Covers" about why the photographer staged the look... "Color, courage and clarity are the key notes for the covers of the TIME 100 Most Influential People issue. Photographer Miles Aldridge, who created the portraits, knew immediately that they had to pop and clash with as much vitality as a Mozart concerto. “I wanted the pictures to be bright; bright being almost an adjective for sound rather than for image,” says Aldridge. “In a way, I’m talking about Matisse; the way his colors were always juxtaposed so beautifully. There was a sort of visual stimulation, that almost felt like music.” Aldridge, a seasoned fashion photographer, decided early on that color would be his unifying tempo, marking a clear departure from previous year’s more muted tones. But the people and personalities were still the beating heart of the photos. The pioneers, titans, artists, leaders and icons – of whom Riz Ahmed, Melinda Gates, John Legend, Jeff Bezos and Viola Davis made the covers – are giants in their field. It was important then, that they held their own against the boldness of Aldridge’s palette. Though his shoots are heavily constructed, photographing strong personalities such as Viola Davis, mean the subjects' energy becomes part of the stimulus. The result for Davis was an incredibly warm and joyous burst of laughter – sparked from a conversation about her Oscar win – which Aldridge then asked her to repeat over and over again. “[The smile's] essence is from the real world,” he explains. “But its actual construction is completely artificial.” Aldridge’s contact sheets are the antithesis of Cartier-Bresson’s ‘decisive moment.’ “It’s not like a lucky moment. It’s very controlled,” he adds. “But therein one can be expressive with the rules.... More at TIME”

@Troy, I like/bookmark on Quora, "like" on Twitter ; "like" here (aalbc)... and the rest of my likes are on wordpress blogs and disqus - all these sites allow me to return to my likes (well I haven't figured it out on quora yet - but I can return to my bookmarks on there. I don't get current events -news from these sites (well, I do get breaking news from twitter) but I do get information to add to my research...

@Delano, Twin!!! I think logically and yes conceptually too! ..When I speak, sometimes I behave like the characters Mr. Spock/Star Trek or Dr Temperance Brennan on "Bones" - I learned how to speak "emotion" from watching others and listening to how they emotionalize their conversation. The only time I stray is when I'm speaking metaphysically but then again metaphysics is the mother of logic, so maybe not :shrugs:

Would you believe "liking" something is also for reference. Some social networking sites with news allow you to bookmark for reference. In its absence, if I like and want to refer back I will put a "like" on it". According to the people who study us (Pew Research in this case), black people do it more than any other culture/ethnicity. I guess we like to follow up on what we read. Isn't that something?

@Troy Absolutely this makes sense. I never understood those "relationships books" that tell people what to do... but books that offer insight are awesome. This is why I enjoy @Cynique writing. She's never preachy - but instead touches you in that place that says "look at this"..."Oracle" (Matrix), comes to mind. How insightful of you to touch on one of the scenes that struck me so deeply... It was a beautiful scene to me because she was forced to confront her truth. She was jealous. Her truth would have remained submerged (her shadow-self ) if her husband didn't "treat his body like an amusement park." (Seinfeld reference) - When we don't reveal our truth - our partner may have expectations of us that aren't valid. Such as how her jealously would prevent her from adopting the "baby girl". I believe intimate relationships when done honestly are actually selfish because they teach us so much about ourselves. It's how we truly learn to love ourselves and subsequently evolve to a higher consciousness. By the way, I would put a "like" on your comment but I reached my maximum of 25 likes for the day Oh by the way, after I wrote that about "Mr. Alright" I searched for him online. I found him on facebook ... I made the right choice.

@Pioneer1, time exist in your mind where all concepts exist. However, using your words in reference to the Akaschic records, if one can't show you how to get there then it ( "past, future") doesn't exist.

@Cynique this is another strong ESP area for me.. I've actually witnessed something before but when actually experiencing it, I changed the outcome. I took a different path during the experience than when I only witnessed it. The outcome was decidedly better than when I witnessed it the first time. When I define De Ja Vu - it means for me to witness something then experience it. For me I only recognize it's a deja vu when it's an actual experience. I'll say - uh-oh... I know how this turns out and then I react or respond differently... I experienced Deja Vu in this discussion forum. today. I saw a response to me - and at first I was going to answer it one way -but I remembered the outcome would result in something unpleasant...and today, I didn't want antagonize, I wanted to be understood.

So you were just being contrary then...because this is what I said about perceiving racism" - Sometimes I think there are several people occupying Pioneer1!

An egg will on drop on the floor here on earth - due to gravity. Therefore, free will is limited to the natural laws of the environment. If you know and understand the natural laws and make your decisions accordingly then nothing is predetermined. Preach!!!

@Delano "something" told me I would better understand the answers in the "psychic ability" topic I posted, if I began here... I'm now on the first page and it has been incredibly enlightening. As I mentioned I sensed "Pi" movie energy from you - and your response in this topic confirms to me why I felt it. You've already put the information in the aether so I think that's how I was able to access it. (not sure but I think that's how mental telepathy works... To that end, I feel that you may be experiencing a block with Pioneer because you two speak different languages... Your symbols conflict with his symbols - he's emotion based and you're logic based - and it's producing conflict. There's something you have to learn from each other... as both of you have someone like the other in their immediate circle that you both like to communicate with but can't seem to find the words to make the connection... I think if you both seek to translate what the other is saying in your own language - you will reach a breakthrough... maybe not with each other but in your respective offline lives This came up in the chart that @Delano prepared - although it wasn't ongoing behavior it did happen "There was two things I mentioned which would not be apparent. Helping behind the scenes and empathy. You give assistance and you don't want the fanfare, sometimes you help or donate anonymously."

My experiences indicate this would be irrational behavior. Straight 'hood, woods, white burbs, law enforcement profiling" mentality. Sort of like when I said, I see black men as warriors" when I've actually learned that quite a few black men are sniveling cowards... I'll pass. I'll continue to play folks on how they present- and if they present differently each time we meet I'll play the side facing up.

I can feel it. That's probably why it came to mind.