As a society we’ve become institutionalized; if what we’re doing isn’t part of an institution, we don’t value it.
We’ve become contextualized, if we can’t measure it, we don’t value it.
It’s simply not African worldview.
If we only value ourselves within the framework of an institution that wasn’t created for us, we will never truly value ourselves & those like us.
Ex: I love my friends’ music whether she is signed to a label or not. I love my friends artwork whether it’s for sale or not.
We’ve lost the value of building each other up & encouraging each other along the way.
I’m good at this so I exclude myself. I work hard to value my people & the work we’re all doing to better ourselves. That’s African worldview.
I make sure I treat Black people with the upmost respect; whether they have a suit on or their pants are sagging. Whether they have on a long dress or their cleavage is swanging.
I make sure that I smile at my reflection, my reflection is those who look like me & share the same hair type as me. If I love myself then I love us, there’s no in-between.
I make sure I greet us with kindness & love; even those who have not done the same for me. We have to practice love of self = love of each other. As Black people we must do that.
I’m quick to make sure I hear my brethren & sistren; before hearing the narrative from another group that does not represent us.
I’m interested in our stories, our stories that are told by us & no other. When we tell our own stories, we get a greater picture.
I’m proud of all our accomplishments, whether accomplished in our framework or not. I’m proud of us.
I’m happy for the book smart & the street smart, we can all learn from one another.
I’m happy for the African & the African-American, we share the same vibration on two different lands.
I’m happy for the Caribbean & Afro-British, we share the same vibration that only we can understand.
I’m happy for I know our accomplishment is not in all we have done, but in what is to come.
Our redemption we will experience as one. 💛
