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Keepin' It REALLY Real

Getting Started

Welcome to the first of many columns related to issues concerning the African-American community. The purpose of this column is to motivate, inspire, educate and empower black Americans to realize our true value and self-worth.

I’m writing this column because I want to talk about our culture and our history. I want to uplift, inspire and motivate. And, in the process, I might learn a few things myself. To tell you just a little bit about me, first and foremost, I’m a black female, married Christian who fears and reverences God. This is not a column about religion, and I won’t force my religious beliefs on anyone, but I will be writing from that viewpoint and perspective. Now, with that said…I do care deeply about the state of African Americans in this country, and if just one person can be helped by reading this column, then that is one less negative statistic in our beloved community.

African-Americans, in general, are perceived among whites and other nationalities and ethnic groups as a race that just can’t get it together. They say we have no unity and no loyalty. That’s harsh, but for the most part, true. Our children need education, discipline and mentoring. Our women and elders need respect, love and honor. Our black males need to be esteemed, empowered and embraced. It’s not that we don’t know what’s plaguing our communities – we do. We’re lagging behind in education, and employment opportunities. AIDS, poverty, drugs and violent crimes are on the rise, and to put it plainly, our value system is just messed up. We are the nations biggest consumers, yet our net worth is diminutive.

How can we change directions, improve our reputation, and amend our global image? I don’t have all the answers, but bringing real issues to the forefront and promoting dialogue is a start. However, we must do more than talk. That’s when the motivation piece kicks in. I hope to motivate you to do something in your communities. Help the poor, feed the homeless, mentor a child, or buy some young boy a belt! Let’s lift each other up. Let our mantra be “Each One, Help One.” That’s how we can change things.

In the future, you may see articles about tattoos, grills, baggy pants and bandanas. I might go from writing about tight-skirt-wearing hoochie mamas, to old folks trying to be young. One article might be geared towards single parenting and another on daddies who do pay their child support.

There are so many topics of concern to write about and discuss – the sky is the limit. I want this column to be fun and humor-filled, but also serious and forthright. I want to help bring some dignity, style and class back to the black community. But, most of all, I want to keep it really real.

Until next time, lets keep it really real!

 

( Click "Comments" below and let us know your thoughts !)

 

Published Wednesday, November 14, 2007 11:31 AM by Dee Dee

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Comments

 

Neils Dunn said:

Dee-Dee,

I hear what you are saying.  I am an African-American teacher in the D.C. area who was raised initially in the D.C. area so the black experience is very much a part of me.  However, I was also taught to speak proper English, avoid drugs and violence and to be my own person regardles of the peer pressure to be something else.  Kids today miss this due to the rap culture to a large extent and then to thier parents coming home angry, trying to be 'gangsta' themselves.  Then, there is the condesending snobbery from the black literati who try so hard to disassociate themselves from the 'common' blacks rather than give back in some way.  We have to be so careful not to put each other down using denigrating epithets no matter how widely accepted.  The root of so much pain in the black community is the 'thin skin' sensitivity masked with the 'thug' exterior to compensate for the real human feelings inside.  This is the real 'real'-being able to freely feel without judgment which again sadly comes from other blacks, not whites who are seldom that close to us to affect those dynamics of our true inner being.    My aunt once told me to treat myself gently and I think that we must learn to, as a class of people, treat each other much more gently.      

November 23, 2007 7:49 AM
 

Lew said:

I like this

December 1, 2007 12:30 AM
 

russel down said:

Dear Dee where have you disappeared too.your commonsense i think i miss it.

July 28, 2008 4:53 PM
 

Loretta Lancaster said:

August 12, 2008

Dee Dee,

I feel you, some times I want to scream, "wake up Black Man, wake up Black Woman".

My heart desire is to do something to help my kinsman of the flesh.  So I say to you

keep on keeping it real, we hear you.

August 12, 2008 6:25 AM
 

P. Underwood said:

The comment that "Our children need education, discipline and mentoring" really struck home.  I am an older adult living in Chicago, IL but raised in Milwaukee, WI.  I graduated from an inner-city high school in the mid-sixties.  I went on to graduate college.  Recently, I came into contact with several high school graduates of the Chicago Public Schools System and am appalled.  One claimed to have an MBA.  However, the lack of grammar skills, spelling and total lack of punctuation in their writing was unbelievable.  One of them actually thought Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated President Lincoln!  This is not to indict all students in the CPS system but I would NEVER put one of my children into the system as it stands now.  Education is too important in this increasingly technological world.  Parents are the key to improvements.  I'm 'old school' but I believe a two-parent home goes a long way to keeping kids on track.  I was raised by an uncle and aunt but they made me take the 'hard' courses in high school ever though I whined and sometimes threw temple tantrums.  I am so glad now they made me study physics, English, advanced math, etc.  I eventually wound up with a career in Information Technology and the one more important course I took in high school turned out to be typing.  Being a good typist really helped me excel in my career and kept me fed all these years.  At the time, I didn't want to take the typing class as an elective in h.s. but my parents made me do it.  We truly need more caring parents like my uncle and aunt.  I'm not one that believes parents should be just 'friends' to their offspring; I believe parents should lead and guide and not cajole.  P.

February 24, 2010 7:04 PM

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