I can remember growing up in the empowerment era, where it was common to see brothas and sistas on the corner dropping science on the tricks of the government, trying to get people to know and understand their own self worth. Where you would see the brothas from the NOI posted up on the corner selling Muhammad Speaks, bean pies and patroling the block. Where it was common to see brothas in a cipha discussing today's mathematics and building positively.
Today, some of those things still persist and if you live somewhere where it is happening like that then you are fortunate to witness it and perhaps be a part of it. However, it has become more of the norm, more of a way of life to not be conscious of your surroundings, to be unaware or even non caring about your brotha and sista who may live next to you with kids who may be struggling. The negative energy that has become so pervasive in the last 10-15 years has become the way people have chosen to see things and live their lives.
Where it was cool to be "conscious" and have discussions world and local issues. Where aligning yourself with organizations that were designed to effect change was the only and true way to give back to your community. Now I'm not saying these things don't still go on today because they do and I myself belong to two different grassroots organizations that work diligently amongst the HIV community. What I am saying is more and more people find it easier to be naysayers and critics of those who do these things as oppose to joining in and helping.
As a member of the social media community, like many of you are there are a lot of brothas and sistas who exist within this community that are very aware, very community conscious, very knowledgeable about a myriad of subjects with a vast amount of experience in a lot of different areas. In most cases you would think a person would want to be surrounded by individuals of this magnitude, but that negative pervasive exists even stronger within Twitter, Facebook, etc... I witness daily the side ways attacks of someone just sharing their strength, experience and hope in regards to life and then get smashed for it be someone who within themselves as told themselves that they are lest then because they may not know something.
On the flip side, I've seen some of these same people try and beat and abuse people for not knowing something that others don't know. For being in a place mentally, spiritually and emotionally that they're not, for having the information, experiences that they don't have. Conscious snobbery is and has always been a fact within our community, it's just so much more noticeable within social media these days. What we have to remember is that we were once in the state of unawareness and someone had to come and impart knowledge so that we could become more aware of life and how it relates to us. Remember, this knowledge is to be shared and if it isn't accept or if it's rejected we still have a duty to share it and keep it moving.
Well put akhi. Reminds me to be more mindful of my personal message and delivery.
ReplyDeleteWell said. We can't walk another's journey for them nor should we judge where they are on that path. The best we can do is share light, strength & knowledge. Keep rising!
ReplyDeletePeace and Power,
ReplyDeleteIt is both a shame and a necessity to put quotations around the "conscious community". Many seem to be gaining knowledge but there is a lack of understanding which is creating a divide between the conscious and those that have yet to awaken to themselves. It is our job to bridge that growing divide and continue to educate with understanding of where people are and where we once were. Asante sana for the reminder.