The Future is Female. And Brown.

A poetic pledge to becoming a more active ally and to our future leaders.
Text to image:  S. Nassar

I've been writing a lot lately. A lot.

I've been trying to listen, learn, and amplify black voices. We were in a health crisis and now, through great horrors against black Americans, many more have awoken to the racial justice (and racial inequity) crises. Remember before the news got filled with injustice and quarantine, we had an environmental destruction and climate change pandemic. None of these things are new, but they are more present to everyone right now.

This is not a time for my voice but I want to strike a balance between presence and silence. The heartbreak of being brown or black is something I have been especially tuned into since the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

BUT I've been a terribly inconsistent ally.

Sometimes leaning in (like working to bring technology to the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation cause 4 years ago, traveling and working in Haiti, and mourning Oscar Grant's killing) and sometimes leaning out...with my silence, fear of speaking up, or being only a consumer of headlines about Flint and thousands of black lives lost and injustices.

Here are some things I've found that I encourage anyone to dive into. They are important, especially if you don't understand why now is a pivotal moment (or why you should spent time on it or consider changing your actions in response to it):

13th

John Leguizamo's Latin History for Morons

Dave Chapelle's 8:46

Truth Be Told Podcast

I started with White World, Black Body and found myself listening to a delightful discussion of how women deny themselves and have for decades. No one told them "think thin" was a male agenda, so they fell for it. Controlling women's bodies and self-esteem are just another way to dominate them. Fat phobia is internalized racism and sexism.

Do what feels healthy and right for your vessel and be grateful for what it does for you. This is an ongoing thing for me too! I'm including this for me as a reminder!

Reflections from a Token Black Friend

The Responsibility of the White Silicon Valley CEO

• I loved the suggestion to change the board of directors; I made a similar suggestion myself on a former colleague's (now himself a CEO) LinkedIn post. He knew it was time for action and was committing to personal action. But it must be organizational now- that's what I love about Diz' piece. Mandate diversity investment and involvement as something each Board member must do, don't just add a woman or a person of color to the group and call it "done." It's far from done.

Trevor Noah's Take on America's Protests this month.

2020 is not 1968 article by National Geographic. Online free accounts get 3 articles if you aren't a subscriber.

Willie Brown on the Changes to Policing. Say what you mean, mean what you say. If you say "defund" yet mean "re-allocate," (like don't ask the police to deal with the homeless), then say that. Re-imagine, focus, streamline, reform spending on what and how much. Using the word defund is idiocy (and maybe someone's strategy).

Amazing People Whose Work I Hope You'll Check Out

Joshua Silverstein's work. If you need the humor and perspective, along with your dose of deeply sobering, Joshua is an artist and friend I admire so much.

Alicia the Dance Dragon Slayer. Love dance and expression? Alicia is taking the voice to the dancefloor with her moves.

Kaisha-Dyan McMillan. An wonderful journalist and writer!

Action Item: Kid's Media

Personally, I commit to further editorializing. I used to narrate the sexism in my child's books. Books she loved but that I was mixed about (and still read to her) when she was younger. I'm going to continue to editorialize anything we read or see together that is questionable. We've given many of them away (yep, some were Disney), I don't have any good images.

Brainpop's Juneteenth episode and they have many more about slavery, Civil War, etc.

Admittedly the scope of this category got too big for me. My point is: actively engage with your children and the media they consume. Share what's wrong with it, don't be silent and irritated that they love it so much.

Indigenous Voices

I follow the founders of mak-'amham, Jessa Songwriter, Ruth Hopkins in their business, art, awareness raising efforts. 

Giving Resources

We've been giving too. Showing Up for Racial Justice, Centro Legal de la Raza, Raices, Go Fund Me to the Floyd family, SoOakland to help Oakland businesses rebuild, Black Futures Lab and to Oakland Unified School District families in who are in times of dire need. Southern Poverty Law Center, the ACLU.

Here is a plethora of additional information resources (via of all sorts of media forms) to dive into!

Eats. Local for LOAKals

Yes! Food. Finally a time to talk about things I left out of my 20th anniversary post about Oakland! These places have been important to us for birthdays and destinations over the years. We continue to seek out more black and brown-owned businesses:

Gregory's Gourmet Desserts. Oakland's underground bakery has always been a staple black-owned business here in the Town.

Pican was my favorite Oakland restaurant. I went many times. Amazing. RIP, Pican. But we'll check out what's new with you in Hayward!

Ensarro. It's like clockwork when we have a night to ourselves: Ethiopian food.

Aunt Mary's Cafe. Many years through our daughter's baby/toddler years taking refuge here.

Brown Sugar Kitchen. I only went once to the old location it was so popular due to the success of Tanya Holland!

Lois the Pie Queen. Three words: Lemon Ice-box Pie.

Embody Hope

It's Juneteenth today. This should be a national holiday; it will be soon in some states. I'll leave you (for old dessert blogging times) with something sweet to commemorate that. These were my neighbor's Capay plums. I mixed them with cherries and bananas into these tiny cat-shaped ice cube trays.

Capay valley plum.

A tiny, sweet, frozen finish that might inspire you. Work with what you have, weave a new future.

Frozen plum/cherry/banana cats