“Role Revolution” in Relationship: Are Women Becoming More Masculine?

Insert Chaka Khan here… “I’m every woman! Its all in me!”


Women's roles are evolving. Many contemporary women want to embrace both traditional and modern roles and want to be recognized by her male counter-parts as having both. "I'm every woman!" But black men’s roles are not evolving at the same rate. Therefore, many contemporary women are moving through their dating lives with modern/traditional “double-consciousness” and asking men to satiate their desire to fulfill the demands of both roles. But many men are still socialized to perpetuate traditional notions of black masculinity. Many of those notions of maleness conflict with a modern understanding of her place in society.

"Stop calling [Obama] a muslim and saying he not a citizen and call him a nigger..."

Satiating my addiction to Facebook, a friend of mine posted a Shaun King article on her page. Then I watched Fareed Zakaria’s comments on Anderson Cooper 360. King’s quote stood out the most to me. King wrote:

Here’s the thing though – I think the same reason NYPD police officers that saw upstanding citizen Amadou Diallo with his wallet and “thought” it was gun and proceeded to shoot him 41 times is the same reason 50 million people don’t like ...President Obama’s politics and proceed to conclude he is a non-American Muslim. The same spirit feeds both conclusions. An upstanding black man with a wallet is thought to be a dangerous criminal with a gun. A very intelligent American Christian black man that is president is not really as he appears – his wallet is a gun – it must be.

I was then reminded of a former student of mine... (insert flash back music here).

By the Grace of God

Please take time to send up prayers for those individuals who experienced nature's wrath this past weekend. Thankfully my family in North Carolina was spared the brunt of the impact, but others were not.

Phill

Arthur Ashe

Who was Arthur Ashe? Most people know him as the black tennis player who got AIDS and has a tennis court at the US Open named after him.
Born July 10, 1943 in Richmond, VA, Ashe was one of the pioneers in tennis for black athletes (without Ashe there may be no Serena or Venus Williams dominance in tennis). Career record of 818-260, 33 career titles and 3 major wins (the US Open in 1968, the Australian in 1970 and finally Wimbledon in 1975) and reached the number 1 ranking in the world in singles. Before his first Grand Slam title, Ashe served in the Army from 1966-1968.
People think that because Ashe contracted HIV that he was "dirty". Ashe contracted HIV from his second heart surgery in a blood transfusion. Ashe found out that he had HIV in 1988, but kept it private until 1992. Ashe did a lot to call attention to the newly discovered disease, AIDS. Ashe founded the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health and received awards for humanitarian work in the latter days of his life.
Ashe was not only a legendary tennis player, he was a pioneer, a humanitarian and a brave man to face his imminent mortality with no regret.

Black History Month

It's that time of year again. The winter is getting harsher, football is coming to an end, the stress of pleasing your loved one (or finding a loved one) for Valentine's day is overwhelming and America is relying on an oversized rodent to tell us when to expect the warmth to return. Sounds pretty horrible, right? However, there is a silver lining to arguably the worst month of the year. It is Black History month. For each person, the month means different things. For me growing up in Tampa, Florida it was the one month I'd actually learn about black history, and by high school, there was no more Black History month education. The only black history I learned in high school were throw away lines in our "complete" U.S. history textbooks. It is ironic that Black History month is also the shortest month of the year. To me, it symbolizes how at first the "celebration" was solely a formality and not a truely educational process. However, at this great university we have plenty of classes about all types of history. From traditional African history to the history of the hip-hop culture, it's all there.

Living the Dream

I decided that this week for the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I would write a poem. I'm not a professional, so keep that in mind. Feel free to criticize (however constructive criticism is always appreciated most).


I don't care that you don't.
I do right cause you won't.
You may do whatever you can,
But I aspire to be the better man.
I remain humble as I reach success,
And don't allow failure to get me depressed.
I fight for my knowledge by the day,
And fight for the right to say what I say.
I hear the mumbles at times about what I lack,
But don't think anyone is at a disadvantage because they're black.
There's the misconception that it means a higher vertical and lower grades,
But just know, black men and women have taken the bar and now it's raised.
So don't be amazed,
The trail is blazed,
Though sometimes we're still hazed,
We won't let it make us crazed.
I live the Dream to be a sportscaster, to be specific.
Just know that he affected us all from the Atlantic to Pacific.
White, yellow, brown, red, green and black,
He certainly laid down the track.
And before I go, I must say one more thing,
Happy birthday to THE Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King.

Daily Show

I'm sure we've all heard of the tragedy of the Arizona shootings by now. 20 were shot, 6 killed, by a mentally unstable man this past week in Arizona. I knew of the shootings, but hadn't had any kind of emotional response at all.
Usually when tragedy strikes I am the first person to get on my knees at night, pray for the victims and to fall asleep nearly in tears, but not this time. I almost completely overlooked this situation.
It took a 10 minute clip of Jon Stewart of the Daily Show to show me how inhumane my response was. The Daily Show usually is a lighthearted comedy show that pokes fun at politics by satirically presenting a news-like report. However, when I saw this clip in my Communications 200 class I realized how serious this situation is.
I had spent my time in my own world rather than being open to the news and really knowing what is going on in the world. Just be sure that you don't make that same mistake I did. Stay aware of what's going on in the world. It can make a huge difference.

Mike Haywood

A few weeks ago, the University of Pittsburgh hired a new coach, former Miami (Ohio) University head coach, Mike Haywood. It was a bit of big news because, as college football fans know, there are few black head coaches in college football. Haywood was hired, not for the color of his skin, but for his coaching ability.
However, the content of his character revealed that he is not fit to be a head football coach. Only 17 days after his hiring, Haywood was fired for being arrested for domestic abuse. For Haywood and the University of Pittsburgh, this is hugely embarrassing. To be fired from a job of any profession before officially starting is an oddity, but this one has been blown up because of the national prominence of college football.
Having said how horrible this is for Haywood and the university, we don't know what truly happened. We don't know the facts of what happened leading up to Haywood's arrest. All we know is that Haywood embarrassed himself, his university and his family with this slip-up.

Atlanta offers great options for family fun on New Years - Atlanta Single Moms | Examiner.com

Atlanta offers great options for family fun on New Years - Atlanta Single Moms | Examiner.com

Hypocrisy and Inconsistancy

Good afternoon class, today the letter is 'H', which in these past two years has stood for "hypocrisy". It kind of stinks when there are so many examples of hypocrisy in sports. I used to think that hypocrisy was reserved for politicians and parents who use the "do as I say and not as I do" method of parenting. However, to find true hypocrisy and inconsistancy in sports no one needs to go much further than the NFL, or even our great university, THE Ohio State University.

Laziness

It feels good to be home, right? Especially if you're not working this break is so relaxing. I've spent the last few days, as Ms. Patty Cunningham aptly named the phenomenon, in a "sleep-coma". Basically, I've slept until there are a few hours of daylight left and repeated the cycle each day. It's great to chill and recharge the mental batteries, but try to stay sharp. Do a crossword puzzle or two, or sudoku, or analyze the advantages of a 4-3 defensive sceme over a zone-blitz look- whatever you have to do to keep the brain working. Also, remember to get ready for classes. A lot of people are getting back from home on January the 2nd, a Sunday. Don't forget classes start that Monday.

Break

It's about time, right? Finals are over and it's time for winter break. Finally! Hopefully you studied hard and will be pleased by finals grades. Everyone is headed home for Christmas, Kwanzaa or just finished Hanukkah (some students even celebrate all three) and ready for quality time with the family. Of course, there may be a few people who aren't in the family that you might prioritize over "family time". No offense to mom, pops, Uncle Junior and Auntie T. T., but it's understandable to want to hang friend rather than to be around all of the "old folks". Just make sure that some time is set aside for the fam', it will make their holiday season just to see you, trust me.

Winter

It's that time of year again: the snow is beginning to fall, everyone is starting to dress warmly (except for a few of these nuts around campus who insist on shorts), it's almost finals week and (sadly) the college football season is coming to a close. This time of the year can either make or break someone. Yeah, it's cold and traveling around campus is a pain, but it's worth it. It may seem nerdy, but there's nothing like that accomplished feeling you get when that grading report comes and you see that all the hard work has paid off (and the good grades can always help to coax an extra gift or maybe an upgrade out of the parents). It's the holiday season and everyone is ready to grab a hot cocoa and find someone to chase down with a handful of mistletoe, but it's not over. The academic process ceases to end long after graduation. It's nice to kick back, chill, reminisce for a second, but to be successful in life you need to have the burning desire to be on top of your game. Just think, at any given moment there are millions of people who want exactly what you want and will do almost anything to achieve your goal. If you don't know what your goal is yet, just keep working for those high grades. So although it is cold outside, don't let that cool off the fire inside you for whatever that passion is that you are chasing.

Chivalry Isn't Dead...The People Who Used It Are

I have a best friend who goes to school in Chicago and every time we meet up during breaks in Cleveland she never fails to mention the despair of being single, black, and a woman in America. I try my best to listen and reason (usually at a stalemate and feeling like my black male brethren are the scum of the earth), but I find it poignant that no matter what she always seems to mention that a key fact that she is single is because she feels that black men are not gentlemen anymore, or simply lost any semblance of chivalry. Chivalry is commonly associated with knights, maidens, and the Middle Age, but chivalry, at it's core, is consistent with the principles of bravery, honor, and most importantly, respect towards women. And, based off that definition, it would seem that there is hope for relevant use for chivalry in today's black men, right? Well, let's see...

The Fierce Urgency of Now Continues

For those who are unaware, this Sunday evening the President of the United States & his family and staff will be at The Ohio State University. Mr. & Mrs. Obama will be here for an Ohio Democratic Party Rally to galvanize the faithful in Central Ohio. This is key because this state, as well as this section of the state will be vital to sustain Congressional & local seats held by current Democrats. The White House has been criss-crossing the country at a frantic pace, showing a fierce urgency to sustain their majority and to more effectively push their agenda, and the time is now to do it with less than a month until Election Day. However, the President's visit may also be a sign of a more distressing problem; something Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke about when he coined the phrase the "The Fierce Urgency of Now"---that is the President is trying to re-energize the vote of the next generation, our generation, and especially rallying the support of the Black youth vote.

Helping “Our” People?

I have always been engaged in community service. I think it was somehow built in my genes. My mother said she wanted to be a nurse because she wanted to help people. In addition, she always pushed me to be active. Whether it was in elementary through high school being a Girl Scout and Girl Scout leader, volunteering at a nearby hospital, and assisting in creating entertainment activities in a nursing home. Or in undergrad being on the executive board for the NAACP chapter, my sorority (the one and only SKEE-WEE! I had to…) or volunteer for the Special Olympics etc etc. I’ve always had a mind to give back. That feeling of advocacy only grew when I came to graduate school. But it wasn’t just the desire to help people in general; it was to focus my energy on my people. Black people. But recently I have hit I brick wall. A wall seemingly built by…my people. I have had plenty of conversations with my people who have been working with and for African Americans and have more than enough battle wounds and stories of frustration. In listening to these stories I have said to myself, “Well my friend, you just gotta work harder! Keep up the good fight!” I’m not even 30, yet my stories of frustration are starting to compile.

Do you see what I see?

It’s late morning on a Tuesday and I’ve nearly arrived at my hotel in Pittsburg, PA. As I attempt to focus my attention on both the road and Google Maps on my iPhone, I notice that I’m traveling through a residential area. Pausing at a stop sign I take one last look at my directions and turn more of my focus on the neighborhood I’m driving through. If I’m going to be staying in this area for two nights I’d like to see if I can determine whether or not safety might be an issue. Two minutes into my foray it seems clear to me that I’m driving through a working class, mostly white, neighborhood. 

Recognizing the Unsung, Pt. 2

I waited, waited, and waited for this day! While many sports fans gave their attention to the NBA Finals, or the sanctions that await the USC athletic program, there was a recent feat that deserves attention: the Chicago Blackhawks won their first Stanley Cup in 49 years beating the Philadelphia Flyers. Yet, their victory is not the focus of this blog, nor the politically incorrectness of their mascot. The subject is Dustin Byfuglien (pronunced Buff-lin). Growing up as a child, the presence of African Americans in hockey seemed silly to me, until I moved to Columbus where I met a brother who ran a hockey shop in Columbus.  That interaction and Byfuglien's role in this series (and the 2010 playoffs) led me to search for the role of people of African descent in the NHL. I learned that the contributions have gone unrecognized.

Distant Relatives - Hip Hop and Reggae

Despite his money and marital troubles, Nasir Jones (NAS) remains one of my favorite hip hop emcees.  When I first heard that Nas was collaborated with reggae music artist, Damian Marley, on an album called "Distant Cousins", I did not know what to think about project.

♪ ♪ Any Way You Figure, The President's a Nigger to Meeeee♪ ♪

Last night I set my DVR for the Boondocks at 11:30pm like I usually do every Sunday. I got off work at 9pm then went home to finally relax, study a bit, and watch the Boondocks. For the last three weeks Aaron McGruder has not disappointed covering such issues as Obama's media hype, the reality of rapper's lives, the Chinese stealing the Olympics, and now self-hate and racism to the fullest extent.