biblical references aside

(i'm not really big on looking at the bible as a historical document, but that's another post, & i'm not gonna argue semantics...)

i think it would benefit a lot of ppl to approach their relationships this way.

balance...

it's a tricky thing.

i've never considered myself a particularly disciplined person. scratch that. i should say i'm not a regimented person. i don't do schedules well. i get things done on time and all of that--i don't procrastinate. but i'm not one for routine.

what i'm learning with ifa is that i'm going to have to learn a LOT of routine. not only in the sense of prayers and rituals, but just in developing a relationship with spirit.

it ain't easy.

i know what i'm supposed to do.
and sometimes i do it.

other times i'm late for work
or tired
or hungry
and something gets lost in the sauce.

ebos aren't a problem.
neither is protocol.
i love the ceremonies & bembes.

but the essence of daily prayer/communion/meditation? eh...

i can imagine ifa being somewhat simpler when it's a way of life...a thing known and embraced since childhood. not to mention living right above your ancestors and next door to nature. drawing water from rivers daily...pilgrimages to the ocean for yemoja...

but we all made a deal in orun.

i suppose part of the essence of mine is learning how to balance my ashe with the demands of 21st century life.

you've heard it in the churches...

and now it's coming from the iles...

dazed...

well, i came down with something last week, so i wasn't at work...finally got back to myself on saturday. well...i got my energy back at least.

had to come in here yesterday afternoon--and there was no one here.
came in my usual time this morning...

it's been a bit of a challenge readjusting to my usual schedule. and it's still not back to normal 'cause friday's a half day and we're off again on monday...

so...yeah.

i'm already planning for 2007, though. a lot of changes are coming and i gotta get all my ducks in a row.

i think that's all i really have to say at the moment. lol.

i have to start doing.

i need to get busy with something...something for me.

there's a shift in focus happening. i'm starting to look at me, and i'm realizing that "me" isn't doing too well.

i'm coming out of a external focus coma. it's probably time for a little holistic selfishness. lately i'm seeing that my capacity for that has been severely compromised.

i spend far too much time sitting around waiting for things to happen. i keep foregoing things that i want to do or see because i feel like i shouldn't have to do or see them alone.

i'm always looking behind me, waiting to see what's coming up behind me in the distance.

i'm tired.
i'm not happy.
i don't laugh enough.
it's almost as if i don't get enough air. like i can't breathe anymore.

but i'm afraid. i don't want to go back out there all by myself.
yet...being inside & alone is much worse.

i've picked up some bad habits.

i seemed to get a little of the old spark back a few months ago...and now it's faded again. i'm not sure why.

i know there are some really big blessings coming my way, so i'm going to put one foot in front of the other and head towards them. everything else be damned.

everything will work out.
it's all in divine order.
i will be kept whole.
it's going to be all right.

i just have to keep that in mind every day, all the time.

today i am grateful for the clarity that hides behind the pain.

this is what i need to remember about myself...

Sharon Bridgforth, author/performer/activist
Interviewed by Ana-Maurine Lara

What does it mean for you to be an artist – a writer – in the world?

Well for me initially I started doing it just because I had to. It was like breathing. I’ve always been a reader. When I was a kid I just read voraciously. When I was 15 I started writing just trying to survive my own emotions. [Then it was in] reading the Songs of Solomon and Psalms and I just thought they were so pretty, that I saw writing as something that could be transformative for me emotionally. And somewhere along the way, probably around the time I was in my early 30s it all clicked together. Now what I can say is that writing is what I’m here in the world to do. It’s my gift that I have been given. It’s what I can contribute. I see it as a spiritual responsibility; I see it as an ancestral calling. I see it as a privilege. I see it as a way for me to honor not only the reality of my life and experiences, but those who came before. A specific thing I have been given is the opportunity to tell the stories of the ancestors and to keep their voices alive. I see it as service. It’s what I’m here to offer in service to the ancestors, to the orisa, to the universe, to humanity and to my own destiny. So I take it very seriously.

this is gonna be an oyin-type moment...

*giggle*

but...

i always had a vision of living in some beautifully sunny apartment
with large bay windows
or small french doors
in my bedroom

i could leave them open slightly
on hot summer nights
and let passersby wonder
what was behind my gossamer curtains
and the colorful walls they can just get a glimpse of...

and i'd lie in a huge, fluffy bed
with plenty of pillows in all colors
with a beautifully black or brown man next to me
humming while i played in his hair
both of us naked...

and there could be a porch
or large shelf
just outside the door-window
large enough for pretty flowers
vines
or fragrant herbs

now i'm thinking that if i'm really blessed with a huge-ified house
that would be the love room
not even my normal bedroom
just a place
for lovers to see
a sensual living room/kitchen combo
with its own special bathroom
dripping in reds and oranges

i prefer my true room more neutral
calm
earthy
so i feel @ home after all the traveling i tend to do in my dreams

there would be oshun colors in the love room
pink, orange, yellow, gold
red for shango's spark
only candles for light
and five incense burners next to golden candles
special oils in each corner
crystals under the bed

a basin for herbal baths near the door
in case i don't need him to remember me

maybe i should have a bedroom of my own, even if i marry. like a queen.
there'd be a sofa
bookshelves
walls full of art
and a fountain
special beds for my familiars
and a goddess altar in the eastern corner i wouldn't have to cover to receive guests

--if i chose to have guests at all.

militant moment

it's afternoons like these when i think about the indignities my ancestors suffered just trying to make a living in this culture...

i reflect on the fact that one of my grandfather's best friends worked for decades at & retired from the post office 'cause he couldn't find work as a chemist...

the thousands of african women whose genius went unnoticed because "women don't do ___________"...and "nigger women DEFINITELY don't do _________."

when i make it--and i will--i'm sure that some here will marvel and think "i didn't know she could do THAT" or "i knew her 'when'"...

no, you didn't know me "when".
i always WAS.

your little brain just couldn't comprehend the vastness sitting at this desk.

i wanna write.

and life keeps getting in the way...

i don't even know what i wanna write about.

i just wanna make some words do something.
see something dancing across a page.
buy some new notebooks
and pens

have a desk at home again.

make sense of the literary mess in my head.

i'm all halfway rhyming & shit...

*sigh*

i gotta find a way to make this work...

close encounters of the ex-gay kind

sigh...
and people really don't realize that this is part of the reason glbt youth are killing themselves, huh?

full story by matt hill comer

Not long ago, I opened my email inbox to find a promotional invitation from a group called Ignite Student Outreach. The promotional invite was advertising a series of summer camps, entitled “Close Encounters,” taking place in four states across the South, including North Carolina. Looking at the invite, my eyes almost immediately focused on the list of the camps’ guest speakers.

Ignite Student Outreach will be welcoming Alan Chambers of Exodus International and Scott Davis of Exodus Youth to speak to teens and Christian youth leaders. Exodus International is the “ex-gay” group which promotes the message of “Freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus Christ.” Exodus Youth is its youth-outreach program.

Both groups believe that “reorientation of same-sex attraction is possible” and that reconciliation with Christ will enable “growth toward Godly heterosexuality.” The groups teach that homosexuality is “outside of God’s will” and describes the “homosexual lifestyle” as sinful, destructive, distorted and disordered...

Of course, there is no evidence whatsoever that “reorientation” and “reparative therapy” is effective. Every leading medical, social and psychological association in America has said that conversion and reparative therapies offer no evidence of efficacy, are based on no valid scientific theory and are psychologically dangerous and harmful to patients, especially adolescents.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, the potential risks of reparative therapies include “depression, anxiety and self-destructive behavior, since therapist alignment with societal prejudices against homosexuality may reinforce self-hatred already experienced by the patient.”

i'm just gonna ramble for a minute...

if ya don't mind...

work's slowed quite a bit, so i've had more time to fool around on the lovely invention we call myspace. and i've been coming across some really interesting stuff...movies, music, etc.

to the media, myspace is the newest pedophile playground, the "it" thing for teens...

(no one was talking about e-pedophilia 11 years ago when i was 17 & the folks had just gotten a computer slick enough to handle the internet...hanging out in aol chatrooms, getting weird messages from creepy crawlies...but i digress)

...but for those of us in the 25 & older sect (pls excuse the party promotion lingo), myspace is also a way to link up with like minded folks: i've seen all kinds of activists, black & brown practioners of traditional/indigenous spirituality, folks pushing their art, organizations & individuals whose mission it is to educate & uplift their people.

leave it to the media to trivialize what has been and continues to be a means of spreading knowledge, ideas, creativity, and information.

yeah, there's two tons of bullshit floating around, too. and folks who take it far too seriously. the whole internet's like that.

it's all about what you make it, what you choose to focus on.

i like filling my sphere with poets, artists, dreamers...folks who know what it's like to be a star-shaped peg stuffed into a square hole.

ever since i watched rent the other night, "la vie boheme" has been running around in my head. some ppl look at me & automatically label me "boho", but in my mind, i've only lived on the fringes of boho-ness. yeah, i have the bookshelves full of books & the african decoration here & there, but as an artsy person? i'm something of a fraud.

maybe it's time i start surrounding myself with people who are creative all the time, not just when the office building doors open at 5pm.

i need to stock up on movies like rent and slam...even requiem for a dream. those sorts of images feed my drive to create something. make something out of the banality i'm handed most weekdays.

i think i want to be exposed to ppl living & loving their creativity, not shoving it in a box.

i should read more poetry.


today i am grateful for knowing when not to believe the hype.

myspace profile poetry

i emerged from olokun's waters
put one foot on the path, and ogun took my hand...

oya's winds push me forward
like harriet tubman's pistol
while obatala hands me bottles of fortified poland spring water

oshun keeps me laughing and feeds me honey
flashing my image in her mirror
so i can see how beautiful the journey makes me

while damballah sways in the grass nearby
reminding me of the beauty of rebirth

(c) 2006-07 l.a.m.

for the love of blk folks...

this is the not-so-usual "take it with a grain of salt" essay. i am not familiar with the woman who wrote this.

there are some "get the fk outta here" moments, and there are some thought provoking ones...i'll leave it to you to determine which are which.

regardless of your level of agreement, it is past time for us to start having this kind of discussion and framing solutions for us & by us.


2nd Ed., Revised & Expanded - 10/01/03
1st Ed., Vol 1 - Issue One - 7/07/03
RA ACIRFA ESSAY SERIES BRINGING BLACK WOMEN AND MEN BACK TOGETHER IN HARMONY
Essay By Cheryl M.A. Powell
RA ACIRFA P.O. Box 11032 Takoma Park, MD 20913
Email: cherylpowell3@earthlink.net
Email: jsagboton@jsapublishing.com
Website: www.jsapublishing.com

NOTE TO READER: Please copy, print and distribute to Friends, Family and Relatives. Pass on to as many People concerned with the empowerment and spiritual growth of our People.

RA ACIRFA ESSAY SERIES

I owe this essay as a product of my reflection to the teachings of my big sister and mentor in conscious thoughts, Dr. Frances Cress Welsing;to my spiritual guides and mentors the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, Rev Willie and Rev Mrs. Mary Wilson, Rev Graylan Hagler, Dr. Anthony T. Browder, Dr. Anthony (Tony) Martin, Professor James Small, Mr. Neely Fuller, Jr., Dr. Leonard & Mrs. Jeffries and my brother Michael Warren, who always felt that what I had to say could very well be a tool of transformation.I wish to express my gratitude to my Family,Auntie Bernice and Uncle Leon Langford, who I honor for they always made me feel special with words of encouragement;to my ancestors, my father, William O. Powell and my mother, Essie Mae Powell, and my uncle, Redelle P. Powell, who gave me a spirit of the movement advocating change for my people;to my siblings, Andre, Jose, Bayon, Baby Tina, Den, and Tarik who always looked up to me and gave me something special in growing-up;Linda Langford and Judy Harris Muhammad, two relatives that have always been there for me. I love them both; and most importantlyMELVINA F. LEWIS and MARISHA D. WILLIAMS,who are at the core of my soul and all my struggles. You two have given methe fire to fight until my last breathe. I love you both because you are my life.RA ACIRFA : "RA" - the essence of the Creator. "ACIRFA" - Africa spelled in reverse symbolically meaning, "we are reversing the fate of people of African descent."

FOREWORD
By Jacques Sotero Agboton

The Black woman is at the heart of our world. Hence, societies of African people everywhere on this Earth are matrifocal (mother as pillar of family). Therefore, it remains the duty of Black women, or better yet, women of African descent, to rise and take their role of leadership so as to reverse the fate of our people.What is requested from every woman, whether she is single, married, mother, sister and matriarch, is a constructive engagement by immediate actions in response to the virulence (bitterly hostile) of the global racist system. Nevertheless, it is imperative that conscious men support actively this movement for the benefit of our people. Men and women must team-up in their complimentary tasks to work for the greater good of our people.The success of this movement will not depend on how much money any prominent figure has in a bank account or the celebrity status of any other person for America and all its material wealth is not worthier than anyone among your loved-ones. The success of this movement is not by the display of pathologies of selfishness or greediness because you are great among men and women of a noble people. This movement will be successful because for once there is a generation of men and women seeking change at the most basic level to impact the lives of the masses.Cheryl M.A. Powell lays out a blue print for practical solutions to woes facing our society. However, her paper is a supplement to books by the above-mentioned author entitled "Philosophy of Engagement (The ideological basis for the liberation of African people)", and "Lock Them Down, Lock Them Out (An outline paradigm for the economic prosperity of African people and descendants). Both books are available by visiting our website http://www.jsapublishing.com/ email: jsagboton@jsapublishing.com.


PREFACE

The intent of this essay is to address the discord between Black men and women by better sharing knowledge used by forces that have brought and are causing discord in our souls, families and communities. The essay is to assist us in repairing the psychological damages so we can begin to prepare the road for every Black woman to have a black man of her own, or vice versa. Every Black man must have a black woman who stands at his side for the positive growth of our people.It is not the intent of this essay to degrade any one person or group of people but its sole purpose is to bring awareness to our problems with appropriate solutions.We are working to assist in the positive and spiritual transformation of our People in hopes that they can discover the essence of our Creator, which is there but dormant, or have been made dormant by wicked entities. Our goal is to work for the betterment of our People and redevelop the essence of the Creator in our souls. The decision to embark in this initiative is from our concern of the loneliness of the Black woman who is carrying the burden of our people, and her emptiness as her energy is sapped from the fact that she is heading a fatherless household, and rearing children with not enough self-love. We will need to understand at a conscious level what is happening to us at a grass root level so we can do more now to speed up the pace, andof resolvinge these issues with a strategies that can bring change on a greater scale.The Black woman has gone too long without the healing love, understanding and companionship of the Black man. Similarly, the Black man has gone without the deep understanding of his Black woman.This present state was created and is perpetuated by unfriendly forces (caucasian's system of developed white supremacy) not willing to permit the positive growth of our family unit, our children and communities. Although, we are only temporarily trapped in these conditions, it is our responsibility to repair and rebuild this devastating situation, and return to our original state as intended by the Creator.As black people ( with melanin), we must all realize that there is a WAR being waged upon us and this WAR is executed by caucasians (particularly, caucasian men who are melanin-deficient albino mutants) for the purpose of ensuring they do not disappear from the planet.Hence, RA ACIRFA's sole purpose is to assist in our positive self-growth and the strengthening of our families and communities in all areas of life.

VISION

People of African descent are to organize a national movement of Black women working on strategies of programs for the liberation of Black men from an unjust judicial system which confines Black men to arbitrary imprisonment and probation. Secondly, we must rescue and educate our homeless men and thirdly, assist in the retraining of Black men in our midst. Black people are to plan, promote and maintain a National Training Program such as "Rights of Passage" to help young men heal their hurt and pain and to give them an understanding of the Black Women. These sessions will help to prepare every man back into the family, community and into the arms of the Black woman.Initially, the Black woman, as in many cases, may have to help her man financially until we can get our communities back to its natural operation as designed by the natural order of the spirit. Also, there must be a National Training and Re-education Program for Black Women.We should established groups all over this country with one vision and purpose, that is, helping to get our men back. Black churches and organizations, all over this country, should adopt 5 to 10 homeless brothers (depending on the size of the church). The churches should help get these men back on their feet, and this must be the task for the entire congregation. After one set of five to ten men complete the program of empowerment and are inserted back into the community, these programs should be repeated over again for the next group of 5 to 10 men. The churches or organizations may be creative in developing a progressive program so that the brothers may sustain themselves. Some of the brothers should have professional mentors whose guidance can help them create small business ventures or enterprises such as handy man, janitorial services, and landscaping, etc. The community must help those already experienced brothers back into their trade.Also, we must solicit our Black doctors and dentists to aid with the donation of their time in this program of helping to revitalize our men. A program or plan of action for homeless brothers should be created to help address medical and employment needs with the goal of getting our men back into our families and communities as a productive and strong force.Each person of African descent with a copy of this essay can take the responsibility to organize groups of not less than 50 people (approx) and not more then 100 people (if possible) to initiate a movement with family, friends and Black organizations. Once a group is formed and functioning successfully, then its members must help other groups to get started until we have groups all over this country working toward this endeavor.


REALIZATION AND INSIGHT

The Energy of the universe is changing, and this change is taking place amongst the people of a darker hue. However, the strongest point of this Energy will emerge from the Female of the Darker-Skinned People. The Black man has been taken from his woman by design (system of white supremacy developed by caucasians). Only with the Black man and his healing love, can her channels be more receptive to the Creator's universal energy of vision, which encompasses progressive positive change and direction for the family, community, and herself. The Black woman and her man are consumed by discord produced by an entity that is not friendly towards our genetic survival (white supremacy). Hence, that is the reason why her channels are clogged. And because of a lack of understanding on the part of our men about the spirit and energy of their women, Black Men are involved in activities that promote promiscuity. Faced with our disapproval, they turn away from us, or they succumb to the advances of caucasian women whose evil agenda is their downfall.We must ask and stress to every Brother not to fall for the advances of caucasian women. Since the caucasian man is incapable of demanding that his woman leaves the black phallus alone, he resorts to incarcerating, killing and disenfranchising as many brothers as possible because of his fear of disappearing from the planetWe also need to realize that this caucasian's system of white supremacy is killing, incarcerating and disenfranchising Black Men who are in their prime years of procreation (able to produce offsprings). While this is happening, the system is permitting Black women to have progressive jobs, earn higher incomes to buy cars and homes, yet remain alone. This strategy is to divert our attention or awareness away from the serious issue of dysfunction of our society. By design, Black women are confused to accept a notion of independence warped in an adage such as "you don't need a man to be happy." However, the immediate compensation gained does not last long because the real need of their spirit is being deprived. Hence, we as frustrated Black women become workaholics, or binge on food, if not, we try to seek human comfort in the church, or become excessively prone to the "shop till you drop syndrome." Yet the main reason of our distress is that we are deprived of our men.Because she is denied the touch, presence, love, companionship, understanding and nourishment of her man, the Black woman lacks love for herself, her children, and has apathy for her kind, if not disdain, for our community which she displays in bitterness, anger, hurt, pain and discontentment. This state leads the Black woman to be shut-off from the vision that is sent forth by the Creator, and our ancestors to guide and nourish, through her, our Black men, children and communities.Although Black Women have tried to accept this state of an existence without their men, such life does not reconcile with our spirit. Many women are resigned to their fate for lack of understanding or awareness, and are unable to analyze the real situation. But we know something is wrong so we get angry at each other, or bash black men because there is not one for us to love, or one who can love us back. Sometimes, we are jealous and bitter when we observe another sister in a fruitful relationship, and the reason for such a feeling is that we feel hopeless about our situation. We feel hopeless because the natural order of nature has been interrupted for it is not normal for a woman to be alone and lack her male companion. This situation was put in place by caucasians and is contrary to the order of the Divine power.The caucasian race (white supremacists) understood how such dysfunction operates in the dynamics of society, and is also aware that many of us as a people of the darker hue can become, have the potential to become, and have the ability to become the powerful force behind universal changes. They (white supremacy), also, realized the proper order of this powerful energy is Man and Woman united, as designed by our Creator. Hence, with this understanding, the evil-minded people have put up certain mechanisms in place to produce this state of unhappiness and confusion while they procreate (and/or devise alternatives such as cloning) to replenish (at least, attempt to) the Earth with creatures like themselves to continue this unjust system. Meanwhile, the caucasians (white supremacy) are setting the stage for the destruction of our people. Behold, we have as recent evidence, the unhealthy music and movies, financially promoted by caucasians, are causing degeneration of our society. Meanwhile our attention is diverted via interracial dating and marriages giving a false impression of equality and acceptance.Remember, melanin-deficient albino mutants are only ten percent of the world population, and as such people of color, form 90 percent of humans on Earth. Let us understand the fear of caucasian men is that Black Men are genetically dominant (melanin) such that Black men can annihilate the whole caucasian race whenever they have sexual intercourse with a melanin deficient albino mutant with recessive genes (so-called white person). A child conceived from such a union is colored and the so-call white disappears.Because many caucasian women are pursing the black man..s phallus and threatening the survival of the caucasian race, caucasian men have initiated the destruction of our men since anyone that mates with a Black man will disappear.It is for this reason that the caucasians are intensively promoting policies where black men are heavily incarcerated, killed by the police forces and other destructive strategies. Notwithstanding, the system is creating the mis-education of our young men. Their system is purposely creating many disenfranchised and homeless men that further diminish the pool of eligible productive men who could be our husbands, and become fathers for our children.

OBJECTIVE

We, as Black women, want to bring our men back to our communities, our homes, and into our arms. We must expose the plan of the U.S. Government to destroy Black men, families and communities. The responsibility is ours (and ours only) to get back our men, families and communities. We will let this Government know by our actions that we want our Black men back. We deserve to have love and happiness just like the caucasian women do. They do not have to destroy our lives for their own genetic survival (though this is part of the WAR, they wage upon us). We must convey this information to every Black woman, and ask each one to get behind this movement and pray for our unity. We are starting a movement to challenge this oppressive system to release our men from prisons so that we can begin to heal ourselves, our men, our communities, and build our families. The movement will create and design training programs set-up by Black Men and Women, and their institutions to assist all of us into a new direction. We must focus on training and educating Black men, who seem to be taking advantage of the shortage of men and using this situation for their own selfish motives by showing no regard to Black Women..s feelings. We must instill into boys and young men, how by being involved with many women at one time, they are creating turmoil to each woman's spirit. We must educate Black men on how they still display the pathology of slavery, by using and abusing women and by taking from her spirit without giving back in the same manner as white barbarians. Without any doubt, due to the shortage of men, there is an ever-increasing crisis where many women approach married men, not because the single woman is bad, but because she is trying to fulfill herself with what the Creator put in her. So it behooves families to get involved in this movement as well. We must educate our people to bring back dignity and respect just like our great royal ancestors had. The Movement (U.S. wide) will need the support of all Black People, and use as leverage the spending dollars of Blacks. We will boycott malls, car dealerships, and non-Black businesses in our neighborhoods, and withhold votes from political figures that do not support our efforts. We will penalize unacceptable behavior from businesses operating among us should we find that they are not supporting our cause. We will support black businesses for our essential needs (this should include Black Farmers). No Black business should take unethical advantage of this situation for it will set a precedence of distrust whereby Black folks will stop supporting their own businesses and communities. Further, we must realize that since caucasians are concerned with their genetic survival and to our detriment, they cannot become honest contributors to activities geared toward the promotion of our existence. This is why Black people need to be very concerned when any liberal or conservative caucasian benefactor wants to help our organizations or join causes that are designed for the mental, spiritual enlightenment and freedom of our people. It should be understood that the underlining reasons why caucasians join Black organizations or activities is to steer Black people from progressive ideas and divert their energy into directions so as not to thwart white genetic survival. If Black churches do not assist in this movement (specially these faith-based organizations) then their donations and/or contributions will be terminated. Churches are full of Black women giving their money and time, as well as their prayers to find a man of their own. The Black clergy needs to stop fooling these women by telling them to wait on God to send them a man while taking their hard earned dollar for the support of the preacher, his church and life-style. Nevertheless, we will cooperate with religious or secular organizations willing to aid our missionWe must hit this County hard with our votes, dollars and donations. We must let those in authority know we are damn serious, we want our men back, "not tomorrow or not next week but right now", and Black people will endeavor to achieve that objective by "any means necessary."

PROPOSED PLAN OF HOW TO DO IT

The movement will work essentially through Black Women (and Men) networking across North America with the affiliation of individuals everywhere else.We will withhold our votes from Black and White political officials who do not display openly proof of their support and execution toward the freeing of our men. We will freeze spending in shopping malls, car dealerships, entertainment (movies, clubs, vacation resorts, sports, etc) and on any other commodities substituted as comfort or escapism. In order to recapture that Black man's spirit and energy by his absence, many Black women seek a false compensation by binging on junk food, and by indulging in compulsive shopping or getting addicted to narcotics. We will stop donations to churches that are pimping Black women but not helping us to bring solutions likely to reclaim our men again.We will withdraw all monies (savings, retirement accounts, checking, CD or Term Share accounts) out of banks and credit unions, and place them in a Black-owned and operated banking or credit institutions. We will stop charging credit cards and asphyxiate (suffocate) their financial system. We will freeze entertainment spending (movies, sports, clubs, and happy hour) and women who are married must stop their husbands from going to these forms of entertainment. Black people must stop supporting those entertainers who have shifted their allegiance over to the other side by the neglect of the Black woman and marrying outside their group, the moment they became celebrities with fame and money.We must completely start using our own physicians and dentists and promote among our young boys, men, girls and ladies, a race-first philosophy. Our family physicians should look like us such that we know they will be less likely to make them sterile or infect our people with some sort of malady. (We have ample evidence of harm done to our people in the name of the white man..s sciences).We must also establish educational programs such as at-home schooling for teaching our children and after school classes, i.e. in the evenings or weekends to teach our historic culture. Through these efforts our children will grow with the attutitude to empower our people. Meanwhile, we must counter the alienation process of those children attending public schools and having their minds conditioned to oppose the support of their own survival. We should counter these strategies by home-training forums organized and created by groups of parents organized in sets of five (5) and taking alternative turns in teaching from a developed curriculum to the neighboring children about our beautiful heritage.

IMMEDIATE ACTION BY BLACK MEN AND WOMEN

We, as Black People, need to turn-off the loud music, stop the distasteful jokes and the patronizing of degrading movies. We must look at everything within this racist environment and understand the subliminal messages being absorbed by our children and us.We must be aware that the media (TV, movies, and commercials, etc) are a crucial vehicle used by caucasians to perpetuate, in our subconscious minds, the false idea of white superiority. On many News and TV programs, movies and commercials, caucasian women are portrayed as very feminine, slim in body and attractive females, but in contrast, black women are mostly portrayed as loud, boyish (non-feminine) and overweight. As much as caucasian females imitate black women, their media distort beautiful melanin features to give the appearance of being unattractive, and Black actors or actresses are paid top-dollar to perform in a way that is degrading to us as a people. If one should look around, it is easy to find plenty of caucasian women that are overweight as well plenty of slim black women. We must understand that caucasian people are faced with one major problem, which is being melanin deficient. Their scientists are trying to repair this deficiency artificially and have been trying many programs for years and they know it. Yet Black people do not realize it since caucasians are distracting us from their objectives. Many of us (Black people) in our miseducation and our unhealthy need to be accepted by the melanin deficient people think that interracial mating indicates our acceptance by caucasians. But let us be clear, it is caucasian people who need melanin. This is why we see a greater acceptance of the mulatto such as in better acting roles, commercials and other high profile activities. This strategy is multi-form. One is that it aids in keeping the confusion and discord within the Melanin People, divide and conquer, to prevent our unity, awareness and prevent the obvious observation of their (caucasians) true purpose. In doing this, they are sending a subliminal message to the mulattos that their allegiance should be geared toward the caucasian group to ensure their (mulattos) progression and elevation in life.If their experimental sciences of cloning, fertility drugs, artificial created melanin and other highly secretive programs fail they have the mulattos as the last resort to prevent their total disappearance from the planet. This is also a way to get a little melanin into their group. Hence, Black Men and Woman are encouraged to interracially mate, via media, to produce mulattos, so in 20 to 25 years they will be able to mate with caucasians enabling them to strengthen the caucasian race. Obviously, caucasians will change the "one-drop-rule" concerning Black blood.We must change how we interact with caucasian men and caucasian women. They are not superior to us and we are not inferior to them. We must consciously display the posture that denotes our progressive awareness of our culture and love for our people. Unity for positive growth is important to preserve our future through our families and children. Finally, we must act now, if the job of transformation and liberation of our people is to be done properly. Nevertheless, we must remain courteous and polite to everyone and we will do it in a professional but serious manner. The following is suggested as immediate action that we can start, NOW.

For Black Women--Stop joking and kidding with caucasian men and caucasian women. Especially, do not allow them to convey jokes or degrading humor to you. Maintain a professional and serious posture when dealing with them. Do not allow caucasian men to touch any part of your body, not even your fingers. Black women have been raped, disrespected, and degraded by this group long enough. We need to take a serious stand to regain our respect. In business transactions, if you don't care to shake their hands then politely state this to them. No explanation is needed, just a polite refusal. Do not permit your womb to be used to bear the offsprings of the caucasian man. While he destroys your man and our men, he is using your body to produce his offsprings. He knows that you are feeling lonely and empty. Remember, he is creating this situation and, in essence, you know in your heart that what you really want and prefer is your black man, but you succumb because you feel it is hopeless. So let us change the situation. Do not share any of your personal affairs with any caucasian man or caucasian woman. Just convey that you do not discuss your personal affairs. If you have those who persist on inquiring about your personal affairs then you just start inquiring about their affairs without giving any information reference to you.Let us start greeting each other warmly and courteously. Always speak to your Black Brother or Black Sister, even if you do not know him or her. Try to always acknowledge him or her at the opportune time, by greetings such as ..Good Morning, Brother, how are you today? (or his surname or Sir, if you do not know his name or know him well), or Good Morning, Sister, how are you today... Even if you are amongst caucasian colleagues and that Brother or Sister is part of the maintenance/cleaning crew, go out your way to speak to him or her with sincere care and concern. And let us as Black Women be aware of how we carry ourselves and dress. Let us not use profanity or speak in a way not befitting a Black Queen (mother of humanity). Let us stop dressing in a way that exposes our breasts or other body parts in a disrespectful manner. Especially, on the job, this only permits disrespect from our enemy and it does not give our men the opportunity to protect us. hen our Black Men display courteous actions towards us, always say ..thank you.. with sincerity. If we do this, we will begin to see many of our brothers doing this on a larger scale. Sisters, to be in good condition to do what we need to do, we must also maintain ourselves in good health. Let us start exercising and be conscious of our diets as well as what we are feeding our children. Many of us are single household heads, and exercising in the evening or the morning is not always possible, so here are a few tips: (1) try to eat one meal per day; (2) walk during your lunch hour 5 days per week; try to eat vegetables during the week; (3) eat chicken and fish on the weekends, no pork or red meat; (4) drink not less then 8 to 9 glasses of water per day (more would be great). If you must drink sodas or juices, drink only during special occasions or once a month.

For Black Men--Stop being the group's clown when you are amongst caucasian colleagues. You are not their entertainer. You are a Warrior (and we are at WAR). If they convey a joke or want to deal with you in a non-serious manner then you do not respond to foolishness. Display respect and courtesy to Black Women. If presented with the opportunity to display courtesy such as holding the door, helping with a heavy bag, and permitting her to board first on the bus, etc, please do so.Don..t succumb to the advances of the caucasian woman when she directs her attention toward you. Do not permit your black body to be used any further. Just politely convey to her that you do not believe in race mixing. We as Black Women are willing to fight, be supportive and stand with each of you by going up against this white supremacist system that is trying to destroy you. But you will also help us to be successful by your very actions.Start dressing in a way that your cloths are neat, pressed and with a little starch, if possible. Even if you work in a mailroom, always have a nice crisp shirt with a tie or bowtie. For brothers that require a uniform, always have it sharp, pressed and clean and it will not hurt to place a matching bowtie with it.

Paragraph number 7 of ..For Black Women.. applies to the Brothers as well. We, as Black People have the essence of the Creator and our Ancestors.. energy within us and we as Black Women have the power to guide this energy or thought energy in a powerful direction to create what we need to assist our peace, our spirit, contentment and our positive progressive growth toward the transformation and liberation of our people. Let us begin by the development of one thought, one vision and one aim in the liberation of Black Men from an unjust prison system, revitalizing our homeless brothers, and by helping in the re-education of brothers amongst us. With this vision in mind, with strong faith, we will be moved to proper action by the energy of our Creator and Ancestors to get our MEN back.

CONCLUSION

Our movement is paced with the maturity of our people and can achieve its objectives within a short time as long as dedicated members with strong faith persevere and keep our belief in the guidance of our Divine Creator and Ancestors. Also, we need to establish training for the re-education of Black women and to assist them in the healing of emotional wounds so that they can be receptive and enabled to connect to the Black men spiritually (as well as physically) for total healing and growth of all. Positively, the ultimate aim will be the rebuilding of strong families, especially for our children and the regeneration of our communities.Without any doubt, we are at war for the ravages done to our people are quite clearly an indication that those in power with diabolical intentions have seized the reigns of every sector of our society. Tragically, the most painful realization is that Black women are dying in large numbers. Unquestionably, white supremacy is mostly the cause of such deaths because the spirit of the Black woman is suffocated by the enemy's strategies that create the absence of her man and his spirit. This state is manifested in the degradation of her nutritional base causing for example, heart attacks, depression, eating disorders, etc. Otherwise, her toxic environment is mirrored in the high prevalence of cancer tumors. In her despair with the savagery of an individualistic society marred by unbridle greed; she is brought to self-destruction either by suicide or as victim of a homicide. But from now on, we take responsibility to reclaim our destiny and to reverse the fate of our people. © 2003

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barnes, Carol, Melanin: The Chemical Key To Black Greatness, Chicago: Lushena Books, Inc., 1988King, Richard, M.D., Melanin: A Key to Freedom, August 2001

Muhammand Elijah, How to Eat to Live (1 & 2)

Welsing, Frances Cress, The Isis Paper, The Key to The Colors, Chicago: Third World Press, 1991

RA ACIRFAMovementâ??BRINGING BLACK WOMEN AND MEN BACK TOGETHER IN HARMONYâ?..Presentsâ??Every Black Woman Must HaveA Black Man of Her Ownâ?..

RA ACIRFA - Essay Series BRINGING BLACK WOMEN AND MEN BACK TOGETHER IN HARMONY..2nd Ed., Revised & Expanded â?? 10/01/03


RA ACIRFA Movement
Every Black Woman Must Have A Black Man of Her Own
RALLY & PRAYER VIGIL

PRAYER is the ability to visualize and create by thought(s), word(s), or action(s), the Item(s), Situation(s) or Life (Existence) that can manifest into a reality that will bring about our peace, happiness, and well-being, and ensure our continued connection to our Higher Source of Life and Power. The RA ACIRFA movement's only mission is to establish, promote, work on, and get involved with constructive plans, strategies and activities (clearly observed) that can promote and will bring about the vision and manifestation of every Black woman having a Black Man of her own and that every Black Child has a strong productive Father living within the household. In essence, to ensure the life of the Black Family unit (Man, Woman and Child; not single-mothers with children) for the ultimate purpose of our continued survival as Black People here on Planet Earth.So many Black Women are alone and spiritually empty because our Black Men are being systematically removed, purposely, from our arms, homes, families and communities (from his Black Woman). Too many and an extremely high number of Black Women are heading households as single-mothers. We are intensely tired of this situation and oftentimes feel hopeless to change this devastating fate. But have you ever thought about why this is happening?We function within the system of racism/white supremacy (the ultimate purpose of which is to ensure white genetic survival at the destructive expense of destroying the People of Color with the highest genetic potential to annihilate them. Black is genetically dominant as oppose to white being genetically recessive) which is determined to promote and maintain confusion and bitter conflict between Black Males and Black Females. The system of racism/white supremacy especially targets Black Males. Everywhere we go, to every corner of the World where we reside; there is a WAR AGAINST BLACK MALES, which has a devastating effect on Black Females as well. We as Black Women can no longer stand still for this systematic destruction of our Black Families, this demands our vigilant action.

I am calling for a PRAYER VIGIL, in which Black Men and Women come together with one Prayer (one collective powerful prayer), one thought (creation), one powerful thought that we will place out in the universe to request that the CREATOR and ANCESTORS guide our energy toward plans, strategies, and actions that will lead to this vision of preparing the road for every Black Woman to have a Black Man of her own and every Black Child to have a strong productive Father living within the household.Before we were taken from our homeland in captivity, during the enslavement phase of the system of racism/white supremacy, we learned and were aware of our connectedness to the Creator and our Ancestors as our source of power and guidance within the universe. We knew how to harness that power and we will do it again.RA ACIRFA means the essence of the CREATOR within our souls that was placed there by the Most-High, and in discovering that power, we will begin to reverse the fate of our people (people of Africa descent).

Everyone with this flyer, please copy at least 25 copies and pass to 25 individuals of our people.Copyright © 2004