Ese Moreno Ain’t So Bad After-all

August 8, 2009 will forever go down in history as the day the United States Supreme Court sworn in the first Hispanic supreme court justice. This historical period in our society is quite profound considering less than 100 years ago we actually had Klans men as Supreme Court justices. In fact many are not aware that the Supreme Court overturned the initial integration doctrine and allowed the Southern states to operate under separate but legal, which we all knew was actually separate and illegal for the unfortunate person of color. Sonia Sotomayor, Supreme Court Justice, girl you got lots of graves turning (LOL). While we recognize the maturation of unity our nation is experiencing, we should also take into account how two supreme minority classes are actually coming together, I’m talking about Boricuas and Morenos or also known as the Browns and Blacks.

Growing up as a Black Puerto Rican I’ve had my share of racism on both ends. I had Black friends who ridiculed my Salsa music, the gandules (peas) in my rice, my accent, the stereotypical jokes about welfare and tons of kids as well as countless other experiences that I’m failing to mention. I’ve also experienced the ignorance of those who share my ethnicity in thinking that I was a morena, which by the way is a word that closely resembles mono (monkey in Spanish, hmmmm……) and how they went out to degrade me for being a morena. Some of these instances were the cowardly way they would talk about me in Spanish not knowing that I knew the language, tell me I had bad hair, they would say all Black people stink, oh and the best one they weren’t allowed to bring Black people into their house, ya’ll know who you are! But today in the year 2009 I’m beginning to get a different feel from Blacks and Hispanics. The nomination of Sotomayor from an African American President, Barack Obama spoke volumes.

Historically Hispanics tend to associate themselves and maybe its just imaginary but nevertheless they see themselves more in the white arena than the Black arena. Even your dark Hispanics would never admit to being Black or even contain African ancestry. This denouncement of their true ethnicity is not due to poor knowledge but of shame. Hispanics would rather be anything than Black to the point that they wouldn’t even side with an African American. Some may think based on my experiences I’m making this up, but if you recall during the Democratic primary between Barack and Hilary, Hispanics were all over Hilary. Hilary this Hilary that. Shamefully my own mother hated Obama. To quote Ms. Thing “Barack is a Muslim from Africa” She don’t want nobody who grew up in a jungle running the country.” It took all of me not to disrespect my mother. But I realized she was just honestly speaking what most Hispanics thought. Now nearly a year later Obama is like Jesus to her. He’s looked out for her kind more than any other white person ever did. Just take a look at Bush and poor Alberto Gonzalez. The Bush administration made Albertito take the fall for firing those judges. Haven’t heard a peep from Albertito and you won’t either! See that’s not whitey looking out for you.

For years we’ve all known to prosper we must work together, yet we never took the initiative to do so. So busy trying to assimilate and knock each other out as if the white race only has room for a few Black and Hispanic cohorts. But finally one of us took the plunge and what a step it was. A Black president nominates a Puerto Rican from the Bronx and voila for the first time eyes have been opened! Hermanos/Hermanas, Sisters and Brothers we are not enemies we’ve been fighting the same fight for many of years. We were robbed and we built this country. This division between Black and Brown, which coincidentally are related colors in the Crayola box has got to stop and I pray to God we are on our way.

This past Saturday comedian George Lopez announced during his standup on HBO the names of the Senators who opposed Sotomayor, coincidentally they were all white. He urged their constituents not to vote for them again. The roaring applause of the crowd mostly Hispanic was proof enough that “WE” are all finally getting it. Thank you President Obama and Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor for leading the charge on this one. This is a cultural awakening that you both should be extremely proud of!

Michael

Like everyone in the entire world I was overwhelmed with great sadness on the passing of Michael Jackson. Phone calls came through, text messages, my Mom was crying, my husband was crying, it was insane. You would of thought we lost a family member, but in a way we did…. Although I didn’t know Mike personally, I personally know his music. He is actually the real first indication of music that I can remember.

As early as 5 years old I recall my parents playing the ABC album I think that’s what it was called. The album cover was a two fold and I distinctly remember Bill Cosby doing some voice over work. I remember how my brother, cousin and I would create dance steps to Dance Machine. Oh and let’s not forget the famous Christmas album. 30 plus years later I’m still playing that album something now my 11 year old daughter is accustomed too. I remember when Mike and his brothers were growing up and left Motown to join CBS Records and produced the album with the hit single “Enjoy Yourself”. Michael Jackson and his brothers gave me my first rhythm to music. I was saddened not because I’m a deranged fan but because Mike was my definition of music. I grew up with him; regardless of blood ties he was a family member. He was like my distant impactful “music” brother. He was there for the good times, the bad times and the growing up times. Mike has been everywhere in my life and that I believe is a space usually reserve for family members, which is what Mike is to me.

Over the years as with any family member I did have my issues with Mike, dare I say I did abandon him for a period of time. Once Thriller came out I knew my brother when a bit astray. Although I loved some of the records on the album namely Lady in my Life, PYT and You Got to be Starting Something, I was not “thrilled” with Billy Jean, Beat it or the title track Thriller, these were the records that really catapulted and set Michael off into another world. A world of acceptance by everyone in which I felt my brother had no time for me or those like me who lived in the inner city. As much as everyone in the ghetto who grew up with Mike is upset, there’s no denying that Thriller or the Bad album were not “our” kind of music. As much as I loved Mike I just knew my brother had changed. He no longer was just a part of my family but a part of a universal family. Now looking back I think I was being selfish about his endeavors to globally branch off musically. These are the times I found myself angry with Mike. I was particularly displeased at his own self-hatred of his image. It’s one thing to get weaves or do some minor cosmetic surgery but when you bleach your skin and totally alter your appearance it’s just sickening.

Being a living legendary pop icon I don’t think Mike realized the powerful message he conveyed when he turned white on purpose. Yes I know there were the vertiligo reports but damm if that were true Mike should be famous for being the first man to naturally turn white. Most vertiligo cases involve blotches of white skin and not your average Caucasian tone. It usually resembles an open wound that’s in the process of healing after the scab has eroded. Mike’s complexion was an unnatural white. Regardless of what some people think if you have enough money you can do anything and Mike proved that is so true! Diana Ross had also bleached her skin but she stopped somewhere in the middle. I know the reports of Joe Jackson calling him ugly as well as the dreadful transition years from cute child star to adolescent can be daunting, just ask Gary Coleman. I remember when the Enjoy Yourself single came out and my cousins saying he wasn’t cute anymore. I’m sure all these factors played a role in Michael’s transition but damm I think personally he could of stopped at the very least when we can clearly see the most drastic change during the Bad album. But as we all know he didn’t. I thought it ironic for him to make a song called Black and White and the lyrics stated it didn’t matter when it was clear that it did matter to Mike. In his view it was apparent that “White” is right. Those actions were so powerful. As a woman of color I was down right pisst off with Mike. I felt he abandoned us and he sent a message to the world how Black was so horrid! But as a typical family member when trouble looms they come back and we forgive.

During Mike’s first molestation trial, he was on all the Black TV. This was the first time in my life I had seen Mike on the NAACP awards not to mention his appearance on the Soul Train music awards. Mike hadn’t been on Soul Train since he danced with his brothers. Oh, and the album out at the time was Dangerous. Finally my brother was coming back to his senses. Remember the Time was the hit single along with a number of other singles that grooved throughout our households. Mike was back, he was jamming and he had our full support. You knew how Black works we always got your Back!! After all this was over, my brother went away again. He married Lisa Marie Presley then divorced her and then married the most homeliest white woman in the world, Debbie Rowe. Again I thought to myself there goes Mike wanting to be white again. I was not prepared for what was next, the children.

Mike’s children look nothing like him pre-surgery which is a clear indication these aren’t his biological children, but perhaps children conceived by two white parents and then claimed by Mike. Most bi-racial children have some visible trait of both races. Even if one child came out looking all white the other may not. Mike’s kids are blond, blue-eyed and as white as the ivory snow. And then he goes to make a 3rd child by a surrogate who is obviously white, though he denied it. As I loved my brother I hated his attack on our self-image. As much as we claim him to be a black man as the best entertainer of all time, the truth is Michael did not want to be black, doesn’t mean he did not want to be my brother, but he just didn’t like the color. It’s as simple as that!

Mike, I Love You and forgive you. You were a conflicted, complicated genius. No matter what issues you had you were the BEST at what you did and that was entertain. Elvis, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, etc. can’t touch you. You will go in history as the Beethoven of our time. I am sorry that you had to battle any demons and never had a chance to know someone who truly really loved you and knew you, how could they, when you never had the chance to know who you really were? Rest in Peace for the world and their horrors can’t touch you now.

Love,
Blacktina

Have We Overcome?

Well Well Well He did it!!! Barack Obama is the President Elect of the United States! There is joy and euphoria throughout the world. Are you hearing me, throughout the world. Apparently American citizens weren’t the only ones who were suffering under this Bush regime. New Years Day may be January 1st every year but I can tell you this for most folks November 4, 2008 is our official New Years Day!! If my writing could come to words you would truly understand how happy I am or maybe not. My voice is so hoarse from screaming last night that it will take me days to get it back, oh well I’ll live. And live I will do as a witness of one of the most historical times in this nation as I join my fellow compadres who know first hand what our suffrage has been just because of the color of our skin, which brings me to another topic, the media and the general American (white) public.

Throughout the barrage of commentary I’ve noticed that many analyst, journalist, politicians and anyone who feels they can lend an opinion to this historic event have all been sympathizing with the black plight we’ve been experiencing since the first slave ship landed in Jamestown. I’m hearing CNN, MSNBC, FOX even Karl Rove say things like this win is historical for the African American community who have suffered so many atrocities and injustices. MSNBC even had Tavis Smiley on as the resident Black man sufferer talking about the whole Civil Rights movement, Jim Crow, Martin Luther King the whole shebang and all along these white commentators are saying how this was only 40 years ago and how hard we had suffered. Something is a bit amiss about this!

I somehow recall that whenever we shouted discrimination, inequality, racism, we were always told for the most part we were whining or we’re lazy or the best of them all we’re just making excuses. How many times have you heard a white person say their grandfather came over as an immigrant and worked his way up to own the family business, blah, blah, blah and in the same breath it’s usually mentioned how black people make excuses for their dilemmas. The real cause of the dilemma is never mentioned. And when it comes to dilemma I’m talking about basic human rights, the right to use a bathroom, a drink of water, the right to vote! Nope this was our dilemma that prevented us from doing almost anything at all. And as these commentators say it was just yesterday, I’m like REALLY?!?!?! – are they just waking up to this. Most of us already know this was just yesterday. When you still have the same people who were beaten and denied their basic civil right still living to talk about it, guess what yes it was just yesterday! But for today what’s different? The difference now is the face (symbol) of America. Our new leader looks like us, therefore his problems are the same as ours and now those problems are amplified and become all of America’s problems. As I hear this newfound sympathy and understanding I wonder is this all it took, was for one of us to become President to get America’s understanding of what we went through? Or is it because as a society we embrace the ideology of our leader? If that is the case then no wonder why we’ve been in peril for 230 plus years. All of our Presidents have been white men and for the majority racist white men. This means for centuries we as a people have lived under a rule an ideology that does not include us and in no way ever benefited us and amazingly we SURVIVED!

One good thing has come out of this election besides Obama and that is endurance and strength. As I said yesterday no other group of people can compare to our ability to combat injustice and grow stronger with every battle we encounter. Every group except for us has been compensated for their atrocities, yet We Have Overcome all of the garbage that has been in front of us! I know we’re proud of President Barack Obama and we should be damm it!!! But we should also take a minute and be proud of ourselves. We may not be at a point where we’ve completely overcome but Lord knows we’re on the right path to doing so! Once again God Bless You All, Stay Safe and Keep Progressing, Nothing can stop us!!! Love, Blacktina

The Honeymoon Period

“Pins and needles, needles and pins a happy face is a face that grins”. For those of you who grew up in the 80’s and watched reruns of The Honeymooners may remember this little mantra that Ralph Kramden had to repeat in order to deal with his nerves and as usual try not to blow his top. Well folks today I feel like Ralph, I’m not honeymooning but I’m on edge and I’m sure judging by the date many of you know why and probably feel the same. Can someone scream HISTORICAL, JUSTICE, INTEGRITY, PRIDE, EQUALITY. This is what an Obama win will mean to me!

I’m sitting on edge waiting for tomorrow’s results and waiting to tell my daughter that NOTHING can stop her. I have always told my child to strive for the best but I’ve also prepared her for the unnecessary clever obstacles that will she face because of the color of her skin. Now I’m not saying an Obama win will change racism because NO it won’t! Racist will be Racist, hell that’s what makes America. However an Obama win will give all of us hope that it is possible, it’s no longer a dream, a fantasy, an illusion or a Yeah Right moment, but it’s TRUE, A REALITY that will go down in the history books. Imagine our future babies going to school learning about slavery and then moving onto the Civil Rights Movement (Martin) and then the millennium with President Obama, talk about PROGRESSION. It may have been a slow progression but nonetheless it’s still progression! We also need to tell our babies why it has been SLOW, what we as a people have been faced with but how we as a people have endured and persevered! No other race throughout the universe can ever compare to our strong stride, our proud ways and our ability to keep it moving with no help at all. I’m sure many will cry, oh please there’s Affirmative Action and other host of programs. Most of these programs were designed so white people can have jobs and funding. No darling we made it from our sweat, tears and the promise that we know we’re destined for better! Unlike the Jews or the Japanese we’re not able to sue, that’s what they tell us, we’re not entitled to reparations or unpaid wages or civil payments for the brutal destruction of our families, NOPE, not us, but we still come out on top!

I hope to God Obama wins and yes for my own personal reasons and that of my people, I’ll admit that, but more importantly to show that we can lead and change a broken America for the better, something his opponent cannot do!

Pins and needles a painful way to spend the day, but no more painful than my slave ancestors picking cotton after a whipping in 100 degree weather, no this pain is nothing! I’ll hold on to these pins and needles all day today and early tomorrow if I have to. The second part of the saying is a “happy face that grins” and Lord knows tomorrow I hope to be a happy grinning Blacktina! God Bless you all!

The Networking Hour

Everyday when I’m in my Blacktina Carrie Bradshaw mood I go downstairs for a late lunch anytime between 2:00 and 3:00 and have myself a flavored whipped up coffee either from Starbucks or Caribou (Caribou’s is better by the way, but just more expensive). I usually see business couples who are either mentoring or being mentored, talking strategy, management, etc. As I look around and eaves drop (old habit) I usually laugh and say to myself my goodness don’t they have anything else to talk about. Who wants to talk business everyday even on a break. But today for some reason I had a different approach I overheard this gentlemen from what I gathered was some type of executive giving valuable advice to a younger man who seemed eager and privileged to be the recipient of such knowledge. For once I didn’t laugh or think good Lord how boring can they be. For once I thought to myself how come more of “us” aren’t having these types talks??

I’ll be the first to admit whenever I’m out to lunch with a colleague of the same persuasion as myself we don’t talk about work, unless it’s gossip. There isn’t any mentoring. If there’s any talk about work besides gossip it’s a bitching session. The point I’m trying to make is nothing fruitful can come out of gossip/bitching session. OK, who we’re kidding some things that come out of these topics are a trip, if you know what I mean . But getting back to reality, does this really help us? Does it help us in the workplace when we form clicks; when we congregate before and after a meeting and discuss irrelevant topics that don’t pertain to the workplace?. I know fun is important but when do we buckle down and get serious.

Some of us may feel why bother to put your “all” during and after work hours, this is understandable in some cases. But if you have the opportunity to receive what someone is willing to give then you should take it. The knowledge you receive may assist you in your current job or some where else. The bottom line is let’s stop shutting ourselves out, we have enough people who would do that to us. Let’s make sure we’re also strategizing whether it’s work related or not. The point is let’s make our contact with one another productive. We have all the time in the world to discuss the BET Awards or who’s hair needs to be done. Let’s start talking about how we can be in line to receive our own award and help others who may want to follow! Progress people, it may be small steps but if we take enough of them it will be one giant leap!