Celebrating Our Differences
Connection. It’s a word we hear a lot; It is used often in business and in everyday personal communication. It is a key buzz word in advertising these days. Marketers strive to “make an emotional connection” with consumers. Cellular phone companies and Internet providers spend millions of…
They say no man is an island unto himself, and with each adventure, I become more fully aware that there is no island called Marlon. Lol. Even in my most narcissistic moments, I chastise myself for having the thought that I don’t need anybody. The fact is that…
“That’s Nedra,” we declare, as Nedra Camille Shelton takes us into her world of compassion, fire, and unconventional thinking. “People are just different,” is her mantra. As one of her oldest friends, (since second grade), I have fumed at the very thought that I succumb to this notion…
Remaining members of the 47th Street Temptations, L-R Azell Madden, Robert Brown and Don Arnold “We are hardwired to connect with others, it’s what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it, there is suffering.”— Brené Brown Talk About Connection! I recently attended a childhood friend…
We are connected to a violent American past that few people want to remember: the transatlantic slave trade. America chooses not to atone for slavery or grapple with the lingering question of reparations in the form of land, money, and international healing. When American political, social, and…
I have only one brother, Bernard Basley (Bernie). Two years my senior, as far back as I can remember, Bernie has been the proverbial “big brother,” moving with me through the stages of my life. I am almost positive that the melancholia I have when reading…
How are voting rights connected to Confederate monuments in the south? While voting rights for African Americans were initiated through the Civil Rights amendments following the Civil War, a long backlash followed that disenfranchised black people throughout the south until the 1960s. In 1901, the state of…
When I look back to those who have profoundly impacted my life, I realize the importance of each person reaching in and helping to mold me into who I am today. Growing up, I loved listening to older adult conversations and learning from their mistakes and triumphs! Think…
Connection, connecting, connectedness. I was a bit stumped when I started this piece because connection is quite the mystery that can present challenges to us as we move through this world. Connection is a deep mood, thought, or feeling that can lift you and bring you crashing…
The Roseman Covered Bridge. Covering enhances the life of a wooden bridge. Shelter, what shelter? That’s cynical me scanning an environment that isn’t particularly sheltering for Black folks. The concept of shelter seems obvious but deserves a little excavation. As I considered “shelter,” I became enamored with…