Blessed

I've just been reflecting recently on how blessed I've been. It's...whew.

So as a lot of you know, I recently designed a t-shirt and launched a teespring campaign. I wasn't out to make money really. I just wanted to make something dope that I was passionate about, in hopes that others would find it dope too. I initially set my goal at 10, thinking maybe 15-20 people would purchase one, and I would've been perfectly happy with that.

I quickly surpassed that 15-20 within the first hour, and was blown away. By the end of the campaign, I had reached almost 300! I'm so overwhelmed by all of the support I've received with this, and feel SO blessed. People have already started receiving their shirts and are excited, and that makes my heart smile.

This whole year, I've tried my best to be a blessing to others, because I see how I'm being blessed. It's not coincidental. I try to make sure and pass my blessings along to others because it's a struggle for all of us out here. 

I always tell people before we go to God and ask for more, we have to appreciate what we have. This year I've put an extra focus on that, and it's worked. I've been fortunate to meet some awesome new people, buy a new car, pay all of my bills, and receive love and support like never before. Here's to continuing that.

I just want to drop a line on here and give my heartfelt thanks to those who have been in my corner and have always rooted for me. I so appreciate you. 

Be easy.

When Will Black Men Stand Up For Our Black Women?

(This was originally a conversation on my twitter page. See here for a link to the posts.)

So...I have a blog in my heart I need to get out. The topic is how we as black men support our black women.

So when it comes to standing up for/beside/behind black men, women step up to the plate every time.Black men? We don't. And that makes me ashamed man. Why can't we be better about that? We have to be. 

Frankly, as black men we all should be ashamed at the collective effort to support our black women.You know how rough they have it? They are black AND women. Double whammy. Twitter is a perfect microcosm of what goes on in the real world. Black men stand by while our black women are drug through the mud. And I know this is a highly debated topic, but patriarchy is a big cause if this.

We've got to be better, myself included. It starts with standing up for our black women against other black men. So many black men are conditioned to mistreat black women to the point they are conditioned to accept it. Sad state of affairs.

It's...depressing.

Yet our black women are there right behind us...supporting us nonetheless. Take care of home. Black women are home. And we are leaving that house to fend for itself. I've spent so much time looking and analyzing...shaking my head and observing. I've pushed and supported the black women in MY life. I can and should be doing more.

Black women are out here putting their neck on the line in support of us. We may not be the ones cutting them off, but we damn sure sharpen the tool. And who is holding black men accountable? No one. When we should be self-policing. We outchea just standing by. When has that ever created change?!

Just...be better. And encourage other black women around you to be better. If enough of us start supporting our black women, standing up for our black women, it'll become contagious. There are not enough black men out here standing up. Black women do it all the time and it seems to fall on deaf ears. Maybe if more black men talk about it the message will come across.

As always...black women, you all are so damn wonderful. Know that.

Y'all be easy.