Love

The National Museum of African American History and Culture

~ Laurie Samuel ~ Leave a comment

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(Source: Ricky Carioti, Washington Post)

On Monday, November 16, 2015 I had the pleasure of attending a special ceremony for the National Museum for African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The ceremony was organized to thank donors for their generous monetary donations and to give the public a glimpse into what is to come. The evening was simply magical with speeches from political dignitaries, Dr. Lonnie G. Bunch III, Director of the NMAAHC, poetry, prose, and beautiful music including a performance from internationally renowned gospel recording artist BeBe Winans. The ceremony was another shining example of the great strides and accomplishments made by blacks from the African Diaspora.

With a $250 million price tag, the NMAAHC was established by Congress in December 2003[1]. The idea for the museum was first born in 1915 and one hundred years later, the idea has become a reality. The 400,000 square foot building will feature 11 exhibitions to include a 1913 bible once owned by a Buffalo Solider, belongings from a Tuskegee Airman, and Harriet Tubman’s hymnal[2].

The NMAAHC sits squarely on the National Mall in all its regalia as magnificent as the people it represents. Its exterior walls are made of bronze symbolic of a crown from the Yoruba culture[3]. It is juxtaposed with the Washington Monument which sits a few hundred feet away directly across the street. One white, the other brown. One built by slaves, the other built by experienced architects. The past. The future. A collision of space, time, and history.

On September 24, 2016, the doors of the National Museum for African American History and Culture will officially open. If the November 2015 event was any indication of what’s to come, hold onto your hats, bring plenty of tissue, and make sure your smartphone is charged.

Be safe,

L.J.
Follow me on Twitter: @CrimeDoc1213

#BlackHistoryEVERYDAY #BlackHistory #BlackHistoryMonth #NMAAHC #HarrietTubman #LonnieBunch #Smithsonian #Museum #history #WashingtonDC #DC #DMV #NationalMall #ljsamuel #deardiary

[1] McGlone, P. (2016, January 30). Lonnie Bunch has eight months to get ready for African American museum opening. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/lonnie-bunch-has-eight-months-to-get-ready-for-african-american-museum-opening-heres-his-to-do-list/2016/01/30/b648adc4-c69a-11e5-8965-0607e0e265ce_story.html

[2] McGlone, P. (2016, January 30). Lonnie Bunch has eight months to get ready for African American museum opening. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/museums/lonnie-bunch-has-eight-months-to-get-ready-for-african-american-museum-opening-heres-his-to-do-list/2016/01/30/b648adc4-c69a-11e5-8965-0607e0e265ce_story.html

[3] Wikipedia. (2016, February 4). National museum of African American history and culture. Retrieved from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Museum_of_African_American_History_and_Culture

Note: reprint from Black History Program at The Church of Our Lady and St. Basil, Toronto, Ontario

I’m in Love with a Black Man

~ Laurie Samuel ~ 2 Comments

Hands United

I’m in love with a black man and he loves me.  What affects him, affects me and what affects me, affects him.  So here I am at the annual American Society of Criminology (ASC) meeting presenting the findings of my study on racial profiling in America.  Why is there this constant debate over what it is?  How do you define it?  Quantitatively?  Qualitatively?  Both?  What data is the standard?  The police don’t want to collect race statistics because they don’t want to be called racists. And the community complains to news reporters and their stories are called ‘anecdotes.’  So how do you tame this beast?

I stand in front of the brightest minds in my field, the country’s top scholars waiting to hear what I found.  So with a big breath, I start…

How can scores of black people be wrong?  Why are they discounted so?  If the tables were reversed and black cops were stopping white citizens, surely there would be no debate.  Listen to me carefully.  I documented the lives and stories of 20 black men living in Washington, DC for six months.  They kept a journal of the times they had been stopped and the average was five times a week.  Let me say that again, the average was five times a week.  Some will say that I have limitations in my research and that my case study was not scientific enough.  Do I know they weren’t speeding?  I guess not.  Were they transporting drugs?  I hope not. Drugs were never found in any of the so-called ‘consent searches.’

My conclusion is that the black man is under siege.  He followed doctor’s orders and got a good education from a good school, got a good job, and bought a nice house in the ‘right’ neighborhood.  He doesn’t beat his wife, is a good father to his children, but to no avail.  He is still oppressed, disrespected, and harassed.  I guess someone forgot to tell him: You’re still black.

Be safe,

L.J.
Follow me on Twitter: @CrimeDoc1213@gmail.com

#love #black #man #race #police #racialprofiling #RaceinAmerica #racematters #dialogue #discourse #truth #respect #change #ASC #criminology #crime #justice #deardiary #ljsamuel

Image source: http://www.handsunited.org

Humanity Lost

~ Laurie Samuel ~ 1 Comment

praying

What a week.  So much violence, sadness, and turmoil.  Escaped murderers and cop killers.  Rape and murder of a 16 year-old innocent.  And the unthinkable tragedy of the brutal, senseless killing of nine souls praying in a house of worship. The world has a gaping wound and oozing out is hurt and pain.

Whenever there is a tragedy, the media highlights the name and handiwork of the evil doer a million times.  The victims are often the secondary story.  There are even times that stories are slanted to suggest victims of violent, unspeakable crimes are not innocent and blameless.  Let’s not demonize victims.  It disrespects their memory, diminishes the agony families are facing, and presents an excuse or defense for the perpetrator of the crime.

I cannot fathom what goes through a person’s mind when they are planning murder.  Where is the sense of conscience?  Where is the respect for life?  Where is the deference to that which is holy and sacred?  And how is it that once again we are at a point in history where the issues of race are sparking such venom and hatred to lead one to murder nine people in cold blood?  Where does that come from?  How does an innocent child brought into this world grow up to hate a group of people so much because of the color of their skin that he wants to annihilate them?  There is an indoctrination which most certainly began in the home.  These thoughts, feelings, and actions were encouraged.  And sadly since symbols of hate fly on flag posts outside state government buildings, then there is an unspoken acceptance of these ideals.

We have to do better.  We’re destroying each other- in the name of race, gender, or political affiliation.  This cannot go on.  Now, more than ever, we need to come together.  In honor of the nine brave people that lost their lives on Wednesday, June 17, 2015 as they sat in their church for bible study, we have to root out this hate.  And let’s not forget their names and the good they did while here on Earth doing God’s work.

The Emanuel 9

  1. The Honorable Rev. Clementa Pinckney, 41 years old
  2. Ms. Cynthia Hurd, 54 years old
  3. Ms. Susie Jackson, 87 years old
  4. Ms. Ethel Lance, 70 years old
  5. Rev. DePayne Middleton-Doctor, 49 years old
  6. Mr. Tywanza Sanders, 26 years old
  7. Rev. Daniel Simmons, Sr., 74 years old
  8. Rev. Sharonda Singleton, 45 years old
  9. Ms. Myra Thompson, 59 years old

We cannot go on like this.  Be kind to one another.  Love.  Love one another.  Love. Love one another whether black or white, male or female.  Just love.

God bless the souls of the Emanuel 9, Emanuel AME Church, Charleston, SC.

Be safe,

L.J.
Follow me on Twitter: @CrimeDoc1213

#Emanuel9 #IAmAME #Charleston #humanity #peace #love #blessings #prayer #black #white #justice #fairness #crime #violence #BlackLivesMatter #respect

Image Source: celebrationoffamily.com

Confidence or Compromise? Love, Dating, and HIV/AIDS

~ Laurie Samuel ~ 1 Comment

loneliness

I attend a weekly women’s bible study at my church where we are currently studying Joyce Meyer’s book Confident Woman. Each week our bible study leader Reverend Adriane Blair Wise dissects this text as she teaches and reveals that God did not intend for women to live in fear and self-doubt but to be bold and confident as we navigate this thing we call life (Meyer, 2006).

Unfortunately for some, the message does not resonate and they end up making bad decisions that impact and change their lives forever.  In this blog post I want to touch briefly on the dangerous compromise some women make in the name of loneliness.  This discussion surrounds the high incidence of AIDS cases among Black women in the United States.

Here are the staggering facts:

  • Black women account for 66% of new HIV infections among women
  • 84% of all HIV/AIDS infections among Black women come from heterosexual contact
  • HIV/AIDS is the third leading cause of death among Black women ages 25-44
  • Black women are over 20 times more likely to be infected with HIV/AIDS than their White counterparts

I can barely wrap my head around these figures.  In the past several decades, we have learned so much about this deadly disease and know that contraction is preventable.  So, what is going on to explain these rates?  Research points to poverty, feelings of denial in the Black community, the Down Low phenomenon, and loneliness.  In the Black community, there appears to be a shortage of mates for Black women due to a lack of availability of Black male counterparts.  Incarceration and perhaps lack of interest in pairing up with Black women are other reasons Black women may find themselves alone. Whatever the reason for the lack of Black female to male pairings, it has created a situation where some are engaging in dangerous sexual behaviors.  There are some Black men leading double lives and are sleeping with both men and women.  Or men incarcerated for long periods of time are engaging in same sex encounters and introduce HIV to their partners upon their return from prison.  Due to the belief among these men that they are straight despite having intercourse with other men, they are playing Russian roulette and are having unprotected sex.  Their female partners are oblivious and many have contracted the disease as a result.

The loneliness factor is an even more compelling reason as to why there is such a high incidence of HIV/AIDS among black women.  Instead of being alone, some women are willing to share their men, which increase their risk of contracting the AIDS virus.  What is so sad and disheartening is the fact that many Black women define their self-worth based on having a man.  I know this to be true based on the bemoaning of friends, acquaintances, and co-workers.  When you look at these women from the outside, you would want to be them.  They are beautiful, attractive, highly educated, have great careers, and have everything money can buy.  But their confidence is masked by these things because all they really want is someone to curl up beside them at night, to be loved, and to feel safe.  In this powerful desire to be a part of ‘something,’ they compromise their values and forget or push aside what they have learned for a brief moment of passion so they feel important, however brief that time is.  They forget that God created her in His image and they forget that they should never compromise the wonderful gift that they truly are.

When talking about HIV/AIDS, compromise simply is not an option.  This is a terrible, ugly, painful, and deadly disease.  Women must learn to love themselves first.  If God has a man for you, then one day he will find you. In the meantime, we need to learn how to enjoy ourselves, our families, and life until that time comes~ boldly, assuredly, and confidently.

Be safe,

L.J. Follow me on Twitter: @CrimeDoc1213

#love #dating #HIV #AIDS #confidence #compromise #ConfidentWoman #loneliness #death #disease #blackwomen #rates #selflove #female #empowerment #ljsamuel #deardiary

References

Black Women’s Health Imperative (2013). Black women and HIV/AIDS. Retrieved from http://www.bwhi.org/issues-and-resources/black-women-and-hiv-aids

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015). HIV Among Women. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/risk/gender/women/facts/index.html

Cohen, J. (2004, October 27). A silent epidemic? Why is there such a high percentage of HIV and AIDS among black women? Slate. Retrieved from http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2004/10/a_silent_epidemic.2.html

Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (2014). Black Americans & HIVAIDS. Retrieved from http://www.kff.org/hivaids/fact-sheet/black-americans-and-hiv-aids/

Meyer, J. (2006). The confident woman. New York: Faith Words.

Weathersbee, T. (2004). Commentary: More afraid of loneliness than AIDS Deaths. Retrieved from DCSistagirlslistserv.

Image: worldsstrongestlibrarian.com

You Have to Wait Your Turn

~ Laurie Samuel ~ Leave a comment

When I was 14, I wanted to be a rapper. I would write rhymes in my spare time perfecting my craft. I was recently cleaning out some boxes and found a folder containing my precious teenage writings. I sat down and read through the pages and chuckled at the fact that even at that age, I was trying to understand the world, people, and relationships. And now with age and wisdom, I understand a little more but believe that something can be learned from a young lady, full of life and innocence. So, here goes…

You Have to Wait Your Turn

They were dashed to the floor. Your love letters are no more.
I heard what you did and what you did was bad.
But I’ll pick up the pieces of the puzzle. No guy is going to give me trouble.
I kept up my guard for weeks and weeks. Companionship I did not seek. Dependent on a man, I am not. Anything he can do, I can top.
The men of today will have to learn. You just have to wait your turn.

Loving relationships are about caring and reciprocation. For relationships to thrive, trust is paramount. We all need to be honest. If you cannot be true to your husband, wife, or partner, then be mature enough to walk away before someone gets hurt. Sneaking around, lying, cheating, it is all very messy. When it is finally your turn, and you find the person that you cannot imagine living without, treasure them as the grass isn’t always sweeter on the other side.

Be safe,

L.J.
Follow me on Twitter: @CrimeDoc1213

#real #love #wisdom #honesty #truth #ljsamuel #deardiary