The Honeybee's Lifestyle

Tag: Purpose

  • Equity Summit Takeaways

    Hello Honeybees,

    This is the final installment of my Chicago series. I hope you enjoyed taking this journey with me here and here.

    I was in Chicago to attend the Policy Link Equity Summit 2018. Please pay them a visit to get the full understanding of the work that Policy Link does. It was an experience that I will not soon forget.
    As you can tell by the title the Equity Summit was a conference that addressed ways to create policies to make our communities safe and balanced for ALL, this equality goes beyond just black & white. Although that is a great starting point for my Memphis community. This is about Equity for all. It was about making policy to make change in our world. Here are a few takeaways.

    Takeaway One- Art Driving Activism:The Young Artist Movement in Chicago     #OurFuture

    The theme for the day was #TrustYouth   During our mobile tour we spent time on the North side of Chicago at the Free Street Theater learning how the young people of Chicago use art as part of their activism. They call it Social Justice Theater. These young people are not afraid to speak up & speak out. They give me hope for our future. We then moved to the South side of Chicago. I had a chance to meet Ayesha Jaco (Lupe Fiasco’s sister). She taught us a few dance steps..FAME style to the music of Curtis Mayfield. If you don’t know the legacy of Curtis Mayfield let me know so we can talk about it.  We also talked about “tone”. We listened to the Michael Jackson version of Billie Jean followed by The Civil Wars version. Same lyrics but delivered in different ways changes the whole tone of the song. My takeaway from this exercise was how you say something matters just as much as what you say. A great reminder especially when you are having a difficult conversation especially around diversity & equality.  Thank you to our amazing tour guide Donnie Nicole Smith, the Executive Director of Donda’s House (named after Kanye West mother).

    Takeaway Two- “Policy comes before power”  #OurPower

    The plenary sessions were the best. The passion and fire for creating policies that focus on equity was very powerful. A few phrases that stood out to me were “Pissed with purpose” and “Radical hope, radical imagination”. Edna Chavez spoke about the March For Our Lives Movement from the young Latina perspective. When I tell you that this young lady was impressive, believe me she was. It was great to hear Linda Sarsour co-chair of the 2017 Women’s Movement, share her thoughts and perspectives. Charlene Carruthers of BYP100 dropped this gem on us….”People like mutuality as long as they can stay on top”…..read that again and share it with a friend.

    Takeaway Three- Still Fighting: Overcoming Structural Racism and Political Opposition in the South  #OurNation

    This was my second favorite session. Living in a very red state as a person of color or just a person who is in anyway “different” has its challenges. This session shined the light on some things that sent me to Google. Yes, I will find a book to dig deeper but in that moment I needed some clarification. Did you know that 38% of the electoral college votes are in the South? As stated in the session “In order for our nation to move forward the South has to move first”. The two terms that sent me to Google were, the Black Belt, this has nothing to do with karate and Richard Nixon’s Southern Strategy. The Southern Strategy is in full effect in 2018. I’m currently listening to the podcast Slow Burn: A Podcast About Watergate. Unfortunately we are definitely repeating history with #45.

    Takeaway Four- A Momentum Shift

    About 10 years ago I went through the New Memphis Institute Fellows program. That year long program forever changed my life. It was the catalyst for me wanting to work in nonprofit. The Equity Summit is the catalyst for me to continue moving forward more energized than ever before. It opened my mind to new ways to create effective change.

    Thank you to Momentum Nonprofit Partners for coordinating the Memphis delegation. I am forever grateful.

     

    Beewisdom-“Freedom is people realizing they are their own leader.” —Diane Nash, Coordinator of the Freedom Riders

  • Finding Your Passion at 50

    Hello Honeybees,

    I can NOT be the only one.

    I can NOT be the only person who is still trying to define their purpose at 50.

    I can NOT be the only person who is not totally satisfied with where they are in either their career, romantic life or financial life.

    Could I be the only one?

    Am I traveling this road alone?

    When did you figure out your path? Who helped you find your way? How did you know what was your passion? Your purpose? Are they the same thing? I sometimes feel like I am behind the preverbal eight ball. I sometimes wish that I could go back & start again.  You know that ole hindsight is 20/20 thing.

    I have always loved words. I’ve always loved writing. I’ve always loved books. My goal is to figure out how to turn that love into a business. How do I use this love? How does this passion lead me to profit? I feel like I have been on the brink of success but I’ve never been able to get over the edge.

    Well, thankfully I have finally found my passion & my purpose and I am running full steam ahead in them. I’m not gonna sugar coat this & lie like I have everything figured out because I am a looonng way from that. But what I have figured out is that I have everything that I need to pursue both of them.

    Black Tee: Merona-Target, Top: Ann Taylor, Jeans: Lucky Brand, Shoes: Merona-Target

    I know my purpose & I work at it every day. But the execution of my passion is different from the execution of my purpose. Though they both align with one another, the way that they play out in my life is different and I am ok with that.

    What’s your passion and purpose? Are they the same?

    Beewisdom- We confuse the idea of having a job with fulfilling our purpose- Jay-Z

  • Quiet Resistance

    Hello Honeybees,

    Thanks to my daddy I love the game of football. I look forward to it every year, from pre-season to the Superbowl.

    Except this year. Yes I am late to the party but I’m here now.

    This year I am boycotting the NFL & yes it’s because I support & kneel with Colin Kapernick. That’s my right & my choice. That’s what the flag is suppose to represent. I support Colin because as a mother of two African American sons I see what the world has to offer them. I see how differently they are treated. I see how surprised people are when they act like gentlemen or speak correct English.  My sons do not have a fair or the same chances & opportunities that non boys of color have. In these United States of America, their lives to do carry equal weight and for that I take a knee. It may not make a difference to the NFL or anyone at all but it makes a difference to me. My oldest son knows my love for football and the Pittsburgh Steelers. He calls me every Sunday to ask if I’m still boycotting the games. Every Sunday I say yes. Every Sunday I explain the why. Every Sunday I am sad for the reason why. 

    And just to be clear… IT’S NOT ABOUT THE FLAG!!!

    I remember being at an event last year for work and they played the national anthem. Everyone in the room stood & placed their hand over their hearts.  I did not want to stand for the anthem because of the reasons stated above but I was scared that someone might say something & because it was a work related event I didn’t want to rock the boat. That’s not to say that I would’ve gotten into trouble at work but I didn’t want to “invite trouble in”. I know VERY passive.

    That moment has stuck with me ever since. It’s been like a thorn in my side. I cannot shake my reaction. I am not proud of my reaction, but I learned a personal lesson. You have to stand up or kneel for your convictions. If you don’t it will linger in your spirit and force you out of your comfort zone in both thought and action.

    I have never been the person on the forefront of a movement. I am not your Fannie Lou Hamer or your Tami Sawyer. During the civil rights movement, I would’ve been Richie Jean Jackson, or the one making posters for those on the front line. I am quiet resistance but we all know that it takes the NON quiet resistance to get things moving. But we must also know that everyone can’t be the leader. Leaders need support. Colin needs our support; Tami needs our support. I support them both and all who are on the front line.

    We all have our own way of expressing our resistance, whether it be big or small, quiet or loud, the choice is yours. Remember someone is paying the price for you to have that choice.

    BelindaBloggingwithbee

    Beewisdom- You’re not to be so blind with patriotism that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it. Malcom X