Category: news

This has been a long drawn out election, and it is finally close to being over. The election has been so emotional and extra that people are not even focusing on the substance. Depending on the side you lean towards, it will shape your reaction and opinion.

But for the Black Community, the major question is what is the next step once the election is over. What will the response be after the emotions go away? What will be the task or to do items within each black community across all cities?

Whoever the President will be, the issues that black citizens face will still be there. The system is so deeply rooted in racism that one election won’t have a major effect on bringing change. Somehow we have been forced to believe that voting every 2 to 4 years will bring about change. We have been conditioned to think we can “vote” our way out of the circumstances that the same government put us in with old laws and legislation.

Which becomes the interesting part that some may not realize. When will some people of the black community see that it takes more than voting? When will they see that it’s more important to focus on economics? When will they see that money control politics? When will they see the true power that is within themselves? When will they see its time for new ideas and get behind the youth?

After this election ends, there will be another election with a new politician saying the same things as those before. They will bring up the same message about how MLK inspired them and how they are so cool with swag. They will continue to pander to our culture and only want to take us seriously during voting times. However, as a culture, if we continue to allow this to happen, it’s our fault.

I always remember my first time voting for an election. I was excited to cast my vote for the first time and felt that I was making a change. I was in undergrad and didn’t look at the policies that were listed before I voted. I just went into the polling location and voted for who was liked the most. That was in the late 2000s but fast forward to 2020, and you will see that many black people still vote the same way. They vote with emotions instead of using their intellect.

Here recently, successful businessman Ice Cube has been criticized lately due to reports that he met Donald Trump about having a plan for Black America. Yes, Ice Cube was contacted by both parties (Democrat & Republican), but only the Republican party set up a meeting with him. Biden wanted to wait after the election (if he wins) to meet with Cube.

The meeting happened a few months ago, but to score political points with black men, one of Trump’s campaign aides leaked the news. But what people are missing is that the Democratic party didn’t want to meet with him until later. The Democratic party told him that after the election, they would sit down to talk about his plan if they win.

It’s no secret that most of the black community has been voting for the Democrat party for over 30 years. The consistency has been so long that most Democrat politicians don’t even bother to bring a tangible agenda to the table because they feel our votes are secured regardless.

Which has gotten black voters to the point they are demanding tangible results for their vote. Ice Cube meeting with the Trump Administration was important for people to see because politics is about voting your interest, not liking the candidate. But that is an understanding that is truly missing with all of this fake drama.

Politics have become a personality contest, and people want to feel good about the candidate and like the candidate when casting their vote. Liking a candidate doesn’t matter because the focus should be on the policy. The policy is what moves the needle, not their personality. When people vote, voting for your interest is what is most important.

But with this new generation of politics, when you work with certain people, they automatically assume that you support and endorse them. Ice Cube never endorsed Trump and hasn’t endorsed Biden. The plan was specifically to help black America and bring tangible results that will have an immediate economic impact.

With the reaction of this meeting between Cube and personnel from  the Trump Administration. It’s clear that a lot of us in the community are still politically immature and don’t understand how politics works. This weakness area has been a downfall before and will continue to hold us back if we don’t change this way of thinking.

The “End SARS” movement has begun in Nigeria and has increasingly gained momentum over the weeks. It is a movement started by young citizens in Nigeria. They are looking to reform police policies, end the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (Sars), and end bad governance by Nigeria’s political leaders.

The young protesters have hit the streets and are protesting to get their voices heard about the demanding changes. They are fed up with the police brutality happening in Nigeria and frustrated with the policing tactics used.

Listening to some of the young protesters out on the streets, they want a better future for Nigeria. They have been told of a time when the police were part of the community and weren’t trying to criminalize people off small things like tattoos.

The young protestors had not experienced the same state that their parents bring up when there weren’t much corruption or increased police brutality cases. The corruption from the police is high, and the treatment from the police is out of control.

Most of the Nigerian population is between the ages of 18-24. This age group makes up a large percentage of their population, and these young people are demanding true change from their government leaders.

The hashtag #EndSars has hit social media and has been trending for a few days now. Nigerian celebrities and influencers are spreading the message and using the hashtag to show their support.

This is another example in another country of policing being unethical and the citizens calling for police reform. Nigeria gained its independence many years ago, but at the moment, it’s going through a trying time.

The young generation is standing up against police brutality and calling for action with police reform. The EndSars is a movement that will continue until legislation changes take effect.

Now more than ever most melanin people are focusing on spending their dollars with business owners that look like them. If you are shopping for books, puzzles, or educational activities for your children while they are at home with you. Maybe you want to provide some projects for your child to do that’s giving them skills their school isn’t providing such as activities for coding or becoming an entrepreneur. This list below of companies & their products will have your child ready to learn or even if you just want to have your child play with dolls that look like them these companies provide those things that are for melanin children.
1.  HarperIman Dolls:  www.harperiman.bigcartel.com

2. Puzzle Huddle:  www.puzzlehuddle.com

3. Just Like Me Box: www.justlikemebox.com

4. The Brown Box:  www.browntoybox.com

5. Brave + Kind Bookshop:  www.braveandkindbooks.com

6. The Fresh Dolls:  www.thefreshdolls.com 

7. Kido Chicago:  www.kidochicago.com

8. Double Dutch Dolls:  www.doubledutchdolls.com 

9. Trinity Designs:  www.trinitydesignsinc.com

10. Uzuri Kid Kidz:  www.uzurikidkidz.com

11. Queens of Africa:  www.queensofafricadolls.com

12. Toys Like Me:  www.toyslikeme.com