A Moment In Afro Herstory: Professor Kathleen Cleaver

By Any Means Necessary!

Professor Kathleen Cleaver is a well known activist and educator in World Herstory and I'm only using this stunning photo as an example of our beauty and what I'm willing to do to protect it and control the images and identity of the woman of African ancestry.

I'm going to protect it at all costs and I'm going to celebrate our diverse beauty as it is distributed all around the globe. I'm not going to be a cultural imperialist and think of my people from other parts of the African Diaspora as less than and unworthy of emulation and reverence. Those of you who feel you can't relate to your family from another part of the Diaspora choose not to because you simply don't want to.

Most of us are still in search of an identity that was basically denied to us here in A-M-E-R-I-C-A...one that is simply regulated by and to some psychologically validated by that of the dominant culture. Many of you are now rediscovering the beauty and rich culture that truly is ours. MAMA AFRIKA'S progeny is beautiful in every aspect of the word and if you can't see it, it's only because you're either blinded by self-hatred or hate all together!

It's sad that even in this century there are still people of AFRICAN ancestry who are embarrassed and still opposed to anything that reminds them of their African ancestry. There are a lot of great things that I have seen in my years on this earth and I hope before I die that I'm able to see the pride in which our people exhibit by showing pride of their origins.

It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This!

Talk about a treat first we have a new song by Lauryn Hill titled "Repercussions" that somehow surfaces on the web and now Afripop Magazine has video of her performing in Rwanda talk about excitement. It's a clear indication that Lauryn's fans are patiently waiting for new music. I know I am! Thanks to those wonderful 'Afropolitans' over at Afripop Magazine for the link.

Check out the videos of her at the country's 7Th annual Pan-African Dance and Music Festival (FESPAD).

Self Love...

...There's nothing like it!

As women we're still involved in personal relationships with ourselves and are now learning to love everything that we used to loathe about ourselves. Some of us have built fortresses around us because we've found it easier than being rejected.

Our hair. Our bodies. Our skin colors. Our luscious lips. Some say our butts are God's gift to blue jeans and no ones looking for a pair to diminish all that you were born with; those injections or implants don't count. Those curves that we can't seem to lose by excessive dieting and exercise don't seem to be moving either, so dress them up in the best colors you can find.

Our lips are waiting to glossed with the simplest of lip balms or berry hued lipsticks, and again injections don't count because if you had to buy it...it ain't right!

And the hair! Who has hair that can be woven into intricate braids? Molded into any style that fits our hearts desire? Honey... we do!

For some women learning to love our whole selves has caused many women a lifetime of unnecessary grief. In all honesty we all know where are most greatest pain has come from when it comes to accepting our true selves and I don't need to tell any of you.

We live in a society that celebrates and exalts one standard  of beauty by negating our own and many of us have bought into this mind-set. The hurtful words used as assaults against us from our own and others is nothing but a reflection of who they are and what they feel and it's not any of our business.

Acceptance of our own beauty has often eluded us and our people for decades, now we're in the process of reclaiming all which has been lost. Even if no one else is heralding our physical charms we must learn to define and cherish our own unique beauty everyday while we're still alive.


After viewing this film I can no longer provide free advertisement's and sing the praises of clothing designers who don't even feature anyone who looks like me or considers me as a customer. We've got to find a sense of consciousness and this is no better time to find one than now. This is 2010 and this sad, no wonder so many women are still messed up in the head!

All of which we've done to attempt to hide, camouflage, diminish, erase, disguise, and reject who we are will be no more. I realised a very long time ago who I was and there's no turning back now because we have so many powerful memories and knew so much pain. These women who were once wounded little girls are wounded no more because they now have dusted themselves off and the battle is now over because they will be the only ones defining who they are from now on.
©2010Creative Concepts.