On Juneteenth and Bank Holidays

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TW: mentions sexual assault, rape, white supremacy, and chattel slavery.

I do not like that Juneteenth is a federal holiday. I have always wanted the unmelanted masses to be educated on the history and significance of Juneteenth, but I never wanted it to be recognized as a damn bank holiday. Why?

Because I will never be OK with people of pallor having Juneteenth off work like it’s just another three-day weekend.

Like, what are you off of work for, white people? Are you comfortable chillin’ out on what should be a day of service and reflection for your people? Do y'all think you somehow deserve a day off that directly results from the generational trauma your ancestors created that we're all still impacted by?

Do you look at Juneteenth as a celebration that you get to participate in? If so, what are you celebrating? Are you celebrating the fact that your ancestors enslaved, murdered, and raped my ancestors and then willingly neglected to inform my ancestors that they were technically free and no longer their hateful owners? Are you celebrating the ongoing appropriation, subjugation, and murder that your ancestors popularized as suitable actions toward my ancestors that you and yours still perpetuate?

I will say this every year until the day I die: Juneteenth is not for you, white people.

White people: Until y'all do right by me and mine, may your Juneteenth barbecues lack seasoning, your “red velvet” cupcakes lack moisture, and your red punch taste like bog water.

And you can read that last part in your head in the voice of Celie from The Color Purple.

And note that I said “in your head” because you better not do a Celie impression out loud!

On Looking Both Ways and Frog-Based Evasion Maneuvers

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I look both ways when I cross the street. Even when crossing a one-way street, I look both ways. Why?

Because some of y'all think you're driving in the right direction until you run someone over. Then you expect the instant gratification of instantaneous forgiveness for doing the bare minimum to atone for your actions. And when you don't get instant gratification, your sincere apology devolves into blaming the person you ran over for being in your way and getting run over.

Some of y'all know you're not driving in the right direction, and don't skip a beat in your forward movement when you run someone over. And when you're asked to atone and do better in the future, you can't help but unleash anger you feel is justified toward those you've run over. Hell, sometimes y'all hit reverse and run those you've already hit over again.

And some of you realize you're not driving in the right direction but think you can go the wrong way just this once. You know that no one will notice or hold you accountable for your actions. You’ve got privilege on your side. Besides, it's not that big of a deal, right? So what if you go the wrong direction and graze a few people? They'll be fine. The people you've hit? They need to get over it. And if they don't want to "get over it" and expect you to be accountable for your actions? Well, they're blowing things out of proportion. It's not like you killed them or anything, right? They can walk it off!

And many of y'all are going in the right direction and still running folx over. And instead of staying with the person you've run over until help arrives, y'all put the pedal to the floor and get the hell out of dodge. I mean, you've got a reputation to maintain. You're a good person. You donated to causes last year and marched in your city after George Floyd was murdered. You're one of the good ones. You can't have people out here thinking you don't care if you harm others. So what if the person you just hit is trying to get back to their feet and looking your way, expecting you to take responsibility for your actions? If they only knew the kind of person you are, they would understand this was just a mistake. Never mind that you did the same thing a week ago. You're a good person, dammit!

So, of course, I look both ways when I cross the street, even when crossing a one-way street. What kind of fool do you think I am? Do I look like Boo-Boo the Fool to you? What do I look like stepping off the curb just because the light turned green and expecting some of y'all not to run me over after centuries of watching people like me, people who are just trying to cross the damn street, getting run over and receiving no justice?

Some of us spend our entire lives trying to get across the street with as many of our parts, emotions, and faculties intact as possible.

And some of y'all are out here playing Frogger.

Some of y'all need to change more than just a dollar for four quarters.

This Week's Opening Thought: June 12, 2023

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This week's opening thought: Today is the 56th anniversary of the 1967 United States Supreme Court decision Loving v. Virginia, which struck down all anti-miscegenation laws remaining in sixteen U.S. states.

Today is also the seventh anniversary of the mass shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, which led to the murder of 49 people.

A celebration and a somber observation.

Separate events steeped in generational trauma and hate crimes.

That's as U.S. American as apple pie.

Meanwhile

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TW: Murder, racism, gun violence, white supremacy, anti-Blackness.

The white woman in this picture is Susan Lorincz. 4 days ago in Florida, Susan used a high-caliber firearm to murder Ajike Owens, a Black woman and mother of four. Why? Susan got into an argument with Owens' children over a tablet, which somehow escalated to Susan throwing a pair of skates at the children and hitting them. These actions were, of course, accompanied by a litany of racial slurs. One of Ajike's children went into the house and told their mother what happened. Ajike went to Susan's place and knocked on the door to confront her about the situation. How did Susan respond?

Susan shot Ajike through her front door, leaving her lying on the front lawn.

Ajike was pronounced dead at the hospital.

It took Florida's Marion County Sheriff's Department four days to book and charge Susan. You read that right. FOUR. DAYS. And let's be honest with one another: Susan was arrested because the Marion County Sheriff's Department couldn't ignore the public outrage from the Black community and their allies in Florida. But Susan isn't facing a trial for murder or a hate crime. Oh, no. Susan is being charged with manslaughter with a firearm, culpable negligence, battery, and two counts of assault. Yep. That’s it.

SIGH.

We're not going to play the "What if a Black person did what Susan did?" game because that game is tiring, and we all know what the answer would be. And we're not going to play the "What if a Black woman did what Susan did?" game because we all know how Black women are viewed by the toxic white supremacist patriarchal anti-Blackness that permeates the roots of the gnarled tree that is the United States of America. Why aren’t we playing those games, you ask? Well, for starters, it's a tasteless endeavor that diminishes the lives of those lost, making them examples for a lesson that most white people don't want to have taught them for various reasons. And let's be honest: unless you're a white person living under a quarry of rocks for the past century, you should know how this goes by now.

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This Week's Opening Thought: June 5, 2023

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This week's opening thought: no job, organization, or industry will ever be worth sacrificing your soul and dignity.

I know there is some privilege that is embedded in that statement. You don't have to point it out. I see that sh-- in full color and the highest resolution. I know that sometimes you've gotta do what you've gotta do. I know that sometimes a job is a job, and you don't feel like you care enough to be tethered to it. And I also know what it feels like to work somewhere to make ends meet and the abuse and stripping of one's dignity that comes with it, no matter how untethered you try to be. I also have had well-paying jobs that looked great on the surface but killed my sense of self, creativity, curiosity, and joy. One such role a few years ago led to depression and almost led to an emotional breakdown.

Nothing is perfect. Every job, company, or industry is flawed. But I've found that If you can't work for an organization, or in a profession or industry, without compromising practically everything that makes you the unique and beautiful person you are or trading in your joy, creativity, and energy for a consistent pattern of personal and witnessed trauma, no amount of money, "perks," or benefits will make being there easier to swallow.

If you are doing work you want to devote your life to, it shouldn't be literally siphoning your life away.

Nothing is worth that price.