Headwraps turn heads in Chicago: More than a fashion trend

Spreading culture, healing and love energy in the downtown area of Chicago, these sistas sport their headwrap proudly. What a beautiful trend. Maybe each city should do the same.

A few images from the article:

Today, we remember 7 year old little Aiyana Jones who was murdered by Detroit Police Special Response Team, after throwing flash grenades in through the window as Aiyana and her grandmother slept. The officers busted into the house in efforts to raid the complex, in search of a suspect in a previous shooting. Aiyana was shot in the head and neck.

Recall the story here: Aiyana Jones, 7-Year-Old Shot And Killed By Detroit Police, Was Sleeping According To Family

Today, please place a call to Judge Cynthia Gray Hathaway on behalf of Aiyana Jones. State that, “I am calling today because I want justice for Aiyana Jones. I am calling for the immediate arrest of officer Joseph Weekley for the killing and coverup of 7 year old Aiyana Jones.”

Please call:

Judge Cynthia Gray Hathaway

Hourse: 10am-4pm

(313) 224-2120

Peace loved ones!

A friend on facebook just asked this question. 

Now, I can speak from experience because I’ve had several relationships. My understanding of them as well as my understanding of myself and the mates that I attract has been evolving over time. I also get amazing advice from my grandmother, great grandmother and my mom. All of these women have very different experiences with relationships and marriage. My great grandmother’s marriage ended in separation, my grandmother’s marriage lasted until my grandfather’s transition (a few months shy of 50 years), and my mom has never been married.

I’m actually more interested to know what others would have to say on this topic because it is my opinion at this point in our society that more of us have more experience with BAD relationships, and that the majority of conversation on this topic generally reflects that.

I would submit to you in brief, that a good relationship is one in which the individuals involved are able to be both independent whole people, and interdependent as a unit. They compliment and supplement each other. In other words, I am my own self as a queen, you are your own self as a king (or whatever your configuration may be and however many individuals are involved) and we lead our own lives but at the very same time, our lives are conjoined. You not only compliment me but you supplement me in that you catch my slack. Idealistically I would want that without pettiness involved (unless you can do it right, in a way that you both laugh at one another and laugh at yourselves). Sans the bickering and such. If I know my man is prone to leaving his socks on the floor sometimes, why walk around like a crazy person all the time raising hell about the socks on the floor. Just pick them up and move on with life LOL! That man hasn’t picked up a sock since birth. You’ll both be all right. Always work out of the understanding that the bond itself overrides the individual, as long as it is healthy.

Of course clarity/community is key, as well as sharing, support, physical attraction and compatibility sexually. All of those things are important. Truth be told though, there are some “rules” but at the same time, there aren’t. I think that people mess up from the start when they always look for manuals and tricks to things in a generic sense. That’s a mentality that we’ve grown in our society lately. We all want to know the answer, the trick, the system, the manual, the ehow. However what works for one couple, bond, etc may not work for another because each individual in this world is different. KNOW YOUR MATE and know your self. Accept both.

I also think that one of the biggest mistakes in one’s own life in regards to relationships, is for everyone to always want every relationship to last forever and if it doesn’t, they then count that as a loss or bad relationship. Not everything is meant to last forever. Every partner is a reflection of self in that point in time in life. They’re there because you attract what you are. If they are meant to remain in that capacity as you grow then they will. If not, then the relationship will change/end, but they and that bond have served their purpose and for that one should be grateful. Take the lessons and grow on. I’ve had amazingly wonderful relationships. They ended and may have even ended badly but the relationship itself was good and I still cherish those memories. Our bond was beautiful in that space and time, and for that I am grateful.

First of all, I love Nzinga’s aesthetic and her success in addition to her strength in pushing forward her point of view in how she designs women’s garments. I applaud her recognition of this young sista, her story and her life’s work as explained in this article. Nzinga says about the model Fior Mendez, “Just as my third casting session was about to be over, Fior Mendez walked in the room and did her walk and had this wonderful expression on her face, plus natural beauty, I was sold.”

This should be a sight everywhere we are. Learning to build together.

This is MY BODY!

According to TheRoot.com, “Planned Parenthood is under fire from the right, after this young lady’s abortion-related death.”

I’m just realllllllllllll tired of black women’s bodies ending up as political canon fodder, especially by folks who don’t care if we live or die in the first place.

Today’s hair. Had to tuck the braid out. Waaaaaay too hot out today.

Yesterday’s hair, with a little jewelry promo ;-) 

Today’s hair. 7/3/2012

Such a hectic day! And due to an unfortunate bus incident, some creepo guy got blood all over several ppl including a toddler and my dress. BUT this is a very simple thing I did because I’m actually taking better and more regular care of my hair now. I at least keep it in huge two strand twists just so it stays moisturized, detangled and stretched. But what I’ve found out is that those huge wavy bunches of hair are pretty cool looking when unraveled. So now I’m figuring out how to style those chunky twist-outs.

After much thought and continuing planning, I’m back to blogging with purpose!

This week I am highlighting another divine sista’s work, Iresha Picot. Behavioral therapist, freedom fighter, doula, co-founder of The Assata’s Daughters Project, the Ntozake Shange School of Literary Thought, Black Feminist Working Group, and all around amazing woman! Pictured here are just some of the postcards that belong to this year’s edition of her “Summer for the Sistas” project. She explains it, thus:

Summer for the Sistas is a subversive project that was created by Iresha Picot to combat the rampant party flyers around Philadelphia that exploit Black Women for financial gain and reaffirms the image of the transparent Black Woman: always half-naked in a submissive pose with disjointed and fragmented body parts. This project serves as a need to de-center these damaging images and map out novel ones and compelling words that are dissident to our existence as Black Women. Summer for the Sistas includes [love] messages on the same type of glossy cards that we see these parties advertised on, instead, our cards will be a counter-hegemonic response to those and expound on love, beauty, self-respect, and acknowledgment through messages written by Sistas, for Sistas. Showing that Black Women can be subversive, intervene and transformative to other Black Women.

Today and everyday, I applaud this sister’s work! 

(Source: summerforthesistas.blogspot.com)

It would be…. PROTECTION

We must learn to shield ourselves from the imposition of others. All throughout life, all of our relationships with other human beings and all of our interactions with other human beings. We get projected upon ourselves day in and day out, moment in and moment out, from all others. We get dumped on with other peoples’ grievances, other peoples’ perspectives, other people’s ambitions, other people’s ways to love, other people’s idiosyncrasies, other peoples’ limitations, other people’s baggage! The fact that these people are in our spheres does reflect something about your point in growth in that given period in time, but the issues of that person are their own, just like yours are your own. They are their own selves just as you are your own self.

End now the time when you allow others’ limitations and visions of themselves to predict and dictate the limitations and visions of yourself. Release yourself and wash your SELF of all of those fingerprints!

Today’s Hair <3 <3 

So, now that I actually have the time to put the effort into building this blog, I have decided on the topics to cover, although I’m still working on the structure, timing, etc. As Kinetic Earth will be a discussion and celebration of all that is Black, beautiful, love and fierce, the following will be the main subject matter that I will post and reblog:

• Love, Beauty and Fierceness! For all that represents love, wholeness and beauty in all forms that fly against the pre-proscribed standards.

• Sistas’ Spirits: For all things cultural and spiritual.
• Sistas’ Curls: All things natural hair and Black women’s hair in general.

• Sistas’ Health: All about our health, how our bodies do and could function, and of course all things yoni!

• Inspiration for Sistas: Quick words of encouragement, embracing ourselves and living abundantly.

• Sistas’ Journeys: Women speaking their experiences and their stories.

• Sistas’ Expression: Art, expression, speeches, performances.

• Sistas’ Power: Sexuality, sensuality, femininity.

• Sistas’ Beauty: Images of us.

• Sistas’ World: Legislature, news and relevant issues

• Sistas’ Projects: What are we actually doing and building out here? Will entail features and spotlights.

HONOR:

Learn how to honor your SELF and your capacity to express that self in all its beauty. HONOR your feelings and your responses. They may be hasty. They may be overzealous. But they in each and every moment are yours and yours alone. Even mistakes are parts of your life journey and growth of self. Those mistakes, the manifestations of you, the friends you have or had, and the lovers or partners you have or had, have all been necessary and have reflected something about your point in growth at that time.

Honor SELF, honor the journey