Time to Elevate our Minds & Hearts

For the WorldCup 2018, now that all the African country teams have been eliminated. I’ve been inundated with memes, posts and articles of how the remaining teams are conveniently using players who have African heritage to win in the finals. These articles try to remind me of how great Africa is  as a continent, and to never forget what “some” of our forefathers went through as slaves brought over to work and settle in neighbouring 1st world lands. But this kind of talk and topic has been prevalent for quite some time before too. “Wakanda Forever”, “Black Heritage Month”, and the list goes on and on and on. 

I have no problem with others trying to empower others to be better. But I do have a problem with the same “black people” conveniently using their “blackness” when it suits them. Aren’t these same celebrities wearing, supporting and being paid by white-owned companies? If the African WorldCup teams were so good, then why aren’t they in the finals? It seems to me, that including players of “all” races makes a team stronger. Or perhaps, just good players and good coaching? I am not saying that slavery and hate crimes didn’t and don’t exist, but have you really took a look into our history books? Who exchanged slaves for money in Africa? And aren’t we full of several examples of hate in our history? From the Holocaust stories, right down to the gays and transgenders?

I am a black woman, married to a white man. And that shouldn’t matter. There are people who want to change, and are making the change. I’m tired of us pointing fingers, and speaking in the past, when we are all guilty of judging others and serving hate. It’s time we stop being part of the problem and work towards a solution and more importantly ‘healing’. As India Arie so aptly sang, “I am not the color of my skin…” We are so much more than  our hue, and country for that matter. And when we truly realize that, it will be when all colors of the human race, this homosapien species can finally live in Peace. 

I have experienced hate not only from white people, but people of all colors and believe it or not, from people who look just like me too! Why don’t we hear or speak about that? Shouldn’t that be the first issue that we should fix? Within our own races we try to separate and hurt each other. This topic makes me think of ‘vegans’ who still drive diesel vehicles and use Air Conditioning, and chastise someone who may not be able to afford or been educated to eat otherwise. Who are we to pick and choose what’s best for anyone? If we are so ‘Afro-centric’, shouldn’t we all move back to Africa? How about stop straightening our hair and bleaching our skin. The problem that we have lies much deeper than a mixed-race or predominantly black football European team. 

Being born and raised in the Caribbean, because of history, I automatically have many strains of race flowing through my veins, and living there I was lucky to be exposed to many people, cultures, religions and races. Yes, hate and racism exists there too. But I also learnt of inclusion, celebration and tolerance. I choose not to be a victim, I choose to focus on being resilient and lift up the values worth remembering. I think it’s something we should try to incorporate world-wide. This problem won’t be fixed overnight. I would be naive to think so; but I think it’s imperative we stop generalizing and supporting hate of all kinds, and be more loving and inclusive of everyone. 

Remember, our beliefs shape our reality and our aim in life should never be trying to make others feel guilty or break each other down, because of our history and our differences. Rather, we should be respecting and learning from our history, our experiences, and educating and encouraging positive change. Finding ways of healing to move forward in a hopefully one day, color-blind world. 

Grateful

Haven't spoke much about my television hosting experiences; or the insight I gain from volunteering with hospice care; but here is an exciting clip of what the hostess job is like.
I am so grateful to Jah-Jah, my supreme being, my creator, my rock...

Enjoy! :))

** For Caribbean videos like this and more, please feel free to visit: www.mykeetv.com

White Jesus

So last night at Improv class I performed with a 'new' girl, and while up there in front of our peers, I was taken aback by her statement, caught it, and still managed to turn it into a positive scene. Unfortunately her statement bothered me more than I'd hoped for. What was wrong with me? Why could it not slide off my back, like water did on a duck? I'd been raised better than that, and have been all my life, working on being the master of my emotions. I obviously still have heaps more work to do. I don't necessarily blame the girl, at the end, she shook my hand and they were quivering and sweaty. But even if she said sorry and it was her first time at Improv, it didn't truly make me believe it was her first time making comments like that.

We worked with horses in our scene, and what she said was that her amazing horse was named White Jesus. I smiled with wide eyes and told her mine was named Knight Rider and she in turn took it to the next level by saying that it was 'funny' that she was white with a white horse, that was soft, white and good. Sigh** still not rolling off my back; and even more so my mind. I have definitely been saying I wish to write a book in regards to my feelings on race but haven't gotten around to it as yet. At the moment I'm more focused on publishing my collection of poetry as well as my flight attendant travel story book. But since visiting Nepal last year, and also dating a few guys that made insensitive statments; I've been itching to write my thoughts on how situations like this make me feel, and not just me, but how they make everyone without alabaster skin feel. I already have a name, I suppose all I need to do now is dedicate some time towards it.

No-one would guess it; like they don't care to know about individuals' heritage either, and instead only judge them by the colour of their skin. But like Barack Obama, Billie Holiday, Bob Marley, Halle Berry, Naomi Campbell, Lenny Kravitz, Tyson Beckford, Sade, and Rashida Jones; I too come from mixed ancestry. In fact, many people from the Caribbean and the majority of my friends growing up there, are multi-racial too. Mine specifically happen to be African, Chinese and the Caucasian race. Yes, my grandmothers are white, and I just happened to be very close to them. My family is diverse, beautiful and everyone is lovely in their own way. Being of mixed race and growing up with not only different races within my family but also with my childhood friends, allowed me to embrace the differences, respect it and take pleasure in its unique beauty. I suppose I'm just tired of 'white lies' being okay and 'black Friday', 'black sheep' and 'hell' being negative, dark and bad. I'm tired of these silly statments made and engrained in us all from the beginning of time. Jesus was not white! I mean how many white Jesus' do you see walking around Los Angeles? Not to mention the man himself from Bethlehem that Christians speak of as being white! If you'd rather argue that in fact Jesus, Buddha and Mohammed are white, that's fine, but I just want to know why everything bad has to be black or completely disregarded?

My acting coach enlightened me the other day that the cover of the Vanity Fair last week was interesting, and I had the pleasure of skimming through it while waiting to board a plane this week. He was right; all the young women that they said were 'up & coming' the shining stars of our acting future were indeed white. Names like Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Kristen Stewart, and Emma Roberts were exemplified, and showcased on the cover. But I wondered about Zoe Saldana, Gabourney Sidibe, Mo'Nique, America Ferrera, Jennifer Hudson, Michelle Rodriguez, Devon Aoki, and Jessica Alba? Why weren't they on the cover as well? And whatever happened to Gabriel Union and Kerry Washington? Aren't they in enough movies to be considered 'up & coming' as well? I know that in the old days when there was black & white film, people of colour were usually care-takers, servants or maids, with little words said, and if so, usually nothing of importance. I know that in the 60's, 70's and 80's, there still weren't many roles offered in Hollywood in respect to lead roles or serious roles of pertinence offered to non-whites, but even today, I find that there is still a great struggle to have them rise above their customary comedic, athletic and illicit roles. Thank Goodnes for Tyler Perry, Denzel Washington and Wil Smith for making steps forward and making films of substance as opposed to being seen always as the criminal or rapist. I certainly respect Mr. Perry as a filmmaker, but I personally think he has made it, a 'blacks mostly' deal. I long to see more mixing, Blacks alongside Whites, Hispanics alongside Chinese etcetera; and this is where Caribbean film comes in. Yes; you may not have heard about it, but it is slowly becoming known; and I hope to be one of its pioneers.

It is only a dream now, but is in the works of becoming a reality. White Jesus may be chaste, soft, good and accepted but Knight Rider is sleek, strong, beautiful, and slowly will become recognized as something good. I was born with the same feelings, blood, organs & I will be a winner! :))