[dropcap]During[/dropcap] a late-night conversation a few years ago, a friend of mine asked me if I could do one thing for the black community what would it be. My response was I would wrap my arms around the world and give every person of color a hug. I would love on my community especially the men in a way that could only be second to the love of Christ. In a world of colonization and oppression; where dollars are more important than souls it seems as if there is no love for people of color. The life of a black man is seemingly only worth its contribution to retail dollars and the prison industrial complex. As my social media continues to be flooded with posts about the recent passing of businessman and rapper Nipsey Hussle I’m reminded of another conversation from my past. My former supervisor once said to me, “I know what you can’t do but tell me what you can do?” I can’t fix the problems of the entire black community. Nor can I treat all symptoms of the diseases of colonization and oppression worldwide. However, what I can do on my small platform is pen a letter to men of color. [mc4wp_form id=”6042″]
Dear Black Man: God loves you
As I write this letter my vision is clouded by tears of pain. I cry for my sons and grandsons. I cry for fathers and brothers. I cry for friends and enemies. Finally, I cry for the women and children who are damaged as a bi-product of your trauma. Black man if no one ever told you, you are beautiful. If I was an artist I’d paint a mural with all your hues. When I close my eyes and think of the garden where the creator of life reached down and created humanity from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into Adams nostrils; I see your face. When I think of God looking over all of creation claiming it as “good”, “it” included you. When He created woman because it was not good for the man to be alone; He created me with you in mind.
Black man you are appreciated. I appreciate you for the work of your hands and the love in your heart. I appreciate men like my grandfather, uncle and sons who took it upon themselves to father the fatherless. I even appreciate the mentors in the streets who mentor in the only way they know how. I appreciate your efforts to try to better yourself and the world around you. I appreciate the hours that you work in a society that says you’re not good enough. I appreciate your willingness to mentor and mold the youth. I appreciate you for your contribution to the world from the pyramids to the traffic light and even the world’s first smart store.
Black man you are necessary. We cannot create life alone. We were created to complement each other. It is possible for us to raise children and support them alone, but it is not optimal. Black man you are a necessity in sustaining, growing and developing strong family units. Strong family units lead to strong and healthy children, Strong/healthy children become adults who change the world. You are necessary in our homes. I hear so much talk about the “angry black woman”, she’s not angry she’s frustrated because she is missing her other half. She is doing a job with half of the workforce necessary to complete it. She is tired, she is depressed, she is lonely, and she is scared to relinquish control. You are necessary to fix her problems. Eve needed Adam to say no don’t eat and don’t listen. We cannot have a true Eden experience without you.
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