My Beautiful OG

An OG is a term that is defined as a person that has been in "the game" for long time and has earned respect within an organization or group of peers.  It's a mentor figure that has stood the test of time.

A Matriarch is a woman who is powerful within a family or organization.  Her power usually comes from her age, wisdom, and dependability.

Recently, I was at a dinner to celebrate the birthday of my Aunt Charlette, who is the reigning queen matriarch of my family.  She is one of the most reliable and dependable women I know.

She was, along with my Uncle, my inspiration for getting into the real estate business and being an entrepreneur.  She provided me an opportunity when I was just a 19 year old kid, fresh out of real estate school.

When I was 25, my mother passed away and she stepped up and filled the role as a surrogate for my sister and me.

It was also through her faith in the Lord and her being a "light" in the world, that helped me make a decision to get serious about my relationship with Christ.

I thank her for the many nights I slept on her couch, in the basement, and made palettes on the floor.  The "commission advances" in between closings.  All the trips to McDonald's, LaRosa's, and KFC.

She's been the rock in my family, since we have lost my grandmother, my mother, and my aunt.  My matriarch is the definition of perseverance and never giving up. She's my mentor by example and
 my "Beautiful OG".

So many times we don't give our roses to the people that deserve them while they are still alive.
(I actually got that from my aunt too). The strong women in our families need to be adored and celebrated for the many roles, sacrifices, and work they put in.

Who are the matriarch's in your families?  I encourage you to recognize their significance in your life.  Send a card.   Make the calls.  Plan the dinners.  RESPECT your "Beautiful OG".  

"Angry Black Man"

Anger.  It's a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility towards a person or thing.  Anger is an emotion that could be tagged as universal, because it's felt and understood from every human being and even animals.

I was reading an article about the term of former president Barak Obama.  It talked about how many felt that his effectiveness was limited because he had to be perceived as perfect and couldn't show too much emotion, in fear of being deemed "the angry black man".

This stereotype is one of the many painful realities of living as a black man in America.  An emotion that is universally understood and what's a normal part of human behavior for others, somehow gets turned into a sign of aggression and sparks fear when a black man shows this emotion.

As black men, we are dealing with the pressures of being providers and protectors of our homes.  Many are fathers of children of blended families. We face discrimination, limited opportunities, and often are building our legacies from "scratch".  I think that one of the most challenging things that black men face is not having enough mentors or examples to follow.  Need an example?  Think about Barak Obama being the President of the United States and not having another black man that had done that before or served in that office.

It's almost like having to socially walk on egg shells.  Because the unfortunate reality is, too many times than not, when a black man gets too angry, he gets arrested, shot, or even killed.  When a black man shows too much emotion he is discriminated against, or deemed as a threat or a source of fear.

Nobody wants the burden of proving a stereotype wrong.  Black men want to be viewed and evaluated for the individuals they are, not the generalizations of society and what's seemed to become social norms.

As black men, we want to have the ability to express our emotions, whether it be joy, pain, or anger without the thought in the back of our heads that their will be a negative consequence.  Is it too much to ask for to publicly show a natural human emotion without being cast into a stereotype?

It is my desire that in our culture a black man can be, an angry black man but not "the angry black man".