Movement of Youth

What is it that fuels a group of volunteers to donate their time and efforts in light of bringing about a better tomorrow? What power can drag college students out of bed at 7 in the morning in order to help youth? Where does the Movement of Youth draw its limitless energy from? In this post I will try and answer these questions to the best of my abilities. But I’ll tell you it has something to do with a little word I like to call, Passion.

                    The Fifth Annual Hip-Hop Symposium hosted by the Movement of Youth truly opened my eyes to a new source of power, the one that lies dormant in our hearts. Movement of Youth is an organization that stands for the positive upbringing of today’s minority youth. I met some of the most intricate people of our generation and they all seemed to have one thing in common, passion. In one month I realized what the true passion is and what amazing power it holds. I could sit here and compare passion to a million types of substances in this world but alas I will go with the most known interpretation, passion as fire. We all know how a fire starts; it requires material, oxygen, and a spark. Passion is no different, inside our hearts starts as a small spark, the mind provides us with airy thoughts (oxygen) and when the mind and heart combine they form a flame that ignites the soul (material). The Symposium called upon three individuals to recount and share their stories about following their dreams. Listening to the personal experiences these young men and women have already been through led me to believe that this passionate fire has energy, or the capacity to do work. When Kane the poet performed a spoken word piece, I felt the emotion in his voice as he expressed love for the giver of his X chromosome, his mother. After his piece he gave the audience an opportunity to ignite their own fire, one boy bravely volunteered and as soon as he began I knew instantly he had this same flame in his soul. As he spoke from his heart, his words seemed to give off a sort of emotional heat. This heat is none other than the flames of passion. Our host Pierce Freelon, burned brightly with an aura of passion the whole event. He was the voice these youth needed to hear. His energy never wavered and his lighthearted soul was reflected in the eyes of all participants. When talking about his music, he seemed to glow with passion. Even Brian Dawson, radio DJ took notice of this and offered to help him and his band, The Beast. Lastly King Mez, a Raleigh native, was the poster child for passion in a positive aspect. Hearing his personal experience with music I could see how greatly he adored, admired and respected the gift God gave him. Listening to a selection of songs, you could tell automatically that if he continues to follow his passion, he will go far.  The man who had the most influence on the crowd however was a parent, Mr. Wilson. Mr. Wilson, from Philly encouraged the students to write down whatever was on their minds and hearts because they never know when it will come in handy. He recited a jingle he created for a grocery store and he also participated in the cipher. His words (although I don't remember them fully), sounded something like "change  will come and you will grow". Mr. Wilson exemplified a man who had a compassionate heart, especially when it came to youth. So all in all, these few individuals have forever changed the lives of the audience, who were mainly youth by expressing how following your heart will lead you in the right direction. These youth will eventually use their light to help guide them down the path that God has destined for them. 

 

"Think of each of the passionate hearts as stars shining brightly, illuminating even the darkest of times. "

So what exactly fuels the Movement of Youth, well I’ve come to the conclusion that it's passion. Think for a sec’ a movement requires two things, energy and an object. Passion and energy are one in the same they both have the power to do work. The object, is the future generation, the youth. So a movement could be defined as a passionate force able to change the future. Yeah that's what the Movement of Youth is all about, helping youth find their passion. . A passionate force that stems from the hearts of youth, the driving force of the future.

 Cheers,

Johnny Lee Chapman, III

Black-Light

As I sit back listening to some Afro-Activist music I thought about my race and how it has lost its touch with its self. Yes, most of the African-American community is still in slavery but to whom you may ask. To ourselves…we have sold our souls into our own hands. It’s sad too, the greatest parts of our culture we have given away and now they have turned it into a cash crop. This is the concept of modern day slavery. But even 400 years ago we were the ones who sold ourselves to the Caucasians. Most of us when we envision Europeans capturing African we imagine white men catching “savages”, but in reality African tribes sold prisoners of war to Europeans which began the slavery we know today. Brief history lesson but back to the point. What has happened to our, to my race? We, as an individual, have lost our “power”, our “glow” our “Black-Light”, and it slipped away right underneath our eyes. We traded music for money, black activism for drugs, and power for pleasure; now look at us. The point I’m trying to make my people is that we need to realize, to open our black eyes and see that the shackles around our ankles, the collars around our neck…these chains lead into our hands. Nobody stole the black power, we just lost it. Over 200 years ago,  we fought against all odds in order to gain freedom, 40-50 years ago our grand parents protested in order to gain our equality. Now in the 21st century its Black on Black crime, drugs fill our heads rather than education, and we have fallen from grace. Black is beautiful but even beauty has its flaws, we must learn how to live with these flaws that we caused rather than blame others. There have been countless people who have tried to bring us down but as they say “you are your worst enemy”.  My brothers and sisters I want us to trace our roots, back to the days where the tree of African American’s flourished. To this day we have been one of the most oppressed individuals on this planet but yet we realize this because we have gotten comfortable. M.K. Asante, hero of my generation in my opinion, in his book “It’s Bigger Than Hip-Hop” talked about an interaction he had with a youth in prison. The boy never slept on his mattress in prison, and when asked by Asante he responded that he did not wish to be comfortable in a place he didn’t belong. Think for a second, America has one of the highest prison populations and majority of these individuals are black. The system has literally legalized slavery, but has put it into different terms.You get the picture, we have been socially, physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually oppressed since the beginning.
” A member of the BSM (Black Student Movement at UNC).According to the article he raises a ‘defiant’ fist; but that fist symbolizes power, a certain black power.”
We as a people must realize the truth in that our “Black Light” is fading, and will deplete if we don’t recharge our souls. How shall we recharge the soul? By tracing our roots as I stated earlier. By taking the ideals of the past and adding onto them, the perfect blend of Activism meeting Innovation. Only in this partnership shall our true freedom sprout from. A global revolution is coming, and we must take sides. I reassure you that it will come whether we are ready or not, such is the way of live. We must break the bonds that keep us shackled but to do that we must educate our minds and hearts with “true blackness”, not the stereotypical bullshit we see on television, because that’s not “true black”, that is “white black”. Malcolm X, the famous activist (dubbed radical by the weak) , once said “I’m for truth no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it’s for or against.” Next time someone tells you that you act white because your not acting loud and hostile, please respond by saying “No I’m the true black, but what you are is a fake”. (Personal Rant). Anyways the concept of true blackness needs to be embraced if we as a people want to survive in these changing times. Change is coming, my brothers and sisters. Ernesto “Che” Guevara, revolutionist and medical student once said that “We have no right to believe that freedom can be won without struggle” and I believe that we have struggled, we shall continue to struggle to win our freedom. The Black-Light shall guide us through the dark times, just as the stars guided our ancestors in the twilight to freedom. Millions have paved the way for us to be here so instead of straying off the path we should follow them and pave the way for the future generations. For although our generation may seem lost, we shall find our way but the next generation will need proper guidance. 
So in closing to my brother and sisters, please power up your black light, for it shall be your key to freedom.

Feminsm: A Man's Job

Feminism: A Man's Job

Feminism: a movement. We all know what a feminist is, you know that woman who is the advocate for womans rights. They are the rebels to this masculine world we all live in, but do they always have to be women. Can a man be a feminist? Why certainly yes they can. A man has just the right to care for women as they care for themselves. Think back during the civil right days, many white people helped the blacks succeed gain equality, so in this day and age it is possible for men support the feminist movement. Myself included, I believe that women should be entitled to the same freedom’s men have and should not discriminated against based on their sex. Honestly fellas, women are the greatest creation of God and to hinder the greatest creation is, well stupid. We are no longer in the 19th century where women should know oh how to cook and clean. Feminism is more than just supporting women, it’s the act of loving the female species and all that it has to offer. I believe that men should join the feminist movement, because in my opinion there is nothing more attractive than a working woman. But ladies don’t get confused and think that you can live this life on your own. Both genders truly need each other, scientifically as well as spiritually. Men are the mind and women are the heart to this body of equality. We thrive off the energy of each other, in a constant system of give and take. Giving each other chances and taking opportunities that arise is what love is all. Independent women scare me, not because I’m afraid of their determination; but because I fear that the loneliness will overcome them eventually. Nobody is truly alone in this world and if they are its by their choice. Don’t get this statement confused, I don’t think women need men individually but as a whole we depend on each other. Happiness is stemmed from overcoming opposition, and that obstacle is known as discrimination. So as the men and women we are, we should work together and support womans rights, that will in turn benefit us. Equality for all is possible; it requires a heart of love and an understanding mind.