a 5 yr old black boy and race…

I picked up my shorty from some artsy/fartsy event this past Saturday afternoon.  He hops in the car – in the car seat - buckles himself in and…

[Car starts.  We rollin'. Ipod beats kick in thru car stereo.  Afro-Peruvian mix.  Volume low.]

Me:  You had a good time homie?

Son:  “Yeah!!! It was funnn!!!”

Me:  What did y’all do?

Son: “I dunno. A lot.”

Me: Okay.  Well did you…

Son: “Oh yeah, someone came to sing.”

Me:  That’s Cool.

Son: “Dad, do you know who it was?”

***I worked in the music/concert biz for years.  My son thinks I know any and everyone that sings***

Me:  Well, I need a little more info homie.  Was it a man or a woman?

Son: “A dude.”

Me: Do you remember his name?

Son: “Nope.”

Me:  What kind of music did he play?

Son:  “I dunno.  He had a guitar.”

Me:  Was he White or Black?

Son: “Uhmmm, kinda light-peach I think.”

Me: [In a faint whisper] Wowww…

…to be clear: saggy-pants infographic

Courtesy of the Flint, MI Police Department.   This is hilarious, and sad.  Read my take on the issue (here)

Dig Chicago: the school boycott (an act of love)

This post isn’t about Rev. Meeks or the CPS Boycott.  If you want an in depth analysis of Meeks and the boycott, just google them, I’m sure you’ll come up with way more info than you need.  I’m writing to call attention to the students, parents, and families – low income and working class Black students, parents, and families – that participated whole-heartedly in the boycott.  I want to shine the spotlight on them because they did so much more than just ride a bus to the suburban New Trier High School.  They volunteered their time, energy, and resources to call attention to the myriad issues plaguing urban mis-education.  They printed and stuffed and folded.  The canvassed door to door and at numerous “EL” stations.  They compiled and emailed and phoned.  They donated and fund-raised.  They sang and prayed.  They educated themselves on the issue.  They educated others on the issue.  They mobilized and organized.  They took action.  All this from the same group of people that “experts” and politicians have implicated time and time again as the “real” problem in urban education.  All this from the same group of Black folk mis-labeled as NOT caring about school - NOT appreciating the value of education – parents/families that are NOT actively involved in their child’s education.  And I myself would like to personally commend these brave and caring souls.  This may sound a little dramatic, but what they did this week was an act of love (something else that “experts” and the media would have the world believe we are NOT capable of).  Love of little Black boys and Black girls.  Love of family.  Love of self.  And I hope to never again have to hear/read some crap about working class and low income Black folk being fingered as the “real” problem with urban education.

kdizo

new “stylo” forces black boys to wear clean undies

 

Please excuse the sardonic title of this post.  On the serious tip, have you read/heard about the new ordinance in southern Illinois that makes sagging jeans/pants/shorts a finable offense.  What is playing out in this small Illinois town is the latest in what seems to be a growing nationwide trend.  Let’s see: hats, cornrows, starter jackets, and now low-slung trousers. WTF are these people thinking?  Unfortunately, the only thing that will come out of this:  more opportunities for 5-O (the police) to fuck with black youth.  How come we don’t fine plumbers/handymen for flashing ass-crack?  And, I might be a little tardy on this, but wasn’t the recent American teen (and Hollywood) fashion craze all about low-cut jeans?  I’m out.  Thoughts?