Hearing a great lecture in our Learning in Retirement series on
Hominid Evolution. http://ping.fm/okqUs
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
I Nearly Wept Today
Three young African-American men stopped me on a Berkeley street this evening. One said, "Hey O.G., you look like you're about something - and we don't see many Black men your age doing it right." They introduced themselves, shook my hand and said, "We respect you." I nearly wept!
I hope!
I work and live in environments where I very rarely see, and even more rarely interact with men who look like me. That environment is a university where it is even rarer that I see African-American males students. I sometimes wonder where we're headed. I look around and it seems we are en route to extinction.
Who are we? I'm not talking about our wonderful African brothers who, lest we forget, often immigrated here from beautiful places, with horrible circumstances. So there is no disrespect. I have a dear friend from Ethiopia and every time I ask him about his family he says very few words. Words like, very rough, or not good. I see deep pain in his eyes and I hear it in his voice. He is my brother. However, I'm making reference to the slavery- and Jim Crow-enduring, lynch-surviving Brothers. People like me, who were reared with grandparents who were fourth grade-educated Mississippi sharecroppers. Yeah, and I'm only 44 years old. By the way, Mississippi in my case, but name your state, especially a southern one.
Those young men had a profound affect on me today. I nearly wept today. And…
I HOPE!
I hope!
I work and live in environments where I very rarely see, and even more rarely interact with men who look like me. That environment is a university where it is even rarer that I see African-American males students. I sometimes wonder where we're headed. I look around and it seems we are en route to extinction.
Who are we? I'm not talking about our wonderful African brothers who, lest we forget, often immigrated here from beautiful places, with horrible circumstances. So there is no disrespect. I have a dear friend from Ethiopia and every time I ask him about his family he says very few words. Words like, very rough, or not good. I see deep pain in his eyes and I hear it in his voice. He is my brother. However, I'm making reference to the slavery- and Jim Crow-enduring, lynch-surviving Brothers. People like me, who were reared with grandparents who were fourth grade-educated Mississippi sharecroppers. Yeah, and I'm only 44 years old. By the way, Mississippi in my case, but name your state, especially a southern one.
Those young men had a profound affect on me today. I nearly wept today. And…
I HOPE!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
History is awesome! I have a new hero after learning about Edward
Alexander Bouchet.
http://ping.fm/Hh0ZV
Alexander Bouchet.
http://ping.fm/Hh0ZV
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