By Mydra L. Kelly
The world along with our city and state governments are in a hurry to re-open and push us back into a Corona infested environment. This is primarily due to the fear of a failing economy. An economy that is depending on us to keep it afloat, but not willing to help us obtain a portion of its wealth. It is therefore willing to sacrifice our lives for the advancement of the monetary gain of a total society. We must be smarter than all the propaganda and lies that are going on around us right now. They are vying for us like we were back on the auction block, and it is imperative that we use wisdom in all things. While there are certain decisions we must make for our own survival; we cannot forget that we too, hold the power. It does not matter what they re-open. We do not yet have to return to a world that is currently signing our death certificates. This is not a time for us to believe everything that people are telling us. It is time to use our minds and all our God-given faculties. It is a time that we should take care of ourselves and each other, even if no one else does. We must be prayed up, vigilant, and paying attention. We are smart people despite some of the stupid things we sometimes do. We come from Kings and Queens. We are inventors and teachers and healers and leaders. And if there has ever been a time to return to these roots, the time is now.
It is time for us to declare to ourselves that enough is enough, and we are going to rise up. It is time for us to once again take control of our health, wealth, families and children; our communities, education, churches, neighborhoods, and everything else that we see around us losing ground. We are a chosen generation and a royal priesthood, but it seems that we have forgotten who we are. I believe this because there is no way in the world that we could remember the dignity and pride of our ancestors and operate the way some of us do today.
We have birthed scientists like George Washington Carver, Edmond Bouchet, Marie Maynard, and Alice Ball. We were political figures, game changers, and activist long before Martin Luther King Jr. and Barack Obama. Remember Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas, Mary Mcleod Bethune, Shirley Chisolm, and PBS Pinchbeck who was the 24th and first Black Governor of the southern state of Louisiana. Black People made money long before the money started making us act like we do not know ourselves. I applaud all our brothers and sisters who have acquired wealth, but before there was an Oprah there was a Sarah (Rector) and a Mary Ellen (Pleasant) and a Madame CJ Walker. And yes, Jeremiah Hamilton was here long before Tyler Perry or JayZ. Oh yes, we know how to make money. We even had our own wall street. That’s right, Black Wall Street. They burned it down, and we built it back up again because that is who we are and that is what we do. We rise from the ashes and erect pyramids inside of pyramids.
We were once sharp business-minded intelligent people. Savvy, sophisticated, and unapologetically God-fearing. I believe we still are all these things, but perhaps we have forgotten how to fear God. Instead, now we fear the police, the Coronavirus, each other, and ourselves. But as we do a reset amidst COVID-19; May this pandemic not only leave us riveting from its death toll and the holes that it is leaving in our families, communities, and our world. Rather, may it shake us, wake us up, and make us remember as brother Jesse Jackson has so often reminded us, "we are somebody". We are strong, and we are invincible. We are resilient and we have rubber band power. We know how to snap back. This is not our first rodeo. Life in America has given us many bulls to ride. Sometimes they have thrown us off and left us hanging on to the horns. But think black People; We built America, and if it did not kill us, it has only made us strong. I want everyone to understand this one thing; the Coronavirus will pass. Unfortunately, she will take many of us with her on her journey out, yet many of us will remain to tell the story to our children’s children. Therefore, we need to tell the story from the right perspective and point of view. we need to not just survive but get stronger and be smarter. We must get ready for whatever life should bring our way next. We must be ready and stay ready.
We must take better care of our bodies. We must eat better, exercise and practice maintaining good health and not just seeking healing from systems who cannot save us. We must not only make money, but we must learn how to save and invest it too. We must stop killing each other and forbid anyone else to do it either. We must discipline our own children in love and teach them how to move rightly through a world gone wrong. Black People think about how wonderful it could be if I started loving you again, and you in return loved me back. We must respect each other and be kind in our work and in our play. However, before this can happen, we must love ourselves, invest in ourselves, take care of ourselves, and save ourselves. We must return to God the only one who can truly heal and help us. It is time black people, and I am not saying that you must decide today, but why not? As we can see tomorrow is not promised. Black People think about it. Please think.
There are so many ways that this stimulus money is a blessing and it can be used in many ways to help us move forward. It can be used to pay your rent ahead or put some extra on your mortgage or car note. It can assure that you get a computer and internet in your home so your children can get ready. It might help you to buy a decent car that will get you to a better paying job. What about investing in something that will bring you additional income and revenue like that lawn care service or your catering gig. Start a legitimate side hustle and grow it into a fortune for your family legacy. Think of ways to work smarter not harder. How about getting with a few of your brothers and sisters and buying and flipping a house for profit? Let’s sow back into ourselves so we do not have to wait for anyone to give us a piece of the pie. Instead, we can make the pie, bake the pie and slice it up any way we like. Then whatever we do, let us do it in excellence like our grandparents taught us and move away from this just enough to get by mentality. Remember average is our enemy because for us just being good has never been enough. Black People think; we can do this. Let's not dare give them all that money back. Put that money in our banks; invest in ourselves. Move strategically and continue to stay alive, stay inside, plan, prepare and show Miss Rona and the world, that in the end, we win.
You may contact Mydra L. Kelly at Mlkmskelly@gmail.com; on LinkedIn or on her Blog at Mydra’s Musings on Wordpress.org; also voice messages can be left at (225) 267-7877