Know Your Worth
It is absolutely amazing when you know your value and life affirms it for you in a number of ways. I have always wanted to hear God's voice speaking to me. Even though I don't hear a voice, in lieu of a conversational exchange---my life is usually inundated with a number of signs and themes that usually appear more aggressively than the last as a showing that God is leading me on a journey. I may not know the destination, but the ride is amazing.
I had phenomenal experiences with an "s" last week in the DMV celebrating the National Association of Black Social Workers' 49th Annual Conference, Unmasking Politics and Policies: Strengthening the Black Family. See #NABSWDMV for pictures and snippets of an awesome week that brought together over 600 professionals, students and academicians.
The speakers were impassioned to communicate that pride of self and cultural identity as a black individual in America is apriore in the society we live in today. "We refuse to lose!" was one appeal by our luncheon speaker to get charged in spite of life circumstances to be the best you, you can be in spite of adversity.
So my message to you the individual is that most of us know that a walk in the valley helps us to appreciate the clouds. Be encouraged that our DNA remembers and trouble won't last always. I am leaving you with the spiritual awakening I delivered during the ribbon cutting ceremony and pray you are encouraged by the words of this poem!
The context of the Black experience is rooted in this:
The blood of our ancestors as we stand here today pulses thru our veins. Touched by The Warmth of Other Suns, sheltered by the brilliance of Moonlight we forged Underground to firmer ground now demanding equity for our continued opportunity.
Undeniably, the rich hues of our skin, the depth of our intellect and our tenacity to Get Out, up and over our respective life circumstances to forge ahead we continue to defy the odds of adversity. Our DNA remembers the majestic Empire of Mother Africa, the cradle of civilization.
We have traversed America from California past Selma to DC not peering over Fences, but hurdling them in a Race against time to bring better days--- sooner than later.
We knocked it out of the park like 42, just a few short years ago when we helped shape a new symbol of hope that our ancestors could have only prayed to see----the possible. We all witnessed yet another imprint of our many LOOK AT GOD moments inspired by the 44th POTUS, Barrack Hussein Obama who lead this country just a few short miles from here.
We trust you to Do the Right Thing and let every moment be food for the soul inciting a spark to be intentional about your experience here all this week to go beyond the space of this conference to your respective homes to help strengthen the black family.
In homage to James Baldwin, let’s rally a cry together as you repeat after me------- I Am Not Your Negro--We are no longer America’s negro!
I leave you in parting with the poetry of Langston Hughes:
The night is beautiful, so the faces of my people
The stars are beautiful, so the eyes of my people
Beautiful, also, is the sun.
Beautiful, also, are the souls of my people.
Asante Sana
Jataun J. Rollins
April 2017