My people support my people!!!

It is always interesting to me when my people complain about my people wanting help, discounts, support, “handouts”, etc. from my people.  What I hear is “Why in the hell would I try to help me and make it easier for me.  I need to be working harder and not asking me for help.” We are the ONLY people/community that expends more money resources, time and energy in every other community but our own.  We don’t even understand the value in supporting one another.  As those around you grow and improve you grow and improve.  You don’t see droves of other peoples and communities flooding our streets to support our stores, shops, entrepreneurs, community center, artist, writers, local businesses or any of that. The “crab in a barrel” mentality is unnatural and inhumane because being in a “barrel” is unnatural and inhumane.  From very young we are taught the “survival of the fittest” mentality which is essentially teaching us to abuse other people in order to thrive and survive.  This mentality of lack allows us justification to operate live savages.  I can’t even say “animals” because animals work together and only take that which they need. 

My point brothers and sisters is that we need to support each other at EVERY chance we get.  Yes EVERY chance we get.  Yes the food, juice, t-shirt, beads, art, earrings, book, clothing, hair style, etc may cost a little more than at billy bob wong’s umart but billy bob wong aint doing ish for you either.  Plus billy bob wong can afford to charge less because billy bob wong’s people support him and he gets discounts because… he’s billy bob wong. 

Yes, yes, yes I know our people are ALWAYS looking for a hand out.  Unlike those big businesses, corporations, gas companies, fast food restaurants that pay their employees more than they deserve, pay their fair share of taxes, help the environment and never do anything that only benefits and those they choose.  We do much better putting our money, trust, resources, time and energy  in the hands of those people who definitely have our best interest at heart and would never try to get over on us (This is sarcasm because those mentioned do all the things mentioned and yes I felt the need to point that out). 

The fact that some of you reading this have a deep issue with supporting people that look like you and live in neighborhoods you live in (I know some of us live in predominately white/other neighborhoods but they don’t look like you) is the reason I am bringing this up.

Yes, ultimately we are all one, but until all of us are afforded the same basic human rights and luxuries like say Not getting harassed by the police or having emergency response, respond to our emergencies, and not having many areas where we are still “the first African American to….”, we need to be working together, helping each other, bartering, sharing and being humane PERIOD. 

For those who don’t agree please move out of our communities (or stay out if youre gone) and unite with those you feel willing to support and help.

For the rest of us, I challenge you to commit to challenge yourself about how you use your recourses (money, time, energy, talents, love, smiles, etc) and see if there is room for you to help out another brother or sister without causing yourself a bunch of strain.

Can you….?:

Send snacks to school or day care or send the teachers a “thank you”

Pay an extra $5 at a store owned and operated by one of us

Buy that cd, tshirt, book, album, song, painting, necklace, etc from one of us

Hire, contract or book one of us

Support an event, activity, website, page

Be nice, kind, loving, and supportive in thought and actions

Pass the word on when you can’t support personally

Encourage others you know are struggling or working hard

Support your own work and goals without hesitation and doubt

Change your thoughts of your people constantly holding us in high regards

Can you….?