Learning from the black community and their issues

one of the things i have thought about a lot lately is the grace that certain black people and their leaders have. how do they have it? what has been their journeys? how can we gain that sense within people within our community?

how can we encourage the development of true inner transformation?

what books should we look into? what lessons have they learned that we haven't? what lessons are they in the process of learning?

the black community has of course been dealing with their issues more openly for longer than we have. so they have some years on us.

they also have been an inspiration to the gay movement from the start when harry hay founded the mattachine society in the 50's based on identifying the gay community as a 'minority' with our own culture and traits.

Re: Learning from the black community and their issues

one of the things i am thinking about is the resources that black people use in their community and the art they have.

they have maya angelou and her books for inspiration.

they have gospel music and strong church groups.

they have blues music. something that was developed and expressed a lot of their pain. an outlet for them to face their pain.

we are in a time of 'thinking positive' which of course in many ways encourages the denial of pain as kindly intended as it can be and as useful as it can be. it misses pieces of things.

Re: Learning from the black community and their issues

thought the following may be of interest to others. i put the first paragraph here and then the link for the full article.

“Before I was seven years old there were so many labels on my back beginning with nigger. By the time I was 14 I went through a kind of nervous breakdown, which happened when I was a preacher. And by the time I was 17 1 had survived all the labels, including the label of faggot. It wasn't and it isn't easy.”

full article here

Re: Learning from the black community and their issues

I was living in Denver when the story of Mathew Shepard unfolded. A young man who was beaten and left tied to a fence post to die in Laramie WY.

Mayor Wellington Web made a speech that night on the steps of the capital saying that the gay community must rise up. A minority is not just some small entity but rather it is a part of the whole mechanism of life. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, as it is said, but whether that wheel is on a car of 4 wheels or a truck of 18 wheels it is essential that all parts be acknowledged or there is a break down.  Mayor Wellington Web, a black man, tied the fight for respect to his own fight growing up and his family's own struggles. He said your silence will be your weakest link. Be proud of who you are and let people know who you are. You are the postal workers, the firefighters, the government, Mothers and fathers. Get up from the back of the bus like Rosa Parks did and find your rightful place. Your sexual desires are are what many people focus on but your desires include so much more. People need to stay out of your bedrooms and move into your hearts. When we know each others hearts we will find we have much in common.

Life lost to the crime of hate is a terrible loss. We are the brothers and sisters of life spinning rapidly through space. There is room for differences with peace as your guide.

Re: Learning from the black community and their issues

beautiful! thanks for sharing jason! absolute magic. how wonderful to hear a story of a black man reaching out like that to share/inspire from his own experiences. absolutely heartwarming. thanks for sharing.

:-)
d