Go Out With A Smile

I come from a line where we laid pennies on the eyelids and tied the jaw.
I come from a line where we create oils to anoint in preparation for the afterlife.
I come from a line where we made the garments of eternal rest.
I come from a line where death is the beginning of life.
I come from a line of witnesses of the process of grief.
I come from a line of spiritual preparers

The quiet is about to set in; the reality of it all.

What the hell really happened in Charleston?

The pain of it all.

You see once the auto-pilot mode is over,
we have to go back to utilizing our personal thoughts and emotions
not feeding off mass hysteria

We will find ways of normalizing our belief system

Yet in still no way accepting that it is NORMAL for 9 people to be killed in a church by a gunman in the Holy City in 2015.

This reality is phuqing surreal. This version of reality is blighted yet unfortunately, rash acts of brutal death have become the norm.

There are those who will never forget these moments and they'll move on with their empathy for the next cause.

I live in Charleston SC. Ive met many whose lives have been forever changed. The fabric of my life is forever changed.

They are Elders with long memories, so I know I will come to learn even more each day about the many lives touched.

I understand death, it's just the manner at times... Ain't no one write life scripts better than G-d .... Shonda aint got nothing on Her!!!!

In the coming weeks... the weight of the travesty to the future of all mankind will manifest itself.

You will come to realize just what the world lost.

That nucleus of 9... such a powerful think tank of visionaries.

You will scream, We will scream, it will come from the depths of our souls - this wrenching of the heart with earthy cries....

The pain of the loss which can drop you to your knees,

ain't nothing can shrivel up the human body like grief...

it will have you locked in a fetal position tighter than before your Mama spit you out

Funeral preparations

People from out of town

New found peoples

Nosey People

ok back on the job

sitting in traffic one day .. it hits you

you catch a whiff of their scent in the air .. it hits you

you go to call their phone .. it hits you

Damn what we gone eat... the one who is gone is the one who bought the food and cooked it too

Oh Snap... Laundry ..

Slowly but surely, sometimes in the most brutal way

We learn to fill the gap that has been made

Not without screaming though

Death is the one action in life that has no freaking consideration of a person's emotions

That script ... aint a damn soul know before hand...

in the meantime.. RELEASE THEIR SOUL by releasing your anger that they are gone.... do not let it consume you

Just LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST until it happens...

Make a beautiful mark on this earth

Go out with a smile...

Y'all have a blessed day

There are times when we really have to take stock of who we have been aligning ourselves with.

The superficial flow of some smiles in the heat of recent events has proven to take a toll on some "friendships".

Knowing Agape Love allows one to even have concern for those who have truly caused harm to our spirit, no matter what manner.

it is difficult in these times to have one's ears perked and eyes at a squint... everything and damn near everyone is suspect.

We've been blindsided by global events that seek to destroy the local fabric of life.

As we continue to pray for the Mother Emanuel Church members, the City of Charleston, we must include ourselves.

We must ask for guidance for our tongue and peace in our hearts.

As CC always says .. I come in Peace ...

I have to go a step further... my peace may not be your peace, simply understand.. we are in the middle of a revolution... what is pleasing to my eyes, ears and heart just might not be acceptable in thy sight.

My family makes a Benetton ad pale in comparison.. we are international and unless you know our lines ... you just dont know.

I dont always have to put honey on my tongue, not when it comes to the human race. Loving and embracing the forces of nature allows me the privilege of also embracing the forces within a human being .. I engage with the spirit of a person.

I no longer "carry weights on my shoulders" which would suck the life out of me. I have to walk MY Walk in order to persevere and be of use in the future.

My heart is with many, yet my body is in control. There are those of us who have to "Be Still"

I truly wish I had a home, I'd like to break bread with some who truly need to get some things off their chests and want to expand their heart reach.

Y'all have a blessed day ... make a friend. 1 heart emoticon

Charleston Coping - #Emanuel9 #IamAME #CharlestonStrong

The following is a list of prayer and memorial services planned to honor the victims and families of Wednesday's shooting at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston. Also listed is information about fundraising initiatives for the church and victims' families.

We will update this list as new information becomes available.

Services Planned

Saturday:

— The chapel at Church of Our Saviour on Johns Island is open for prayer, 6 a.m.-9 p.m. through Saturday. Services are open to people of all faiths and denominations. There will be a special book of condolences that will be bound and sent to Mother Emanuel AME Church next week to offer a written prayers and messages.

— Unity Church of Charleston, 2535 Leeds Ave., Charleston, will hold and interfaith prayer service Saturday at 10 a.m. Hindu, Muslim, Interfaith, Buddhist and Christian ministers will speak.

— An interdenominational intercessory prayer vigil will be held at noon Saturday at Saint John's Reformed Episcopal Church, 91 Anson St., Charleston.

— A group known as Global Peace is planning a prayer rally in front of Mother Emanuel AME at noon Saturday. Another rally is planned for the same time at the Courtyard Marriott on Calhoun Street.

— A Prayer Vigil for the Emanuel AME victims will be held at New Beginnings Worship Center at 12 noon. NBWC is located at 2816 Live Oak Dr. (17A) Moncks Corner.

— A previously planned event, the Unity Music and Arts Festival, is still planned for Saturday, noon-6 p.m., at the Family Circle Tennis Center Grand Lawn on Daniel Island. Donations will be taken up, and contributed to the Mother Emanuel Hope Fund. Read more about that fund below.

— A mile-long Memorial March is planned for 6 p.m. Participants are asked to wear black and bring a flower to leave at Mother Emanuel AME. The march begins at Wraggs Mall. Speakers and artists will speak to the crowd at the beginning and the end of the march.

— An 'Evening of Prayer for the City of Charleston' is planned for 7 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Riverview (301 Savannah Hwy) where local churches and leaders will come together to pray over our city and nation. The free event includes dinner. Scheduled guests are the Godcatchers, Divine Dance, and Polly Hunter with guest speaker Dr. Kenneth Hill.

Sunday:

— Advent Lutheran Church and Zion Olivet Presbyterian Church, 3347 Rivers Ave., North Charleston, will gather on Zion Olivet's front steps at 9:50 a.m. Sunday for prayer and ringing bells for Emanuel AME's victims.

— Charleston's churches will join together to ring their bells in unison starting at 10 a.m. on Sunday, June 21. Residents and visitors are encouraged to participate in the show of solidarity by standing respectfully outside participating churches and ringing personal hand bells if so desired. The social media tag for the event is ‪#‎CharlestonUnited‬.

— Businesses owners on upper King St. and their employees are planning to meet in Marion Square Sunday morning at 10 a.m. to observe a moment of silence for the shooting victims while the city's church bells ring.

— Greater Goodwill AME Church, 2818 Hwy. 17 N., Mt. Pleasant, is hosting a prayer vigil, Sunday at 5 p.m.— Lowcountry residents have launched a grassroots effort to organize a "unity chain," in which people will form a chain holding hands across the Ravenel Bridge, in memory of those who lost their lives in Wednesday night's shooting. That's planned for Sunday at dusk. You are asked to spread the word via social media. Organizers are hoping for at least 3,000 people to participate in order to completely spread across the bridge.

Donations

— During a press conference Thursday, Mayor Joe Riley announced the creation of the "Mother Emanuel Hope Fund," proceeds of which will be donated to the families of Wednesday's shooting victims. Donations can be made at any Wells Fargo branch or city office; by mailing a check made out to "Mother Emanuel Hope Fund" to P.O. Box 304, Charleston, SC 29402; by texting 'prayforcharleston' to 843-606-5995; or online atwww.bidr.co/prayforcharleston.

Boeing, which manufactures its 787 Dreamliner in North Charleston, announced Thursday it is donating $100,000 to the Mother Emanuel Hope Fund to help provide for the needs of the families of victims.

Thursday, Edmund's Oast restaurant and the Charleston RiverDogs each announced they would donate their proceeds from the night to the Mother Emanuel Hope Fund.

— Another fundraising account, called the "Lowcountry Ministries - Reverend Pinckney Fund," has been established by The Palmetto Project. Those groups say 100 percent of the funds donated will be used to support local initiatives. Decisions on the use of the funds will be made by members of the Rev. Pinckney's family, colleagues, Emanuel AME's congregation and other members of our community selected for their specific expertise. These donations will be tax deductible.

Donations can be made by sending a check to "Lowcountry Ministries – Reverend Pinckney Fund," c/o The Palmetto Project, 6296 Rivers Ave., Bldg. #100, North Charleston, SC 29406; or by donating online atwww.palmettoproject.org On Friday, Jesus People for Animals, PETA's Christian outreach division, delivered a letter to Emanuel AME offering condolences, along with a $720 donation from its staff members, who took up a collection to show their support for the community.

at TD ARENA LIVE #CHARLESTON SC

at MothervEmanuel AME LIVE #CHARLESTON SC

Community Prayer Service -Morris Brown AME LIVE #CHARLESTON SC

Community Prayer Service -Morris Brown AME LIVE #CHARLESTON SC

Community Prayer Service -Morris Brown AME LIVE #CHARLESTON SC

Community Prayer Service -Morris Brown AME LIVE #CHARLESTON SC

Community Prayer Service -Morris Brown AME LIVE #CHARLESTON SC

@msbjpeart LIVE #CHARLESTON SC

@msbjpeart LIVE #CHARLESTON SC

@msbjpeart LIVE #CHARLESTON SC

18th Charleston MIDDLE PASSAGE REMEMBRANCE

18th Charleston MIDDLE PASSAGE REMEMBRANCE

18th Charleston MIDDLE PASSAGE REMEMBRANCE

18th Charleston MIDDLE PASSAGE REMEMBRANCE

18th Charleston MIDDLE PASSAGE REMEMBRANCE

18th Charleston MIDDLE PASSAGE REMEMBRANCE

18th Charleston MIDDLE PASSAGE REMEMBRANCE

18th Charleston MIDDLE PASSAGE REMEMBRANCE

18th Charleston MIDDLE PASSAGE REMEMBRANCE

We extend our hearts, Love and FLY... HUNTY.. LEARN TO FLY!!!

The Universe keeps sending a recurring theme!!! FLY HUNTY!!!! FLY!!!

CONTINUE to Step out on FAITH and do what you do...

Im so grateful for all that Ive been through.

The pitch tar moments of spiritual degradation brought forth blossoming smiles and melodious songs instead of horrific "why the hell I got to be going through this type of shit" screams.

The simple ability of hearing the birds sing and seeing rain drops on petals..

Yes My Love I AM BLESSED!!!!!

So if you have to make a move.. PLOT, PLAN, WORK IT OUT...

I didnt just pick up and walk away from New York.

I put my affairs in order as I went about my business.

See I had been saying and not doing.. I had made and attempt then had to turn back... but this time.. I knew it would work.

There were stops I would make along the way to get to the Holy City.

It's like a reverse South to North ... yet my spirit knew it was going Home.

Charleston is my Jamaica/Africa in the United States. Those geckos/lizards give me life. Instantaneous childhood memories.

The climate was what I needed to at least be a functioning resident.

Winters had near paralyzed my movements. So called relief came from prescriptions that no doctor could write. Mental stresses and self lacking of love fueled a spiral of disillusionment yet true to form was highly functioning in bringing light to those in the deepest of shadows, tucked in the crevices of hell.

I had to be there though. It's what continues to fuel the fire of life within in.

If I hadnt walked beside "the shoes", Ive walked "in the shoes" .. it's that simple.

Life is less that 6 degrees of separation at this point ..

We extend our hearts, Love and FLY... HUNTY.. LEARN TO FLY!!!

I'd like to think I made it past lift off and am experiencing a pretty good flight fueled by natural energy ... aint no need for gas...

This spiritual ride has it's up and downs.. BUT it is WONDERFUL...

I've learned so much in the past 5 years... still so much to grasp..I aint in no rush though.. when the time is right .. the door opens .. my ears stay ready though!! :-D

CHS Middle Passage Remembrance Program​ - Saturday June 13, 2015

Charleston Middle Passage Remembrance Program​ - Saturday June 13, 2015 

Fort Moultrie​, Sullivans Island, South Carolina

Time: 9:00am - 1:00pm -- Libation at 12:00 noon SHARP

Posted on behalf of the Charleston Remembrance Committee 

and Charleston Area Friends of ASALH.

JUNETEENTH June 20, 2-5 pm Jenkin's Orphanage

JUNETEENTH  June 20, 2-5 pm Jenkin's Orphanage - 

Vendors Deadline June 12 - ShaniQua 843-593-3989

GoogleFest 2015 in SC - Trident Tech July 28 - 29

Googlefest 2015 will be held at Trident Technological College July 28-29. By Damion Smalls    

Tech giant Google made several huge announcements last week during its annual Google I/O conference, promoting their agenda for the upcoming year with some welcome surprises and intriguing additions. Taking place May 28-29, the annual conference brought together industry experts and officials for informative sessions and dialogue, along with updates on software development pitched by the Mountain View-based monolith.  

For the past eight years, Google has maintained its venerable presence in the state with its game-changing Berkeley County data center. In that time, the company has proven its worth by championing initiatives such as doubling down on its commitment to green environments, helping SC businesses expand their reach, keeping the area on the pulse in the ever-changing technological landscape, and developing the innovative Google CS First program for schools.    Around the city, Google I/O Extended was a gathering at King Street’s American Theater May 28 where interested parties convened to watch the keynote address announcement live, which was filmed at the Moscone Center West in San Francisco. Attendees networked, observed videos, and heard TechTalks from Googlers through the day.  The event concluded with after-hours party on the rooftop at local favorite Stars Restaurant.  There were many articles discussed during this year’s I/O that transversed between the simple (Google Play’s newly launched kid-friendly section, the Family Store) to the esoteric (Project Jacquard, which turns clothing into a working interface, like a touchscreen or mousepad). 

Here are the top seven items that Google touted last week, in no particular order:
    1) Android M: The workhorse behind Google’s future smartphones is fast on the horizon as anticipation grows steadily. Promising safer app permissions, more efficient battery life, app to app linking, custom Chrome tabs and more, the operating system figures to be the new heavyweight in the ring going head to head with Apple iOS 8. It stands to play a vital role in the rollout of the six items highlighted below.

    2) The Internet of Things (IoT): Project Brillo is the operating system that will work with smart gadgets in the home. The implications are vast: app-controlled microwaves, perfectly set AC settings year-around, remote access to your entire connected infrastructure has eyes wide with anticipation. Basically, we’re gradually on our way to having our own J.A.R.V.I.S.-like system in our homes like Tony Stark (or The Jetsons, for that matter). A win-win for everyone.

    3) Google Photos: Finally breaking off from the struggling Google Plus network, the newly standalone service has instantly been rejuvenated. Unlimited storage for photos (up to 16 megapixels) and videos (up to 1080p high definition resolution). Specialized tagging features. Photo editing. Facilitated sharing options. Along with its Camera app and the image recognition Goggles program, Google takes its next logical step into indexing all the data in world. Mars, you’re next.      

4) Offline Support: Not connected to the internet? It’s not such a crisis now with new offerings from Google that allow access to YouTube videos and a highly detailed version of Maps on mobile devices free of web usage. Stored videos and navigated routes are bound to be commonplace in our immediate future. R.I.P. GPS-only products. 

     5) Android Pay: The future is now with this credit card-replacing, fingerprint authenticating, tap-to-pay competitor to Apple Pay. Striving to be more user-friendly and streamlined, hundreds of thousands of retailers will make it easy for users to purchase items with their mobile devices when it is released later this year. Security stands to be its major obstacle, but steps are currently being examined thoroughly by the company.      

6) Chromecast upgrades: The diminutive and inexpensive media player will be fitted with improved gaming capabilities, AutoPlay features, HBO Now support, motion control, and the option to your mobile device to be viewed as a second screen to your television. Nifty, indeed.      

7)Wearable Technology: The proliferation of Android Wear marches on as smartwatches gain more traction as necessary products as opposed to the novelty toys they seemed to be years ago. Components including gesture control, wi-fi functionality, and always-on Google Maps look to enhance the profile of smartwatches this year. 4,000 apps are already compatible with Wear. 

Other tidbits of note include the a new version of the low-cost virtual reality headset Google Cardboard (which were on hand at I/O Extended), the release of Gmail alternative Inbox to the general public, and the beginning of Android TV’s revamp with new apps like FXNow, WWE, and USA Today. Keep an eye out for even more news from Google as they continue to raise the stakes in the tech game. 

 The assembly was not without its shortcomings, though. Multiple presenters delivered cringe-worthy attempts at connecting with the younger generation; examples being their insistence that people actually use the term “selfie” in normal conversation and are all die-hard Skrillex fans.   More importantly, they attempted to gloss over the lack of diversity within the organization by using a strategic assortment of presenters at I/O (a healthy list of minorities & women), misrepresenting the reality of the situation. Numbers from their own January 2014 report show that 70% of its workers are male, 61% are White, and only 2% are Black. Keep in mind that this is a company that employs over 55,000 people worldwide.   

Recently, Google has allocated $150 million towards diversity expansion and inserted engineers at select HBCUs to broaden STEM curriculums. Addressing their issues is a step in the right direction, but what ultimately comes of it going forward will say a lot about if systemic employment reconstructions can be implemented successfully by other tech leaders like Apple and Microsoft. 

Googlefest 2015 will be held at Trident Technological College July 28-29. Since 2012, the company has hosted these summer conferences specialized for educators, small businesses, and non-profits to receive insight on how various applicable Google products can be effective in their fields. The times are 9 am to 4 pm both days.  

Registration is now underway for this year’s Googlefest. Visit https://sites.google.com/site/googfest2014/ to sign up for the two-day free event. Space is limited, so act fast to cash in your opportunity to experience how Google solidifying its footing in Charleston can benefit 

you.http://www.charlestonchronicle.net/96020/2152/google-unveils-software-plans-at-io;-googlefest-2015-date-set

84 Films By and About Women of Color, Courtesy of Ava DuVernay and the Good People of Twitter

84 Films By and About Women of Color, Courtesy of Ava DuVernay and the Good People of Twitter <<<<<<<< How many have you seen??? grin emoticon

Portia, um I think we have some homework to do... I havent gone down the list yet!!

THANK YOU Ava DuVernay .. for the tweet that bore fruit.

@AVATEC tweeted "Writing break time. Anyone wanna join me in my procrastination? Name three films you like with black, brown, native or Asian women leads."

Excerpts from http://blogs.indiewire.com/…/85-films-by-and-about-women-of…

The clear point is that there are too few films that fit the above criteria, and that those of us claiming to support diversity in entertainment should do our part to change that. All of this helps bolster the case for DuVernay's AFFRM + Array Releasing, which distributes black films and is in the midst of an annual membership drive.

With efforts like AFFRM, the ACLU's push for an investigation into Hollywood's hiring practices and other recent initiatives for the inclusion of women and diverse voices in film, change appears to be on the horizon.

In the meantime, here's a list of the films that Twitter came up with starring women of color and helmed by women directors. When cross-referenced with data sources from The Black List, Shadow & Act and others, there were about 85 titles that fit the bill.

Find them below. Watch, enjoy and most importantly, support!

"35 Shots of Rum" by Claire Denis (2008)

"A Different Image" by Alile Sharon Larkin (1982)

"A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night" by Ana Lily Amirpour (2014)

"Advantageous" by Jennifer Phang (2015)

"Ala Modalaindi" by Nandini Bv Reddy (2011)

"All About You" by Christine Swanson (2001)

"Alma's Rainbow" by Ayoka Chenzira (1994)

"Appropriate Behavior" by Desiree Akhavan (2014)

"B For Boy" by Chika Anadu (2013)

"Bande de Filles/Girlhood" by Céline Sciamma (2014)

"Belle" by Amma Asante (2013)

"Bend it Like Beckham" by Gurinder Chadha (2002)

"Bessie" by Dee Rees (2015)

"Beyond the Lights" by Gina Prince-Bythewood (2014)

"Bhaji on the Beach" by Gurinder Chadha (1993)

"Caramel" by Nadine Labaki (2007)

"Circumstance" by Maryam Keshavarz (2011)

"Civil Brand" by Neema Barnette (2002)

"Compensation" by Zeinabu irene Davis (1999)

"Daughters of the Dust" by Julie Dash (1991)

"Double Happiness " by Mina Shum (1994)

"Down in the Delta" by Maya Angelou (1998)

"Drylongso" by Cauleen Smith (1988)

"Earth" by Deepa Mehta (1998)

"Elza" by Mariette Monpierre (2011)

"Endless Dreams" by Susan Youssef (2009

"Eve's Bayou" by Kasi Lemmons (1997)

"Fire" by Deepa Mehta (1996)

"Frida" by Julie Taymor (2002)

"Girl in Progress" by Patricia Riggen (2012)

"Girlfight" by Karyn Kusama (2000)

"Habibi Rasak Kharban" by Susan Youssef (2011)

"Hiss Dokhtarha Faryad Nemizanand (Hush! Girls Don't Scream)" by Pouran Derahkandeh (2013)

"Honeytrap" by Rebecca Johnson (2014)

"I Like It Like That" by Darnell Martin (1994)

"I Will Follow" by Ava DuVernay (2010

"In Between Days" by So-yong Kim (2006)

"Introducing Dorothy Dandridge" by Martha Coolidge (1999)

"It's a Wonderful Afterlife" by Gurinder Chadha (2010)

"Jumpin Jack Flash" by Penny Marshall (1986)

"Just Another Girl on the IRT" by Leslie Harris (1992)

"Just Wright" by Sanaa Hamri (2010)

"Kama Sutra" by Mira Nair (1996)

"Losing Ground" by Kathleen Collins (1982)

"Love & Basketball" by Gina Prince-Bythewood (2000)

"Luck by Chance" by Zoya Akhtar (2009)

"Mi Vida Loca" by Allison Anders (1993)

"Middle of Nowhere" by Ava DuVernay (2012)

"Mississippi Damned" by Tina Mabry (2009)

"Mississippi Masala" by Mira Nair (1991)

"Mixing Nia" by Alison Swan (1998)

"Monsoon Wedding" by Mira Nair (2001)

"Mosquita y Mari" by Aurora Guerrero (2012)

"Na-moo-eobs-neun san (Treeless Mountain)" by So-yong Kim (2008)

"Night Catches Us" by Tanya Hamilton (2010)

"Pariah" by Dee Rees (2011)

"Picture Bride" by Kayo Hatta (1994)

"Rain" by Maria Govan (2008)

"Real Women Have Curves" by Patricia Cardoso (2002)

"Saving Face" by Alice Wu (2004)

"Second Coming" by Debbie Tucker Green (2014)

"Something Necessary" by Judy Kibinge (2013)

"Something New" by Sanaa Hamri (2006)

"Still the Water" by Naomi Kawase (2014)

"Stranger Inside" by Cheryl Dunye (2001)

"Sugar Cane Alley/Black Shack Alley" by Euzhan Palcy (1983)

"The Kite" by Randa Chahal Sabag (2003)

"The Rich Man's Wife" by Amy Holden Jones (1996)

"The Secret Life of Bees" by Gina Prince-Bythewood (2008)

"The Silence of the Palace" by Moufida Tlatli (1994)

"The Watermelon Woman" by Cheryl Dunye (1996)

"The Women of Brewster Place" by Donna Deitch (1989)

"Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Darnell Martin (2005)

"Things We Lost in the Fire" by Susanne Bier (2007)

"Wadjda" by Haifaa Al-Mansour (2012)

"Water" by Deepa Mehta (2005)

"Whale Rider" by Niki Caro (2002)

"What's Cooking?" by Gurinder Chadha (2000)

"Where Do We Go Now?" by Nadine Labaki (2011)

"Whitney" by Angela Bassett (2015)

"Woman Thou Art Loosed: On The 7th Day" by Neema Barnette (2012)

"Xiu Xiu: The Sent-Down Girl" by Joan Chen (1998)

"Yelling to the Sky" by Victoria Mahoney (2011)

"Young and Wild" by Marialy Rivas (2012)