Casting a long Shadow
Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing. -Abraham Lincoln
The events of the past cast long shadows that shape our society, culture, and collective consciousness. Recorded history gives testament to the fact that the repercussions of significant events and experiences have reverberated through time and left indelible marks on the world we inhabit today. Our society is rife with unseen, unreported phenomena and it is only by tackling the unseen aspects of reality and highlighting the ambiguous nature of truth that we can adopt a more thoughtful and nuanced approach to perception and reality. In navigating social and cultural gray areas, we are required to consider carefully, think critically, and strive for an understanding of the complexity and context of controversial situations. We should weigh various perspectives, seek additional information or advice, and make informed judgments while acknowledging the uncertainties inherent in all social interactions. This blog collection explores the concept of “casting a long shadow” as it delves into issues that often lurk in society’s gray area.
She Has An Enig-Magnetic hair
“Never mess with a Black woman’s hair!” This verbal adage has been the butt of several jokes in almost every popular sitcom and movie with a cast member of African ancestry – well at least in the one’s I’ve seen. But very few are aware that the crown atop a black woman’s head is the constant source of many troubled slumbers, torturous slow hours of manipulation, fatigued arms, stiff necks, snatched scalps, headaches, and rather a painful history. Unless one is privy to the struggle, the kinky coils of curly hair are merely seen as a spectacle of fascination that tempts the fingers of strangers to simply touch…
Snide & Prejudice? — “Young, Female and unapologetically ______!”
“You’re pretty for a Black girl”, “White people have no rhythm”, “Latinos have such fiery tempers” — shouldn’t we know when to draw a line between perception and reality?
As long as humankind has been on earth — whether through Darwinism or divine intervention — prejudices have resided at the core of all social interactions and debates. But all our prejudices point to one incontestable fact — that we as human beings are innately wired to be self-appointed judges, juries and purveyors of ‘truth’. Think about it…
Amanda Gorman – American Poet & Activist
Marieke Lucas Rijneveld – Dutch Writer
A ROYAL (CON)FLICT
Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, lived a young girl with lofty dreams of changing the face of the future. A biracial girl born in a society of racial ‘boxes’ knew from an early age that due to the undefined nature of her racial background her life would be anything but a fairy-tale. As an “ethnically ambiguous” individual who identifies as neither Black nor White but both, her experiences became her battlefield and her voice, her weapon.
As early as age 11, she demonstrated her desire to effect change by actively posting a letter to a business corporation requesting a more gender-neutral advertisement for a dishwashing liquid. Success reigned as following her letter the company acquiesced to the 11-year old’s request. So, it comes as no surprise that she was also once interested in a career in politics. Ultimately, however, she became an actress, an activist and a role model. Meghan Markle is the living proof that one voice can start a chorus. Whether or not it sings your praises is a story for another time.
Gather Your Arms, Join the Fight! It’s Us supporting the Earth.
She is an advocate for change, an ambassador of climate activism and a champion for mother nature. Greta Thunberg — our one girl army!
A Whole New World!
Coming Soon
A whole new world is the first installment of the upcoming “Dear Diary” series. A chronicle of a young girl’s journey to womanhood as she leaves the shores of her island home and arrives on a multi-culturally polemic continent rife with ‘members only’ tacit understandings of racial and social graces.
Casting a long Shadow 