This weekend the Socialite hit the scene and attended an event that speaks volumes to the purpose of this blog. I finally felt like I attended an event that represented what our race should be focusing on collectively and that our ancestors would be proud of. On Saturday I attended "Saving the Race: The Human Race"...an evening with Dr. Maya Angelou and friends. The event was held at the famous Riverside church in Harlem, where Dr. King once spoke...how fitting!
The event was a call to intra-racial healing and inter-racial reconciliation. We joined that night to turn our attention to the work of freeing ourselves, and the world, from the myth of Black inferiority. This was the beginning and a launch of a grassroots movement of healing. At the end of the night they invited us to stay on the path to healing and wellness by visiting www.communityhealingnet.org often as they expand the network of people working to build the movement for emotional healing and renewal....changing how we see and feel about ourselves.
The host of the event was Tom Joyner, from the Tom Joyner Morning Show. The event started with a performance by The Faison Firehouse Respect Project, which weaves together such pertinent issues as teenage pregnancy, absentee parents, date rape, racism, poverty, peer pressure, illiteracy, cultural identity, community, gang crime and violence. Saturday they reminded us about the suffering our race is going through, and how oftentimes it seems like we are "living in hell on earth".
Common, Grammy Award winning Hip-Hop artist and noted actor, hit the stage next. He started off his speech by quoting Rapper Drake's "I just wanna be successful". He went on to talk about how all of our youth needs to strive for success, and it is our duty to encourage them. "Greatness is not just achieving for yourself, but achieving for others" and "Work so that your legacy is beyond your time" are two lines that really spoke to me in his speech. I love that Common shows us a representation of someone who stayed true to himself and worked hard to get to where he is today, despite many doubts.
When Maya Angelou hit the stage, I was immediately amazed. She entered with such grace and as soon as she began to speak, it was like poetry in every sentence that she let flow out of her mouth. She talked about this being the time when we all need to come together to start a movement towards changing how we see ourselves, and working towards changing the current state that we are in. "We did not create demeaning terms such as the n word, but out of ignorance we use them." is a statement among many great statements that reminded you of how much we are ignoring the struggle that is in front of us.
The night also included Red Hurley, an Irish singer, known as an Irish national treasure, and the Harlem Gospel Choir, the most famous gospel choir in America today. The night ended with a performance by The Faison Project again, ending the show with Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror." What a perfect way to end an event by telling people to make a change within themselves if they want to see change! The event was amazing and I encourage you to help continue their efforts by visiting www.communityhealingnet.org
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