life beyond the well…

Category Archives: Barack Obama


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All sorts of things…

I always promise to update this blog more- and I always intend to keep that promise.  With all the thoughts that I have swirling through my head, you’d think that this blog could easily be transformed into a book by now.  Alas, I take the easy way out and avoid writing, which is something that I LOVE, for other things- such as ummm…teaching, and ummm lesson planning, and stuff of the sort.

The last time I wrote, I was in the midst of the annual family Christmas gathering.  And while I mentioned my fear of flying, I’m happy to report that I have (obviously) made it home to Florida, and continued with my regularly scheduled life, which was already in progress.  The worst part of the flight was that it was nonstop.  Seriously, I hate flying so much that I often have layovers to calm myself.  Nevertheless, it was a smooth trip, and I got a nap in, as well as some project graded.

For me, the joy of 2009 has, thus far, been the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States.  It makes me sad to report that I was unable to make the trip to the inauguration (especially since my mother received an official invite that she decided not to use nor share with me…but I’m not bitter).  However, I did watch the inauguration with some of my students, as it was required by the school that we watch it.  It was an incredibly emotional moment for me, and I was completely unashamed of the tears that streamed down my face as I stood in front of a classroom full of 6th graders watching President Obama take the oath of office.  While I’ve never really felt limited in what  I could accomplish, I now truly feel empowered and excited about the fact that so many things are possible to me.  And I think that’s a feeling across America now, but especially in the African American community.  The sentiment that was consistently echoed was two fold- older African Americans (perhaps those who experienced the Civil Rights Movement and periods before and after) didn’t feel that they would see an African American president in their lifetime; younger African Americans didn’t think it would happen so soon.  The result is still the same- an entire nation of people now feel able and confident to dream again, and to pursue those dreams, because they truly believe that anything is possible.  Biblically, I can sum it up with two verses:  1 Corinthians 2:9 and Ephesians 3:20-21.

Of course with 2009 being a new year, I’ve set some goals for the year.  Goals, not resolutions.  Most of the goals revolve around me being more financially savvy and secure, and truly pursuing the things that I want out of life.  One month in, I feel that I’m off to a fairly good start, with the exception of the goal to work out.  If I could nail that one, I’d be a winner.

I’m proud to say that I’ve survived my first full semester as a teacher.  While I’d like to report that it’s gotten easier, it hasn’t.  And while there are times that I think that I’m better at managing all that teaching requires, there are other times where I’m ready to give this career “the finger” and keep it moving.  I can honestly say that I understand why many teachers quit after their first few years.  But as Jay-Z would say, “…this is the life I chose, or rather, the life that chose me.”  The positive is that I see headway in some areas, and I’m grateful for the encouragement and assistance from my coworkers, friends, family, and even from the students who say nice things that are just enough to keep me holding on until Friday (usually by Sunday evening, I’ve forgotten anything horrible about the last week, and I’m ready to dive in again).  So, in short, I’m still grinding it out, hoping to make a difference in the life of even one child.

Whew!  That was a mouthful.  Or rather, a handful.  At any rate, I figure I should probably write more often just so that those of you who read this don’t have to read as much.  I’m done making promises, but we’ll see what happens.  Until next time…


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Fear: The Promised Land Mentality

I had a professor when I was at UNC who expressed to me that the problem with my generation and other post Civil Rights Movement generations was that we were taught with “The Promised Land Mentality”.

What exactly is “The Promised Land Mentality”?  It’s the idea that we (as African Americans) have made it.  There are many in my generation that would be hard pressed to explain the segregated Jim Crow South.  They’d also be hard pressed to express knowledge in leaders other than Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X.  A few of my generational colleagues may know about Ella Baker and Fannie Lou Hamer.  And a few more might know about Ralph Abernathy and John Lewis.  But if you start asking us about Diane Nash, James Farmer, James Bevel, or Septima Clark- our knowledge starts to wain.  While some of our ignorance can be pointed at the school systems for not teaching the Civil Rights Movement as thoroughly as other subject, part of the reason we don’t know these things is because we were not taught by those close to us who experienced it.

That’s right.  Our parents, family members, mentors, church members, and others have sold us short.  We’ve benefitted from their struggle, yet we don’t exactly know what the struggle is.  And that’s dangerous because it’s extremly difficult to appreciate the current situation without a knowledge of the past obstacles.

I say all of this because I’m afraid that the recent election of Barack Obama will lend the African American community to once again feeling that we have made it to the promised land.  I’m sad to say that we haven’t.  The election of Barack Obama is only the beginning.  We’re on our way to the promised land, and we’ve come a long way.  But we’re not there yet.  How do I know that we’re not there?  Because educational inequality exists.  Because gender inequality exists.  Because racial inequality exists.  There are so many inequalities that we cannot possibly have arrived in the promised land.  I refuse to believe that the promised land would offer so many broken promises to so many people.

My hope is that the inspiration that we’ve received from the election will be a catalyst for action- so that we can truly make it to the promised land.  This is not a time to be complacent.  There’s work to be done, and Barack Obama can’t do it by himself.  Our nation requires citizens who are not only informed, but willing to act.  Our children deserve parents who devoted themselves to the causes of freedom and equality.  Let us act in gratitude to those who came before us, and in preparation for those to come.  We’re not there…yet.