humanity
Humanity begins at home.
MY WINDRUSH SCANDAL
My dad Clayton, left his wife Ann, in Roseau, Dominica with five children whilst he, his two brothers and his best friend James travelled to England to look for work. That was in 1960. And after a year he sent for his wife and us kids. He told my mum" Leave the kids and come to England, I've set up home in Bradford and I'll send you the money to pay for your ticket on the boat to get here". I didn't know until recently that my mum refused to come without me and my siblings. "I'm not coming to England without the children," She told him. Although he didn't agree straight away he eventually gave in and agreed to send enough money for us all to travel. All except my eldest sister, she decided that she didn't want to come, so grandma looked after her. The rest of us, especially me, the youngest, at five didn't really have a choice. Mum made all the arrangements for us to journey there by ship, which would take us just over three weeks to get there. Once docked we travelled by train to meet up with our dad in Bradford.
By Albert Andre6 years ago in Families
A Lesson From Mama's Casserole
My fondest memories of my days at Cathedral School are in the Boys’ Choir during my 6th through 8th grade years. Being one of the only Black students in the school (including my younger brother) made me feel like an outsider, in both pedigree and skin color. So music and singing allowed me to connect with the school by bringing a gift that I had inherited from my great-uncle and dad, both professional jazz musicians. I was immediately drawn to learning treble and bass clefs, wearing the robes and ruff I had seen in the hallowed walls of choirs past. My fascination of this new world seemed like a sanctuary from the world I lived across the bridge in one of East Oakland’s poorest neighborhoods. And as my single mother strove to raise two young boys and give them a better life, I was slowly adapting to a culture that I had not yet understood nor even visualized for myself at that time. I was simply surviving.
By Will Hammond6 years ago in Families
The chair
I stood tall in the middle of Maize's back yard garden of her Victorian home in Chandon Nagar ,India.My sturdy trunk supported a foliage of luscious green leaves on very shapely branches with supple stems that stretched out over a wide circumference, enough to shade a good area of soft grass beneath me in the hot summer days.I was taken back in time to how I got to be so healthy and beautiful.
By Jacqueline Payne6 years ago in Families
CHANGE
I was born in 1971 and grew up in Central Islip. NY good ole CI. . Average middle class in a diversified neighborhood where depending on what side of the tracks your on watch out not to mention the psychiatric ward across the street on Lowell Ave. can remember to this day riding down to the local supermarket and seeing the patients just wandering around in the streets. But don't worry for us Lowell Ave kids this was quite normal and an everyday event. I can remember as a teenager having my walk man, yes I am old and blasting tunes as I jogged through the psychiatric hospital and made it my route became so everyday you lose the fear and let's face it they were on so much medication and lost they meant no harm. Most of them sat and tried to fix the railroad tracks that ran along the hospital. Funny as we get older things that scared as a child become so conditioned and normal that we begin to believe doesn't everyone do this. Everyone has a different story, different background, different life and normal. I realize we are all part of this world big and small, rich and poor. We have all become accustomed to one thing or another that may make someone else think we are insane or crazy. We all have our own failures we deal with and our own insecurities we fight daily. In the whole this entire world struggles daily with something everyday. I personally always take everything with a grain of salt and if someone is rude for no reason I just assume they having a bad day and I hope their day gets better. Right now everything is becoming so crazy and upside down and believe me it was a gradual curve and pandemic did not bring it to its knees. I left New York and moved to Virginia the city Newport News, I laugh not a city just a safer Long Island in my world City means Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn. But in Virginia city is Newport News and very suburbs to me but I felt much safer raising a family and having my children go to public school. All was fairly safe but eventually the crime got closer and closer. By the time my children got to High School there were shooting and bomb threats. They had lock downs and it unfortunately became normal. My son love him is my what do I do I'm leaving so I would tell him if you can safely get out go home. My daughter on the other hand would tell me he's over reacting its not that bad and I'm staying to take my test. Even my own two children who are from the same home have two separate perspectives. Where I'm proud my daughter wants to take her test and be brave, I'm also proud my son took off and went home. This world did not become this way overnight and definitely did not blow up due to pandemic. I do believe it was already coming a mile away even in the safe communities. Its almost like no where is safe anymore. Something definitely needs to be tipped in the other direction. We need to all come together for mankind, Everyone now is just voicing their very strong opinions and not one person is giving an inch to even consider the other side. I saw it myself with a peaceful debate about racism. Believe me we all see racism and no one will ever say it does not exist. Problem is racism comes in all directions and if no one will give an inch and change it will remain. Me personally always love the under dog stories like "Remember the Titans" which is Hollywood version but again there is also "American History X" and "Colors" there is more racisms than just black and white as well and has been around since I was born in 1971. Crazy wondering when it will truly end and grudges let go and people just start living to humanity and kindness and giving a hand to those in need regardless being that we are Americans. Funny how we even state our nationalities these days because as long as I could remember I am from the USA. I have my last child which will be venturing off to start school this year. Me personally coming from CI have always had faith in the public schools and fells in itself it teaches us to blend and have diversity and to integrate and learn each others cultures but I must say in all honesty I believe I will home school and lock my baby away from this society that is going to do more harm to her than ever. Its becoming toxic and evil no matter which side you take. Everyone is just stating facts and making excellent points but no one on the other side of the agenda is even listening. What kind of world as adults are we going to leave to our innocent children and further more what is going to become normal to them. Where I stand I want more daughter, my baby, to give a dollar to the man standing at Walmart, I teach her now to donate her toys to goodwill I want her to not fear this world and remain in the house with the doors locked. I pray a solution comes quickly and hope that everyone does there part to find a middle ground a true breaking point , a compromise. Our children need this world and its is not our to destroy but ours to build and provide for the future generations that will walk our path. At least that's what I was taught back in the day. I pray for everyone and pray for our country. I got one left who means the world to me and I would love to see her go to school and enjoy the journey I had and to make her own decisions and to do what is right always without any judgement. Change is inevitable starts with one person and ends with majority but never all. Everything going on today is the same as always and media now has just created such a hype that it became global and scary. Life still goes on ,years go by and we still are stuck in the same war with each other of the Left and Right or however you want to word it but always a wall that has gotten thicker over time . This world has truly gone crazy with social media and with morals and conduct being misplaced everywhere. Unfortunately the few do mess up the whole bunch which is never fair. Again like children if you part of the crowd you get the same punishment. In the end we are all wanting the same justice and peace. I ask how , how can those who won't listen and change and see both sides and agree that this world is becoming evil but not realize that it is within us. We are this world everyone, we make up this world, our children who we raise are our future. How can we continue everyday teaching the same lessons we were taught then expect life to change. I just wonder when all will stop and everyone just pause take a break and accept that anyone can change anytime. Nobody in this world was built one way we are all built different, we are all different, we are individuals and have our own choices and our own minds and we need to use them with better judgement. I may not have any effect at all in this world just one voice, but tired of hearing one side and getting caught in the middle of something so much bigger than all of us. Just praying one day my own children live in a world of justice and peace. A world we can all live in with gratitude and understanding. Give a helping hand to those in need , learn to lean when needed, we are never alone in this world. We isolate when we do not grow, lets all grow and come as one already. I remember Michael Jackson "Man in the Mirror" what 90's screaming for all to change. Listen to the lyrics so many have tried and asked for all to change. We had so many leaders begging all to stop and listen. Lets all take one day to listen and not be biased and not judge or ignore but hear each other and learn from each other so we can all make this world a better place.
By Jennifer Pink6 years ago in Families
Part 3/3: Lost my virginity at 6 years old & Danny DeVito is a douche.
Rape seemed like an insane concept. I was intrigued with the power dynamic she spoke of when describing it all to me. It had never occurred to me that a man was more powerful than a woman, or could be. If you were to ask me, the fact that the power dynamic was my first thought about it all meant that Mama was doing something very right. I'm proud to look back and remember thinking more about the fact that men felt they could do this, then about the fact that men do, do this. She told me to warn me. So that when I was approached by odd men or creepy pedophiles, I'd know the risk and stay far away. Do not take candy from strangers. She didn't just want to save my teeth from sugar; she wanted to make sure I didn't have my “candy” stolen either.
By JaimeTheJew6 years ago in Families
Part 2/3: Lost my virginity at 6 years old & Danny DeVito is a douche.
Since my main goal in my short 6 years of life was to laugh and make others laugh as well, I was simply fascinated with sex. It was everywhere and it was hilarious. Everyone on TV was making sexual innuendoes and listening to adults (when they don't think your listening) gave me the giggles. I needed to know more about sex, why it was so funny, and how to get in on the jokes and understand why I was laughing instead of just seeing others start to laugh and join in along with them. I decided then, it was time for me to lose my virginity. Who needs it, right?
By JaimeTheJew6 years ago in Families
Just A Woman
A POT OF GRITS AND A POT OF RICE Daddy was popular in Savannah because of his radio shows on WSOK and WEAS, but we were not too snobby for the basics. We had a nice house in a nice neighborhood, cooked our own food, and did our own chores. We were not the ones to buy sprawling mansions and have live-in maids once a dollar found its way into the house. My parents came from modest means, so my mother went back to work part-time when my little sister started school. She joked that she didn’t want to be another bored, upper-middle class housewife who became a ‘card-playing alcoholic’.
By Deanna Lang6 years ago in Families
I’ll Always Hate Zucchini
I’ll Always Hate Zucchini “Drop the zucchini and run,” said my mother, before we lost her on that first night of our holidays in Mexico, “it’s the only thing I can do.” I was ten at the time and had poked my head around the corner, thinking everyone else was asleep as the cursed vegetable rolled on the ground.
By Frank Talaber6 years ago in Families
A Story of Chairs
Think of the chairs in your life. Did your mom or dad have a favorite chair? Did your Grandparents? I think of my first chair, a diminutive red velvet rocking chair that I named “Redda.” My dad picked it up from a roadside stand during one of his trucking trips and gave it to me shortly after my birth. It went through me as well as four younger siblings and by the end of our childhood most of the dark red velvet was rubbed of the seat and arms. The back came loose twice while my dad was alive. The last time he fixed it, he told me that if it happened again, it was going to the dump. It was a thought that nearly broke my heart. I loved that little chair and had spent many hours in it, playing with toys at the old olive green coffee table, reading Dick and Jane books or listening to records on the old record player. I was very careful with it after that warning and frequently cautioned my younger siblings to treat with care as well.
By Amber M Martell6 years ago in Families
Fracture
You’ve been here before, your friend holding an innocent captive behind the rusted barrel of a silver Glock. It’s his father’s. Faint rings of white powder crust around his nostrils like crystalized sugar, and his shoulders sag. It takes all his energy to lift his right arm, the pistol grabbing gravity like a bell weight. But he stands firm, the clerk mesmerized by those glazed eyes.
By Christian Wright6 years ago in Families
Disbanding the Normative Nuclear Family
The concept of “The Family” unanimously pervades cultures and communities, albeit without remaining universal in its meaning, despite stereotyped understandings of what a ‘family’ is. This essay will consider whether the concept of the family is exactified or dissembled through anthropological study in exploring differing understandings and examples of “The Family”, and how these representations help us understand if a concrete notion of family can be established and, if, so, how that notion may be defined. In order to conduct this consideration, the more stereotypical understanding of the nuclear family will be observed through considering a Malinowskian viewpoint, which will then be questioned in relation to more ethnographically-sourced observations of “The Family”. The overarching message of this essay will be to evoke the sentiment that “families- like religions, economies, governments, or courts of law- are not unchanging but the product of various social forms, that the relationship of spouses and parents to their young are apt to be different things in different social orders.” (Collier et al, 76) From this understanding, this essay will hopefully succeed in articulating how the anthropological study of “The Family” gives meaning to the term, and how that meaning effectively develops a conceptualization of familial structures.
By Channing Cook6 years ago in Families
