There comes a time when silence is betrayal - Martin Luther King, Jr.
The world could use some kindness, and that is why we have Africans. We are taught and raised up in kindness. Kindness is the biggest fraction of our culture, we are very humble and welcoming people, our warm smiles are priceless. Every African will tell you that visitors are blessings, because that is what we were taught. I remember my mum putting aside special plates and cups for visitors while we would use those with broken handles and the twisted spoons. That was not just in my family, it was not just in my country, but the entire Africa. We would and will literally eat herbs so that a visitor can enjoy good food. That, if you ask me, is humility and love in its highest order. We will keep quiet so that the visitor will speak, and that people is not backwardness, that is kindness.
Often people visit our continent, we extend the love and kindness and generosity that was taught us. We will take them around our beautiful countries and show them beautiful places, our diverse wildlife and we will wear our warmest smiles and we will be on our best behavior. We will genuinely let them take pictures of our humble communities and selves just for them to trash us in the media. What we get in return is that we are backward, we now look like monkeys, the monkeys we showed you in the first place! Africans we are strong people we know, oh, yes we are, but monkeys or no monkeys, we are humans, we matter too, we feel pain, we bleed and we hurt, mean words crash us too, we have families we love and care for, we have dreams worth accomplishing... WE NEED A BREATH.
See, we love our skin, we love the blood that flows in our veins, we love our hair, we take pride in our rich and diverse cultures, we love our African music, we love our African art and dance;
We take great pride in our names and the meaning behind them, we love being African, and absolutely no one can snatch that away from us. We are 'killing ourselves' to extend kindness to you, please do the same for us, or just let us breathe. Oh, thank you for the donations and funding and projects that reach Africa, before we are labeled ungrateful monkeys.
If you stick a knife nine inches into my back and then pull out 3 inches, that is not progress. even if you pull it all the way out that is not progress. Progress is healing the wound.
Beloved Africans, we are smart, hardworking and intelligent people. We are a very strong people, but that doesn't mean we deserve pain, we are not immune to pain. Someone help me get this right, so one will care for his dog and protect it against any harm with his life, but will struggle a human without even the slightest guilt or conscience. What a time we live in! Barbaric is the word am looking for, which am convinced will be an understatement even. Our strong and very promising young people; bitterness and cruelty and curse words and playing savage is no swag. Let us not throw away our kindness and good virtues.I don't know, it pains me a little when we are pushing beyond our limits to make sure our kids learn those foreign languages, you mention them, yet neglect teaching them our own. I have completely no problem with anyone learning 'new' languages, I personally would love to. The point I want to put across is that our languages are beautiful and sweet. Let us teach our children our African dialects and proverbs and read our African stories to them. Our culture is beautiful, our African prints, those ankaras and kitenges, are fashionable and on point. Our story is a beautiful one, our journey is worth tracking, our dreams and visions are worth documenting, our story is worth narration.
I believe we really are here on earth to extend empathy and compassion and love and kindness, let us uphold and strengthen our unity. I want to remind us that it is still in our place to do what is expected of us, even if everyone else doesn't do what they were expected to do. It is our right to do the right thing. it is our right to uphold morality. It is our right to go heights and build one another and speak up against oppression. As the saying goes, ' it's one thing to want to do something. It's another to think it's possible.' We have had enough period of thought, it is time for action now. The question is, if not now, then when?
I gathered a sample of what a few people had to say on #BlackLivesMatter
RACISM IS NOT PATRIOTISM!