I love the way we barter for joy: Wisdom from my elder

An elder said to me after a show I had performed in, “You embody generations. Spirits of grandmothers, aunts, cousins, even the essence of an old uncle or grandfather. You have many within you that come forth-Ms. Big spirit.” And up until now, never have I been gifted with such a tangible description of myself. A keepsake that I can hold onto. In solidarity elder. I love the way we barter for joy. ❤ Gracie

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Pipeline Dreams

A proposal to build a natural gas pipeline through Lancaster County is angering many residents? Many raised concerns about safety, property values, and environmental degradation? What about the concerns of safety community’s of color face when harassed and profiled by white business owners, homeless people w/ mental health problems devalued and murdered for it, or urban youth that have no natural resources to better themselves during summer months? I guess this type of outpouring and rallying only applies to wealthy, white people, that have the privilege to go on hikes at Tucquan Glen and Shenk’s Ferry Wildflower Preserve. -Gracie
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Link here-http://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2014/04/29/lancaster-county-residents-criticize-pipeline-proposal/

Don’t fret over a frown

Yo! Check my locs-my new growth stands for everything radical! I told her she was beautiful. She ignored me. I told her I wasn’t afraid of her frown and walked away. I remembered how sad the unmet needs looked on her face, so I refused to hold onto her lack of response. I let it go. I saw her last night-two months later. She said, “I remember you sis, thanks for bein’ nice. I know I was mean, but girl my baby dad had got locked up, and I’m tryna’ go natural under this weave lol!” I told her much it meant to me to share the planet with her. It was cool. Don’t fret over a frown. -Gracie

Concrete Their Phucking Street Spikes!

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Concrete Their Phucking Street Spikes!

“Homeless people are some of the most vulnerable people in society with the Tories’ austerity programme,” added another activist. “They’ve cut Shelter’s funding. Crisis are in crisis. There’s more people on the street, more people using food banks – and you have businesses installing anti-homeless spikes. It’s a really degrading way to treat human beings.”

site link-http://www.vice.com/en_uk/read/activists-vandalised-the-anti-homeless-spikes-this-morning

Blue Ivy’s Hair Is Beautiful And She Should Never Comb It

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Blue Ivy's Hair Is Beautiful And She Should Never Comb It

There is no harm in acceptance: Going back to acceptance its truly a gift for one to assent to the reality of a situation, recognizing a process or condition despite negative or uncomfortable feelings attached to it. From my view black hair is as historically significant to black culture as black skin and we need to do more without attempting to change or protest it. I am in no position to speak as a parent since my son died before time, however we all know who Blu’s parents are, so Blu’s hair appears to be no accident or grand conspiracy theory. It appears exactly as her parents see fit and they clearly feel no responsibility in explaining its condition to anyone. I believe that we as humans feel distorted perceptions of ownership over others experiences based on how we would do things or what we’ve done in similar situations; as if our experiences somehow ‘qualify’ us or make us more respectable as keepers of the culture just because it’s us. Each rebuttal about this babies hair seems inappropriate and at most deems her parents choices as irrelevant and pathological. Mostly each concern about her hair is based on ‘aesthetics’ not actual facts of its quality. To me Blu Ivy’s hair is perfect and frankly she should never comb it. -Gracie

Photo image-http://ihatemypublicist.com/blue-ivy-rocks-new-hairstyle-while-kicking-it-with-beyonce-in-australia/