Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  
TODAYS WORD - BREAKTHROUGH

     When it comes to fighting for freedom, those who are willing to fight should not be limited by our bigotry. Only rewarded with our gratitude. From the moment we were first dumped in Jamestown and had our teeth checked before getting sold off and later considered three-fifths of a human being, an abundance of 'likability' hasn't been something blacks have had to stockpile. Instead, it's been a centuries-long battle for respectability. There is not a country on earth whose people don't deserve to be free and safe. Being of color in America by no means amounts to a constant barrage of negativity. However, unlike being white, being of color means one's race is a constant issue. White folks, no matter how well-meaning or open-minded, have no true idea what it's like to be black in America. That's not a slam against white people or an accusation of latent bigotry. But the fact is that we all live in an Anglo-dominated society. It's not that white guys shouldn't be allowed to engage in discussions on race in America. But there's nothing more exhausting than white male liberals' dogmatisms on race that were clearly formed during a conversation they had with that one black guy they met back in college. Bigots are actually funny to me in the way that people who still wear parachute pants give me a chuckle. Why do we cling to bigotry? Because bigotry, plainly, is convenient. It is a near-effortless way to both elevate one's stature and make a pity grab in this culture of victims that we have become.
     For children, diversity needs to be real and not merely relegated to learning the names of the usual suspects during Black History Month or enjoying south-of-the-border cuisine on Cinco de Mayo. It means talking to and spending time with kids not like them so that they may discover those kids are in fact just like them. When I go to business meetings, I'm still told way too often by some receptionist, 'The mail room is downstairs,' to believe that racial perceptions don't still exist. But I figure there are always going to be knuckleheads no matter how many of their herd get stuck in the tar pits of progress. I can tell you from personal experience it gets a little tiring having to make the rounds on cable shows to explain 'what's up with black folks. As an individual, and I have to say as a person of color, the thing about being another in America is I really feel like you're bilingual. I'm from a small town in Wisconsin, but even when I'm in New York and I'm working for MSNBC or CNN, you're used to being the only black person in the room. 
     There remains a degree of anti-black intellectualism in entertainment. Middle and upper-middle class blacks have often been portrayed as buffoons in popular culture; witness the characters of Carlton Banks on 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' and Braxton P. Hartnabrig on 'The Jamie Foxx Show.' If some of us can get an Oscar for extolling that it's hard out there for a pimp, why can't others of us admonish: 'Then quit acting like a pimp'? 'The Martin Show,' the 'Jamie Foxx show,' 'Living Single,' 'The Wayans Brothers,' 'Hanging with Mr. Cooper...' Some of these shows were good, some were typical television, but they facilitated a lot of work for blacks in front of as well as behind the camera. There are any number of very hard-working people in Hollywood who deserve recognition. Mostly it's the artisans and crafts persons - the 'below the line' workers - whose only reward is to be pejoratively labeled 'below the line' workers. I say get them all on the next thing smoking to Vegas for an all-expense paid weekend of whatever. A lot of us in Hollywood thought it was the beginning of a real racial breakthrough. Awards shows have devolved into self-parodies - liberals in limos, corny insider jokes delivered by the hosts among bad teleprompter reading from the some of the best thespians on the planet. It is time to celebrate the New Black Americans - those who have sealed the Deal, who aren't beholden to liberal indulgence any more than they are to the disdain of the hard Right. It is time to praise blacks who are merely undeniable in their individuality and exemplary in their levels of achievement. As long as we remain committed to holding high our individuals of supreme finish, others will be inspired to lose themselves of the gravity of the waywards and downtroddens. 

IT'S TIME FOR 
JUST JOKING MONDAYS

Kenneth Davis

BIRTH ANNIVERSARY GREETINGS
 TO 
CAROLYN ELLIS BURGOS
 AND 
HARRY TAYLOR

     No distance of place or lapse of time can lessen the friendship of those who are thoroughly persuaded of each other's worth. Few people give themselves time to be friends. Live as long as you may, the first twenty years are the longest half of your life. In the days of my youth, I remembered my God! And He hath not forgotten my age.
~Robert Southey~

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Kenneth Davis

Warriors !
     It's been acknowledged to your administrators that some of you are not receiving the daily notifications for website postings. Some have stated the notifications have gone to their SPAM mailbox. An email has been forwarded to classcreator.com to address this issue. In the interim, please login to make sure your email address hasn't been changed accidentally. Also check the Notify Me section underneath the Member Functions of the website, to assure the appropriate notification circles are filled in. The response from Class Creator will be posted upon receipt. Thanks for your notifications of problems with our website.

Kenneth Davis

  SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     February 13, 2024: This is a time to set things right. Ask, and I will show you where you have gone wrong and how to proceed. Remember that presumption and fear are your enemies, and they will take you off course in a heartbeat. Take inventory to see if you are exhibiting the fruit of My Spirit, says the Lord. Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  
TODAYS WORD - PRESUMPTION 

     We are at a point in our nation's history when the right leadership is needed more than ever. Civil rights in this country are unfinished business, and racism is alive and well. Make it your business. There was a close relationship between Mandela and the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC). For those who may not know, it was the CBC that put in place the legislation that put sanctions against South Africa to end apartheid, and that took Mandela off the terrorist list. We respect our elders. Historically, people of color and the Diaspora have been at the bottom of the barrel, even as it relates to immigration. If we don't engage in the discussion, then what is it that we're saying to people? That we don't care? The most important thing is you have to want to do something for somebody other than yourself.

     I want to raise up the next generation of young people who are going to run this community. I need for them to understand government and how it works. Black lives do matter, and our lives do hold value. I ask for calm yet resolute voices to be heard in our communities. It is imperative that people of good will, those who believe in a just and fair criminal justice system, hear our voices. We have to let young people know that we care about them and their future. I want to involve them to a level where they become the leaders and the advocates because, right now, a lot of these young people don't believe they have an advocate. The absence of diverse voices leads to policies and programs that adversely impact African Americans. In a nation growing increasingly more diverse, it is imperative that the organizations tasked with keeping us informed reflect the same diversity.

     I'm a very direct person just generally. I don't use a lot of words unnecessarily. I try to get to the heart of the issue, address it and go on to the next thing. I'm not about sound bites. I'm about substance. There is wisdom that comes from experience, and I am not going to stop learning from wise counsel. I am going to be respectful of you, and I want you to be respectful of me. At present, our country needs women's idealism and determination, perhaps more in politics than anywhere else. The times when black women have been successful in confronting and overcoming the structural and institutional sexism and racism that persists in our society have been when we are thoughtful and strategic about speaking up. 

     It's when we've done what it takes to introduce and implement our ideas and our plans to make things better. Men and women wonder if merely walking or driving justifies being followed, stopped, or questioned. This practice and the presumption of guilt so often associated with people of color must come to an end. The Ferguson Grand Jury's decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson in the death of Michael Brown is a miscarriage of justice. It is a slap in the face to Americans nationwide who continue to hope and believe that justice will prevail. The fact that our country, the greatest country in the world, remains mired in race relations issues in the year 2024 is an embarrassment. A nation cannot be truly great without a moral compass. Any time something goes wrong, Republicans pick on women and minorities. 

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  
TODAYS WORD - NORMALCY

     A day without a smile is a day wasted. I have an idea of who I want to be, I have a vision of my own success. Even with whatever people want to label me with, there are so many other sides to me. I critique myself way harder than anybody else could critique me. 'Khalifa' is Arabic, it means successor, leader, shining light. My granddad is Muslim, and he gave me that name. Life is a wonderful teacher who teaches us every lesson about how to survive in this world. The journey of life is too short as compared with the journey of time, so keep your time. I always envisioned myself being a rapper and being in the game and having success, but you never know what it feels like or how you're going to be when you're there. I don't consider myself an A-list celebrity or a big dog, but every time I meet somebody, even rappers who've been in the game for years... they're like, 'Man, I'm trying to get on your level.' I'm inspired by other people's creativity, just seeing things happen and wondering where they come from. That gets my mind going. Even if it's just wanting to know how something works.
     Be who you are and let everyone love that person. Everyone is born beautiful, some people just let the world turn them into something ugly. You don't need too many people to be happy. Just a few real ones who appreciate you for who you are. Don't worry about someone who doesn't worry about you. Some of us do so much to make others happy. Sad thing is some of us don't even know someone that would do the same for us. We never really learn from the first mistake or the second or third. It only hit us when we're given the last chance. Sometimes we waste too much time to think about someone who does not even think about us for a second.
     If you think it's necessary to judge me by my past, don't get mad when I put you there. People ask me why it is so hard to trust, and I ask them why it is so hard to keep a promise. The past cannot be changed or forgotten, edited or erased. It can only be accepted. Be careful what you say to someone today. Because tomorrow they might not be here, and you can't take it back. I don't regret my past; I just regret the time I've wasted on the wrong people. Just because the past taps you on the shoulder, does not mean you have to look back. Best friends has 11 letters, but so does Backstabber. I believe that you go through your past and you learn what you learn for whatever reason. I'm just glad I'm not making fifteen-year-old mistakes at twenty-six - I got that out of the way.
     I've been pretty focused my entire life, and now that I have a family, I'm just going to keep that focus, but it's going to be a family focus. My mission of life is to entertain people; same I get entertained from some others life missions. I have a son and a wife, and I really enjoy my family life as much as I enjoy my career, but there are times where my career just kind of overpowers, and they have to be really very understanding of it. I appreciate them for that. That's probably the hardest part about everything. I just try to keep that connection to normalcy. I never want to lose that, being normal. People connect with me just as a cool, around-the-way type of guy. I never want to confuse people or go over their heads. "I love you" takes 3 seconds to say, 3 hours to explain, and a lifetime to prove. Some people make your life better by walking into it while other people make your life better by simply walking out of it. Your every breath of life is so precious, so don't waste any moment of life while sitting idle.

What You Should Eat First Thing 
in the Morning to Help You Lose Weight
Emily DiNuzzo - Updated: Jan. 18, 2024
Medically reviewed - Elisabetta Politi, CDE, MPH, RD

     Researchers and dietitians agree that starting your day with a healthy breakfast that includes this single source of protein could set you up for weight-loss success. It’s often said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day—especially if you are watching your weight. But not all breakfasts are created equal. 
     Research suggests that one source of protein could be the ideal breakfast for weight loss—eggs. At least in studies funded by the American Egg Board, people who eat eggs for breakfasts can drop as much as 65 percent more weight over eight weeks compared to a control group that wasn’t restricting calories. (The research was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the International Journal of Obesity.) And a study published in Nutrition Research suggests that eggs can stabilize blood sugar and suppress hunger, too.
     Alyssa Pike, RD, Manager of Nutrition Communications for the International Food Information Council, suggests that for a nutritionally sound breakfast that is both nourishing and satisfying, people should focus on high-protein and fiber foods, because they can help you feel full longer. Think egg and avocado or egg on whole-wheat bread, she says. Caroline Apovian, MD, director of nutrition and weight management at Boston Medical Center, says that this feeling of fullness after breakfast helps cut down on grazing during the day. Grazing is one of the 13 reasons you probably aren’t losing weight.
     Part of the reason eggs make a great morning meal is because they’re a satisfying protein source, according to Dr. Apovian: Two eggs deliver 180 calories and 14 grams of filling protein, she says. They also offer vitamins like B12, riboflavin, selenium, and vitamin A, Pike says. In addition, they’re cheap and easy to prepare. 

This is for information purpose only, and should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. These are opinions from an external panel of individual doctors, and not to be considered as opinion of Microsoft. Please seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns.

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

I like not to be loved, but to be told that I am loved; the realm of silence is large enough beyond the grave.   –George Eliot

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  
TODAYS WORD - SELFISHNESS

     America has gone crazy with greed. I really have to say that. We're not separate races. There's only one human race. I pray that all polar opposites learn to agape love, live, and work together as brothers and sisters - or perish as fools. This is the 21st century, and we would all like to think racism is dead in America. Actually, that's not the case: still there are some racial issues that are out across this nation, and so we have a responsibility as compassionate citizens of America, no matter what our ethnic group happens to be, to confront these issues when they arise.
     We do need unity, and from my perspective as a minister myself, God has not forgotten America. America, we need to pray and lead from our spirits and not our emotions - and definitely not with our weapons. Our children need to remember to love each other, how to honor each other, their parents, God, and their neighbors. As a survivor of the 20th-century Race Wars, my back remains unbent, and I move forward for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all who were created equal in God's eyes.
     Racism springs from the lie that certain human beings are less than fully human. It's a self-centered falsehood that corrupts our minds into believing we are right to treat others as we would not want to be treated. Racism is a way to gain economic advantage at the expense of others. Slavery and plantations may be gone, but racism still allows us to regard those who may keep us from financial gain as less than equals. Racism oppresses its victims, but also binds the oppressors, who sear their consciences with more and more lies until they become prisoners of those lies. They cannot face the truth of human equality because it reveals the horror of the injustices they commit. 
     Abortion and racism are evil twins, born of the same lie. Where racism now hides its face in public, abortion is accomplishing the goals of which racism only once dreamed. Together, abortionists are destroying humanity at large and the black community in particular. When you see the political parties' squabble, if a baby is not allowed to be born, all the other issues do not come into play. Abortion is an attack on the family and the humanity that unites us all. When we see others victimized, we must speak out. We have to seek justice for everybody. If you see your brother about to be harmed and somebody is doing something, you must speak out. It takes courage to do that. Then you have to come out of yourself to do that.
     A selfish person says, hey, me and my four at home and no more and whatever happens to you is OK. But it can't be that way. It cannot be that way. You've got to have faith. You've got to begin to continue to hope and not give up on others. Walk and talk in manner of love or charity, for God is love. Refrain from the violence of fist, tongue or heart. And heart is real important. If people are being downtrodden and mistreated, it's our obligation, it's our responsibility to speak out, not just for ourselves but for others. Observe with both friend and foe the ordinary rules of courtesy.
    Protest is OK. But protests, according to my King family legacy, should be peaceful. Coming forth, you've got to love each other, and you have to have faith. And you never lose hope. Even when things are really, really, really bad - there's always hope. We should recognize that women become mothers the moment they are pregnant. If black lives matter, then why is it that black women are more than five times as likely as a white woman to have an abortion? I think the womb that brings forth the black life should matter... Because black lives absolutely matter, what about the babies in that womb? What about that mama? Abortion and racism are both symptoms of a fundamental human error. 
     I prayed often for deliverance from the pain caused by my decision to abort my baby. I suffered the threat of cervical and breast cancer and experienced the pain of empty arms after the baby was gone. And truly, for me, and countless abortive mothers, nothing on earth can fully restore what has been lost; only Jesus can. The error is thinking that when someone stands in the way of our wants, we can justify getting that person out of our lives. Abortion and racism stem from the same poisonous root, selfishness. Pray daily to be used by God, sacrifice personal needs and so greed has to go out of the window. Because you have to believe God can take care of you so you don't have to worry about that.

IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

What life means to us is determined not so much by what life brings to us as by the attitude we bring to life; not so much by what happens to us as by our reaction to what happens.                                                                               --Lewis L. Dunnington

Kenneth Davis

   T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   
TODAYS WORDS - STATE OF LIMBO

     In my deepest, darkest moments, what really got me through was a prayer. Sometimes my prayer was 'Help me.' Sometimes a prayer was 'Thank you.' What I've discovered is that intimate connection and communication with my creator will always get me through because I know my support, my help, is just a prayer away. I don't think there's such a thing as a selfish prayer. Prayer puts you in communication so you can talk about whatever you want to talk about. It's about your heart and about your consciousness. It's not about length of time you pray. Some of us pray demands. Some of us pray complaints. Some of us pray knowing, and some of us pray not knowing. But prayer is the attitude that you hold in your heart. Order is the first law of heaven, and you have to have order to survive on Earth. Figure out what has to be done each day, each week, each year and develop a system to achieve it.
     Everyone has something that blocks us from the full experience and expression of our nobility. When you're the strong one, people don't give you permission to hurt. Why do we hold onto negativity? For some reason, we believe that others are affected by our experience of remaining upset, hurt or angry. Holding on to pain, anger, guilt or shame is the glue that binds us to the situation we want to escape. You cannot experience the fullness of your authentic self or life when you live to avoid hurt. You will never know the joy of love or the peaceful satisfaction of being loved if you hide from hurt. You know that you've healed an issue when you can talk about it and you're not weeping, when you can speak to it and identify the lesson. You know that you've healed an issue when, having gone through that, has a benefit that you live today.
     Forgiveness leads to a shift in perception. It transforms the hurt into healing. The remedy for life's broken pieces is not classes, workshops or books. Don't try to heal the broken pieces. Just forgive. Any time there is 'un-forgiveness' between people who love each other, there is suffering. Any time people face challenges that they really don't understand... there is suffering. Pain is pain, hurt is hurt, fear is fear, anger is anger, and it has no color. For most of my life, I believed that my father had broken many of my bones. They were emotional and psychological bones; things no one could see, things that caused me to limp through life clutching for and holding on to people and situations that often rendered me immobile. When a thing has served its purpose, it will go away. Sometimes it will break. At other times, it will simply die off. Then, there are those times when for no reason, it will simply fall apart. If you try to hold on to something that has already fulfilled its purpose in your life, you are going to hurt yourself. If holding on is disturbing your peace of mind, it makes sense to let it go.
     All things are lessons that God would have us learn. At times I have long conversations with God. Sometimes I ask questions. I admit that there are also times when I let out my frustrations, fears, and anxieties in less than honorable ways. No matter what I pray about or how I pray about it, the result I always get is comfort. When you are not happy where you are, and you are not quite sure if you want to leave or how to leave, you are in the meantime. Its a state of limbo. You are hanging on, ready to let go, afraid to fall, not wanting to hurt yourself, afraid you will hurt someone else. In the meantime, you pray the other person will let go first so that you will not feel guilty. A wound needs air in order to heal. We must talk about and expose those things which have hurt or harmed us in some way. Our wounds need nurturing care in order to heal. If we are to nurture and heal, we must admit that the wounds exist. We must carefully do what is necessary to help ourselves feel better.

WELCOME TO 
SMOOTH
 CONTEMPORARY JAZZ 
FRIDAYS

Estella Wright (Mayhue-Greer)

Warriors born in February are pretty special because fewer babies are born during this month. It is believed they are less irritable and are often visible even when among a huge chaotic crowd because they are calm and observant.

According to a study from Harvard, our classmates born in February are taller and stronger. Researchers found this was still true at age seven; however, there were some differing opinions if this carried on to adulthood. They also weighed more at birth and scientists believe this was due to a mother’s increased eating during winter months. The same study also found that those born during the winter tend to do better on intelligence tests.

February-born Warriors tend to be unique, creative, and generous. They may have a side to them that they don't show the world. However, they could sometimes also be slightly aloof, detached, and quickly distracted as well.

If you are celebrating your birthday this month, you are more likely to be artistic. According to one study, the month you were born can play a role in your career path, and found that many artists were born in February. So whether you find your artistic side with painting, performing, or creating awesome content, your birthday may be your inspiration.

February Warriors tend to be happier. Even though they are born in the middle of winter and may have to compete with gray skies and cold weather, one study found that those born in the winter are more content and well-behaved. Other studies found that people born in February say they are happy with life and their career choice. 

February birthstone is the amethyst. The stunning purple variety of quartz has mesmerized people for thousands of years and can often be found in royal jewel collections in Europe and Asia. The gem represents empowerment and inner strength.

Depending on what source you consult, the birth month flower for February may differ. However, the most common flower mentioned for February is the violet, which is closely associated with St. Valentine’s Day.

February Warriors share their birth month with celebrities such as Abraham Lincoln, Langston Hughes, Rosa Parks, Frederick Douglass, Hank Aaron and Chris Rock.

Kenneth Davis

    T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   
TODAYS WORD - SCRUTINIZE

     Oppression is as American as apple pie. Our visions begin with our desires. It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences. We are all in the process of becoming. Without community, there is no liberation, but community must not mean a shedding of our differences, nor the pathetic pretense that these differences do not exist. For we have been socialized to respect fear more than our own needs for language and definition, and while we wait in silence for that final luxury of fearlessness, the weight of that silence will choke us. It is not the destiny of Black America to repeat white America's mistakes. But we will, if we mistake the trappings of success in a sick society for the signs of a meaningful life. Unless one lives and loves in the trenches, it is difficult to remember that the war against dehumanization is ceaseless. Revolution is not a onetime event.
     Institutionalized rejection of differences is an absolute necessity in a profit economy which needs outsiders as surplus people. As members of such an economy, we have all been programmed to respond to the human differences between us with fear and loathing and to handle that difference in one of three ways: ignore it, and if that is not possible, copy it if we think it is dominant, or destroy it if we think it is subordinate. The true focus of revolutionary change is never merely the oppressive situations that we seek to escape, but that piece of the oppressor which is planted deep within each of us. Sometimes we are blessed with being able to choose the time, and the arena, and the manner of our revolution, but more usually we must do battle where we are standing. Even the smallest victory is never to be taken for granted. Each victory must be applauded. 
     Life is very short and what we have to do must be done in the now. Tomorrow belongs to those of us who conceive of it as belonging to everyone, who lend the best of ourselves to it, and with joy. When you reach out and touch other human beings, it doesn't matter whether you call it therapy or teaching or poetry. We must wake up knowing we have work to do and go to bed knowing we've done it. ‎Once we recognize what it is we are feeling, once we recognize we can feel deeply, love deeply, can feel joy, then we will demand that all parts of our lives produce that kind of joy. To face the realities of our lives is not a reason for despair-despair is a tool of your enemies. Facing the realities of our lives gives us motivation for action. For you are not powerless... You know why the hard questions must be asked. It is not altruism; it is self-preservation-survival.
     Nothing I accept about myself can be used against me to diminish me. When I dare to be powerful - to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid. The quality of light by which we scrutinize our lives has direct bearing upon the product which we live, and upon the changes which we hope to bring about through those lives. If I didn't define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people's fantasies for me and eaten alive. Those of us who stand outside the circle of this society's definition of acceptable women; those of us who have been forged in the crucibles of difference - those of us who are poor, who are lesbians, who are black, who are older - know that survival is not an academic skill...For the master's tools will not dismantle the master's house. They will never allow us to bring about genuine change. There's always someone asking you to underline one piece of yourself - whether it's Black, woman, mother, dyke, teacher, etc. - because that's the piece that they need to key in to. They want to dismiss everything else.

Kenneth Davis

WELCOME TO ALL BLUES SATURDAY

RIP B.B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), aged 89
RIP Albert Collins (October 1, 1932 – November 24, 1993), aged 61
RIP Stevie Ray Vaughan (October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990), aged 35
You will be remembered as legends.

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     February 18, 2024: Gifts of the Spirit are made of Spirit and are not of natural substance. You cannot access spiritual things when you are in the flesh. Clinging to flesh is in opposition to the work of the Spirit and will hinder your ability to access supernatural power. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   
TODAYS WORDS - SUPERNATURAL

     Life has to be everything. It can't be all sad. It can't be all peaches and cream. Because the lows have you appreciate the highs. And the highs give you perspective on the lows. If it's not everything, it becomes flat or mundane. The prism through which you experience life is so unique. There is no objective experience. Always have an attitude of gratitude. It's always the case that the minority has to navigate two different worlds. Women have to know how to live in a man's world. Gay people have to know how to live in a straight world. Black people gotta know how to live in a predominantly white world. The humanity that is given to other people isn't given to us. There is an expendability that comes along with being African American. It's the people who don't recognize the racism within themselves that can be the most damaging because they don't see it.
     We all have our prejudices, and we may or may not be aware of them. Sometimes people walk by me and give me a wider berth. It happens. I wear hoodies all the time because my head gets cold. Something innocuous can be misunderstood. My family did a lot of road trips across these continental United States when I was a kid. Twenty or so of us would caravan in four or five vehicles and hit every corner of the connected 48. The first trip I can remember would have to be to Marianna, Arkansas. My mother's parents are from there, and we'd go every year to visit the church where they were buried. We'd attend church service that day, put flowers around their tombstones, and visit with family and friends that still lived there.
     I'm a spiritual person. I do believe in a higher power. I believe God placed me on this planet to be a beneficial presence. It's one thing to entertain, to educate, but to edify, to lift people up, that's - to God be the glory. My mom, who is a very strong Christian woman, will often ask me how some of the characters I play glorify God. Her meaning is that she feels as if every character should be a good Christian character, which is not necessarily my interpretation. I think the therapeutic part of acting is allowing myself to step into another human being's shoes. It allows me the ability to release judgment, if I had any judgment to begin with. It's an opportunity to understand rather than to stand outside and point fingers. Not every character that you play is going to be somebody that you like or love, but every character that you play has a story that is worth telling. If you're not the person to tell it, that's one thing. But if you don't want to tell it because you are afraid of the unpopularity of the character, I view that as a missed opportunity.
     The beauty of theater is that you get to live the character from beginning to end without stopping. The natural momentum of the story propels you through in such a way that feels organic. Whether the theater is 1,000 seats or 500 seats or 200 seats, you have to make sure the person in the back of the theater can hear you and understand you. So, there's a lot of articulation and a lot of voice in theater that really just isn't necessary when it comes to dealing with the camera. When I finally got the chance to do 'The People v. O.J. Simpson,' my peers embraced me with the same attitude. They didn't make me feel small or insignificant. They treated me as a peer. It was a wonderful experience. After six months of playing Chris Darden, it's very hard for me to separate my views from his.
     I don't want to try to fool people into thinking that I'm something that I'm not. I don't want to be a flash in the pan. I don't want people to just remember me for one thing. Different roles call for different aspects or different faces of Sterling to emerge. If you haven't done shows that are on everyone's radar, then you're something out of nowhere. I'm very cognizant of the image that's being put out there and the way in which people perceive me. I'm honored and flattered that they see me as being a decent human being. I try my best to be a decent human being, but I fall short of the mark like we all do on a regular basis. When I walked up on stage at the Emmys, and when people stood up, it was a really sort of emotional, overwhelming moment. It was like I had been accepted.
     I'm always trying to find ways to evolve. Evolution, for me, is a very spiritual thing, getting closer to the creator, closer to God, and becoming a better version of yourself. I do believe that for me, my own personal journey has been one in which my voice has also been appreciated. On Twitter, there'll be fans of 'Army Wives' and people who say, 'I've been following you since 'Supernatural,' I loved you on 'Person of Interest,'' and it's really cool to get that love. To them, I'm not just an overnight success. I want to be remembered for a body of work so that when the next guy comes up, he could think of Sterling K. Brown in the same way that I think of Andre Braugher and James Earl Jones.

Kenneth Davis

BIRTH ANNIVERSARY GREETINGS 
TO 
JACQUELINE SAWYER CASEY

     When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another. Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties. What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us. A bend in the road is not the end of the road…Unless you fail to make the turn.

~Helen Keller~

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  
TODAYS WORD - RESISTANCE

     Mother Earth is in pain and ailing because of global warming. The world is dealing with issues of immigration, deindustrialization, and poverty. When I was born, there were 2.5 billion people living on the whole planet. Now there are 2.5 billion people living on less than $2 a day. That's the kind of reality we have to deal with. It's important for people of color to link up with issues around globalization, food security, health, the environment. It is the most painful thing to see how young children become collateral damage of wars, but when peace treaties are signed landmines do not respect any of these accords. And as long as these silent killers linger after wars, children will never know peace. One of the main purveyors of violence in this world has been this country America. 
     Since 1957, black people have experienced double-digit unemployment - in good times and bad times. Look at the population of African Americans in prison. They represent more than half the population of prisoners in the country, 55 percent of those on death row. The civil rights movement didn't deal with the issue of political disenfranchisement in the Northern cities. It didn't deal with the issues that were happening in places like Detroit, where there was a deep process of deindustrialization going on. What's more important is that we talk about movements; change happens through movements. The movement to end slavery, the movement to bring justice for those who have been left out of the system, movements to include women, movements around sexual preference - all these movements brought about change. It's a misconception to believe that the resistance ended with the civil rights movement.
     I'm a child of the Civil Rights Movement. Freedom Summer, the massive voter education project in Mississippi, was 1964. I graduated from high school in 1965. So, becoming active was almost a rite of passage. I was a member of the Black Student Union, part of the central committee at San Francisco State. During the 1968 strike there, I was certainly very much involved in the activities that occurred on campus. It was part of an extraordinary period in my life. We have to be that wedge that drives the question and asks the hard questions. I try to find hope in struggle and resistance in small places as much as I can. The black power movement was not a separation from the civil rights movement, but a continuation of this whole process of democratization. I was involved with the anti-apartheid movement through my work as an artist and also through my political commitment. I have the capacity to express what I feel needs to be expressed. And I try to do what I believe in. Every day of my life I walk with the idea that I am black, no matter how successful I am. And our success is tempered by that; you're successful in this way given the fact you are black, and most blacks don't get to that point. But rarely have I made choices that made me feel I was really compromising what I believe. I've always been able to make choices that don't embarrass me. I've been a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the UNICEF family for more than twelve years.
     The progressive movement against the war of occupation in Iraq is a reason for hope, as is resistance to free trade agreements in Latin America. Those are moments that we have to celebrate: that people still find the resolve and energy to resist. Today, the media dictatorship is becoming a substitute to military dictatorship. The big economic groups are using the media and decide who can speak, who the good guy is and who the bad guy is. This country has always been run by elite, and it's an elitist democracy. And that's not a radical concept. It's elitist democracy. When people talk about democracy, they don't talk - really talk about participatory democracy, until the point that we get us at Election Day. Kids made fun of me because I was dark skinned, had a wide nose, and was dyslexic. Even as an actor, it took me a long time to realize why words and letters got jumbled in my mind and came out differently. I never thought about being an actor. I was just going to play music and baseball. That’s all I was going to do. To this day, that’s what I do. I just added movies to it.

IT'S TIME FOR 
JUST JOKING MONDAYS

Examples of Flawed Cartoon Logic

That Ought to Make You Laugh

Joycelyn Lacy (Somerville)

Kenneth Davis

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns

     February 20, 2024: Stay current with where you are in life and circumstances. The only thing you can do about the past is recognize where you could have made better decisions and move forward. Live this day applying your experience and knowledge to do the best you can with what you have and who you are, and trust Me with your future, says the Lord. Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  
TODAYS WORD - CIRCUMSTANCES

     It only takes one person to mobilize a community and inspire change. Even if you don't feel like you have it in you, it's in you. You have to believe in yourself. People will see your vision and passion and follow you. It's no coincidence that the cities with the highest rates of violence also have the highest rates of unemployment. There are not many opportunities. We have to address that, starting from the government down and the grassroots up. You have to really understand and appreciate who are you are and know who you are and what you have to offer people - not just a man but people! This helps you have something to stand on. Know your value and what makes you valuable so you can always go back to this.

     When you get older, you start to doubt, and you put limitations on yourself. But little Teyonah had no fear. I was a wild child tomboy. I think, no matter who you are, at some point in your life you've probably said, 'OK, well, who am I, and where do I fit in?' I've wanted to be an actress my whole life, and the - none of the women I aspired to be like had natural hair. Ever since I was maybe nine or 10 years old, I'd say, 'I'm gonna be an actor, and I'm gonna go to Julliard, and I'm gonna be in movies.' My parents never said, 'What's your backup plan?' When they asked, 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' I said, 'I want to be a model and an actress.' They said, 'Why?' I said, 'Because I can look good and get paid to do it.' That's the kind of kid I was.

     It feels good to be a role model for little girls who don't often see natural hair on the red carpet. It was a personal mission to really find out who I am, when I'm not altering myself to look like anybody else. Who am I when I wake up and I don't do anything to my hair? Who is that woman? I want to meet her. And that was what catapulted my journey into going natural. I got my first relaxer when I was nine years old. This was in the '90s, and I convinced my mom to let me perm my hair so I could wear a French roll with the crimps in the front. I had no clue. As a girl, I remember looking up to pop singers, and they all had long, straight weaves and light skin. And I thought, 'That's what I have to look like if I'm going to be fierce and sexy and all those things.' As black women, we're miles behind our white counterparts in being offered the space to create and craft female characters in major blockbuster films.

     When I choose a role, what I'm looking for is the ability is to tell our stories. Me being a black woman, that's just a given. It's going to be a part of any role I do, making sure I tell it truthfully and nuanced and in a way that many people can relate to. For me, it's always about the work and the stories I'm telling and the slices of life I feel should be illuminated. Generally, when I'm going to a new project, I take my own makeup. I'll explain to them what it is that I would like. If they are receptive, we figure it out together. If they're not, I'll be going to back to my trailer and doing my own makeup. And that's the same for hair.

     I really feel like the stars have aligned many ways, many times for me. I have been blessed to play some awesome roles and nuanced and meaningful characters. You have to be resilient to be a black person in America. The thing about being resilient is being able to fall apart and pick yourself up again. And putting yourself back together, that improves on what you were before. I want to continue to strive towards deepening my relationship with God and finding peace in whatever trials or circumstances I may be given. It was not hard for me to find guidance and motivation. I'm very blessed, and my parents were always so supportive of myself and my brother. Whatever you wanted to do, you just had to give 110 percent. So whatever that was, they supported it. Every time I see my friends on a billboard, I'm so excited. If God can do it for me or them, he can do it for everybody. 

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  

TODAYS WORD - SOLUTIONS

     All humans have fear, and those of us who are fortunate have faith. God chooses community sometimes to bear an unfair burden to force us to rise to the next level of consciousness and understanding. It's in that convergence of spiritual people becoming active and active people becoming spiritual that the hope of humanity now rests.   We're going to bake this planet, and be a curse to all species, including our own, if we don't find an alternative to carbon-based fuel. That's the #1 problem. Right now, the government is spending billions of dollars supporting the problem-makers in the U.S. economy - the polluters, despoilers, incarcerators, and warmongers. 

     Rather than continuing to base our economy on a finite supply of dead things, we can base it on sources that are practically infinite and eternal: the sun, the moon, and the Earth's inner fire. Clean energy innovation, job creation and energy independence should be common ground for all Americans. We tend to overlook the fact that a mature clean energy economy in fact will give an opportunity to ordinary people to earn more money as clean energy workers/entrepreneurs - and save more money, through conservation and energy efficiency.

     Now is not the time to shrink from the challenge of saving our only home in the universe. Now is not the time to pull into ourselves, retreating into either survivalist or escapist mode. To the contrary, this is the time for titans, not turtles. Now is the time to open our arms, expand our horizons, and dream big. Big problems require big solutions. Now we stand at our own crossroads, looking out upon two futures: one with rising temperatures, rising oceans, and rising violence on a hot and strip-mined planet and another with expanding organic harvests, growing solar arrays, and deepening global partnerships on a green and thriving Earth. 

     The usual pattern of demagogues is to promise the moon, fail to deliver, and then blame vulnerable others for those failures. We actually need conservatives to be better conservatives and we need liberals to be better and stronger liberals. As champions of green jobs, we're asking questions that progressives should like, like "How are we going to avoid baking the planet," and "How are we going to create jobs for ordinary Americans?" Meanwhile, we're offering solutions that conservative should like. I'm not calling for more welfare; I'm calling for more work. I think it would be good to get somebody a job. Right now, we're in a bubble of green rhetoric and a bowl of actual green investment and job creation. So, my goal for next year is to move from inspiration to implementation on this stuff.

      We need to invest in job training programs, especially those that include childcare, transit stipends and paid apprenticeships and internships. People forget solar panels don't put themselves up. Wind turbines don't manufacture themselves. Businesses don't retrofit themselves to waste less energy and water, nor do homes weatherize themselves. America should be leading the world in green and clean solutions, and human rights. Stop using your phones and laptops as toys and use them to start a revolution. Come, then, let us go forward together with our united strength - and win a better future for generations to come. 

     We shouldn't be leading the world in wars and incarceration rates and pollution. We can be a better country. I think we're going to be a better country. Our point of view is, let's not be so elitist that we can't honor good, hard, dignified, ennobling work: people working with their hands, building things, putting up solar panels, weatherizing homes, working on organic agriculture, building wind farms. We don't have robots in society, so somebody has to do that work. Lets make sure that the people who can use that work get a chance to do it. I see that as a first step toward bigger and better things.

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY

Harlem Running Legend 

Ida Keeling died at age 106.

BornMay 15, 1915

DiedAugust 28, 2021

Ernestine Shepherd · June 16, 1936 (age 87)

Kidney-Friendly Foods: Nourishing Your Kidneys

Story by Sead Dedovic 

https://www.celebtattler.com/

     Kidneys are vital organs that filter waste from the blood and maintain fluid and electrolyte balance. To improve kidney function, especially for those with chronic kidney disease, dietary changes are essential. Changing Eating Habits: For chronic kidney disease patients, altering their diets is a critical part of treatment.

     A doctor's guidance is crucial, as the goal is to limit minerals like sodium, potassium, and phosphorus processed by the kidneys. Excess phosphorus intake can strain the kidneys and raise the risk of long-term damage. High-phosphorus foods to avoid include red meat, dairy products, cereals, legumes, nuts, and fish.

     Proper potassium balance is also vital. Foods to Consume in Moderation or Avoid: To protect kidneys from further harm, it's advisable to limit or avoid specific foods, including Bananas, potatoes, kale, spinach, red meat, dairy, egg yolks, Avocado, oranges, kiwi, Sugary drinks, canned foods, acidic foods, and alcohol. Reducing protein intake may be essential, especially when combined with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

Kidney-Friendly Foods

Certain foods support kidney health:

⦁ Water: Staying hydrated helps the kidneys filter toxins.

⦁ Cauliflower: A low-sodium, low-potassium alternative to rice and mashed potatoes.

⦁ Berries: Nutrient-rich and full of antioxidants.

⦁ Apples: Contain pectin, which can reduce risk factors for kidney damage.

⦁ Cabbage: Low in potassium and sodium, rich in vitamins.

⦁ Red Peppers: Low in sodium and potassium, with protective antioxidants.

⦁ Garlic: A flavorful spice that reduces the need for extra salt.

⦁ Omega-3 Rich Fish: Salmon and tuna lower blood pressure and kidney disease risk.

⦁ Olive Oil: Reduces inflammation in the body with healthy fats.

⦁ Buckwheat: Nutrient-dense, gluten-free, and low in minerals.

⦁ Egg Whites: A phosphorus-free protein source.

⦁ Shiitake Mushrooms: A low-mineral protein and fiber source.

     These dietary choices can promote kidney health, but consultation with a healthcare professional, particularly for those with chronic kidney disease, is crucial. Kidneys are one of the most important organs, so be careful.   

This is for information purpose only and should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. These are opinions from an external panel of individual doctors, and not to be considered as opinion of Microsoft. Please seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns.

Kenneth Davis

     While some prefer the rawer, grittier sounds of Stax Records and some like the smooth, polished tunes of Motown, in the Soulsville Foundation’s “Stax Meets Motown” by the Stax Music Academy, a high school field trip from Detroit to Memphis to visit the Stax Museum of American Soul Music takes place. While the students are at the museum, they decide to visit the Stax Music Academy next door. Both are located at the original site of Stax Records, in the South Memphis community known as Soulsville USA. When the tourist group of students enters the Stax Music Academy, the Stax students are singing their interpretations of all the standard Stax Records tunes they have learned.

     The Detroit students aren’t easily impressed. While all remain civil, some jabs are thrown into the mix – arguments about which city’s sound is better. One thing leads to another, and the groups begin their comparisons of Stax and Motown, Soulsville vs. Hitsville. And the plot thickens. Love is felt, lost, and regained in this mashup of songs and sounds that embark glory days from Memphis and Detroit. But the overarching theme is a high school musical. Think Glee meets Grease meets Fame meets Hairspray, all with classic 1960s soul music.

     Viewers will hear such familiar songs as hits recorded by Rufus Thomas, Otis Redding, Johnnie Taylor, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, the Jackson Five, Sam & Dave, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Turell, the Bar-Kays, and dozens of others in this tale of the distinct sounds of two cities. “This year’s show is a lively comparison of Stax and Motown,” said Stax Music Academy Executive Director Isaac Daniel. “Think of it as the best of both worlds of music from the 1960s and 1970s.”

     Current Stax Music Academy student Anaya Murray wrote the script for the Black History Month show. She is an accomplished filmmaker, writer, and director with a diverse range of experience in the film industry. As of 2023, Anaya has directed five short films, some of which have been featured in international and national film festivals. She also served as a director, screenwriter, and editor for her short film “Father’s Day,” which won the Indie Memphis Youth Film Fest Jury Award. Another notable projects are “By Design” and “Amorphous,” both sci-fi thriller films where Anaya directed, co-edited, and won the Indie Memphis Youth Film Fest “CrewUp Audience Choice Award.” One of the show’s main stars is an 11th grade Stax Music Academy student named Rickey Fondren, who was recently interviewed by CNN about his acting role with the Tennessee Shakespeare Company and other acting jobs.

     The 2024 Black History Month production is being filmed entirely at historic Booker T. Washington High School, which is on the edge of downtown Memphis and Soulsville USA. Founded in 1873 as the Clay Street School and later renamed Kortrecht High School in 1891, the school we have known since 1926 as Booker T. Washington was one of Memphis first high schools for African Americans. It serves grades 9-12. The school gained national attention when U.S. President Barack Obama delivered the school’s 2011 commencement address as a reward for winning the 2011 Race to the Top Commencement Challenge on the basis of its inspiring turn-around story and voted the winner by the public. It’s motto: “We’re tops! We lead and others follow.” Among its notable alumni are many Stax icons, including songwriting great David Porter and Earth Wind & Fire founder Maurice White, J. Blackfoot of The Soul Children, the original Bar-Kays, The Mad Lads, Booker T. Jones of Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Rufus Thomas, and William Bell.

     Stax Meets Motown will be free to all viewers and will begin in February 2024. It is created by young people for other young people, highly entertaining, and comes with companion study guides that delve a little deeper into the Civil Rights Movement that was happening in the 1960s and 1970s. The study guides deal with everything from Black radio to race and the recording industry, fashion, and the Detroit Riots of 1967.

     There are contributions in the study guide from Patricia Wilson Aden, President & CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance; Jared Boyd, co-host of Beale Street Caravan and program director at WYXR radio; Scott Baretta, an instructor of sociology at the University of Mississippi and head consultant for the B.B. King Museum and Cultural Center; and musician and teaching artist Victor Sawyer. It will be targeted to students, teachers, schools, youth groups, YMCAs, YWCAs, Boys & Girls clubs, and other organizations with a focus on groups that typically lack access to the arts.

Copy and paste the links below into your browser for viewing....

Soul of America: Stax Meets Motown on Vimeo  https://vimeo.com/904562837

Exploring the Soul of America: Stax Meets Motown creators join Live at Nine (youtube.com)

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N  
TODAYS WORD - AUTHORITY

     The seed must grow regardless of the fact that it’s planted in stone.  I'm not perfect. But I'll always be real. God will judge my heart; Man will judge my actions. I truly believe I've been blessed by God, and God walks with me. Everybody’s at war with different things…I’m at war with my own heart sometimes. June 16, 1971, mama gave birth to a Hell rising heavenly son. A woman bought you into this world, so you have no right to disrespect one.

     My mother taught me three things: respect, knowledge, search for knowledge. It's an eternal journey. My mama always used to tell me: 'If you can't find somethin' to live for, you best find somethin' to die for.' Life gives to you what you gave to it. So give your best. A lot of people, black, white, Mexican, young or old, fat or skinny have a problem being true to they self. They have a problem looking in the mirror and looking directly into their own souls. Only reason I am who I am today is because I can look directly into my face and find my soul.
     I have no patience for anybody who doubts me, none at all. Never surrender, it's all about the faith you got don't ever stop, just push it 'till you hit the top and if you drop, at least you know you gave your all to be true to you, that way you can never fall. Be an individual, work hard, study, get your mind straight, and trust nobody. It's time we stop worrying, and get angry you know? But not angry and pick up a gun, but angry and open our minds. You never know what's going on in somebody's mind. There's a lot of pressure on someone growing up. You have to watch it.

     It's a struggle for every young Black man. You know how it is, only God can judge us. I know what good morals are, but you're supposed to disregard good morals when you're living in a crazy, bad world. If you're in hell, how can you live like an angel? You're surrounded by devils, trying to be an angel? That's like suicide. If you could walk a mile in my shoes, you'd be crazy too. Behind every sweet smile, there is a bitter sadness that no one can ever see and feel.
     Why am I dying to live if I'm just living to die. My aim is to spread more smiles than tears. Before I write I let my mind go blind and let the lord do his thing. God, When I was alone, and had nothing, I asked for a friend to help me bear the pain, No one came, except God, When I needed a breath to rise, from my sleep, No one could help me, except God, when all I saw was sadness, and I needed answers, No one heard me, except God, so when I'm asked who I give my unconditional love to? I look for no other name, except God. Imperfection is inherited, therefore we all sin, but fighting the war of sin is the greatest war of all because we all die in the end no matter how hard we fight. For every single dark night there is a brighter day. In my death, people will understand what I was talking about.
     How many caskets can we witness before we see it's hard to live this life without God, so we must ask forgiveness. Don't leave this world without giving it your all. Maybe in time you'll understand only God can save us. If you're not dark inside and you come to this world, it'll turn you dark... and if you really have Sunshine inside you, it's not good to play in the dark. It's just gonna extinguish your fire.

     If God wanted me to be quiet, he would’ve never showed me what he does. I think I'm a natural-born leader. I know how to bow down to authority if it's authority that I respect. Follow the rules or follow the fools. If you can make it through the night, there's a brighter day. You gotta find a way to survive cause they win when your soul dies. No matter how hard it gets, keep your chest out, keep your head up and handle it. Imperfection is inherited, therefore we all sin, but fighting the war of sin is the greatest war of all because we all die in the end no matter how hard we fight.
 

IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   
TODAYS WORDS - DIVINE ORDER 

     Seek the truth. Tell the truth. Live in truth. I only became an actor to get your attention, to challenge the archetype of an African American male; I can't be anything else in this lifetime than an African American man. I hate the term 'black' because it doesn't bring to life who we are as a people. The term 'black' has more negative synonyms than the term white. Not only our political system is broken, but how we do business and have public discourse with one another. The system in Hollywood, specifically, is not depicting people of color; we're not even talking about Asian Americans or Latino Americans; we're not even getting into that question.
     I've been so incredibly blessed. I've worked with some of the greatest professionals in town. I stood at the Golden Globes. I mean, I've worked with Spike Lee for four films. I've worked with some people that you can say are right there teetering between genius and madness. The whole time I was on 'Grey's,' I'm still reconciling myself to my 11-year-old son, because he never saw me during that time. By the time he got up, he'd see a dent in his pillow, but by the time I got home, he was already asleep. So for three years, he had a daddy that he never saw because I had to work. I've written a book; I've become a better husband and father because I'm home every day. Humanity is in my heart. Do I suffer fools? No. Am I a stickler for my profession? Yes. I am a task master? Yes. My military background, football background, I'm a team player all the way, and I love winning. 
     I'm a human being first and foremost, and I have something to say that I think is worthwhile. Even if I'm playing a bad guy, I work hard to make him multi-leveled and interesting. I enjoy bringing humanity to complex characters. Whatever I'm throwing out there in my work, you either catch that detail because you're ready to catch it, but if you're not, that's OK - you're still being entertained. I'm no longer going to play thugs or debauched cops that I can't possibly make complex characters. It's, like, bigots want to embrace me, and I politely take their arms from around my neck. I don't share their views - never have.
     People forget that it's an acting assignment. You can work with someone for three months, three years or 30 years, and then you move on. You don't want to be on a show that no one wants to see, and then think your phone is going to be ringing off the hook to do other jobs. I'm not tethered to the fact that my demise may be reached this season or next season, or whatever. Everything is not black-and-white . I'm really interested in the gray area - not justifying it, not glorifying it, not condoning it, but at least having people see there's a genesis for every event in our lives. There's some divine order to it, whether it's ugly or beautiful. Becoming a junior usher at a black church was my entry into the wonder of worship. 

WELCOME TO 
SMOOTH
 CONTEMPORARY JAZZ 
FRIDAYS

Kenneth Davis

  T H O U G H T   F O R   C O N S I D E R A T I O N   
TODAYS WORDS - HECTIC TIMES

     I'm a mom. I'm a wife. I'm an actress. I'm an executive producer. I'm an author. I'm an entrepreneur, and I'm a sister and a best friend. The older you get, the more you fight for your own identity and start to live your own life. I have something called endometriosis, and I was told by my gynecologist that I needed to go on a specific diet if I didn't want to have any more surgery. I saw how changing my diet really benefitted my health. After I changed my diet, I was able to get pregnant, and then my eczema went away, and then my migraines went away. I became a vegetarian for about maybe a year. It was more of a little detox for me. I tend to do a lot of detoxes. I was on the Body Ecology Diet before I got pregnant, which I believe is one of the reasons I was able to get pregnant.
     People always say you never know love until you have your own child and all of that is true. I feel, you know, empowered because I gave life. I have a son now. I feel like I'm stronger. We need to be more supportive with everything. With body images, especially with women, showing that all sizes are beautiful. And I'm talking about in magazines, advertisement in regard to what's sexy and what's not sexy. We all need to be a little more supportive of each other. I've never been discriminated against, but I have witnessed discrimination. I was talking to a director and asked why one of my friends didn't get a particular part, and he specifically told me it was because she just had a baby, and it was hard to see her as sexy.
     I was so used to seeing so many women in the media flaunting their bodies 4 weeks after having a baby - and kudos to those who have genes that they can get right back into shape 2 weeks, 4 weeks after having a baby. But that never happened to me, and I remember going to my doctor asking why. I gained 60 pounds during my pregnancy, but I didn't say, 'I want to lose 10 pounds every month!' Instead, I said, 'I will lose two to three pounds.' I eventually saw progress, and that made me work harder. I have these brownies that I make that are just a home run with my family. I make them with almond butter, prune puree, walnuts, cocoa powder and whole-wheat flour, and I like them because they're delicious, but they're also guilt-free.
     Being a mom is hard, but I don't want people to feel like they always have to go straight to the TV dinner or go to the fast food because you have a busy, hectic life. I'm passionate about cooking. I'm passionate about healthy eating. I'm passionate about inspiring other women. To keep my son healthy, I throw secret veggies into his favorite dishes. In terms of flu prevention, for my son I'll do a quick smoothie, usually with spinach, avocado or broccoli. And then throw in strawberries and blueberries to hide the greens. The meat that I choose to feed my family, it's healthy meats such as lamb, which is very low in cholesterol and saturated fat. And then turkey - we eat a lot of turkey. We don't eat loads of beef.
     Before becoming a mom, I never knew how good I had it to just spend time at a spa for a few hours. Now, those days are far and between. So, when I have an hour, it's all about the mani and pedi. I'm pretty busy: I'm a working mom and I know a lot about having a hectic schedule, but I think what's really important to me and what's on the top of that list is just making sure that my family stays healthy, especially during flu season. The one advice that I would give just to moms who have a child, or a newborn is definitely sleep while the baby sleeps. I've heard that so many times. I never realized how true it really is. If you don't, you'll be walking around like a zombie. I don't allow Hollywood to define my joy, my happiness, and my peace because you'll be screwed. You have to be very careful.