And Still I Rise

Today,Aug 1st ,marks 167 years of Emancipation and although the event was monumental the day has almost become just another meaningless holiday.By that I mean that we ( or most of us) do not see the day as having any direct bearing or relevance to us.None of us were enslaved-we know no one who endured the horrors of slavery hence the disconnected feelings.

This year there is an effort to organise rallies etc at a national level to sensitise persons to the African struggle.It has been long in coming but I suppose it is a case of better late than never since generally we pay lip service to these events.We do not lift up our victories (and there are many)neither do we use the experience of an enslaved race as blocks on which to build.Instead slavery is often used a crutch-the explanation to why we don't achieve what we ought to.

Then,there are the self image issues that needs to be corrected.167 years after Emancipation too many people still believe in the concept of "good hair" and that the lighter the skin the prettier you are.Shouldn't we have a better sense of self by now? There is still a ways to go before we free our selves of all the negative labels and accept ourselves for who we are. In the words of Marley there is a need for emancipation from mental slavery as well.Nevertheless,when I reflect on the horrors the foreparents underwent how can I not be thankful for Aug 1