Why aren't you married? Are you at least thinking about it?

"It's not good for a woman to be alone."

If this question applies to you or has been asked of you...please feel free to weigh in with comments. I am keeping this one simple and with little explanation. I will tell you why a little later! ;-)

Woman of Interest: Marian Wright Edelman

Hi kids...sorry it's been a minute. I have been running in and out of town! My last trip to Little Rock is actually the inspiration for this post. I spent 4 days with some really great youth and I haven't been able to stop thinking about them since. So in honor of my new found love for young people (LOL! Just kidding...I always love the kids!)...my Woman of Interest for this week is none other than Mrs. Marian Wright Edelman, founder and CEO of The Children's Defense Fund.

Working with, fellowshipping amongst, and advocating on behalf of some beautiful young people between the ages of 12-18 this past week has been such a blessing to me. I must admit that many of them seemed to be a little rough around the edges when I first encountered them....I wasn't sure how the weekend was going to go. However, once we were able to create a safe, creative, and open environment for them and gave them the opportunity to express themselves freely, their world completely opened up. Suddenly, these broken and guarded teens were smiling and happy young men and women ready to get to work! They lit up the faces of all of the adult volunteers by the end of the week and inspired us all to do bigger and greater things on their behalf.

No one exemplifies this call to service or advocates on behalf of children more or greater than Mrs. Edelman. I've read about her quite a bit over the years but I really got to know her work through the influence of one of my bffs who works for CDF in Texas. In addition to starting the CDF which she founded as a voice for poor, minority and disabled children in 1973, Mrs. Edelman was an accomplished civil rights lawyer who was the first African American admitted to the Mississippi Bar. In essence, she has been an activist for the marginalized and forgotten in every aspect of her career and life. Mrs. Edelman is the real deal y'all...she's another woman I want to be when I grow up! ;-)

For more information, click here.

"Service is the rent each of us pays for living. The only thing that lasts is what is shared with others." - MWE

Woman of Interest: Dr. Regina Benjamin

It brings me great pleasure to introduce you to my "Woman of Interest" for today and this week: Dr. Regina Benjamin.

This morning President Barack Obama announced Dr. Benjamin as his nominee for Surgeon General of the United States (CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta declined the nomination a few months ago). Dr. Benjamin is not only an accomplished and highly regarded physician and administrator, but a strong advocate for human rights. She runs a nonprofit medical clinic in Bayou La Batre, Alabama (which she founded) and became the first African-American woman on the American Medical Association's board of trustees when she was elected to the post in 1995.

Dr. Benjamin is truly the real deal!

For more information on Dr. Regina Benjamin, please click here.

A Day of Remembrance for MJ...

I am reminded by witnessing the outpour of love for MJ that you never know who you might touch with your gifts. You cannot let the haters and naysayers run you out of the game. Artistry is service to a dying world.
In life and in death, MJ has inspired me to carry out my God-given calling even when others try to make me feel less than...even when it hurts...even when I feel like giving up.
Only God can judge me...the same goes for Michael. May his soul rest in peace.

Michael Jackson
1958-2009

Woman of Interest: Phyllis Hyman (In Remembrance)

Phyllis Hyman
July 6, 1949 — June 30, 1995

Her beauty was beyond belief...her voice was so rich and her personality larger than life...to know her music was to love her.

I became a fan of Ms. Hyman as a sophomore in high school when my drama teacher showed me a clip of her singing "It Don't Mean a Thing" in the Broadway musical, Sophisticated Ladies (plus I found out that she was originally from my hometown, Pittsburgh!). Ever since that day her beautifully rich alto tone has haunted me. Along with greats like Sarah Vaughan and Anita Baker, her artistry is something that I have aspired to because all four of us possessed one similar gift: a strong lower register (as well as some nifty highs). Now if only I can get mine to sound half as glorious as Phyllis'... Unfortunately, all that talent did not help her bouts with depression and extreme sadness. I wish she knew how much she was and still is loved.

Make it your business to learn more about this American treasure and her music. For more information, click here. As a gift to her memory, purchase some of her music today. :-)

Our Little Girls: Where's the Outrage?

For the past few days, we've seen black community leaders rally around the Jackson family in their time of bereavement. Surely MJ will be missed so we understand their concern for the family and fans worldwide. We've also heard that some of them (along with a popular musician and executive) made it their business to have Chris Brown excluded from the BET Awards ceremony which was held in Los Angeles this past weekend. This is possibly a more debatable point. Sure Chris Brown was dead wrong...but I sense a bit of hypocrisy was even involved in that decision...but more on that later. Also in regard to the BET Awards, I want to know who thought it was okay to allow a half dozen pre-teen girls dance on stage with Lil Weezy and crew during their "We Like Girls" performance? WHAT MESSAGE OUR WE SENDING? Has anyone paid attention to any of the lyrics? I refuse to reprint any of them here but let's just say they would make your mama faint. Unbelievable...I say all this to say that I love a good Weezy or Drake song as much as the next girl in the club BUT where do we draw the line of decency and stand for what is right? I can't let this one pass...where's the outrage (check the below out at minute 3:35)? TALK TO ME?!!?!?!

Woman of Interest: What About Tamar?

So...I woke up this morning with a theological chip on my shoulder. I asked myself, "What about Tamar?" Who is Tamar you ask? She is a biblical character, daughter of the infamous King David. There are actually a few Tamars in the Bible but Wikipedia eloquently makes the distinction "for the rape victim, see..." And that's just it...Tamar's claim to fame in the Good Book is "Tamar: daughter of David and rape victim." I guess it is important for me to include that she was raped by David's son...yes her brother!
I am often amazed by how provocative the Bible can be. Sometimes the stories and parables read more like an episode of the "Young & the Restless" circa 1989 than a sacred text. But that's what makes it the most important manuscript of them all: its cultural relevancy. I mean who needs a Harlequin book when you've got the Old Testament? That being said, I don't often hear holistic commentary on issues involving women in the Bible. Through much teaching you may be lead to believe that women are just ancillary pieces to the puzzle (with the exception of Eve!). However, when you read the text for yourself you may find that a woman completely drives a particular story. Case in point: I've been in discussions about the Tamar rape where people focus mostly on the strained relationship between her brother's Absalom and Annon. I agree that this relationship is an integral part of the story but by the end of the conversation I always find myself blurting out, "But what about Tamar?"
This theological quandary still rings true in my heart when dealing with issues in modern society. I mean do we ever stop to think, "I wonder how Anita Hill is doing since the Clarence Thomas thing? Has Monica Lewinsky been able to live a normal life since Bill? Will OJ Simpson's daughter with Nicole ever be able to maintain healthy relationships with men?" How many times have you heard a story about a family tragedy or the fall of a dynasty with little to no mention of the womenfolk involved?
I wrote this piece today because I want to now confess publicly one of my newly discovered missions in life: to empower the Tamars of the world to change their lives and those of other women and children around them through education and the arts. It is surely a daunting mission but one that I am finally ready to accept.
But more on this later...
For more information about Tamar, you can reference 2 Samuel 13.