To whom it may concern,
It is crazy that some days you wake up and remember the old days and what life used to be like. The Saturday morning soccer games with Mrs. Siberz driving us around Des Moines so the Johnston Ambush could clown on the soccer pitches of Iowa. Even before high school as a student you would attend the friday night football games. I remember leaving JMS and heading back to the house to get ready for the night and hopefully seeing some girls that had caught my eye during the week. I remember having to be in the 6th grade reject choir because Jordan Huewe would not stop talking to me, that dude right there taught me how to clown! The one thing I remember the most is my "First Kiss". I just remember it was the beginning of the partying era of our life. We would head off to Eric White's house for a party or head out to Nora Kirkpatrick's house for late night "dance party" on that fresh dance floor. But anyway back to Nora, I was totally digging this girl and my homeboy David Hefner used to date her. I always thought she was hands down the freshest girl in the 2003 class. It was Saturday night and Nora had a party and this was during the beginning days of instant messaging so I logged on to AOL 1.5 or whatever it was and hit my homeboys up to see if they where going and of course they where. So my mom of course drives me out to her house promptly at 7:30pm and reminds me to be responsible as she still does today as I leave the house. I am at the party dancing or what I thought was dancing and of course Nora is there and of course there was chatter in the halls at school that we liked each other so I am nervous as hell and we had talked on the phone but it was different hanging out in person with no parents! Anyway the night goes on and my homeboys are like you are going to have to kiss her and I am like I understand that but don't know how to do that. So the girls at the party where apparently saying the same thing to Nora and that meant only one thing, it had to be done. I believe we went to a closet or something similar and were sitting there embarrassed as hell but we knew we had to kiss there was to much invested by our friends in organizing it. The next thing I remember is that the lights went off and I leaned forward and she did the same and it was over, my "First Kiss".
I have met some incredible people in my life and I have to say my "Johnston click " was the definition of friendship. Thanks for the "going away party"
One more thing,
I love you Fergie
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
20/20: "What happend to the Black Community"
To whom it may concern,
"we are facing a crisis", "where do I go from here", "how do I rebound", "who can impact my life positively", "Who is at fault", "How do we grow"....
All of these questions deserve an answer for the black community in Milwaukee but the answers still remain a mystery. Who is going to educate the black community? The answer can be found in the households of the community. As we grow and mature as individuals we often find ourselves looking for the answers to our own questions within. In American suburbs you will find that family no matter what the circumstances typically stay together to continue the perception that all is well and issues can be worked through. It does not matter where you fall in the "Economic Food Chain" or what I like to call the EFC, you still deal with issues that determine which way your life can go and for some of us we make decisions using simple logic while others simply confuse decisions because they have thought to much about the situation that is. In black America you will find that family remains strong no matter what the situation is but it is the lack of support for politics, economic advancement, education, and just black people that remains an issue. I can not begin to understand the struggle and what people go through when they find themselves in situations where the outlook is gray at best but I have and continue to work in areas of Milwaukee where the kids in the community have not been afforded the opportunity to succeed. We have government institutions who feel that the only way to combat the situation is to close schools in these areas. Does this bring about change? Indirectly it does but at the same time it continues to act as a catalyst for "urban medicority" and by that I mean it allows for the people of the community to resort to just settling for the bare minimum in terms of education, economic advancement, and political participation. Indirectly it brings about change because in the long run people in the community who are about change will not allow for this to be a perpetual problem. When will this occur? I can not answer that question but as we have seen in the past it takes a collaboration on the part of politicians, business men and women, community scholars and the people of the community.
Today, I saw first hand where the black community in Milwaukee stands. I was out on my daily cruise and noticed that the Eastside of Milwaukee was being swarmed by children in Halloween costumes. The kids where out with their parents doing their yearly bidding for candy. I noticed that the parents and children where from the "north" side of Milwaukee. For all who have not been in Milwaukee County should know the Eastside is an affluent area and the north side is the working class part of town or the "inner city". These black families may realize their situation and have found that the only option for their children to trick or treat is to head into unfamiliar territory. As an educated black man in Milwaukee, I see this as a problem because it is saying that the black community is not safe enough or organized enough to have a community trick or treating. SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE.
One life, one love, and always pass left
"we are facing a crisis", "where do I go from here", "how do I rebound", "who can impact my life positively", "Who is at fault", "How do we grow"....
All of these questions deserve an answer for the black community in Milwaukee but the answers still remain a mystery. Who is going to educate the black community? The answer can be found in the households of the community. As we grow and mature as individuals we often find ourselves looking for the answers to our own questions within. In American suburbs you will find that family no matter what the circumstances typically stay together to continue the perception that all is well and issues can be worked through. It does not matter where you fall in the "Economic Food Chain" or what I like to call the EFC, you still deal with issues that determine which way your life can go and for some of us we make decisions using simple logic while others simply confuse decisions because they have thought to much about the situation that is. In black America you will find that family remains strong no matter what the situation is but it is the lack of support for politics, economic advancement, education, and just black people that remains an issue. I can not begin to understand the struggle and what people go through when they find themselves in situations where the outlook is gray at best but I have and continue to work in areas of Milwaukee where the kids in the community have not been afforded the opportunity to succeed. We have government institutions who feel that the only way to combat the situation is to close schools in these areas. Does this bring about change? Indirectly it does but at the same time it continues to act as a catalyst for "urban medicority" and by that I mean it allows for the people of the community to resort to just settling for the bare minimum in terms of education, economic advancement, and political participation. Indirectly it brings about change because in the long run people in the community who are about change will not allow for this to be a perpetual problem. When will this occur? I can not answer that question but as we have seen in the past it takes a collaboration on the part of politicians, business men and women, community scholars and the people of the community.
Today, I saw first hand where the black community in Milwaukee stands. I was out on my daily cruise and noticed that the Eastside of Milwaukee was being swarmed by children in Halloween costumes. The kids where out with their parents doing their yearly bidding for candy. I noticed that the parents and children where from the "north" side of Milwaukee. For all who have not been in Milwaukee County should know the Eastside is an affluent area and the north side is the working class part of town or the "inner city". These black families may realize their situation and have found that the only option for their children to trick or treat is to head into unfamiliar territory. As an educated black man in Milwaukee, I see this as a problem because it is saying that the black community is not safe enough or organized enough to have a community trick or treating. SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE.
One life, one love, and always pass left
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Action Jackson
To whom it may concern,
As we grow older life becomes all the more important and we begin to understand our role in life. The trials and tribulations that everyone goes through is only necessary. In life we go through things that often define us as individuals, we begin to experience this phenomona in middle school where the first real social interaction begins. School is the backbone of social interaction but also the catalyst that may positvely or negatively impact the life of a person. I remember the end of summer when the school would send out your class schedule and at least in my circle aka my "Johnston Middle School peeps" we would call each other to see who are homeroom teachers where or whatever defined the makeup of the class. I remember saying, "I hope there are some cute girls in class" and I for sure made sure that I had a Home Ecnomics class. I have to stop reminicing now but the point is that we found out potentially where we stood in our own educational society. For some there was going to the football games on Friday nights and for others it was being in band or chorus (i was kicked out of chorus in sixth grade) but too each his own. I remember going through awkward stages in my life, when i was living in Alabama it was just complete "culture shock" coming from the cornfields of Iowa. It was especially hard because would always try to challenge my blackness but I never let it get me down but it made a better and stronger person and I know that i am not the only one who had an experience like that but it made me think about what other people may be going through. We all need to experience struggle in order to progress but the problem is that we all have a moment in our life where we reach our peak but I call it our "Zenith" and for some it happens early and for others later in life but the thing is that I found that you can always be at your best but to varying degrees and in diferent aspects of life. It's as simple as doing the right thing in every decision you make and you may not do the right thing in every moment but at least be aware of your actions. "One Life, One Love, and Always Pass Left"
As we grow older life becomes all the more important and we begin to understand our role in life. The trials and tribulations that everyone goes through is only necessary. In life we go through things that often define us as individuals, we begin to experience this phenomona in middle school where the first real social interaction begins. School is the backbone of social interaction but also the catalyst that may positvely or negatively impact the life of a person. I remember the end of summer when the school would send out your class schedule and at least in my circle aka my "Johnston Middle School peeps" we would call each other to see who are homeroom teachers where or whatever defined the makeup of the class. I remember saying, "I hope there are some cute girls in class" and I for sure made sure that I had a Home Ecnomics class. I have to stop reminicing now but the point is that we found out potentially where we stood in our own educational society. For some there was going to the football games on Friday nights and for others it was being in band or chorus (i was kicked out of chorus in sixth grade) but too each his own. I remember going through awkward stages in my life, when i was living in Alabama it was just complete "culture shock" coming from the cornfields of Iowa. It was especially hard because would always try to challenge my blackness but I never let it get me down but it made a better and stronger person and I know that i am not the only one who had an experience like that but it made me think about what other people may be going through. We all need to experience struggle in order to progress but the problem is that we all have a moment in our life where we reach our peak but I call it our "Zenith" and for some it happens early and for others later in life but the thing is that I found that you can always be at your best but to varying degrees and in diferent aspects of life. It's as simple as doing the right thing in every decision you make and you may not do the right thing in every moment but at least be aware of your actions. "One Life, One Love, and Always Pass Left"
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