Statements like this always forget that we live in a country where “They” do everything they can to sabotage progress in our community.
Statements like this always forget WE have worked for our own and built our own communities, the difference between us and the Mexicans and any other group of people is, the white man doesn’t show up, kill as many as they can and burn shit to the ground. Every time, literally every single time we progressed toward economic stability, they destroyed it.
A man in this conversation asked me “so should we just not try?
Which brings me to another issue. WE DO TRY!! Black people that don’t know any better just talk like we don’t. Any example of a black person that lives below our standard as a community has a direct tie to white supremacy. I understand that every individual has to be accountable but with everything that has been set against us, I can understand that we have quite a few falling behind but the things that black people as a whole have accomplished are unrivaled and we have the most opposition.
Black people are amazing, period.
She is not wrong but she is not right either. Statements like this always forget that Mexicans can come to this country and work for anything because African people built it…for nothing.
My cousin is a passionateteacher and I love her. This poem wasn’t supposed to be a poem but I wrote it for her.
Lately I’ve been trying to do my —always half assed, version of a podcast and I wanted to speak on the Steelers/Brownscontroversy but it’s late, I’m at my brother’s house, and I didn’t want to make too much noise recording so I decided to take notes on it so I could do it tomorrow.
It’s a race thing, —go figure and if you paid any attention to me before this post, then you should know I have a passion for the subject of Pan-Afrikanism.
When I go into my “tirade of a new slave”, I always try to consider my white friends. Not because I care about their feelings, but because my genuine affection for the white people I have allowed into my life is the Yin to my Yang, when it comes to how unbearably furious I am about how black people are treated in this world.
Anyway, I considered one friend in particular because of all my friends, white or otherwise, we seem to be the furthest apart on the subject of race.
I imagined for a moment talking about him, trying to explain him to people and then —in a moment of ADD, I began to imagine explaining why I referred to him as a professional fighter when speaking about him…keep in mind, I’m talking to myself.
And the answer to why I would refer to him as a professional, when as far as I know he is not or even wants to be, is simple.
He is my friend, I love him, I know him, so I have seen how dedicated he is to Mixed Martial Arts and as far as I’m concerned that earns him the respect of a professional.
When considering that thought further, I thought of my cousin.
She posted something recently that spoke of admiration from a very profound perspective, and it inspired me to share my thoughts. My one thought was how I deeply admired her…and I told her so.
She is arguably the most dedicated person I think I have ever seen. Better than that, she is a teacher and there couldn’t be a more noble place to house passionate dedication.
Then I thought to do a podcast episode on my cousin, talking about her and the importance of good teachers. However, it’s still late, I’m still at my brother’s house and I still don’t want to make too much noise.
So I began writing notes on that possible episode of my podcast. The first bullet point I wrote down read, “She is trying to tell the story of all the stories she has heard”.
Thing is…I hate writing notes. Ever since grade school. I didn’t do it then, I don’t do it now, not even for my podcast. —which you will hear me say many times during my actual podcast.
Which brings me to my point as I try to explain the genesis of this poem. After writing that first line, I said to myself “I don’t feel like writing anymore notes…fuck it, this is going to be a poem”. And a short one at that because I haven’t wrote a poem that wasn’t a rap lyric in a long time, and I didn’t feel like doing that either…and so, the five or so sentences below.
Denzel Washington has been nominated for an award a staggering 96 times, so far.
His win percentage is well over .300 as he has taken home an impressive 39 awards. Including 2 Academy Awards, 3 Golden Globes, 1 SAG Award, and 1 Tony Award. Also well known for his Stage & Television resume, he has done over 47 Films. Below are some of my personal favorites.
Washington is a devoutChristian, and has considered becoming a preacher. He stated in 1999, “A part of me still says, ‘Maybe, Denzel, you’re supposed to preach. Maybe you’re still compromising.’ I’ve had an opportunity to play great men and, through their words, to preach. I take what talent I’ve been given seriously, and I want to use it for good.” In 1995, he donatedUS$2.5millionto help build the new West AngelesChurch of God in Christfacility inLos Angeles. Washington says he reads theBibledaily.
Washington has served as the national spokesperson forBoys & Girls Clubs of Americasince 199 and has appeared in public service announcements and awareness campaigns for the organization. In addition, he has served as a board member for Boys & Girls Clubs of America since 1995. Due to his philanthropic work with the Boys & Girls Club, PS 17X, aNew York City Elementary Schooldecided to officially name their school after Washington.
In mid-2004, Washington visitedBrooke Army Medical Center(BAMC) atFort Sam Houston, where he participated in aPurple Heartceremony, presenting medals to three Army soldiers recovering from wounds they received while stationed in Iraq. He also visited the fort’sFisher Housefacilities, and after learning that it had exceeded its capacity, made a substantial donation to theFisher House Foundation. Washington’s other charitable contributions includeUS$1milliontoNelson Mandela’s Children’s Fundin 1995[56]andUS$1milliontoWiley Collegeto resuscitate the college’s debate team.
On May 18, 1991, Washington was awarded an honorary doctorate from hisalma mater,Fordham University, for having “impressively succeeded in exploring the edge of his multifaceted talent”. In 2011, he donated $2 million to Fordham for an endowed chair of the theater department, as well asUS$250,000to establish a theater-specific scholarship at the school. He also received an honorary Doctorate of Humanities fromMorehouse Collegeon May 20, 2007, and an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania on May 16, 2011.
The short answer is: Joseph J Washington aka JSP Tha Dragon (Born 7 February 1986) is an American Composer, Writer, And Visual Artist. He was born in San Diego, California But now has been based in Arizona since 2011…
…But, I’m afraid it is a bit more complicated than that.
Most people, from the outside looking in would say that I was born with nothing. I would say, being born without means is not exactly the same as being born with nothing. It’s true I was born without a Father, it is also true that i was born into poverty. However, as I see it, I was BORN. I was given the gift of life. My mind was without defect and my limbs were without impairment. I was born to an extraordinary women. I was born with many gifts and the courage to cultivate and use those gifts. As i see it, I have been more fortunate than quite a few.
I was conceived by Belinda Ann Davis (R.I.P. 08/04/18) and Joseph Benjamin Washington II. I was born Joseph Jordan Washington, in San Diego, California. My dad left before I was born, so growing up it was just me, my mom, and my older sister. My grandparents Howard and Lorraine Davis had 8 children including my mother, 5 boys and 3 girls. Their children gave birth to many children, which provided me with many cousins and therefore a huge family.
For a time my mother gave me to my father’s mother, Ruth (R.I.P.) because she couldn’t afford to take care of me. I was maybe 4 years old, and the short time I spent living with her was the best time of my life. I fell in love with film while I was living with her, as she had an extensive movie collection, numbered and color coded, and organized beautifully. We watched movies like “Crybaby” Starring Johnny Depp and “Pretty Woman” which ignited my boyhood crush on Julia Roberts, and of course the movie of all movies, at least for my era, “Dirty Dancing” starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Gray.
My mother eventually came back for me and from that point on, life…was a nightmare. We lived in poverty for the most part, me and my mother were even homeless for a time. Resources were paper thin and being that my sister was a problem child, there was an inequity in distribution of those resources in her favor and at my expense. I never complained, I never cried, or even questioned why, like with most things I just took it in stride. At 8 years old I became aware I was the man of the house, when my mother came home from work to find my sister had ran away, yet again. She collapsed in the kitchen, having some version of a nervous breakdown and i was the only one there, unfairly left with the huge responsibility of comforting her. From that point on, I knew it was up to me to tip the scale back toward the other direction in an effort give my mother the support she needed to maintain some sense of balance through such turbulent times.
When I was 10 years old, my mother inexplicably locked me in her 1992 Honda Prelude and forced me to listen to Jay-Z’s 1996 debut “Reasonable Doubt” from beginning to end. When I got out of that car, while still shocked and confused, I had fallen in love with hip hop and knew that when I grew up, I wanted to be an emcee (Master Of Ceremony). Before I could even begin to build my foundation as an artist, my sister started rapping, seemingly out of nowhere. My sisters evolution helped me grow rapidly as an artist and emcee, as I wasn’t going to let a girl who was already an amazing vocal talent also be the best rapper in the family.
When I was 13 years old, I really came into my own as a lyricist. I was writing verses like there was no tomorrow and they were good verses too. I never went through a phase of writing bad material, unusable for one reason or another but never bad. I quickly realized that due to copyright law, I could not use all of the awesome music I had stole from other artist and their popular songs so I stopped writing. Since I couldn’t afford to buy music production and I couldn’t use music registered under copyright, my dream was crushed, right?…WRONG!
At this time I was going through what many call “Writers Block”. I couldn’t write a thing for months. So I downloaded the demo version of FL Studio and decided to try and see if I could figure this music production thing out. At least that way when I start writing again I might have some music of my very own to record over. Needless to say, I was a natural…I took to making digital music like a fish to water. Before I knew it I had at least fifty compositions that I was sure were original, which time proved to be true.
I also couldn’t afford to buy artwork so, again I tested myself to see if i could figure it out and sure enough i did. I never went to school, or had a mentor, or anyone to encourage me. I am 100% self educated and the very definition of “self made”. I started on this journey when i was 13 years old and i haven’t missed a day since. My goal in life is to live outside of conformity, by any means. I just simply disagree with the way things are done and i have chosen to go another way. I have made countless sacrifices to do what i want in life…to do what i love but, so far it was worth it. I wouldn’t change a thing.
So…My name is Joseph J Washington and I am a Composer, a Writer, a Songwriter, an Audio Engineer, and a Visual Artist. This is my website, where I hope to share my passion…with YOU.
