longing for africa

It was about time for some soulfood: time for comfort food, a warm atmosphere, and good conversation. Dixie's was perfect. It was the eclectic collection of shared lives. And we needed it after spending time in all of these communities, especially the morning in Bronzeville.

Bronzeville is such a split community, like so many others. The line of rich and poor is so distinct and uncrossable. Some of these homes are mansions, owned by the rich and famous African Americans. The rest of these homes sit next to vacant lots or abandoned houses. Some of these people are still struggling to make it through the day. Others are deciding what exotic vacation sounds best for this year. It just seems funny that for people who are united in a struggle against the racism of everyday would not be willing to help each other out. It seems as if black people have the hardest racial fight in the world... But once they have made it, it seems like they assimilate to white privilege as well.

Not that this changes anything, but I am sick of white privilege. I am sick of division based on skin color. I am literally sick to think of the ways that we as people, are willing to perpetuate the poor examples of history, every single day. Enough.

'The indomitable spell of Africa lingers a lifetime" says the caption about the Africa Speaks exhibits in the DuSable Museum. I cannot agree more. After spending three weeks in Nairobi, Kenya a couple of years ago, I still think there is something that is intangibly beautiful about Africa. It is incomparable to anywhere else, and that is not just about the scenery.

At that same museum, I discovered another piece of my own ignorance: the beginning of Islam in America. In school, we never learned about any Muslims immigrating. Never. In fact, I think that I had just assumed that no one of Islamic faith came over until the late 1900s. I know, silly me. Thus it was so interesting to look at how a few people brought it with them, but also how it went unrecognized. That is, until people became more vocal about their opinions and rights... and the news started covering it. Regardless, something new to explore.

To follow my above rant, the museum just continued to say that we have never understood equal rights in an equal way. These African Americans are fellow citizens, but we did not think the deserved any rights. Yet, we had no problem with letting them die in our wars.


Who was this land made for after all?