Escape through rhythms in search of peace and wisdom

Somedays I take the L to gel with the real world
Got on at 87th, stopped by this little girl
She recited raps, I forgot where they was from
In 'em, she was saying how she made brothers cum
I start thinking, how many souls hip-hop has affected
How many dead folks this art resurrected
How many nations this culture connected
Who am I to judge one's perspective?

So I was sitting up in Uphams House of Pizza tonight building with some peoples brainstorming some alternative youth engagement initiatives. I was more of the outsider looking in because they were the ones with all the years of knowledge and experience. But it's definitely been a learning process recently.

So anyways, there were these two girls sitting up front. Both of them had young children in strollers. I noticed them when they came in but didn't really pay to much attention. They had orderde food and were waiting for their order while they talked & chirped to each other and to whoever was on the other end of the cell phone as the kids just kinda chilled out.

But I swear it was like slow motion when two more young sisters walked in and joined them, both pushing their own blue stroller. And in an instant, I said WTF to myself in a muffled wiff of both bewilderment and disbelief. This can't be life. It was as though I were watching a competition amongst them. I gave a look to the crew and someone else remarked that it was an eerie scene as though they were all guys and the strollers were their tricked-out whips. All four of them, eating pizza at the sub shop, chirping mad loud on their cells, while the kids all were sitting in the strollers with outstretched arms hoping they'd get lifted up.

Now I don't bring this up to bash the young ladies, but I am confident that none of them was more than 20 years of age. Do you. I recently earned a newfound respect for the art of not bashing or talking about anyone with malice. A brother who I think is a local hero dropped that gem on me a few weeks ago and it's been marinating in my mind ever since. But on the reals, it's bigger than youth violence. It's bigger than hip-hop. The problems thata ll communities face, not just the Black, Latino, West Indian, and Cape Verdeans one is a very real deal matter that is a mixture of all of the former melting pot that is the land of the free and home of the brave. But too many of those with the most potential are seemingly reluctant or afraid to attain their freedom - mentally, physically, and spiritually. So like I told this week's students; Start Dreaming.