You remember Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, from last week. He was more thoughtful, more self-assured, and wiser. But he was also a good friend of Ahab, who was anxious to involve Jehoshaphat in his plot to take back Ramoth Gilead—a territory he had lost in battle to the king of Syria. Ahab didn’t want to go it alone, so he sought the support of his servants and those who had helped him in battle before.
Surely, it is the sacred teaching of our honored ancestor, Nana Fannie Lou Hamer, that “there are two things we all should care about: never to forget where we came from and always praise the bridges that carried us over.”
My record, my service, and my motivations remain clear and unwavering, driven by a lifelong commitment to public safety and justice.
Two kings were close friends. There was intermarriage between their young ones. Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went down to visit Ahab, the king of Israel. Their countries, Syria and Israel, had been at peace for three years.
I recently started watching a show called “High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America.” This led to a conversation with a friend, and we started by talking about the kind of food we grew up eating. Then, we shifted to baked goods and what types of cakes we enjoyed.
We are, we all know, living in difficult, dangerous and demanding times. And although we did not and cannot choose the times we live in, we can and must choose how we engage these times and act in these times; how we demand, define and pursue the good or support, serve and perpetrate evil, injustice and unfreedom in our lives and in the world.
Now that I got your attention and before you scared to death negros get all up in a panic, I’m not talking about every European American living in this country. I’m talking about those that we all know are vicious, vile and have a hatred and fear for other cultures, views, values and faith traditions that are outside of European standards and beliefs.
A Canaanite woman (the Syrophoenician) came out to meet Jesus. She was desperate, needing healing for her daughter. Her pain at the thought of losing her daughter was deeply profound. She paid respect to Jesus, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David.” Her daughter was possessed by a demon.
March marks the beginning of Black History Month II (Women Focus), called in other quarters Women’s History Month, but whatever is done or decided in the larger society or even the world, the question will always remain and be raised of how do we understand, assert and celebrate ourselves, speak our special cultural truth and make our own unique contribution to the forward flow of human history.
Southern California families are already struggling with high housing costs, rising utility bills, and inflation that stretches household budgets to their limits. Instead of offering relief, bureaucrats at the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) are quietly advancing policies that would make life even more costly for millions of Angelenos across the state, particularly in Latino and African American communities.
Across the country, we are witnessing a coordinated effort to erase the contributions of Black leaders, women, and other historically marginalized communities.
Over the years, I’ve recognized times when my desire to do something perfectly held me back from even trying to pursue a good idea. How many times have you felt paralyzed because you wondered whether you could do a good job—or even be perfect at it? Thinking you always have to be perfect can prevent you from reaching your true potential. Many of us never get out of the gate because we’re too afraid of failing, so we don’t even begin something we’ve been dreaming of for years.
Often, we think of healing only in the context of sickness—such as addiction, broken bones, surgery, mental anxiety, or domestic relationships. However, healing is not only related to illness. Any condition, whether physical or otherwise abnormal but curable, can provide an opportunity for healing.
In this Black History Month II: Women Focus, I reach back to retrieve and share a hallowed homage to my mother, our mother, righteous representative of the sacred history, expansive humanity and audacious hope of our people. It is a special message for both Mother’s Day and every day, first delivered at our Sunday Soul Session and dedicated to all our mothers, but especially to my mother, our mother, the mother I share with our brothers and sisters. Indeed, I especially think of her in these difficult, dangerous and demanding times, times of severe and sustained testing and of increased