An Afro-Latina experience in Cartagena, Colombia and flying Avianca in Business Class

My reflections are inspired by real stories, real incidents. We are a few days away from our Black History Month event, BLACK EVERY DAY!!

The name was inspired by reflecting on the year that was assigned and the month given, we as people of African descent, Black Peoples, cannot choose to ignore our blackness and the positive and negative incidents that come along.

I was going to write something after our event but then my sister shared this with me. My sister’s experience speaks to the theme of our event. We can do our best to go through the day without over thinking our every move and the reactions to our presence. Yet, moments like these come up and as you will see from my sister’s experience, in her own words, it shakes you to your core and you cannot help but feel the pain. I kept it raw because it speaks to the emotions of the moment. She began to write this immediately after the incident on the flight. A true Modestin moment, I am so proud of her!!!

An Afro-Latina experience in Cartagena, Colombia and flying Avianca in Business Class

I had been planning this trip for months. I was invited to attend the wedding of a dear colleague. I knew it would be a trip filled with dancing and relaxation. I had business class seating so I knew it would be a comfortable flight.

WHOA!!!!!! My trip from NYC to Bogota left at 1pm. For those of you that don’t know me, I’m very vain when it comes to my hair:) On the early morning trip, I wrapped my hair. Upon my arrival to Bogota, I revealed my long shoulder length un-relaxed hair. At this point, the flight attendant gave me the acceptance look.

Bogota was the first place I have visited, that upon arrival, I was addressed in Spanish without hesitation. I guess my natural blown out hair made me look Latina. The city of Cartagena was just wonderful. The people are very helpful and forthcoming. I stayed with some of my co-workers at a bed and breakfast called Hotel Casa La Fe. It was a very quaint hotel with a great staff. The two days of partying leading up to the weeding day were marvelous. It is important to mention that I was the only Afro-Latina attending all the events.

On Sunday, afternoon, I began my trip back home. I took a flight from Cartagena to Bogota. I had a seven hour layover in Bogota. My co-worker and I toured the city. It was a great seven hours. Finally time to board the plane home.

I was assigned seat 5J. I thought I was in the correct seat until the flight attendant came to inform me that I was in the wrong seat. The woman assigned to seat 5K, choose to not ask me to move seats; she went to get the flight attendant. The person in 5K could not wait for me to move to seat 5J. When I got up to move and trying to get my bag , the woman decided to throw her bag over to her assigned seat. I guess she wanted to make a point that that was her seat. She seemed very annoyed about me sitting next to her. She huffed and puffed when taking out the bed.


The flight attendant at this point was also being very racist. As we prepared for takeoff, the flight attendant proceeded to ask everyone for their coats, so she could hang them up. I waited for her to come to me. She never did. I had to ask her to hang my coat.

The next revealing incident was around drinks. I had an aisle seat. Why are you offering a drink to the person sitting in the window seat first? Is it protocol or is it another racist act?

Finally, the captain announced that we were arriving to NYC. The woman in 5K decided to get up and get her overhead luggage. The luggage sounded heavy. The flight attendant came to her aid. I moved my head because I felt that the luggage could fall. Nor the woman or the flight attendant seemed worried. She spent the entire flight huffing and puffing. We finally exit the plane. Yeah!!!!

You might be asking yourself, what did I say or do. I said nothing and did nothing. I knew that if a ruckus had occurred, it would have been the “Negritas” fault. It is bothersome to me that in 2012, White Latinos still live by an entitled mindset with slave mentality. I have the right to be in business class. I have the right to travel with comfort. They were empty seats, she could have moved. Instead, she decides to make this one of the most uncomfortable flight I have ever taken. This painful experience will also be a reminder that we can hope to move with ease but they are those who move with negative and hateful intentions.

Peace
Michele

Protecting Our Young Men of Color: In the Spirit of MLK

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that” Martin Luther King Jr.

Peace my Peoples. This is truly a moment of thinking out loud and releasing it on paper. I move in the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

I thought my next Reflection for 2012 would be light and uplifting. The fact that I am already writing one means we will have a very interactive year.

I find the timing of this reflection necessary as I think MLK Day should be about how far have we come and where are we going.

This incident has stayed with me and the only way I know to release it, is to share it with you.

On Tuesdays I am at the high school for our HER Project. I try to leave sooner than when all the youth are at the train station. We can all say it, it gets loud and at times there is a tone of disrespect.

A few years back there was a report that youth of color feel harassed and profiled by the Transit Police. I brought this issue to the girls and I found that all agreed with the report. They even acknowledged that sometimes they are not at their best and the exchange gets intense.

In knowing this, on Tuesday as I entered the station, I smiled as I saw a group of young men of color just having fun. They were laughing and their spirits seemed so light. They were “jiving” and making fun of one of their friends.

Immediately after seeing this joyful visual, I saw a Transit Police officer walk closer to them and yell, “Get down to the platform”. The young men began to move right away. I thought, Oh good, nothing is going to happen.

I then look around and the officer follows them to the platform. We all arrive at the platform at the same time and the young men keep talking and laughing. The officer then begins harassing them, “Yeah, I’m watching you. I’m waiting for you to make the wrong move.” I am saying to myself, this is not ok.

One of the young men turns around and makes eye contact with the officer. The officer then begins to embarrass him, “I’m going to pull you by your ponytail and drag you out on your tippy toes.”

Why is he doing this? Why is he trying to create a bad situation? I then make eye contact with the young man and say, “please turn around, mira hacia el frente, no lo mires.” He listens to me. I then move closer and ask that they all please turn around.

I then walk closer to the officer and say, “This is not necessary. Whatever they have done in the past, whatever you think they have done at all or deserve, they are not doing it in this moment. There is no need to harass them or embarrass them.”

He gives me the deadliest look. His partner who has been standing next to him all along says, “Let’s go before this gets ugly.” I am thinking it is already ugly, he crossed the line.

I know some of you are probably saying, “Yvette has gone crazy.” You are also saying, “Yvette does not know these boys to be defending them.” True, I don’t know their past but it still does not justify such a behavior and No, I am not going crazy. All I was thinking about was the lightness in the spirit of these young men. Witnessing that level of injustice, it was impossible for me to turn the other cheek.

I then get on the train and all the young men, about six of them, sit around me and go onto to share that this happens every day. They share that they don’t respond because they know they would get arrested.

Too many of our young men are incarcerated because of this kind of injustice. If we want them to grow, learn right from wrong, then we as adults cannot behave in the way the officer did. He was misusing his power at the risk of ruining the life of a young man. The sad part also is that I don’t think he knew how to stop himself.

We all get off at the same stop and one of them says to me, “Ms. Thanks for standing up for us.” My heart was heavy and my eyes filled up with tears. It was at that moment that I realized why I wasn’t afraid to say anything or to “protect them.” This could have been my nephews Christiaan and Nicholas having fun with their friends.

My peoples, as we move in the spirit of MLK, let us think about our young men of color who need our support, guidance, wisdom and love. Let us all be a part of the solution. We want to see them graduate from high school and attend college. We want to see them standing strong and speaking their truth.

They are our future and on Tuesday, this special group of beautiful young men made me believe, that their future will be bright.

“Faith is taking the first step when you don’t see the whole staircase." MLK

In the light of justice,
Yvette

Moving from Our Center, Our Rock: Hope in My "Peoples"

Since I began writing these Reflections I use the first one of the year to share a message from members of our family or I take the time and look back on what I wrote and pull areas that were highlighted by others.

This year I will move with voices that moved me to tears and filled my heart with love and hope.

I will begin by sharing why I chose this title and why I ask that this be our mantra for 2012, Hope in my Peoples.

I use the word my “Peoples” because it makes me think, Love. One of my friends always says, Is that your peoples? I love the sound of that! It makes me feel like we are all connected. So that is my new favorite word for the new year, my “People’s “. You are my “Peoples” wherever you are standing. It makes me feel grounded and tribal every time I say.

2011 was The Year of People of African descent. It was a year to celebrate, gain clarity, see movement and build unity. I saw this a few times but I cannot help but say, not enough. I feel we are closer but still not unified. We are still not “seeing” each other.

Many are rejected for speaking truth. Our community, our organizations, our “peoples” are still struggling to stay afloat. This economy has had a direct impact on all of our spaces.

As one of my mentors said, It is time for a “shift” What kind of shift” That is the question I move with into this New Year.

My “peoples”, how do we really take care of ourselves and our community during these challenging times? How do we honor all that we come from without fear?

I feel we can answer these questions together. I met so many wonderful people in 2011.They are the kind of “peoples” that I will stand close to and cherish for a long time.

I also enter 2012 feeling closer to those that are in my life and I will continue to honor the care and wisdom they share with me. Death, pain and struggle does that, it really lets you know who is there.

What have we learned this year or what do we know for sure? I learned that racism still exists. I saw more moments of racism, felt confusion amongst us and a lack of understanding that was painful to watch.

I found myself in many exchanges with friends who thought the visual representation of my Africanness was too much and it was, at times to them, a rejection of me being Panamanian.

If there is one thing I am entering this New Year knowing for sure is “Africa is in Panama.”! It’s in the history, the structure, the water, and the people.

Familia, every year is the year of People of African descent. We do not need to wait for the United Nations or the OAS to tell us. How do we move forward when every day we are reminded that being Black is a struggle.

One my answers came in a message from General Ishola Williams from NIgeria. After the sudden death of my hermana Sonia Pierre, I became concerned about the future of Women of African descent and our overall health and well being. I wrote a Reflection about Sonia as I felt it was important that those who knew her, share her.
The General, as I like to call him, sent me the most touching message that I then went on to read at the gathering celebrating her life.

He wrote, “The African Gods take back those who have completed their task assigned to them in this world so that those who know and worked with them continue where they left off. It is appropriate that those she left behind continue. However, how do these tragic events energize us or do they weaken us? Do they strengthen our solidarity and spirit? If they do then they did not die in vain like Marcus Garvey etc. Therefore, your blog has put forward more challenges. But where do we start? We can start from a group of Descendants who are proud to be known as “non-resident Africans” in our color, dress and hairstyle etc. Have respect for African religions; build a philosophical and pragmatic framework for solidarity amongst resident and non-resident Africans. To be energized for greater action is to honor Sonia. She has done much within her short life to be an ancestor.”

This message gives me hope and I hope that it does the same for you as you read it. I believe in our “peoples” if it comes with the depth and gentleness, of a voice like the General.

My other moving moment that I want to share with you in this New Year, is the words of a woman who in her presence, is a visual representation of why I love Black women. Ms. Phyllis, as I like to call her, is from Belize. We met through our work with the Red de Mujeres Afro. I have been blessed to spend quality time with her, visit her home and gain a friendship that will stand for a long time.

I saw Belize through her eyes, so I could only love Belize because of my friendship, my love and admiration for Ms. Phyllis. Whenever she writes me, I cry and reflect on her words for days. I am moved that she knows me so well and that she speaks directly to my heart.

After writing my reflection, An African Glow, she wrote me this message. “I am honored that you mentioned my name and comment in the article. Though I know many “Afro descendents” in Central America and South America, none of them really seem to embrace their “African Roots” as much as you do. You have been on a quest to learn, absorb all that you can about our people who brought so much on this journey and who are fighting not to lose those things. By doing so, and sharing with me, we have both grown. Thanks for allowing me to walk on this journey with you and I hope that we will reach our destination together.”

Those words can fill your heart with all the love and energy it needs to keep moving forward. I will carry them close as I move through 2012.

I would also like to leave you with a visual for the New Year. As a Community Services Trauma Responder we used the visual of dropping a rock in a puddle of water and the amount of circles it would form. That is how we explained the impact of any trauma on a family and a community. No matter how close you are to the rock, you can be impacted in some form.

For 2012, I would like to use that same visual. The rock will represent, love, respect, spirituality, truth and humility. As I drop this rock, I would like the meaning of this rock to reach you in Roxbury, Haiti, Santo Domingo, Panama, DC, and Nicaragua, Nigeria and Martinique. I would like it to land on all my “PEOPLES”.

If we can move with the understanding that the impact is felt everywhere, then we can move from the same center. This center, this rock, builds on the best that we have, it gathers light from the wisdom and knowledge of our ancestors and celebrates us as a unified community.

In moving from our center, we will build stronger relationships with each other, we will cherish each other and highlight the gifts we bring. Since I took a step on this road, every person I have met has taught me something.

I will close with the words from a New Year’s message sent to me by the General, “Remember that the beginning of tomorrow is today.”

I am a seeker full of hope. Today, I move from our Center, our Rock, with the faith and hope in my “PEOPLES”.

May you be well, May you be loved, May you be lifted in this New Year.

Happy New Year familia!!

Peace and blessings,
Yvette

This picture was taken at home in Panama during the filming of the documentary. I felt safe and protected in this beautiful landscape that is why I say with great certainty, Africa is in Panama.

Representing Life! Sonia Pierre

A woman’s Representation of Life is in her movement,her fire and her ability to gather the wisdom to continue moving forward.

Sonia was the representation of this woman,this warrior,this Queen. Today she was buried in her hometown of Lecheria were her fire for justice was lit at the age of 13.It is only fitting that those who knew her, loved her and admire her, share her life with you.

When I heard of my dear friend and colleague making her transition, I immediately began to think about the women I have met on this journey. It then came to me that these women, my sisters, have become my voice of wisdom, comfort, joy and strength.

We don’t have casual friendships. We have nursed each other back from illness, held each other in moments of grief, consoled each other through heartbreak and celebrated life’s accomplishments together.

We have become a family and the distance between us is not an obstacle.

This is why I can say, I have lost a dear friend. We have lost a true Guerrera!

Sonia began speaking of the injustice Haitians were facing in Santo Domingo at the age of 13 when she was first arrested. She believed in the humanity of her people, safety and justice for women and human rights of all.

She loved Santo Domingo. Although most who did not agree with her painted her as Anti-Dominican. If you ever sat with her you knew that was not her. That was not the way she moved.

Sonia made those who moved with self hatred think. She challenged those on both sides of the island of Hispaniola to speak truth and defend the rights of the people.

She was threatened constantly by government officials and ridiculed in the Dominican press for speaking up. They went as far as wanting to remove her Dominican citizenship. This week many of those continued their negative rant.

This is why I feel it important to write this Reflection about her Representation of Life. I refuse, we refuse and you should refuse, to sit back and have her name tainted and her death presented in such a negative way.

We should all be screaming, Where is the humanity?! Donde esta la humanidad?!
Sonia’s passing is about us familia! This woman, this Queen, is us. She knew no other way to live her life but to serve the greater good and to seek justice for her people, for all of us.

Today as her hermanas mourn her death with those who loved her, I scream out loud, te queremos mucho mi hermana, seguiremos usando tus palabras y hablando tu verdad!

I find comfort in knowing that she will be joining Ann Marie and they will be laughing and dancing and that their spirit will hold us and protect us as we continue speaking their truth.

Her legacy, her Representation of Life, her grace and strength, will light the fire in our footsteps. May the ancestors welcome her with a bright light to her new thrown.

Rest in peace querida Sonia.

In peace
Yvette