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November 29, 2014

Today's Inspiration: "Race Ya" by Katherine Fritz

Directly from her website: Katherine is a woman in her twenties who lives in Philadelphia. She has a blog about that.

Her latest blog post: "Race Ya" has sparked smiles in a sea of frowns! Read an excerpt below then take some time to explore more. Trust us, it's worth it!

"I am a white person.
I am occasionally a little bit clueless.
I am sometimes a bit racist.

Okay, now, hold on, everybody! I’m not, like, proud of that statement. The only people who are proud of that statement … I actually don’t know anyone who is proud of that statement. White supremacists? Hitler youth? No one wants to be racist. That’s why people begin statements that are usually super racist with the phrase “I don’t want to sound racist, but…” 

(Tip: If you start a sentence that way, you are almost always going to say something incredibly racist).

I don’t want to be racist. No one actually wants to be a racist.

But I have been known to say or do clueless, ignorant, or hurtful things before, because of a subconscious prejudice against people who don’t look like me.

Do I enjoy the experience of owning up to that fact? Hell, no. It feels fucking terrible to admit that.

But I know it to be true. I have unpacked some of my past shitty behaviors and understood them for what they are. And I’m afraid — no, I mean it, actually afraid — that as educated as I am, as hard as I try to change this about myself, some of that subliminal bias is just never going to be completely erased..." Click HERE to read more!!

Today's Thought's: Whoopi Goldberg Talks on The Price of Being Yourself

Today's Thoughts: Vanessa Williams Talks About "Awakened Sexuality"

Today's Thoughts: Jada Pinkett-Smith Answers Some Questions on Love & Friendship

November 21, 2014

Today's Thoughts: the Unwritten Rules, episode 27

A subscriber submission!!!! 

Letters/Notes: from Bianca Singleton


Dearest Bianca,

Do you remember in Mr. Fishweicher's class where he had the whole class write a letter to themselves that he would mail at a later date? Well, this is just like that only a. better and b. you'll actually receive it. I mean really Mr. Fishweicher totally never mailed that letter. What a bummer because that may have been pleasant. Any who, right now you're smack dab in the middle of operation get it together so that you can get out of Brooklyn, WOOT! and you're doing pretty well. How do I know? Because I am a Cyborg sent from the future to tell you all of this, I'm like Neo from the Matrix, time doesn't exist, you took the red pill kiddo. Ok, ok, ok I'm joking, obviously, but wouldn't that be awesome?!?!? I think it would be awesome, I'm sure you think it would be awesome. 
Now on to serious business, in 12 years you will be writing this letter to yourself. Right now everything seems overwhelming and like it will never get easier, but know that your situation will change, your perspective will change, and you will change. With hindsight being 20/20 there are a lot of decisions that you have yet to make that may in fact cause more harm than good. And while I am not a person of regret, and obviously you aren't either, I've compiled a list of things that you should know.
Hopefully you will make many of the same decisions because where you end up in life is pretty awesome, but I hope the following points will help you reach the same destination easier and more fulfilled.  Here it goes:  1. Do not engage in the foolery of this summer. Yes you will be tempted to prove your "courage" and you will even feel provoked, but "hood cred" will be worth absolutely nothing in a few years.  2. Your next boyfriend is a dud. You will know this in your heart from the beginning but you will try to convince yourself that entering this relationship will not hurt anyone, you're wrong.  It will hurt more people than you could even imagine and the lasting effects will be great. He's not worth it, trust me!  3. Appreciate your real friendships starting today. Pay attention! The people that are in your life right now, will be gone soon. Those that will enter in the next year, the ones who really are a part of your everyday life, are the ones that will be there 10+ years from now. Treasure them. You will lose people that are not right for you, and that is ok. Follow your instincts. Accept it and move on, no guilt, no regrets, because you will never understand the actions of these people.  4. Forgive. It is completely ok to not forget what has happened, but you will become a prisoner to the resentment that lives in your heart if you don't forgive. People can and will change, and it will be because you showed them the way with your own forgiveness. Yes, forgive her, him, and him too.  5. Spend time with your family especially your little siblings. They will not be small forever, and these years are crucial for them. You can help them avoid a lot of hardship and mistakes.  6. Join as many clubs as you can stand, and follow as many passions as you can think up. You have real passion and vision right now, and you will be intimidated and/or talked out of a lot of things in the next few years due to fear.  Don't be afraid! Dare to be great! You will go to College and do all of the "right" things, but don't let anyone but you dictate your path.  7. Think long and hard about what makes you happy. Study abroad, learn 5 languages, write, paint, explore, stay on top of those academic advisors though, because no one has the time to play with Temple for more than 4 years. You will not become a forensic Anthropologist because the money is not going to work for you, so save yourself some trouble, major in computer science or engineering, or move to an island and get your Bohemian on. But not for long because again your life will be pretty darn fantastic a few years after College graduation.  8. Over the next few years, the world will become a very strange place, but remember the following: Facebook- a social media site that will take over the Universe that allows everyone to stay connected. Next year Go to Harvard, find Mark Zuckerberg and be awesome!  YouTube- a site that will be the go to resource for songs, music videos, and random video content that will cause you to literally waste 18 million hours of your life, but you'll totally be ok with it.  Instagram- facebook but with pictures and memes of ridiculous things.  Snapchat- Instagram on speed, 15 seconds and then self destruction... I think. I'm not really sure how it works. Twitter- facebook with a 140 character limit, you will think it's lame, but it is worth it. Oovoo and Skype- both enable you to video chat. Yes you read that right, you can see the person you are talking to, no more calls from the toilet... but then again..., ok never mind. Apple- you don't need to know anything else but iPhone, Linkedin=facebook for corporate/working folk, pick 1 or all of them and either come up with it first *cough* Instagram *cough*, or be an investor and you shan't be disappointed. 9. You will attend Temple University, TU, and have some of the best times of your life, immerse yourself in the college experience and enjoy. You will have the rest of your life to be responsible and work and pay bills, but you will regret all of the memories you never got to have because you were busy being an adult long before you had to. 10. When all else fails, listen to your instincts. Whenever you get a feeling in your stomach and chest, do not ignore it no matter how ridiculous you may think you are being.
Follow your intuition, it will not mislead you. 
You are more awesome and amazing than even you know, and you will do amazing things. Make a difference, follow my advice, and help make me rich, financially that is, because you are already and will continue to be extremely rich in even more important ways.  Love always.

Over and Out!

Learn more about Bianca HERE!

Today's Thoughts: "Everything I Did Wrong In My 20s" Episode 2

November 4, 2014

Events/Performances: One Evening At St. Lucia


About "One Evening At St. Lucia": The mission of Luke Allen Productions is to create grassroots theater that brings awareness to the community about issues that are representative of the disenfranchised. "One Evening at St. Lucia’s" was written, to give voice to women who suffer addictions and for those women who sometimes find themselves in circumstances that are often beyond their control, only because they wanted to be loved or wanted to give their love to someone. It is a story about finding one’s truth and acceptance of oneself. It also offers meaning to the work of those who dedicate their lives to working with those who are in addictions.

Click HERE to listen to the cast on PR Radio Station's #1 program Queer 2 The T!

Click HERE to learn more about the playwright Luke Allen!