As football season rolls in, I’m reminded of how strongly people felt, on both sides, when some NFL players took a knee during the national anthem. I remember the feelings and opinions being so intense that it ruined friendships, dominated social media and gave the impression that these highly paid athletes, mostly Black men, were unpatriotic.
I have a different view of that.
There’s more than what meets the eyes regarding Black hair. It’s an expression, it’s pride, and it’s a showing of our culture. Most of us aren’t born with the silky texture that blows in the wind like those shampoo commercials on television. What we have, we wear with pride; through it, we display the heritage and roots we were born with.
I once lived at a place in Rhode Island that seemed to be overrun by possums and rodents. A friend brought in a cat named “Smokey,” a grayish British shorthair. Smokey had one eye missing and plenty of battle scars from his time on the street. No one knew the origin of Smokey’s missing eye, but I’d like to think that it was gangsta enough, and heartbreaking enough, to make Smokey my type of cat.
One of the few qualities that the thinking man (or woman) should pick up from incarceration is the ability to navigate around different personalities. Think about it, a lot of us are in cell blocks, dormitories, and/or housing units that house anywhere from 50 to 100 people. Those are 50 to 100 people that you have to engage with, sidestep, and learn to deal with. It’s a quality that comes over time, and sometimes I feel as if I could have a career in sociology or mental health.
I’m near my one-year anniversary of being released from federal prison. At times, I’ve been extremely frustrated…it hasn’t been an easy road. I used to sit back and daydream about this freedom, and how I would capitalize on it. The obstacles that I envisioned are real, but I’ve realized that rebuilding my life isn’t an overnight task.
We have the highest incarceration rate in the world, so just by sheer statistics, there’s a great chance that you know someone who’s incarcerated. Outside of the greatly appreciated phone calls and commissary, what can you suggest to them that will give them the greatest chances of success upon release?
