Happy Father's Day to all the father's, especially my sweet husband (we love you)
We have made it to year (2) with our "freedom day" as an official holiday (yay us)! A for effort, BUT it's really unfortunate how people are still trying to profit off of us. If you haven't heard, my (2nd favorite store) tried it! They came up with the off brand version of some ice cream with a few brown fist with the kente cloth background. Uh, nope! We ain't ask for no dayum ice cream. We just want equality and to stop treating us like the help (still). We are dope af and (in my opinion) I think that scares them. What do people do when they are scared, ANYTHING necessary to make the threat less threatening. Anywho...I am off my soapbox about that.
Last weekend was (busy) but amazing. It was my grandmother's 78th birthday and my aunt, uncle and a few of my grandmother's friends decided to plan a surprise party for her. It was a quick (long) turn around 14 hour roundtrip drive, but the look on her face was priceless. I saw family I have not seen in 15+ years (literally). I was able to enjoy spending time with family people without it being a tragedy (funeral). It felt like old (but good) times.
While I was back home, I noticed how much things have changed. If you are from Augusta, or have been there between the years of 1990-2000, you would agree with me, where da hell did all the black people go?! I mean, back in my college days, I count the amount of wypipo on one hand (maybe 2). Chile, we were downtown, broad street at that, and it was like little 5 points or midtown (bout are gentrified areas in Atlanta BY THE WAY). I have never seen so out of place. Buildings that used to be there, are now parking lots. I hardly recognized my "hometown". Even places where it's supposed to be hood, felt too safe. I was not a fan. Speaking to a friend who lives there, he said, they put extra police presence in the areas they was to "keep safe" a.k.a keep us away. I thought he was being dramatic, but he wasn't. We witnessed, 3 black boys at a gas pump, minding their business, and the police officer in front of us in traffic, turn into the gas station, sat and watched these boys. I was pissed and fearful at the same time. Is this really necessary to make "them" feel safe? I read an article where they listed "Augusta" as one of the best places to retire, but the cities they listed weren't Augusta (Grovetown, Evans and Harlem are the whitest places in Augusta). So I am guess their solution to people not wanting to live in Augusta, they gentrify it, white washing and replacing history with...something unfamiliar. I don't like it, but that's "they" way.
Until next week, I am celebrating being BLACK all month long,
✌🏽
