Ujamaa- Cooperative Economics

You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don't make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can't take their eyes off you.

- Maya Angelou

Cooperative economics is to build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses, and to profit from them collectively.

We as a community should pride ourselves in building wealth that will benefit the greater good.

As a community, we should invest in a solid foundation of education, healthcare, and agriculture.

With our investments in these areas, hopefully we will be able to build job security, quality over quantity, reassurance in the abilities of our people, and overall restore our faith in each and ourselves.

Ujima- Collective Work & Responsibility

Responsibility is the price for greatness.

-Winston Churchill

Collective work and responsibility, the power of many helps to build and maintain our community! We are responsible and accountable for not only our own individual actions but as a whole community, for we are a collective unit.

We take our neighbor's problems and make them our problems, in order to reach a positive solution.

In an era that prides itself on individuality, we have forgotten that unity builds a community and that that same unity is the very foundation in which our families, churches, and nations are formed upon.

On this night we are responsible for committing ourselves and holding each other accountable for striving towards a stronger community and race equipped to handle an ever-changing society.

A Touching Story

Unconditional love is hard to find nowadays but its out there. Summer 2008 Padma Soundararajan lost her mother, father, and her two teenage sisters to a head-on car accident in India during a family visit. Padma now 30 placed her life on hold to care for her two brothers, one with autism and the other one who has serve cerebral palsy. Rather than to abandon her brothers and leave them in the care of others, Padma has taken on being the second mother. Although it is not easy, with the help of friends and neighbors, coupled with a strong love for family; The Soundararajans are living and thriving well in southern Maryland. Read the this touching story by following the link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/26/AR2009122601742.html?hpid=dynamiclead

Kujichagulia- Self-Determination

See first that the design is wise and just; that ascertained, purse it resolutely.

- William Shakespeare

Self-determination means to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves.

We are accountable for speaking over our own reality, for uplifting our spirit to achieve!

God gave us a name, it is up to us to define what that name will mean in this world.

It is our duty to make known unto ourselves, our niche, in our family, community, and race.

Today we need reflect on our defining mark in this world and plan accordingly for the upcoming year.

How are we perceived? How do we want to be perceived?

What will we do to create the image we envision for ourselves and our children?

Man of the Week

This dark-chocolate man of the week is Atlanta Falcons Fullback Ovie Mughelli

Umoja- Unity

The Strongest bond of human Sympathy outside the family relation, should be one uniting working people of all nations, tongues, and kindreds.

-Abraham Lincoln

We should strive for and maintain unity within our family, community, nation, and race.

On this night we celebrate the commitments that we have made to those that will not only strengthen them, but more importantly, our own individual selves.

Tonight, we should renew our commitment to build a stronger people and a stronger nation! This year especially we have forgot that we cannot do everything by ourselves! Divided we achieve nothing and in the end all we do is hurt ourselves.

Tonight let us reflect on the unity which moved our ancestors from the valleys of despair to the mountain tops of glory.

Let us remember the power that we have together as one to slay the giants of poverty, homelessness, HIV/AIDS, abuse, molestation, rape, despair, poor education, and prejudice.

Let bind in unity to achieve!

Hat off to the Queens

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

to the Queen of Comedy Mo'Nique and rising star Gabourey Sidibe

for their Golden Globe Nominations

Life is hard. Life is short. Life is painful. Life is rich. Life is....Precious

The Power of One

" For a long time, we had officials who just posed all day, and I was determined to get things done." - David A. Catania

Tuesday December 15, 2009 marked a huge landmark for not only the GLBT community but for David Catania as well. The DC Council with a 11-2 to vote passed the same-sex marriage bill which will allow hundreds of couples to enjoy the same rights as their heterosexual counterparts. This victory comes as a surprise in a city where conservatism still reigns over the hundreds of political pawns in the Chocolate city. However a person who should be proud of their hard-work and effort is David Catania. 12 years ago Catania, a Republican, was elected to the DC Council. 12 years ago no one including, Catania believed, that they would see the day when same-sex marriage would become a reality. At the age of 41 and now an member of the Independent party, Catania with the help of thousands of supporters, have achieved what very few Metropolitan cities wish they could do for their gay & lesbian constituents

So now what is to become of the bill and the city of DC? Now that the Council has passed the bill, Mayor Adrian Fenty has to sign the bill, which he has promised to sign before Christmas. After the Executive signature, the bill must go under a 30-day legislative review in order to become an official law and the 6th location in the United States to legalize same-sex marriage. True, this is a milestone but there still is more work to be done and barriers to pass.

Analysts from the Office of the Chief Financial Officer estimates if the bill passes into law, that in the next 3-years over 10,000 same-sex couples could get married in the District; 2,000 of which are already Metropolitan residents. From those statistics the District could generate over $20 million dollars in same-sex marriages alone in one fiscal year! (Can we say pay increase maybe for District government workers?!?!?) Of course there is always backlash when it comes to matters such as same-sex marriage. Many organizations and religious leaders have spoken their distaste in the bill. The Archbishop has even threatened to end services to the homeless and poor in DC because of the same-sex bill. What the homeless and poor have to do with any of this, is the million-dollar question of the day!

At the end of the day rather you agree or disagree with same-sex marriage, from this story we can all learn the power of one. Catania, although at time his tactics were radical, he still pushed his and thousands of Americans' agenda to victory. Sometimes it only takes one catalyst to spark a whole reaction!

Man of the Week

This week is the cute and talented Trey Songz! From his mixtape to new album, Trigga has been serving it up lately to his customers!