Welcome to Hustle in Faith. This podcast is dedicated to helping you find your trail to a happier healthier you by discussing topics regarding Christianity, health & wellness, beauty & so much more! I’m your host Tosha Johnson.

This is episode 111: Are you the problem or the solution?

Before we dig into today’s topic, I just want to take a moment to say thank you. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to listen and share my podcast with other people. Even if you didn’t agree with me, I still appreciate you taking time out to listen to a different point of view. I really appreciate it. 

Now, for those of you who are familiar with my podcast, I know the last couple of episodes have been my Random Thoughts segments which is when I discuss random topics that are on my mind. With that said, today will be another Random Thoughts segment, but I promise you I am working on other topics. 

It’s just with everything that’s been going on lately, I felt compelled to share my thoughts. All right, enough rambling from me, let’s jump into today’s topic.

I saw this meme that said, “July please come in here like you got some sense.” Isn’t that the truth?! Like I feel like I need a break because 2020 has felt like an absolute rollercoaster ride. So for selfish reasons, my birthday is in July so I desperately just want it to be a chill month. 

I’m not a big social media person. This is ironic because my background is in marketing. The reason I feel this way is for two reasons. I’ll use it for work, but I’m not one of those people who spend hours online because I prefer to make memories offline. That’s always been my motto. 

However, the other reason why I’m not big on social media is that it reminds me of how many dumb people there are in the world. Whenever I see stupid comments it takes a lot for me to keep it moving. It’s especially disheartening when I see those comments coming from people I know. I’m all about keeping toxic people and thoughts outside of my world. It’s the only way I know how to stay sane.

Again, unless you have been living under a rock, I’m sure you know that there have been numerous protests regarding police brutality against Black people. 

I was on Facebook one day and I saw some White women talking about how they had a desire to attend “peaceful protests” so they were going to a protest in suburbs. The statement “peaceful protests” rubbed me the wrong way because it insinuates that once again Black people are the problem. 

Plus, this country wasn’t founded via peaceful protests which is something a lot of White people conveniently forget about, but what made me really sad is that these women are teachers. They should know better. However, in my gut, I truly believe these women were just going to the protest so they could feel better about themselves and capture their “good deed” on film and not because they really wanted to seek change for Black people.

So imagine my surprise when I  happened to come across an article called, “White Women Stop Treating Protests as Instagram Photo Shoots.” It was literally White women using the protests and protestors as background props. Some were holding signs, took pictures, and immediately left the protest.

I’m not going to lie. It made me angry  because it reminded me of the quote, “Everybody wants to be Black until it’s time to be Black.” Meaning, many White people love to capitalize off of our creativity, our features, music, etc. when it can be used to their advantage, but then disappear the moment someone Black is in an adverse situation or discusses racism, then they magically disappear. 

By the way, White women capitalizing on our features drives me insane. When I was younger, I was teased for how I looked. The very same features I was teased for my skin tone, my shape, my lips, my hair all given to me by God, are praised when White women attain them by having plastic surgery or baking in the sun or spray tanning their way to achieve our melanin. 

Heck, even today in the corporate world it’s an unwritten rule that the standard of beauty is to look as close to European as possible. 

Black women are constantly made to feel like they won’t be viewed as professional if they wear their natural hair which is oftentimes curly or even in a protective style like braids or twists. I’ve had White coworkers and managers go above and beyond to praise me when my hair is straight only to go silent or and/or say stupid comments like, “New hairdo,” with a look of dislike and/or confusion. I normally smile and say, “Yes, my hair is very versatile and it’s much easier for me to wear it curly.” 

Anyway, I’ve just chalked it up to they don’t have any home training. I’ve always been taught that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. However, many White people state what they have to say without fear of adverse consequences for sharing their opinions even when it hasn’t been requested. 

I don’t have this luxury. In fact, I always have to triple think about what I want to say when I’m at work because I truly don’t have the energy to get into a White tears situation. I’ve mentioned what the term White tears means in a previous episode,  ‘Episode 109, Why can’t we all get along?’ 

For those of you unfamiliar with the term White tears, it’s what Black people say when we refer to someone White who believes that they have been wronged when someone Black points out their behavior racist behavior and/or is upset that someone Black is experiencing more success than them. 

Those who cry White tears often do so in order to get other White people on their side in an attempt to make the Black person appear to be wrong when it was really the White person. Again, every Black person I know has experienced this at some point in time in their lives. 

I have so many examples of this in my career that I lost track. It really sucks because it’s like the ultimate Catch-22. When a Black woman speaks her mind she risks being seen as the angry Black woman stereotype, but when a White woman does it she’s passionate. However, if the Black woman remains silent, her self-esteem will take a hit. 

My mom taught me early on to say what I need to say and not to buy into this psychology nonsense. That Angry Black woman stereotype was created in an attempt to silence us. I must do my part to never allow that to happen, regardless of the consequences.

It’s interesting because now companies are finding themselves in the Catch-22 that Black people experience on a daily basis. If a company remains silent regarding the protests against racism they run the risk of offending their Black employees, Black customers, other customers of color, and those that choose to fight against racism. Yet, if that same company chooses to be vocal runs the risk of exposing the fact that their staff is lily White and they have racist customers.

Both options have consequences, but as my mom always said, “You need to do the right thing.” This isn’t rocket science; yet, many companies delayed in issuing a response because deep down, they were hoping the issue would go away.

After all, companies haven’t had to choose a side before so why should this be any different? I can see where this faulty logic might come into play, but they failed to realize one thing. Everyone has a breaking point. What you see are the effects of a community that has lost hope. 

Many Black neighborhoods are poorly funded so they look like war-torn countries, these areas are food deserts, meaning they don’t have access to supermarkets and grocery stores (imagine going grocery shopping at a convenience store because that’s what many do), education in these areas is a joke so the thought of going to college is just a dream because they can’t afford it. 

Even if they do go to college they will need to do so based on grants, search for lenders who will without a doubt give them the highest APR possible if they do decide to give them a loan, then this student must work twice as hard to make up for all the education they missed out on in high school. 

Then let’s say they graduate they aren’t able to get a job because they have an ethnic-sounding name and/or don’t have the connections to get a job. Now they have a mountain of student loan debt that they can’t pay for living in the same area that they so desperately were trying to escape from. You’re trying to achieve success all while trying to avoid any run-ins with the police because you know that one wrong move can result in death. Sounds exhausting right? 

What many of these companies fail to get is that your silence supports violence. The mere fact that these companies are struggling to find the right words is because deep down they’re still trying to figure out how they can somehow not offend anyone.

One example is the NFL. The NFL needs to be ashamed of themselves. It took the NFL 10 days after the protests and a video from prominent football players to make a statement. When I heard Roger Goodell’s so-called apology it made me sick. Back in 2016, Colin Kaepernick did a peaceful protest kneeling during the national anthem and hasn’t played in the NFL since. Yet, there was no mention of Kaepernick in that apology which is why it rang extremely hollow.

Same thing with Nascar. Bubba Wallace, the sports only Black driver on the circuit, and he literally had to tell Nascar that they needed to ban the Confederate flag at events. Again, are you kidding me? By the way, I will never attend an NFL or Nascar event because as a Black person I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing so. I’m not about to get into a situation where I’m sitting near someone drunk who also happens to be racist. I’ve read and heard about one to many instances of this happening and refuse to be a part of that statistic. 

I already research the level of racism I can expect to receive or encounter when I choose a vacation spot, so I’m not about to add this nonsense to the list as well.

Again, companies must realize that if you’re going to demonstrate support in the fight against racism then you better put some action behind those words.  Black people are not amused by your long flowery statements. Actions speak louder than words. 

If you really support Black lives, how many of them are on your staff? What actions are you taking to impact the community? By the way, it’s baffling to me how many companies are hiring diversity consultants. It’s even more disturbing to me that the companies that are being hired are owned by White women. Once again, it feels like White people are profiting from our pain and experiences. The money spent on a diversity consultant could have gone towards resources and time on projects that would bring about sustainable change.

This is why I’m not about to waste my time in some stupid listening circle talking about racism to a White woman who would never be able to relate to my experiences when I could be taking that precious time to connect with those within the community and allocating resources to help end the inequality. If companies really want to resolve racism then ask yourself, “How can I make the greatest impact within the Black community?” 

It all starts with educating yourself. Then you need to pay if forward and share that information with other White people. Listen and share content written by Black people, not just content that talks about our experiences. 

Many White people will spend hours researching the perfect restaurant, vacation spot, the list goes on, but when it comes to learning about the Black community, “I don’t know where to start.” Which is hilarious, because I feel like White people are always saying that they have a Black friend so you would think that they would have some idea on where to start. 

All you have to do is channel that same energy into learning more about us. Identify the glaring gaps within the community like housing, education, employment, etc. and start the process of filling them. If you see that your company doesn’t have any Black people then hire them and if you have Black employees then survey them to uncover unmet needs. There’s no reason to waste your money on hiring a White women-owned diversity firm. 

Take that money and use it to fight racism, not just talk about it. The next step which seems like common sense, but obviously common sense isn’t all that common anymore, is if you see someone unjustly being treated then say something. 

Again, I’m all about the Golden Rule. Treat others the way you want to be treated. The time for talk is over. 

Like NAACP Image Award Nominee, Atlanta based activist Kimberly Jones  said in an interview, “I think the only way something is going to come out of this is if we start making the necessary changes ourselves. Because it’s been proven time and time again that we’re on our own. The saddest part about that is that racism is not a Black issue that white people need to empathize with. Racism is a white problem. They caused it. They need to fix it. But I don’t have faith anymore that that’s going to happen.”

I want nothing more than to be proven wrong, but I feel the same way Kimberly does. It’s like Black people have been given a  puzzle that we didn’t ask for and are now being forced to put these pieces together as soon as possible. 

We’ve been working on this puzzle for over 400 years, so it’s time for White people to take over working on the puzzle so we can celebrate the final image of what equality and justice really looks like in God’s eyes.

Do you want to donate to Hustle in Faith? Click here!

Thanks so much for listening to today’s episode. Don’t forget to check out the Prayer and Gratitude Journal for Men and Women of Faith that is available for sale on Amazon. 

If you enjoy Hustle in Faith’s content, please consider becoming a supporter by donating or purchasing a Prayer and Gratitude Journal for Men and Women of Faith from Amazon to help offset the cost of producing this show.

Be sure to connect with us on Facebook and Pinterest. Remember, if you’re everything to everyone then you risk being no one. You never know who will inspire, see you in the next episode!

Welcome to Hustle in Faith. This podcast is dedicated to helping you find your trail to a happier healthier you by discussing topics regarding Christianity, health & wellness, beauty & so much more! I’m your host Tosha Johnson.

This is episode 110: Where do we go from here?

Last week was a very rough week. It was a rough week for Americans, but especially for Black people. I had actually taken off Friday thru Tuesday before all of the protests started happening. God clearly knew I was going to need that time off from work. I went back to work on Wednesday, but my heart wasn’t in it.

However, like most Black people, I’ve mastered the art of wearing the mask, especially at work. For those of you not familiar with this phrase, it’s in reference to Paul Laurence Dunbar’s poem, We Wear the Mask. It references an invisible mask that you wear in order to hide your emotions so that you can perform and do what you need to do in order to make it through the day. 

In any case, I had the hardest time focusing especially when some ignorant White person would say, “I’m all for protests, but not the looting,” this comment rubbed me the wrong way, because I didn’t think that this person even cared about the protests. This foolish person did not take the time to learn that I’m not for looting either.

Thursday was when my 1:1 was scheduled with my manager. I was all ready to have my meeting with my manager and plow right through the meeting so I could tackle the rest of my to do list. Before we started the meeting he threw me a curveball. He asked me, “Tosha, “Are you okay?” How are you and your mom doing? I was thinking about you guys all week. Are you okay?”

I’m well aware that this is a simple question. During this point and time, he just didn’t realize how complex the answer was for me. I was NOT expecting that question. It truly took me by surprise. Here’s why. I’ve never had a White coworker, let alone a manager, who truly wanted to know the answer to that question; and, having it tied to race was just unbelievable.  

I’ve always been more of an introvert at work. Being the only Black person in the company or on your team will do that to you. Plus, years of trying to avoid White tears situations, years of trying to avoid not getting angry when other people get promoted because of who they know instead of what they know, years of not being paid an equal salary to your coworkers, and years of trying to avoid annoying microaggressions don’t necessarily leave you in the mood to feel up to talking. So I basically just avoid encountering any unnecessary awkward situations by just doing my job and look forward to the moment when work is over so I can take off my mask.

So when my manager asked me this question, I think I said, “I’m Ok,” really quickly with a long pause. The long pause was because I could quickly sense that my mask was coming off and I was trying so desperately to put it back on.  I was so happy that we weren’t on video because I was trying so hard to hold back tears; needless to say, he could still hear the pain. 

All of these senseless deaths, the fear and anger at the protests, thinking back on my own experiences just got to me. I legit could not keep that mask on anymore. I took off my mask and we ended up having a really great conversation about race. Since I was upset and unable to truly articulate my true feelings at that moment in time, I shared a podcast episode that I recorded for my English students overseas titled, “Why can’t we all just get along?”

I explained to my manager that I recorded this episode to help my English students overseas understand why these protests were occurring. Based on our conversation, I hastily shared it with him. The next day, the head of our practice called and we talked as well. We talked about different parts of the podcast and the parts that affected him the most. When he brought up the part on my podcast where I showed up for interviews and the job magically disappeared I lost it again.

I was so angry with myself. I never cry at work. I just kept talking to myself, “Why can’t I keep this mask on?!” I can count on one hand the number of times I showed emotions at work. You want to know how many? Twice. Both with these two White guys! LOL Again, these were the only two instances because again I’ve mastered the art of wearing the mask. 

I wish I wouldn’t have gotten emotional, but I feel blessed that I was able to even have those conversations. The one question that came up during my conversation and one that I kept hearing was, “What can we do?” “Where do we go from here? To me, ”Where do we go from here is where we should have been in the first place; giving equality and justice for all (Act 10:34-35). 

We need to “actually” put Christ’s golden rule into practice (Lk 6:31). America has been lying for years that everyone receives equality and justice. In order for everyone to truly receive equality and justice, people (especially white people) must take off their blinders that are filled with lies and deception. There is no equality and justice in America.

If there were true equality and justice for all, every human being would be enjoying their God-given birthright. Human equality is a God-given right for all skin tones. God has NO preference when it comes to skin tone. Evidence of this fact is that He made us from one bloodline (Act 17:26). Diversity in skin tones aka what we call race is equal in God’s eyesight (Rom 2:11). This is why God did not give us a choice as to what race we are born into. Again, in God’s eyes, all skin tones are equal. The mere fact that every race is represented in heaven demonstrates that God has no problem with race (Rev 7:9).

Therefore, no race has the right to penalize another group of people based on their race.  Again, race, which is diversity in skin tone, was created by God to give humans choices to enjoy. Diversity in skin tone was NOT created for one group to segregate and dominate another group.

If our government truly believes in God’s equality and justice, we would be able to see it in three major areas of life: 1) Housing, 2) Education, and 3)Employment. In order to begin the process of leveling the playing field, I believe the aforementioned major three areas need to be immediately addressed.

Now before we dig into these topics, please view the below video on How to Understand Systemic Racism and other videos throughout this post. These videos are going to help further reinforce my point.

So let’s attempt to tackle the first issue. Housing.  

When many people think about the American Dream, the image that comes to mind is a white house in a picket fence in a beautiful peaceful neighborhood. However, for many Black people, this dream is just a dream. Many people of color, especially Black people have a much lower rate of homeownership than White people. The main reason why this is the case is due to redlining.

For those of you unfamiliar with this term, it’s when the government created maps of cities and drew lines that essentially blocked people of color, mainly Black people, from gaining access to public and private funds. This redlining blocked Black people from receiving mortgages, loans, funding for schools and other neighborhood amenities. It is due to redlining as to why most Black neighborhoods look like war torn countries.

Most banks will not give Black people equity loans so that they can beautify their homes which in turn helps to beautify the neighborhood. Due to redlining, this is why most Black people try to move to diverse areas. Black people know that the moment White people stop investing in an area that they (Black people) choose to live in would end up leaving them (Black people) with property that they would not be able to sell.

This practice of redlining began after the Civil War. Although it supposedly ended in 1977 under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), every person of color knows this is NOT the case. Redlining still exists in one form or another. If the government decides to put money into these war torn areas, they become less of an option for Blacks due to gentrification.

For example, you would never know it but the Old Town area near Seward Park in Chicago was one of the deadliest spots in Chicago. It was home to Cabrini Green. I know because my mom grew up there. In the case of Cabrini Green, the city kicked out all of the folks that lived there and promised those residents a shot at living in one of the “new buildings” that were going to be built. Surprise, surprise this did NOT happen. Many of those residents ended up being displaced to areas further South or West in the city or even suburbs like Maywood, Aurora, etc. 

Then to add further insult to injury the White people typically end up changing the name of the area and lie about how long the new area with the new name has been in existence. This is in an attempt to erase the stigma that people of color once lived in that area. Check out the articles on the site. They actually tried to change the name Cabrini Green to Noca but many residents were not having it.

Case in point, the Bulls used to play in an area called the West side. It was a predominantly Black and Latino area. Since White people moved into the area it’s now called Ukranian Village. Michael Jordan did not play in Ukranian Village. He played on the West side. Many people who don’t bother to study history will probably never know this information. Knowing the history and problems of gentrification is why many residents from the Pilsen neighborhood in Chicago, which is a predominantly Latino area, are currently upset by the White people attempting to move into their area.

Once White people move in, they literally drive out the people of color by raising the rent and property taxes to exorbitant amounts that ultimately end up forcing out the people of color and eventually turning the neighborhood into yet another White affluent neighborhood. Gentrification and changing the name of their conquest are common things for White people to do when it comes to real estate. They are trying to do the same to Harlem located in New York. I can’t believe they wanted to change the name Harlem to  SoHa. Absolutely ridiculous!

 It makes me sad to think about how our generational wealth has been taken from us. Just think, if towns like Tulsa or Rosewood were allowed to thrive, we would not have the problems that we are having. Check out the below video about Tulsa.

These towns were created due to the blatant discrimination many Black people faced. The Black people in these towns created their own thriving communities. These towns were filled with black professionals who owned their own businesses, doctors, and pharmacists. Tulsa had more than 300 black-owned businesses and was referred to as the Black Wall Street. Sadly, in both instances, the KKK literally invaded both Tulsa and Rosewood and burned them to the ground. In fact, the 1921 Tulsa Race Riots was deemed the deadliest race riot in history.

If you really think about it, White people have benefited from 400 years of free labor due to slavery, burned down 2 major thriving Black communities (that we know of, it could have been more) and continue to have a government system filled with laws that have and continue to disenfranchise Black communities, reparations should not be a controversial topic. Plus, the Japanese were able to receive compensation for the hardships that they endured.

Americans are constantly told Never to forget the Holocaust and 9/11, but most automatically shut down the conversation if Black people start talking about slavery. At the very least, America can level the playing field via education. Brown vs. Education was supposed to address the issues that many Black people face in their attempt to receive a quality education. We know that this is not the case.

Evidence of this fact can be proven by asking yourself, “Would you want your child to go to a dilapidated school in the inner city?” or on the South or West side of Chicago? If you’re being honest, the answer would be a resounding, “No.” Guess, what? Most Black kids don’t want to go there either. The schools are dilapidated because they don’t have  any money for supplies. To make matters worse, the teachers are poorly paid and many have no incentive nor initiative to teach these kids. This was something that I never experienced thanks to the numerous sacrifices my parents made.

Nonetheless, I still had my share of hardships; which brings to point #3 employment. Once I graduated from college, I had the hardest time trying to find a full-time direct hire position. Even though I graduated in 4 years while working full time while attending college, I still couldn’t land a full time gig. I could only get dead end temp jobs which made me seriously question why I even went to college.

I know one of the main reasons it was hard for me to find a job is because I have an ethnic-sounding name. My name is LaTosha. If someone wasn’t sure of my name and actually contacted me, once I showed up the job was magically filled. 

I was so happy when LinkedIn appeared on the scene because I was tired of wasting my time researching the company and the role, getting dressed up and paying for parking only to have the interview last for 5 minutes because they didn’t want someone Black working for their company.

LinkedIn made it possible for the company to know that I was Black before I showed up so in case they wanted to discriminate against me, they could at least not waste my time and money applying with them.

The reason I became so successful is because my mom steered me in the right direction.  She always said that if you can’t walk through the front door, be creative. Don’t throw up your hands and quit. Make a window or create a tunnel to get to the other side of that door. 

In other words, I created a business that made me more marketable that showcased my talents and skills. All of which helped me to land opportunities that I never would have received if I went the traditional route and solely relied on my resume. 

Due to inequalities that exist, Black people have to be WAY more creative in landing a job and this should not be the case.

As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “A riot is the language of the unheard.” For those who continue to call our protests “riots” the way to silence them is to give equal rights and justice for all by addressing Black America’s housing, education, and employment issues. We don’t want to be out in these streets any more than you do.

Other videos/ articles I recommend:

This is America

America Protests Police Brutality and Systemic Racism | The Daily Social Distancing Show

Remove police immunity

Do you want to donate to Hustle in Faith? Click here!

Thanks so much for listening to today’s episode. Don’t forget to check out the Prayer and Gratitude Journal for Men and Women of Faith that is available for sale on Amazon. 

If you enjoy Hustle in Faith’s content, please consider becoming a supporter by donating or purchasing a Prayer and Gratitude Journal for Men and Women of Faith from Amazon to help offset the cost of producing this show.

Be sure to connect with us on Facebook and Pinterest. Remember, if you’re everything to everyone then you risk being no one. You never know who will inspire see you in the next episode!

Welcome to Hustle in Faith. This podcast is dedicated to helping you find your trail to a happier healthier you by discussing topics regarding Christianity, health & wellness, beauty & so much more! I’m your host Tosha Johnson.

This is episode 109: Why can’t we all get along?

I’m sure you have all heard and/or seen the protests that have been occurring throughout the country. In case you have been living under a rock or one of those people who doesn’t understand what all the “fuss” is about, it all boils down to racism.  Since a lot of White people seem to think that racism does not exist, they are ignoring people of color attempting to share their stories so they can receive justice. This is why racism continues to exist.

I decided to create this episode and share my experiences about this racism matter. I truly believe in my heart that if the conversations I have with my students about race were had in America, we all would be living in a much different world. I’m a firm believer that much of the fear and anger we are seeing is due to the fact that people have forgotten to live and acknowledge these two simple rules:

1.     God’s Golden rule (Lk 6:31): Do unto others as you would have others do unto you 

2.     We are all equal (Acts 17: 26-28). God made us from one bloodline. 

I am sad to say, many White people do not believe in the aforementioned. In fact, please be sure to check out this video of a White cop stating that most White people are fearful of people of color. Please keep in mind that I used the word “most” White people. 

I’ve been teaching English online to adults for 7 years. The conversations that I had with my students from Austria, Germany, Italy, and China are so enlightening. I’m honored to call these folks my friends (shout out to Julius, Rosario, Elena, Ali, and Chris). Special shout out to my Spanish teacher Julieth you know I love you too!

It’s so difficult for me to process my thoughts and let alone try my best to explain this to my students. My students have shown more interest in trying to learn more about the situation then the White folks I encounter on an everyday basis right here in America.  

As I stated before, most White people refuse to acknowledge that there is a problem with racism. Many White people here do not want to address race because deep down it would mean that they would have to acknowledge the fact that America truly has been and still is a tale of two cities. The haves and the have nots.

White people have been on top for over 400 years because they benefited from slavery. People of color, primarily African Americans are tired of playing the “have not role”. We’re tired of not having our voices heard. The stories of Ahmad Arbery, Christian Cooper, and literally seeing George Floyd murdered right before our very eyes on the video were just too much. Ahmad for example just went for a jog and never came back home because 3 White people (Rednecks) thought he fit the description of a thief.

Christian Cooper almost lost his life because a crazy white woman named Amy Cooper was offended that Christian (a black man) had the audacity to ask her to put her dog on a leash. They were in a public park where the dogs are supposed to be on a lease. This rule is so that everyone can enjoy the park; plus, not everyone wants to be around your dog. Despite this fact, Amy Cooper was offended that Christian (a black man) had the audacity to ask her to put her dog on a leash.

Amy Cooper knew that if she called the police, they would come out and kill Christian for her. Seeking the police on people of color is a go to tactic among White people in America. They know that the police, who are comprised mostly of criminals with badges, will punish or even kill their opponents for them. This is why many White racist people do this. Case in point, George Floyd lost his life because the racist cop Derek Chauvin felt that placing his knee on George’s neck was the appropriate method to detain him.

Innocent until proven guilty is not meant for Black people. Most cops automatically assume that people of color are guilty.  The crazy thing is regarding every one of those stories (which are just 3 out of thousands) is that despite having video evidence these cops go free. 

The reason being is because many White people always look for a reason to justify the deaths of these Black men. How would you feel if you have evidence demonstrating how you were wrongfully treated and they get someone to “explain it away” and/or worse demonize you so the racist’s actions were justified?

Guys these are just three of thousands, yes, thousands of stories that are the very reason why many Black people and other people of color do not share the zeal that so many White people have for America. This is why Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the National Anthem. He wanted to use his platform and peacefully protest and bring attention to the injustices people of color, especially Black people suffer on a daily basis.

Kaepernick, LeBron James, and countless other athletes are often told by White owners of the teams that they play for, by their so-called fans and countless others to essentially, “Shut up and play,” as if they don’t have a right to express their feelings. These White fans only want Black athletes to entertain and continue to increase the revenue of White billionaires.

These are the same people that when they saw the video about Christian Cooper , a Black birdwatcher who politely asked that crazy woman Amy Cooper to put her dog on a leash, she launched into the White woman damsel in distress role. This woman clearly had years of mastering White tears.

For those of you unfamiliar with the term White tears, it’s what Black people say when we refer to White people who believe that they have been wronged by someone Black. White tears are clearly seen when a Black person points out a White person’s racist behavior and/or when someone White gets upset that someone Black is successful. Those who cry White tears often do so in order to get other White people on their side. White tears is a devious attempt to make the Black person appear to be the bad guy.

Every Black person that I know, myself included, has experienced this at some point in time in their lives. Case in point, if you read the comments in the videos the majority of the White people in the comment sections that I read were voicing more concern over how the dog was being mistreated instead of the fact that this woman deliberately was trying to get this Black man killed. These racist fools showed that the dog’s life meant more to them than the Black man.

Stories like these are why I always laugh whenever I hear someone say, “All Lives Matter.” It is sad to say, most White people have blinders on and refuse to acknowledge racism. For example, in the story regarding Christian Cooper, the Black birdwatcher, there were more comments about how this white lady was treating the dog rather than the fact that she was trying to get this man killed.

These are the same folks that say they are not a racist but yet they think more of an animal than a human being.

If White people truly believe that All Lives Matter then they shouldn’t be offended when you hear the term Black Lives Matter. I’m amazed that I even have to say this but believe it or not, Black Lives Matter is not insinuating that other lives do not.

Here are a couple of examples for you to visualize. I have to thank Dwight Johnson for this analogy because this first one is so perfect! 

In the Bible, Luke 15 talks about Jesus having 100 sheep, but one goes missing.  

Jesus leaves the 99 and goes after the one. 

The 99 sheep: “But…what about us?” Don’t we matter? 

Of course, the 99 still matter, but they are not the ones in danger. 

Again, Black Lives Matter is not insinuating that other lives do not. Black lives are the one in danger.

Here’s another analogy. You have two houses. One house is on fire. Just because you water the house that’s on fire does not mean that you don’t care about the house that is not burning. 

This is happening because White people are filled with fear because their White throne is being taken down. They are no longer viewed as a leader and all powerful. People of color now have a voice and a platform and are not seeking the approval of White people.

Many White people do not want to share their power and resources that they illegitimately gained from slavery (mainly Black people).  Latinos and Asians have also reaped the benefits of our work and protests to gain and maintain our rights as well.

Watching the peaceful protests evolve into the looting and rioting that occurred over the weekend was painful to watch. I completely understand the anguish and anger of the protestors. Nonetheless, two wrongs do not make a right. I agree innocent Black people should not be killed by the police. I am strongly against this because that’s wrong. In such a case, we should protest. I’m all for protesting.

On the other hand, I am strongly against the looting and rioting that is going along with the protests. This behavior is uncalled for and it diminishes the lives that were lost and the message of the protest.

By the way, the destruction and devastation done by the looters and rioters that you see on the North side, where many White people live, is what it has always looked like in the South and West side where many Blacks and Latinos have lived for decades. 

This affluent area of Chicago will rebound and look brand new within the next two weeks while the South and West side will continue to remain looking like war-torn countries like they always have been for years. The South and West sides look like this not due to  looting and rioting, but because government officials do not care about these people.

Although I have lived a privileged life, I do understand the frustration my people are facing. My mom was one of those people. She was brought up in the projects called Cabrini Greens. For one reason or another, many times she could not go home because the police had the place on lock down. Thinking about the pain and suffering she went through brings me to tears. I know that most people are going to say, but that was black on black crime.

What most of us fail to realize is that every race has their idiots.  There have been just as many white on white crimes as there have been black on black. Every race and/or ethnicity has some sort of organized crime Italians have the Mafia, Latinos have the Latin Kings, Asians have the Triad and the list goes on.  However, the crimes committed by those in the Mafia that consist of  White on White crime are overlooked. The news loves to amplify the negative things that people of color do. Again, every race has some folks who choose to go the criminal element route.

With this being said, racism is totally different. Racism goes across the board and includes innocent people just because they share the same skin tone. I should not be thought of as being guilty just because I have dark skin. Check out my blog because the videos on there express my viewpoints. The media and most White people want to blame people of color for anything that is wrong. They are disregarding the evidence that is being presented that most of these crimes are being committed by White Supremacists groups.

There have been several reports from across the country stating that many of the looting and rioting was too calculated. And many of the looters and rioters were NOT from Chicago. Many of the protestors have stated that White Supremacists have been infiltrating the protests in an attempt to cause trouble. I truly believe and would not be surprised if Trump and the rest of his evil minions were the masterminds behind the looting and rioting.

Chicago Mayor Lightfoot stated during one of her press conferences that the thieves were listening to the cops’ radio airwaves because the looting was too calculated. This is not typical equipment that Black people have access to. However, those crazy White supremacist militia types do have access to this equipment. Most of the blacks in these protests have problems putting food on the table. Therefore, they would not have money to buy this expensive equipment that some of the looters and rioters were using.

I wouldn’t be surprised if those crazy White supremacist broke into the stores and called the media so they could get black people on tape stealing. Those crazy White Supremacists know what button to push. They know that once others (desperate people) see that the stores are open, they would  leverage this as their “opportunity” to finally get some material stuff that they normally could never afford. 

Again, two wrongs don’t make a right. However, it does not help to have a racist idiot in office basically trying to instigate a civil war. Trump literally stated that the MAGA people love black people and that they were going to join the protestors. Are you kidding me? That was his slick way of telling his racist tribe to go cause trouble. Neither the Democrats nor Republicans represent the values of people of color. You can’t fight against racism when your country is led by a White Supremacist.

I am a firm believer that this fight can only be won if we as a whole are willing to allow Christ to lead us. All of which will encompass us to follow His Golden Rule. 

If you’re White listening to this episode I just want to thank you for doing so. I know you’re probably feeling uncomfortable. This uncomfortable feeling that you’re experiencing is something that Black people have been dealing with all of our lives. I have always felt like a fish out of water. I’m going to be 38 in July. Trust me, I’ve definitely had my fair share of dealing with racism. I went to predominantly white grade schools and high school and was often the ONLY Black student in the room.

Needless to say, this isolation continued in college. I went to DePaul University where I was the only Black student in the classroom. I can recall when I got into a fight with my Communications teacher. I think that she had preset ideas as to how Black people were supposed to talk. To make a long story short, she wanted to fail me because I was too “polished” of a speaker (her words not mine). I didn’t fit her stereotype. It was a communication class, I should be polished! 

Even after all these years, things still have not changed. I’ve shown up for interviews only for the job to magically have been filled or told that I’m not the right fit for the job even though my resume practically mirrored the job description. If I do get the job, I’m usually the only Black person on my team or in the room.

I’m glad these protests are happening. Even though I’ve grown accustomed to being comfortable with awkward situations, this is NOT normal. It’s exhausting!

Nonetheless, I use every obstacle or injustice I have encountered as a stepping stone to make me strong and move me forward to where I am today. Despite all of the negativity I encounter, I’m still staying optimistic so that I can move forward in life. My positive outlook is due to my strong Christian upbringing and my following Christ’s Golden rule.

There are so many chapters in my life that I have left to write. I hope that you can read them one day, but that will never happen if you can’t see past my cover. 

Thanks so much for listening to today’s episode. Don’t forget to check out the Prayer and Gratitude Journal for Men and Women of Faith that is available for sale on Amazon. 

If you enjoy Hustle in Faith’s content, please consider becoming a supporter by donating or purchasing a Prayer and Gratitude Journal for Men and Women of Faith from Amazon to help offset the cost of producing this show. Be sure to connect with us on Facebook and Pinterest.

Remember, if you’re everything to everyone then you risk being no one. You never know who will inspire see you in the next episode!

Here are some additional videos that I recommend viewing as well:

• Daily Show Trevor Noah
• NYC Woman on Destroying Property in Low-Income Neighborhoods-Desiree Barnes
• Here’s a monopoly analogy for the people who say the following:
  • Pull yourself up by your bootstraps
  • Slavery was a long time ago
  • Why are they looting
• How to Understand Systemic Racism
• Dear White People, Your Black Colleagues Aren’t Okay
• We Cannot Stay Silent About George Floyd
• Sterling K. Brown: He was just jogging
• We Wear the Mask
• White woman calls cops on Black woman sitting in the park
• D.L. Hughley: “How Not to Get Shot and Other Advice From White People”

 I hope you’re staying healthy and sane. Based on where you’re located this may be easier for some than others. I’m based in Illinois so our Stay at Home order has been in effect since the weekend of March 20th. We’ll be discussing this even more in today’s episode. 

It’s so surreal what we’re currently experiencing. I remember learning about pandemics in history class, watching movies, but I never thought I’d actually be living through one myself.

I have to admit, my lifestyle has trained me for quarantine. I’ve always worked from home. I enjoy exercising outside by myself. I’ve been ordering carryout way before it became the main method of survival for restaurant owners. Again, I feel like I’ve been training for quarantine all my life. Thanks to technology, this virus has not limited my lifestyle at all. I am still able to connect with loved ones and friends around the world.

My conversations with my English students and Spanish teacher have been the most fascinating to me. It’s been amazing to get a firsthand account of how various countries such as Italy, Germany, London, etc. have been handling the Coronavirus situation. My conversations with my friends (some who happen to be scientists and doctors), and other professionals led me to creating this episode.

Before I share my opinion I feel like I have to say, without a doubt some of the things that I’m going to say are probably going to upset some people and that’s ok. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I can assure you that I will not lose sleep at night if you don’t agree with me. 

I feel that I also need to say, I think for myself. Neither Democrats nor Republicans represent my values. For the record, as a Christian Do I believe that this virus is real? You betcha. Do I believe that we should have quarantined healthy people and shut down an entire economy for a virus that mimics the flu? No, I don’t believe this should have been the approach at all.

I personally believe that we should have closed our borders like Costa Rica did and those that were sick should have been allowed to stay home without fear of repercussion. It’s the fear of repercussions of losing their jobs, their livelihood that causes those who are sick to emerge into areas that could infect others.

Now I know a lot of people are going to ask, “What about asymptomatic people?” Ok, what about them? The incubation period for the flu is 1 to 4 days and this virus could be up to 14 days (that’s if someone even shows symptoms). This is the part that absolutely drives me insane.

I’ve talked to some of my friends in the medical field and many of them have questioned the rationale as to why and how we are testing for this virus.

1.     First of all, what are you testing people for? Many of the tests aren’t reliable.

2.     Let’s say you test positive, “Then what?” Especially, if you’re asymptomatic.

3.     Despite the fact that testing is supposedly free you’re most likely going to end up paying a ridiculous fee and put you further into debt.

4.     Besides, the advice the doctor is most likely going to tell you is the EXACT same advice you will receive if you have the flu. Stay home and get some rest.

Unlike many of the other countries, I strongly believe that this virus spread so quickly because many folks in the United States are conditioned and were advised to go to the hospital if they had symptoms and/or if they wanted to get tested. It makes absolutely no sense for someone to go to the hospital to get tested when you could be sitting next to someone who actually has the virus.

Again, I feel like a lot of common sense went completely out the window. I think that Italy had the correct idea. My students from Italy told me that people were advised not to go to the hospital and that the doctors will come to them. This makes more sense than sitting in a crowded clinic or hospital. These places are loaded with diseases; even if you do not have something, you are sure to come back with some kind of disease once you leave a clinic or hospital.

Illinois was one of the first states to impose a Stay at Home Order. We aren’t supposed to maintain contact with people outside your family unit and only go outside for exercise if you maintain a social distance of 6ft. The rationale in doing this was to “flatten the curve” and not overwhelm hospitals. Ok, understandable.

However, twice we were told that the model was wrong about when the peak would occur. I live in one of the most corrupt states in the United States–Illinois. I find it hard to believe anything our “leaders” tell us. We were told that we were doing a good job in fighting against the virus. And, then, Illinois gave other states our ventilators because we weren’t using them.

If all this is true why turn around and extend the Stay at Home order? Why would you give away our ventilators if we haven’t reached the peak yet? These so-called “leaders” have no idea as to how to fight this thing. This is sad but true. We need to stop looking to them for answers. They don’t even have a cure for the common cold.

I’m finding it increasingly disturbing that there is an increase in talk about mandating vaccinations and temperature checks. Of course now all of a sudden there is  “interest” in trying to help out the African American and Latino communities by increasing the number of testing sites in certain neighborhoods and most likely will offer vaccinations for free. By the way, here’s a fun fact. Illinois has the strictest Coronavirus restrictions in the nation. Governor Prittzker has ties to at least two different companies that are making COVID-19 tests. That’s a huge conflict of interest! No wonder why he’s so adamant about wanting to create and encourage testing. It’s not for our good and it’s interesting now that many of them are now scheduled to be created in African American communities.

What our so called  “leaders” will never admit to is that they are attempting to use minorities as guinea pigs under the guise of help.  We don’t even know if the test results are reliable, so you can only imagine what would happen with a vaccine…Get out of here! Are you kidding me?!

Think! We don’t have a cure for the common cold or cancer. Cancer has been here for years. Furthermore, folks in Flint Michigan still don’t have clean water. Therefore, I do not believe you when you tell me that you’re going to create a vaccine to cure the Coronavirus. Nope.

Whatever vaccine our leaders come up with will not be a guaranteed solution to our problem. Think! Even the vaccine for the flu isn’t foolproof, so there’s no point in getting  whatever vaccine they create. Even the doctor that everyone is so in love with, Dr. Fauci, literally said, “ There’s no guarantee that the vaccine is actually going to be effective. He also literally said that another concern among epidemiologists is that the vaccine backfires and strengthens the virus.” So again there is absolutely no point to getting a vaccine. This virus is going to be with us just like cancer, colds and the flu.

I actually know people who are in the medical field and they even said that they would not get vaccinated. That should tell you something and this is also something that they should be telling you. The main reason they cite for declining the vaccination is because this virus strain mutates too fast. Even if you did create a vaccine it wouldn’t really accomplish anything. Anything that’s being created now could have dangerous side effects and would do more harm than good. Furthermore, there’s no way that this vaccine can be properly tested. 

Sadly, our governor does not understand this fact. It is as if he is on a crusade to completely eradicate the virus. Would I love for this to happen? Of course, but again, we do not have a cure of all the other ailments that have been around since the beginning of time, so the governor needs to just calm down and roll with what he does know.

After talking to others from different countries, I suspect many of the deaths that are being labeled COVID-19 are not as high as we’re being led to believe. A German scientist took it upon himself to conduct his own study and discovered that 200 cases that were labeled COVID-19 deaths weren’t truly COVID-19 related. Despite these people’s ages, many of these individuals had many underlying medical conditions with small traces of COVID-19 strain. Many “leaders” are padding the  COVID-19 numbers so they can scare people into being guinea pigs. 

I hate to say this and it’s going to sound cruel, but we can’t allow fear or a virus to stop us from living our lives. These bodies aren’t meant to live forever. You need to take care of it as best as you can and call it a day.

Now, I already made my decision before my medical friends shared this information with me. Western medicine does not have a great track record with people of color (in particular African Americans). You are not using me as a guinea pig. There are way too many stories of Western medicine using African Americans as lab rats without their consent. 

Pharmaceutical companies can recruit all the African American celebrities in the world to help them in their quest to get African Americans to get tested or vaccinated and I will NEVER be one of them. Most of these African American celebrities don’t know any better. And sadly, like many of our corrupt politicians, these African American celebrities can’t keep their greed in check. I’m sure the folks in the Latino and African American community would much rather have money to pay their bills or put food on the table instead of giving them a pointless COVID-19 test or a vaccination that will most likely cause them more harm than good. 

What is absolutely amazing to me is that the same folks that are so concerned about the communities of color are the same people who never say anything when African Americans are being killed for the color of their skin. Yet, I’m supposed to all of a sudden forget all that history and willingly go along with being a guinea pig. Absolutely not! Not on my watch! Besides, pharmaceutical companies make money treating symptoms not actually finding a cure.

It’s no coincidence that the medical field and pharmaceutical companies want to increase the number of testing facilities. These people often have stock in the testing sites under the guise of a shell company they created to protect their identity. All you have to do is follow the money people.

I was listening to the Doug Kaufaman show called Know the Cause and he mentioned that there was a poll taken asking doctors if they would test the Coronavirus vaccine on themselves. Guess what? Only 60% stated that they would do so (who know if they all are truthful).

In any case, I’m concerned with the 40%.This is an incredibly high percentage of doctors who said no, they would not take a coronavirus vaccine. Yet these exact same doctors are going to be the same people telling the public that we should get vaccinated. All because they are owned by pharmaceutical companies.

Please be sure to check out the video of two racist French scientists discussing their desire to test the Coronavirus in Africa despite having WAY more cases in France than they do in Africa. Again, it’s because many doctors in the Western world still have this notion that it’s okay to use brown people in particular Africans and African Americans as guinea pigs (Here’s one of many other Africans along with WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus that were furious about this video).  In case you’re wondering the scientists apologized like many undercover racists often do when they get caught.

https://qz.com/africa/1836272/french-doctors-say-test-covid-19-vaccine-on-africans-spark-fury/

What’s slightly more disturbing is that billionaire Bill Gates is trying to get in on the virus action. He wants to “help” fund vaccinations that include microchips. I mean are you kidding me. It doesn’t get any more 1984 Big Brother than that?!  Moving on to the future of air travel dealing with COVID-19 virus.

In any case, airlines are talking about temperature checks, on the spot blood tests and having people walk down some sort of disinfectant tunnel. All of the above is going to be nonsense that I’m going to avoid. First of all, you can have a high temperature and it’s not COVID-19 related and if you’re asymptomatic you won’t have a fever, so again this is pointless. Plus, I’m not about to give this type of power to a TSA worker. You’re not touching me with a thermometer that’s been used on other people. I mean they already have a fit if you ask them to change gloves if they want to search your hair. Plus, nor will I be depending on you to be honest in stating the correct temperature. I would hate for TSA to have the power to quarantine people over a hot flash or even worse they just don’t like you. 

What’s even more troubling dealing with the future of air travel is that there was discussion about  spraying people with chemicals in some weird sort of disinfectant tunnel. I’m sure we will never know the true effects until people start getting sick or worse dying years from now. I can guarantee those who are wealthy will not be partaking in this fun little ritual of nonsense. 

Then once you get past all that nonsense and land in the other country, I’m supposed to trust some stranger in a foreign country to give me a blood test. No way! How do I know what that country’s regulations are? The chances of having a  contaminated needle used in certain countries is incredibly high. Again, no thank you. I will just stay home. I don’t need any of this unnecessary drama in my life. 

The things that people need to do to reduce their chances of getting sick are building up our immune system. We do this the old fashioned way…change your diet, take vitamins, exercise and get some rest. I’m not a doctor, but I get all of my information via research and watching one of my favorite shows called “Know the Cause”. 

Meanwhile, if you are under the impression that a vaccine is going to save the day then you are sadly mistaken. We’re going to have to get accustomed to living life again with yet another virus. One of the best things that we can do to fight against this virus is increase our hygiene. I hate to say it, but it’s incredibly disturbing that we had to even have reminders about washing our hands, giving people personal space and telling people to stay home if they are sick.  

I’m constantly asked about how I stay in shape and don’t age. I can honestly say I live a very clean life. I eat healthy, I don’t smoke, I don’t drink alcohol and exercise almost everyday and keep toxic people out of my life. My life is laid back and low key so my immune system doesn’t have to work as hard to keep out.

Some of the vitamins that I’ve been taking are betaglucan, vitamin D3 and vitaminK all of those are geared towards helping your immune system and give you energy. I know vitamin D has been in the news recently which is great, but they have failed to mention that you need to take K in order to receive all of the benefits that come from D3.

I truly hope that people use this situation as an opportunity to take control of their own health. Don’t just blindly follow someone because they have a title of “doctor”. If there’s anything the college admission scandal taught us is — if you have enough money you can buy any kind of title you choose, from any school you choose as well as buy  individuals to serve your own interest.

With this being said, we need to keep in mind that no one is as vested in your health as you are, so put in the effort to do your own research. Many times other people will not agree with your finding or your investments. That’s ok because some people never realize things until it’s too late. Don’t allow yourself to be held back by those who are slow in understanding facts from fiction. And most importantly do not allow yourself to be one of those people  who  succumb to fear and unauthorized authority over your body. 

Thanks so much for listening to today’s episode. Don’t forget to check out the Prayer and Gratitude Journal for Men and Women of Faith that is available for sale on Amazon. 

If you enjoy Hustle in Faith’s content, please consider becoming a supporter by donating or purchasing a Prayer and Gratitude Journal for Men and Women of Faith from Amazon  to help offset the cost of producing this show.

 Be sure to connect with us on Facebook and Pinterest. Remember, if you’re everything to everyone then you risk being no one. You never know who will inspire see you in the next episode.

Illinois governor’s family firm owns stake in companies involved in Coronavirus

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Emergency rule over threatening owners of open businesses withdrawn

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