Ms. Barbie and Mr. Lollipop Bring Swag to the Classroom

Apparently, “hip hop” artists Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne recently received “Teacher of the Year” awards for their role in educating—yes I said educating the young people of today. The awards were presented by a South Florida corporation called "The Better Education Place".  Find more details here: http://thisbeatgoes.com/hip-hop-news/florida-literacy-company-names-nicki-minaj-and-lil-wayne-teachers-of-the-year/

Perhaps I’m just a little conservative, but I happen to find this particularly disturbing, especially considering that they beat out teachers who most likely have degrees in education and interact with these kids on a daily basis. Not to say that the degree makes them a great teacher, but if you are familiar with their music, you would understand my confusion. I understand the logic of using music to help kids grasp certain concepts, but I also feel the content of the music is just as if not more important than the method being used.

I’ve decided to refrain from speaking directly about why I think Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj do NOT deserve these awards (although there is much to be said on this issue). However, I think what is more important is what this means for the education of our young people and what this says about the value of education.  Should we really be telling teachers that it is more important that they have the “swagger” necessary to gain the kid’s attention, and less important they have the skills necessary to teach the kids once that attention is present? Does this further encourage students to prioritize values that are far less important in applying for the jobs they want? What do you think? Did Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne deserve to be named the teachers of the year? Does this event expose some of the ugly truths of our educational system or is it a good sign? 

Kwanzaa For Dummies

I recently read an article that I found to be particularly disturbing regarding the relevance and authenticity of Kwanzaa. The article can be found at "http://newsone.com/nation/abanjoko/kwanzaa-is-wack-there-i-said-it/". In response to this article, I have decided to write a letter to the author, stating why I disagree with her claim that “Kwanzaa is Wack”.

Dear Adisa, 

Allow me to start off by saying: I celebrate Kwanzaa. My family has been celebrating Kwanzaa for many years now and recently became very serious about the celebration, even inviting many friends and family members to celebrate the big seventh day feast.

Now let me admit, I do not believe the holiday is perfect. I believe that there are some faults in it and that the songs are especially corny, but to suggest that it has no use to the black community is not only ignorant but completely false. You claim that Kwanzaa is “stupid” because its creator was FBI informant Dr. Maulena Karenga (who may have had bad intentions in creating Kwanzaa).  You also state the obvious by mentioning the lack of Africans that participate in this celebration. Considering that the holiday was originally intended for the African-American population, that would be assumed Adisa.

Based on your logic, there should be no black Christians. After all, the creators of Christianity were not big fans of the black diaspora and the religion was later on used to enslave the Africans physically and mentally. Many black Christians are aware of this history and have chosen to make the religion their own, regardless of how Christianity has been used and manipulated by other people. Of course with Kwanzaa, I guess it isn’t possible to make it your own! (My family personally focuses much more on how the seven principles affect the black community today, and much less on the African aspect that people stress when describing the holiday.)

My favorite line from your article really resonates with me, "Kwanzaa is like a bad weave. People might kinda like it, but we all know it ain’t real." I'm not going to say much about this, but I would like you to give me a brief summary of the origins of Christmas and its traditions and then tell me what exactly "real" is? 

Everyone has a different perception of Kwanzaa. To me, it isn’t simply about celebrating African ancestry. It is also about providing a time for black families to convene in an effort to RESTORE the black family, which is much needed. Although I do not feel it should be a once a year thing, I certainly think it is useful to families who use it. It also gives people of African descent a time to honor those who have contributed to our blessings, and discuss what issues are important in the black community and how we can address them. Many people think this is a no-brainer that should be happening already, but in reality it doesn’t and people have become so consumed in their own individual lives that an opportunity like this is rare. Hence, Kwanzaa is very valuable.

To others, Kwanzaa represents a time where people can escape the monetary, superficial pressures that are often times associated with Christmas. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have any beef with Christmas; it has provided me with lots of nice things. However, many people tend to neglect the purpose of celebrating Christmas, and use it as an excuse to spend money or unapologetically ask for gifts. Unfortunately, celebrating Christmas has never provided me with the personal fulfillment and encouragement that Kwanzaa has. 

To conclude, YOU DO need Kwanzaa, Adisa Banjoka, regardless of all of the history of Africa you claim to know. Your “knowledge” means nothing if it isn’t used to help and uplift the black community and/or inspire the youth. Is it possible to love your black heritage without celebrating Kwanzaa? Absolutely. But Kwanzaa is much more than informing people about their African roots. Kwanzaa is not a counterfeit classroom, but a platform used to promote and restore the unity, hope, faith and determination that has been lacking in the black community. I’d advise you to think of how important these values are in this age of the “post-racial society” where many black issues have been swept under the rug. Harambee to you!!

         Sincerely,

            A wannabe-hardcore-revolutionary-Shea-Butter-selling black girl