The First Will Become Dash

Africa Matters.
We know because an African-American Leader (Jesse Jackson) and mainstream news source (Huffingtonpost) said so. When it comes to issues associated with blacks, you need both for authentication.
It shouldn't be news that Africa has a wealth of natural resources, of which China has deeply invested in. As the tide of Great Britain colonies abated, Chinese businessmen swooped in to capitalize on the industrial gap. Good timing, partially reflected by their booming economy.
Though China has already heavily invested in Africa , building roads, bridges, dams, and even hotels, the implication is that America should be benefiting from these natural resources.
Why?
America is too multi-cultural to maintain it's previous sense of entitlement. We're talking about Africa's resources, yet the tone is "China can't have them all, we want some too."
So China and America should split the resources of Africa, not the other 47 countries who inhabit the continent?
Please, forgive my heresy. I forget sometimes that the universe revolves around America.
The fact of the matter is, had it been Mars China was siphoning resources from, America still would have a sense of entitlement over every rock. The difference here is that America is inhabited by Martians. Aliens. African-Americans, they call us. If I was racing for space rocks, I'd sure like to have Martians on my side.
Centuries ago, America traveled to that strange planet of Africa. They deemed it's inhabitants savages (like today), and took human laborers as it's only resource. 400yrs of free labor, and we build USA Inc, the richest nation in the world.
Yet our biggest competitor has one-upped us. China is using the source of our start up wealth as a source of residual income, and America wants in.
Meanwhile, African-Americans, American Africans, Blacks, Negroes- the dark skinned descendants of the original employees -have come upon a golden opportunity.
For years the only African resource in America was the people it brought. Even now those people still live in a landless hiatus- Estranged from Africa, yet still not fully accepted in America: African-Americans. You could say we've spent more time as the dash than either or.
Which is exactly what America needs right now, a dash. A connection between Africa, and America. America is not entitled to African resources, of which China has a firm grip on anyway. Blacks in America can't all be CEObama. We should create a new position, embracing the link with both countries. African-American. The title is already there, now to create positional benefits.
African-Americans. Your Americanism bleeds from your pours to the nostrils of every foreigner. Yet in America, your "exotic" look has resulted in the same tumultuous relationship as any imperial colony versus native citizens. Black Americans live in this balance, with Africa on one extreme and America the other. Instead of pushing through your Americanism to embrace African cultures, or denouncing African roots as interpreted by American patriotism, embrace both. That position is exactly what you and America need right now, a link between Africa and America. Who better than it's estranged children and step-children, itching to return to the motherland they've never seen? Only instead of dark-skinned Americans occasionally wandering for a glimpse of lost origins, African-Americans can return as ambassadors between the mother land and what will be the newly dubbed "our land". For once, the plethora of American interests are aligned on one issue: desire for Africa. Some claim to love her, others just want to tap that... resource. Both require a relationship.
African-Americans looking for their place need to settle down where they are, on the dash between. That dash on paper should be a bridge in real life. All African-Americans interested in Africa should unite and create such an institution. With an education on African languages and cultures, it would be the bridge and gate keeper between Africa and America. The only bridge running deeper inland than the coast, connecting knowledge, commerce, and culture. Let African love unite Americans and African-Americans, and all will benefit. In the age of green being the new black, black is the new green.

"She Got That Good Hair"

The other day, Tyra Banks had a familiar yet always interesting topic on her talk show. With her hair in cornrows and a mostly black panel ready to give their insight and opinions, they all discussed what good hair actually means. Tyra, being the righteous sista that she is, tried to school the young black women on the beauty of natural hair. Ironic, since Tyra dons light, straight or wavy hair 99% percent of the time. Oh, but for this particular show she has cornrows? Whatever.

As a woman of mixed heritage, I've gotten the "good hair" label from black women all throughout my life. And it means absolutely nothing to me. I don't blush and say thank you, I usually stare at them with a look that says, "Have you not learned anything from Malcolm X?" I realize that the hair style one chooses to sport is not necessarily an indicator of our racial intelligence, but the fact that so many black women (and young girls) still subscribe to the myth of "good hair vs. bad hair" is alarming. Even Chris Rock, inspired by concerns from his daughter, filmed a documentary about the issue.

Let's be clear....THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS GOOD HAIR, LADIES! If you relax your hair because it's easier to manage and whatnot, fine. But if you relax your hair because you want that "good hair" and believe your natural, kinky hair is ugly, then you're still trapped in a slave mentality.

See, the term "good hair" was created back in the slavery era, when the slaves who had mixed blood (usually from the white slave owner) were given special treatment. Their "wavy" or "straight" hair was usually a sign of this special status. Slaves who had natural, kinky hair desired the hair they could get from white people, thinking it would grant them prestige and privileges. Now in 2009, there are still many black women out there afraid of going natural for fear of what others may think of their "nappy" hair. And black girls as young as 3 are believing that Mylie Cyrus' weave is ideal while the Angela Davis 'fro is the epitome of ugly.

It's a shame, really. Too many black women just don't know how beautiful they are. Whether straightened or rocking locs, we must remember that our hair does not define our beauty, nor does society. Only we, and we alone, can change our perception of beauty.