The current state of America can feel scary sometimes. Amidst the political showdowns and obscenities, a shaky economy, and opposing views and opposition a lot of people may feel hopeless, unsettled, and sometimes downright restless. One of the dark truths in all the messiness is that racism is still very much alive. There’s a lot of controversy within the black community regarding racism, prejudice, and a complicated relationship with law enforcement. More and more black families are having “The Talk” with their children about how to survive and stay alive in a time of high racial tensions and increased prejudice. It’s heartbreaking and startling that this is a conversation still being had in 2018. Some time ago, Proctor & Gamble partnered with My Black Is Beautiful to release a campaign about The Talk that more minorities are having with their kids. Most black people are usually raised and conditioned to know that our place in the world comes with an entirely different set of rules and repercussions, so The Talk isn’t a new thing. It’s a reminder. In light of a continued spread of hatred and ignorance, now more than ever, it’s important we’re all informed and prayerfully know better and do better too. To see the campaign for The Talk please click here. Stay informed.
About a year ago, I had a dream my dad wanted to talk to our family about something serious. I wasn’t sure what he wanted to discuss, but I knew it was something I needed to prepare myself for. Around the time after I had this dream, I remember stopping by my parents place and sensing something was going on that they weren’t telling me. I tried to dismiss what I’d been feeling, but I couldn’t shake it. Something serious was happening. As I returned to my home after visiting them one day, I was in my kitchen washing dishes when a heaviness hit my heart like nothing I’d ever felt before. Something’s wrong with dad. That’s what that dream was about. God, what’s going on? As I continued washing dishes, I started crying and praying. Then in mid-spring, my dad held an unexpected family meeting that would change all our lives forever. He hesitated at first, and as his voice started cracking and he started crying, he said, “Well, I wanted to talk to ya’ll to tell you that I have kidney disea...