Seventh Edition

November 20, 2013

Black Consciousness
Promoting Freedom of Thought

Quote of the Day: Black Consciousness is an attitude of the mind and a way of life, the most positive call to emanate from the Black world for a long time. Steve Biko

Table of Contents The Art, the Dance, the Game of Capoeira.. Rafael de Mendona Eclectic Souls....................... Rashieda Witter Forgotten Roots.....Yoweri Kimeria & Robert Moore The Source of Our Power................................................Jahi Beal

Copyright Black Consciousness Writers 1

The Art, the Dance, the Game of Capoeira

Capoeira is more than a martial art, more than a dance, more than a game; it is life. In it, mortals become Gods, the dead come to life and the past, present and future become one. Its contest represents the struggles of life, where one must overcome adversity and the unknown to succeed. Its circle reminds us that there is no beginning, no end; for as one stage ends, another begins. It is the gift of our ancestors that in their suffering, fought to keep their spirit alive and it will be our gift to our descendants, so that our rich and valiant history may give them the means to craft a future brighter than ours.

Capoeira
The circle Of people, of nature, of life In its confines, we find forces Ebbing, flowing, pulsing In a timeless contest And a balance

Where winners become losers And losers become winners Where bodies, like wisps of air Glide under and over each other Where arms, heads and legs Pulsate to the undulating rhythm

Drums strike like thunder

Voices soar like birds Claps crack like whips

And round the circle they go As from above, smiling, we watch Our children in their play

A Bananeira Caiu
A bananeira A twist of the body A bananeira Like a blade it cuts A bananeira caiu Down comes the other A bananeira caiu Even the strongest trees fall

Sarav
Ogum guerreiro In this circle we play Xang justiceiro Under ever watchful eyes Exu mensageiro Reviving those that came before Omolu feiticeiro Inspiring those that follow

-Rafael de Mendona 3

Eclectic Souls
Eclectic: Deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources. Soul: The essence of an individual. Within each of us is a vital force that drives and motivates our very being. It allows us to be creative and innovative. It enables us to express our individuality and encourages us to think outside of the box that society attempts to place us in. This entity is our Eclectic Soul and it instigates our ability to learn, create and inspire. After we recognize our potential, its up to us to utilize it in order to be the change we wish to see by doing the following:

LEARN Knowledge is POWER. My parents always told me not to take

my education for granted because it is the one thing no one can ever take away from me. No matter your field of study or variety of interests, make sure you take time to educate yourself on topics most important to you. Whether you want to know whose great idea it was to create Nutella or how to calculate the speed of light, always quench your thirst for knowledge because self-education is the most effective form of learning. Question everything & spark your curiosity. Revamp & transform your way of thinking. Kendrick Lamar stated, Ive spent 23 years on this earth searching for answers, til one day I realized I had to come up with my own. So what will you discover? We all know that the mind is a terrible thing to waste.

CREATE Write a poem. Make a beat. Come up with an idea for a new
superhero. Paint the sunset. Doodle when youre bored instead of going on social media. Design a t-shirt. Use your smart phone to take a dope picture that isnt a selfie. Big K.R.I.T taught me, Life is what you make it, so

what you been creating in your free time? Participate in creative instigation in any way, shape, or form you desire. Imagine things that you wish existed and innovate a way to bring it into reality. George Bernard Shaw expressed that Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last, you create what you will. Most importantly, be fearless in your artistic adventuresafter all, cant kills creativity.

INSPIRE You know that feeling that you get when you hear Nas I
Know I Can or the chorus to Destiny Childs Survivor? That urge to get up, get out and get something is called inspiration and we could all use a daily dose. Thankfully its all around us and can be seen in our elders, peers and occasionally in the media. Its hidden in song lyrics and in booksread slow & youll find gold mines in those lines. Most importantly, inspiration is within each of us. While were all far from perfect, we should always make an effort to live a life of purpose. Your life is your message to the world so make sure its inspiring. There are big things in store for all of the Eclectic Souls out there and the mass movement is coming very soon #EclecticSouls2014. In the meantimelearn, create & inspire!

One Love, Rashieda Witter Co-Founder of SimonsofHipHop.com

Forgotten Roots
Oh how quickly all of our history is forgotten My generation of people seem broken and downtrodden Cause we believe the plots and schemes Of the ancient thieves of American dreams What happened to all my strong, proud people? The ones who had to fight just to make things equal Those who threw the Jim Crow laws into upheaval Males and females locked in jail without bail Sacrifices made so that today's youth can prevail But with all of our arrogance, We forgot our true heritage The likes of Dr.King, Malcolm X, and Medgar Evers were true leaders Reverend Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson nothing but media bottom feeders Huey Newton, Bobby Seale, and Fred Hampton founders of the Black Panthers Men who spoke with openness and candor, removing ignorance in our community like a cancer What happened to our great music artists? Whose lyrics got the realest conversations started Nowadays these rappers talking bout the same ol thangs Click-click bang bang screaming out 2 chainz In every song she got a big booty, I'm making money and dress like this, to impress some chicks But I was a ghetto boy and my mind was playing tricks Bring back public enemy, Fighting the power is the remedy Reaching the lost, Entitled fools thinking they're a boss Never thinking of the words they proclaim

Sam Cooke still begging for a change Gil Scott said the revolution won't be televised How can I comply when BET thrives, Bunch of sambos and coons doing a shuck and jive Robbing, stealing and killing all in the name of just chilling Funny how TV is short for television Yet on the tele there is no vision Cause where there's no vision lies cruel intentions A group of people manipulated to cultivate a culture of hate So herein lies the debate, who can relate? Hate turned into a virus that divides us Expecting us to trust in their moral lust only adds to my disgust Viruses are the opportunistic pathogens That just keep coming back again and again Ever see somebody with herpes or HIV? The effects are clear to see Both diseases are unforgiving and show no mercy Ignorance is the disease that only metastasizes Cuz my people believed the lies, devised, to conquer and divide Which to no surprise has led to the demise of you and I Wrote this poem to be our moral vaccination Hoping it's the cure to this mental assassination

-Yoweri Kimeria & Robert Moore

The Source of Our Power

Theres something powerful lurking around campus. It has been seen illuminating from many and its name is inspiration. With it comes the hopes, dreams and determination of a nation of students, which has given us the ability to do what we do as writers for Black Consciousness. You are the source of that inspiration as well as our power, which no kryptonite can weaken. To everyone who has devoted time to reading Black Consciousness and supporting the movement, I must express my gratitude for your strength. Thank you for being more than just readers. In striving to be yourselves, change the world and succeed, you give us the ability to do the same. It is only through your support that Black Consciousness has become something of meaning. I think I speak for everyone associated with Black Consciousness when I say you are the ones who inspire us. Keep doing you and dont let anyone steal your inner grace. We will in turn keep promoting freedom of thought and uplifting you all through our words.

Sincerely yours, Jahi Beal, Editor-in-Chief

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