Perseverance is King.

~Great Uncle Gilbert Augustine Diggs

When you get; give. When you learn; teach. ~Dr. Maya Angelou
(un)Horsed; but war-worthy. ~Unknown
In this beautiful country of Botswana; we believe our Ancestors watch over us. We believe that if we strive to make
them proud, then they will help and protect us... ~Mma Precious Ramotswe {No.1 Ladies Detective Agency;
HBO/BBS}
Genius; the power which dazzles human eyes, is oft but perseverance in disguise. ~H. W. Austin
There is no cosmetic for beauty like happiness. ~Marguerite Gardiner Blessington
Your smile has power. And is plentiful...so when you come across someone without theirs, lend them a blend of yours.
~Coach TMarie W. C.
There are seasons when to be still demands immeasurably higher strength than to act. ~Margaret Bottome
Being a black woman writer is not a shallow place to write from, {Toni Morrison says} It doesnt limit my
imagination; it expands it.
Do not follow where the path may lead, go, instead, where there is not a path and leave a trail. ~Ralph Waldo
Emerson
(E)Iam is the mother of 21st Century urban-based leadership. ~Coach Charlie Webster {DC}
Take the first step in faith. You dont have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step. ~Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr.
Follow your bliss. ~Joseph Campbell
Whatever the circumstances of your life, the understanding of Type can make your perceptions clearer, your judgments
sounder, and your life closer to your hearts desire. ~Isabel Briggs Myers

The Politics of Parenting {part I}

Temet Nosce; the-alchemy-of-Time-&Consciousness; quality-decision-making; decipher(nomics); clues-&-cues; show&tell;
joie de vivre; vocab-a-lyrics, savory-soft-skills, right-to-left-brain-activities; strengths-based-traditions; self-concept; capacity-forsuccess; intentions-&-intangibles; oral-history; re-creative-spaces; ethos/pathos/logos; self/tribal-narratives; pro-personal-&progressive-insurance; INTRA-inquiries; multiple-intelligences; learning-styles; social-learning; riddles of the SEQ-sphinx; and
heart-based-day-design.

{INTRO}
The 21st Century Urban {American} experience of parenting has been deemed an intra-perilous, highlysurveillanced route to raising children. Tirelessly, many strive toward a balanced, full-circled, mindfully
(hu)man existence for themselves and their seedlings regardless of having an ounce of je ne sais quoi
which seems like the legend of mystical renegades {in my pro-personal-view}.
Because surely those of urban-descent {past, present, and future} must transcend from the invisible
teachings that anchor a hard-knocked existence and damaging homestead practices. We, the parents of
urban baselines, must become highly sensitive to centuries of mental-malarkey and feverishly fight to
oversee the nuances of clandestine policy, alongside subtle twists and turns that contour
emotionality/personality. And even though weve been endowed to raise tender-minds into pro-personal
minds of solidarity; we rarely do. Why is this? And how shall we begin to overthrow such invisible
atrocity? Well, I havent pulled all the why-components to form a clear and complete answer {theres an
awful lot to cover}. But Ido have an idea. If we must...and yes, we must...become the executiveproducers of homesteads that serve as social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, musically-inclined,
visually-play(full) and soulfully-savvy incubators, libraries, and resource-centrals {regardless if its
formation: singleton, coupled or mix-matched}.
Also, its imperative that we strive into our courage and build a regenerating willingness to journey into
the tender-limits of our own hearts to manifest balanced infusions of Temet Nosce {to know thy Self}. And
recognize the immanent importance of standing as one of the examples of much-better. And yet, so
many {Urban} parents are genuinely unfamiliar with the clues and cues that would lead them into better
relations with themselves, and with those that theyve been deemed to raise {because surely parenting is
not a totalitarian/dictatorship!} ... There are inherent-vibes that must be nurtured. The uninhibited
maturity of such vibes {with properly fed esteem} ought to safe-keep us from self-sabotaging fears, aid in
the contouring of whole(some) self-concepts, and reveal INTRA-solidarity thru an individuals alchemyof-time: patience, process, and progress. Within this internal effervescence; one shall also cultivate the
qualities of efficient decision-making...which is quite foreign and often considered an eccentric style of
living; as rendered through the minds eye of an impoverished urban-american homestead.
Its suggested that in order for one to establish its own, personal alchemy-of-time one must become
sensitive to the unfolding of its mind {and revealing of its heart}; through time. It must also sharpen its
awareness to be able to identify the arrival of certain messages/messengers, intel, and lessons/teachings;
as well as be able to decipher them. Absorb them. Process them. Then circle-back and teach them. And
even possibly revise/re-create them.
{Anecdote: Part I}

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ngnue Zahara Tatanna American-born, but spiritually of African-decent. Known throughout her
community-tribes as Zah or Coach-Z. Often assumed to be of stealth(like)ness...aloof, but highly
polished and professionally skilled. Armed with a vibrant voice thats capable of an assortment of
pitches, volumes, tones, and tempos. But what shes most-known-for are the circumstances when life has
landed her inside the arena to tango with sassy, not-so-nice doers of injustice and or the vicious socialinclinations due to the bullying types. Her roar {and her proverbial bite} has the power to vibrate thru to
ones most inner core; without any synthetic amplifications.

The catalyst of her vibrant-voice did not come by way of the homestead qualities aforementioned inside
the introduction; yousee...quite the contrary. Ingnues voice has been almost stolen from her several
times once when she was six years old; again, when she was eight years old, and yet again at the brink
of her mid-thirties.
The incidents surrounding her at age six {when her alcoholic mothers nasty ass boyfriend creeped into
the bathroom and tried to shove his grown-man part into her tender innocence}. And till this very day,
she is unable to move her bowels on a healthy basis...mainly because of years of fear that literally fought
against her natural urge...convincing her that theres doom inside long bathroom breaks. Strangely
enough, it still haunts her to remember the truly unbearable moments when shed hear her step-mother
baffled by why her bathrooms always smelt like poop even after just cleaning them.
Then theres the two-years she spent in Shreveport, Louisiana when she was eight to go live with her
Grand-dads sister {and its still a mystery as to why she was sent to dwell with such (unfamiliar) cruelty}.
Ultimately incubating her mind-settings in constant terror. And as she emotionally wobbled into
womanhood; and gained the premise of using her voice as a weapon towards all the dangers-of-strangers.

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Now-a-days, the battles within her are subsiding {but will probably never disappear} ...and yet, her
burden seems lighter. Shes figuring this is mainly due to her opting-out of the aggressive rat-race to
pursue lofty career agenda; and the paychecks to boot. Consequently, endowing her with a grander peace
and a lot less flashy demeanor. Along with an invaluable homestead of balanced Life&Work;
Style&Play. She finally cool with not being what society rushes to consider a boss lady or even a diva.
But her smiles are generous and her laughter is hearty. The enrichment of her heart has returned and her
insights are validated. Her perceptions are fair and somewhat just {shes still maturing}. And shes o-so
glad that she took up the pains to study herself instead of kill herSelf.

As she migrated into her thirties; she realized that she was a stranger of Self...a weirdo even. She had
developed very sensitive triggers that would easily set her roar ablaze with the sole intent of protecting
her six-year-old-self always leaving her on the wrong side of story; with more emotional-causalities than
she was proud of. And because of her negligence to discipline her Voice (especially when she was angry);
she was the one causing much of the danger and damage. But...it was one of her key-lines of self-defense.
And yet...her episodes of rage were growing untamed and now seeking to devour the emotionalities of
her three young children. She could feel the emergence of transformation. And yet she didnt like its
unsavory characteristics which eventually provoked her to flee-her-seed(s). She had already witnessed
the (special) effects from a couple of her siblings entering into predicaments that was causing their
children many (emotional) bumps and bruises; and she was painfully aware of their projected madness
stemming from the apple-dont-fall-too-far-from-the-tree syndrome. It weighed in heavily that they were
all turning into their Mother. And she refused to subject the existential-maturity of her seedlings to such
uninvited sabotage. And for a long while after; her ex-husband still could not fathom the understanding
(about her leaving); which was mainly because she hadnt yet matured away from the wrath that dwelled
within her; keeping her unable to express herself completely. She didnt even know that this beasty(ness)
would eventually turn on her and acclaim that the only way to rid herself of its presence; was to kill
herSelf. This fight; with this insatiable energy went on for damn-near 10yrs. Assuming that this actually
meant taking her own life; she became consumed with the notion and contemplated it outrageously.
Never in a million years would she had been able to predict that this enormously long battle; with this
invisible principality, would do her a well-deep of good....and was exactly what was needed to break such
curse that circled her inner-ethos.

As a result, shell be forever grateful for the mounds of intel gathered around the studied nuances of Self
and its inner-strengths which has been transformed into comprehensive curricular for sages and scholars
of leadership alike. Her classroom rosters are steadily overflowing; as she is effectively preparing folks for
their battles to slay their own internal jabberwockies.
It has been almost a year since she secured her 700sq. ft. rambler; with its fully functioning basement,
greenhouse, and arts&crafts studio. It sits on a generous piece of land in Accokeek, MD. Shes deemed it
her Shangri-La; as it serves as her {and her Youngins} home/office, state-of-the-art learning space {with
real chalkboards and student-infused artwork}, and a gracious leadership-influenced library/resourcecentral. It also serves as the quaint satellite site for her students/clients CSA pick-ups {community
supported agriculture}. She takes seriously the stern advice given by Dr. Julia Hare. Which is consistently
provoking Zah to strongly urge all women of urban-African descent to utilize their homes to be more
than just high-polished show-rooms...and or...dens of doom&gloom. And adding to the notion by
affirming that urban-homesteaders ought to design as much kid/adult-friendly learning spaces as possible.
And to at least grow ones own herbs {which only requires a window ledge, seeds, fertilized soil, and a
small rectangle cedar box} and to increase the preparations ones own food!
Its the last Saturday morning of the month; still early enough to meet&greet the mornings dew. And
Zah is on her way to the farmers market in Silver Spring, MD. Some of her young-adults are traveling
with her to help select delicacies for their upcoming event to host their first leadership-appreciation
dinner. They arrive at the market...and shes immediately delighted for the awesome parking space.
Everyone piled out of the Jeep and scattered to begin acquiring their goodies. Shes moving a bit slow;
somewhat distracted by a distinctively deep, mellow-smooth voice thats quickly approaching, but she
refuses to turn around to catch a glance. And just then, she notices her Crew waiting for her to catch up;
she swifts her pace and dismisses her inkling. ...
Finally their shopping concludes and they make their way to the vehicle. Just as the items are nearly
packed; that same Voice approaches and politely asks, May I help you with the rest of that? Before she
could turn to face him...the corers of her smile began rising. Trying to maintain the collaboration that
was beginning to brew inside of her, and says, Thank you kindly Sir, but were good. The vibrancy of
her voice danced with his curiosity. Right then he knew he wasnt departing without the segue of at least
one more conversation. He honestly revealed this to her; which landed him a short-summary of Her
before they exchanged contact information. He then gently shook her hand and landed it with a light kiss
as he bid the rest of her day tailored to her liking. Her smile was on blast as she said, Thank you Sir.
He walked away impressed and pleased with how gracefully she regarded him as Sir.
She hopped into the truck and smiled during the entire forty-five-minute ride home. Interestingly
enough; going in the opposite direction he was too. And even more interesting....so was her
youngsters. Because honestly, its been way too long since Zah has had a worthy, intellectual romance to
infuse her reality. Usually within three-seconds of a conversation she can sense the sincerity of a worthy
romantic-intellect. The young-folk were genuinely alright with this too mainly because Dude appears
to be pretty cool. As they ought to know...Coach Z teaches them well about the powers and chemistry of
complementary, romantic-energies.

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{Part II February 14, 2017}