My dear friends, life has been quite a whirlwind and I am honored and blessed that God has allowed me to "keep on keepin' on."
Recently, I've struggled to find balance, trying to juggle a day job, nurture my entrepreneurial spirit, keep fighting for the community - and making sure I help push my own children to greatness in a tricky world where many feel constantly under attack. During a time when the "industry" says "newspapers are dead," I am hell bent on making sure I provide what I feel is quality content that I hope will make a person PUT DOWN THEIR PHONES and let their eyes read every word in black and white on a page in hand. Dare to dream, I say.
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Speaking of dreams - I know we all dream of one day living in a world where politics are dignified, police brutality is nonexistent, children are fed and nurtured, and people get back to good old fashioned hard work, while earning livable wages. We also want women's rights restored, equality in our everyday lives and equity in the workplace and healthcare, among other things. Many also just want the right to be FREE.
Rapper Jay Z's mother made headlines this month when she decided to marry her samesex partner, sharing with the world the joy of their union. It is funny how these things still "need" to make headlines.
In honor of their new journey and last month’s PRIDE celebrations, we want to share a poem written by Mrs. Gloria Carter, which was featured on her son's “4:44” album in 2017.
Smile
By: Gloria CarterLiving in the shadow, can you imagine what kind of life it is to live?
In the shadows people see you as happy and free, because that’s what you want them to see. Living two lives, happy but not free. You live in the shadows for fear of someone hurting your family or the person you love. The world is changing and it’s time to be free. But you live with the fear of just being me. Living in the shadow feels like a safe place to be No harm for them, no harm for me. But life is short and it’s time to be free. Love who you love because life isn’t guaranteed. Smile.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to this. No matter who you are and what walk of life you are on, be PROUD of yourself, TAKE PRIDE in what you do and always be AWARE of your health, wealth and overall wellbeing. SMILE....It's beautifully contagious, pass it on.
With love,
Nakia Cooper
Publisher, Bayou Beat News
President, Houston Association of Black Journalists
Congratulations to Rebecca Briscoe for being recognized as a “Young Leader to Watch” by the 100 Plus Black Women Coalition. Esteemed media powerhouse Erika Harris served as keynote speaker for the event, which recently took place in Beaumont, Texas.
At the core of the rap game, names like Tupac and Biggie reign supreme, but in the south, Big Pokey sits on the same throne and if you are a Houston native, then you know the impact that he and the “Screwed Up Click” had on the culture, redefining the sound of Houston hip-hop.
Born Milton Powell on November 29, 1974, Big Pokey – as he was affectionately known – was raised on the south side of Houston in the Yellowstone neighborhood.
Big Pokey began rapping with Houston producer DJ Screw and DJ PRIMETIME in the early 1990s, releasing songs on many of DJ Screw’s mixtapes, like “Pokapolis” and “Pokey’s Box of Magic Tricks.” Big Pokey was featured on DJ Screw’s legendry mixtape “June 27th Freestyle,” which became a landmark album in “chopped and screwed” hip hop. His first full-length album, “Hardest Pit in the Litter,” appeared in early 1999.
The June 27th Mixtape is so legendary in Houston that it has
its own day in Houston. On June 27th, the city of Houston has energy and a feeling of pride across the city that is unexplainable. From the Fifth Ward to Sunny Side and down to Galveston, you can see Texans leaning and jamming screw on what has become known as “Slab Holiday.”
The following year, Pokey returned with “D-Game 2000,” another album pop of mid-tempo 808-driven beats, featuring several of his Houston peers as guests. In 2001, he collaborated with the Wreckshop Wolfpack for “Tha Collabo” and then returned in 2002 with another solo album, “Da Sky’s Da Limit.” In 2004, a clip of Pokey’s song, “Who Dat Talkin Down,” was featured in the pilot episode of HBO‘s Entourage. In 2005, Pokey was featured on Paul Wall‘s track “Sittin’ Sidewayz,” which peaked
at #93 on US Billboard Hot 100.
After a 10-year hiatus, Pokey released his last project, “#Sensei Summer 2021.” This long-awaited and highly anticipated project consisted of features from DJ XO, Devin The Dude, Chucky Trill, Lil KeKe, Lil O & more. He was so proud of this project as he received a Gold plaque for reaching record-breaking numbers.
On June 18, 2023, Big Pokey was performing at a Juneteenth concert in Beaumont when he col-
lapsed on stage and was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was 48 years old. His cause of death is still unknown. Poetically, he died with a mic in his hands in front of his fans, doing what he loved.
A celebration of life event was held on Sunday, June 25 at Houston City Hall. The following week, the public was given an opportunity to pay their respects to Big Pokey one last time during a public viewing at St. John’s Downtown Church.
The proud Jack Yates High School alumnus leaves behind a wife of 16 years, three kids, and a host of loved ones. To know Big Pokey was to love Big Pokey. Since his passing, fans have shared their tributes on social media and called into local radio stations to express their love and fond memories.
Bayou Beat News, along with the rest of H-Town, will continue to keep the SUC family in our prayers.
Houston’s first Black Port Commissioner and first Black appointee to the Harris County –Houston Sports Authority, Mr. Howard J. Middleton, Jr., died at the age of 92.
Middleton, who entered eternal rest on June 14, was also the founding chairman of the Black Heritage Committee at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which has provided millions in scholarships to students.
Middleton was born on April 11, 1931, in Centerville, Texas. He attended Frederick Douglass High School in his hometown and continued his education at Texas Southern University in the field of Business Administration.
See just a small portion of his long list of accomplishments:
Professional Affiliations
• Houston Harris County Sports Authority –Chairman of New Construction Committee
• Harris County Council of Organizations –Political Action Committee (PAC) – Screening Committee
• Houston Port Development Corporation –Director
• Houston Port Authority - Commissioner
• Houston Pilots Association – Director
• Houston Area Laborer’s Training Trust Fund
– Director
• Standard Savings and Loan Association – Director
• Harris County Private Industry Council –Board Member
• American Marine Institute – Board Member
• Sam Houston Area Boy Scouts of America –Antares District Finance Committee – Chairman
He was also a member of several professional societies, including Laborer’s International Union of North America, Associated General Contractors of America, Houston Building Trades Association, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, HLSR Black Heritage Committee (Founding Chairman), HLSR (Lifetime Director), and HLSR Trail Ride Committee.
"When that work is all completed, He will gently call you Home." Rest in peace, sir.
Congratulations are in order for James Smith, who has been named the new the assistant director in charge of the FBI New York Field Office. For those of you who don't know, Mr. Smith most recently served as the special agent in charge of the Houston Field Office.
Smith joined the FBI as a special agent in 2004. He first worked in the Los Angeles Field Office investigating drug-trafficking organizations, money laundering, and violent gangs. In addition, he served on the SWAT team and deployed to Baghdad in 2008 to support the FBI’s counterterrorism mission.
Throughout his decades long career, Smith has led operations including national security, intelligence, cyber, language services, surveillance, and aviation programs across various cities and states.
Director Christopher Wray appointed Smith to serve as the special agent in charge of the Houston Field Office in 2022. During his tenure in Houston, he prioritized violent crime investigations by advocating for a surge of federal resources to the Space City. Moreover, Smith fortified relationships with local and federal partners by overhauling FBI resources to proactively target repeat violent criminals and hold them accountable at the federal level.
Before he joining the FBI, Smith was an aircraft engine maintenance manager and a powerplant engineer for two airlines.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
By: Megan Brown, Navy Office of Community Outreach
A Houston native recently completed an intensive 10-week training program to become a member of the elite U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard.
Airman Rudolph Anderson, a 2018 Elkins High School graduate, joined the Navy six months ago. Today, he serves as a U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guardsman.
"I joined the Navy to make a better life for myself," said Anderson. "I am most proud of going to college and graduating boot camp.”
Established in 1931, the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard is the official honor guard of the U.S. Navy and is based at Naval District Washington Anacostia Annex in Washington, D.C.
As a member of the U.S. Navy, Anderson, as well as other sailors, know they are part of a service tradition providing unforgettable experiences through leadership development, world affairs and humanitarian assistance. Their efforts will have a lasting effect around the globe and for generations of sailors who will follow.
"Being in the Navy means better opportunities and the ability to serve my country," added Anderson.
The Sickle Cell Consortium and the Houston Sickle Cell Collaborative will be hosting the 10th Annual Warriors Convention, providing an engaging form of education on the disorder and disease affecting millions of people worldwide. The event will be held July 18 – 23 at the JW Marriott, located at 5150 Westheimer Rd.
Bayou Beat News sat down with the Executive Director of the consortium, Dr. Lakiea Bailey, to learn more about the convention and the issues plaguing the sickle cell community.
BB: Why did the consortium choose Houston as the host city this year?
Dr. Bailey: When it comes to building our sickle cell community, our goal is to be as inclusive as possible. This means reaching out to patients, caregivers, and anyone who is interested in learning more about sickle cell. We engage with our community by asking them where they want us to go next. We use a map to look at the places we’ve been before. Although we’ve been to Texas before, we noticed that Houston has a large sickle cell population. In order to ensure equitable distribution, we decided to focus on Houston this year.
BB: There has been a lot of commotion about the historic veto by Governor Greg Abbott and the Sickle Cell Registry Bill not being passed. What are the next steps for the consortium?
Dr. Bailey: As you can imagine, we were all incredibly disappointed when we learned that after months and months of work, gathering support from both sides of the Hill, the governor decided to veto the Sickle Cell Registry Bill. I don’t fully grasp the rationale he provided regarding privacy con-
By: Alexandria Green-Jonescerns, but we know that having a registry is one of the first and most important steps to ensuring accurate, adequate care for the sickle cell community. You can’t treat us unless you first have an accurate count to know who and where we are. We will be reaching out to learn more details about his concerns to redesign the rationale for why he’s done what he’s done and the best way to address his concerns.
BB: It’s the 10th anniversary of the convention, how has sickle cell awareness grown in the past 10 years?
Dr. Bailey: Fantastic question! I have seen leaps and bounds in this space that make me tentatively incredibly ex-
cited. I say tentatively because we often find that in the sickle cell space, we are still fighting battles that were fought decades ago. It was not that long ago that I was in the hospital, and a news interview came on about sickle cell, and I could tell it was like a documentary. I could tell by the cars, clothes, and setting that it had probably been record- ed in the late 70s, early 80s. They were concerned and attempting to address the exact same concerns and issues that we are having now. We are seeing new treatments, new therapies in the pipeline, policies being passed, and it’s all very helpful!
BB: What is the biggest issue facing the sickle cell community right now?
Dr. Bailey: One of the biggest issues facing the sickle cell community that I see is surrounded by injustice in health care. A lot of people find themselves having to fight for the basic standards of care. They find themselves having to implement respectability politics. Making sure they are dressed a certain way and look a certain way and sound a certain way with the hopes that their pain will be taken seriously. But as we all know, respectability politics does not work. That’s simply not the way it works. So, when you have to, for all intents and purposes, play games and wager whether or not you’re going to get decent care, the basic published standards of care, when you have to jump through hoops, cross your fingers, pray, and hope, that is an issue. Many sickle cell patients find themselves in the position of having to choose between death and dignity and no one should be put in that position.
BB: Tell us about the Warriors Convention, why should Houstonians come out?
Dr. Bailey: The Warriors Convention will be hosted as a hybrid event via Whova (virtual) and at the JW Marriott at the Galleria (in-person). People can register to attend the event at sicklecellconvention.org.
Local businesses can register for a vendor booth at the discounted price of $250. The event wraps up with a Health Fair at the 5th Ward Multi-Service Center, including health booths, a blood and marrow drive, sickle cell trait testing, and school supply donations. Health professionals can also register to receive a free booth at the fair.
Baseball was once was a major focus in the Black community, primarily during the days of the Negro Leagues. Today, however, one scan of the crowd at baseball games, it is clear to see the lack of African American presence at ballparks across the country. For today's youth, the sport has seemingly taken a back seat to basketball and football.
Two working mothers are on a mission to bring the love of baseball "BLACK" to the community.
Sister 2 Sistah co-founders Rebecca Briscoe and Nakia Cooper have created "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," an initiative to take up to 1,000 minority children, particularly from underserved communities, to EACH of the HOME GAMES during their 2023 summer vacation (from mid-June to end of August) at Minute Maid Park to see the Astros play. The selected children will be provided with tickets, food and transportation – all for FREE - as expenses can be deemed quite high, for some families.
While supporting legendary team manager Dusty Baker and the ‘Stros, the children are exposed to the sport that teaches honor, integrity, responsibility, teamwork with the mantra of “slay your own demons, then slay dragons” with no excuses.
For Briscoe and Cooper, who are both professionals certified in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, “representation matters.”
“Providing this firsthand exposure is pivotal,” Briscoe said. “If today’s youth can see it, they can achieve it. This event can create the next round of African American managers, statisticians, gen-
By: N.C. Greeneeral managers, and possibly MLB owners.”
This labor of love has been two years in the making. The pair personally tracked down and reached out to Baker, who graciously agreed to support the initiative, but the pandemic and a "little old thing" (j/k) called the WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP caused delays.
Things were finally able to get underway, starting with a huge kickoff with "Dusty and the kids."
Nearly 100 youth from various underserved communities in the Houston area were given the “All-Star” experience at Minute Maid Park Wednesday, June 14, for the official kickoff.
Thanks to the Astros Foundation, the children were taken to the official team press room for a “Conversation with Dusty Baker,” moderated by KRIV Fox 26’s Nate Griffin and emceed by “Uncle Funky” Larry Jones of Radio One’s Majic 102 FM.
In honor of Dusty’s birthday, all attendees of the game were given a signature, replica Dusty Baker ring for “Ring Day” at the ballpark.
Children and their families in attendance that day represented Kashmere High School, the Lincoln City Rays and Black Sox little league teams. Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis' Office provided bus transportation to bring the children to the ballpark.
For the second game of the ini-
tiative, Sister 2 Sistah arranged for 50 children and their families to watch the Astros game on Juneteenth, which featured Houston's legendary Buffalo Soldiers in the opening ceremony.
Another 50 were treated to a game on July 6 to watch the Astros take on the Mariners.
On July 30, Councilwoman Carolyn Evans-Shabazz's Office (District D) pledged to provide sponsorship to help host another 100 children for Sister 2 Sistah's "Back-to-School" game day event, with Denny's Restaurants providing backpacks filled with school supplies, in addition to coupons for the children to receive FREE Grand Slam breakfasts to help get their mornings off to a great start. Still room to sign up and participate! More donations are needed!
If you would like to donate, please visit GoFundMe. Look up the title "Help send thousands of Black youth to see Astros!"
If you would like to sponsor a game for the children, OR IF YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND, please contact sister2sistahhouston@gmail.com
By: Spring ISD Office of Communication
Dekaney High School made history this year after two students became the first Black females to simultaneously receive valedictorian and salutatorian rankings.
Valedictorian Cali Johnson and Salutatorian A’myri Phillips reflected on their achievements during the Dekaney High School graduation ceremony that was held on Friday, June 2, at Planet Ford Stadium.
“We should take in this moment, this ceremony, this day, and cherish it,” exclaimed Johnson. “Today is a commemoration of all we’ve strived for and the hard work we’ve put in to get here. We’ve yearned for this moment, we’ve earned this moment, and we’ve definitely earned this diploma. Today is our day.”
Phillips shared in Johnson’s sentiments as she reflected on her own journey at Dekaney and becoming the first of her siblings to attend college.
“I stand before you as a proud African-American woman who will be the first out of my siblings to go to college, who has overcome many obstacles to be standing here today,” said Phillips. “I want to acknowledge the struggles many of us have faced as black students. From being underestimated and overlooked, to facing racial discrimination and microaggressions, we have had to navigate a system that was not always designed for our success. But through it all, we have persevered, we have shown up, worked hard, and defied expectations.”
Phillips says she looks to continue her education in the fall at the University of Southern California where she will study to become a psychologist or cognitive behavioral therapist. Johnson will be staying closer to home while she attends the University of Texas to major in nursing.
Mnited States Census Director Robert Santos visited Houston on May 24 to encourage ethnic media to help continue being the “trusted voices” of the community.
This type of partnership between the bureau and local media is crucial to making sure the community understands the importance of the CB and the many valuable resources it brings.
Director Santos shared a personal story – that happened when he was around 5 or 6 years old – on why he is passionate about serving the community in the most “authentic” way.
“During the fall, it would get kind of cool in our little bungalow house, we had seven people in it. It would be a little drafty and I was sound asleep with the covers over me and I was startled because I felt something. Like most homes, we had mice and one had crawled up onto the bed. It was on top of the cover and started running up the side of my body,” he explained.
Santos said he screamed and threw himself out of bed, waking up everyone in the house. For nearly a week he could not sleep peacefully, terrified that the mouse would return. One day, his grandmother had him lie in the bed as she took a
branch, had him close his eyes, then whispered a prayer while brushing the leaves across his body.
She told him she gave him a blessing to take away the fear.
“It absolutely worked. From then on, I was no longer afraid of a mouse climbing up,” Santos said. “It occurred to me years later that what she had done, she had used her whole self, all the powers and life experiences and the culture she had within her to address a problem with her loved one.”
Santos said when he got the call from the White House a couple of years ago and they spoke to him about consideration of being nominated for the position, he thought about how he would present himself.
Should he cut his long hair, which he wears in a ponytail? Should he get a buzz cut, possibly deemed more acceptable? He thought about his grandmother.
“I realized that by going through that experience as a little kid that my grandmother had taught me to be my whole self,” he said.
He did not change his appearance or alter who he was and, as clearly shown, he was selected for the position.
“Getting to the Census Bureau and leading the largest federal
statistical agency in the country, I saw that I could contribute to the excellence that has always been a part of the Census Bureau by using my life experience and teaching others that their life experience, their culture, their values add something different and new in terms of creativity in the nation,” Santos said. “Having a common problem and getting different perspectives on it, that’s when you get the most insight. That’s when you can identify the real solution, rather than treating a symptom.”
Many wonder. What exactly is the role of the Census Bureau?
Some think it is a bunch of “nosey government folks” snooping around in your business. While that frankness may sound funny to read, it is how many people feel. It’s quite the opposite. You may be interested to learn that its mission is actually guided by scientific objectivity.
The census has various statistical programs, but the most widely known is the Decennial, which happens every 10 years. There are also many surveys and data the census gathers to help make vital decisions across America.
The results of the Decennial census help determine how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding, including
grants and support to states, counties and communities are spent every year for the next decade. The results also inform how federal funding is allocated to more than 100 programs, including Medicaid, Head Start, block grant programs for community mental health services, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP.
The media is one of the strongest voices in keeping the communities informed, engaged and in participation.
“If I say, ‘please answer the survey,’ people will shrug it off. If that message comes from you and community-based agencies that people know, that’s a different thing. We have to start the process now, not wait until 2027,” Santos said.
He also added why the Bayou City’s participation is vital.
“Houston is very special to me. My wife is from Houston, and I am from San Antonio, so I know Houston pretty well,” Santos said. “Houston is an immensely diverse, richly diverse, beautifully diverse city. Houston is a really, really important area from which we can actually learn a lot about how we can do outreach to other communities.”
By: Stacy M. Brown / NNPA
Things are really shaking up again! Former At-Large Houston City Council Member Amanda Edwards has dropped her bid for Houston mayor and launched her campaign to succeed Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee to serve Houston’s 18th Congressional District.
The Houston native says priorities for her Congressional bid will focus on themes ranging from economic opportunity to healthcare access and education.
Exponential Board of Directors, as President of the Board of Directors for Project Row Houses in the Historic Third Ward community, and on numerous other civic boards and committees, including Texas Lyceum and the Houston Area Urban League Young Professionals.
Renowned scholar and activist Dr. Cornel West has declared his candidacy for the upcoming presidential race under the banner of the People’s Party.
In a compelling video shared on Twitter, West expressed his intention to run for the pursuit of truth and justice, emphasizing that the presidency serves as a means to achieve these noble ideals.
With a strong academic background, including positions at prestigious institutions such as Harvard University and Princeton University, West is recognized for his intellectual activism.
In his Twitter video, West articulated his decision to run as a third-party candidate, citing the reluctance of the established political parties to address critical issues concerning Wall Street, Ukraine, the Pentagon, and Big Tech.
He referred to former President Donald Trump, a leading contender for the Republican nomination, as a “neo-fascist” and
labeled President Biden as a “milquetoast neoliberal.”
West’s educational journey has taken him through esteemed universities such as Yale, Princeton, and Harvard, and he presently holds a professorship in philosophy at Union Theological Seminary.
Throughout his career, he has been known for his progressive activism and his outspoken critique of former President Barack Obama.
Fair wages, affordable housing, abortion rights, universal healthcare, the urgent need to address climate change, and preserving American democracy were some of the significant issues West highlighted in his campaign video.
“Will we succeed? Only time will tell. But some of us are ready to fight until the end,” declared West in his announcement video, leaning towards the camera, his words resonating with determination. “We will fight passionately, with style, and with a smile.”
“I am running for Congress to place people over politics, and to deliver the results our community deserves. As Congresswoman Jackson Lee seeks to come home to serve as Houston’s next mayor, I seek to continue the strong legacy of servant leadership in the 18th Congressional District,”
Edwards said. “From Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, Congressman Mickey Leland, Congressman Craig Washington to Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, the people of the 18th Congressional District deserve the next leg of this relay to continue to be strong, bold, effective and focused on the people.”
In addition to her time on City Council, Amanda has served on the National League of Cities Board of Directors, the Advisory Council for Accelerator forAmerica, Houston
She is a graduate of Eisenhower High School in Aldine ISD and Emory University in Atlanta, where she earned a degree in political science, served as student body president for the college and was inducted into the Emory University Hall of Fame. Edwards also earned a J.D. from Harvard Law School. Edwards is a life-long member of St. Monica Catholic Church in Acres Homes.
Freedom came June 19, 1865 to Galveston, Texas when it was announced that the enslaved people were free. even though Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation was issued two and a half years prior on Jan 1, 1863. The difference between Texans and the rest of the nation was the lack of knowledge. The enslaved were essentially free but didn't know.
Lack of knowledge is the reason that some of us are still trapped or "enslaved in our minds" today.
In 2006, I visited Ghana for three months. During my visit, I spoke to local elders in different villages about their version of the slave trade that heavily influenced their history. There are approximately 40 slave castles in Ghana. Out of all the stories, they all said the same thing, "They took our strongest."
Eerily, the realization set in that despite the many who didn't make it out of the slave castles; those who didn't make it across the Atlantic voyages, and those who didn't survive once they landed in the diaspora, we are still here. That means we are descendants of the strongest, of the strongest, of the strong. This statement always gave me chills because it made me realize that I did not descend from victims, but from survivors. In spite of everything that has been put in our way to deter us here in this country, we not only survive but surpass what is expected.
Do you understand what I just said? Let me explain it further.
The white men did not have a desire to steal or capture our elderly or weakest, they would bring no value to them in their eyes. They wanted our "warriors," those with strength, those
they felt would bring in the most money, those who would be healthy enough to breed, work and build.
Do you really understand what that means?
It was those captured individuals that they lined up - stacked up - on the slave ships and brought them across the oceans, far away from home. Those individuals who had to lie in each other's waste, fight disease, still bleeding from wounds they sustained during capture. It was those strong individuals who had to fight to stay alive, mentally, and physically. And while many made it to their new, doomed home in America, many did not. And remember, all of them were strong.
Only the "strongest" of the strong survived. And we are all descendants of them.
Do you realize you have the blood of the strongest people to ever survive a mass casualty running through your veins?
Unfortunately, a lot of us don't know our real history in this country... only the negative narratives that have been fed to us by propaganda in the media and public education. Despite the atrocities of slavery and the Middle Passage, Black people, once free, went on to build our own neighborhoods, churches, schools, and Wall Streets, but not many people want us to remember that. Black people in
this country are not synonymous with poverty, blind submission, and violence. When we subscribe to those narratives, we negate the documented history of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and generations of entrepreneurs that thrived in Black towns across this country. It is blatant disrespect to our ancestors who thrived economically in a system set up against them.
In the spirit of Juneteenth, let's celebrate the message of freedom and strength. Let's acknowledge and give reverence to the ancestors who laid the foundation and showed us how to thrive against all odds.
If you're having the urge to start your own business, follow your intuition. You may have an opportunity to live your ancestors' dreams or continue an ancestral legacy you didn't know about. What message do you need to receive that's stopping you from being free?
