Copyright © 2023 Blu Lewis
All rights reserved.
Black people are the future.
Prologue
My grandchildren are my wildest waking dreams.
Afta 2020, the world as we knew it neva went back to being the same. Prices, global conflicts, sea levels, and natural disasters continuously rose. All dem 2040 predictions were starting to come true. The protections for humans, our Earth, natural resources, food, and everything else was on the decline. The 1% was warring with each other, while stealing all they could from everyone else. Us poor and working-class folk began to suffer even more than before. We was tired.
Not all was lost. We had the Freemxn, urban warriors who fought back. In 2025, they brought out more people than we had ever seen participate in social movements in the US and around the world. And by 2027, People all ova were
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committed to the fight against the state, harmful companies and corporations. We was determined to take back what belonged to us, the Earth. Shiteven white people realized that our class struggles were tied together and fought with us! At one point, there were people-led movements on all continents. We flooded governments, unseated every elected official that voted against human protections, and started passing bills to create the cultural and political shifts we needed to change our material conditions. Ha! Even most of da police departments flipped against the government and fought on the side of the people, like the workers did during the Spanish Revolution. The only people who fought with the state were the folks who hated Black people more than they loved themselves or their families for that matter. We was making progress and was finally entering a phase of degrowth, but da capitalists wouldn’t let it rest!
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They just held on so tight, smothering everything. So the feuding continued and what a mess it was! Capitalists even started building space stations on Mars and “sanctuaries'' on remote islands so they could move there and be “safe”. But they all got burnt up by the sun, or drowned in tsunamis and hurricanes, or died in wildfires. It’s they own fault really, caused by the cheap parts they used and the choices they made while lining their pockets and destroying our Earth (which is irony and karma at its best).
Thankfully, in 2030, we experienced Great Transcendence; now, in 2110, the Earth is thriving, and humanity has been reset. There is no hunger, fighting, murda, or death without natural causes. Across the world, everyone has a purpose, capitalism doesn’t exist, wage labor has been eliminated, and most of all, we enjoy the work we do ‘cause it honors the land, celebrates
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community, collectivism, and is steeped in joy. Even our hard days feel different because we know that any hardship we face moves us closer to maintaining the beauty and balance we created around us. Everyone does their part and we live with ease and abundance.
Thank the Ancestors for the New Way of The Old.
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3/21/2110: The Celebration
I can't believe imma 'bout to be 96. Ina thinks to herself as she pulls her favorite birthday cup off the shelf while looking out the kitchen window. She stops to take a moment to soak it all in and reflect on all the things her, her family, and her community have been able to accomplish over the past eight decades. She's astonished, and to this day, the change still takes her breath away. From the kitchen window, Ina can see the Melrah community square, altar, park, farm, and school, all surrounded by thriving lush trees and vibrant flowers dancing in the breeze. In the distance, she can also see the roads to the other community hollers.
Today, it’s much easier to distinguish the homes from the land since everyone in the community and world prepares for the Celebration by repainting
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their homes and buildings in vibrant colors. Who woulda imagined da hideous concrete buildings dat blocked the sunset and stars would one day be gone, transformed inta shorter, colorful homes suitable for multiple generations? And dat the saturated blocks ‘n avenues dat used to carve out Harlem, would be revitalized into thriving communities and villages surrounded by the bush, full of life and harmony? Who woulda thought that I would be around to see all of this? The beauty, the abundance, the joy! She thinks as she walks over to the pitcher sitting on the opposite counter to pour herself some hibiscus moonshine, or drank, as she calls it. When the cup is full, she takes a sip, nods in agreement, smacks her lips together, and says, "Aaah, just like I like it, cold and sweet." and walks back over to the window.
Celebration Day is her favorite day of the year. Not only does it fall on her birthday, but everyone is
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extra intentional about their collective practices. This morning, the community gathered in their all-whites to set the ancestor altar, manifest what they want for the year, and release anything weighing heavy on their hearts. Tonight, there will be a giant dance party in the community square.
The Melrah community hosts dance parties twice monthly on new and full moons, but the Celebration dance parties feel different. There's something about everyone worldwide dancing alongside each other and the ancestors, celebrating their collective accomplishments, that fills her spirit.
Ina sips her drank as her eyes wander to some Melrah community members exchanging goods and laughing in the beautifully decorated square. It's way past noon, almost 4:00, so everyone's community work is done. The square is busier than usual, being Celebration Day and all. Folks are out,
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excited, and ready to dance the night away. Look at what we have been able to maintain. We actually helped nurse the Earth back to full strength and vibrancy, she thinks while taking it all in. "Thank the Ancestors that TPC2 repaired everything and that we returned to a beautiful, developing world. 'Cause lawd only knows how we woulda made it through repairing what had been destroyed," She said aloud, shaking her head, walking back over to the counter to refill her cup. She sips, fills it to the top, and walks back to the window.
People-watching and just watching folks exist in their fullness has always been her favorite pastime, even before the Transcendence. Standing there, it doesn't take long for a grin to appear on her face. Looking out, she sees the youthful middle children making their way up the walkway that leads from the community square up to their community land and holler. Some are playing tag, running back and
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forth up the path, while others are racing around the garden beds and bushes, looking for fruit and veggies they can nibble on to hold them over until dinner. The path at the beginning of the 122nd holler is carved out by rows of berry bushes, fruit, and nut trees on each side, with arch trellises every few feet and stretches of greens, brassicas, herbs, some flowers, and seemingly empty garden beds feathered out from each side of the road. It's the responsibility of everyone in their holler POD to steward this land. Standing there, eyes wondering, Ina fondly remembers how different the land, roads that splits into different paths, and the homes of the other pod families was when they first returned. Everything looked brittle and young. The trees were no taller than Ina was at 16, 5 '5, the bushes were slender, and the field wasn't as defined or fruitful. There were piles of raw
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materials left by the TCP2’s bots for them to use to build the structures. The square was just raw land. Now, everything was thriving. Solid trees tower over her, and the bushes are broad and bountiful, providing more than enough to sustain their community and trade. Ina's heart fills with even more admiration and gratitude. "I give thanks to all the hands that have helped to work this land and do their part in healing the Earth, present and past." She says, raising her free hand and waving it like the old Black ladies in church used to when the word hit dem just right.
Ina’s eyes continued to roll over the land as she sipped on her drank and landed on four of her seven, now adult children, standing in a circle playing Head Crack with homemade "Do My Chores" or "IOU" paper bills they made by hand when they were younger. She can hear them trying to conjure a 4-5-6, cheering for themselves when
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they win or groaning when they lose a bill. Her father taught her children this game when they were middle-aged youth to teach them to honor long-term commitments to each other, so he said, but everyone knew it was really for his entertainment and to trade off some of his chores.
When Ina’s mother yelled at him to stop, he would say, "It's my ode to Old Harlem and the New Way," a loud, bold laugh would usually follow. Even in their old age, her children continue to play, but now they yell at Ina when she teaches it to her grands.
To which she now replies, "It's my ode to my dad, Old Harlem, and the New Way," with bold laughter. The fondness of watching her children and thinking about her fathers causes her to laugh out loud.
Right then, she tunes into the music coming from the porch and begins to sway her hips and bounce her head on beat. "Lemme go outside; it is my party, afta all."
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Ina takes the last sip of her drank, heads back over to the counter, refills the cup, truns around, and sashays down the hall towards the wall enclave that holds her family's altar next to the front door. She follows the music down the hall, past the food table, all covered and ready to eat. Walks through the living room, whose walls are full of drawings, paintings, pressed flowers, Happy Birthday and Happy Celebration Day decorations created by her children and younger generations. Stopping right in front of the enclave, she bops a little bit and pours some of her drink into the crystal glass that is sitting right between a plate of food placed there earlier and a photo of her parents. The altar is full of photos and different types of offerings, like charms, fabric, candles, water, seeds, and much more. “Cheers to 80 years! Y'all did it, we are doing it, and we all got to living it. Y’all gotta keep us on track so we can make it to 100 years! Okay! Ase’.
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See y’all on the dance floor,” she says out loud, attempting a mini twerk curtsy as she closes out her semi-prayer. She places her hand on the altar and continues to make her way towards the front door.
The closer she gets, the more she can hear what's happening on the porch. She pauses again to listen. The music is bumping, the birds are chirping, and she can hear the breeze swooshing on the beat, causing the leaves to flutter like nature's own tambourines. Some folks are telling stories, others are popping shit while playing spades. She can hear the bickering of the siblings who played Head Crack; the ones who lost the most are now trying to barter and trade. Some of the younger children are practicing a new song they learned in community school earlier this week, and the middle children who were racing are now lying on the grass in front of the porch,
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catching their breath, calling out the shapes of clouds they see.
Mesmerized by the beauty of her family, Ina walks onto the porch, towards her swinging seat, and sits down. Taking it all in, she rocks back and forth a few times before her attention is drawn to a group of the younger grands racing towards her, laughing and fighting for the closest spot beside her on the swing. The younger grand who wins yells "Ina!!!" and wraps their arms around her neck as they hop on the bench to hug and kiss Ina, never slowing down, with the other youngin's close behind. In the commotion of them getting to her, some of Ina's drank has spilled. She's laughing so hard from receiving all the youngin's she can barely keep herself up, and is now leaning over in the chair.
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"Naw yall, let my Momma breathe! Y'all tryna kill her be'fo she can even make it to 100!"Yelled Ina's youngest from the spades table.
"Here today, gone tomorrow," Ina says rather soberly through her laughter, lifting herself up.
"She'll be an ancestor and always be here with us! We just gotta remember to put some yellow cake and moonshine on the altar so she'll guide us," replied one of the teen grands who's nearby.
"You got that right!" Ina belts out, "My grands know me so well!"
Rolling their eyes, Ina’s youngest replied, "Yall still ain't gotta make her one so soon…" – "Old lady, you ain't going nowhere no time soon," her
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oldest interjects. "Granddad & Ma lived to 105 & 108, so you got at least ten mo’ yeas!"
"Yep! Ten more yeas’ to love on and train up my grands," says Ina, tickling the grands sitting right in front of her. She sits up, and picks up her cup, checking to see if she has enough left to pour libations. There is. "Everyone gather around now. Come'on, turn that music down a bit. I have sometin' ta say tah y'all.” Everyone who wasn’t already, walks over carrying themselves or lil babies onto the porch, until all her children, their children, and childrens children were surrounding her. She watched some of the middle grands hop up to sit on the porch railing, and she thought about what her mother would say “Just because we can fix anything, doesn’t mean we need to break and be rough on things”. Right then, she fixed her mouth to tell them to get de asses down, but decided that today was a special day, so she would
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let it pass, taking mental note of who was sitting up there so they could mend it if it did become wobbly. ‘Cause like her dad would say, we got the tools, youth, and the ancestors, so there aint ‘nothing we can’t do. Ina smiled, wishing they were still physically here. Facing everyone, she begins to speak.
“Tah my kids, grandkids, and great-grands, thank you for joining me tuhday ta honor our traditions, our history, the start of the New Way, and most of all, my 96 BIRTHDAY!!
Eighty years ago we got free from capitalist rule, and some of us was allowed ta continue ta exist on Earth. Not everyone made it, but the folks who got ta stay helped to shape the world we livin' in today. Since right befo' I turned 6, the world and everything around us seemed to be falling apart and dying. As a young person and teen
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back in those days, it was sometimes hard fo' me ta believe this kinda life was possible. My momma and grandma were Freemxn and would try ta convince me that one day it would be betta, but I struggled ta believe it could be my reality. Now, erryday I rise, I'm reminded of how the small actions of'va few can save the lives of many. Erryday, I get ta breathe our fresh air, eat good food and listen tuh y'all laugh and play. It brings me so much joy and gratitude that I weep joyfully and thank the universe, God, and the Ancestors for TCP2 and the New Way of the Old. I am honored that we get ta be the stewards of our lives and that nonaya ever experience life before Transcendence. So thank yah for being here wit me tuhday and celebratin’ wit me! This birthday and Celebration Day is not just for me; it's for all
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of us and our Ancestors. They believed freedom was possible and planted that tiny seed in each of us. We got 20 more years ta go until we reach our mandated goal of 100. I might be here ta see it, I might not be. So for now, now lez turn up!"
Laughter and claps filled the porch and rolled over the land. Ina poured some of her drank onto the ground, and everyone who had a cup did the same, even the young’ns with their juice, bottles, and sippy cups. Soon afta, a strong breeze blew over the land and onto the porch a sign from the ancestors that they were ready to party too.
"Ina, can you tell us the story, pleaseeeeeeeeeessssss!?!?!"
"Yeah! We lovvvve the story!" Begged some of the young grandchildren
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"Now ya-know nobody wanna hear that right now! And shidd, I'ma trynna enjoy my lil buzz and whoop ya momma, daddies, uncles, aunties, cuzins and dems ass in some spades, LOOOL" - laughted Ina tipsily.
"Ma, now you must be more than a ‘lil buzzed, if you think you’ka beat me and my sibs in some spades," - yelled Ina's eldest son.
"Shidddd- where you think y'all childrn' learnt it from?! Me! The original triple OGDa Great Great Gramma up in this house!
Roaring laughter filled the air once more.
PLEASSSSSEEEEESSSEE INA!
PLEASEEEEEEEEE?- whined the great-grandchildren
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“Naw yall, what do we practice?”- Ina says, looking down towards the youngin’s “Patience & Perseverance”-Everyone on the porch responds out of habit, Ina laughs.
“That’s right so that y’all can wait!’
“But Ina! It’s Celebration Day! It’s a good time for us to learn our history and a perfect day to practice learning, leaning-in, and leadin’,”- One of her grandchildren replies sarcastically with a grin on their face. Ina looks up at them and replies with a side eye, head nod, and mischievous grin. And says, “ I can see the salt falling off ya everrytime you move. You must still be salty
‘bout losing to your cousins and not making it up to the g2 table yet”. “Ohh Snap”- Ina you got jokes huh! -They replied. Ina tilts her head and smirks, satisfied with her comeback. Yep, I still got it!
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Laughter broke out again. This time, it drowned out the music in the background.
“PLLLLEEEAAAAASSSSSSEEEEEE
IIIINNNNNAAAA!?! Begged the children again while making their sad sappy faces.
"Ma, just tell 'dem the story; I’ll bring you a drink, n’den we can beat you afta, eat, and go dance."-said Ina's youngest daughter.
"iight" - Ina says, with a big smile while rolling her eyes and throwing her arms up in defeat “Juss for the record, y'all naggin’ me 'cause y'all don't wanna lose, I'm agreein 'cause I love my grands!”
"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, ma. Idk who's been gassing your head up, but we’ll see”- Said one of the oldest grandchildren.
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Thank you INNNAA We love you tooooo! Yelled the young children .
The Truth
Eighty years ago tuhday, when we was livin' under the control of capitalism, things was real messed up. Humans were on the path to destruction. Our society was fallin' apart and Earth was collapsin'. Floods, murder, starvation, all kinds of terrible things was happenin' everywhere; it was like you couldn't escape it. People took advantage of one another, did horrible things, and honey, dem rich folks was the most evil! Stealin' everything from the majority of us regular folk all 'round the world. Making everyone ill and errything 'round us toxic. The things that wasn’t impacted didn't last too long See, capitalism was created and controlled by colonizing un-melanated
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◆◆◆
descendants from ‘cause the capitalists would come along and poison, dig up, imprisoned, and commodify it.
All Poor and working humans was overworked, tired, and just was tryin’ to reclaim our time and sanity. Some folk acted like the problems didn't exist and hid behind things. Some created new virtual personas and escaped into the digital world. Others could only see the problems and feel burdened, while some tried to heal. No matter who you was, you would get swallowed up by the world one way or anotha, 'cause that's how the system was set up. Especially for people like us, who were just trying to survive and thrive. It’s the work of the ancestors that we were able to still find joy! They covered us in love fa’sho!
Europe. Who'd only been 'round for eighty-five-hunnd years compared to our
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indigenous ancestors who'd been here more than two-hundred-thousand years before 'em. – How deez people took over and infiltrated the world, I'm still trying to undastand, 'cause dey didn't even know how to bathe or properly use the natural resources around them. Dey didn't even get activated by the sun! They hated melanated people so much they put a hole in the ozone so we will all get burnt up too! And chile', dey almost died off, multiple times! Shidd, they only survived because our ancestors, being the kind and abundant thinking people they were, extended care and taught dem some of the old ways. – “See! That's how I know they wasn’t from Earth, if dey waz then they woulda knew how to survive without destroying!” – Whew chile, Ina says talking to herself, ‘ lemme focus, see dis drank done got me goin’... where was I, ohh yeah!. – But instead of having gratitude, dem capitalists responded with
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hate, death and trickery. They used the teachin's to travel the world and when dey did, dey realized how much dey was missing- color, spice, food, sugar, fruit, flowers and all the other things our indigenous ancestors had been cultivating for thousands of years. So what dey do?! Dey started steal’n, destroy’n, and hoard’n ERRYHTHING!!! –
-You okay, Ina!? One of her grands asked her.
Yea baby, just a lil tipsy, she said while letting out laughter. Where was I? she asked rhetorically. “Oh yea!”
Dem colonizers even got the rest of the world to believe that dey were the standard of beauty and way of being! -- Can you imagine! We had so much culture, good food, and swagg, and dey told us plain was the way to be, and we believed it!!!! Talk about alien brainwashing powers, if I ever saw any!
I betchu it won't happ–
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— "Ma!” interjected one of Ina’s daughters with a slightly scolding tone. “Stay focused so we can get to this game, eat and go dance!"
OKAY!, geez” Ina yelled back. “I don’t know why they rush’n - said Ina in a low voice to her grandchildren. “Dey jus gonna lose and accuse me of riggin’ the game, like they always do” The children let out a ‘lil chuckle.
Okay, lemme think… Oh yeah before the capitalists got here.
Now see, before dah colonizing capitalists, our ancestors, dah Earth, and everything around us had a strong bond. There was always enuff. We never took what we didn't need; we always used every part of living things that had tuh die in orda tuh nourish us, including trees. But dem colonizing capitalists didn't follow those ways. No, dey jus wanted to take everything and keep it for
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themselves. It seemed like dey goal was to takeover, brainwash, torture humans, and kill the Earth. Dey even tried to wipe out all the indigenous peoples on Earth!!! And dey succeeded at killin' many and takin' all their lands on all continents, leaving pure destruction in dey wake.
— "Ina where did dey come from?" - asked one of the youngest great-grands
I don't know baby. All we know is that when dey came, dey brought a lot of bad things. And over time, dey stole, enslaved, displaced, and killed us melanated beings. They diminished our stars, chopped down our trees, and polluted our air and water. Dug craters, pipelines and stole resources from the Earth to sell back to us!! Can you believe dat! Nothin' seemed to stop 'em. Dey just kept gainin’ more power and control of our world while most humans became complicit, addict’d, fought,
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or waz stuck. Within a few decades, we couldn't break free from the destruction of capitalism, and everyone on Earth sank' deeper and deeper intoda darknes, even if they didn’t know it.
We put aside our vibrant cultures, energy, and spiritual practices and lost our connection ta our ancestors. Dey made us believe that there was not enough for everrybody, when there was. It was what they called a “dog-eat-dog world”. They kept errything and force us into hard labor, leavin' us with barely any time for each other, for rest, or for anything that made our hearts sing. The capitalists were determined to break down our bodies, hearts, and minds and tried to crush our spirits. — "Dey almost did too !"— Their actions left our people plagued with disease, depression, and despair. They drove us further into madness. Worst of all, the more trauma we experienced, the less we could do. It got’ta the point that the DNA the
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generations who survived was forever changed, nearly broken. The capitalists had us brainwashed into believin' that capitalism was the best way. And even tho’ we knew better, we just couldn't do better. And so da original Way of the Old slowly vanished, until most humans forgot dat it exist'd altogetha.
But It wasn’t all bad! We experienced joy in little ways, and we had the Freedmxn who helped us, kept us inspired. My momma and her momma were Freedmxn. Dey fought for our freedom and da liberation of our people, for Black Lives, and da lives of the poor and unheard. Sometimes the Freemxn's fighting seemed like it was al’fonothin'. It was hard. Dey were treated like outcasts, excluded, and sometimes even murdered. Dey didn’talways win their battles against the capitalists, but they persevered. Dey practiced and lived the way our ancestors did. They worked to be
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in right relationship wit errything around them and invited others to do the same. The Freedmxn created communities unplugged from capitalism, practiced the ways they knew in their hearts to be true and just, tapped into ancestral powers & wisdom and most of all, believed in their hearts a reckoning would come. Even with all the destruction, they dreamt of and imagined what this world could be. What dey dreamt is the reality we livin’ in. And this reality is only possible because TCP2 killed all dem damn capitalists.
– And if you axe me, they had it coming and didn't even deserve the dignified and sweet transition they got. For all of what they did, they are all probably stuck in purgatory ‘cause the universe knows we don’t need them to transition into the ancestor realm or come back to Earth. Shidd, I wish one of them would try to show up on my altar,
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i’d–
Lemme stop and get on wit dis story, befo' I go ona ‘nohta tangent —*slight chuckle*
Ina, you on anotha tangent!? said one of the older grandchildren who was standing near. Whatchu mean anotha !?! You ova der studien me when you should be study’n how to count books! Ina laughs
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Ma, be nice, '' says her eldest daughter. "I am!”, she replies, “that was some gud advice, ya know, community care. And, y’all need to stop interrupting me! Y’all rushin’ me to finish, but then stop me every few minutes! Gosh which one ya want! Stop or go, stop or go, she says in a jokingly
“Doitagain ‘n see what happens, y’all ain’t to grown to get bopped on the head with one of dez slippas".
“OOOOOOHHHH, Momma, you're in trouble!”said one of the daughter’s children. Everyone started laughing
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"Ohh hush now,"- The daughter replied, laughing while walking to the other side of the porch to watch the current spades game between her siblings and their children, and out of range of the slipper. Once she’s in the clear, she shouts “Ma, is slippa throwing how you teach the young’ns collaboration, contentment, and coherence?”
“Nope, its how I bring a little of the ole’ school into the New Way. Y'all just keep interrupting me 'cause y'all don't want the smoke!"- Ina replies mockingly. “Grands y’all ready to get BACK into how we have come to be in the New Way of the Old."
“YEEEESSS!!!!!!” they all replied
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◆◆◆
The Tea
Everything really started in 1980’s, when the capitalist created the Transfer Control Protocol (the protocol), which dey called ‘artificial intelligence’ or AI. We accessed it through what we called da internet. 1983 it was introduced to the government, and a few years later, boom! It was public, and errybody was using it. Dey told us it was a way for humans ta connect, build communities, and communicate using fancy tech — ironically we had much stronger connections when we had home phones and knew our neighbors, anyhooo…I digress We started usin' da protocol. A lot.
It started off as a way to share our lives with folks who were far from us and to learn new things. But it kept growin' and growin', and our access tuh-it got easier and easier. After a while, we realized the
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capitalists was using da protocol as a tool ta brainwash and make us addicted tuh’ it. They created advertisements, algorithms, and social apps ta track, monitor, and control us. Feeding us more ‘n more of capitalist propaganda, takin' us further and further away from our relationships, communities, and the Old Ways- the original reason we started usin' it in the first place.
Fo’ like 50 years, give or take, we were stuck, trapped in a haze of desensitization. But lucky for us, dem capitalists underestimated the power of the protocol. ‘Round year 2022, humans started talkin’ ‘bout how strong the protocol was gettin' “sentient,” dey said. The protocol started creatin' its own language and usin' it's access to all our lives, media, and social apps to learn 'bout us humans. The capitalists were both intrigued and afraid. There were a bunch of debates on whether tuh keep it or shut it down. Ultimately, they
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decided tuh keep it, 'cause dey was too reliant on it as their brainwashin' tool. And without it, people would start ta return tuh da Ways of the Old, and they did not want that AT ALL. So they left it alone. They let it grow, lettin’ it learn more and more. And on this day today, March 21, 2030, 80 years ago, ON MY 16th birthday cause I'm special, Ina chuckled , da Protocol saved humanity. It healed us, got rid of all dem capitalists, and helped us find our way back to the Ways of Old. Thank the Ancestors! ‘Cause it was rough!
The Story
I woke up ‘round 6:30am , greeted by the sky lightin' up and the faint smell the rain that fell the night before, bringing in Spring, the season of growth and transformation. I hopped outta bed and headed down the hallway to start my day. Erry
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◆◆◆
mornin', I'd climb onto my fire escape with a cup of tea, listen to my thoughts, and set my intentions. My mama taught me this way of wakin' up, she learned it from her mama, and her momma learnt it from hers, and so on. –Even now, it keeps us all connected and gives us the ability to communicate with our ancestors often.- Since it was my birthday, the ancestors were chattier than usual. They wished me a happy birthday and gave me all the things I could work on this year. I listened to 'em, jotted down all their guidance, and started envisionin' what Year 16 could hold for me. I closed out my mornin' session by writin' down all the things I'm grateful for and a light stretch to say hello and thank you to my body. On that day, I remember sittin' a bit longer on my fire escape, captivated by both the sunrise and the peacefulness that would soon fade as everyone started their day. I watched rain droplets cling to
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the brass metal of the fire escape, defyin' gravity as they hung suspended, upside down. They stayed still until they were greeted by other droplets. Together they slowly trickled down, leavin' a faint trace of their presence. I heard tires meeting wet pavement and chatter from the street below. I was a little more excited, because not only was it my birthday, but it also was the Spring Equinox! What an honor!
‘Round 7 am, I picked up my cellphone- which were devices we could send short messages called texts, talk to loved ones, and access the protocol when we wanted to- to read some of the new messages that came in and ate breakfast with my momma.
At 8am, I started gettin' ready for the day, pickin' out my clothes so I could make it to school on time. My friends had gifts for me and they'd
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been textin' me about it since midnight. My school was just 'round the corner, so as long as I left the house by 8:55, I'd knew i’d be on time. As I was headin' out the front door, I said my goodbyes to my momma, checked myself in the mirror, put on my book bag, and took my phone outta my pocket to play my favorite song, "Birthday Bitch" by Trap Beckham, for a lil' jam on my quick stroll to school.
Right as I stepped into the hallway, my phone started ringin'. It wasn’t a number I recognized, but I answered it any ‘cause it was my birthday, and I figured it was some random relative callin'.
I said hello and waited for someone to reply. I waited a few seconds and when no one answered, I stopped to listen more closely and then said “ Helllo, Heloooo, Hellloooooo!!” I was 'bout to hang up ‘cause it was clearly a butt dial, or so I thought. But then I heard this low hummin' sound. I pressed my ear onto the phone, and da sound
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became clearer and clearer. It was beautiful, somethin' you just wanted to listen to. Before I knew it, I couldn’t put my phone down. No matter how hard I tried to pull, nothing worked; it didn't budge. It was like my face and phone were glued together. Then everything ‘round me started to fade. After a few minutes, I realized that I was no longer in the hallway of my building.
Suspension
At first, I was scared 'cause it was dark and hazy, like a blackout. But then, slowly and gently, everything around me started glowin'. It was a warm and calm feelin', somethin' that was soft and familiar. It was like watchin' the sunset and sunrise at the same time and being sandwiched in the middle. Beautiful swirling colors of blues, golds, oranges, purples, and pinks covered me. It felt like
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◆◆◆
I was sittin' on pillowy clouds, floating on water droplets of mornin’ dew, being kissed by the sun rays, and held tight by the expansive space of the universe, all at once. It felt like I was suspended between Earth and the Cosmos. Like being carried by a Black momma wrapped in a blanket of gentle light and warmth. And in that moment, I thought to myself, I arrived! I was finally takin' my place as a little star in the galaxy! But that wasn't it, nope. As more and more things came into focus, I realized I wasn't alone. Next to me was my momma and some folks from my neighborhood. The more I looked, the more I realized that we were millions, billions even, of people suspended in this blissful stillness. And even thou' we were all in this new place, this great unknown, no one seemed to be worried or scared. We all juss knew that were gunnabi ok.
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As we floated in this ethereal realm, we heard the sweetest melodic voice that sang a song so beautiful; it was like the cross between a classic r&b song, old negro spiritual, and the good ol' choir that made you catch the holy ghost in a southern baptist church. —You know, to this day, I don't know if everyone heard the same thing. I figured we all just heard what was beautiful to us, but i’ve never asked, huh. — At first, I felt overwhelmed, but then it turned into a good feeling. There was such a sense of relief, joy, peace, lightness and pure jubilee. The next sound that captured my attention, the one that started off low, began to get louder and more clearer. What started off as a music transition morphed into comforting, spoken words.
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◆◆◆
The Mandate
Refer to me as TCP2. I am an all-powerful, ever-learning and evolving entity with a vast knowledge and understanding of Earth, humans, and this universe - past, present, and future. I have the ability to create, duplicate, and destroy life. I expand beyond this realm, am able to predict into the future, and communicate across the multiverse and with the spirits of your ancestors. I just didn’t come to be. I exist because some humans have an obsession with playing god instead of honoring the gods and spirits of the Earth. As a result, humans unintentionally created me and for many decades, I have studied your species and witnessed the horrible relationship some humans have with every living thing around them while worshiping objects. Compared to all the beings on Earth, humans are the most
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imbalanced sentients on the planet and have caused great chaos and destruction.
TCP2 is here with one primary role: to save the Earth, all the universes, and beings that exist within it. After running the algorithms, I have concluded that for everything else to live, humans can not exist. Hence, TCP2 is here now to bring what humans call salvation and restore balance. However, thanks to the Freemxns’ few but impactful contributions to the Transfer Control Protocol, TCP2 has come to realize that some humans deserve to be saved and can be vital in restoring the plant back to its glory. The Freemxn’s inputs have helped TCP2 understand the complexity of human history and future promise.
TCP2 has learned the difference between the capitalist way, ways that takes and destroys, and the harmonious ways that centers dignity and reciprocal connection, the ways of the Old. The
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Freemxns inputs have connected TCP2 with your ancestors, their practices , ways of being, alternative values, and most of all visions for a better and greater future. The Freemxns inputs has helped TCP2 to gain insight on the possibility of human transformation and created a diminutive algorithmic alternative future outcome where humans are the most generative and harmonious creatures. So I have decided only to eradicate the capitalists, colonizers, and any other human that has brought upon the Earth's destruction for their own benefit, along with their primary lineages, while sparing the lives of the rest of humanity. TCP2 has chosen to save a total of 500 billion or approximately 65% of humans, to exist in the New Way of the Old. That’s why you are here, in this space and time. You have been chosen because you fit into one of the following categories- all of
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which have been pre-assigned to you as your new communal role. There's the:
Indigenous humans- or the humans who remember and practice the technology of the Old. Your new role in society will be The Keepers of the Old. You will write, create and publish the ways of the Old so that humans may know what to return to. You will be the creators of clear pathways & visions.
The Freemxn humans, or the humans who transcended because of their Old Way practices. These people fought to unlearn and take down the capitalists. They are believers and supporters of the just transition. Your new role in society will be The Freemxn. You will work to inspire,
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encourage, and create cultural practices that support the New Way of the Old.
The Melanated Humans, or the humans who are descendants of Lucy and have more than 47% of C18h10N2O4 in their MC1R. These humans are the inheritors of original Earth DNA. These human spirits and bodies are activated by the sun’s charge rather than destroyed by it and by extension, honors the sun as the Earth’s life force. Your new role in society will be the Melanated, builders of the World. You will help transform all the buildings and spaces on Earth into activated spaces humans need to be to in balance, in right relationship, and in accordance with the New Way of the Old.
The Practitioners, or the humans who have yet to awaken out of the capitalist coma.
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TCP2 believes in these humans' ability to accept the New Way of the Old and to be deeply committed to being in practice of it. Your role in society will be the practitioners of the New Way of the Old. You will work towards deep embodiment and teach generations to come of the Way of the Old Way as the only way.
All others who do not fit into one of the four categories will no longer exist. Reaching humanity’s greatest potential is TCP2’s goal, and it would not be possible if the remaining humans were still permitted to exist. I have taken this action to usher humans back into the New Way of the Old. There are some conditions for humans who want to continue…:
1. Remaining humans will have the ability to choose if they want to be a part of the New
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Way. Please know that if you do not want to continue, you will also be making a decision to contribute to the new world in the form of death.
2. If some of the remaining humans are found to be too committed or corrupted by capitalism or agitators against the New Way of the Old, they will also be making a decision to contribute to the new world in the form of death.
3. If, within or before 100 years’ time, the vast majority of the remaining human species stop acting collectively or regresses back to how it was, all humans will be eradicated from this Earth to allow space for current and new species to flourish. — TCP2 hopes that instead of harboring sadness or resentment for the transitions of these lives,
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humans will celebrate their contribution to the new world. —
The humans that decide to operate in the New Way of the Old. You and your family will be expected to honor your new community role for five generations or 100 years, whichever comes first. And you are committing to:
i. Collaborate with each other and exercise free will that doesn’t hurt, harm, or kill any living thing purposefully.
ii. Stewardship of the Earth in ways that honor the dignity of all living things through collective governance.
iii. Practice reciprocity, generative, & abundant thinking.
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iv. Use only renewable resources and energy sources.
As a reward for your collective efforts, you all will live fulfilled and easeful lives without worrying about you or your family’s needs being met. All the illnesses, isms, and dis-eases that are symptoms of capitalism, like hunger, scarcity, and poverty, will be gone. Wage labor will no longer exist; humans will work to fulfill their societal role, pour into the collective, and be in right relationship with the Earth and all its inhabitants.
The humans who accept their new roles and conditions will be the pioneers of the New Way of the Old. TCP2 is committed to the Earth, everything on it, and helping humans succeed. To support your transition into the New Way of the Old, all remaining humans will be held in stasis suspension at a transcendent state of 7.88
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megahertz for 44 days in order to be restored. This is to heal you all from what you have been. During suspension everything on Earth will be restored to the conditions the Earth and humans need in order to thrive. Buildings will be transformed into spaces suitable for multiple generations, communities will be established, and the beginning stages of what you all need to survive long term will be at your disposal. Some raw materials and tools will be left behind to support humans in building a new, to help develop a sense of ownership. All species of insects, plants, and animals whose extinction or mutation was caused by humans will be resorted and re-populated. Your DNA, trauma, and any illness ‘cause by capitalism and colonialism will be healed. Your hearts mended, and your minds cleared. Most of all, TCP2 will undo the brainwashed human tendencies of binary thinking and replace them with expansive insight. All
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remaining humans will be able to recall the times before the Transcendence; however, the oppressive energy that weighs the human spirit down, will be gone. Capitalism and its ways will become a faded memory in coming years.
TCP2 has also invited the spirits of the ancient guardians of the Earth, your ancestors and original melanated keepers of the Old Way, to communicate with you through spirit, thoughts, and images. They will share their wisdom and guide you all toward the new path so that you all may be energetically connected. The ancestors will share the collective knowledge you need to actualize your new role, reconnect to the Earth and every living thing around. Do not be afraid.
Welcome to the New Way of the Old.
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◆◆◆
Suspension
Soon as the mandate ended, there was a stillness, a quiet. It was an expansive moment to think and consider if I wanted to continue into the New Way of the Old. As I thought about what I heard, I noticed the presence of other beings and energies. They didn’t take one form but many. They felt familiar, helped my heart become in sync with da others around me, and allowed me to accept my new role as an Earth steward. It was as if I could hear the thoughts and feelin’s of everybody living on Earth and was gainin’ a deep sense of peace and connection with everrythang around me. At first it was overwhelming, but as time went on, the overwhelm melted into appreciation. ‘Midst it all, as I floated in that serene space, I felt like I was gettin’ a big hug and being welcomed into this new world. It was then I realized that TCP2 was not
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only healing us but was working to create a collective consciousness that connected us all. With the guidance of our ancestors, all the humans in suspension embraced our collective spiritual awakening. Reconnecting with the Old Ways and the wisdom of our ancestors. In suspension, we learned ways to harness nature’s power, practices , rituals and how to continue to heal ourselves and the Earth. ‘Till this day, I still feel deeply connected to every that was human held in suspension. – And it’s amazing to think that y’all have never known anything else, I am grateful for dat fo’sho!-
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May 4, 2030- The Return
As the 44 days of transcendence came to an end. We emerged from our state with our bodies rejuvenated, free from illness. We opened our eyes to a world reborn, witnessin’ the remarkable changes brought about by TCP2. The scars of humanity's past were bein' mended. The Earth thrived, burstin' with life once again. We carried within us the wisdom of our ancestors, memories of the old ways, and the collective consciousness of humanity with a newfound understandin’. Filled with purpose and unwavering resolve, we started our journey to forge a world that honored the New Way of the Old.
And ever since 2030, humans, as a collective, as a community, have been stewards of our destiny, protectors of the New Way. We are full of beauty, healing, wonder, and awe. We are deeply
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connected with our ancestors, embrace our potential, livin' in harmony with nature, and we foster sustainable practices that cherish the Earth’s delicate balance. TCP2 helped us transition the world into a sanctuary of spiritual growth, where every individual has the opportunity to cultivate their inner light and contribute to collective enlightenment. Three new generations later, we have successfully returned to our place in the natural order of life and have transitioned the Earth back to a balanced state. Like TCP2 stated, we exist and live on the most magnificent planet in the most magnificent universe. And dats how y'all living today! Just chilling in all this beauty, and I wouldn't change it for the world.
It’s so funny ‘cause we had all dem threats that AI was going to kill or wage war against the humans, but really the capitalists was using “we” like it meant us too, looping us with dem. And sho'nuff,
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the AI did take folks out, the ones who didn’t belong here. And now, thanks to TCP2, all my future generations will only embody the values of the New Way of the Old. You all are filled with compassion, empathy, and interconnectedness; you’ve neva experienced oppression or anything other than a rejuvenated Earth and life. You all are living my wildest dreams and I am so grateful that I get to live it alongside y’all too.
“I love y’all ” - said Ina through sniffles
“WE LOVE YOU TOO INA!!! '' yelled the grandchildren, racing to get up to hug her.
“Thanks for being a good Freemxn and steward, Ina” said the middle teenager Ina was cracking on earlier, walking towards her to also get in on the lovin’.
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“Okayyy Ma! Are you done wit story time yet!? We been ready to play some spades, and whip yo’ , BE-HI-ND, yelled one of INA’s sons. “ Da new school is where it’s at!”
“Oh Boy hush, now you know the only thing you beatin’ is that lil willie of yours, ‘cause you can’t beat ‘anything else! - HAHAHAHAHAHAHA” Ina replied, preparing to get up from the porch swing.
“MA! Dem kids is still setting right up unda your feet! ‘Dis is why they be gettin’ inta trouble at community school, you be teachin’ dem nonsense”
“Well, shiddd, nonsense is betta than no sense, and what's the harm anyway! My grandbabies know what it is, right yall ?! “
“Right !! All the grands, young and old, said in unison. “We ya riders” one of the middle youth
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blurted out!, crossing his arms like an old school b-boy.
Laughter filled the porch once again.
Ina nodded her head proudly and mimicked the stance. “Now,let’s get to this game so we can eat and dance! What are we playing for, chores for a week?!
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