The 39 and FLY Challenge

I thank God for giving me the greatest blessing of turning 39! I'm a trailblazer, focused, determined, purposeful, holistically, and FLY Black Woman on a mission!

I was just nine, posing in front of my mom's Jetta on Hollingsworth St in Mattapan!

I don't take life or my purpose for granted because I have endured challenges. Living without my eldest brother is one of the most significant challenges I navigate daily. His life got taken away instantly at 19. So when you see me go hard, live life purposefully, smile, stay sucker-free, accomplish goals, tap into my inner G, moving with urgency, now you know why! I don't play about my life and purpose! God doesn't play about me, either! I don't have room for anyone to rock with me half-heartedly. I got trails to blaze and moves to make!

I know Rakim said, "It ain't where you from; it's where you at." So I like to say where I am from (Mattapan, to be exact) prepared me to be where I am at..

With that being said, I have to thank my family, my ancestors (great-grandparents, grandparents, and Great Aunts and Uncles) for genuinely being my village. I'm an old soul because, as the youngest and only girl, I had to sit with my elders, listen to their wisdom, run errands with them, help them out, and honestly care for them!

Hence, why I am a social worker and educator! The wisdom I heard and applied is a combination of my elders in my family, ancestors, life experiences, school, reading, and researching!

Giving thanks to the past, present, and future sacrifices my parents made from leaving Alabama in 1970 relocating to Boston (Mattapan) to create a dope, challenging, and cultured life for my brothers and me.

My entire ancestral lineage investment is paying off, and I'm genuinely breaking generational curses daily! It's not easy, but I've gracefully accepted the challenge!

Giving thanks for being healthy (mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually)! I work hard towards my internal and eternal healing daily while helping others do the same!

Much love, light, gratitude, and endless blessings,

Drea

 

We all are trying to figure out this thing we call life!

 

Black People Do Live in Boston: From the Lens of A Black Girl From Mattapan

When I tell people I am from Boston, people usually look puzzled because I am a Black Woman from a predominantly Irish and immigrant city. When people think about Boston, they usually think about the Kennedys (who are actually from Brookline, a city outside of Boston), Irish people, eccentric but strong accents, The Boston Tea Party, Cold and Harsh Winters, Crazy and Wickah (Boston accent) Sports fans, and racism and liberalism.  Many are unfamiliar with Black Bostonians' beautiful, ugly, dark history and ongoing struggles. 

Here are some truth bombs about Boston:

• Black People indigenous to Boston or Southern Blacks who migrated to Boston are only worth $8
• Boston was one of the last major cities to integrate the beloved Boston Red Sox.
• Bill Russell caught hell playing for the Boston Celtics despite being one of the winningest Basketball players and coaches of all time.
• Boston busing and desegregation of schools occurred from 1974 to 1988 
• Introducing METCO: Busing to White Cities and Towns 
• The police brutality/slave patrol from the 1st African slave arriving in Boston to Charles Stewart lying on an entire community of Black Men of the Mission Hill Projects to having two Bostons (White Boston exist and the other Boston where Black folks, Hispanics, and Asians live) 
• Police Relations and Racism in the Black Boston Community

Since we live in perilous times in which people are trying to wrap their minds around racism, systemic racism, and policies. I decided to share a glimpse of my reality as a Black Bostonian and my journey to why it is important to share your reality and story to educate, advocate, and liberate others to do the same. 

As I look back on this photo above, I realized how White flight and racism was alive in the 80s but in a covert way. Growing up in Mattapan, a neighborhood occupied by Jewish folks that slowly transitioned to Southern Blacks and Caribbeans occupying the neighborhood. I got to experience firsthand White Flight within my neighborhood and Elementary School.  I remember the three White students I attended elementary school who participated in White flight by relocating to White areas in Massachusetts or attending exclusive private schools.

 

As a child/grandchild/great-granddaughter of sharecroppers and slaves from Atmore, Alabama. My parents migrated to Boston, MA, for “better” opportunities, escaping lynching, racism, redlining, and oppression. Come to find out, they faced covert racism, job discrimination, and a slew of other systemic and institutionalized racist policies. Being Native/ADOS (indigenous to America due to slavery) Black in America whose ancestors built this country for free, no one should be telling us how to feel, grieve, and navigate this interesting and surreal experience. From Slavery to Sharecropping to Jim Crow to Covert Racism to Social Worker to Professorship, my duty and life mission are to continue to educate, enlighten, and advocate for Native Black women, men, and children. Why have all this knowledge and not done anything collective with it?

I don’t understand why people are shocked about the system of White Supremacy, segregated schools in 2020, lack of accessibility of resources to the Black Community, redlining, the vicious cycle of poverty, food, and medical apartheid, violence, broken political system, and more. Nothing truly changed since my parents graduated from Escambia Training High School in 1969 and 1970. Things are progressively turning for the worse for Black people. This pandemic truly showed us how it can devastate an entire community collectively due to our ongoing mental, physical, and spiritual stress—lack of wealth, quality of health care, and the infant mortality birth rate. If we collectively sit back and allow individualist gatekeepers to hoard all the resources and dictate our faith, we are truly doomed. 

Share your thoughts on how we can advocate for tangible results? What resources do we need to access or create? Share your thoughts, experiences, and opinions in the comment section. 

Jan 13th| Another year. 35th. Capricorn. The GOAT. Forever Infinite.

"Thought I wouldn't elevate, I took the stairwell

Watch em stare well, yeah I'm very well

See these pretty wings; I maxed well

I'm Fortunate; I'm the sexiest

Imma tomboy, you love a tomboy" -Sassy by Rapsody

On January 13th, 2018, ya girl, turned 35 years young! I'm thankful to Jehovah! Thanks to the good, the bad, and the ugly because my 34th year was an ongoing saga filled with transitions. 

While the love was pouring in from my family and friends who truly know and love me, I had to reminisce and pay homage to my teenage years that are long gone. I thoroughly enjoyed being a teenager growing up as a Brown Girl From Boston, in Mattapan, to be exact. *S/O to all my 02126ers and my Hollingsworth St. Squad! 

First and foremost, in the 90s, we had Blackplanet! Yes, Blackplanet was our first social media website, and we didn't even know it. My username was BabyPenny33. Yes, I was madly in love with Anfernee Deon "Penny" Hardaway! *Hey, Penny! * No Wifi, but we had AOL Dial-Up to access Blackplanet and Ask Jeeves.  We had pagers/beepers; we actually had the face to face conversations, landline phones, in which your Mom Dukes would embarrass your whole life if she found out you were on the phone after hours.  

I just remembered when life was all so simple. *Cues Wu-Tang Clan, "Can It Be All So Simple"*

A Letter From Teenage Drea: 

Drea, don't trip about people challenging you by asking you: "Who Do You Think You Are?" People are intimidated by your greatness, sassiness, boldness, and unapologetic nature. You are a lone wolf leader, and sometimes that is a lonely road, but it is necessary for your purpose. Stay focused and disciplined. Those qualities will take you far. Yes, you will experience exhaustion, doubt, failure, and delayed gratification, but it will be worth it in the end. Yeah, it sucks that you may have to work ten times harder to get what you want, but you deserve it. Remember, everyone doesn't have the same drive, vision, and goals as you do. So don't give up, and don't expect things instantly. If it was easy, everyone would be doing the same thing. 

It is okay to be a sassy tomboy who understands and loves sports, especially Basketball and Football. Love your Hip Hop music, embrace the way you go from wearing dresses to sneakers to Army Fatigue Camo pants, your hoodies, your bamboo earrings, conscious tees. It is cool to have guy friends and homegirls because you need masculine and feminine energies to get through life. Understand that some people will persuade you to switch your style up because they may not think it is ladylike to be you. They don't understand that you can run a boardroom, be featured on your homeboy's Hip Hop album, and drop knowledge at a conference. It is called balance, and some people want to bottle that Sassy, Tomboyish, Earthy, Blackness, and FLYness magic. Unfortunately, it can't be duplicated because it is part of your essence. You understand that balance is everything! 

Drea, chill! People will love you. Some people are going to dislike you. That's okay. It is essential that you love, like, and value yourself.  Don't you change! You will learn how to adapt, be flexible and align yourself with greatness. Just adjust your crown from time to time. Don't stop believing in what you believe in.  Don't stop speaking your truth. Don't stop being assertive. Don't stop standing up for yourself. Don't stop spreading the love. Do actively listen because we all need and want to be heard. Do walk away when the vibes are off and when love is no longer being served. Do understand that everyone doesn't need a response back. Ensure you speak with conviction and let your word be your bond even if people disagree with you. Make sure you set an intention of being heard, seen, and treated with respect. Ensure you treat yourself with the utmost respect because you teach people how to treat you. 

Do understand some people will disappoint you, especially your nearest and dearest loved ones. Some people are not trustworthy. Some people will not have your best interest at heart. Some people are users and want access to you because of who you are and your resources. Don't allow anyone easy access to your life. Some people don't deserve your magic and light.  Don't forget to listen to your intuition.  Have an open heart, but don't second-guess the nature of people's intentions. Red flags are red flags and hurt people hurt people. 

Drea, you will get your heart broken a few times by intimate relationships and friendships. That's okay because that isn't the end of the world. Make sure you are doing your best in each relationship. Make sure you serve love, graciousness, class, respect, loyalty, and authenticity. Make sure you are doing your part of being the best version of yourself, and some days you will fail at that, and it is excellent. Breakups of any kinda suck, but you will survive. You will move on, mature, and become a better person. Just don't become codependent and move on quickly to a new partner without self-healing.  Don't turn into some psycho ex because that isn't cute, Boo. Let people be who they are. Let your exes go if they genuinely don't appreciate your holistic self. Your exes and ex-friends will realize that you played an essential part in their growth and life journey. Learn how to forgive yourself and forgive others. Forgiveness is the highest form of healing.

Take care of your emotional, mental, physical health! Your health is everything. Health is wealth, and you only get one body. Make sure your inner beauty matches your outer beauty. Healthy Black Don't Crack. Ensure you are very cautious of what you ingest orally, visually, mentally, and verbally. Get healthy, unprocessed, and eat natural foods. Drink plenty of water. Workout. Lift weights. Do yoga. Meditate. Pray. Breathe. Also, remember that coconut oil heals everything, chile. It invests in quality coconut oil, therapy, learning,  shea butter, and essential oils.

Don't box yourself in. Don't allow anyone to box you in. Don't allow anyone to think for you. Ask questions. Be an independent thinker. Don't block your blessings and opportunities. Do block haters, bigots, racists, and all imbalance and unhealthiness from your life. 

You got this,  Queen Drea! One day you will realize how essential and valuable you are. Remember your purpose and life assignment. Protect yourself. Protect your magic. Protect your FLYness. Adjust Your Crown!

Peace, Love, and Light!

Andrea Imafidon | Tough Times Don't Last Forever | #BostonHighlight

“An American Experience” vs. “[The] American Experience” in Boston

“I believe I defy every stereotype of a stereotypical black man. I seek knowledge, I am motivated, I am loving, and caring. I hope to really change the world and change the image or representation of a black man in America. And, I will do this by motivating young black men and teaching them that their life is as important as their counterparts. No matter what race, creed, or religion. ” — Reginald Fils, Entrepreneur, High School Student

#WorkinProgressWednesday: Did you achieve your goals for August? (Video)

We Are Suppose To Be Gods: David Banner and #TheGodBox Lecture in Boston

                            "It is easy to kill a nigga but hard to kill a God." -David Banner

With the climate of the world, we are running on high emotions, fear, and anger because of police brutality, violence, and low frequency. I had the privilege to go to my hometown this past weekend to check out Mr. David Banner and The God Box lecture. Not only did I check out the lecture but my husband and I had a chance to be part of history at the Strand Theatre. We had a chance to Buy Black through shopping with the beautiful Black Businesses who were vending. You all know how I feel about "The People" having their businesses, making money, building generations, and recycling money within our community. I had a huge smile on my face while entering the building.

I was kind of surprised but not surprised that this event was not sold out because many people are not ready to receive the knowledge, some people had to work, some people just didn't want to come, and some people probably was frightened because of the content and context of Blacks in America and the honest and raw truth. Despite other folks feelings, my husband and I drove from Providence to Boston because we are community leaders, activists, married, and a family unit that will birth and bring folks Black babies into this world. We are seeking and appliers of knowledge and the knowledge we have received about the Blacks in Boston, Blacks in America, and Blacks Globally was definitely on point. I do a lot of researching and studying on historical and present day Black folks and honestly, time haven't changed but history remains and it is getting uglier by the day. Hence, why The God Box lecture is needed and why this event was pertinent especially during this time when Police Brutality is high, social engineering is revered up, and why Black Lives never mattered because we as the people have been conditioned since the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade by the oppressors.

Being a Brown Girl From Boston, Mattapan to be exact; I was taught to know my history and study people and the conditioning of my people from an early age. I have always been taught that history will repeat itself because systems are in place for the programming. I always go back to when one of my favorite teachers and mentor from high school, Ms. Bailey in which she taught my Sociology class. (hence why I am probably a Social Worker, Social Scientist, and Life Coach) She told me to read this book entitled: "The Death of an American Jewish Community: A Tragedy of Good Intentions" by Hillel Levine and in this book it discussed my neighbor of Mattapan being once a predominately Jewish community until the "Great  Migration" which caused "White Flight and the creation of suburbs" which we are now seeing once again in Boston with gentrification and the Whites are redeveloping areas that people of color lived, causing more income inequality, segregation within the City of Boston which is causing Black folks to live out because of the unaffordable to live within the Boston city limits.

Wealth Inequality within the City of Boston. African America families wealth in the City of Boston is $8 compare to White Families in Boston which is $247,500.

Back to the God Box lecture...
Many of these topics were discussed because I felt that I did my due diligence as Tayla Andre and Sabir Bey stated numerous of times during the event. Tayla, Sabir, and the young sister who name escape my memory did a thorough job discussion the history of Blacks in Boston, nationwide, and globally. I appreciate hearing that we should know the laws, study, and not take things at face value. We should also go beyond knowledge itself, we should be out in the communities being on the front line and helping the voiceless and "powerless" dismantle the policies and procedures that are outdated and unjust. We need to build that Black Wall Street that was once was in Tulsa, OK and Durham, NC. We definitely need to participate in group economics, buy Black, mentor our youth, gain wisdom from the elders and involved them in community affairs, build our own schools, hospitals, and other needed community things versus relying on the government to provide these things to us which are normally hand me downs, filled with chemicals, lies, and toxicity anyways.

I have been checking out David Banner's lectures and interviews online because I truly wanted to see the evolution on this brother. I appreciate The God Box lectures because it isn't a "Come to Jesus Meeting" so please leave your religious beliefs, things your Pastor, Deacon, Imam or whoever your religious leaders says. The God Box lectures is not about making you feel good about your religion or having folks be lullaby-ed by rhetoric, lies, and a feel good message. The God Box helps liberate your mind, provoke some though, provoke you to study, and expand your mindset to think beyond a surface level. David Banner spoke truth to power like many other conscious Black speakers, lecturers, and common folks do every day. David Banner just has a bigger platform and the money to back him. I just want to be transparent about that. Most things he says is honest and things I have heard growing up with my family being from the South as well. I appreciate hearing it coming from a reformed (lol) rapper who previously took a page from the Iceberg Slim's books.

My tweet from  Twitter on Being A God!

When David Banner hit that stage, he went all the way in. He told us, to take our photos now and cut our phones off. I appreciate that because we are always plugged in and often miss messages because we are trying to get the video to post for the folks to gloat about being in the presence of David Banner, helping others to tap into the knowledge of self, or for our own personal propaganda. I appreciate being present because I was mindful, received the knowledge, and applied the knowledge. One hard truth that David Banner spoke about was being a Black person in America. He was gutsy by saying that Blacks don't like being Black. Whoa!!!!! I had to sit all the way back in my seat and ponder on this strong, aggressive statement because it was bold, in your face, and his truth. He stated that we have been socially engineered to hate ourselves, our image, our holistic selves because of the things we do to self, calling ourselves "niggas",  the way we assimilate into the dominant society and treat one another. It was a hard, ugly truth because as people of culture, we do a lot of manipulation to self and our culture to assimilative despite being treated less than an animal. Many people treat their animals better than they treat Black people. We also allow this to constantly happen to ourselves as well because we call ourselves "niggas" "hoes" and "bitches" versus "Gods" "Queens" and "Kings". There are an unlimited amount of words in the dictionary but we choose to call and answer to these derogatory words rather than using positive, uplifting and moving words. David Banner went ahead and explain The God Box and proved that we are all Gods and went to the Bible and pulled out about six scriptures in which God who can be "She" "He" or "It" stated that we all are Gods. My favorite scriptures he quoted: Psalms 82:6: "I have said, ‘You are gods, All of you are sons of the Most High."

I am not going to give any more away about the God Box lecture because it is very powerful and I suggest that all my people and Brown Girl Tribe should go and attend the lecture. I don't care what color, creed, nationality, religion, ethnicity, or whatever you claim, just go with an open-mind, and open-heart. The information and delivery that David Banner presents it in are raw, emotionally, but it makes you want to do your due diligence by reading, studying, helping your community and do more for yourself and the people. Also, apply the five solutions he provides:

1. Studying and Learning
2. Practicing Group Economics
3. Education
4. Nation Building through Ownership
5. Accountability and Responsibility of Ourselves and Others

In conclusion, make sure you support people doing real things out there. Support your local folks, support folks who are in your community, support people who are doing positive work. Make sure you pre-order The God Box which is David Banner's upcoming album! Also, I want to give David Banner a special shout out because he took the time to take photos with my husband and I and spoke knowledge to us. Anytime, someone takes the time to speak pure love and knowledge to you, thank them because that creates community, a spark of vision and it shows that humanity hasn't died off yet lol. Speak life to someone just because we all need that spark, love, and knowledge.

Remember, you are not niggas, you are Gods. Don't ever allow that word to enter into your sacred space.

The social inequality of Bostonians 

This sign was hung throughout the City of Boston during the 1800s by the Boston Vigilance Committees informing Black People of communication with police officers and watchmen. 

Thank you for reading the blog post! I truly appreciate you all! Make sure you comment, support, and share the blog post!

Peace, Love, and FLYness,
Drea
Brown Girl From Boston

Life Lesson: Never Forget Where You Came From

It's where you been and where you be
And without understanding, you cannot proceed
Complete, the start and the end
Then it just go round again
-Talib Kweli, History

Knowing and acknowledging where we came from is extremely important. We take a piece of our environment everywhere we go. It is ingrained and embedded in our very essence. Knowing who we are, how we think, what motivates us, our values, beliefs, the way we view the world (good or bad), our roots and our historical context impacts everything we think and believe and do.

As a student at John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics and Science, I also knew which direction I wanted my life to go, I let my light shine bright and I was determined to be positive and leave a lasting legacy at that school and in my life. Hence, I left home at the tender age of 18, to attend Tuskegee University in Alabama to allow my light to shine even brighter elsewhere. I ask I believe and I was determined to attend Tuskegee University. If it wasn't for my tenacity, drive, and work ethic, I would be stuck with my unknown potential and undiscovered life's purpose. As a Bostonian, I am a tough and resilient person with a kind, serving and tender soul.

Last night, I went to the very city that birthed me, raised me and coached me to be the woman that I am today: Boston. I went to Boston to hang out with middle/high school friends who can into town to visit and reconnect with the people, the city, and the culture. I was delighted to see my friends and celebrate our womanhood, our victories, and laugh at our memories but I was in my feelings while visiting Boston. I was so much in my feelings because I was driving through the city yesterday and recognize the gentrification, recognize that things are not the same and even recognized that I am not the same. Things should progress and evolve and people should progress and evolve but not lose sight from the humble beginnings.

When I went back to Boston yesterday, I discovered a few things about myself that Boston provided for me:

If It wasn't for Boston:

1. I wouldn't know my own strength! In my life, I had my fair share of adversities and hardships. In my own family, we experienced tragedy early by losing my eldest brother to gun violence. When you lose a sibling it is such a traumatic event that you will never get over in your lifetime. I remember my brother babysitting me, nurturing me and just showing me unconditional love to have that taken away within seconds. You have to find another source of strength to handle such a terrible lost. That's why I live my live fearlessly, loudly and boldly because I know how it feels to have something so beautiful taken away. 
2. I wouldn't know how to be resilient and recognize my greatness. Before my brother's murder, my parent's marriage was in turmoil due to internal and external factors. My parents decided to part ways after 20 something years of marriage. During this time, not only were we grieving the death of my brother but we were dealing with the death of a two-parent African-American household. I was dealing with this loss while attending the James J. Chittick Elementary School in Hyde Park, MA. I was able to still attend school, thrive and manage to be a top student without any behavioral problems. I have to credit Jehovah, my Mother, and our tight-knit village. 
3. I was able to celebrate and embrace my mother's trials, tribulations, and triumphs. As a 31-year-old, woman, and wife, I appreciate my mother's strength and she taught me life lessons on being a woman, knowing and owning my worth, and letting my light shine. When my parents divorce, my mother had to learn how to pay bills, upkeep and maintain a mortgage, and raising a pre-teen, I salute and celebrate my mother because she decided not to take ownership of being a victim but decided to be a victor. 
4. I wouldn't know that I could and would be a leader. I had my first taste of being a leader in the elementary school. I was the first person at the James J. Chittick School to start the school's newsletter on our first Apple computers with the Oregon Trial  as the featuring game. (LOL) Yes, I am telling my age. Being the youngest and only girl out my siblings, I had no choice but to being a leader and standing out. I went to numerous of leaderships recruits, mentored and tutored young ones while being a student in high school, being picked Captain of my High School Basketball team two years in a row and being able to lead various organizations within my 31 years on earth. 
5. I wouldn't know anything about a strong, healthy, work-ethic and work-life balance. Being on the road of entrepreneurship it isn't for the faint of heart because you have to put in major work in and sacrifice a lot such as "Happy Hours" and "meaningless conversations" lol. Just kidding. But, I started working at the tender age of 14 as a Red Shirt for BYCF and my second job as a bagger and cashier at Star Market (which is now Shaws) in Back Bay at the Prudential Center. I don't shine away from hard work but I know how to work smarter and balance my work along with quality time and celebrating my F.LYness.
6. I would have never met my husband of 3 years. My husband and I have a 17-year history of puppy love, friendship, partnership, and unconditional love. Unbeknown to me, I didn't know we went to the same school in the 7th grade until later on in life. We official met one another through one of our mutual friends at 14 and worked together at Star Market. My husband and I are two weeks apart, born at Boston City Hospital now Boston Medical Center, both Bostonians (he is from Roxbury and I am from Mattapan). Throughout the 17 years, we went our separate ways but maintain contact. I am thankful for my husband because he is very supportive, transparent, authentic and loving. 

Going back to Boston yesterday gave me a restored and refreshed outlook on patience, perseverance,
and persistent. While driving through the city especially my old neighborhood in Mattapan, I got goosebumps and reminisced about the makings of Brown Girl From Boston or simply Drea! I also reminisced about being a being the little girl at 31 Hollingsworth St. in Mattapan MA 02126, full of light, purpose, creativity and living the simple life. Even though my parents retired back to Alabama and I live out of state, I don't get back to Boston as I like to because home ain't home any longer. It is where my roots were planted and grew from, memories stored and I place I go to reminisce (my God). Home is where you make it but never forget where you can f​rom.

Quick Fact: Mattapan is a Native American name for "a good place to be".

Coaching question: Where are you from? How often do you visit your hometown? How did you hometown helped shape you as a person?

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