BAJAN SUN
Bajan Sun Magazine
AUG 2014
“Got To Be REAL!!!”
By Dr. Anita Davis-DeFoe
Years ago, singer Cheryl Lynn sang about it and it went something
like this, “What you find-ah, What you feel now, What you know-to be
real.”
In today’s world with all of its stereotypes, biases, dubious deception,
and game playing, far too many people have lost touch with their true
selves. Hidden somewhere beneath the bling, designer clothes and
other American trappings of unhealthy materialism are real people;
real people filled with infinite hopes, achievable dreams, human
frailties, but more importantly personal strength and fortitude.
It is time for all of us to take off our masks, step from behind the
curtains, and allow our true personalities, our real selves to divinely
shine. So many of us worry that if we reveal our genuine personas
that others will not embrace us or that people will openly ostracize
us. So many of us fear that if we come to the aid of another, our
blessings and rewards will be diminished; what a sad attitude to
embrace.
Without question, this is so far from the truth, more so that any of us
could begin to imagine. For “the real” is that until you choose to be
uniquely “you”, your ability to effectively relate to others and uplift
yourself is impaired, severely comprised. Until you seek to help
someone else, your own abundant treasures will not be mystically
released.
When we get caught up in pretense and perpetrations, over time we
cease to know ourselves and we soon become strangers to those
who once knew us well. When we choose to cloak our personalities
behind walls of claimed self-doubt and self-hatred, spiritual and
mental emptiness overtake us and unquenchable longing dominates
our daily existence, often going unchecked until it enslaves us in
unfamiliar territory. And so it begins, this downward spiral to the land
of
discontent
and
discouragement.
The time has come for people of color to get real, that is consciously
choose Righteous, Earnest, Authentic, Living; simply put, living a life
that is purposeful, a life that taps into your wellspring of potential, a
life that has personal meaning for YOU.
To my brothers and sisters of African descent, no matter where we
live, no matter the cultural nuances you have chosen to claim as your
own, our survival now dictates that we must come together, unite as
a global force in order to uplift and support one another. It does not
really matter that you might live in the United States, Europe,
Canada, the Caribbean, or South Africa. For all of us, our roots can
be traced back to Mother Africa. The slave ships with the ancestors
crammed aboard merely stopped from port to port, clandestinely
selling this precious human cargo as though they were fish or fowl.
While the sea, time and distance may separate us; these are but
minor inconveniences, because no matter where we call home,
people of African descent find ourselves struggling right where we
are.
32
Dr. Anita Davis-DeFoe
Author. Thought Leader. Social
Entrepreneur, Organization and
Leadership Development Solutionist
The Chieftaincy Ceremony. Dr. Anita, second from the left, being named the first woman
Chief in Akwa Ibom State Nigeria because of her global human development and humanitarian work with women in the village. She was named Adiaha Unwana Itam 1, (Daughter of
Light In Itam Clan)
In today’s turbulent world, inequities still flourish unchecked, and it is
going to take the collective efforts of all of us to not only positively
impact current conditions, but even more importantly, to elevate
quality
of
life
standards
for
future
generations.
When one stops to think about the fortitude, ingenuity and personal
strength exhibited by our ancestral mothers and fathers, even in the
face of our greatest obstacles, we have far more resources and
choices at our fingertips than they ever had. Our ancestors
epitomized a fountain of survival, nurturing and visionary creativity
that they passed on to us, if we choose to acknowledge its presence.
In the midst of their struggles, a fierce sense of pride, a commitment
to family and friends, and a connection to spirit helped them to
weather the most vicious life storms. They made a way out of no
way, they held onto their dignities when others attempted to assault
it, and they remained people of beauty and grace in the face of what
oftentimes
appeared
to
be
invincible
odds.
So you see, we cannot allow temporary setbacks, disappointment or
betrayal hold us back because each of us is being uplifted on the
wings of our ancestors. Refuse to stop dreaming, soaring and
searching for yo \