March 2014

 

 

Greetings All:

 

Dear  Community.. I know you have loved, still love; have educated,  still education;  problem solved and still problem solve with young black males...join in and share.

  

Your feedback, thoughts, suggestions and contributions are greatly appreciated.  This is a work in progress and it is growing in its development each time we connect and build a relationship with an interested party. 

 

I am seeking the voices of 100 of people, men, women, young adults, of all

races and creeds, that desire  to join in with others to show their love by

writing the stories, testimony, words of encouragement, life lessons,

experiences,  love lessons, light understandings, energy processes and the list goes  on... to center on the safety,

protection, security, prosperity longevity, and liberation of Black Males around the world....

 

You are invited to participate in a community collective writing and sharing

experience. This is an idea and work in progress.  The goal is to create a

positive written expression in support of young Black Males.  Let us gather

together collectively in our consciousness and intention to participate in a

public and universal activity to give thanks, hold up and give appreciation to

the presence of  Young Black Males in our lives.

 

The outcome I expect is multi-level: we should see a written product and a

virtual expression of these efforts. The outcome may include a collaborative

creative work in progress for print; we may have web-based opportunities, for

example, a writing blog, facebook or twitter presence.

In this written effort each page will be devoted and dedicated to the spirit

energy, prosperity, safety, survival  and longevity of a  Young  Black Male in

our lives. In this one page written expression we learn about this young man’s

efforts to make the most of his life experiences. 

 

Other publications may follow, too – it is up to our collective will. If you

decide to participate, we look forward to working with you.

 

Current operating name of publication:

 

100 Voices from 100 Hearts:

                     

Just Be:  The Man  You  Need to BE:  100 voices joining together to UP-LIFT the

vibration energy, liberation, success and presence of Black Males around the

world through writing.  Again, we vision 100 people  writing one page

in honor of a young Black Male in their life.

 

 

First Step:  join a  conference call, if you like or just send your submission....

Scheduled Conference Dates:

 

 Wednesdays, April    23, 30 2014

 

Scheduled Start Time:

09:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

 

Scheduled End Time:

10:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

 

Dial-in Number:

1-626-677-3000 (West Coast)

 

Participant Access Code:

407330

 

 

Second Step:  create your contribution or maybe you already have it....

 

A story

A letter

A prayer

A phrase

A saying

 

Third Step: Submit your contribution

 

Send questions, thoughts and ideas as well as your contribution to:

 

sybow@aol.com

S.Y. Bowland

P.O. Box 961844

Riverdale, Ga  30296

sybow@aol.com

678-923-4070

 

Or

 

Hasshan Batts

Po Box 321

Kunkletown pa

18058

Justequality@yahoo.com

 

 

The current layout for the contribution is noted below:

Please send the document via word attachment and in the body of the email

include:

 

Name of Contributor: Here you will get credit and acknowledgement for your work

Name of  Contribution:

Name of person you are honoring or writing

to by offering this contribution  on their behalf :

Your relationship to the Young Black Male:

The Contribution : Here Is what I want to say:

Contributions Goal/Purpose:  If  known

 

PLEASE KNOW:  ALL SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED BEFORE MAY 30 ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED – REVIEW OF SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ON GOING AND RESPONSES/FEEDBACK/SELECTIONS WILL BE SHARED WITH CONTRIBUTORS.  Submissions maybe edited and contributors see all of their work before we finalize for distribution.  Be sure to let us know how to reach you if you address changes. We look forward to submissions that fit comfortably on a single page. 

 

 

 

 

Copyright your contribution and give me permission to include it in the

publication:  For example:  You have my permission to use this contribution,  I

want my name to be credited as:

 

If the contributions is not your original work, you must be sure to note/cite

the source of the contribution you want to make. Indicate the source of your

research or reference for your contribution if

relevant.

 

This is a love offering gesture to all the Black Males we pray for, love,

life. generosity and  hard  work and loving kindness and compassion   to

support  them  in every minute of every we day they struggle.

 

 

How this idea came about.

 

My oldest son has graduated from college and out in the world on his own.  My

youngest son is just about to graduate from high school and start his life in

college.  While pondering  on the ways we connect and relate with one another,

writing things down is a way of always having a memory for them to access, read

through and support them as they go through life, whether they can reach me or

not.  Through-out my day, often I think of something that is important to me to

share with them, often they may not be around me at the time , so I write the

saying down.

Other time when they are with me, I just talk to them and share with them. Of

course, they act like they don’t want to hear it, so I send them emails, texts,

and pictures.  This is an effort to join with others who may have like

experiences.  This way, I hope my sons can pick up the publication or go a

website when completed.  Noted below are a few examples.  With my sons my goal

is for them to have  the most wonderful life they can while they can.....

 

Sample Contribution(s)  : Contributions can be longer or shorter…these are just

examples

 

Name of Contributor :     S.Y. Bowland

Name of  Contribution:    What will you accomplish this year

Name of person you are honoring or writing: J.   Bowland-Gleason

to by offering this contribution  on their behalf :

Your relationship to the Black Man:       Mother

The Contribution : Here Is what I want to say:

Contributions Goal/Purpose:  Conscious  thought to time, relationships, planning

and preparation.

 

Son you are turning 18 ( or the respective year in question).  this year.

Tell me about all the things you want to accomplish this year.  Remember you

only get to be 18 for a year so plan it wisely.  Mid year I check in with the

following thought to them, Son, how is your year going and are you enjoying

being 18  or the respective year of their age ).  ( Am using initials here...but will use full names later)

 

 

 

JEBG, always remember to be the Man who listens carefully to all and mostly to

women.  Women will tell you things in ways no one else can, especially if they

love you.

JEBG  do not be the Man who listens carelessly, this will result in wasted time,

energy through asking for repeats, and redoing things and could result in

resentment of  loss time, money and energy.  Be the man who listens and invites

questions to clarify the things you hear that are not clear to you.

 

Learn how to give massages….you can earn money in college and weekends will

usually be busy.

And remember…business is business and who gets to decide, is a part of the power

dynamics.

 

Am writing this to JEBG, because I know he listens with his heart and hears

with his mind.  Sometimes the two ears need to work together, although I have

taught him to listen with all his ears.  Not just those too.  I often ask

JEBG, where is his heart..... .and then I kindly remind him.

 

JEBG remember to be observant and watch how  you engage and  involve yourself

with others,

JEBG what is the way you learn the best and how can you tell?

JEBG, where ever she asks you to put it, put a rubber on it and then, the doctor

told him to use two.

JEBG, how do you do the wild monkey dance

 

(c) S Y Bowland 2014

 

 

Name of Contributor:  Hasshan Batts

Name of  Contribution: A letter to my only Son

Name of person you are honoring or writing

to by offering this contribution  on their behalf : Justice Batts

Your relationship to the Black Man: My Only Son

The Contribution : Here Is what I want to say:

 Contributions Goal/Purpose:  If  known:  To acknowledge and appreciate him as

the teacher he has been to me and to let him know that I do see him and that I

understand he is of me but different than me.

 

A letter to my only son

 

As-Salaaumu-Alaikum Justice ibn Al-Hasan:

 

You continuously amaze me and make me proud to have you as my son.  It’s ironic how much you have taught me over the last sixteen years, one would think I as your father would be the teacher and you the student.  Your beauty and gentleness is something it took time and maturity for me to understand.  I was reared in a time and place where to be a man meant to be violent, cunning, cruel, abusive and immoral and with the love and patience of those around me and your authenticity and fortitude I am learning manhood transcends aggression and wealth and is built upon morality, introspection and character.  Ibn Hazm shared that the four roots of virtue are justice, intelligence, courage and generosity and I proudly proclaim that you, my only son epitomize these virtues.  

 

It’s funny seeing you develop into a man because it reminds me of how Nana always tells me I’m still the same.  She claims I “haven’t changed” since I was two years old, recounting stories of my childhood and sharing how my personality traits have been consistent since I was a toddler.  I look at you today and understand Nana’s statements.  I recall your first days in daycare and how you were big and advance so they put you in with the older kids.  You would always try and hug and kiss the other children and get bit, kicked, hit and scratched.  The daycare workers adored you and would try and console us saying “he is just too sweet, the other children don’t understand he just wants to hug and love them”.  You were always a very loving, gentle, sensitive and affectionate child and in my ignorance I once saw what Allah has helped me to see as virtue as a deficiency.  I was hard on you, very hard at times because I somehow believed your gentleness and joy was a sign of weakness.  I apologize and commend you for not allowing this world and especially the misguided direction of a brainwashed father to break your young spirit.

 

This world is vicious and will try and strip you of your dignity, humanity and morality and I advise you to continue practicing fortitude and knowledge of self.  You are the descendent of kings and come from a long line of greatness.   As you seem to already understand, manhood is not built on violence, hustling and promiscuity but as Ibn Hazm said upon justice, intelligence, courage and generosity.  Our family has encountered our ups and downs and again I commend you because through it all you remain true to Justice.  Your loved ones can depend on you for a bright smile, charm, sensitivity and love and in that predictability are many lessons to those around you on what it means to be a man. 

As I always tell you “never forget who you are” and Inshallah this letter reminds you of your greatness and all the contributions that need to be made in this world that only you can make!

 

With Love,

Your Daddy

Abu Justice

© Hasshan Batts, March 2014

 

 

Also see:  Re-Centering Culture and Knowledge in Conflict Resolution Practice,published in 2008 bySyracuse University Press. Edited by a vibrant team of colleagues, the anthology presents unique views of how conflict works and needs to be addressed in varied cultures and communities, written by people of those communities.

 

 

Peace and Blessings

 

SY

 

S.Y. Bowland, Consultant