“Even
After
All this time
The Sun never says to the Earth,
^
“You owe me.”
^
Look
What happens
With a love like that,
It lights the whole sky.”
^
Written by Hafiz
The Sun Never Says
Welcome Back Ya’ll – Schools Reopen
Hooray!!! Hooray!! Schools have reopened across the United States of America. Students, parents and educators have all looked forward to this eventuality since they were forced to create a hybrid educational indoctrination system using both remote learning and in-person instruction in 2020. The reopening of schools is undeniably beneficial for all learners yet concerns still loom in the shadows as issues related to public safety and health remain uncertain.
LOL … This adorable child is absolutely amazing!!!
The challenges facing our educational indoctrination system, in the face of a pandemic still resurfacing globally, cannot be easily resolved or dismissed. There are simply too many variables with a lot at stake for US to simply – STOP. As a second home for children, schools have traditionally not only educated young people but also historically served as a “safe haven” for them to socially interact. Even with the past influx of school shootings and lockdowns, most Americans can still agree that we need to fight for them to retain this standard within communities.
Post 2020, Children have adjusted to some of the CHANGES caused by COVID-19.
School districts have now assumed the challenging responsibility to ensure the safe return of ALL students, staff and educators by following the guidance from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) who initially said that unvaccinated K-12 children do not have to wear masks in school unless they are riding the school bus or their school decides otherwise. This suggestion was “recommended” not mandatory across the country. The CDC also advised students and staff to stay home when not feeling well which has always been the stated but often unfollowed protocol. Recently, the CDC guidelines have now shifted to “recommending” indoor masking for ALL teachers, staff, students and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. Many school districts have already CHANGED their reopening approach to reflect the new protocols particularly those who have experienced a COVID-19 incident/outbreak in their schools. Sadly, some states such as Florida are not following the indoor masking protocols even as the Delta Variant of COVID-19 increases rapidly across the nation.
Vaccine requirements and mandates are based on the faulty assumption that the vaccines in question prevent transmission of the pathogen. They were never designed to do that. They only attenuate symptoms.
Recent studies have shown that the vaccinated — especially with the delta variant — and the unvaccinated have similar amounts of virus in their nose and throat.
Dr. Christina Parks – Ph.D in Cellular and Molecular Biology
More than ever, flexibility is required by everyone in order to keep our children safe this fall especially since we continue to receive conflicting and evolving data on COVID-19. We should all continue to read the science based trends and/or look for the signs that resonate. With human nature being what it is, we can already anticipate more CHANGES to come but we cannot afford to ignore the denial of science or the free and uninhibited behavior of children. Whether we agree or not, schools must plan for the best and worst case scenarios using the current Covid-19 protocols available (simply call them Plan A-best case and Plan B-worst case). Both plan options might be required in 2021. The signs are evident that a Nu normal has arrived which means the school experience has CHANGED not just within the curriculum but recess as well.
Please give US a sign …
The diverse views about science and COVID-19 are still confusing for some but WE must keep our children safe no matter what happens.
e*n*m*e*s*h*m*e*n*t
“Enmeshment” is a therapeutic term frequently used in family therapy to describe a relationship pattern between two or more individuals in which personal boundaries are unclear and permeable. This relationship pattern is often unhealthy, dysfunctional and anxiety producing on an emotional level. Participates are overly connected with an often unstated expectation to save or meet the other’s needs irrespective of their own needs, feelings, desires and goals. For example “enmeshment” can often result in an excessive involvement in another’s day to day personal life so that it makes it difficult for individuals to become confident or autonomous in their decisions, developmentally independent or responsible for their choices. In other words, “enmeshment” patterns can represent some of the most pervasive and difficult generational human dynamics – – “relationship entanglements” – – to “unveil” and “unravel.”
E*n*m*e*s*h*m*e*n*t*s can be very tricky and difficult. Ouch!
recherché
♀
She
is
Rare.
Be
Good
to
her.
♀
♀
Written By Himaanshh
24K Debate Magic
In recent news, two girls from Atlanta, GA became the first ever black girl duo to win the Harvard Debate Council’s annual summer debate competition at Harvard University. Miss Emani Stanton and Miss Joyla Jackson won this prestigious award participating in the summer residential program for hundreds of gifted youth from over 15 countries around the world. Students flocked to the Harvard University campus for two weeks of intense study which ended in a program-wide debate tournament. This year’s tournament was held virtually due to COVID-19 protocols but the dynamic duo triumphed during the “Resolved: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization should substantially increase its defense commitments in the Baltic States” debate.
competition speech competition involving two teams
of two debaters from different colleges or universities
based on a resolution phrased as something the
United States federal government “should” do.
Policy debate also exists as a high school activity,
with a very similar format, but different leagues,
tournaments, speech times, resolutions, and styles.
Inter-collegiate and high school policy debate are
largely similar.
Wikipedia
The origins of this program happened when Harvard accepted a proposal from esteemed award-winning debate coach and author Brandon P. Fleming in 2017. His goal was to establish the Diversity Project as a means to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus. Both debate winners are current members of the program. To date, the Harvard Diversity Project has raised over $1 million to enroll over 100 Black students into the debate residency on full scholarship. All four of this year’s finalists had little to no debate experience prior to being trained via debate coach Fleming’s unique and vigorous curriculum resulting in wins at the international debate competition.
24K
24K
I must confess to being attracted to stories resonating with my own interests. As a former high school debater, I can still distinctly recall some of the debate topics as well as the challenging competitions in my home city. Participating in debate made me more interested and knowledgeable about all kinds of issues since we often discussed national and world events. To this day, the NERD in me still loves having debates (some say arguments) with my tribe – – not about the personal business of others – – about national and world events, the arts and culture, books, education etc. These topics trigger me in a good way since one often learns a lot during the process.
So today, let’s salute Miss Stanton and Miss Jackson for their incredible performance demonstrating once again that beauty extends to the MIND as well. These young women definitely showed up and showed out creating “24K Debate Magic” for us all to appreciate.
Sounds golden to me …..
Phenomenal Woman
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms,
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
♀
I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It’s the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
♀
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
♀
Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can’t touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can’t see.
I say,
It’s in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
♀
Now you understand
Just why my head’s not bowed.
I don’t shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing,
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It’s in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need for my care.
’Cause I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.
♀
Written By Maya Angelou
DEAR WOMAN
Sometimes
You’ll just be too much woman.
Too smart,
Too beautiful,
Too strong.
Too much of something
That makes a man feel like less of a man,
Which will start making you feel like you have to be less of a
woman.
The biggest mistake you can make
Is removing jewels from your crown
To make it easier for a man to carry.
When this happens, I need you to understand,
You do not need a smaller crown –
You need a man with bigger hands.
www
Written BY MICHAEL E. REID
Golden Child
Hello morning
now I see you
cause i am awake
what was once so sweet and secure
has turned out to be fake
*
Girl, you can’t be scared
gotta stand up strong and let’em see what shines in you
Push aside the part
lying in you heart
like the ocean is deep, dark, and blue
You are a golden child 2x
Golden sunshine’s
peeking through the grayness of your mind
Soon it will be in full view
and rain won’t stain your eyes
*
Girl, you’ll be smart
look in your heart and see what shines in you
Push aside the part
back with you darkness
like the ocean is deep, dark, and blue
You are a golden child 2x
You don’t have to be afraid cause time is on your side
and they don’t know the power you possess
or the beauty that’s inside
You are a golden child 6x
An Excerpt from Milk and Honey **
+
“how is it so easy for you
to be kind to people he asked
milk and honey dripped
from my lips as i answered
cause people have not
been kind to me”
+
Written By Rupi Kaur
3ACTunveiled 