You Think You Know...But You Have NO Idea

..................................*sigh and deep breaths* I apologize for beginning this entry so unusually but after the class we just had....at this current moment that is all I can do. In fact, I do not apologize because that would give the implication that something wrong has been done ensuing a feeling of possible regret, which is not the case. There are so many words to describe today’s full day class session, but at the same time there are no words sufficiently expressive enough to describe it.

For almost two weeks now, we have traveled together, taught and learned from one another, lived together, and experienced something most of our people may never get to experience first hand together. With all this time that we have spent together getting to know one another, we probably know each other better than our closest friends; but at the same time you can know everything about a person and still know nothing about them. This was discovered today as my various peers and elders reflected about the trip and the connections and impacts it has made to and in their personal lives. As many people shared their thoughts and reflections, it was obvious that a certain feeling of familial trust had been established amongst us. It was this connectedness of such where if the person cried, you cried; the person laughed, you laughed; the person got angry, you got angry. The entire situation reminds me of the song “I Cry” by Ja Rule featuring Lil Mo. “When I cry, you cry, we cry together.” I was humbled by the entire class because it was finally clear that everyone understands why we came here. Everyone if not completely cognizant is at least aware of our memory dismemberment and can now work towards re-membering it.

Today’s class let you know that there were other people [there] with you. There are other people who have/are going through what you have/are going through or worse. This entire trip if nothing else has established this fact: there are people like you. There are countless times on this trip that people looked at the sculptures and figures on the walls of temples and had the epiphany: “That’s me. I look like that. Those are my lips and my nose.” For any black person who felt as if they did not belong or were not good enough to accomplish greatness or exceed such, that theory was and should have been completely decimated and shot to hell with whatever/whoever made you feel as such when you are re-minded of what your ancestors, the Africans, the Egyptians accomplished. They created EVERYTHING from NOTHING; as we will when we go back “home” to share with our family and friends what we have learned. They think they know.....but they have no idea.