March Madness

"What are we fighting for? Are we fighting at all?"

March Madness. A phrase synonymously recognized to be the official crazy of the beginning of the year. January and February (did we even have them this year?) dissolve and dry up like the pipes in St. John. We somehow realize that important things need to be done and Father Time, as usual, has none for us. Unfortunately that urgency only stays on the peripheral. What I mean is that we don't seem to move from talking about whatever it is that needs attention. We want to solve problems and we have FANTASTIC solutions... but they are almost never actualized. Then the urgency and madness that we feel subsides again. But guess what... just because WE don't feel it, or are tired dealing with these problems, don't make them go away.

"Never turn your back on yourself. You are your most urgent project!"

Check it. This month alone there are, or will be, (at least to my knowledge); four protests. Two of which I will be talking about are happening this Saturday March 11th. The #LifeInLeggings Reclaim Our Streets: Women's Solidarity March and the Barbados Labor Party March. The latter is currently in my face. So much so, that on my van ride yesterday morning a well known deejay on a promo CD was pumping forward hard on said protest. "De poor people fed up! Is time tuh stan' up fuh sain man! Guh wid Mia! Leff DEM out!" I thought the ZR entered a Dr. Who portal for second. This man who always talking about pat what if it fat, now gunning for change to "that group" who is ALWAYS overlooked. I must say I was very impressed. The BLP seems quite organized and they are gunning hard. The former, #LifeInLeggings community will be having a simultaneous march throughout the Caribbean! So again check it… When we marching here in Barbados, Antigua & Barbuda marching, Trinidad & Tobago marching, Dominica, The Bahamas, Guyana and Jamaica marching... BRUH!!... women coming out in numbers to shout, chant and maybe cry... (I'll be crying trust me) because their voices are no longer being silenced. Neither will mine.

I believe we need to be more aware of what we are fighting for. What is the "it" that we care about so much and what makes it so urgent? In these two protests, both are aware of what they want, how they want to achieve their goals. However the most important thing is that after all the talk, they are in their execution mode! They have stepped up to the plate to get the job done and - even if afraid they still push on, because the urgency outweighs everything else!

"I ain know boy... but I gine meck it happen hey!"

It's hard stepping up. But do it any way! When we lose our awareness we lose our urgency. We stop fighting, we stop trying even before we leave the gate to run down the track. Are we currently making the right decisions in our lives? Once these types of questions can be answered we can then approach the madness with clarity, consistency and compassion.

Have courage! To Speak! To Stand! To Walk!

Empress Zingha