Birth of a Nation trailer

The trailer for "Birth of a Nation" has finally been released. The story is a powerful one indeed and depicts the story of NAT TURNER and his will to fight back.

For those of you who are lacking a bit in the history of black folks in America, Nat Turner led a massive slave rebellion that ran rampage throughout the south. He was a good man who simply had enough of the mis treatment of himself and his people.

Watching this trailer literally sit chills through my body. I was waiting to hear what powerful song would be on the soundtrack and then I hear the majestic voice of Andra Day singing Rise up. I think they should also throw in Beyonce's song FREEDOM.  I am extremely excited for October and can not wait to go see this movie and I await the discussion pieces it will bring forward.

If you think this is just another slave movie, it is not. It is so much more than that. It is the story of our people and an American story.

Remember to Always Be

Fierce and Fabulous

xoxo

Lela Victoria

The new face of the $20 dollar bill ( HARRIET TUBMAN)

In a country where myself as a Black Woman (person) can sometimes be seen as a second class citizen, I definitely was SHOCKED to find out that the legendary "Harriet Tubman" will become the face of the American $20.00 bill. I was literally at work walking down the hall to retrieve something off the printer and saw the announcement and literally jumped from joy. I was literally overcome with emotion. Because Harriet Tubman was a woman who looks like me. Black, with dark skin, and African features and now her face will be shown to millions. She additionally was a spy for the Union during the civil war and was a leader during the early days of the Women Suffrage Movement

Growing up as a young girl, Harriet Tubman aka Moses was someone who I admired and looked up to. She was born and raised as a slave and eventually escaped the bondage of slavery to only return on numerous occasionally to eventually assist over 300 slaves with obtaining their freedom.

Harriet Tubman will replace former President Andrew Jackson on the front of the $20 dollar bill, while Andrew Jackson will be moved to the back.  Alexander Hamilton will remain on the front of the $10, but leaders of the women’s suffrage movement will be on the back.

 

This is a tremendous move in support of Women and the role that they play in society and have played throughout the history of the United States.

via Politico:

Lew’s decision comes after he announced last summer that he was considering replacing Hamilton on the $10 bill with a woman. The announcement drew swift rebukes from fans of Hamilton, who helped create the Treasury Department and the modern American financial system. Critics immediately suggested Hamilton take Jackson off the $20 bill given the former president’s role in moving native Americans off their land. Jackson may remain on the $20 bill in some capacity.

Lew told POLITICO last July that Treasury was exploring ways to respond to critics. “There are a number of options of how we can resolve this,” Lew said. “We’re not taking Alexander Hamilton off our currency.”

The new $10 bills are set to enter circulation in 2020, while we won’t see the $20 until 2030. It's unfortunately I will be a mother and 40 years of age before I see Harriet Tubman on the $20 dollar bill, but that's fine. I will take what I can get at this point

Remember To Always Be

Fierce and Fabulous

xoxo

Lela Victoria

The SLAVE Narrative and Why It is Important To Be Told

Throughout time, there has been many movies and series created that highlights and brings awareness to American Slavery. Some of these are Amistad, Roots, Django, and 12 years a Slave just to name a few.


2016 looks to be a year that highlights the story of the slave and I think this very action is very important and definitely needed in our society.


The history of slavery is a dark one from our nation's past that many present day folks like to pretend  does not exist or that it did not happen. Slavery has even been identified in some American textbooks as something that Africans volunteered to do, or that the experience was somewhat pleasant. Other textbooks skip over the history of Slavery completely as if that wasn't one of the main causes of the American Civil War.

The History of Slavery needs to be told for multiple reasons.


1) The fact that slavery occurred needs to always be acknowledged and never sugar coated
2) The acts of slavery plays a vital role in the current state of America and the Black Community. specifically the division we have within the nation and the division that can be seen within the black community when it comes to overcoming colorism.
3. The current distrust that minorities have towards police officers, also can be tied back to the original police force which was the slave catchers who's sole job was to police minorities.
4. The acts that Blacks endured during slavery contributed to making us such the strong race that we are today. Slave masters use to breed the strongest man with the strong woman with the intent to produce strong off springs. This could be why physically some of the best Athletes in America are of African descent.


The SLAVE has a voice and a story that needs to be told. Although the history of slavery was brutal and sometimes hard to tolerate, we need to know and understand how breaking up slave families, effects the current broken black families in America. We need to know why theirs a rift between lighter skinned blacks and those of darker complexions. We need to understand why black women are so tough and sometimes hard, and that's can simply be because throughout American History the black woman endured beatings, rape, and seeing her family torn apart. Slavery had a cause and effect and that we still are able to feel today.


About a week ago a new SLAVE series premiered on WGN entitled UNDERGROUND. John Legend is one of the Executive Producers, and the narrative focuses and highlights the slaves seeking out their FREEDOM.

Additionally there will be a remake of Alex Haley's mini series ROOTS hitting the scene soon. ROOTS was definitely a slave story that had me in tears. I cried quite a bit when I watched the original ROOTS series, therefore I know going into watching the remake I need to be fully prepared.


I definitely think overall we as Americans should support the story of the slave. We watch horror movies and action movies where individuals are murdered and killed, so why not pay tribute to the nation's history, embrace what the ancestors of blacks endured, and learn to understand how Slavery still effects America in modern day society.

Remember To Always Be

Fierce and Fabulous

xoxo Lela Victoria