Why I WON'T Be Participating in the "Blackout"

I'm over y'all.
My thoughts at 10:44pm. Just about 4 hours after they announced the Grand Jury's decision NOT to indict Darren Wilson for the murder or 19-year old Mike Brown

Less than 5 hours and I am completely over y'all.
And by "y'all", I mean my peers. My fellow black adults; old and young; I'm over you all.

From riots to peaceful protests to "#NoJusticeNoPeace"... I am tired.
I'm tired of everything being a trend, a fad, a bandwagon for you to feel included. I'm tired of the news & "#Ferguson" being all but MIA with the Mike Brown case for... (how long ago was Mike Brown killed? 100 days?) so... for approximately 95 days.
I'm tired of bootleg protests and makeshift petitions.
I'm tired of basic reposts of a repost of a tweet that you ONLY reposted because it sounded cool, but you didn't even bother to go on Twitter and at least look at what was being said, in full context, by the person you reposted.
Better yet, join the conversation.
but no... That's a little too much. Maybe it requires a little bit more knowledge and work than you think is necessary.
We ALL know this is a crisis, right?
If this is how you act in a crisis... Remind me to identify some alternative hotlines.

I'm tired y'all. My heart is heavy and I want to speak, but I feel like a moment of silence is more needed.
I feel like a moment of more than 1 hour of planning a protest is needed.
I feel like a time to come together and get on the same page, in person, not via repost, is needed...

I love the age of technology. The message and the news spreads so quickly, but just as quickly, the fire burns out.
I can't deal.
We can't deal, or grow, or be... Like this...
I NEED to get involved. Life is TOO short, my weekends are TOO long.
Although I claim this as a lie every Monday... THIS Monday is a little different.
Today, I'm tired.
And not just because my day at work was long, but because I discovered, or rather it was reaffirmed, just how long this has been going on...
Not just the hate; not just the cycle of discrimination; but the cycle of passive aggressiveness amongst my peers.
Within myself.
I can't deal like this y'all.
There's far too much love, too much PASSION inside of me to go on like this.

I'm not saying stop... I'm saying DON'T STOP!
Don't stop paying attention just because it's no longer a trending topic.
Don't stop just because no one liked it as much.
Don't stop.
Do not stop trying.
If we really care about this, seriously care. Then at some point more moves need to be made than running into a store and looting.
More moves need to be made than screenshotting an awesome post so that you can post it too.
MOVES need to be made.

And that means time and effort needs to be given.
Time like the time put into The Montgomery Bus Boycott (because Rosa Parks was handpicked to sit there, FYI).
Time like the time put into preparing for sit-ins and Freedom Rides, & school integrations.
Not the time it took you to read this (and yes, I'm aware this is "long").

I'm done just watching everyone fall off then not saying anything until the news brings it up again.
I'm ready to get involved.
I mean, INvolved.
because I'm SO over the alternative.

Because I LOVE the fire, but the smoke seems to last longer these days.

Well... I CARE || Mentoring

Did you know that January is National Mentoring Month?!

Well, it is.
In my last post I emphasized the importance of getting involved in our communities in order to affect change. That's a big deal. However, there are multiple ways to get involved. And mentoring is one of my long-term favorites.
Since I was a junior in high school mentoring has been a big part of my life. Not because I had a mentor, but because I've been one. Formally (as a part of an organization) and informally. Through the various experiences I had as a mentor my passion for this role was ignited.
In 2009 I accepted an intern position at Virginia Mentoring Partnership and it was through that experience that I got a behind the scenes look at what it's like to start a mentoring organization. It was truly one of my favorite experiences.

Now, as a youth leader in my church and a case manager for children, I get to do that role in so many different ways...

But that's me.

Today, there are thousands of youth across the nation who are in need of a mentor, but... There's no one there.
People often assume that organizations that we know about are all set to meet that need, but the reality is... They have about 10x as much demand than they can supply. In other words, there are at least 10 youth to every volunteer mentor. And given many people can't afford the time it takes to mentor one child for a year... That's a LONG wait list.
I, myself, have submitted applications for mentors 2years ago... And we're still waiting to hear back.
And we'll probably be waiting for a whole.
Sadly, this trend is not unusual. As an intern, 5 years ago, we got way more calls looking for a mentor organization than we ever got for volunteers.
As such, you see a lot more programs that are school-based and that do group mentoring than you do individual or one-on-one. It's beneficial, but not as much as it could be.

It's my desire, in the near future, to start my own organization to be a part of the change I want to see, but there's got to be one thing... Volunteers.

I urge my peers to step out and be a part of someone's life. If you commit to just one year of consistency. Doing anything from watching a movie, to going to a museum, to watching a sports game... You're presence will be felt.

Just know:
Mentoring is not about you being a "role model" or a parent.
It's not about You at all.

Mentoring is about being a positive influence... a voice of encouragement... a friend...
It's about Them.

Opportunities are endless. I listed a few of the larger websites below, but there are SO many options. Look in your church, local schools, or be an informal mentor to a kid in need.
And... If you're like me, and watch to start an organization on your own... Visit the MENTOR website and get connected. They offer FREE trainings for people seeking to start their own organization and for all of the volunteers.

Let me know how it goes & I'll definitely keep you posted on my end.

Stay Blessed.
💙💙
-Benita (:

Websites:

MENTOR
www.mentoring.org

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
www.bbbs.org

YMCA
www.ymca.org

Well... I CARE! || NAMI Walk 2014

On Saturday, October 18th, I will be taking a great step in not only my fitness journey, but in general my life journey. On that day, I will be completing my first 5K by participating in the NAMI Walk.

I'm really excited about it.

Mental illness has been a huge part of my life. My mother has had bipolar disorder since I was a young child. Andcas a child there's one thing you learn about mental illness... You don't tell anyone about it. It was likely that kind of culture that led to me having my own challenges with anxiety and depression. Nonetheless, feeling unable to control my life and seeing my mom become someone else throughout my life, while suffering in silence led to my vowing, in high school, to never work in the behavioral health field...

Fast forward to 5 years later and I ended up becoming a behavioral health case manager for youth.

Funny how God works.
Over the years I realized that all of the things I witnessed and experienced were there to equip me for what was to come. I've managed to remain at this job for 4 years (in December) and each day I grow and learn and appreciate my life.
Through the years I've developed a passion for mental health awareness, so being a part of this walk is an expression of that.
I've participated in the NAMI Walk for the past 2 years and this upcoming walk will make it 3. I don't think I've ever asked for donations for my participation in this walk, but there was something about this one that I felt a need to go a step further.
With the way mental illness has played a part with my entire family over this past year, I felt that it was almost symbolic of me to not only participate in the walk, but to do my first 5K as a part of the NAMI Walk.
It's all ironic, but I'm really excited about it all.

I say I'm a rebel with a cause (or 5) and this is just one of them.

So... Click the link & Sponsor Me Here if you're able. NAMI is such a great resource for so many of us affected by mental illness that it's so worth it to support. Giving even a dollar will provide this organization and families out there with needed resources and supports to end the stigma on mental illness and educate others on mental health.

Stay Blessed y'all.
❤❤
-Benita (: