"Underpriviledged Anyway"

Well as you can see I took a major break from blogging. For my last week of summer I went away and got some rest and took in a bit of sun. When I returned, work just seemed to come rolling-in heavy and hard just like the ocean waves I had just frolicked in out east. Looking back, if I had to describe my summer in one word, I think “Blah” hits the mark just perfectly. It wasn’t off the chain by any means. It was actually a rough and tumble three months, but there were some stand-out moments. Back in the day my girl and I used to make a list of our raves for whatever season had just ended. For Summer 2005 they would be:

1. Catching my first (and so far only) fish-- a fluke
2. Feeding the ducks at The Harlem Mear with my 2-year old niece
3. Rihanna’s “Pon De Replay” -- every time I hear it I want to dance and perfect my winding skills, it was definitely the Crazy In Love for this summer
5. The incredible deal I got on my yellow Ralph Lauren dress
6. Discovering Burberry for Men
7. The lemon gelati at Settepani
8. My interview with Wendy Williams at Sony (indescribably fresh!)
9. Seeing my first cover story in print on Faith Evans

On a much less sunnier note, the catastrophe in New Orleans as a result of Hurricane Katrina is weighing heavy on my mind. During my break it was so hard to chill at the beach after seeing the images of so many Black folk and folk in general crying, pleading, insane with despair. There is so much to be done. So much that has been said, been debated. Hip-hop artists are affected, scores of children are separated from their families and Oprah is doing what she does best-- giving, giving, giving!

And then there’s the ignant, repulsive actions and words of people with too much power. There’s the first lady basically saying the folks in The Big Easy would be better off because of Katrina cause they were under privileged anyway. That's so damn insighful Barbara, just let them eat cake, eh? Oh yeah, the media and politicians calling tax-paying, home-owning, American-citizens,refugees. And supposedly there was the American military trying to recruit evacuees that were stuck at the Superdome. I could go on. But instead I’ll leave you with a list of places to drop off goodies and organizations taking contributions:

The Southern Empowerment Project ----
http://www.southernempowerment.org/

The Southern Empowerment Project's website provides links to support thecommunity-based institutions that have been severely hit by Hurricane Katrina.

Mississippi Workers Center ---- www.msworkerscenter.org

Please send contributions by check or money order to:
Mississippi Workers' Center for Human Rights
213 Main Street
Greenville, MS 38701

The Mississippi Workers' Center for Human Rights is a worker advocacy organization that provides organizing support, legal representation and training for low-wage, non-union workers in the state of Mississippi.

The Twenty-First Century Foundation
271 West 125th Street, Suite 303
New York, NY 10027-4424
www.21.cf.org

The Twenty-First Century Foundation is a national public foundation created to promote strategic philanthropy by the African American/Black community. The Hurricane Katrina Recovery Fund of the Twenty-First Century Foundation will partner with organizations in the region to ensure that resources get to the people who need them most, and achieve the justice goals at the heart of this initiative.


BlackAmericaWeb.com Relief Fund
PO Box 803209
Dallas, TX 75380 - 3209
http://www.blackamericaweb.com/relief/
This fund has been set up by nationally syndicated radio personality TOM JOYNER

NAACP Disaster Relief Efforts ----
www.naacp.org/disaster/contribute.php
NAACP Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund
4805 Mt. Hope Drive
Baltimore, MD 21215

The NAACP is setting up command centers in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama as part of its disaster relief efforts. NAACP units across the nation have begun collecting resources that will be placed on trucks and sent directly into the disaster areas. Also, the NAACP has established a disaster relief fund to accept monetary donations to aid in the relief effort.

**** You can mail or ship non perishable items to these following locations, which we have confirmed are REALLY delivering services to folks in need.****

Center for LIFE Outreach Center
121 Saint Landry Street
Lafayette, LA 70506
attn. Minister Pamela Robinson
337-504-5374

Mohammad Mosque 65
2600 Plank Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70805
attn. Minister Andrew Muhammad
225-923-1400
225-357-3079

St. Luke Community United Methodist Church
c/o Hurricane Katrina Victims
5710 East R.L. Thornton Freeway
Dallas, TX 75223
attn. Pastor Tom Waitschies
214-821-2970