Dr. Robert S. Harvey’s Post

Throughout history, we've witnessed a societal backlash to Black joy. Particularly when Black women express their unique way of finding joy in a society that has done extraordinary harm to them. We've seen hostile nasty rhetoric aimed at Black women in every era: from antebellum chattel slavery with its widespread violence and rape culture, to Jim Crow and its widespread institutional violence, mob murders and terrorism to the rise of the peaceful Negro Revolution in 1963 led by MLK, to the voices of BLM and the graciousness of Michelle Obama. The hate mob hates Black women in every generation. Yet, Black women still rise. Today, they fill seats of power, like the Attorney General in New York, and the Fulton County District Attorney in Georgia, and the judge presiding over a former president's criminal trial...and a former California state Attorney General now seeking to become the first woman POTUS. Black woman have a long history of caring for the most vulnerable populations in America ... while caring for the most privileged kids in America. Now we have a chance to lift a Black woman into the highest seat of executive power in America. And, as history will attest, we will all benefit from it. But there are naysayers. And we know the antagonists who offer hate-filled rhetoric targeting Black women also have a common profile through each era.

💡 Rethinking Courage: Why Brené Brown’s Teachings Don’t Always Work for Everyone Are you a fan of Brené Brown? I am?... Thank you, Jerlyn O., for sharing this thought-provoking article by Dr. Carey Yazeed. It brings to light an important and often overlooked perspective. The discussion around "courage culture" and its implications for Black communities, especially in the context of vulnerability and safety, is deeply eye-opening. It’s a powerful reminder that the frameworks we embrace need to be inclusive and mindful of diverse lived experiences. This article has prompted me to reflect on my own past support and fondness for Brené Brown’s work. If you know me, you know I have bought into her research for the many years. (Just check out my bookshelf and my Audible account!) As someone who is Asian-American and not a white woman, I’m beginning to understand that showing my vulnerability, based on her teachings around bravery and vulnerability, hasn't always worked for me. In fact, certain approaches have even backfired, potentially hurting my reputation in ways I hadn’t fully realized before. It’s a sobering realization that the courage and vulnerability Brown encourages may play out very differently for those of us who don’t share the same cultural and social positioning. Going forward, I will be more thoughtful about whose advice I follow, making sure it aligns with my own experiences. I’ll also adapt advice to better fit my own situation and life. And when it comes to personal growth and vulnerability, I’ll continue to keep in mind the unique challenges different communities face. What are your thoughts on this article and this post? I'd love to hear it! #CourageCulture #InclusiveLeadership #PersonalGrowth #Vulnerability #DiversePerspectives #IntentionalGrowth

The Antidote to THE GREAT FORGETTING. I wrote this last year at this time. The ARC is everything ... REMEMBER:BURNING DESIRE  The democrats are stunned that telling us how we should feel, what we should do; and what thinking should be allowed ... IS NOT WORKING! The Tyranny of Godless Empathy had everything going for it ... the money, the celebrity; and the BURNING DESIRE ... what went SO wrong that the Arsonists should be the ones on fire?  Managing perception by mandate was just too Un-American for even a Dark Brandon Make-over ... jaunty trot and stylish glasses ... turned into a yawner ... what is the power of oratory when THE VIEW and truth are at Polar extremes in their unifying philosophically.  What we ACTUALLY feel, what we ACTUALLY do, what we think (untethered to secular orthodoxy) is that the artificial perception is a lie ... and virtue signaled randomly means that they are OBVIOUSLY not listening to us at all ...  ... we don't like crime, as we were told to. We don't want our cities infested with foreign gangs of homeless illiterates to feed and educate and provide a pharmacopeia of drugs to keep the rage internally focused. It stinks ... this Nirvana of Mental Illness Accommodation ... and depravity toleration. Identity a frangible thing ... a surgical whim ... there's no such thing as REAL in the new Disneyland ... there's no such thing as losing either BUT ... you can never win.  “Democrats are LOOKING bad," a Squad-member laments ... how it looks is EVERYTHING … how are they supposed to get re-elected in a Crumbling Gotham City? They need a DYNASTY re-boot ... something with cosmetic feral-flair … another productive plague or offending thing to kill prematurely for Choice. Diversity, Inclusion; and Equity are the driving forces of The New Liberal World Order and so what if it costs you your character and self-awareness ... we are nothing special ... WE ARE THE WORLD instead.  Black Women were supposed to be THE ANSWER. The Panacea, the cultural re-balancing. Black Mayors, Black Vice President, Supreme Court Justice and all chosen because of some SENSITIVITY to RACISM that Black Women bring to the table uniquely ... the effect was instantaneous but has not met the PROGRESSIVE expectations of EXCELLECE but rather collapsed into Black-on-Black chaos ... embarrassed excuses for deafness based on race and sex ... which even the morally-superior-by-skin Mavens cannot overcome the PERCEPTION of.  A mess in the wake of every one. Can you name a single success?  The new California Senator replacing Diane Feinstein will be a Black Women (Gavin Newsom has promised us … because of its priority in all of our minds) because the thing the Democrats do when they find themselves in a pit is ... dig.  Enough of that.  Chronicles of the Fall 

New Post: Is America Ready to Elect a Black Woman President? - https://lnkd.in/eZ7dCadE America Ready to Elect a Black Woman President?https://lnkd.in/eb44taHn Shortis, RMIT University It’s the big question that has loomed over Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign from the start: is the United States ready for a Black woman president? Emma Shortis, RMIT University Kamala Harris, Vice President of the U.S and Presidential candidate It’s the big question that has loomed over Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign from the start: is the United States ready for a Black woman president? I get asked this almost every time I speak about American politics. And it’s a question that pundits, observers and experts keep asking, without ever landing on an answer. That’s because the question is, in the end, unanswerable. It’s so heavily loaded that answering it requires too much history, cultural knowledge, judgment and speculation. While the question hints at the deeply ingrained racism and sexism that is built into the structures of American politics and culture, it doesn’t directly address these things, leaving assumptions about just how sexist and racist the country might be unresolved. Asking if America is “ready” also assumes that history is progress – that things move forward in a relatively straight line. It assumes that in the past America was not ready for a Black woman president, but at some point in the future, it might be. It assumes, as Martin Luther King junior once said so beautifully, that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice”. Like much of King’s teachings, this idea has been flattened into an assumption that “progress” is inevitable – that women and people of colour will eventually get equal representation and treatment as society learns, gradually, to become more just, tolerant and accepting. It assumes that one day, the United States will live up to its foundational ideal that “all men are created equal”. But as Harris has herself said, the United States has not always lived up to its ideals. Progress on equality – especially in extending it beyond the original, exclusively white men identified in the Constitution – has been patchy and frustratingly slow. It has also been marred by violence and even war. History is not a forward march. It does not “progress” to some end point of idealism. It is, more often than not, a fight. Are you ready for it? Many other countries have shown it is possible to be “ready” for a woman leader at various points in their histories, only to return to being not ready again. India, the largest democracy in the world, elected Indira Gandhi to the prime ministership in 1966. Gandhi served for over a decade, and then again from 1980 to 1984, when she was assassinated. Every leader sin

In our series of Common Ground Conversations, we ask Black & White women about the persistent trend of a majority of White women voting polar opposite of Black women. This trend has consequences (as the post below reminds us). The opportunity is that White women represent the largest voting bloc in America and can swing the pendulum of political power in favor of all women, simply by a majority aligning with Black women at the ballot box. Listen to what both White and Black women had to say about this critical opportunity. https://lnkd.in/guwB439h

It’s disappointing that Obama, someone I’ve always respected for his integrity, would use this approach—painting Black men as obstacles to progress simply because we’re asking for more from the Democratic Party that claims to represent us. We should be able to challenge our leaders and demand better without being shamed or mischaracterized. Unfortunately, it seems like this has become part of the Democratic culture: shaming people into voting for someone, and if we disagree on key issues, labeling us as Trump supporters instead of engaging in real, honest conversations about policies. We need to discuss how these policies affect Black manhood, Black boys, Black families, and Black communities. Instead of guilt tactics, let’s have open dialogues that respect diverse perspectives within our community.

I spent Black History featuring amazing Black women, their activism, their work, their ideas. I spent the first half of Women's History month doing the same. Whatabout men? Am I erasing them? No. Amplifying one person's achievements or centering the struggles of a group does not erase the struggles or achievements of others. (Read that again). I know, as a communications consultant, social entrepreneur, mom, advocate, and organizer, we make more of an impact when we are focused and consistent. Since those 2 words are my g.d. nemeses, I have decided to grow a pair...of ovaries and follow the lead of my teachers. (Don't at me; consider how stupid it is to say "grow a pair" at all.) Focused. Consistent. Who does that better than Black women? For real. It's the only reason I have a right to vote; it's the reason many of you do too. Listen, we need to come together to fight this ish. Call it sisterhood if you want. I call it solidarity. Collaboration and supporting each other has to be the foundation. We have to care about each other more, and amplify each other's brilliance. We have to work to dismantle patriarchy and wht supremacy TOGETHER if we want to fix HUMANITY. If anyone thinks "Only I have the answers" they've forgotten theirs. Showing up doesn't have a dress code; it only requires you to wear your heart on your sleeve. Show up how you want. Sweats or heels. Lipstick, no lipstick. Hijab or not. YOU DO YOU. Don't worry about how other people "show up" or not. Policing each other's bodies, businesses, culture, clothes, religions, relationships...this does NOT create equality. It's another tool of The Powers That Be, to divide us and distract us, keep us jealous. F THAT NOISE. Because... The patriarchy isn't going to fix itself. The ONLY way forward is together. Listen to Black women. We’ve got work to do. #FutureOfWork

I woke up feeling tired and frustrated. Being a Black woman in America often means carrying a weight that many can't comprehend. The exhaustion stems not just from physical tiredness but also from the emotional toll of navigating a society riddled with systemic racism and sexism. We are tired of constantly having to prove our worth, of being overlooked, underestimated, or pigeonholed into stereotypes. The burden of having to fight twice as hard for half as much is ever-present, wearing down our spirits day by day. Fear is a constant companion for Black women in America. We fear for our lives, for the lives of our loved ones, and for the future of our communities. The fear of being judged as aggressive or intimidating simply because of the color of our skin is a chilling reality. Every interaction carries the potential for misunderstanding, for being perceived as a threat simply for existing authentically. The fear of walking alone at night, not just from common criminals, but from those who harbor prejudice in their hearts solely based on our race, is a burden that weighs heavily on our minds. The injustice we face as Black women cuts deep into the fabric of our existence. From disparities in healthcare access and outcomes to the wage gap and lack of representation in positions of power, the injustices are pervasive and multifaceted. Our voices are often silenced or ignored, our stories dismissed or distorted. The fight for equality and justice is an uphill battle, one that often feels never-ending. But despite the weariness, the fear, and the injustice, we persevere, drawing strength from the resilience of those who came before us and the hope for a better tomorrow.

I want more Black women to start saying no, setting boundaries on their time, energy, and resources, and opting out and taking better care of themselves. Historically, we have been the work horses across personal and professional spaces, the glue keeping communities together, leading movements, nurturing and healing folks. Often at our own detriment, under extreme circumstances, violence, abuse, disrespect and mistreatment at the cross fires of both sexism and racism. This has led to an entitlement, an expectation that we will clean up messes we often didn’t make. The trope of the strong black woman weaponized as a way to force more labor from us in ways that often doesn’t benefit ourselves. That doesn’t mean we don’t care or won’t build a new vision of the future. That vision includes more reciprocity and less energy vampires, healing, rest and joy as resistance, accountability of harms done, and folks earning the damn privilege of our gifts and talents. Other demographics and communities will be forced to step up and contribute in far more meaningful ways than they currently do. I’m brainstorming on what that means for me and what it looks like - I’m a community builder, a creator, and always will be, but how that evolves is yet to be defined. I do know I’m reclaiming my time. #leadership #dei #politics

Beauty is a Black Woman #1 Black women have a beauty that shape-shifts. Our beauty manifests through our mind, body, and spirit. Black women have imagined, created, and connected in efforts to abolish systems of oppression created by White supremacy, like Slavery and the Prison Industrial Complex. Abolitionists like Fannie Lau Hamer, Sojourner Truth, and Harriet Tubman showed beauty and grace through systematic, controlled, and impassioned plans for liberation and freedom. Sojourner Truth was a formerly enslaved woman- sold several times and subjected to violent and harsh treatment. Her motherhood was traumatic, with 5 kids born into slavery and one illegally sold in Alabama. As a new Black mom, my heart truly breaks. I want to say that I wouldn’t have the strength to keep fighting under those conditions, but I know that is a lie. Black women have a resilience that is often exploited, but if we were protected, our resilience could be actualized to the full version of beauty that it was meant to be. An abolitionist is someone who can understand the harm in practices and institutions and work to eliminate it. Abolitionists aren't perfectionists. Do you think Sojourner Truth could have successfully run away from her enslaved plantation to start a new life of freedom if she was caught up in perfectionism? Black women of today, perfectionism is not part of our beauty. Beautiful Black woman, you may have picked that up along the way, but it's time to put it back where you found it. You are too beautiful for that. Black women have elegance and charisma. Sojourner Truth was an impactful speaker. I’ve always dreamt of being a speaker. I would set up podiums in my room and practice writing and reading speeches. Somewhere along the way, I started doubting that dream. Beautiful Black girl, put down your self-doubt. Sojourner Truth is known for her famous speech titled “Ain’t I a Woman?” She delivered this speech during a lecture tour in 1851 in Akron, Ohio. Her beauty was displayed as she spoke life to intersectionality before it was an area of study. Black women have standards. Sojourner Truth left her man. Bye. Douglas felt that Black men should be the focus of any suffrage moment for Black people. I have standards too, but I sometimes don’t enact them. Beautiful Black woman, pick up your standards. I dated a man who believed that the Black movement should focus on “all Black people,” which was his code for Black men. Attention towards the rights of Black women or any other intersection was a “distraction.” I should have left him immediately. It’s ok. Beautiful Black women have self-compassion.