Black excellence is a scam: respectability politics, classism and hustle culture in Black Culture
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- Опубликовано: 16 сен 2024
- what is black excellence? black excellence is a scam. the cost of black excellence is expensive. It takes more than it gives and leaves so many out. black excellence is wonderful in theory, but there is a problem when it excludes specific types of Blackness. hustle culture is not for Black women, but we seem to working ourselves to the bone to achieve this greatness. black excellence is an exhausting, draining, expensive... let's talk about it.
Content Covered: black excellence is a scam, the problem with black excellence, Black respectability politics, Classism in Black America, What is Black Excellence, black community, hustle culture is not for black women, Black capitalism will not save us, Black capitalist, I don't dream of labor, I don't dream of labor criticism, you don't dream of labor either, no one dreams of labor, america's overwork obsession, hustle culture is not for black women, overworking black women, black woman burnout, healing from burnout, black women are tired, black girl creative,
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much love and much joy,
alecia
#blackgirlcreative #creativepeptalk #aleciarenece
Hi friends! What is your definition of "Black Excellence"? Do you feel you are Black Excellence? Is there room for contentment under the label of "Black Excellence"? Let me know your thoughts. 🌺💛🤗☺️
Just subscribe and join your channel I’m so glad I found you. I think you speak to the heart of what is troubling most of America. I once commented on nappyheadedjoHoba ‘sRUclips channel about black excellence. I got totally attacked for suggesting that we don’t push this agenda on everybody. I find it psychologically damaging. Because when is it ever enough ? We tell our students to do their best and yet at the same time we are saying that their best is not enough because it doesn’t need a certain standard. We are commodified as human beings to constantly sell ourselves. So by reaching black excellence we have reached a level where we can sell ourselves to someone else. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with working hard and being the best version of yourself but I think the best version of yourself is what you think it is and not what someone else says it is.
I came dripping excellence out the womb. And so did you and everyone else. ❤️
I'll be honest, I think we are better off going back to a version of a class system. It is how tribes are sorted out. Then, people are focused on their groups best interests. Me and Rihanna do not have the same interests. Apart from blackness we have not got the same thing going on. We have people in JAIL taking videos and flexing like they're on the same level as their favourite rappers. It is a big reason so many of our people don't vote. They don't see the desperation they're in bc they think that their issues are the same ridiculous issues these millionaires get to make money off of publicizing.
If you ask yourself what Black excellence is, it tells a lot about you.
A lot of what you are saying is true! But for us as black Americans will never ever go anywhere or get anywhere don’t care about how much money you have or don’t have until we unite as one people and vote that way before it’s to late Latinos are joining whites so white will
Not be the minority in this country we have to hold demoncrates feet to the fire we only have one shit at this they have to lose this next election everywhere for them to take us seriously ignore it if you want but trust me we are headed for things to get really bad once they legalize those Hispanics and
Don’t need us any more then we will Become a permanent underclass! Mark my words the time for unity is now!
I could get a better paying/socially more respected job but I am very, very happy working as housekeeper in a hotel. I'm a qualified chef and dietician. I disliked working in my field of study in the few years that I did. I'm introverted, an empath, some say i'm overly sensitive or whatever...Even though i'm able to function in a high paced environment that demands a more out-going or rather an extroverted personality, I don't like it. I don't like dealing with people/facing people. I don't like being 'presentable' all the time. I don't wanna stand up straight, make the right gestures, speak in the right tone or be in the spotlight. As a housekeeper, I'm almost invisible. Nobody pays me no notice. I happily go around doing my job with very little interraction with people. I enjoy the work. I'm happy and content this way. I'm sure you can imagine what my family and 'friends' think of me..yikes, I won't even go there....
I love this so much! Thank you for choosing your joy. Prioritizing YOU. That is encouraging and inspirational to ME! You're AMAZING. Much love and joy to you!
As a fellow introverted empath, you live your best life. I stopped caring what anyone (not living my life, walking in my shoes, or paying my bills) thinks. They can all kick rocks. Do you 💜
As a loner I completely agree
I understand you
You are still black excellent. You are doing something you love. You are helping people. I had to learn to stop caring what people think.
I really think we have become worse off as a society by downplaying the idea of “going where the winds take us”. Productivity has reached toxic levels and has made us malfunction as people.
I 110% agree with all of this. They really have downplayed that for sure. We're turning into machines, not people. It's so sad.
@@AleciaRenece sad but true tbh I don't need the approval for anyone to prove I'm super successful and wealthy I just don't need it I just want a decent life with financial security and a job that makes me happy.
@@abrahampalmer8761 dream bigger. A decent life, working a job. Sounds like trash to me. Why not dream about a great life, fulfilling life, free life where you answer only to your inner voice? Why would you wanna just work at some lil job until you retire and die? Why not pursue your passions? I mean why else are you here? Wtf? Imagine coming all the way to earth to be employee of the month. 🤦🏾♂️
@@davruck1 maybe that’s peaceful to him. Leave him alone
When I hear these words"Black Excellence" I feel like it is the direct opposite of the stereotype that we are lazy, shiftless and good for nothing. We once held ourselves at a higher standard than we do now. It is part of the assimilation of colonialism. I agree with your pov because its nothing more painful than being rejected by our own people. Almost like the paper bag test that was a way to separate us and pit us against each other.
Until the black collective has built and maintained hospitals, infrastructure, universities and commercial industries for our community...etc, then the term "black excellence" rings very hollow.
The only way we’ll do that is reparations and in that reparations capitalism has to be scaled back
Well we have done that before....and those institutions, systems, infrastructures, etc have always been taken away from us (for example, Tulsa).
We did that already. BUT I definantly hear you.
I agree with everyone else's sentiment, we had these things; however, the USA government (law enforcement, national guard, education system, tax liens, eminent domain, etc.) & corporations (banks, developers, etc.) assisted in destroying them every time we tried to rebuild, revitalize neighborhoods, etc.
@@donnab.333 Yep. The story of Tulsa breaks my heart every time I hear about it. Those racist demons deserve whatever bad karma they get!!!
The weekend lazy stuff is so true. When I go back to work on Monday morning, I sometimes make up stories about what I did just so people leave me alone instead of saying “me and the kids chilled at home and took naps”.
same, it's like is unacceptable to stay home, chill and mind your business. Glad my manager stopped asking at our weekly one-on-one meetings.
I hear you. When I was working a full time job and raising my child as a single mom. When Friday came I was so exhausted that I couldn't go out for drinks..yada..yada. By Sunday I felt more like a person but then it was time to start the rat race all over. Just to have barely enough $$ to pay "some" of my bills. I worked hard and excellently for Yale University. They didn't pay me a living wage. It's a scam!
@@belindamarie3222 big time scam
There is nothing wrong with staying at home with your children and taking naps. The time with your children is priceless.
What if every “fun weekend” story you hear from co-workers is also a lie? Lol
Black excellence is, for me: saving my monies, buying what I need, healing myself and doing what works for me and keeping God first.
I love this so much!
God also prescribed an Adam to your Eve.
If your plans do not involve a husband you are faithful to and children, you are in *your* plan, not God's plan.
Black excellence is finding happiness and surviving despite it all.
Yes. I just want us to be able Thrive! 💛😊
Black excellence for me is staying in my lane, working at a pace that works for me. Staying away from the toxic side of life. Enjoying my life stress free. Knowing that everything is not for me. Using "no" a lot more, that i don't need to have anyone's approval. I had to stop the rat race because it broke my body down. I had back surgery at the same time i found out i had a heart condition that required a pace maker. My client died, two of my close college friends died. I got married quickly. Life as i knew it ended the day i had surgery. Little did i know that i would have to start life all over again at 52 learning how to walk again properly. Learning to live life in pain. Learning that i have to chose what i will do because my energy level is low most days because of my heart condition. I learned that i must learn to just be, live in the moment, be present. Learning to meditate learning to stretch. Learning to be satisfied with what i have and not feeling pressured to feel not enough because i cant buy more stuff. I struggle to just be... Knowing that this is a process. As i grow older i find that most of us have been put in a maze that we must chose to live a simple life. That may or may not end in material wealth. For me i am becoming black excellence. Defined by me
I love this so much.
Yes! I can totally relate. I was recently put on bp meds and I can't do half as much as I use to due to the meds draining my energy. Sometimes life makes decisions for you. I wish you wellness.
I agree with your assessment of black excellence. I can also relate to you in so many ways. Regarding a medical life changing event. I am recovering from a bilateral mastectomy, 8 rounds of chemotherapy and recently began hormone therapy to prevent cancer reoccurrence. Since my diagnosis and treatment journey, I've embraced defining my life for me and not what society's expectation is for excellence. It is frustrating and exhausting to observe the hustle culture. I'm so glad to have found a community of people that have come to this same conclusion with regards to rejecting the pressure of black excellence. I was thinking about this prior to my life changing diagnosis and it has made me more determined to live my life on my own terms. I don't want to be busy, overbooked and chasing materialism. I just want to be move at my own pace, take care of my well being and free my mind of this societal nonsense.
Hats off to those of you taking care of your health and not succumbing to the Beast System, which glorifies the scam of hustle and grind culture, and being a cog in the machine.
You are preaching! I try to keep things chill but this channel has been such a safe space for me as a BLACK woman! 🥰
Same. She has been here before.
I agree!!!!
I liked the comment "If billionaires are black excellence, where does that leave the rest of us". Exactly! And a lot of times we are looked at as "lazy, content, etc," if we're not trying to keep up with the Joneses (sp). By the way who are the Joneses😂
My point EXAAAAAACTLY! And LOL! Who ARE these people?! I don't want to keep up with them. I just wanna be content. And yes. They can call me lazy all they want, but I'll be the one healthy, happy and full. I really want that for EVERYONE, but it's a lot of unlearning that needs to be done. There's more learning ourselves as individuals that need to be done. 💛💛💛😊🌺🌺🌺
@@AleciaRenece You are right on with the unlearning.
Sad but true
Billionaires are clowns
My sister just become 1st millionaire since our great gran parents were living. And I remember us looking for her first home , when she said " sis why are "they " making this so hard for me don't they know I have more than enough money ! " I told. Her sis to THEM you are still a black STUD lesbian . That's all they see .. I told her even now your money is not enough UNLESS you come in with references and a realtor willing to work hard for you ! In the end she ended up buying an RV now living off the grid enjoying her money to herself . As she does have MS an cancer survivor..so hope she's living her best life stress free !
Ps did she reach back to uplift the family or others ? No. But as I told the family it's HER money to do what she wants . And pretty much that's how all wealthy people are . Remember money doesn't change you it only reveals more of who you are !
The worth we feel we have from achievements spill over into our personal romantic and platonic relationships.
I 100% agree with this. 💛
Hi Alecia, Asian American here (technically Pacific Islander too). Anyway, I love watching your videos. I've always admired the strength in the black community and, in my mind, the leadership. In my background, no one talks about classism as if it doesn't exist, but it affects us minorities every day in every way. You bring up so many great points. Well, maybe my family does know, but don't talk about it?? I always talk to my mom about these issues, and it's like she's known but never put words to it either, or hopefully, I am teaching her something, but she's definitely seeing what I see in society. I also hate seeing how expensive housing got from one generation to another. I see a vast difference in lifestyle and priorities from my elders to my generation because living has been (even more) commodified & I suspect on purpose (limited supply=more demand). I don't think so many people would be striving for “Excellence” or being competitive if we didn't have to survive in a society not meant for us. At least where I live, getting into housing is extremely competitive, and I refuse to be displaced (nor taken advantage of). Sure, the pandemic made the housing market worse. Still, housing is treated as a commodity and not a right. It was a right for colonial yt America. Only recently were minorities allowed to buy homes & so whenever people want to say housing is not a right, I wonder if they ever experienced housing insecurity cause most likely they didn't & that's the level of privilege they have.
All of this
Funny enough, this sounds like it could be a doctoral-level research topic lol. African diasporan philosophers have been having these conversations for decades.
I couldn't agree more!
Definitely a thesis, agree.
This was a great video, the accuracy on the topic was definitely spot on. I'm a 24 yr old black woman in Texas, I talk to a lot of black people on this topic as far as hustle culture they always think that if you don't like your job you should just start your own business, be your own boss smh its getting bad especially when you talk to the youth 17 - 24 yr old's they don't even realize that whatever you do its never enough, Unless you are willing to exploit other people or yourself.
I needed this, I am beyond burned out. I am in a graduate program at a PWI ...by the end of my first quarter i told myself i am done with this black excellence bull. I. dont needed to be a W.E.B Dubois or an Angela Davis..theres enough of us out there, I need to be me! I started caring less about making A's..I didnt care about passing with a B. I admited that I am scared to live my life on my own without school ...but on the flip side its ruining my creative inner child. My next step is to be debt free, live on some land with my partner/fur baby and be as creative as I can be...it sounds idealistic but I am ready to live this life.
B's get degrees, too.
@@furiousstyles08 damn right and that’s what I did .. took those Bs and ✌🏾 the hell out
Very late to the game but I'm a historical archaeologist and at 34:35 you mention something that I've noticed repeatedly in my studies and as well as my daily observations as a black person: throughout the diaspora there's a narrative to, "not be like *those* negros over there." The "better black person" varies whether it's to be a maroon instead of a slave, an Afro-Latinx/French Creole instead of an Anglicized black, a mulatto/quadroon instead of a full black, to be owned by Native Americans instead of white people (yeah it's crazy), a businessperson instead of a sharecropper, etc.
And the interesting thing about everything you mentioned is that most of it, if not all, seems to center whiteness and access to it as the metric. Even the celebration of having never been owned by whites is focused on them. The desire to be the token/chosen/other is so deeply ingrained in us. That's crazy. It's sad that we we've never had the space to really find for ourselves who and what we want to be. It's just "this is the program, now get with it."
My nephew dropped out of college and was making $80K until he got hurt. Took R.E. courses and started his Realty earning $200K+ yet me with my MBA and XXX years of Financial Service/Banking/Operational Mngt experience -- companies still balk when I ask for commensurate salary for my years of education & experience.
Yvette, My heart goes out to you. I too was “highly degreed” and employed by a company who treated most of its employees with the attitude that they should be happy to have a job. I was fortunate enough to be laid off. I am now a contractor and I work remotely. I make more money than I did as a FTE and I am not stressed. I would recommend getting your resume updated and check out the contracting world. There are companies that are willing to pay for your knowledge and experience.
@@captm9025 I started a business as a Mobile Notary in 2020 but like this artist, I'm actually just tired. I'm 58 and more interested in retirement than working. I think the message as I understand it to be is about contentment. I've worked as a Investment Banker, other positions that have what one considers great salaries, but at the end of the day, I traded time for money and i missed out on family/life events but I got the bag. I so appreciate that you recognize my frustration especially concerning the student loan trap though. Let me guess, you're a Business Consultant/Freelancer? Thank you kindly -- really & truly.
It took me a couple of days to watch this entire video and then today I watched the one about Black girl magic. However, I kept coming back to this one. It's so timely for me! Idk if you're familiar with the book The Miseducation of the Negro by Carter Goodwin Woodson, first publication in 1933. If I am correct and my memory serves me, he has a chapter talking about this very thing and how it started between Blacks in the 1920's as more and more of us gained access to wealth, education, and personal style/beautification. He talked about how one of the first things we did was to separate ourselves and begin to look down upon the "have nots" while simultaneously positioning ourselves next to our newfound White counterparts.
The truth of the matter is.. that I find time and time again that Black people don't want to talk about or admit to is that a lot of us.. a lot of us want to be white(have their access, power, position, wealth, education, ect.) while maintaining ties to the Black community. I have found this is so we can have/feel superior in some aspects to others because no matter what as things stand right now Black people aren't in any position to be superior over White people or most other races. Another reason I have noticed these ties remain intact is because it's very important to us as a community to be seen as "cool".
However, in reality the biggest scam of Black excellence is those of us that are almost automatically excluded from it. Those of us that are disabled, disfigured, deemed unattractive (including morbidly obese individuals), generationally poor and the like. There is and has never been a spot for us on this this spectrum and we continue to be neglected and cast aside by our own time and time again. I believe other questions that would be great to explore to further this topic are: Can Black excellence really exist if everyone doesn't have access to it? An if it can, what is the measure of greatness for those of us that are never really granted entrance?
This is so good! Thank you so much for sharing all of this! And these questions are definitely ones I'll revisit too. I'm ever learning and figuring out how to navigate through all of this. ☺️💛
This is one of my favorite books. I tell people to read it all the time.
We have forgotten about it takes a village that our ancestors had.
@@rhaporrumpunch, I definitely agree! We've forgot about being our brother's and sister's keepers and bearing one another's burdens too.
People no longer want to actually help and sacrifice for others anymore and without doing so.. the world continues to deteriorate.
This is a wonderful, well thought out comment. I appreciate it, because it is so true. It's heart-breaking. Many of us have become "black excellence" either by tearing each other down or having certain advantages based on how whites categorize us. If that makes any sense. If you have an advantage, acknowledge it. But be sure you're helping those that didn't not looking down on them.❤️
I’m so happy I don’t live there. No country is perfect but debts and only 2 weeks off a year. Sorry but that’s a scam. Anyone can see it
We all can yep!
Word
Thanks so much for this. I’m 47 years old & have been trying to buck the system for 17 years but couldn’t quite articulate succinctly HOW I FELT. I was a teen mom & hit the ground running getting “good” government jobs to support my family. But after a while, I just felt tapped, burned out. Like something was missing. I realized I was hustling & striving for ish that I cared nothing about. So here I am almost 2 decades later finally RESTING & taking a HARD RESET & just BEing & aligning. 💜
I have always been proud of being a hard worker, it wasn't until recently that I secretly wondered why I was so proud of that. Especially when it has NEVER gotten me a promotion or more money. EVER!! In 20+ years, NEVER!! Truth is, it's a double-edged sword. The hardest worker is always given the most work - they think like "you're such a hard worker so let me help you do what you're good at". The person that doesn't work as hard tends to be the one given supervisory responsibilities. It's like the books written by people like Dale Carnegie, Napoleon Hil, etc., that said things like " Always do more than what you're paid to do.". On its face, it sounds like good advice...until you realize that the quote comes from an uber-rich business owner Dale Carnegie who did not like unions. Of course he would encourage an idea like that. He wanted people to work hard for little pay. I feel like an fool.
I don’t want to work hard to either. I want to live and get as much happiness out of this life as a possible
My definition of black excellence is the ability to sustain ourselves without money
Oooooooooh! I like this! 💛🌺
The concept of never being content is a major issues. One can’t enjoy whatever they just achieved. It’s restless and stressful.
I will work 2x as smart. Why waste my energy working 2x as hard
Exactly! 💛🌻
Black excellence can be like black bourgeois or being black elite. It’s all a slippery slope, there’s so many traps within the matrix. You will have to completely detach , I gave up years ago. I can’t stand Kevin Samuels !
There will be stages of grief
50:45 That’s the truth. I would have made only enough to pay my child’s day care back in the day, so what would have benefited me from working all day to pay child care and not being able to afford anything else and it was so much harder being a single mother...I said I’ll watch my own child during the day, and it kind of threw me into working overnight, which is a whole other story... but these are the horrible things we have to do to survive. We work to live, but then the down side is we also then live to work. Can you imagine your whole life being about work???
I can imagine it because it basically is my life
@@SailorSlay Unfortunately mine is too and it is so aggravating me...I for myself, I am an artist and I have so many different talents (also I finally graduated after years and became the graphic designer I always wanted to be)...Because you don't graduate and literally just start making money. (It's almost like once you finally graduate the actual grind begins.) So the fact that I still have to work a full time job to pay the bills and then cram my graphic design projects into small pockets of my free time here and there really just leaves me disgusted. I spend majority of my work week laboring at a restaurant, long extensive, all over the place, fluxuating hours...All through college I dreamed of the day I graduated, and I wouldnt have to work overnight, raise my daughter alone struggling and attend school. I just knew my life would get easier, once I finished. In fact once I did finally graduate in the middle of the shut down 2020, No body wanted graphic designers, the graphic designers that are decades in the game are even struggling to find jobs and the junior graphic designers they are not even looking for...Now I regret even going to school, because the way things are set up. I went to college 5 years to get a degree in graphic design, and also a certification in web design, to only work at a theme park restaurant. I literally cry every night I return home from work 40 and been laboring since I was 18. And nothing to show for it...
Such a great message, capitalism can be called many things. One the American dream, it's like a pyramid scheme that many can't reach that's why assimilation is so attractive.
This is SO good.
It's okay to recognize that some people excelled or achieved in certain areas. That doesn't mean other people are better or worse, but we don't have to pretend everyone is the same. A person who was disciplined and studied for 12 years to become a doctor is not the same as someone who doesn't hold a job or own a business. I personally went to college and studied English because I love literature. I was self-motivated. But I do get your greater points about how people can get caught up in doing things and even going into deep debt to be "Black Excellence."
Beautifully stated.
Oh God this is such a great video. I am older and I totally agree. It's kind of like when they constantly advertise white women in commercials about their hair products, makeup and being thin etc. Like this is their standard of beauty is. This is the main reason black women try to live up to that with the wigs, lashes and all the makeup. So many of them don't love themselves. So, all this is constantly being shoved in out face of what we are supposed to live in, drive, wear, look like and how much money you should have. That will eventually distort your thinking.
Sorry I'm late to this but I have been watching your videos and you are AWESOME! I don't even know you but I'm proud of you for being aware of yourself (feelings, emotions, beliefs, values).
You're so sweet!!! And sunflowers are one of my FAVORITE flowers! You're not late at all. You're on time! Much love and joy to you!!!
Mediocrity has such derogatory connotations. I'll go with average, regular, ordinary, plain or simple.
No room for contentment or joy. Whew Yes talk your stuff sis!!! Cuz you just spoke to my❤️
I appreciate you!
@Toni Hogan VanBuren... as a child I yearned to live in Spain when I found out they have mid-day siestas. I was 7 or 8 years old and thought I have got to go there Teotihuacan I think it was. I''m 58 and still look forward to Mid-Day Siestas. Btw SN: where's my 40 acres and my mule. Let's get that -- and I'm gonna need my Mom's and grandmoms and those who died b4 getting it.
Go to Spain 🇪🇸. Still can that mid day siesta sounds complete
THANK YOU FOR SHARING AND FOR YOUR VOICE! Kudos...black excellence in todays world is what the 'talented tenth' was back in the day. It is more of an elite few that meet the criteria they deem as 'black excellence'.
Stephanie Perry suggested this video and now I’m head binging. Thank you 😊
Awwwww! Yaaaaaaaaaaaay! Thank you so much! I really hope that you enjoy all of this!
You made a powerful nonconformity based video here. And I'm here for it. Thank you for this!
Thank you so much for hearing my heart 😊💛🌺
Thx for this discussion..I agree wholeheartedly with all of your views. I feel at this point in my life..67 yrs young (because I didn't buy into the scam) that excellence is just being the best that you can without hurting yourself..mentally..physically or emotionally. And refuse to be taken advantage of. There can be no "black" excellence in a society that discriminates against black people in every area and on every level. There isn't a level playing ground. Oh..and try to get your own business or work towards it.
I hate being trapped in this system for so many years. It's like a groundhogs day movie. Waking up everyday to go do it all over again ( job) pay bills, get in debt, try to get out of debt and do it all over again.
Whew !!!!!
Thanks for making this video 😊I needed to hear this.
I started going back to college to obtain my bachelor’s degree.
one reason was because I wasn’t celebrated by my family when I earned my Associate degree and when I got out the military, but I started to remember I should go back to college to be celebrated from my achievements I earned in the past and I recently started celebrating myself 😊 for every achievement!!
I understand what your trying to relay, for example when I used to rap I was really good at it and I would have grown men saying they would literally cry after listening to my music, so I figured I had skills and was just a great MC... then you had the men that would say you rap pretty good for a girl and that would just make me so mad. They meant it as a compliment but the way I receive it it’s like. You rap good for a woman, but women aren’t as good of rappers as men, and it’s kinda the same way. When you do something extraordinary as a black person. They don’t expect black people to be able to do certain things. Another example. I was literally carrying a canvas with me and this guys says what are you gonna do with that. I said paint, and his response blew my mind. He said you don’t look like you can paint. I’m like what does he think a painter looks like and I really think he felt that way because I’m a black female...it’s like why can’t I just be a phenomenal rapper, or phenomenal artist. Like we can’t be rated side by side with the best...
Share from your heart love. It is something that I was not raised with that mentality BLACK excellence or The American dream. I recognize that they are programs that others are taught. It is a word to me that divide me! I am complete and I know my worth. I am so grateful being a woman who is dark brown skin. I love myself unconditionally and healing me emotionally. What go on in society. I don't get involve. I mine my own business!! You might not like what I am saying . That is alright. I am so happy for those achieve those great things in life. When you are diagnosed with a condition aka (cancer). I look at life differently than you. I am in my second year of my recovery. Appreciate LIFE go travel and see how others live. Appreciate your beautiful body how our Heavenly Father design It. Appreciate living each day as if it was your very last. Appreciate your family and friends. Show more love to one another. Help and encourage one another. Think about your purpose why are you here? I am a mid-age woman. It is a reason why others are leaving this country to learn the meaning of life. Thank you so much for sharing this topic. Have An Royal Day!! #Grateful4LIFE
Based on plastic surgeons there's even a number for beauty😒
It all sounds like caste system ratings to me.
It absolutely DOES!
Someone told me that I was a '10'. I responded that I don't define myself by a number system. It's time that we quit letting society define us, and speak out against it.
I believe Black Excellence, should be examined also nuanced; however one of the main reasons people started to focus on Black Excellency, is because of the continued Black Dysfunction, other's way of escaping the popularized dysfunction... some don't feel accept by there own because they want different things in life. The conversation of not being seen as black enough because of not participating in certain behaviors that are uplifted by Black Folk.
I had to come back and comment this , because it’s the truth. I work for the utility company in my state and I’ve come across black families living without power, water, and gas , and it’s hurts so much knowing I can’t do anything to help. Like is this truly the world we live in where people are okay seeing others struggle and man I felt for the kids. I know how it is , hell I’m still figuring things out but I did what I could to help. I didn’t have much but I just wanted to cry all day like …. It’s was a lot to take in and actually see right after listening to this live . Sis you are so right ….
People are vain and superficial (especially in a capitalistic society). They judge you based on how you look, how much you make, and what you can do for them.... High school basically.
It's really sad. 😔
14:39 true true, Not all hard work is rewarded. That’s exactly how I feel boy you take the words right out my thoughts sometimes it’s hard for me to express how I feel but that’s exactly the way that I feel I have literally grinded and worked hard my whole life and to grind as hard as I did I expected to be somewhere else and quote on quote successful. Now I just feel like I’ve been jipped
I have learned from my own experiences, to have broken the brain chains of having to be 200% better than other ethnicities. I strive to be who I am showing up at the faux pas gate of success and what goals to attain through my excellence. Ditto for my Sun. Great topic - Namaste
I don't understand why we have so many billionaires now but there are people who still don't have enough to feed themselves. I don't think billionaires should be celebrated while poverty still exist.
Hello sis,true they push us to want more.Now at that poin in my life i realize less is better.i even stop buying a lot of things,cuz i learned the more possessions we have,the more we need time to care for them.I need te to live life to the fullest.not trying to be a minimalism at least not yet.lol but trying to live a simple life
This was a great perspective and dialogue. Many Blessings!
I think they meant your GOING to work 2x as hard to get 1/2 as far.
Elitism by any other name is still exclusionary. I invite everyone to look closely at the homes, cars, jewelry and clothing displayed by wealthy black folks. They see themselves as worthwhile once they can cloak themselves in the goods of European designers. Whom do they truly worship?
This. This. This. Thank you. 💛💛💛
Excellence should be based on good character and conduct. If the heart and soul is corrupted then no matter what material things we possess…it will be corrupted. I think this black excellence movement is either a divide and conquer move or is a marketing campaign for the culture of consumerism…which is about capitalism.
Enjoyed this one…so true!
I could right a whole dissertation in this comment- I will spare you that 😩😂
But THIS, this right here is doing the work of decolonization,of divestment from a system that is unsustainable and toxic.
Self care and choosing what living a good life means ( not capital dependent) is revolutionary.
We are human beings BEING is enough- we have been conned into thinking doing and BUYING is what life is about.
Being, kind, conscious, compassionate, empathetic - willing to learn and grow, admit error, dancing and Co- creating with the Universe- THAT is living with honor and Excellence.
Ablesism, labeling others as mentally ill and the othering of the diagnosed, ageism, sexism,classism, racism, respectibility politics, elitism, homophobia, transphobia consumerim, CAPITALISM
any hierarchical evaluation and discrimination of another of God's creation is antithetical to all that is sacred in this experience of life.
Please keep doing what you are doing.
And I wrote in my diary last year about my grandfather who loved and lived in a way that was extraordinary. Extraordinary. I don't think he ever finished highschool. And I have never felt more seen and loved by anyone like him. His gift was love and joy- and no history book will ever tell the story of my Papa- who was absolutely magical.
Thank you for this soul level validation.
Much blessings and love to everyone whose spirit brought them here
Keep making your content- you are nourishing souls here Sis.
💗🙏🏾✨🌟💯💗
I've never met anyone achieving excellence who complained about it. With that said, love yourself, be happy, and know your tribe.
That's real. I have, though. I see a lot of folks who are tired, burned out and not seeking peace but I completely agree. Love yourself and be HAPPY.
Really??!!’ Wow. I’ve seen facts not “ complain “, but the deeper discomfort is clear…
Your smile is so kind!
That's so generous and kind of you! Thank you! 🥰☺️🌺
YUP!!! THAT IS IT!!! YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD!!! THAT IMPOSTOR SYNDROME: YOU DON'T HAVE A DEGREE SO YOU CAN'T ------ FILL IN THE BLANK!! IT'S FORCED AND SHOVED DOWN OUR THROATS!! I LOVE THIS VIDEO. sorry...I'm screamin in my head while watching this video.. lol!!
Listeeeeeen! No apologies necessary!!! I'm so glad that you feel me on this! I got a little push back, but I truly believe this. Much love and joy to you! 💛😊
I'm getting money because of my disability but I feel so ashamed because of it and the fact that I spend most time at home I feel like a failure that needs a degree ASAP but this video helped a little
I really like this channel and I subscribed
I LOVE THIS! I teach at an HBCU and black excellence is has stressed out more students than....racism. I'm being dramatic, but the 1%-ers changed the definition of excellence to mean " striving to be like us" instead of enjoying middle class values, which are now deemed being mediocre. Its a ploy to keep black folks from being satisfied yes, but also in the 80s and early 90s we were killing it being happy in the middle class. Then....Fresh Prince and Oprah showed us that being in the celebrity class was what we should want. It happened, and it was totally socially engineering. My HBCU students talk about branding more than learning.....its been terrifying to watch.
You're very in tune and relatable to others and yourself. The speaking points brought up on this topic needed to be shared.We all are human walking different paths exploring life everyday. We are enough.
Can we talk about the cost of insurance: health, auto, etc which lawmakers DO NOT PAY!!! We all pay into Unemployment -- so it is really just a return of your income - I have NO disrespect for someone collecting their Unemployment Income. Make it make sense that laymakers are provided premium free insurance and some families (2 adults) are paying over $1500 premium for health insurance monthly - through the Affordable Care Act/Marketplace. Please make that make $en$e
It doesn’t it’s a scam
Yvette Carnell from Breaking Brown YT channel and Antonio Moore from ToneTalks, talk about this all the time.
Yep they changed my life and my whole way of thinking
@@SailorSlay They speak truth and are constantly educating us. I cannot wait for the chapters start opening up. I am forever grateful for them opening up my eyes.
Oooooh! I gotta check them out!
I recently discovered your channel and interestingly enough I was thinking of a casio as an analogy for our current capitalist economy the other day, which dovetails into what you're saying in this video. There can be occasional "winners" but in the end the house always wins because that's how it was designed. Occasionally, an exceptional individual such as Barack Obama or Oprah who achieves the pinnacle of success appears, but in the end the system is designed to keep some people down and only a tiny few make it to the top. And the exceptional are used to justify the system and blame those who aren't "successful" as character flawed.
Despite this, I'm not convinced that dropping out or embracing mediocrity is the answer. Contentment sounds dangerously close to accepting current conditions as is and there's a lot of work that needs to be done. Black excellence is as much for the benefit of our community as it is for oneself. Where would we be without the Oprahs, Baracks, MLKs, etc. etc. etc.? So, maybe black excellence is about using our skills and talents for the betterment of our people by reforming the system.
I definitely love that example of the casino its perfect. I would LOVE to discuss this topic in greater detail. I need to think it through though. I'll definitely reference this comment. 😊💛
Agree with you. I was born in a very poor country in Africa, moved to the west in my late 30s with only 5k in my name. Now 12 years later I make a six figure, bought a house and hope to pay it off before I retire and to be able to leave something to my kids so that they don't have to struggle the way I did. For a black family to break the chain of poverty, someone has to make some sacrifice. I chose to be someone, working 2 full time atm, and despite the good wages, still like I was on a minimum wage.
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
Philippians 4:12
For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
1 Timothy 6:7-8
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5
People out here living for others, wanting to be accepted by others, listening to instead of listening to God and doing it for the glory of God. Over complicating
I see about the age of some of the girls messaging you. And I forget how much work y’all do mentoring young girls that don’t have mentors. I’m so glad some of them are looking for this content. That’s Source making its presence known. Keep your frequency and intent high and we will come out of any oppression with little problem. Thank you.
1:05:31 that is the struggle for real. I am so trying to transition out of having to work tirelessly for a company to actually working for myself. I desire to make my living from creating my art, so working for someone is step A and working for yourself is step B but it is certainly not that easy, there are so many steps in between.So it’s like I have two jobs. Example I just got off a 9 hour shift and heck yea I’m tired, but I’m up late editing my RUclips video to get out tomorrow because if I want my own business I have to spend time building my own business in the back burner or in what people would call free time. I have basically done this my entire life and I’m 40 with the hopes that one day my art career would take off. But until it takes off I still have to hit the clock to pay rent...and correct me if I’m wrong, the true reason artists want to make money from their art is so they can spend time creating their art. Therefore if you can’t make money off your art you have to make money some other way which usually means grinding away at a 9to5. It’s like a constant tug of war game of what I have to do vs what I was put on this earth to do and like you said doing both just really doesn’t leave much time to actually live...
You just appeared on my feed out of nowhere but nowhere is somewhere and I am so glad I found you! You are doing something great so thank you!
We do want more because it’s appealing, trueeeeeeeeee. Love the way you’re open to this dialogue.
This was a very good topic to talk about and I appreciate your message. I came across your channel out the blue and now I know why
Recently discovered your channel and I've been bingeing on your videos. I love the message here as it is a realization that I am coming into. On a sidenote, which platform do you use for your livestreams?
Thank you so much for being here! I appreciate you so! And to livestream I use Streamyard! Super easy and fun to use! 😉💛
Coming back to this stream for the gems
You guys this was great content💗🍧🎂🏵💮 I am celebrating life 🥰
Inspiring and interesting. I’m a new and probably one of your most senior subscribers.
I appreciate you! Much love and joy to you!
Great work Goddess Black excellence is we all prosper no matter what our job , class status . We must work together and Build a place like Wakanda!!!! Now that is Black Excellence!!!
👏🌻😇💯😁🤯🧬🔭⚗️🥽🩺🛰️⛑️🔧⛏️🛠️⚒️🔨🔬 We are going too need a skilled work Force all Trades schools and Colleges !!!
Mmmm….”What am I doing that’s worthy of celebration”. I felt that!!!!
Your conversation is for all blacks. Thanks!
So well said. "What's your dress size? What's your weight?" Kevin Samuels....just like European captors!!! Exactly! Thank you! Smh
I have just watched both videos on the topic and I am proud of your honesty and perspective. Keep flowing in what God has for you and your husband!
Wow All your points are right on Everything comes back to the exploitative capitalist paradigm At my sons orientation at Morehouse college one thing stuck out for me (i don’t remember who was speaking- the dean or someone like that) He said “We are not trying to send out a bunch of guys who will be like THEM We are trying to send out young black men who will teach the world a different way to be out there in the world”
A lot of that means giving back to the community…and specifically the black community
Finally someone said it! Black is Excellence. Being "excellent" or "mediocre" by society's standards are both choices. We are already excellent we just need to choose to be.
Black Excellence is a new form of black folks who inspire black culture being exploiting by black pride to promote consumption consumerism which fuels capitalist exploitation and or oppression.
THANK YOU, SO MUCH, For This Video and The Discussion, Alecia. It Has Really Helped With Something I’ve Been Struggling With. Furthermore, I Really Enjoy Your Videos. Keep On Thriving!!!💗x
The MATRIX.... THE MIND TRICK 🕛🔄🧠
Love your content and over-all channel!!! 💕💗
Oh wow! Thank you so much!! That's so generous of you!!! Much love and joy to you!!! 🤗🌺🌻💛
Im always exhausted.
This is deep conversation simply eye opening. Thanks for sharing this educational content!!!!
You look so good in this live! Yessssssss ❤🥰🙏🏾
I’m new to your channel. Stephanie Perry recommended your channel. I’m inspired by the discussion and encouraged. Thanks for sharing and giving us something to think about… Btw, I love your hair style.
The more you get, the less you have.
That is SO good!!!!
Who can disagree??? When you finance both sides of a war you make huge profits. Albeit on a smaller scale, just the same as when you pit 1 COMMODITY against another. Now multiply that by millions...
YOU ARE AWESOME!!! Thank You So So Much for this wonderful work you are doing!!!! Life changing work and mind changing work and Era Changing Work!!!!! May God Bless Your Endeavors!! YASHER KOACH!!
I’m not pushing my kids to college. For what??? As long as they’re good ppl and try it’s enough. And I’ll be damned if I actually manage to save money for my kids just for them to give it to a university. There’s no way we can save enough to pay for university in full. So why waste the little we can save. I’d rather they use the money to makes things easier or to travel and find happiness.
I'm sending my kids to University in Uganda.
Let's get creative about how we do things.
This was excellent! Pun intended...🤭🖤
Lol! Awwww! Thank YOOOOOOOU!!! 💛🌺🤗
NO THE TRUTH IS WOMAN AREN'T SUPPOSE TO BE WORKING FOR EXCELLENCE!! BLACK MEN ARENT BUILDING 😂 JUST SAY THAT ! NO COMMUNITIES BEING BUILT IS THE CAUSE OF WEALTH NOT BEING SHARED
❤ blessings
I’m only 23mins in but why is everyone today so afraid of being normal or average?
Excellence means above average, we all can’t be above average! Black excellence doesn’t need to be inclusive, nor should it be!
A notion of the “Black American Dream” if there is such a thing should be inclusive and unremarkable to 99% of the population but mean everything to family, friends and community.