Women

POLL

I love how 44 can barely stop himself from laughing at the Democratic National Convention as he talks about how Dumb Donald (not the esteemed cartoon character from the beloved children’s cartoon, Fat Albert, but the other one) views himself. Dumb Donald thinks of himself as a “Himself,” when he’s really more like an “itself.” But I’m not here for that – now. I have a thought -an idea to connect our communities.

On Nov. 8 might police help the citizens they serve by helping them get to the polls? I understand they have an important job to do, but working with community leaders perhaps they could help coordinate shared rides or something.

In neighborhoods plagued by the trouble that comes with too little opportunity, parents and other caring adults in the community take back their streets daily, in the morning and the afternoon, by emptying out of their homes and lining their blocks to provide a human shield for their most precious treasures – their children.

A revolutionary act of kindness – to take ownership for all children, blood relation, neighbor or stranger. All of our children are the responsibility of all of us.

On Nov. 8, might some officers be available to be a peaceful presence en route to polling places, especially as it gets dark and/or in under-resourced areas?

It would be a good way for the people and the police to introduce one another to each other.

Remember in the Chris Rock movie, Head of State, his character, Gilliam Mays, a candidate for President, keeps his promise on election day to get his original constituents to the polls. Mays does this but driving his campaign bus throughout his community.
I love movies, plays, musicals. I love it when the lights go out and a more ideal version of us is illuminated.
Police Poll Patrol

GIRL

As a woman who has been told to smile on more than one occasion in the workplace, it is male privilege that allows men leaders to be ALL of themselves ALL of the time.

Women, on the other hand, are constantly adjusting body language, hair, tone of voice, cadence, volume, make-up and clothing to be viewed as competent AND likable, when the world of work is not designed for every boss to be liked.

Hillary is a boss!

You don’t have to be soft, gentle, kind or mousy with her record and her credentials. We need to evolve and let women leaders be all of themselves all the time.

You have turned her into something that you view as not authentic even though you are the reason for her personality contortions with insane, un-achievable views on what a woman leader should be, look like, sound like, do, etc.

It’s exhausting. So you have a job to do, now add gender poli-ticks, now add race, now add sexual orientation and all the other ways we filter and sort one another.

I don’t want to smile.

I don’t want to mute my $200,000 education.

I’m not always comfortable, why do I have to make you comfortable?

I can do more, go farther, go faster, and no, not everyone will be able to keep up with the pace; but I’m always hired to set the pace – because I’m a boss!

We are all grown, everybody out of the sand box! This ain’t high school, it’s the office. Popularity contests have been replaced by degrees, years of experience, quantifiable impact and an org chart.

You don’t have to like me. I’m leaving right after I do what I said I’d do! I won’t be here long. We ain’t got to be besties. We can’t be.

Wanna know the worst part? You already do, it’s men AND women that want me to adjust.

Ladies, I know you heard Beyonce say “let’s get into formation.” I’m trying to do my WEB DuBois bit and lift as I climb, but you want so desperately to leave me hanging, you don’t care what I can do FOR you.

So I’ll be “out here on my own” much like Irene Cara’s Coco sings in the movie, “Fame.” You’d rather be unsuccessful than let me help you. Your exclusion of me means you fail and you’re alright with that. And I’m alright with the automatic deposit of a check more than three times the size of yours.

We are not in formation, are we sister? We are not sisters, are we stranger? More than a century later the answer is no. The question is Sojourner Truth’s “ain’t I a woman?” And these sisters might as well be wearing hoods.

So I contort, dancing as fast as I can to be their vision of the perfect girl boss with all the time in the world to speak softly, careful to be ever so gentle so employees never suspect that I’m actually asking (hardly; telling – never) them to do anything. I’m to do this in (hurting azz) heels, perfectly accessorized, listening to all their angst whether it began yesterday or a decade ago, in full makeup, all while tracking the timely rotation of outfits.

Hell this got to do with revenue?! How come you ain’t fired these under-performing energy zapping, time wasters. How are we supposed to be successful if I can’t tell them the truth about why they are unsuccessful? Who is this fragile? Who has the privilege to be afforded this fragility?

It’s like playing the game of Taboo at work, where it is neither a game nor fun. Wrong word, wrong emphasis, wrong look and “you get eliminated” (In case you haven’t noticed, I have Mrs. Carter’s “Lemonade” on a constant loop. It is a panacea right now, curing much of what ails me.)

Be a boss.

Make yourself comfortable.

Be gentle with you.

Make that money.

Pay your bills.

Save your money.

Develop yourself.

Keep an eye out for what’s next.

You are always in formation with those who love you.

Work is a part of your life, not your whole life.

If it’s too much or too little, you can choose something else for you. Why? Because you are the boss of you!