By Shayler Richmond
Photo by Chi Uwazurike
I decided to produce and publish content today because I owed something to my 25 years of life, despite my original birthday plans going awry, living is worth celebrating, so I'm gifting more of me.
A break from the media mix of politics, but I’ll still be a little political because to live in America as a Black American is a political statement.
I didn’t know whether to write a poem, or should I be motivational, I could talk about everything that is going on in the world, or write a compelling feature story, but I decided to just make a statement to everyone following the Shayler Richmond brand. Everyone here because they gain something through lending an eye or an ear to my voice in media, or even if you’re just rooting for me to root for me… I appreciate you.
Like Issa Rae said, “I’m rooting for everyone black.”
There’s a quote that says life is just two marks and a dash, meaning we’re born, we live, then we die. Can you relate? I can’t fully because life and love is to be truly experienced. It’s moments, purpose and destiny. We have the ability to find joy in our lives because moments, purpose and destiny are intangible; there’s enough to go around.
So, here’s to life, love, and the pursuit of a happiness that spreads to those around you. Thank you to the dreamers and the believers. Life is a consistent celebration of both the creatives and the admirers, the workers and the motivators, and both the artist and the muse.
Cheers to destiny and living life unselfishly like Beyoncé and Jay Z have been harping home to us through their joint album “Everything is Love,” that I can’t stop listening to.
We live in an America where often the most important things get meddled. For example, Congresswoman Maxine Waters can be berated for being democratic by a democratic government that should welcome democracy. A democracy is established to be challenged by a balanced means of power in order to work for the betterment of the people being served.
This is the same America where the administration is comfortable authorizing the separation of children from their families with no rapport. Instead of working toward resolve, the administration continues to work from a place of privilege. Privilege demonstrated through the cutting of federal funding to both public education and healthcare, and yet Americans wear “Make America Great Again” hats a mantra promoted by the Trump administration, which is a call-to-action that has yet to be given meaning or purpose.
So where can the everyday American gain ground? Where can the marginalized American gain ground in this America?
Many Americans have been here for generations, and others have come more recently to call America home, through the many ways Americans become American.
“This is America,” which is both a statement and the title of a song by Donald Glover who is musically known as Childish Gambino. His song paired with the captivating music video blows apart any tranquil perception of the very harsh reality that is America.
We are living in America. Our America. It’s for the ones that fight for it. Rather we avoid political statements or meet them head on, this is our building floor, so we must decide what we're working towards.
I hope my platform as a journalist continues to grow, but every American can play a role in forming this nation and creating the world around us. Each of us are investments investing in ourselves, our families, friends, careers, businesses and communities.
Today like every day I’m celebrating life because we’re living.
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