Page Text: Mannie Hansen September 11, 2012 at 3:10 AM #
Your article has been plagiarised in Kenya. http://www.the-star.co.ke/lifestyle/mutoko-monday-/92550-letter-to-my-20-something-self
Reply
Sirein October 6, 2012 at 10:56 AM #
Dear CFC. First let me say thank you for all of the insightful, heartwarming, solidarity creating blogs. I found out about this website from a friend several weeks ago at a time when I was in desperate need of hearing other black women. Tell stories, give advice, rant, joke, create, etc, etc. I feel like I have been living in a desert and have just come across my very first oasis. When I read a blog and hear about women experienceing the same microaggressions and macro aggressions (economic, political, etc) that I am going through, it completely validates my life and encourages me to stop seeing my experiences as wholly my own fault!! I mean to just be able to do that has purged out of my system a tsunami of guilt and humiliation, and I am grateful. And on that note, I experienced something today, which frankly, I didn’t know who else to say it to or where else to talk about it except here. The police has been notified, but I want to pour out my emotions here. And it’s about the fact that as a woman, you constantly have to be aware and actively working on your safety because otherwise bad shit could happen to you. And as much as my colleague and I, who was walking down the street with me early on, thought we were good about that, it did not stop the following from happening: we were walking on a street in broad daylight, in the middle of this big intersection, with a whole bunch of people walking around. The pavement was narrow so I was walking slightly ahead of my friend. And then, I hear a commotion and turn around, and out of no where, this young man had walked up to my friend, and all I see is that he had his hands around her neck. I had no idea what he was doing and what was going on. I just started screaming. And he snatches the gold chain she had been wearing and runs down the street and around the corner, disappearing from our sight. The whole thing happened in less than 5 seconds…what the fuck?! an hour later, after telling the police, we were sitting down, just having a drink and trying to calm down. And my colleague and I started telling each other stories of other times when our (and our other female friends’) safety was threatened and we were confronted by robberies, attacks, attempted violence and so on. And even when the perpetrators fail to harm us in a serious way, the experience always leaves you at least shaken up. I mean it’s scary to think that just walking down the street can result in something bad happening. And as a woman you ALWAYS have to be completely aware of your surroundings and your personal safety. I mean, I am one of those people who always thinks that I’m super woman and can no body hurt me, no not really, cuz I can take care of myself. But then something like this happens, and it’s like back to square one. That was one hell of a day. ONE HELL OF A DAY!! Anyway, I just wanted to share with ya’ll what happened, because that was pretty scary. Thanks for giving me the space to do that.
Reply
crunktastic October 6, 2012 at 3:07 PM #
Wow. I’m sorry you and your colleague had to go through that. I’m thankful you were there and raised your voice. I’m sure it helped. And I’m glad this blog space is here for you, and that you felt comfortable enough to share your story with us. You are so right about always having to be on hyper-alert as women about our surroundings. Sometimes our independence narratives run right up against the rampant violence that many of us have encountered. I hope that you and your friend both take care of yourselves. Consider doing a few sessions with a therapist, taking a self-defense class, or something else that will help you feel safer in your environment again.
Take good care.
Reply
Calinda Lee November 1, 2012 at 7:14 PM #
I look forward to digging deeper, mining your posts, exploring your wise words and generously shared musings. Today, I just want to offer my congratulations as I lift my chin a bit higher and feel renewed in the belief that this work, and struggle are, indeed, worthwhile. Having attended your panel this afternoon, I’m ready to put my back into it and feel the peace of knowing that there are beautiful, brilliant young womyn talking –and walking–as scholars/activists/sisters/Creators.
Reply
jusRhae November 21, 2012 at 9:31 AM #
Actually I just have a question, as a long time blogger I have found it quite difficult getting my words across to many spectrums of people, I am just curious to how CFC got through any of those roughs months, if any experienced at all? Although I have been following for only a short while I am def glad to be in the space in which you are share on a constant.
Thank You.