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What's wrong with nappy hair, why be faithful; you don't own me!TRANSCRIPT
WWhhaa
tt’’ss ww
rroonngg
wwiitthh
NNaa
ppppyy
HHaaiirr..
....
““YYoouu
DDoonn
’’ttOOww
nn MM
ee!!””
(Are
Bla
ck M
en To
o Co
ntro
lling
?)
Why
Be
Fait
hful
?W
hy B
e Fa
ithf
ul?
£3
Isla
m-C
hri
stia
nC
an
it
work
toge
ther
Blac
kBl
ack
--BBBB
rrrr iiiigggg
hhhhtttt
SSSS ttttiiii mmmm
uuuullll aaaa
tttt eeeessss
---- EEEE dddd
uuuucccc aaaa
tttt eeeessss
---- MMMM
oooo ttttiiii vvvv
aaaa tttteeee ssss
---- EEEE
llll eeeevvvv aaaa
tttt eeeessss
I III s ssss sss u uuu
e eee 8 888
ED
ITO
RIA
L -
HE
ALT
H W
AR
NIN
GD
ON
’T G
IVE
GU
INE
PS
TO
CH
ILD
RE
N!
A 2
yea
r ol
d bl
ack
Briti
sh b
oy v
isite
d Ja
mai
ca w
ith h
ispa
rent
s an
d w
hile
eat
ing
a gu
inep
cho
ked
to d
eath
.W
e do
not
kno
w w
heth
er it
was
bec
ause
the
little
boy
ate
it to
o fa
st,o
r w
heth
er h
is t
hroa
t w
as t
oo s
mal
l to
acco
mm
odat
e th
e se
ed,b
ut w
hat
Jam
aica
ns k
now
tha
tus
Bri
tish
do n
ot,i
s th
at y
ou s
houl
d ne
ver
give
gui
nep
to a
chi
ld.
Wha
t is
a g
uine
p?
Gui
nep
is a
fru
it th
atgr
ows
in J
amai
ca a
nd i
f yo
u ar
e a
blac
k Br
it lik
e m
e,yo
ur
only
re
colle
ctio
n of
gu
inep
fr
om
Jam
aica
nN
atio
nals
is
that
it
tast
es s
wee
t.Pa
rent
s w
ho h
ave
lived
in G
reat
Bri
tan
for
year
s w
ould
n’t
thin
k of
war
n-in
g us
of i
ts d
ange
rs,i
f we
told
the
m w
e w
ere
visi
ting
thei
r is
land
with
you
ng c
hild
ren.
Man
y of
us
have
gro
wn
to id
entif
y fr
uit
as b
eing
nut
ri-
tious
an
d as
su
ch,
bene
ficia
l fo
r a
child
to
ea
t.H
owev
er,g
uine
p is
not
a f
ruit
you
give
to
a yo
ung
child
- th
ere
is s
omet
hing
in th
e de
sign
of t
he s
eed
and
the
frui
t’s c
onsi
sten
cy t
hat
rend
ers
it da
nger
ous.
The
seed
nee
ds t
o be
bro
ken
befo
re g
ivin
g it
to a
fore
ign-
child
.G
uine
ps s
houl
d co
me
with
a h
azar
d w
arni
ng,b
utit
does
n’t,
and
as a
res
ult,
this
litt
le b
oy,a
nd m
any
mor
eyo
ung
child
ren
like
him
,ha
ve d
ied
in a
sim
ilar
way
.M
y m
emor
y of
gui
nep
from
Jam
aica
n na
tiona
ls,w
as“Y
ou n
ever
try
gui
nep?
” (a
s th
ough
a c
rim
e ha
d be
enco
mm
itted
) “ Y
uh n
uh t
aste
frui
t de
n!”
With
a r
ecom
-m
enda
tion
like
that
,wou
ld y
ou n
ot w
ant
to t
ry it
and
wou
ldn’
t yo
u w
ant
your
chi
ldre
n to
hav
e th
at m
emo-
ry t
oo?
I sh
are
this
sto
ry b
ecau
se t
here
will
be
man
ybl
ack-
Briti
sh
pare
nts
or
othe
r na
tiona
litie
s vi
sitin
gJa
mai
ca
or
anot
her
part
of
th
e ca
ribb
ean
whe
regu
inep
s gr
ow,
and
may
giv
e it
unbe
know
ingl
y to
ayo
ung
child
.By
sha
ring
the
tra
gedy
,I h
ope
to p
reve
ntsu
ch a
tra
gic
acci
dent
from
re-
occu
rrin
g.
Myr
na L
oy
1
Isla
m -
Chri
stia
nity
A Cu
ltura
l Mix
{Edi
ting
has
been
kep
t to
a m
inim
um to
ret
ain
auth
entic
ity -
Edito
r)
In a
nsw
er to
the
artic
le o
n th
e sa
me
subj
ect i
n th
e la
stis
sue,
I w
ould
like
to s
ay th
e fo
llow
ing.
Language:
In m
y op
inio
n,w
hen
thin
king
abo
ut s
tarti
ng a
rela
tion-
ship
with
som
eone
of
a di
ffere
nt c
ultu
re a
nd la
ngua
ge,
langu
age
can
be a
tou
gh o
bstr
uctio
n.Yo
u gr
ow u
p in
aso
ciety
whe
re e
very
one
spea
ks th
is on
e lan
guag
e,it’
s you
rm
othe
r ton
gue
and
you’
re p
assio
nate
abo
ut it
.Yo
u kn
owall
the
wor
ds v
ery
well
and
you
are
con
fiden
t in
usin
gth
em,
but
whe
n yo
u lo
ve s
omeo
ne w
ho d
oesn
’t sh
are
your
lang
uage
,it m
akes
it h
arde
r to
bui
ld a
com
mun
ica-
tion
brid
ge b
etw
een
them
.Tha
t m
akes
the
m u
nabl
e to
expl
ain th
eir fe
eling
s the
way
they
wan
t - it
mak
es it
har
d-er
to d
iscus
s im
porta
nt th
ings
.If
one o
fth
e two
par
tner
sca
n sp
eak
the
othe
r’s la
ngua
ge o
k,th
at m
akes
thin
gs a
lot
easie
r,bu
t do
esn’
t so
lve
the
com
mun
icatio
n pr
oblem
entir
ely.
For e
xam
ple,
it ca
n be
a b
it up
setti
ng w
hen
you
don’
t ge
t a
joke
you
r pa
rtne
r ha
s m
ade,
or if
you
can’
tex
plain
eve
ryth
ing
you
wan
t to
say.
Som
etim
es y
ou w
ishyo
u ca
n ca
ll th
em c
erta
in n
ames
like
“sw
eet”
in y
our l
an-
guag
e bu
t you
just
can
’t.So
met
imes
you
wish
you
cou
ldge
t ca
lled
“hon
ey”
in y
our
langu
age
but
you
can’
t ha
veth
at.
For t
hose
who
can
spe
ak m
ore
than
one
lang
uage
,th
ey p
roba
bly
reali
se th
e wo
rds i
n fo
reig
n lan
guag
es d
on’t
mea
n th
at m
uch
to y
ou a
s it
does
in y
our
own
langu
age.
You
can
get
used
to
it ov
er t
ime
but
it’s
diffi
cult
in t
hebe
ginn
ing.
It’s a
lso h
ard
to h
ave
a de
cent
con
vers
atio
n w
ith th
e pa
rt-ne
r’s fa
mily
ifyo
u ca
n’t s
peak
their
lang
uage
.Yo
u’re
luck
yif
som
e of
them
can
but i
fno
t you
alw
ays n
eed
your
par
t-ne
r to
trans
late
wha
t you
’re sa
ying
and
it’s n
ot a
very
com
-fo
rtabl
e sit
uatio
n.I
thin
k lan
guag
e de
cides
whe
re to
live
as w
ell,b
ecau
se if
you
don’
t spe
ak th
e lan
guag
e of
a ce
r-ta
in c
ount
ry,i
t mak
es it
ten
times
wor
se to
live
hap
pily
-yo
u m
ight
feel
isolat
ed.
Culture:
Cultu
re a
nd s
ociet
y ha
bits
can
be
a bi
g iss
ue in
my
opin
-io
n an
d th
e m
ost i
mpo
rtant
fac
tor
to m
ake
the
relat
ion-
ship
wor
k.E
very
sing
le na
tion
has i
ts o
wn
habi
ts a
nd tr
a-
Bla
ckbr
ight
New
sT
he T
otal
Qua
lity,
Info
rmat
ion-
Base
d Pu
blic
atio
n th
at
Stim
ulat
es,E
duca
tes,
Mot
ivat
es &
Ele
vate
sby
The
Cul
tura
l Lea
rnin
g M
agaz
ine
deve
lope
d to
red
ress
the
neg
ativ
e st
ereo
type
!
Stud
io 5
7 S
ayw
ell R
oad
Lut
on
LU2
0QG
Tel:
0158
2 72
1 60
5em
ail:
blac
kbrig
htne
ws@
aol.c
omw
ww
.mys
pace
.com
/bla
ckbr
ight
new
s
Man
agin
g E
dito
r: M
yrna
Loy
ISSN
No.
1751
–190
9
Thi
s is
an
Onl
ine
Pub
licat
ion
Onl
y
2
ditio
ns.L
et’s
cons
ider
cou
ntry
1 a
ndco
untr
y 2.
They
bot
h ha
ve d
iffer
ent
cultu
ral h
abits
;som
etim
es a
cer
tain
habi
t in
cou
ntry
1 i
s to
tally
una
c-ce
ptab
le in
cou
ntry
2 a
nd it
mig
htbe
a c
onsid
ered
a v
ery
bad
thin
g.Cu
ltura
l beh
avio
urs c
an b
e a
barr
ierals
o.Th
ings
like
drin
king
,sm
okin
gan
d th
e id
ea o
fw
hat a
rela
tions
hip
mea
ns b
etw
een
men
and
wom
en o
fdi
vers
e cu
lture
s.Cl
othe
s,fo
od,
how
to
spen
d yo
ur s
pare
tim
e co
uld
be a
n iss
ue.
I th
ink
this
prob
lem is
exa
cerb
ated
onc
e tw
o pe
ople
from
diff
eren
tco
untri
es g
et to
geth
er.H
owev
er it
diff
ers
from
a p
erso
nto
anot
her -
it d
epen
ds b
asica
lly o
n w
here
you’
re fr
om an
dho
w f
lexib
le yo
u ca
n be
,and
how
muc
h yo
u re
ally
wan
tth
e re
latio
nshi
p to
wor
k.Th
e cu
lture
‘pro
blem
’can
be
max
imise
d be
twee
n w
este
rns “
Eur
opea
n an
d A
mer
icans
”an
d ea
ster
n “A
rab,
Indi
ans,
Chin
ese”
.
For
exam
ple,
relat
ions
hip
issue
s w
ill b
e lim
ited
betw
een
an E
gypt
ian a
nd S
audi
bec
ause
they
sha
re a
lot o
fth
ings
like
the
sam
e lan
guag
e an
d re
ligio
n,w
here
as th
ere
coul
dbe
sev
ere
prob
lems
with
oth
er t
hing
s,lik
e fo
od,c
loth
esan
d th
e re
quire
men
ts o
fre
latio
nshi
p be
twee
n m
en a
ndwo
men
as t
he S
audi
socie
ty is
ver
y to
ugh
abou
t tha
t.Th
esa
me
goes
for
Eng
lish
and
Fren
ch b
ut w
ith d
iffer
ent
prob
lems o
fco
urse
.
In m
y op
inio
n it’
s no
t a b
ig p
robl
em w
here
you
par
tner
com
es fr
om,i
t’s a
ll ab
out w
ho w
ill b
e m
y pa
rtner
for t
here
st o
fm
y lif
e? D
oes
he/s
he ‘
dese
rve’
to b
e th
efa
ther
/mot
her o
fm
y ki
ds?
The
mos
t im
porta
nt fa
ctor
isth
e et
hics
and
mor
als o
fyo
ur p
artn
er -
yes
diff
eren
tha
bits
and
tra
ditio
ns c
an b
e a
prob
lem b
ut y
ou c
an g
et
used
to it
ove
r tim
e.A
s lon
g as
the
both
par
ties a
re re
ady
to m
ake
sacr
ifice
s so
the
relat
ions
hip
can
surv
ive,
it co
uld
work
.Also
ther
e m
ust b
e an
acu
te u
nder
stan
ding
for t
heot
her’s
cul
ture
bec
ause
afte
r a
perio
d of
time
they
will
mak
e a fa
mily
,and
the f
amily
mus
t hav
e a st
rong
core
,and
it wo
n’t
happ
en u
ntil
they
bot
h un
ders
tand
the
oth
er’s
back
grou
nd a
nd a
re a
ble
to li
ve w
ith it
.
Religion
Now
tha
t’s a
crit
ical i
ssue
to
raise
whe
n yo
u de
cide
tom
arry
a m
an/w
oman
who
doe
sn’t
shar
e th
e re
ligio
n.I
thin
k w
hat m
akes
it a
ver
y se
nsiti
ve su
bjec
t is b
ecau
se th
ere
ligio
n is
very
rig
id.I
t de
als w
ith o
ne o
ftw
o op
tions
“spo
iling
in h
eave
n”or
“cr
uel p
unish
men
t in
hell”
.Whe
nth
ere a
re o
nly t
wo o
ptio
ns,i
t mak
es d
ecisi
ons d
ifficu
lt.It’
sst
rong
ly re
com
men
ded
to r
espe
ct th
e ot
her’s
beli
efs
and
all th
e re
ligio
n en
com
pass
es,b
ut in
the
end
it w
ill c
ome
toon
e co
nclu
sion
“if
you
don’
t fo
llow
‘m
y’in
stru
ctio
ns,
you’
ll en
d up
in
hell”
.Th
is pr
ospe
ct c
ause
s so
muc
hwo
rry
to t
he f
amili
es in
my
opin
ion
who
ten
d to
wor
ryth
at t
he p
artn
er f
rom
ano
ther
reli
gion
will
dist
ract
the
irda
ught
er/s
on fr
om th
e ‘ri
ght’
path
and
that
mig
ht c
ause
her/
him
to f
orfe
it th
eir c
hanc
e to
go
to h
eave
n.In
this
scen
ario
,the
par
ents
mig
ht f
eel l
ike
they
did
n’t
prot
ect
wha
t the
y con
sider
as th
eir li
fe in
vest
men
t,bu
t will
be l
os-
ing
it fo
reve
r,so
it is
ver
y lik
ely p
aren
ts w
ill tr
y ha
rd to
talk
the
son/
daug
hter
out
of
it fo
r the
ir pr
otec
tion.
I th
ink
it be
com
es h
arde
r w
hen
you
love
som
eone
and
you
know
for
sur
e th
ey’re
not
goi
ng t
o be
with
you
inhe
aven
“fr
om a
cer
tain
opi
nion
”,so
met
imes
the
feeli
ng is
mut
ual a
nd so
met
imes
it’s
not,
but t
hat c
an b
e a
prob
lemw
hen
you
love
som
eone
you
wan
t to
save
them
,so
it hu
rtsw
hen
you
stan
d th
ere
unab
le to
do
anyt
hing
bec
ause
they
have
a m
ind
ofth
eir o
wn
and
they
hav
e th
e rig
ht to
mak
eth
eir o
wn
decis
ions
with
out p
ress
ures
or d
istra
ctio
ns.
I th
ink
this
prob
lem s
tarts
to g
et to
ughe
r whe
n th
e co
u-pl
e pl
ans
on a
bab
y -
the
fath
er a
nd th
e m
othe
r w
ill tr
yha
rd to
brin
g th
e ba
by to
‘the
ir sid
e’be
caus
e ea
ch b
eliev
esit’
s th
e ‘ri
ght’
way
.I w
ould
wan
t my
child
to b
e “s
aved
”.Th
at m
akes
it a
crit
ical s
ituat
ion,
espe
cially
for
a ba
by to
grow
up
in a
hou
se w
ith t
wo r
eligi
ons
- it
coul
d ca
use
inst
ablil
ity b
ecau
se th
e ch
ild w
ould
not
kno
w w
hat’s
hap
-pe
ning
and
the
vict
im is
then
the
baby
.
I liv
e in
Egy
pt a
ndth
ese
are
my
thou
ghts
on
such
am
ixed
relat
ions
hip.
Ahm
ed
FFea
ea
ture
s:tu
res:
Gh
etto
Sto
ry
“YO
U D
ON
’T O
WN
ME
!”(A
re b
lack
men
to
o c
on
troll
ing)
Dia
mon
d B
row
n(t
he
Ser
ial)
Wha
t’s W
rong
with
‘Nap
py’ H
air?
Can
Unfa
ithfu
lnes
s be
Avoi
ded?
3
IN T
HIS
ISSU
E...
Do
I m
ind,
now
let m
e se
e M
y br
ain
has
been
lyin
g to
me
It is
not
wir
ed u
p pr
oper
ly
Tha
t aff
ects
my
func
tiona
lity
Bei
ng la
belle
d is
wha
t I w
ant t
o av
oid
Or
is th
at m
e ju
st b
eing
par
anoi
d M
y se
lf es
teem
has
bee
n ut
terl
y de
stro
yed
Do
I no
t hav
e th
e ri
ght t
o be
ann
oyed
W
hy a
m I
con
sum
ed w
ith fe
elin
gs o
f dre
ad
Con
fusi
on, i
llusi
on, i
nsid
e m
y he
ad
Wis
hing
I w
as a
ble
to g
et o
ut o
f bed
M
y st
reng
th is
that
of b
ritt
le th
read
W
hy d
o I
just
wan
t to
wal
k an
d hi
de
From
the
phen
omen
al fe
arI
have
insi
de
I w
ant t
o pu
t it a
ll to
one
sid
e B
ut o
nce
agai
n, m
y br
ain
has
lied
Thi
s th
ough
is o
ne o
f the
str
ange
st th
ings
I
neve
rno
ticed
my
moo
d sw
ings
I
knew
abo
ut th
e lo
ws,
and
the
dark
ness
that
bri
ngs
I ne
ver
saw
the
high
s on
ang
els
win
gs
Now
that
it h
as a
ll co
me
to li
ght
How
am
I g
oing
to m
ake
thin
gs r
ight
So
met
imes
its
hard
to s
leep
at n
ight
E
spec
ially
whe
n m
y fu
ture
is s
o bl
indi
ngly
bri
ght
Whe
n ev
eryt
hing
is s
o ea
sy to
find
W
here
I a
m b
ette
rth
an th
e re
st o
f man
kind
M
y lif
e is
a b
reez
e an
d ne
ver
a bi
nd
Tha
t lyi
ng m
ind
need
s to
be
rede
sign
ed
The
trut
h is
I d
o no
t kno
w h
ow to
cop
e D
eath
and
des
pair
clou
d m
y m
ind
like
thic
k sm
oke
Or
tell
me,
is it
all
just
one
big
sic
k jo
ke
My
brai
n te
lls m
e th
is is
whe
re it
all
ends
L
ook
arou
nd y
ou s
tupi
d yo
u ha
ve n
o re
al fr
iend
s M
aybe
, jus
t may
be, i
t all
depe
nds
On
wha
t the
pro
fess
iona
l rec
omm
ends
I
am b
ored
with
this
now
, I d
ont k
now
abo
ut y
ou
So w
hat d
o I
say,
wha
t do
I do
W
hat i
f you
rbr
ain
was
lyin
g to
you
W
ould
you
min
d be
ing
Bip
olar
too?
“Wha
t is
my
nam
e ag
ain”
Do
You
Min
dif
You
are
BIP
OL
AR
by
Hen
dro
w
Ghet
to S
tory
by Sh
awna
Kay
Willi
ams (
Jama
ica)
Lero
y, at
first g
lance
see
ms to
live
the lif
e of
an a
vera
ge 1
7ye
ar ol
d. He
is da
rk, go
od lo
oking
and s
miles
with
a de
ep di
m-ple
plan
ted in
his
left c
heek
. He
has t
he lo
ok o
f any
teen
age
girl’s
dre
am g
uy. H
e ha
s inte
lligen
ce w
hich
comp
lemen
ts his
char
m an
d is
very
brigh
t whic
h is
evide
nt in
his 7
x C
pass
esinc
luding
Eng
lish,
Econ
omics
and
Hist
ory
all w
ith c
redit
s.Le
roy e
ngag
es hi
s leis
ure t
ime w
ith fo
otball
and m
usic
durin
gwh
ich h
e lis
tens t
o da
nceh
all a
rtiste
Mava
do.
Quite
ord
inary,
‘don
’t’? I
thoug
ht so
too
but L
eroy
with
eye
slur
king w
ith sa
dnes
s tha
t fatef
ul aft
erno
on in
a lib
rary
reve
aled
to me
that
he is
a g
ang
memb
er a
nd th
us le
ads a
dou
ble lif
e.Du
ring
the d
ay h
e att
ends
a p
romi
nent
high
scho
ol wh
ere
heis
in six
th for
m pu
rsuing
four
CAP
E su
bjects
and
at n
ight h
eis
a typ
ical “h
ustle
r” on
the s
treets
whe
re he
toils
as he
distr
ib-ute
s dru
gs an
d pick
s up c
ash f
rom
his cu
stome
rs. H
e said
hese
lls “w
eed”
for t
heir
“Don
” in
the co
mmun
ity w
ho h
e sa
ys is
38 ye
ars o
ld. T
his “D
on” L
eroy
says
, tar
gets
the yo
uth in
the
comm
unity
with
in the
fiftee
n to
ninete
en a
ge g
roup
who
hav
eno
fathe
r, an
d se
nds
them
on a
“miss
ion” a
nd e
ven
equip
sthe
m wi
th gu
ns to
exp
loit a
nd e
xtort
peop
le.
Lero
y sho
wed
to me
how
he
pads
his
shoe
s with
the
“wee
d”as
he tr
ansp
orts
it for
sale
at sc
hool.
He a
ctuall
y pac
kage
s the
ganja
in p
oly b
ags,
cut t
he so
les in
his
shoe
s and
then
care
-ful
ly ins
erts
the ba
g with
the w
eed b
etwee
n the
soles
. This
, he
said,
has
to b
e do
ne v
ery
skilfu
lly in
ord
er n
ot to
create
any
wobb
le in
his w
alking
and
elic
it sus
picion
s.
Lero
y ha
s his
sha
re o
f fam
ilial i
ssue
s wh
ich is
wha
t rea
llypr
ompts
him
to co
ntinu
e his
drug
deali
ngs.
He liv
es in
a sm
allbo
ard
cotta
ge w
ith h
is mo
ther a
nd h
is yo
unge
r sist
er. H
ismo
ther
is un
emplo
yed
and
has
nervo
us p
roble
ms a
nd is
some
times
una
ble to
sou
rce m
edica
tion
and
finds
it e
ven
more
diffic
ult to
sing
le-ha
nded
ly fin
ance
both
him an
d his
sis-
ter’s
scho
oling
.
“Ame
have
fi gi
mi m
adda
a mo
ney m
ore t
ime f
i buy
her m
ed-
icatio
n. Mi
hav
e fi
lie to
her
and
tell
her a
mi g
irlfre
n gi
mimo
ney
caus
e sh
e lov
e mi
. If m
amma
fine
out
she
wuda
get
sicka
and r
ight n
ow m
i no w
ant s
tress
her o
ut,” h
e exp
lains
tome
afte
r I a
sked
why
he
cann
ot jus
t reli
nquis
h thi
s sor
t of li
v-ing
.
Lero
y also
lame
nted t
he ab
senc
e of h
is fat
her w
ho he
says
isali
ve b
ut co
ntribu
tes a
bsolu
tely n
othing
to h
is we
ll-bein
g an
dis
the m
ain re
ason
why
he
beca
me in
volve
d in
his n
efario
usind
ulgen
ces.
“If m
y fat
her d
id de
h ya
h me
wou
ldn’t
do d
emtin
gs y
ah, t
rust
me. H
im w
oulda
sho
w me
how
to b
e a
man
and
how
to tre
at a
woma
n. Nu
ff ge
nalsh
ip we
h mi
use
bou
two
man a
nd nu
ff ting
s mi k
now
a pan
di st
reets
mi k
now
them.
”
He ex
plains
how
his ot
her f
riend
s who
too a
re ga
ng m
embe
rsan
d dr
ugs d
ealer
s urg
e him
cons
isten
tly to
leav
e sc
hool
and
beco
me fu
lly im
merse
d in
the b
usine
ss, b
ut Le
roy
says
he
wants
a s
olid
educ
ation
and
a P
HD in
eco
nomi
cs w
here
he
can
offer
his
expe
rtise
in so
lving
man
y Jam
aica’s
eco
nomi
cal
dilem
mas.
Lero
y’s a
mbitio
ns in
clude
bec
oming
a te
ache
r of
econ
omics
and
relin
quish
ing h
is ne
fariou
s ind
ulgen
ces
and
beco
me a
n ex
empla
ry fig
ure
to yo
uth li
ke h
imse
lf wh
o fee
ldis
traug
ht an
d bu
rden
ed. H
e wa
nts to
moti
vate
them
and
bea
fathe
r to
his ch
ildre
n. Th
e fat
her h
e wi
shes
he
had.
He a
ckno
wled
ges
that h
is do
ings
are
reall
y ba
d bu
t he
says
he h
as to
con
tinue
for “
survi
val”
beca
use
his m
other
can
not
affor
d to
prop
erly
prov
ide fo
r him
.
Lero
y als
o sp
oke
ofhis
num
erou
s gir
l-frie
nds
who
read
ilysa
tisfy
his
sexu
alde
sires
an
d wh
othr
ow th
emse
lves
athim
bec
ause
of h
is“b
ad b
woy,”
“gan
gs-
ta” im
age.
Howe
ver
he s
poke
glow
ingly
abou
t the
app
le of
his e
ye w
ho h
e sa
ysun
ders
tand
s him
and
prov
ide e
ncou
r-ag
emen
t whe
neve
r his
older
bro
ther,
his b
igges
t moti
vator
isn’t a
roun
d.
“Ash
e mi
rate,
” he
said
with
a lov
ing s
mile
which
lit u
p his
eyes
mom
entar
ily.
Lero
y said
he
smok
es a
nd is
eve
n un
able
to stu
dy u
nless
he
does
so. S
mokin
g he
says
also
help
s him
to re
lease
the
ten-
sion a
nd ca
lms h
im do
wn w
hen h
e som
etime
s crie
s and
pon-
ders
on h
is sit
uatio
n. Ev
en w
hen
I met
him a
t the
libra
ry he
was
in a
gloom
y mo
od a
nd w
as d
eep
in tho
ught
befor
ere
ques
ting
my co
mpan
y.
Lero
y spo
ke a
lso a
bout
his fe
ar o
f dyin
g bu
t he
says
one
has
to be
“tou
gh ou
t a ro
ad co
s it n
o eas
y at a
ll” wi
th ob
vious
sad-
4
ness
and
remo
rse a
nd sa
id “m
i nev
a do
any
thing
in a
mi li
febe
caus
e mi lo
ve it
- ah a
lway
s fi s
top a
next
prob
lem. T
rust
meit
hard
fi m
e, es
pecia
lly w
hen
me th
ink a
bout
mi m
other.
Mi
love
har b
eliev
e mi
”, an
d the
n re
veale
d to
me th
e let
ter h
ewr
ote to
her
in ca
se h
e die
s. Th
e let
ter re
ads:
Hey m
ama.
I gue
ss u
are s
aying
to yo
urse
lf tha
t I did
n’t lis
tento
the m
any w
arnin
gs th
at yo
u hav
e give
n to m
e but
what
can
I say
?Lif
e has
been
hard
sinc
e the
day y
ou ga
ve bi
rth to
me
mama
and
I do
n’t b
lame
you
one
bit fo
r tha
t bec
ause
all t
heha
rdsh
ip tha
t we
wen
t thr
ough
jus
t ma
de m
e str
onge
r.Th
is let
ter w
as w
ritten
with
tear
s in
my e
yes m
om a
nd a
spe-
cial lo
ve in
my
hear
t for
you
. I w
ant y
ou to
kno
w tha
t all t
hego
od th
ings t
hat y
ou di
d for
me a
re ap
prec
iated
. I am
sorry
for
all th
e tim
es I
made
you
cry
and
worry
abo
ut wh
ere
I was
. Ikn
ew th
e day
wou
ld co
me w
hen a
ll the
wro
ngs t
hat I
did w
ould
fall b
ack
on m
e, bu
t I c
ouldn
’t sto
p be
caus
e my
eye
s we
refix
ed o
n the
priz
e Mo
m. I
was t
ired
of be
ing p
oor w
ith n
o on
eto
lend a
helpi
ng ha
nd so
I had
to m
ake t
hings
happ
en fo
r the
family
mom
and t
he fu
nny t
hing i
s, ev
en th
ough
I sold
drug
s it
felt g
ood
helpi
ng to
put
food
on th
e tab
le an
d ea
sing
some
pres
sure
off
you.
Now
that
I am
gone
I do
n’t w
ant y
ou to
cry
mom,
just
be st
rong
, just
like y
ou ta
ught
me to
be be
caus
e I’m
just g
one
for th
e mo
ment.
We
will
meet
each
othe
r aga
in.Pl
ease
pra
y for
my
soul
and
ask
God
to tak
e me
und
er h
iswi
ngs
and
forgiv
e me
for a
ll my
sins
. I h
ope
He w
ill un
der-
stand
that
all I
ever
wan
ted w
as re
spec
t and
hap
pines
s.
Your
son,
Lero
y.
Sad
isn’t
it? In
deed
it is
ver
y sa
d wh
en o
ne h
as to
suff
er s
oim
mens
ely a
t suc
h a
tende
r age
. All I
cou
ld ha
ve d
one
was
hug
and
cons
ole h
im.Ju
st re
memb
er L
eroy
in y
our p
raye
rsan
d do
n’t b
e too
quic
k to
judge
and
critic
ise th
ose
“bad
boy
s”be
caus
e yo
u ne
ver k
now
what
prom
pts th
em to
beh
ave
thewa
y the
y do
.I h
ave
fallen
guil
ty of
this
judgm
ental
attit
ude
and I
am re
ally s
orry.
Gre
ed is
not th
e rea
son b
ehind
Lero
y’sac
tions
but
desp
erati
on is
one
of t
hem.
Finall
y I i
mplor
e all
fathe
rs tod
ay, t
his v
ery
minu
te to
carry
out
their
resp
onsib
ili-tie
s with
grea
t ser
iousn
ess s
o tha
t Ler
oy an
d man
y othe
rs lik
ehim
will
no lo
nger
hav
e tak
e up
their
resp
onsib
ilities
and
suf-
fer. P
EACE
!!!
Awar
d-wi
nnin
g St
ory b
y Sha
wna K
ay W
illiam
s(J
amaic
a)
DDiidd
YYoouu
KKnnooww
.........
acc
ordi
ng t
o U
RI
DO
WB
EN
KO
,“Bi
ll Be
nnet
t,th
e au
thor
of “
The
Boo
k of
Vir
tues
” ha
s ca
lled
for
the
abor
tion
of e
very
bla
ck c
hild
in
an e
ffort
to
redu
ce c
rim
e in
Am
eric
a.
In h
is r
adio
sho
w,B
enne
tt s
aid
that
if “y
ou w
ante
d to
redu
ce c
rim
e,if
that
wer
e yo
ur s
ole
purp
ose,
you
coul
d ab
ort
ever
y bl
ack
baby
in
this
cou
ntry
,and
your
cri
me
rate
wou
ld g
o do
wn”
...
...Be
nnet
t sa
id
that
ab
ortin
g al
l A
fric
an-A
mer
ican
babi
es “
wou
ld
be
an
impo
ssib
le
ridi
culo
us,
and
mor
ally
rep
rehe
nsib
le t
hing
to
do”,
then
add
ed,“
but
the
crim
e ra
te w
ould
go
dow
n”.
Benn
ett
was
als
o R
eaga
n’s
chai
rman
of t
he N
atio
nal
Endo
wm
ent
for
the
Hum
aniti
es fr
om 1
981-
1985
and
Secr
etar
y of
Edu
catio
n fr
om 1
985-
1988
.
Not
sur
e ho
w t
rue
Dow
benk
o’s
wri
tten
stat
emen
t is
,but
it is
a s
cary
pro
posi
tion
!
5
CCaann UU
nnffaaiitthh
ffuullnnee
ssss BBee
AAvvooiidd
eedd??
CCaann UU
nnffaaiitthh
ffuullnnee
ssss BBee
AAvvooiidd
eedd??
BByy VVii
ccttoorriiaa
WWoooo
ddeeBByy
VViiccttoo
rriiaa WW
ooooddee
The
abov
e qu
estio
n is
some
thing
on
the m
ind o
f tho
usan
dsof
peop
le wh
o ar
e cu
rrentl
y in
relat
ionsh
ips.
Ther
e is
anan
swer
but
how
we g
et the
ans
wer i
s a
journ
ey in
itse
lf.Re
lation
ships
sho
uld b
e all
abo
ut lov
e an
d tru
st. E
ven
with
this
in mi
nd p
eople
mak
e the
con
sciou
s (o
r sub
cons
cious
)de
cision
to
stray
awa
y fro
m ‘ho
me’a
nd c
heat
on t
heir
belov
eds.
Men a
nd w
omen
chea
t for m
any r
easo
ns; th
e mos
t com
mon
reas
on is
unh
appin
ess
withi
n the
cur
rent
relat
ionsh
ip.
Ittak
es b
oth p
artne
rs to
keep
a re
lation
ship
going
stro
ng. Y
oune
ed to
be
able
to un
derst
and
one
anoth
er o
n a
level
deep
-er
than
face
valu
e. Th
ere
are
a few
reas
ons
why
infide
lityoc
curs.
e.g.
in ne
ed of
excit
emen
t, beli
eving
they
have
foun
dso
meon
e be
tter,
out o
f she
er g
reed
, hav
ing th
e op
portu
nity
or si
mply
an a
wful
attitu
de to
ward
s rela
tions
hips.
Findin
g ou
t you
’ve b
een
chea
ted o
n, is
gene
rally
a d
ifficu
ltthi
ng to
acc
ept b
ut no
t for
24
year
old
Nate.
Nate
had
bee
ninv
olved
with
his
girlfri
end f
or a
few m
onths
whe
n he
disc
ov-
ered
thro
ugh
a frie
nd th
at sh
e ha
d ch
eated
on
him. H
e too
kthe
matu
re st
ep of
confi
rming
this
with
her r
ather
than
listen
-
ing to
gos
sip. I
t was
true
; she
had
bee
n se
eing
anoth
er g
uyon
the
side
. Na
te sim
ply m
oved
on
from
her.
He s
aid,
“Yea
h, I w
as c
heate
d on
, but
I didn
’t re
ally
let it
affe
ct me
beca
use
there
is n
o po
int in
dwe
lling.”
This
is on
e of m
any a
ttitud
es to
unfai
thfuln
ess.
Nate
went
onto
say,
“I’ve
chea
ted o
n gir
lfrien
ds b
efore
, it’s
bec
ause
wome
n str
ess m
e ou
t! I w
ouldn
’t go
out t
o se
ek a
nothe
r girl
but if
it’s t
here
then
why
not?”
No
w to
me th
is so
unds
like a
typica
l male
view
. Som
e men
belie
ve th
at wo
men a
re ju
st too
sens
itive
and
would
n’t ta
ke ki
ndly
to be
ing to
ld to
“quit
has
-sli
ng”.
If you
r wom
an is
stre
ssing
you o
ut, yo
u nee
d to l
et he
r kno
w.If
it’s c
ausin
g yo
u to
be p
ushe
d aw
ay, d
on’t
avoid
the
con-
fronta
tion
as th
is wi
ll mak
e thi
ngs d
ifficu
lt in
the lo
ng ru
n.
I spo
ke to
self
-confe
ssed
ser
ial c
heate
r San
dra
abou
t her
views
on ch
eatin
g. “I’v
e che
ated o
n a fe
w of
my pa
rtner
s, it’s
like
I can
’t he
lp my
self”.
Whe
n I a
sked
San
dra
what
make
she
r unfa
ithful
she t
old m
e: “It
’s no
t unh
appin
ess b
ecau
se I d
olik
e my b
oyfrie
nd, it
’s jus
t I ge
t bor
ed ea
sily.
Whe
n he a
nnoy
s6
me I
actua
lly w
ant t
o be
tray h
im.”
Ouch
! It s
eems
like
men
and
wome
n ha
ve th
is in
comm
on.
Whe
n we’v
e had
too m
uch g
rief fr
om ou
r othe
r half
, you
have
to ge
t the s
tress
out o
f you
r sys
tem on
e way
or an
other.
Well
try an
other
way
! The
act o
f che
ating
is si
mply
one m
omen
t of
satis
factio
n. It
cann
ot las
t for
ever.
So
why
do it
? Ea
ting
choc
olate
has t
he ex
act s
ame e
ffect
of re
leasin
g end
orph
ins(th
e ha
ppy h
ormo
ne) s
o try
eati
ng ch
ocola
te ins
tead.
It is
true
to sa
y tha
t var
ious p
eople
defi
ne ch
eatin
g dif
feren
t-ly.
Fro
m f
lirting
, te
xting
, kis
sing
and,
of
cour
se,
sex.
Wha
tever
the c
ase m
ay be
, che
ating
is th
e ultim
ate be
traya
l.So
metim
es th
e ac
tual a
ct of
infide
lity h
as n
othing
to d
o wi
ththe
con
sequ
ence
s tha
t foll
ow.
The
lies
and
dece
it is
what
tops i
t all.
Howe
ver, I
belie
ve th
e wor
se th
ing a
chea
ter co
ulddo
, is
to ha
ve u
npro
tected
sex
with
som
eone
else
! It’s
one
thing
to b
e ge
tting
phys
ical w
ith s
omeo
ne, b
ut un
prote
cted
actio
ns sh
ows t
he u
tterm
ost d
isres
pect.
I spo
ke to
21-
year
-old
female
who
wou
ld lik
e to
rema
inan
onym
ous.
She
defi
nitely
pro
ved
to be
mor
e ma
ture
than
her
year
s an
d ex
plaine
d to
me h
ow s
he h
as s
omeh
owalw
ays m
anag
ed to
be
the ‘c
heate
e’. T
hat’s
righ
t, the
‘othe
rwo
man’.
“I do
n’t kn
ow w
hy it
is, bu
t I alw
ays e
nd up
being
the
other
wom
an. G
uy’s
with
wive
s or
girlf
riend
s alw
ays
come
my w
ay. “
I don
’t tem
pt the
m, yo
u cou
ld sa
y I si
mply
fall fo
r the
wron
g gu
ys.”
So fa
r it di
dn’t s
ound
like s
he w
as in
the w
rong
, but
I did
won-
der h
ow sh
e fee
ls be
ing se
cond
bes
t: “I
don’t
like
it whe
n a
guy
can’t
be
all m
ine a
nd I
do fe
el ba
d for
their
actu
al gir
l-frie
nd, b
ut at
the en
d of th
e day
, I do
n’t m
ake a
ny m
an co
meto
me. I
t’s th
eir c
hoice
and
I do
n’t c
onsid
er th
at I’m
doin
gan
ything
wro
ng.
I like
the
atten
tion
and
feelin
g of
being
wante
d.”
Hmm!
Well
each
to th
eir ow
n, bu
t just
reme
mber
Kar
ma is
n’tpr
etty!
So b
oth m
en a
nd w
omen
che
at, b
ut for
ver
y dif
feren
t rea
-so
ns. 2
3-ye
ar-o
ld Mi
key
confi
rms
this
belie
f by
sayin
g: “I’v
ech
eated
on
my g
irl a
coup
le tim
es, b
ut it’s
was
pur
ely a
bout
the p
hysic
al sid
e of
thing
s…se
x.”
We’v
e es
tablis
hed
what
chea
ting
is an
d wh
y pe
ople
chea
t,bu
t I’m
sure
wha
t you
reall
y wan
t to
know
is h
ow to
pre
vent
your
partn
er fr
om ch
eatin
g? C
ontra
ry to
popu
lar be
lief it
’s no
ton
ly me
n who
chea
t. It’s
just
that w
omen
are b
etter
at hi
ding
it, tru
st me
.
Look
out
for s
igns
of yo
ur lo
ved
one
chea
ting.
Atyp
ical
excu
se is
: “I w
as w
orkin
g lat
e”. I
f you
r guy
or g
irl loo
ks fo
rex
cuse
s to
stay a
way f
rom
you,
be co
ncer
ned.
If yo
ur o
ther
half i
s con
stantl
y ‘no
t in th
e mo
od fo
r sex
’then
you
need
to7
ask y
ourse
lf “If
I’m n
ot giv
ing it
to him
/her,
then
who
is?”
Famo
us au
thor O
scar
Wild
e said
; “Th
e tru
th is
rare
ly pu
re an
dne
ver s
imple
.” Th
erefo
re I
can’t
reall
y tell
you
why p
eople
do
what
they d
o but
I can
mak
e sug
gesti
ons o
n how
to ke
ep w
hat
is rig
htfull
y you
rs.
With
in re
ason
, give
you
r par
tner e
veryt
hing
they
want
and
more
. This
doe
sn’t
mean
spe
nding
you
r las
t pen
ny o
r goin
gwi
thout;
but
conti
nuou
sly s
how
atten
tion
befor
e the
y wo
nder
wher
e the
love
has g
one.
Sur
prise
them
, exc
eed t
heir e
xpec
-tat
ions a
nd cr
eate
some
excit
emen
t. Do
n’t le
t you
rself g
o. No
matte
r how
long
you’v
e bee
n tog
ether
you m
ust m
ake a
lway
san
effo
rt to
look g
ood.
Findin
g ou
t you
r par
tner h
asch
eated
is ho
rrible
news
- jus
tre
mem
ber
each
ca
se
isun
ique.
Cou
ples
who
can
work
th
roug
h pr
oblem
sinc
reas
e the
stre
ngth
of the
irre
lation
ship.
Onc
e a
chea
teralw
ays a
chea
ter is
rare
ly the
case
.
In my
opin
ion u
nfaith
fulne
ssca
n be
avo
ided!
by V
ictor
ia W
oode
Lady
Loy
Sel
ects
With
Res
pect
!Li
sten
to h
er v
ersa
tility
on
Life
FM
103.
6 Ec
lect
ic R
egga
e on
Sat
urda
ys(1
2 - 2
pm) L
ive?
ww
w.li
fefm
.org
.uk
Jam
aica
won
9 G
old
Meda
ls in
2008
Oly
mpi
cs h
eld
in B
eijin
g;Us
ain
Bolt
won
3!
Jam
aica
also
won
3 s
ilver
m
edal
s an
d 5
bron
ze m
edal
s.Gr
eatn
ess
com
ing
out o
fJa
mai
ca! C
yaan
tek
dat a
way
!ME
DALS
FOR
JAMA
ICABe
ijing
200
8
WWWWhhhh
aaaa tttt’’’’ ssss
WWWWrrrr oooo
nnnngggg
wwwwiiii tttt
hhhhNNNN aaaa
pppppppp
yyyy HHHH
aaaaiiii rrrr
????bbbb yyyy
FFFFiiii oooo
nnnn aaaa WWWW
hhhh aaaatttt aaaa
How
you
wea
r you
r hai
r say
s a
lot a
bout
you
, so
natu
-ra
lly p
eopl
e pa
y a
grea
t dea
l of a
ttent
ion
to th
eir h
air.
This
see
ms
to b
e a
parti
cula
r pre
occu
patio
n fo
r Bla
ckw
omen
. I h
ave
neve
r en
tere
d an
Afr
o ha
ir sa
lon
that
hasn
’t be
en p
acke
d. E
ven
if I
go t
o th
e po
or b
lack
area
s, th
e sa
lons
ther
e al
way
s enj
oy a
thriv
ing
busi
ness
rega
rdle
ss o
f how
oth
er e
nter
pris
es in
the
area
are
fair-
ing.
Hai
r, fo
r Bla
ck w
omen
, is
a fa
scin
atio
n th
at s
tarts
early
in li
fe. F
rom
the
time
that
you
are
a to
ddle
r you
grad
ually
bec
ome
awar
e th
at f
or s
ome
reas
on,
your
hair
rece
ives
mor
e at
tent
ion
from
you
r mot
her t
han
any
othe
r fe
atur
e.
At a
n ag
e w
hen
sitti
ng s
till f
or a
long
time
is a
n or
deal
, you
are
mad
e to
end
ure
early
less
ons
in p
atie
nce
as y
our
hair
is s
ubje
cted
to
all
form
s of
expe
rimen
ts a
nd m
anne
rs o
f sty
ling
in w
hich
you
hav
eno
say
. As
a re
sult,
you
qui
ckly
com
e to
sha
re a
sim
i-la
r life
long
obs
essi
on w
ith y
our h
air.
You
spen
d ho
urs
talk
ing
abou
t hai
r w
ith y
our
girlf
riend
s, sp
end
exto
r-tio
nate
am
ount
s of
mon
ey o
n yo
ur h
air,
and
spen
dm
uch
of y
our
leis
ure
time
expe
rimen
ting
with
all
the
myr
iad
choi
ces o
f hai
rsty
les t
hat a
re a
vaila
ble
to b
lack
wom
en a
s pe
rhap
s to
no
othe
r eth
nici
ty.
Mor
e of
ten
than
not
, how
ever
, you
r life
long
que
st in
all
this
, is a
goa
l you
wer
e ta
ught
to a
im fo
r as t
he u
ltim
ate
achi
evem
ent o
f bea
uty
sinc
e ch
ildho
od; t
o m
ake
your
hair
as s
traig
ht a
nd a
s lo
ng a
s po
ssib
le. M
uch
time
isth
eref
ore
devo
ted
to u
sing
hot
iro
ns a
nd r
elax
ing
crea
ms
to a
ttack
you
r unr
uly
mop
of h
air i
nto
subm
is-
sion
in o
rder
to c
onfo
rm to
this
idea
l. W
hat I
hav
e ju
stna
rrat
ed i
s m
y ow
n ha
ir-st
ory
and
I su
spec
t, a
lot
ofot
her
blac
k w
omen
’s to
o. H
avin
g gr
own
up k
now
ing
noth
ing
else
, st
rivin
g fo
r st
raig
ht h
air
is s
omet
hing
take
n fo
r gr
ante
d, a
ndso
met
hing
m
ost
will
assu
me
that
all
othe
rbl
ack
wom
en
will
striv
e fo
r. So
it
neve
roc
curs
to
won
der
why
artif
icia
lly s
traig
hten
edha
ir is
hel
d in
suc
hhi
gh r
egar
d. W
hate
ver
the
styl
e or
co
lour
,pr
etty
m
uch
all
the
wom
en I
see
anyw
here
– sa
lons
, on
the
stre
et,
in
hair
mag
azin
es
–ha
ve a
rtific
ially
stra
ight
ened
hai
r. I s
eldo
m se
e a
blac
kw
oman
spo
rting
her
nat
ural
hai
r unl
ess
its d
read
lock
s;is
it b
ecau
se in
mos
t cas
es it
is c
onsi
dere
d un
desi
rabl
e?
This
cur
ious
atti
tude
tha
t bl
ack
wom
en t
end
to h
ave
abou
t the
hai
r ass
igne
d to
them
by
natu
re h
as a
n in
ter-
estin
g hi
stor
y. D
urin
g th
e sl
ave
trade
, w
hen
blac
ksl
aves
wer
e br
ough
t to
the A
mer
icas
, the
y be
gan
to u
sehe
rbs a
nd o
intm
ents
to st
raig
hten
thei
r hai
r in
an e
ffort
to im
itate
the
hair
of th
eir w
hite
ow
ners
. In
early
twen
-tie
th c
entu
ry,
blac
k A
mer
ican
ent
erta
iner
s su
ch a
sFl
oren
ce M
ills,
used
hot
com
bs to
stra
ight
en th
eir h
air.
It w
as, h
owev
er, t
he A
fric
an-A
mer
ican
Mad
am C
. J.
Wal
ker w
ho re
volu
tioni
sed
the
hair
indu
stry
for b
lack
wom
en i
n ea
rly t
wen
tieth
cen
tury
. H
avin
g su
ffere
dfr
om a
n ai
lmen
t tha
t mad
e he
r lo
se s
ome
of h
er h
air,
she
star
ted
expe
rimen
ting
with
a n
umbe
r of
rem
edie
san
d ha
ir pr
oduc
ts. S
he fo
rmed
her
ow
n bu
sine
ss w
hich
sold
a c
ondi
tioni
ng p
rodu
ct c
alle
d M
adam
C.
J.W
alke
r’s W
onde
rful
Hai
r Gro
wer
. Her
bus
ines
s thr
ived
she
beca
me
the
first
reco
rded
bla
ck fe
mal
e m
illio
naire
.A
lady
who
wor
ked
for
her
empi
re c
alle
d M
arjo
rieJo
yner
, inv
ente
d th
e pe
rman
ent w
ave,
or ‘
perm
’. O
ver
the
deca
des,
blac
k ha
ir ha
s bee
n th
e ob
ject
of a
num
ber
of
trend
s fr
omth
e A
fro
whi
chw
as p
opul
ar i
nth
e 19
70s,
to th
eJe
ri cu
rl an
d bi
gw
igs
of
the
1980
s,
to
the
asym
met
rica
lha
irdos
. Th
em
ost
cons
iste
nttre
nd h
as b
een
art
ific
iall
yst
raig
hte
ned
hair.
It m
ay h
ave
been
in v
ogue
inth
e 19
70s,
bu
tna
tura
l or
napp
y8
hair
gene
rally
tend
s to
lose
out
to r
elax
ed h
air
in th
epo
pula
rity
stak
es. B
lack
hai
r m
agaz
ines
typi
cally
dis
-pl
ay a
num
ber o
f diff
eren
t hai
rsty
les
as w
ell a
s tip
s on
how
to m
aint
ain
thes
e pa
rticu
lar
haird
os. B
ut th
ere
isve
ry l
ittle
or
no s
pace
dev
oted
to
read
ers
who
may
have
nat
ural
hai
r. It
is t
aken
for
gra
nted
tha
t al
l th
ere
ader
s will
hav
e ar
tific
ially
stra
ight
ened
hai
r and
eve
nth
ose
wom
en w
ho h
ave
brai
ds w
ill m
ore
ofte
n th
an n
otha
ve re
laxe
d ha
ir un
dern
eath
. Th
e ex
iste
nce
of w
omen
who
cho
ose
to k
eep
thei
r hai
r nat
ural
is fo
rgot
ten.
Inde
ed th
ere
seem
s to
be
a pr
ejud
iced
atti
tude
aga
inst
‘nap
py’h
air.
One
wom
an I
spok
e to
reca
lled
how
her
fello
w b
lack
cla
ssm
ates
had
mad
e fu
n of
her
whe
n sh
eha
d de
cide
d to
go
natu
ral f
or a
whi
le w
hen
she
was
inhi
gh s
choo
l. A
wom
an n
amed
Mar
via
Laur
es w
rote
an
artic
le a
bout
thi
s pr
ejud
ice
bein
g ev
iden
t in
som
ech
urch
es i
n Ja
mai
ca:
‘thes
e ‘n
atur
al’
hairs
tyle
s ar
ede
scrib
ed b
y so
me
as b
eing
too
back
war
d or
‘cou
ntry
’an
d th
us n
ot s
uita
ble
for
form
al
setti
ngs.
’Th
ere
are
thos
e w
ho a
rgue
tha
tth
is
aver
sion
bl
ack
wom
en d
ispl
ay t
owar
dsth
eir o
wn
hair,
is a
sign
of
self-
loat
hing
. A
fter
all,
blac
k w
omen
ha
d no
prob
lem
with
the
ir na
tu-
ral
hairs
tyle
s un
til t
hey
cam
e in
to c
onta
ct w
ithw
hite
w
omen
w
ho
ofco
urse
hav
e lo
ng, s
traig
htha
ir. It
was
onl
y af
ter t
his
that
bla
ck w
omen
sta
rted
com
ing
up w
ith i
ncre
asin
gly
inge
niou
s m
etho
ds o
fel
onga
ting
and
stra
ight
enin
g th
eir h
air.
Sure
ly th
is in
di-
cate
d th
at b
lack
wom
en w
ere
asha
med
of t
heir
blac
k-ne
ss a
nd w
ere
tryin
g to
rep
ress
it
and
look
whi
ter.
Pers
onal
ly I
hav
e tro
uble
buy
ing
into
thi
s ar
gum
ent.
Whe
neve
r I g
et m
y ha
ir re
laxe
d I d
on’t
thin
k to
mys
elf,
‘I’m
ash
amed
of b
eing
bla
ck -
I wan
t to
look
whi
te.’
Ido
n’t b
elie
ve th
at a
ll of
the
man
y bl
ack
wom
en w
hoar
tific
ially
stra
ight
en th
eir
hair
out t
here
are
doi
ng s
obe
caus
e th
ey d
on’t
like
bein
g bl
ack
and
wis
h th
ey w
ere
whi
te. I
like
stra
ight
ened
hai
r: it’
s tid
ier,
easi
er to
man
-ag
e an
d lo
oks
bette
r. Th
en a
gain
it is
eas
y to
see
the
wea
knes
s be
hind
my
- an
d no
dou
bt a
ll ot
her
pro-
stra
ight
hai
r bl
ack
wom
en’s
- r
atio
nale
. Why
exa
ctly
do I
thin
k th
at s
traig
hten
ed h
air
look
s m
ore
beau
tiful
than
leav
ing
my
hair
natu
ral?
We
wer
en’t
born
thin
k-in
g th
at st
raig
hten
ed h
air i
s bet
ter;
it’s a
bel
ief t
hat w
asbr
ed i
nto
us b
y th
e bl
ack
wom
en s
urro
undi
ng u
s,w
omen
who
als
o ha
d th
e sa
me
belie
f bre
d in
to th
em b
yth
e bl
ack
wom
en b
efor
e th
em. A
belie
f tha
t goe
s ba
ckto
sla
very
day
s w
hen
anyt
hing
bla
ck w
as c
onsi
dere
d9
infe
rior t
o an
ythi
ng w
hite
. If I
ther
efor
e, d
on’t
ques
tion
why
I fin
d st
raig
hten
ed h
air t
o be
pre
ttier
than
nat
ural
hair
ever
y tim
e I
com
b m
y ha
ir in
the
mor
ning
, it’
sbe
caus
e it’
s th
e on
ly b
elie
f I’
ve e
ver b
een
expo
sed
toso
it
feel
s na
tura
l to
me.
It
coul
d be
arg
ued
by a
nti-
stra
ight
ened
hai
r pe
ople
tha
t I,
like
all
othe
r w
omen
who
rela
x th
eir h
air,
hate
my
blac
knes
s and
try
to a
lter
it w
ithou
t con
scio
usly
bei
ng a
war
e of
it.
But
I s
till
don’
t co
nsid
er i
t to
be
a ne
gativ
e th
ing
tow
ant t
o re
lax
my
hair
rath
er th
an le
avin
g it
as it
is; I
don’
t bel
ieve
that
stra
ight
enin
g ha
ir m
eans
you
wan
t to
be w
hite
. Why
is it
that
whi
te w
omen
can
spe
nd a
for-
tune
on
tann
ing
beds
and
cre
ams
to d
arke
n th
eir
pale
skin
, get
thei
r lip
s in
ject
ed to
mak
e th
em b
igge
r, an
dge
t bo
oty
impl
ants
with
out
bein
g ac
cuse
d of
hat
ing
thei
r rac
e an
d try
ing
to b
e bl
ack?
Afte
r all,
wer
e w
hite
wom
en th
is o
bses
sed
with
tann
ing
and
thic
k lip
s bef
ore
they
cam
e in
to c
onta
ct w
ith b
lack
peo
ple?
Whe
n I f
irst
beca
me
awar
e of
the
theo
ry th
at st
raig
hten
ing
your
hai
rm
eans
you
hat
e yo
ur r
ace
and
tryin
g to
be
whi
te,
Ith
ough
t it
was
rat
her
silly
and
a t
ad i
rrita
ting.
Som
epe
ople
jus
t ha
ve t
o fin
d fa
ult
with
eve
ryth
ing,
eve
nha
ir. I
just
con
side
r it t
o be
hum
an n
atur
e to
des
ire w
hat
you
do n
ot h
ave,
and
I th
ink
the
beau
ty in
dust
ry u
nder
-st
ands
this
and
use
s it t
o its
adv
anta
ge. M
ore
mon
ey is
mad
e by
sel
ling
wom
en t
he i
dea
that
bea
uty
is n
otso
met
hing
you
are
bor
n w
ith b
ut c
an b
uy, t
han
is m
ade
by e
ncou
ragi
ng th
em to
bel
ieve
that
they
don
’t ha
ve to
alte
r th
eir
natu
ral f
eatu
res
in o
rder
to b
e be
autif
ul. I
nm
y op
inio
n be
auty
and
fash
ion
trend
s hav
e m
ore
to d
ow
ith th
is h
uman
trai
t tha
t it d
oes
with
race
.
At t
he e
nd o
f th
e da
y, I
thin
k pe
ople
sho
uld
just
live
and
let l
ive.
If s
traig
hten
ed h
air i
s no
t you
r thi
ng, i
t is
no re
ason
to d
erid
e th
ose
who
hav
e it.
Lik
ewis
e if
one
choo
ses
to l
eave
her
hai
r in
its
nat
ural
sta
te,
she
shou
ldn’
t be
moc
ked
for
it or
sub
ject
ed to
pee
r pr
es-
sure
, som
etim
es to
the
poin
t of b
ully
ing,
to s
traig
hten
it. T
here
are
so
man
y di
ffere
nt h
aird
os a
nd a
s lo
ng a
son
e is
hap
py w
ith th
e on
e sh
e ha
s ch
osen
, the
n I
say
each
to th
eir o
wn.
by F
iona
Wha
ta
THE
OTHE
R SI
DE O
F TO
URIS
M(If
you’v
e vis
ited
the C
aribb
ean,
you’l
l love
this!
)It’s
witty
, it’s
funny
, it’s
enga
ging.
£10
+ p
.p. o
rge
t it fr
om yo
ur lib
rary.
(ISB
N 09
6323
881-
7)Or
der v
ia ww
w.my
spac
e.com
/blac
kbrig
htnew
s(W
ritten
by M
yrna
Loy,
Publi
shed
by A
OG)
BREA
D P
UDDIN
GBR
EAD P
UDDIN
Gwith
a di
ffer
ence
!with
a di
ffer
ence
!
Ingr
edient
s
Mix
ed f
ruit
soa
ked
in 1
/4 p
t of
whi
te r
um (f
or a
t le
ast
thre
e we
eks)
; wee
k ol
d lo
af o
f wh
ite
(or
brow
n) b
read
;1/
2 t
ub o
f bu
tter
; pin
t of
milk
; a p
inch
of
cinn
amon
; 1ts
p va
nilla
ess
ence
; 1/4
lb o
f su
gar.
Reso
urce
s/ut
ensils
-M
ediu
m-s
ized
Pyr
ex d
ish
-Bl
ende
r-
Spoo
n/fo
rk
Now
we
are
read
y to
mak
e Lo
y’s
Brea
d Pu
dding!
1.Bu
tter
the
bre
ad.
2.Cu
t it
up
into
cub
es o
r sl
ices
and
pla
ce in
to a
grea
sed
Pyre
x (o
r ov
enpr
oof)
dis
h.
3.Bl
end
the
soak
ed f
ruit
wit
hal
l the
sug
ar.
4.Po
ur it
ove
r th
e br
ead.
5.Sp
rink
le g
rate
dci
nnam
on o
ver
the
brea
d.
6.Po
ur a
ll th
e m
ilk o
ver
the
ingr
edie
nts
and
allo
w to
soa
k in
to t
he b
read
(3 -
4 ho
urs)
or
over
nigh
t in
the
fri
dge.
7.Pr
ess
the
brea
d do
wn w
ith
a fo
rkso
tha
t ev
ery
thin
g bl
ends
tog
ethe
r.
8.Pl
ace
in o
ven
for
40 m
inut
es a
t 15
0 on
a g
asas
sist
ed o
ven
(or
unti
l bro
wn a
nd c
ooke
d).
9.Yo
u ca
n no
w ha
ve y
our
brea
d an
d bu
tter
pud
ding
hot,
war
m o
r co
ld.
Nic
e wi
th t
ea, c
offe
e,
a gl
ass
of w
hite
win
e or
she
rry
- Yu
mm
y!10
Tri &
Rym
e -M
otiv
ator
s fo
r th
e Yo
uth
Thei
r ne
w re
leas
e “
80s
Baby
”ww
w.m
yspa
ce.c
om/t
rian
trim
usic
List
en t
o Live
Int
erview
on
Life
FM
103
.6on
www
.mys
pace
.com
/lad
yloy
Kipric
h - an
excellen
t Lyric
al DJ/P
oet
His wo
rds are
pote
nt;his
ridd
im a
pt“Te
lepho
ne T
ing”,
“The
Lett
er”&
“Bun
fi B
un”
This
is artist is
a Ble
ssed
One!
www.my
space.c
om/kipr
ich
Did
you
mis
s th
e Lo
y on
Life
Sho
w?
For
Roo
ts R
egga
e, L
over
s R
ock
& S
tudi
oO
ne
http
:loyo
nlife
.pod
omat
ic.c
om
DDiiaa
mmoonn
dd BBrr
oowwnn
(Pt.3
A se
rial s
hort
stor
y)
It w
as d
rain
ing
thin
king
of
excu
ses
to t
ell
Bir
bery
abou
t why
his
fath
er w
as in
jail.
She
didn
’t k
now
her
-se
lf.Sh
e ha
d ju
st r
ecei
ved
a on
e m
inut
e ph
one
call
from
him
,te
lling
her
tha
t he
had
bee
n fr
amed
.Sh
eha
dn’t
bee
n ab
le t
o fin
d ou
t w
here
he
was
or
anyt
hing
and
now,
afte
r te
lling
her
son
on
num
erou
s oc
casi
ons
to st
ay o
ut o
ftr
oubl
e,sh
e no
w h
ad to
tell
him
that
his
fath
er w
as in
jail
for
usin
g a
dead
ly w
eapo
n.D
iam
ond
lay
on h
er b
ed a
nd s
tare
d at
the
cei
ling.
As
far
back
as
she
coul
d re
mem
ber
they
had
tri
ed t
o pr
o-te
ct t
heir
son
.Sh
e co
uldn
’t d
o it
any
mor
e.H
e w
ould
have
to
know
.Te
ars
stun
g he
r ey
es,
her
tear
s ha
dbe
en s
ting
ing
a lo
t la
tely
.Sh
e w
as r
eady
.Sh
e w
ould
tell
her
son
the
trut
h.It
was
aro
und
11.2
0pm
whe
n B
irbe
rry
push
ed t
heke
y th
roug
h th
e do
or.
“Hi M
ah..
are
you
up?
Is
dad
slee
ping
?”he
sho
uted
up t
he s
tair
s w
hen
he h
eard
som
e m
ovem
ent.
“Com
e up
her
e so
n,I
have
som
ethi
ng t
o te
ll yo
u!”
Bir
berr
y st
rode
up
the
stai
rs,k
nock
ed o
n hi
s mot
her’
sdo
or,n
ot w
aiti
ng fo
r an
ans
wer
wen
t in
.“W
assu
p m
ah..
whe
re’s
dad
?”“S
it d
own
son”
she
said
mot
ioni
ng t
o th
e si
de o
fhe
rbe
d.H
e sa
t do
wn,
his
eyeb
row
s fu
rrow
ed w
ith
conc
ern.
“The
pol
ice
have
tak
en y
our
dad,
Eli”
“Whe
n? W
hy?
He
said
inte
rrup
ting
her
.“L
ast
nigh
t so
n..”
“So
why
did
n’t
you
tell
me?
”he
res
pond
ed a
ngri
ly.
“I d
idn’
t kn
ow h
ow t
o..
he s
aid
he h
as b
een
fram
ed.
I do
n’t
know
whe
re t
hey
are
hold
ing
him
..I
...”
Dia
mon
d br
oke
dow
n in
to te
ars,
sobb
ing
her e
xpla
na-
tion
.B
irbe
rry
reac
hed
over
to
her
and
put
his
mus
-cu
lar
arm
s ar
ound
her
to
com
fort
.It
was
as
ifhe
was
the
pare
nt.
As
he s
at t
here
hol
ding
her
,he
rea
lised
that
his
mot
her
had
not
been
hon
est
wit
h hi
m.
Aft
eral
l,he
had
com
e in
ear
lier,
and
aske
d fo
r hi
s fa
ther
and
she
had
told
him
tha
t he
was
n’t
hom
e ye
t,kn
ow-
ing
that
he
was
in ja
il.So
met
hing
abo
ut h
is m
othe
r’s
dish
ones
ty a
nnoy
ed h
im:
“So
whe
n I
cam
e in
yes
terd
ay y
ou k
new
pop
s w
as in
jail
and
you
neve
r to
ld m
e?”
He
pulle
d aw
ay,w
ithd
raw
ing
the
love
wit
h hi
m.
“I d
idn’
t kn
ow h
ow t
o,E
li? I
had
just
bee
n to
ld,a
ndI
was
try
ing
to w
ork
it o
ut in
my
head
!”“S
o yo
u m
ade
me
go o
ut l
ast
nigh
t be
lievi
ng t
hat
Iw
as g
oing
to
see
pops
whe
n I
got
hom
e –
and
you
knew
he
was
ban
ged
up?”
“I’m
sor
ry s
on!”
“Wha
t’s
he in
the
re fo
r an
yway
”B
irbe
rry
aske
d so
ft-
enin
g at
his
mot
her’
s di
stre
ss.
“The
y sa
id t
hey
caug
ht h
im w
ith
a de
adly
wea
pon
–he
did
n’t
get
a ch
ance
to
say
muc
h an
d I
didn
’t e
ven
find
out
whi
ch j
ail h
e is
in,a
nd w
hen
I tr
ied
to f
ind
out,
no-o
ne c
ould
hel
p m
e!”
“Don
’t c
ry m
ah! I
will
look
aft
er y
ou –
I w
ill g
et a
job
and
we
will
wor
k th
ings
out
.D
addy
is b
ound
to
wri
teto
ask
wha
t is
goi
ng o
n”“B
ut h
e is
goi
ng t
o fe
el I
aba
ndon
ed h
im”.
Dia
mon
dst
arte
d cr
ying
un
cont
rolla
bly
as s
he i
mag
ined
how
she
wou
ld f
eel
ifsh
e w
asin
jai
l and
no-
one
cam
e to
visi
t“I
hav
e so
me
frie
nds i
n th
epo
lice
forc
e,I
will
ask
one
ofth
em t
o se
e if
they
can
find
ou
t w
here
he
is
”B
irbe
rry
reas
sure
d he
r.“Y
ou k
now
peo
ple
in t
he p
olic
e fo
rce?
”D
iam
ond
aske
d su
rpri
sed.
“Sur
e.O
ur C
omm
unit
y N
eigh
bour
hood
Off
icer
,Pet
eT
urne
y.W
e ha
ve c
hats
wit
h hi
m a
ll th
e ti
me.
I w
illas
k hi
m.
Pet
e ev
en a
sked
if
you
wou
ld c
ome
to o
neof
thei
r m
eeti
ngs,
but
I to
ld h
im y
ou w
ere
wor
king
.“O
h.I
wou
ldn’
t m
ind
goin
g to
one
of
thei
r m
eeti
ngs
actu
ally
.Co
uld
you
get
me
the
deta
ils?
It
look
s lik
eyo
u ar
e m
ore
than
equ
ippe
d to
loo
k af
ter
me!
”sh
esa
id w
ith
a sm
ile.
The
y hu
gged
and
Bir
berr
y sa
id h
ew
as g
oing
to
bed
and
wou
ld s
peak
to
Pet
e in
the
mor
ning
.D
iam
ond
felt
a l
ittl
e be
tter
,cl
osed
her
eye
s an
d f
ell
asle
ep o
n to
p of
the
duve
t.T
he fo
llow
ing
mor
ning
,Bir
berr
y ca
lled
Mar
k an
d to
ldhi
m w
hat
had
happ
ened
and
tha
t he
nee
ded
to s
peak
to t
he C
omm
unit
y N
eigh
bour
hood
Off
icer
or
the
CNO
as
they
cal
led
him
.M
ark
said
he
wou
ld b
e ri
ght
over
.“E
li,m
ake
sure
you
hav
e so
met
hing
to
eat
befo
re y
oule
ave
and
plea
se b
e ca
refu
l!”“I
will
mah
,on
both
cou
nts!
”B
irbe
rry
shou
ted
back
.11
It w
asn’
t lo
ng b
efor
e M
ark
knoc
ked
on t
he k
itch
enw
indo
w,la
ughi
ng a
t B
irbe
rry
scof
fing
his
bow
l of
cere
al.
The
milk
was
run
ning
dow
n hi
s fa
ce b
ecau
sehe
was
eat
ing
it t
oo f
ast
and
Bir
berr
y go
t up
and
open
ed t
he b
ack
door
,his
mou
th s
till
full
and
chom
p-in
g aw
ay.
Bir
berr
y di
rect
ed M
ark
to s
it d
own
at t
heki
tche
n ta
ble,
and
then
mot
ione
d hi
m t
o he
lp h
imse
lfto
the
box
of
cere
al w
hile
he
was
try
ing
to s
wal
low
the
over
load
in
his
mou
th.
Mar
k gi
ggle
d an
d sh
ook
his
head
.“N
aaah
! I’m
coo
l”,h
e sa
id.
Whe
n B
irbe
rry
had
swal
low
ed t
he r
emna
nts
in h
ism
outh
,he
aske
d M
ark
ifhe
had
see
n th
e CN
O o
n hi
sw
ay in
.Y
es,
I sa
w h
im t
he j
unct
ion
ofD
ixon
and
Pea
ches
.D
ixon
Roa
d an
d P
each
es R
oad
was
con
side
red
a ‘b
adar
ea’.
Ifyo
u di
dn’t
liv
e th
ere,
it w
as b
est
not
to g
oth
ere,
but
Bir
berr
y ha
d to
see
the
CN
O a
nd f
ind
out
whe
re h
is fa
ther
was
.“A
re y
ou r
eady
?”as
ked
Bir
berr
y sl
ippi
ng a
kni
fe in
toit
s ca
sing
and
pla
cing
insi
de h
is t
rous
ers.
“Why
ar
e yo
u ta
king
that
B
?”as
ked
Mar
k,co
ncer
ned.
“Loo
k w
here
we
have
to
go,
bro!
Dix
on
and
Pea
ches
,it
’s
mad
ou
tde
h!”
he s
aid
defe
nsiv
ely,
falli
ng in
to p
atw
a.“I
kno
w it
is b
ad,b
ut y
ou a
re b
ette
r of
fw
itho
ut t
hat
bro!
”M
ark
chas
tise
d po
inti
ng t
o th
e ar
ea w
here
Bir
berr
y ha
d pl
aced
the
kni
fe.
“Naa
h m
an,w
hen
you
go p
an d
e ro
ad,w
e ha
ffee
be
ina
posi
tion
fe
defe
n’w
e-se
lf”
said
Bir
berr
y tr
ying
to
soun
d ro
ugh.
“But
you
r fa
ther
is in
jail!
You
r m
othe
r do
esn’
t w
ant
to h
ear
that
her
son
is d
ead,
and
that
is w
hat
you
are
invi
ting
,by
carr
ying
tha
t th
ing!
”ap
peal
ed M
ark
pro-
tect
ivel
y.“A
re y
ou w
iv m
e,B
ro?”
Bir
berr
y as
ked
in a
ser
ious
tone
.“Y
u kn
ow I
got
you
r ba
ck b
ro.
I ha
ve a
lway
s ha
dyo
ur b
ack
from
day
one
– t
hat
is w
hy I
don
’t w
ant
you
to t
ake
the
knife
– I
don
’t w
anna
hea
r th
at y
ougo
t do
ne f
or s
hank
ing
som
eone
or
carr
ying
a d
eadl
yw
eapo
n!”
“It’
ll be
coo
l,br
o!”
I ai
n’t
goin
g ou
t lo
okin
g fo
r tr
ou-
ble,
I ju
st w
ant
to s
ee t
he C
NO
.But
I f
eel s
afer
wid
dis!
”he
sai
d po
inti
ng t
o hi
s to
ol.
Mar
k sh
rugg
ed.
“OK
,bro
.L
et’s
go!
”.“M
ah! I
’m o
utta
her
e..I
’m g
oing
on
da r
oad!
”“O
K s
on,
Dia
mon
d sh
oute
ddo
wn
prop
heti
cally
,be
car
e-fu
l!”“Y
eh
mah
!”B
irbe
rry
resp
onde
d an
d cl
osed
th
eki
tche
n do
or b
ehin
d hi
m.
By
Myr
na L
oy12
NNeeee
dd ttoo
AArrttii
ccuullaatt
ee BBeett
tteerr??
IIssPPrr
oonnuunn
cciiaattiioo
nn aa PP
rroobbllee
mm?? LL
eeaarrnn
SSoocc
iiaallEE
nngglliiss
hh iinn tt
hhee CC
uullttuurr
aallGG
aarrddee
nn -- ccuu
llttuurraa
llggaarrdd
eenn@@aa
ooll..ccoo
mmTT
eell:: 00
11558822
772211
660055
ffoorr ff
rreeee aa
sssseess
ssmmeenn
tt..
Misse
d a Co
py?
Orde
r thr
u www
.mysp
ace/
black
brigh
tnews
Hack
ney
Empi
re S
tudi
o pr
esen
tsTh
e UK
Pre
mie
re o
fDe
bra
Ehrh
ardt
’sJa
mai
ca, F
arew
ell
“Exu
bera
nt! H
igh
Com
edy!
” -
NEW
YOR
K TI
MES
The H
ackn
ey E
mpire
Stud
io pr
esents
the U
K pr
emier
e of t
he aw
ard-w
inning
playw
right
and
actor
Deb
ra E
hrha
rdt’s
JAM
AICA
, FAR
EWEL
L, ba
sed o
nhe
r tru
e-life
stor
y.
.
JAMA
ICA, F
AREW
ELL t
ells t
he st
ory o
f Deb
ra Eh
rhar
dt’s
journ
ey in
whic
hsh
e esca
pes r
evolu
tion-t
orn J
amaic
a in t
he 19
70’s.
Left
to he
r own
devic
es, sh
eris
ked p
rison
time
, and
even
death
in an
attem
pt to
pull
off a
darin
g and
dan-
gero
us ca
per w
ith th
e unw
itting
help
of an
infat
uated
Ame
rican
CIA
agen
t to
fulfil
her l
ifelon
g drea
m of
starti
ng ov
er in
Ameri
ca.
Deta
ils
7thOc
tober
2008
- 2
6thOc
tober
2008
Perfo
rman
ces T
uesd
ay –
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ay 7.
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ckne
y Emp
ire St
udio
, 291
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St. L
ondo
n, E8
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ffice –
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ckne
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ire.co
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kets:
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eview
s: £8
) Med
ia:02
08 51
0 450
5 Em
ail: a
llan.w
atson
@ha
ckne
yemp
ire.co
.uk
Like
all
youn
g gi
rls,
I gre
w u
p fa
ntac
isin
g ab
out
a Pr
ince
Cha
rmin
g co
min
g to
sw
eep
me
off
my
feet
to
a fa
iry-
tale
wed
ding
and
a h
appi
ly-e
ver-
afte
r m
arri
age.
Now
that
I’m
old
er I
wou
ld li
ke t
o be
lieve
tha
t I h
ave
a m
ore
mat
ure
and
real
istic
pe
rspe
ctiv
e of
m
atri
mon
y.H
owev
er,n
ot h
avin
g ye
t en
tere
d in
to t
his
inst
itutio
n,I
can’
t de
ny t
hat
I stil
l ret
ain
a lit
tle o
f my
girl
hood
idea
l-is
m r
egar
ding
mar
riag
e.I
supp
ose
it is
thi
s op
timis
mth
at d
espi
te d
isco
urag
ing
revi
ews
from
tho
se w
ithin
,en
sure
s th
at s
o m
any
youn
g w
omen
eag
erly
app
ly f
orm
embe
rshi
p to
join
the
mar
riag
e cl
ub.
Pret
ty m
uch
all o
f the
rev
iew
s I h
ear
abou
t m
arri
ed li
fear
e ne
gativ
e.T
he o
nly
time
I hea
r or
rea
d ab
out
any-
one
prai
sing
the
ir p
artn
er a
nd r
ecom
men
ding
mar
riag
eis
in r
oman
ce fi
ctio
n bo
oks
and
in m
ovie
s.In
rea
l life
all I
hea
r is
com
plai
nts
- th
e la
st o
ne fr
om a
cou
sin
ofm
ine.
“Do
me
a fa
vour
”,sh
e si
ghed
to
me
in e
xasp
er-
atio
n,“d
on’t
get
mar
ried
.It
is h
ell”
.Sh
e to
ld m
e sh
eof
ten
seri
ously
con
tem
plat
ed h
ooki
ng u
p w
ith a
whi
tem
an in
stea
d.H
er m
ain
grie
vanc
e on
thi
s oc
casi
on w
asth
at s
he fe
lt he
r hu
sban
d w
as o
ppre
ssin
g he
r,an
d re
fus-
ing
to r
egar
d he
r as
an
equa
l.T
his
was
n’t
an i
sola
ted
inci
dent
eith
er.
Whe
neve
r I a
m a
roun
d an
y ga
ther
ings
of fe
mal
e re
lativ
es o
r ju
st b
lack
wom
en in
gen
eral
,thi
sis
a c
ompl
aint
tha
t is
rei
tera
ted
the
mos
t an
d ta
kes
prec
eden
t ov
er a
ny o
ther
pro
blem
s.“M
y hu
sban
d is
too
con
trol
ling”
.“M
y hu
sban
d ex
pect
s m
e to
wai
t on
him
han
d an
dfo
ot”.
‘My
husb
and
wan
ts m
e to
sho
w d
efer
ence
to
him
all
the
time.
’T
he o
pini
on h
as s
low
ly t
aken
hol
d in
my
min
d th
atbl
ack
men
ten
d to
hav
e a
prob
lem
with
vie
win
g bl
ack
wom
en a
s th
eir
equa
ls.
To m
ake
it cl
ear:
I don
’t th
ink
allb
lack
men
are
like
thi
s,ju
st some.
So w
hy a
m I
sin-
glin
g ou
t bl
ack
men
? W
ell
it’s
just
tha
t I
have
not
iced
that
the
re s
eem
s to
be
a gr
eate
r nu
mbe
r of
bla
ck m
enw
ho a
re i
n th
e ‘s
ome’
cat
egor
y th
an m
en o
f ot
her
race
s.If
you’
re a
bla
ck g
uy w
ho t
reat
s yo
ur w
oman
as
an e
qual
and
doe
s no
t se
ek t
o do
min
ate
her,
ther
e’s
none
ed to
feel
att
acke
d on
rea
ding
this
.For
me,
it’s ‘
som
e’bl
ack
men
I am
ref
erri
ng to
.I’v
e ha
d ac
quai
ntan
ces
with
mar
ried
whi
te w
omen
and
whi
le t
hey
mig
ht m
oan
abou
t hu
sban
ds b
eing
add
icte
d to
spo
rts
or n
ot b
eing
rom
antic
,I r
arel
y,if
ever
,hea
r th
em c
ompl
aini
ng t
hat
thei
r m
en d
eny
them
equ
ality
in
thei
r m
arri
ages
.I’m
not
sayi
ng t
hat
ther
e ar
en’t
any
non-
blac
k m
en w
hodo
n’t
trea
t th
eir
wom
en a
s eq
uals
,but
opp
ress
iven
ess
does
n’t a
ppea
r to
be
a tr
ait t
hat a
fflic
ts th
em in
the
epi-
dem
ical
pro
port
ion
evid
ent a
mon
g ce
rtai
n bl
ack
men
.I
coul
d be
wro
ng,b
ut it
doe
s ap
pear
to m
e th
at th
ere
are
mor
e bl
ack
men
tha
n w
hite
who
are
thr
eate
ned
bysh
arin
g po
wer
in a
rel
atio
nshi
p.I w
onde
r w
hy th
is is
so
and
if it
is p
ossi
ble
to h
ave
a tr
uly
equa
l rel
atio
nshi
p in
blac
k pa
rtne
rshi
ps,in
term
s of
dec
isio
n-m
akin
g,re
spon
-si
bilit
ies
and
pow
er.
Com
ing
from
an
Afr
ican
env
ironm
ent,
I am
acq
uain
ted
with
the
tra
ditio
nal
role
s as
sign
ed t
o w
omen
.W
ives
are
the
hom
emak
ers;
they
ten
d to
the
hou
seke
epin
gch
ores
and
loo
k af
ter
the
child
ren.
It is
the
hus
band
who
has
a jo
b,br
ings
hom
e th
e ba
con
and
mak
es a
ll th
ede
cisi
ons
whi
ch t
he w
ife c
ompl
ies
with
and
pla
ys n
oro
le in
.Goo
d w
ives
sub
mit
to th
eir
husb
ands
and
ser
veth
em.
Thi
s tr
aditi
onal
rol
e ex
pect
ed o
f w
omen
is n
otre
stri
cted
to
just
Afr
ican
s of
cou
rse,
but
it ap
pear
s to
pers
ist
mor
e in
the
Afr
ican
cul
ture
tha
n it
does
in
Wes
tern
cul
ture
.Whi
le t
his
mas
ter-
serv
ant
like
rela
-tio
nshi
p is
not
a r
ule
that
is s
tric
tly a
dher
ed t
o th
e le
t-te
r in
thi
s da
y an
d ag
e be
caus
e w
omen
hav
e jo
bs a
ndar
en’t
liter
ally
ser
vant
s to
the
ir m
en;
it is
stil
l a
rule
that
how
ever
loo
sely
app
lied,
is e
xpec
ted
to s
et t
hedy
nam
ics
of p
artn
ersh
ips.
Nor
mal
ly h
usba
nds
have
no
prob
lem
with
thei
r w
ives
wor
king
and
don
’t tr
eat t
hem
as s
lave
s,it
is o
nly
whe
n th
ey fi
nd t
hem
selv
es b
attli
ngto
ove
rrul
e th
eir
wiv
es r
egar
ding
a d
ecis
ion
or w
hen
she
star
ts e
arni
ng a
sal
ary
equa
l or
sur
pass
ing
thei
row
n,th
at p
ower
and
equ
ality
sud
denl
y be
com
es a
nis
sue.
“The
trou
ble
with
wom
en”,
they
’ll la
men
t,“is
that
they
don
’t kn
ow t
heir
pla
ce”,
or “
the
trou
ble
with
wom
en o
f tod
ay is
that
they
hav
e be
com
e to
o w
este
rn-
ised
and
wan
t to
be o
n an
equ
al fo
otin
g w
ith m
en”.
The
num
ber
one
reas
on th
ese
men
giv
e fo
r re
fusi
ng to
trea
tth
eir
spou
ses
as e
qual
s is
tha
t “..i
t is
our
Afr
ican
cul
-13
ArAre
Blac
k M
ene
Blac
k M
ento
o Co
ntr
too
Cont
r oll
ing?
olli
ng?
14
ture
.’ Ev
en i
n pl
aces
aw
ay f
rom
Afr
ica
like
the
UK
,so
me
blac
k m
en d
efen
d th
eir
stan
ce s
imila
rly:
“as
blac
kpe
ople
thi
s is
our
cul
ture
”.It
is h
owev
er,d
iffic
ult
tota
ke t
hese
men
’s co
mm
ents
ser
ious
ly u
pon
the
obse
r-va
tion
that
the
y do
n’t
appe
ar t
o be
all
that
dev
oted
to
othe
r as
pect
s of
Afr
ican
cul
ture
,like
wea
ring
trad
ition
-al
Afr
ican
clo
thin
g or
wor
ship
ping
the
anc
esto
rs o
fth
eir
fore
bear
s.T
he c
ultu
re c
ard
that
is w
hipp
ed o
ut
is,I
sus
pect
,sim
ply
an e
xcus
e an
d th
e re
al a
nsw
er li
esel
sew
here
.
So w
hy d
o so
me
blac
k m
en w
ho c
ompl
ain
so m
uch
abou
t th
e in
equa
lity
and
oppr
essi
on t
heir
rac
e ha
sfa
ced
in t
he p
ast,
insi
st o
n in
equa
lity
and
oppr
essi
ngth
eir
own
wom
en? O
ne w
ould
hav
e th
ough
t tha
t bei
ngbl
ack,
they
,of a
ll pe
ople
,wou
ld b
e re
puls
ed b
y th
e id
eaof
opp
ress
ing
anyo
ne t
hem
selv
es.T
he o
nly
answ
er I
can
thin
k of
is o
ne I
base
on
logi
c.If
a m
an is
sec
ure
in h
imse
lf,he
doe
sn’t
feel
the
nee
d to
go
arou
nd c
on-
stan
tly o
ver
asse
rtin
g hi
mse
lf to
sho
w th
at h
e is
a m
an.
It is
onl
y an
inse
cure
man
who
see
ks t
o do
min
ate
and
cont
rol t
hose
aro
und
him
to c
over
up
his
inse
curi
ty.I
nm
arri
age,
this
wou
ld e
xpla
in a
man
’s ne
ed t
o co
ntro
lan
d op
pres
s hi
s w
ife.
It is
onl
y an
inse
cure
man
who
seeg
o is
so
frag
ile t
hat
he fi
nds
any
notio
n of
equ
ality
ath
reat
to
hi
s m
ascu
linity
an
d ca
n on
ly
deal
w
ithw
omen
if h
e pl
aces
them
in a
n in
feri
or p
ositi
on to
him
.
The
men
,w
ho s
eem
to
blea
t on
the
mos
t ab
out
wom
en ‘n
ot k
now
ing
thei
r pl
ace,
’ ar
e th
ose
from
an
olde
r ge
nera
tion
who
gre
w u
p in
tim
es w
hen
raci
aldi
scri
min
atio
n w
as m
ost
ram
pant
.Pe
rhap
s th
ese
men
felt
so o
ppre
ssed
and
pow
erle
ss i
n so
ciet
y th
at t
heon
ly w
ay t
hey
coul
d fe
el li
ke m
en,w
as t
o pl
ace
them
-se
lves
in a
sup
erio
r po
sitio
n to
wom
en b
y be
ing
con-
trol
ling
with
the
ir w
ives
.A
nd p
erha
ps t
he b
lack
men
of to
day
that
hav
e pr
oble
ms
shar
ing
pow
er in
rel
atio
n-sh
ips
have
sub
cons
ciou
sly p
icke
d up
the
ide
a fr
omth
eir
fath
ers
that
the
onl
y w
ay t
o be
a r
eal m
an is
to
supp
ress
and
rul
e ov
er w
omen
.It
wou
ld e
xpla
in w
hyth
ere
are
mor
e bl
ack
men
tha
n w
hite
who
are
thr
eat-
ened
by
shar
ing
pow
er i
n m
arri
ages
.A
ll th
is i
s ju
stsp
ecul
atio
n on
my
part
of c
ours
e,an
d I a
m a
war
e th
atit
is a
fla
wed
the
ory.
The
tra
ditio
nal r
ole
of t
he w
ife
was
in p
lace
long
bef
ore
the
whi
te m
an c
ame
to A
fric
a,so
frag
ile e
gos
crea
ted
unde
r th
e op
pres
sion
by
whi
teso
ciet
y ca
nnot
be
the
mai
n re
ason
why
som
e bl
ack
men
tod
ay c
an o
nly
hand
le p
layi
ng a
sup
erio
r ro
le in
mar
riag
e.It
is h
owev
er th
e on
ly th
eory
that
mak
es th
em
ost
sens
e to
me
at t
he m
omen
t.Pe
rhap
s I
mig
htha
ve a
bet
ter
idea
of t
he p
sych
olog
ical
mot
ivat
ions
of
thes
e do
min
atin
g m
en if
I w
ere
to m
arry
one
of t
hem
.
From
the
vie
wpo
int
I ha
ve n
ow,I
can
onl
y co
nclu
deth
at i
t is
ins
ecur
ity,
not
dedi
catio
n to
cul
ture
,th
atdr
ives
som
e m
en t
o be
so
repu
lsed
by
wom
en w
hoch
alle
nge
them
as
equa
ls r
athe
r th
an m
eekl
y su
bmit-
ting
to t
hem
.I
am n
ot c
ritic
isin
g tr
aditi
onal
par
tner
-sh
ip r
oles
in
gene
ral;
ther
e is
not
hing
wro
ng w
ithw
omen
bei
ng h
omem
aker
s an
d m
en b
eing
the
sol
ebr
eadw
inne
r,bu
t it
wou
ld b
e ni
ce if
wom
en c
ould
pla
ya
role
in m
akin
g de
cisi
ons
if th
ey w
ish
with
out
a fu
ssfr
om t
heir
men
.Be
caus
e no
t all
blac
k m
en d
eny
equa
lity
to th
eir
wiv
es,
I wou
ld li
ke t
o be
lieve
tha
t m
y op
timis
m in
the
inst
itu-
tion
of m
arri
age
is n
ot m
ispl
aced
.H
opef
ully
the
re a
rea
num
ber
of P
rinc
e C
harm
ings
’ o
ut t
here
who
will
resp
ect t
heir
bla
ck w
ives
eno
ugh
to h
ave
an e
qual
rel
a-tio
nshi
p w
ith t
hem
.
by F
iona
Wha
ta
Isaa
c Ha
yes
&Be
rnie
Mac
Two
Icon
s Pa
ss O
n..
(Pho
to t
aken
from
ww
w.to
xics
hock
..tv)
In A
ugus
t,w
e he
ard
the
sad
new
s of
the
deat
h of
two
icon
s w
ithi
n da
ys o
fea
ch o
ther
.Is
aac
Hay
es,
fam
ous
for
the
them
e ‘S
haft
’die
d on
10
Aug
ust
aged
65 a
nd B
erni
e M
ac t
wo
days
ear
lier
aged
50.
Isaa
cH
ayes
was
bet
ter
know
n to
you
nger
aud
ienc
es a
s th
evo
ice
of‘C
hef’
from
the
hit
car
toon
sho
w,So
uth
Par
k,w
hile
Ber
nie
feat
ured
in s
o m
any
film
s,th
em
ost
mem
orab
le fo
r m
e,be
ing
“Gue
ss W
ho?”
.(L
oy)
