Black women are built differently. You know it, I know it. Let's not pretend.
"This is above us now"
Obama is and forever will be my President, but let's state the obvious. He's not a Black woman. White men and women would rather vote in a white woman, who pretended to be a woman of color, than an actual woman of color. Let that sink in.
Joe needs to get his people in line. These leaks are terrible and they make him look a little misogynistic and racist. Which is exactly what Kamala was pointing out in the debate, by the way. She didn't "attack" him.
We need ONE team to get behind this November and cut out all this High school clique-ish nonsense. I swear, Twitter these days is like West Side Story, but without the music and singing.
This is exhausting and frankly, it needs to end. Stop dangling any woman over us, and just announce the shit already. We're tired of being divided. I'm not going to spend a lot of time on this topic because we are going to be having a Veepstakes Roundtable on Backwards and In High Heels, The Podcast, on Saturday at 12 pm EST. Feel free to dial in and listen in while you do other things in the background. Details below.
Enjoy a "truthictional"(truth & fictional) tale of too much ambition...
Kamara Harrison sat down heavily, her shoulders drooped from what seemed like the weight of the world. There seemed to be nothing she could do right. It was beating her down mentally and physically.
Yet, she persisted. Every day she got up with the same fire for her people, the same passion and fervor that kept her going, but also kept her up at night. Kamara was the Advocacy Director of "For My People", the largest non-profit organization on the west coast.
She had just left another meeting with the Board of Directors where the Administrator of the organization, Elize, had presented another of her community ideas as her own.
Right now Elize was in the conference room, having been asked to stay behind, to talk to the Board members. Smirking at Kamara as the door closed, practically in her face, barely out of the room.
Shaking herself from her pity party, Kamara straightened her back, opened her planner, and looked at her day ahead. She couldn't let her own personal issues at work affect the people she needed to help.
She knew that if she was going to help MORE people, her ideas had to be heard. So she would just work twice as hard...
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~The Next Morning~
"Karmara! Come join us in the conference room. Mr. Bison is making an announcement. "
Kamara was in no mood for shenanigans. She was still sour at Elize for yesterday's thievery, on top of the mounting pile of others.
She slowly walked with the rest of her co-workers down the long hall to the glass conference room at the end. Kamara could see balloons, a full buffet breakfast, and none other than Elize in the middle of it, smiling, shaking hands with the board members, yet again.
Was this groundhog day or some shit? Kamara thought to herself. She wanted to vomit right all over the entire buffet, well not the Everything bagels, she'd grab one of those on her way out.
"Come on in everyone, gather round, gather round, we have a huge announcement to make!"
Elize avoided looking Kamara in the eyes.
As the room filled the silence washed over it like a gentle breeze from an open window. The bile in Kamara's throat burned with acid bitterness.
"Yesterday, during the Board meeting, Elize introduce an idea to open another location with more accessibility to those we serve."
Kamara sucked in her breath so loud she swore they heard her down the hall where some of her co-workers spilled out. She felt her skin instantly get hot. Right before she hit the floor she heard Mr. Bison vocalize her worst personal fear.
"...and we're happy to announce that Elize Walker has been promoted to run that entire office! Let's give her a round of applause for being such a team player..."
"Hurry! Someone call 9-1-1!"
~6 Months Later~
Having swallowed her pride, Kamara resisted the urge to quit and not continue to help those people that very much depended on her. At the end of the day, it wasn't about the credit, it was about those she served.
Elize was across town, two blocks from her own home, running the new center and instead of being asked to fill her role, Kamara was greeted with a white male, fresh out of college, reeking of old money and daddy's influence, as her new supervisor.
For the past six months, she kept her head down, mouth shut as she worked tirelessly yet silently. She was working on plans to present her new idea to the board directly. She had figured out a way to build a computer lab at each location without having to raise new capital or funds. It was going to have a huge community impact on reentry adults, teens, and those needing to develop new technology skills to remain competitive in the job market.
The board meeting was that afternoon. She had bought a new suit, made sure her hair was pulled up and out of her face, and been up all night preparing her presentation. It was "go time".
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"Mr. Bison. I would like to present a proposal."
Kamara stood up and walked to the front of the room when the floor was opened to executive staff.
Her pitch was flawless, her tone was serious, her numbers were double and triple checked by two attorneys and one CPA friend. She couldn't be denied.
In the middle of her presentation, Mr. Zanders interrupts her with a smile on his face. His withered skin had a slight glisten. She assumed he would be shedding it later that night.
"Ms. Harrison, this all sounds good, but it's a bit too... what's the word I'm looking for Moe?"
He turned to look at Moe Bison.
"Ambitious." Bison stated matter of factly.
The entire room erupted into laughter. This time Kamara didn't lose consciousness she lost her temper. She had had enough. Rather than giving them any satisfaction, she merely threw her pen on the conference table walked out and packed up her desk and the entire floor whispered and stared from a distance. Noone had the nerve to approach her or ask her what was going on. Her work at this organization should have meant more than the cold glares and sneers.
Unfortunately, for a Black woman in America, this was happening in board rooms across the country, to someone who looked like her, right at this very same moment. Did they have the courage to leave too?
The ride down the elevator was actually a huge relief. As each floor was descended, so was a weight off of her shoulders. She knew she was going to continue this work, and do it her way, her terms, and in her own voice.
She had a new mission.
~2 Years Later~
"Miranda, please tell the next applicant to come in. I'm ready for them".
Kamara sat behind her large oak desk with an elegant high backed chair. Her non-profit organization, Harrison's Heroes had raked in over 1 million dollars in donations in its first quarter, helped over 500,000 families secure affordable and safe housing, jobs, and develop skillsets. They were poised to triple their efforts in less than the 2 years they have been in existence.
With growth comes expansion. Kamara was currently interviewing for her right hand, a CEO to run the day to day, and be the front line of the organization moving forward, while she continued to build community partnerships and develop ideas. Actually do more hands-on work in the community.
Miranda walked in with a resume' as Kamara finished up her notes on the last applicant.
"I like him, let's put him in the..."
Kamara stopped mid-sentence. Standing behind Miranda was none other than a flustered as sheepish looking Elize.
"Well, I'll be damned!"
Kamara sat back in her chair, her eyes unintentionally narrowed as she looked her saboteur up and down, taking in the hand-sewn hem, and the run in her stockings.
"I didn't realize you were working here." Elize stated matter of factly, as she flipped her hair behind her ear. A tell she always presented when she was feeling cornered. Apparently some things never change.
Kamara snorted.
"WORK here? Sweetie, I own this. It's pretty petty of you to assume I was just the help, but then again, that's exactly where you wanted me, right?"
Elize and Miranda's mouths dropped open. The intern who was entering the room turned on his heel and crept back out the door.
"I...I don't know what on Earth you are talking about. It's clear that you have intentions of hiring me and It's beneath me to beg for a job, that frankly, I'm way overqualified for anyway." Elize headed for the exit.
"But, see. That's the difference in you and me, Elize"
Kamara said to her back. "I believe in second chances, it's hard out here. We're in the middle of a pandemic. I need someone who can get their hands dirty and deal with all the shit around here. Is that you?"
Elize stopped dead in her tracks.
"Are you serious?" She looked at Kamara, not ready to let her guard down fully.
"I've always been serious, and I don't say things I don't mean. Miranda will take you in the other room to go over paperwork and salary expectations. Welcome to the team"
Kamara extended her hand to Elize, which she accepted and shook hard. Their eyes locked in what seemed like a familiar space. Not a good one for Kamara.
~The Next Morning~
Elize showed up in her suit and heels, and briefcase and was ready to start sharing her ideas with Kamara. Miranda was at the front desk when she walked in.
To Elize's surprise, Miranda started laughing hysterically.
"What is so funny?"
Elize should have known better than to trust Kamara.
"Nothing. You're way overdressed for your job description."
Miranda stated matter of factly as she leaned over to grab a bucket and gloves from off the floor beside her.
"You are getting your hands dirty and cleaning up the shit around here. The men's restroom is the worst. Start there."
Miranda gave her a fake smile and went back to reading her computer screen.
Elize stood there humiliated and enraged. How dare they?
"Tell Kamara way to go on her little ideas. We'll see how she likes having some competition down the street. I'm sure I can get Daddy to invest in this little ghetto ass neighborhood. It would be a huge tax break"
Elize stormed out and slammed the door behind her.
Miranda text Kamara about the exchange and the two exchanged a great laugh about it when she arrived in the office later that day.
Kamara went on to open 5 more locations in Chicago and then taught others how to duplicate it in other cities in states across the country. Harrison's Heroes were a household name. Nobody ever heard from Elize again, at least not as Kamara's competition. We're sure she's out there stealing ideas, one at a time.
Damn. Be careful who you shit on because you just mind be the one with shit on you hands in the end.
I know you think there's some Johnny Appleseed lesson here. Nope. I just wanted the bitch to clean toilets. That's the beauty of being a writer. We can create our own reality. BLOOP!
Toodles. Until next week.