The Soul Pitt Writer’s Block

A Compassionate Heart - CAROL PAYNE CRYSTIAN, “after watching CNN’s broadcast of Haiti’s earthquake, I was moved to write my sorrow into words, as a poet this is what I do to express my feelings when I am touched by my human senses. May God Bless Haiti.” Read more »

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2010: LET’S START SCREENING
PROSTATE CANCER A REALITY FOR ALL BLACK MALES
bonita lee penn, Soul Pitt

With the eve of 2010 fast approaching I proposed that we make it our business to better education ourselves when it comes to our health. In 2000 the reported prostate cancer death rate for African-American males was 66.9 per 100,000 males and each year the number rises. Not only does this disease affect black males in America, but studies have shown that along the Transatlantic Slave Trade (TSA) route (countries of West Africa, the Caribbean Islands and the United Kingdom) report the common rise in prostate cancer disease and death among black males. Read more »

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Starting in the late 1990’s electronic book readers started appearing on the market. These are handheld devices specialized for the reading of electronic books. The growing wave of ePublishing is changing the way you read newspapers, magazines, and books.If find yourself contemplating the purchase of an electronic reader as with any large price tag item you should first do your research on which device would best fit your reading needs. The three top selling electronic reading devices are: Read more »

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“Our common humanity transcends the oceans and all national boundaries…..Let it never be asked of any of us - What we did when we knew another was oppressed?” - Nelson Mandel

Our young people in the communities watch closely those men who have made it out the “hood.” They notice the difference in what they preach versus their actions. They preach that having a mentor during their developing years assisted them in making good decisions, and these good decisions lead them to a better life. These same men are now in the position to be mentors in their old communities, but how many come back? How many volunteer as mentors, as sport or life skill coaches? How many are involved in fund raising to build and operate after school programs or recreation centers? How many back up their talk with the strength of action? Not many.

Lee Davis remembers a conversation he held some time ago with Harry Belafonte, who shared that the main reason his own hometown went down, “was when all the black folks got uppity and fled. It’s a cycle that is in all of our communities.” Lee knew he was not going to be a part of that continuous cycle of fleeing. Through his deeds as well as his words he has shown himself a true community activist.

When Lee speaks of his work with Community Empowerment Association (CEA) where he has been working for the past six years, and with MADD Dads, and One Hood Coalition organization, where he is a founding member, you can feel the passion of his commitment in helping the youth in his voice. Lee described to me the work being done by the CEA,

“Mentoring is an integral and vital process within the organization. We as mentors are committed to being available 24/7 to the youth. Not only are we mentors to the young males in our program, but also to their families. Our definition of mentoring goes beyond a few hours after school discussing math or sports. We are involved in every aspect of their lives, from helping to decide on taking the path to higher education or a career move. We stand beside them through the rigors of life journeys, acting as an ever steady guiding hand. It is a rewarding feeling when young men I’ve mentored while in high school return for advice years later.” Read more »

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feel faint
fortitude fainted
saw her for first fatal time
masterpiece of a nubian goddess Read more »

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I remember my first kiss but it was and still is not something that I would actually write a movie or a love song about. Honestly, it was not the kind of kiss that a young boy would plant on a seventeen year-old young lady’s lips to the point where she would go home and tell all of her friends and family about it and call it a day. Instead, it was one of those kisses that not only destroyed my self-esteem but also annihilated my once kindred spirit to the point where everything that I had worked assiduously hard for had completely gone down the drain due to mental, physical, and spiritual torture.  Read more »

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