Residents Talk Relationships At The Trenton Social

TRENTON-- So, it's a Thursday night and I'm on Facebook running through the news feed that never seems to stop and I stumble across a relationship blog cipher happening at the Trenton Social in just 30 minutes. I hop in the car and head right over because I recognize that despite feeling like I have a firm grasp of what it is to be in a quality relationship, I understand that sometimes feeling like you know something doesn't necessarily mean you really do.

Indeed, relationships at times can be hard work. I don't have to tell you this, we hear it all the time at the barber shop or at the hair salon, around the water cooler at work, at the church, in school, in the news, you name it, the issues surrounding relationships are all around us. But being an African American male, the issues in Black Relationships trouble me in particular.

New York Daily News Columnist Ralph Richard Banks reported in 2011 that roughly 7 in 10 black children are born to unmarried partners. Conditions like this almost always lead to children being raised by one parent, which believe you me, can be a struggle and a strain on families. So, I said all that to say that the more we talk about these relationship issues, the more we can begin to address to them and not deny their existence.

Indeed, that's a big reason I went to the Relationship Blog Cipher hosted by Neisha Kelly, a relationship blogger. I wanted to hear some thoughts and feedback on what's happening in our relationships. I wanted to receive some insight on some of the dysfunction plaguing our partnerships. And after going, I can definitely say my expectations were met. During the Cipher, we talked about a whole host of issues and topics. The subject matter ranged anywhere from whether it was necessary to have a 'checklist' of things you want from a relationship to whether relationships should be liberating or restrictive.

The discussion was on the one hand refreshing because it truly felt like a sigh of relief to get some things out in the open and clear the air about relationship concerns yet at the same time our exchange was somewhat challenging to the extent it got me to give careful thought to my ways or habits in relationships. The Relationship Blog Cipher is a conversation that needs to be continued and from speaking to the show's host Neisha Kelly, there is more yet to come...
 

Guest Blogger Branches Out & Launches New Blog

TRENTON—Recently, as I was perusing through my email and Facebook messages, (please forgive me, I'm a work in progress, sometimes it takes me eons to check my messages and get back to everyone, but anyway I digress), I stumbled across a message from my friend and comrade, Delonte Harrod. Through reading his email, I found out that he has a new blog entitled Delonte J. Harrod.

On his blog, this Trenton-based journalism major/ photographer aims to share his "writing ability" and "engage the world through words" while sparking conversation. I applaud Herrod for his efforts. From reviewing his website, I see that Harrod also seeks to bring information to the public that they would not ordinarily have access to.

Indeed, Harrod does bring something new to the table by raising thought-provoking questions to his readers. As a case in point, in one of his blog entries, the Trenton-based blogger raises the question,  "how does [newspaper] content shape the perceptions of those who do not live or have never been to Trenton?” In other words: Is the local news of Trenton helping to frame people as only savages, immoral, and/or very hostile people?"

Here, I think Harrod raises an important question that highlights the power and impact of the media. Indeed, what media outlets report to the public, whether good or bad, sometimes gets taken as indisputable gospel, when in reality that information should be examined through a critical or skeptical lens. As a case in point, one day while I was at the library a few weeks ago, a gentleman next to me said that former South African president Nelson Mandela died, when in reality, he didn't. The young man based his conclusion on information received through Facebook. The point here being, with today's media and the saturation of the Internet, one has to take what one reads with a grain of salt and be critical consumers of information. Otherwise, if you don't, you may take what you're hearing or reading as the truth, when it is not.

As one looks at Trenton news, sure, there is bad news to report and I recognize where certain members of the media are coming from, but come on, let's be real. We're not living in Beirut, this is Trenton. Sadly enough, this city sometimes get painted as "Big Trouble" when in my humble opinion, it is not. These kinds of news reports do not paint a complete picture of the city of Trenton.

I think other people are beginning to see this trend in larger society as well. They are not satisfied. According to the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism, “nearly one-third—31% of people say they have deserted a particular news outlet because it no longer provides the news and information they have grown accustomed to”. The study went on to report that 60.7 of the people polled find that the stories are less complete than they used to be". In other words, people are not satisfied with the media outlets currently available.

This is why I think that it is important to have bloggers like Harrod that present a counter-narrative to what the mainstream media offers. Indeed, reality is more nuanced than viewing Trentonians as mere scoundrels and hoodlums. Trentonians are doing great things everyday, this should not be glossed over or overlooked.

And with that said, I think we are in store for more thought-provoking commentary from Harrod, you can visit his website by clicking here.

Tycoon Visits Princeton But What About Trenton

PRINCETON-- As well-known millionaire and media giant Steve Forbes swept through a nearby town (Princeton) not too long ago, it made me think, what, if anything, will tycoons like Steve Forbes do for the city of Trenton, a city riddled with crime, joblessness, and despair?

Now don't get me wrong, I am not suggesting that well-off individuals like Steve Forbes owe inner cities like Trenton anything. I am simply saying that with all the wealth, opportunity, and access individuals like the Forbes Magazine giant has, there might be something they can do to assist communities like New Jersey's state capitol.

Forbes was at Princeton University giving a talk on the tax and monetary sins of the West.

Now I came to this point after considering recent events involving another wealthy person. Not too long ago, Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg dipped into his treasure chest and gave Newark public schools a handsome amount of money. In light of this, the question for me becomes, why can't individuals like Forbes and others like him open their hearts and quite frankly, their wallets, to help out an ailing city like Trenton.

That question remains unanswered, but I am willing to take a stab at it for the time being.

My response to that last question begins with what I and many others are seeing in the papers everyday. In light of Trenton's recent history, it doesn't seem to be a worthwhile place to invest in. I mean come on, unless you're living in a bubble, you recognize that our beloved state capitol has seen better days. 23 homicides last year, a dismal high school graduation rate, and an unacceptable amount of blight or abandoned properties all show that the Garden State's capitol city is not exactly prime real estate that everyone is dying to get their hands on.

Let's call a spade a spade, Trenton is not headed in the right direction. And unless we (those that live here currently) or others (outsiders like Steve Forbes) take action, we can only expect things to get worse. Bottom line: Investors are unlikely to invest in a losing horse that seems to be going in the wrong direction. They simply don't see an attractive return on investment.

Having said that, the question now becomes, how do we become that place where not only wealthy individuals like Steve Forbes want to invest and help, but also everyday people. For me, I think the first thing we need to do is stop blaming the government for our problems, sure budget shortfalls adversely affect our communities in terms of programs being cuts and public service layoffs, but I'm a firm believer that if there is a will, there is a way to make things better, even if your 'money is funny' or your 'change is strange'.

We don't need the government need to give us funding to ensure our homes are in order. I do believe we (myself included) can take ownership of some of these problems we face. I don't think we need to always solicit or reach out to local or state government to get things done in our community when we already have human resources (everyday people) in place that may be able to fill that gap or void that exists.

All in all, I think by taking action and becoming a participant, we will be in a better position to improve the quality of life in our communities. Along with ending the blame game, I think its also important to stop criticizing the powers that be, for the unfortunate state of our city. Indeed, local officials bear some of the burden and responsibility for the mess we find ourselves in, but I also think there is room for we as everyday citizens (myself included) to take some sort of responsibility for the condition of our communities.

My way of taking responsibility is to post blogs, create community forums, and engage others in a meaningful conversation that will hopefully generate ideas to make things better. However, I recognize that your skill set may take you in an entirely different direction than mine.

Ultimately, my point is that whatever your skill set is, it can be used somewhere in the universe to alleviate a social problem that afflicts all too many members of our community. So I invite one and all to get involved and become a participant in this human drama called life. Instead of being a passive spectator that idly watches as our communities turns to shreds, why not be a participant that contributes to the solution. I leave you with that question and invite feedback from others.

Local Firebrand Takes Another Shot At Public Office

TRENTON-- Local activist makes yet another bid for U.S. Senate this November. Longtime Trenton resident and political firebrand Daryl Brooks sat down with Anwar's Reflections--  a Trentonian affiliate-- to discuss his candidacy Tuesday afternoon.

During the nearly one hour interview, Brooks spoke about issues like education, jobs, and immigration.

The political malcontent took no time in calling out a number of community leaders and activists for what he deemed to be their failure in addressing issues like crime, education, jobs, and prisons.

From West Ward Councilman Zachary Chester to Trentonian talk show host Darren Freedom Green, Brooks took no prisoners as he spoke about the city's crisis of leadership. Brooks went on to say that these leaders are too busy singing, dancing, and having 'cookouts' to tackle today's problems. He said today's leaders are weak and "have no ideas".

Aside from the community's woes, Brooks also spoke about two hallmarks of his political campaign, immigration and education.

The outspoken activist is no stranger to running for political office. In the past, he ran two senate campaigns that proved unsuccessful. Over the year's, the local activist's political career has been marred by a 1995 conviction for lewdness, endangerment of a child, and assault. At that time, Trenton, NJ police and prosecutors claimed that Brooks flashed two adolescent aged girls. Since day one, Brooks has maintained his innocence.

After being released from prison, Brooks published an audiobook chronicling his life. Over the years, the Trenton activist has made it a point to fight for issues affecting the prison industrial complex, violence, and other forms of injustice. He is currently a member of the Tea Party and has affiliations with Occupy the Hood NJ and Occupy Trenton.

For more information on Brooks or his campaign, visit his website by clicking here.

Please see the video below to see Brooks take to task community leaders: 

For access to the entire interview, click below:

Trentonians Get A Taste Of The Natural

TRENTON-- People from all around the area came together last Saturday afternoon to take part in the city's first ever all-natural hair and fashion show at the Lighthouse Outreach Center in Trenton. The mood was just right.  The locks were stylish. The garments were dazzling.

This year's event was brought together by Loc Majesty, a local organization that specializes in natural hair care.

Trenton resident and spoken word artist AA Shaqur Towns said that this event was meant to help people heal from the inside out. He went on to say that African Americans need to find a way to redefine beauty for themselves. He said this event helped with that.

Over the years, there have been so many hair shows in Trenton, but none have been all-natural. This unprecedented event was in the works for months before it actually got off the ground last week. Event organizers promoted the event through word of mouth, flyers, and social networks like Facebook.

Vendors from all around the area came out to support the show. From oils and jewelry to shea butter and clothing, there was a little something for everyone.

During the event, poets spoke about the Trayvon Martin case, black beauty, and other things. Trenton native and well-known spoken word artist Narubi Selah was the show's host. Yoga expert and local resident Sa Mut A. Scott gave a talk on the importance of health and wellness.

Please see videos of the event below along with interviews: