RISA LLANAH

January 5, 2016

Fav Song of the Week 1/5/2016

Ok, I don’t really listen to Demi Lovato like that (I put most Disney/Nickelodeon stars in my “Give it a rest/Nobody gives a crap” music file. #noshade) but I happened to hear this song off her new album and was very impressed. She’s always been a decent singer but most of her music seems to hide the unique qualities of her voice and her skilled and emotive singing. I honestly wish she sang more songs like this but, unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be her preferred style. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye on her though!

January 5, 2016January 5, 2016

Rejoice

This poem was written in 2008 right after I found out that President Obama had won the presidential election. I was 18 and had just started attending an HBCU, Hampton University, and it was my first time voting. I’ll never forget that moment the announcement was made and how the street in front of my dorm building filled with Black students in celebration that their president was Black, that feeling that something historical and incredibly monumental had been achieved. Every once in a while, I come across this poem and it always gives me a sense of pride and hope….Because thats exactly what I felt back then. I’d like to feel that way again right now. So, I thought I would post it here, a permanent reminder for myself and others that HOPE is always right there.

Lift every voice and sing,
Lift every voice… and sing.
I never understood the meaning of those words until tonight.
You see those words signify that we won the fight.
It means that when I feel my heart wrench and tears swell up in my eyes, that for the first time it’s out of joy and not despair.
The joy in the knowledge that we’ve won the fight.
The joy in the knowledge that when the young black people came running by the hundreds chanting and screaming, OBAMA! OBAMA! That they weren’t just screaming for Barack but for every one of us.
For every African princess torn from her homeland,
For every child born a slave not knowing their worth,
For every man who fought for his freedom and that 40 acres and a mule,
For every grandparent who marched beside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,
For every Black boy who followed the wrong path believing he could do no better…
Our rejoicing is for you…And I cry, I cry.
I cry for how far we’ve come, out of the depths of oppression.
I cry for what we are, a people who cannot be chained down.
I cry for where we will go, into a world of equality…
A world where Black, White, Purple, Blue all come together and are one,
and I cry…
I cry, I scream, I shout, I stomp…
I lift my hands to the heavens and I rejoice,
I rejoice that my children will open their books and see a black face amongst endless clouds of white,
I rejoice that we have received the proof that our people have overcome, and will overcome every obstacle in our paths,
I rejoice,
as I lift my voice,
and I sing,
until the Earths and the Heavens ring…
FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST,
THANK GOD ALMIGHTY, WE ARE FREE AT LAST!

-Risa Llanah

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January 27, 2014April 10, 2015

The N-Word

I’ve been working toward this post for a while now because this is an issue that has been haunting me for a very long time….the N-word. I absolutely hate the N-word. I don’t think there is any excuse for anyone to use it: Black, White, Latino, Asian, any race. It’s a word steeped in hatred, oppression, and the blood of our African-American ancestors and the fact that it prevails and thrives in our world today disgusts me.

Okay, now that being said, I can not believe people in today’s world seriously try to make the statement that it’s a term of endearment a legitimate argument. People, it is not a FRIENDLY word; and no matter how you try to sugarcoat it or change the meaning, the true connotation and essence of it remains the same. It’s a derogatory racial slur with a complex and painful history. You can not just put a Band-Aid on history and make it all better. Now, the N-word has always been a part of African-American culture; and our relationship to it is incredibly complicated. However, the sooner we admit to ourselves that this crude language serves no purpose and is something we need to conquer, the better off we’ll be.

My other peeve is how angry some Black people get when a White person uses the word. I’ll admit that if I hear a White person use that language I definitely have to catch myself and make a mental reminder that I don’t want to end up on a YouTube video that could get me fired….But you might see the same Black man who was ready to fight a White person for saying the N-word turn the corner five minutes later saying , “Yo, my n****” as he meets his friend. Of course this isn’t all Black people. I know plenty who don’t use it and kudos to them. Its also very different when a White person says the N-word versus a Black person. Its more hurtful because in American history this was traditionally the word they used negatively toward us. Nevertheless, I don’t think that at all justifies there being a double standard. More importantly, for a word that’s so hurtful when directed at us….why on earth do we then turn around and point it at each other and call it playing nice??

I also often ask myself, “Why does it seem like so many White people are okay saying it?” I definitely think part of the reason is that Black culture permits the use of the N-word and it send a message to others that they can get away with it as well. When we use the N-word, whether it be in our music (one of the biggest culprits in my opinion), television, websites, or just at the mall with a friend, everyone around us hears it. We put it into the community and, whether intentional or not, other races pick it up because it becomes a part of their everyday lives as well. We don’t live on a secluded island by ourselves. People copy what they see and as long as Black people view the N-word as acceptable (regardless of the circumstances), people are going to say it and all our complaints will be falling on deaf ears. We may not like it, but until we get our act together as a whole, no one else will.

Fav Song of the Week 03/10/2013

So, once again it’s been forever since I made a post. I’ve been incredibly busy since I just moved but hopefully now I can get back on track! Although I havent posted I have had a song in mind for weeks. I used to LOVE Joss Stone when she first came out but sadly I fell out of touch with her music over the past couple of years. However, I recently rediscovered her and was listening to her newer albums and fell in love all over again. It was hard picking a song for this post. I was stuck between “Incredible”, “Girlfriend on Demand”, and “Governmentalist”, all from her album Colour Me Free! . It was a tough decision but this song hits me the most emotionally. This is Joss Stone’s “Girlfriend on Demand”…

January 21, 2013

Fav Song of the Week 01/21/2013

It’s been a little bit since I made a post for the song of the week category, I’ve been kind of busy…..but here’s the first official post of the new year! It’s Erykah Badu. I recently started listening to her again. Her soulful sound brings peace of mind and is a great choice at the end of the day when you want to unwind and relax. If you really listen to the lyrics you can hear thought-provoking messages and wise and inspiring words for everyday life….this is “Next Lifetime”.