~Written by Che’ri Humphrey, MSED July 13, 2011
Fndr/President of Diamonds In The Rough…Finding The Spirit In Me!
Producer of A Star Is Born Talents Events, & “Talk 2 Me!” Productions
Article on gospel poetry event, “McCafe Poetry Lounge’” in the Bronx, NY on 7/6/11 hosted by 98.7 Kiss FM’s Shaila……
Is there a Docta’ in the house?
Docta Gel was hilarious with his witty, silly, yet real poem he read on the dynamics of meeting the right girl and really not having the money to impress her, and then again why should he. “She’s got so many curves that’s why the stock market crashed,” I thought it was a very dry joke, but the way he said it made you laugh out of control. That’s why he ended with, “…my first date is always at McDonald’s.” (lol) He’s a comedian who had a doll baby lying over his shoulder, a poet, and ventriloquist. I watched his mannerism, and what he was wearing fit well with his personality. He was wearing a green shirt, and pink watch to match the baby dolls outfit. He was too funny, original, and exceptional.
Distinguished, Successful, Protector; Swahili meaning for Sharifa Nailah Asim
Another young woman who was wonderful was Alexis Marie out of Brooklyn, NY. The words from her poem, I remember her saying, “…they come for your crown. Do not let them de-thrown you!” She was speaking of the westernized ways African Americans have long since developed, and times since the trans-atlantic slave movement (slavery) that took away our history from Africa, our traditionalism, the love we have for ourselves as women, and our natural beauty. She spoke of the reason our natural hair sits high (afro) signifying a crown of glory, and if your hair is straight pointing toward your breasts as a Black woman you’ve already let them de-thrown you.
I disagree, but I understand the point behind what she’s saying how we as an African, now-American society has lost our strength, courage, love of one’s culture, and traditions that link us to the mother land for the most part. Youth don’t know this history in this country, never mind Africa. Most have never even seen the movie, Roots. Nor do they know inventions and contributions that we’ve made to build this country.
However, my great aunt was an historian for many years, and has worked with Louis Gates, Jr. and more. I had the opportunity to go to Africa, East Africa, Uganda and wasn’t received as a fellow sistah’ because of my complexion. Where we were at they considered us, White people; rich and spoiled. In many ways, they’re right because to them we are rich even on our worst day, and we as Americans in general are spoiled. My aunt, Evelyn, searched my family history (my mother’s-mother’s side) and found for the most part that we have African, Black Foot Indian, Cherokee (most Africans in the south mixed with), and were ruled by Portuguese slave owners (Parrish’s) which is why my hair doesn’t point in the air although it did when I was little without grease and water. Now it’s wavy and curly due to gel, grease, dyes, age, and water which doesn’t make me love myself less, or take away from what I know of my history. My people on my mother’s, mother’s side before my great, great, great grandmother were brought to the Virginia area. There was a slave, Aunt Evelyn told me to do a poem on named, William “Phillip” B. Parrish who ran away to be free and didn’t get caught, and later acquired enough money to set other family members free.
I had the chance to meet my great, great grandmother who was the *24th child out of her siblings, first or second born after the Emanicipation Proclamation who turned out to be the first women to get a license to drive a bus, bought land, and a house. We have pictures in our family that date back to the end of slavery. A lot of us were writers, griots, teachers, and artistic, but what Black person isn’t artistic in some way.
On my father’s, father’s side we were from Jacksonville, FLA, and there’s a town named after us called, Humphreyville. My father’s side has many pastors, ministers, and singers. Also, we were mixed with a tribe of Native Americans that I don’t recall, but they were jet black with straight black hair and blue eyes I was told, the originals who mixed with the Native Americans (more than likely White slave master’s too).
My dad’s mom, Rose Humphrey was a Wright. The oldest man in the family is her uncle who’s over 90 in the Ridgeland, SC area. A lot of people on that side are well-educated, and there’s a street in SC with our name on it. I was told by my grandmother that I have land down there, and a house that I really don’t wanna’ live in, if it’s still there. I don’t like the sticks. Anyway, who knows, but most of the family history came by way of a griot in the family; usually the oldest person who kept the family stories going like me. I love telling stories of what took place.
I lived with my great grandmother (mother’s side) who told me family history on a regular basis, and told me to keep the family together, stop drinking, and get married (lol) before she died. A high charge, but at least I’ve done one out of three (lol). I’m blessed to know the information on the country my mom’s, mom’s people came from in family records near the West African coast. Wearing an afro, a gele, sticking a bone through my nose, or changing my name to Sharifa Nailah Asim as I was going to do in the 90’s, and reciting lyrics of connecting to the grass and the herbs doesn’t make me Afro-centric, a poet, or know who I am any less, or bring out the ideologies in me, but God; education, communication, family, and those who did research has allowed me to gain better knowledge of who I am as a proud Black women who’s light-skinnnnnnnded-a Queen with great heritage determined to be FREE. The Dutch name last name Humphrey (Um-free); the first name chosen by my mother from Stevie Wonders “My Cherie Amor,” meaning “LOVE” in French (Sha-ree), the middle name given by my dad, Lashon; means nothing from my research, so I say it means fight!
In addition, Quincy Jones among others besides Oprah Winfrey found more white blood in them than African in his DNA historical studies, so we can’t make that judgment call. Yet, I do believe that the oldest humans were found in Africa which did include Asia before colonization and separation of the countries. Moreover, the oldest bones ever found were in Africa, and the Garden of Eden lies in East Africa if you’ve read history and have read your bible. Now days there are so many interracial offspring, and mixing not including the mixing that was forced during the period we were free in America before slavery, during slavery, and after. Who has blood so pure that no other race has been mixed? Oprah was one of the ones I saw on Mr. Gates’ documentary that only had a very small percentage of Asian blood, but most of it was of African heritage. Moving on….
Thee Apprentice from NY later came up around 11pm, and spoke some of these words, “…waking up…raising weak minded sons…fight or flight we’d rather run...wake up.” I’ve always loved his style, and he spoke at my first women survivor of abuse workshop last year, Running Into the Light! He touched the audience there, and did a sweet job of it this time as well. Thank you once again.
Winners!!!!!!!!!!
Drum roll, and the winners aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeee: Thee Apprentice, 1st runner-up winning $100 and Min. Lyronne Briggs of New Haven, CT aka Proverbs the Poet winning $500 and 1st place.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BOTH OF YOU AND TO ALL WHO HAD THE COURAGE TO SPEAK. YOU INSPIRED ME, AND ALL WERE FANTABULOUSLY WONDERFUL!
I congratulated, and spoke to a few people, took pictures, and was waiting for Midnight while he was talking to Shaila and after I took a picture with her and her son. I hugged Hasan and Curtis. It was at that point were one after the other came up to me, and some telling me how it touched them. One girl said she really enjoyed it because she could relate. That’s when I knew one reason why the Lord had told me to do this piece because so many had dealt with dysfunctional relationships, had gone through hard lives, struggles in their relationships, and more.
Thank you Jesus is what I said as soon as I got alone and got in the car. “Thank you Father.” I hoped it would at least encourage and sustain them in their trials. If only ONE word or phrase they took from what the Lord had given me when I wrote it; especially for the ones who didn’t know the same God I knew, Jesus, who is a loving God who made the earth, the trees, and the sea never leaving us even when we leave HIM.
Making it Home
I’m gonna try to finish this up because my back is hurting, and I’ve been sitting here since 11am typing this and it’s not 8:30. I’ve only had two breaks so I will be ending this story soon.
Anyhoo, I followed Midnight to the highway in Co-op City while talking to my mother on phone (I know wrong-sorry Oprah). It was now going on 12 midnight. I told her about the events, and was so excited that I knew once I got home although I would be tired I wouldn’t wind down until 3am. I told her how the Holy Spirit was there, and how happy I was because I’d never done the piece that good in my life. She was glad, but disappointed for me and worried I wouldn’t get home, but I told her I should be okay until I got to Stamford at least, and I have too many friends there to sleep in the car if I run out of gas. I consoled her by letting her know God’s will be done.
We talked the whole way and she told me about her going back to Arkansas and what my nieces and nephews were doing at 12 in the morning. I could hear the baby crying, so I asked her to put her on the phone. She stopped, but when my mom took the phone from her she started up again. My brother was at work. Once I got to Stamford I told her I was looking for the grocery store, so I got off exit 6. I ran to two stores with the light blinking. She told me which was open all the way across town, so I was a little frustrated, and drove over there to no avail. I would try to beat the check to the bank, but forgot my new checks were in the car after they turned me down. So, I drove back to the gas station at exit 6 and decided to put my remanding change in the tank.
When I got there I saw my ex’s aunt’s friend who asked me how I was doing. “Flustered,” I thought, but I decided to say, “I’m fine just hoping I get back to Bridgeport on $2.50. I wanted to get out of the clothes I had on hoping I wouldn’t mess them up. I really wanted to put back on my coffee stained t-shirt and gym shorts and sandals. There was no time. I put the change in, and I told my mom I’d talk to her later. I flew home just hoping to at least get to Fairfield where they knew me well at the gas station. I made it. Thinking I could write a check for my clove cigars I took my license only and check book with me inside. They couldn’t give me the gas, but did let me get one pack to tie me over without writing anything-FREE. Glad about that, but I was totally frustrated because my car was a mess inside, and my clothes and papers from the post office thrown everywhere. I tried to straighten everything up before leaving, and threw my license in the bag with my clothes. Why did I do that instead of putting it in my wallet? I changed into my comfortable sandals then left.
Finally, I got home and it was 1:30am, almost a 12 hour journey. I dragged everything in the house feeling more exhausted than when I go to rehearsals in the city. Getting home and trying to put everything back was the first issue, but I was now hungry after my fast. So, I layed my belongings down, locked the door, and went downstairs to find something to eat before I “died” from hunger.
In essence, something good came out of it. I got to see Shaila, meet another lady from Kiss FM, see all the poets, write this story, and publish it to God be the glory. $2.50 went a long way, but the Holy Spirit even further despite my childish faith. Thank God I made it safely back home, and a few days after I found out my grandmother was out of ICU, and instead of rehab again from what I’m told she’ll be coming home my cousin said. Prayers of the righteous avail much, amen to that one!!!!
~the end 10:05pm
- written by the “Most Fantabulous, Loviest, Wealthiest, & Most Jubilant Sistah’ in the world!” Producer of Talk 2 Me! Radio (speak those things as though they are)
The McCafe is going on in Harlem, today, the 14th. Will I be there? You’ll just have to wait and see.
“To the experts who don’t even have a Best Seller, the “Holier than Thou,” the ones who are quick to pass judgment, the ones who’ve never endured nothing as crazy I have in life, the ones who still plant seeds of lies and hatred, to the ones who a quick to throw stones, to the ones who claim to have your back but don’t, to the ones who never owned up to their own dirt, to those who have no relationship with God, to the ones who do no wrong, and also those who can totally relate and have gone through just as much or more…I love you, and may God continue to bless, heal, and love on you as has done and will continue to do for me. Pray my strength in the Lord.
Ask yourself who have you helped, who have you led to Christ (James 5:18-20, what have you overcome, who is your God, what addictions do you have that no one knows of that you need God to heal you from, do you have any weaknesses, and what have YOU done to bring about a better and more productive community?”
Fruits of the Spirit:
· love (agape);
· joy (chara);
· peace (eirene);
· patience (makrothumia);
· kindness (chrestotes);
· goodness (agathosune);
· faithfulness (pistis);
· gentleness (prautes);
· self-control (egkrateia). GAL 5:22 (Apostle Paul)
“Fruits of the spirit are to help you as individual in this walk called LIFE, and for the development of one’s own character; the gifts of the spirit are to help others, ourselves & for kingdom building as both working together for the betterment of us all; wherein we do lack in some area yet work towards; gifts come without repentance (bible), fruits must be cultivated in a process of time. The greatest- seasoned, unseasoned, child or adult, famous or not, poor or rich, saved or unsaved is LOVE. Jesus never lacks when we do.”
~Che’ri (Sha-ree not Sherry meaning LOVE in French) Lord help me to love more; myself and others. Love covers a multitude of sins.
References (NLT Bible):
James 5:18-20
2 Samuel 22
Psalms 70 & 112
Romans 8:28-30
Isaiah 40:29-31; 49 & 51
· Sign up for “Running Into The Light!” (RIL) Women Survivor of Abuse teleconference counseling, ministry, and abuse prevention call to register by mid August. A 6 week session will be one day per week for 1 to 1 1/2hr weekly. Sessions are $20 per person (for each hour), and sessions are to be paid for in advance before participation. I must have a minimum of 4 people to begin, and up to 6 people maximum per course. I have a background in education, ministry, and pastoral counseling education, and the spirit of the Lord to guide all wanting to join their path to freedom and healing via DITR’s RIL.
· I’m a Life Ministry Coach that will moderate each session. Hands on lessons will be required. Private; I ask that all who participate do NOT disclose information regarding another participant. You can remain anonymous. Great reviews! Must be 18 and fill out an application to participate. Applications will be sent to you if interested, and payment for the 6 week course is received. Brochures available.
· For hiring DITR; or to book/hire Min. Che’ri Humphrey for:
a) preaching engagements,
b) spoken WORD engagements; personalized poems
c) as business & educational consultant,
d) as an artist,
e) management, promoting, or finding talent
f) event coordinator,
g) producing, & acting/directing theatre plays
h) for artwork; spray paint, oil pastels, acrylic, & charcoal/pencil
i) teaching; DITR curriculum youth & adults
j) counseling as Life ministry coach; RIL women adults
k) Editing, music lyrics, screenplay writer, playwright: Author of fictional novels “In the Eyes of the Enemy & 9 Hours, 3 Days, & 28 Minutes;” plays “Blind Ole’ Lady Wit’ah Cane & My, My, My (see video clip on previous article featuring actor Guy Fortt of Color Purple on Broadway & the movie Interpreter & myself); & screenplay “Running Out of the Fire!”
Ø (Need investor for autobiography movie of myself previously under the direction of Steward Bronfeld, formerly of NBC, for 1yr in ‘05-06) Running Out of the Fire! copyrights©2002, 2005, 2010, 2011. All in process of completion. All rights reserved by author. Not to be duplicated, copied, or used, and no I do NOT give permission.
l) proposals & typing papers
m) Brochure creations, etc.
Ø go to: www.cherihumphrey.com or www.ditrfindingthespiritinme.org (last page for fees & these sites shutting down as of 7/1/11 for reconstruction)
· Che’ri was recently nominated for community service award to be held Oct 8th in New Haven/Bridgeport. Please see twitter for updates if you’d like to come out and support this recent honor she was informed of this June. Thank you to all who’ve supported DITR & myself from 2010-2011.
· WILL YOU BE OUR FINANCIAL ANGEL INVESTOR? WE (DITR), ME, MYSELF, & I NEED YOU TO CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM AND BRING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL FOR 2012.
· To donate, volunteer, or help bring us to the next level, sponsor, assist in funds needs, or pay for any services provided by DITR/Che’ri Humphrey, or order DVD’s send to: Ms. Che’ri Humphrey, PO Box 17183, Stamford, CT 06907 or call 203.952.9807 or cherihum@yahoo.com or chum308@hotmail.com
Other sites:
www.youtube.com/Cheri328 (to see spoken WORD; copyrights 2002, 2003, & ‘05)
www.16weeks.ning.com/runningintothelight (Sign up for teleconference counseling by mid August to participate with weekly sessions at the end of August)
www.talk2cheri.blogspot.com (orders for pics or DVD collection info)
www.blogtalkradio.com/talk2cheri Talk 2 Me! Radio Fastest Growing Online Broadcast In CT (end of season that will be resuming in August/Sept) with 3,700 plus listeners in one year.
