The idea of Freedom & what it is to be Free is truly ringing all over the world in defining who we are as people, particularly amongst global Africans. I say you can not define an African- an African is free & defines him or herself! The US Census has caused so much debate in its lack of sensitivity to those who are offended by certain words being used to identify them, but we must recognize that the job & aim of the census is to make sure that everyone is counted so government funds can be allocated accordingly in serving each individual community; the census is not there to be the pulse & definition of who we are as individuals. Things like the census, the upcoming world cup coming to Africa for the first time & the racism in nationalism that tarnishes a game that is a world game, the scars of slavery & colonialism that degrades & blurs identity, the ongoing global issue of immigration which divides us all instead of recognizing us all as global citizens in search of  commonalty in our global  freedom & dreams, & mediums such as films & music that address freedom & identity  should be used as opportunities for each individual to reflect, research, rethink & renew our personal identity as we see it & choose to be defined in a world that is globally fused. The census gives us all an opportunity to check every box that applies in order to hopefully have a more accurate & more concise definition of who we are as Americans & how we wish to be defined in this new decade.

Due to malice, mischeif & freedom, African blood runs through the world & that world is getting more & more globally fused because of the type of freedom that will one day usher in a time when the only box we will all need to check is the box of the global fusionist! A globally fused world where a French woman of African & European decent with a black face winning France’s prestigious Prix Goncourt literary award or  a culinary chef born in Senegal being honored as best in show in making France’s national pastime tradition of the baguette by winning the 2010 Grand Prix de la Baguette de la Ville de Paris, does not make front page news because of the color of their skin but rather becomes a symbol that has French President Sarkozy & the racist anti-immigration movement in France literally eating their words, where the shift in changing faces of a neighborhood is seen less as gentrification & more  as a product of global fusion, where there are more global citizens &  doctors without borders doing the global people’s work  in unity &  personal obligation,where a black man with an African father & a white American mother becoming the president of the United States of America is not  at all surprising or shocking because we are all globally fused & share a world culture that continues to evolve daily as we live in freedom in this beautiful gift called life! A globally fused world where we take our window seat to a world view where the only group think is one of each individual’s international thinking pattern. We need to all reflect & see what our world truly represents & how each of us effects the  demagoguery, division,exclusion, inclusion, interaction & evolving of a shared earth where before all, we are humans who represent different colors, cultures, religions etc. that makes this earth so beautifully flavorful & exciting instead of monotonous & bland!

“it’s clear different meditations..difference of opinion, color & race.. different people..different culture yet thru the same thing we all can relate..maybe I am just 2 concerned.. maybe these things make my heart burn…maybe I am a dreamer believing visions that will never be or maybe I am just another optimistic soul.” Buju Banton

Free Yourself, Free Your Mind & the rest will follow!