Raise on the Ones

Raise the children.

Raise the volume.

Raise funds.

Raise awareness.

Raise it for everyone; don’t be careless.

Raise the standards.

Raise ya hands up.

– LMNO & Kev Brown (Selective Hearing 2008)

I make no apologies for rap, for Hip Hop but I echo what artists LMNO and Kev Brown spit in the aforementioned chorus for the track RAISE (Selective Hearing 2008). One the longest conversations I’ve had to date with students was a recent one about depression and suicide. With 33 retweets and 37 likes at the time of this blog, I accidentally discovered, through a tweet of a text-help hotline, an alarm that’s probably been blaring for the last 20 years.

See, this is the life span of whatever generation sits in classrooms like mine from pre-K where my son is to the college freshmen I teach in addition to the high school kids in my daily flow. Since I play a role in the refrain of raising the seven elements, I reflected  in this first installment on what it takes to RAISE. Start with the children…

Raise the children.

PATIENCE… It almost goes without saying that repeating yourself is annoying. But the mentors of a society are always forced to wait on novices. The neophytes we attempt to initiate into the “village” require us to teach, to wait, to teach again, correct, love and build that we might unleash fully formed humans.

ACCOUNTABILITY (without insult)… Why does it always seem like to hold someone accountable for their actions, we often do it with a tone of fear? We warn the children about bad decisions but fail to tell them in detail how we’ve made mistakes. We transmit our fears and vicariously mentor hoping kids will be motivated to not “make the same mistakes” mom and dad made. THAT DOESN’T TRANSLATE. Tell ’em the story of how you did some dumb sh*t. This generation is incredibly forgiving.

Raise the volume.

EARS…“Quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to wrath…” The theme of being unheard has been anchored in our culture. Old folks used to say, “Children are to be seen and not heard.” DM me if you’ve ever said something that stupid so I can drop some science. If you think this generation has nothing meaningful to say, it’s proof you need to talk less. By the same token, raise your own volume and say the things that need to be said. If you pray, then seek in prayer those who will listen when you pump that bass on your concerns, fears, hopes and aspirations.

HUMOR… It’s the age of memes, one liners, quick communication. Humor is an ocean and young people have unparalleled wit. Let that live and make them laugh. I do and usually it starts with the 42-year-old me not taking myself so seriously. In that vein, be aware when you’re not laughing. My college students refer to me as Yoda but I don’t trip. I was called a comedian in the teacher’s lounge yesterday because when asked why I was wearing a walking boot, I said something like, “It takes all methods to raise & teach kids these days…” Turn that laughter up bruh!

SELF-AWARENESS…This one is simple and complex because it takes courage to know yourself and embrace vulnerability. But It’s absolutely the key piece so many of us are missing when it comes to leading self. The contemplative person is brave enough to reflect and admit both personal greatness and personal failure. I always say that there are things we wouldn’t even admit in a room all by ourselves. Tell me it ain’t true. But the volume must be raised on self awareness because consider the MUTED opposite. We run around in our false humility being great but acting “Hella Basic” (diminished). Or by contrast we inflate our significance with those who are naturally subordinate to us in hopes that the inflated self in its facade will carefully mode and protect those under our leadership or guidance.

Raise funds.

CASH RULES… Did Wu Tang Clan get it totally wrong when they said, “Cash rules everything around me…?” Not completely. Who are the most vulnerable in our Global Society? According to the World Health Organization, it’s women from pre-birth to death and I agree. Systemic poverty is one of the main vehicles that transport people worldwide into cycles of violence and irrational decision making. But funds buy things that help people. How come classrooms have no natural light in so many schools? How come students still sit in desks like slaves all day while being expected to stare at the not-so-impressive adult performing live for 180+ days? Couldn’t they thrive with stand-up desks that lend themselves to mobility? How come so many people who come from poverty go into gross debt to earn the right to equality of opportunity? I know, I know… “Norman (that’s me) it’s not so simple as you make it sound?” ANSWER: I never said it was homey! I ain’t breathing and bleeding for the simple solutions and I teach critical thinking so shall I schedule a MEETUP so those of you with catalytic capability can help me get this money right for the causes?

Stay tuned for RAISE on the TWOS to continue this discussion. To Raise is to Love and I’m concerned we’ve forgotten how. But can we not regain some life from these first 3 RAISES? It’s never too late and half the battle is mobilization. No matter your professional stream, we are connected and called. Peace to hip hop…

– Norman Anthony