Don’t say anything at all

Strongly consider the effects of your speaking death or misfortune over someone else’s life. We are all connected. When you do it to others, you are doing it to yourself. I wonder if the tables were turned and it was done to you, in your face, repeatedly, day after day. I don’t think you would like it at all. Consider the other person is just as human as you are, flaws, faults, frailties and mistakes. If you knew the power of your words (whether in jest or not), you would be far more careful about what you say about yourself and others. Consider your words carefully before you speak them, over your own life and anyone else’s. Think. It is not cool or dope to do it. Choose not to encourage or engage it in conversations with others. You will feel better having restrained yourself. I encourage you to adopt this very simple task: if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. Speak positively about yourself and others. If you don’t want it to come true for you, don’t say it.

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Frenetta Tate is CEO of Frenetta Tate International, a Certified Women’s Life Empowerment Coach, Certified International Entrepreneur Coach, Business Strategist, Author and Speaker. I am passionate about helping Entrepreneurs understand their unique advantage, embrace their personal power with clarity and develop a unique business strategy for their business growth and sustainability. email to frenetta@frenettatate.com or connect to @frenettatate on social media.

 

Don’t solely rely on other people

It is not a good idea to solely make your determinations, judgments, decisions and resolves based on opinions. I encourage you to get clarity: learn for yourself, read for yourself and get an understanding so you can be clear to make educated choices about people, places and things. If it is at all possible for you, base your decisions on knowledge that you have attained through your own search for understanding. People’s opinions are their viewpoints, not taking your thoughts and beliefs into account, and they have a right to it.

Viewpoints are shaped by experiences, upbringing, perceptions and a person’s own truth that they use to guide their own lives, which may not resonate or connect with the way you live and what you believe. So, don’t solely rely on other people for your news and information, especially when you can find out for yourself.

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Frenetta Tate is CEO of Frenetta Tate International, a Certified Women’s Life Empowerment Coach, Certified International Entrepreneur Coach, Business Strategist, Author and Speaker. I am passionate about helping Entrepreneurs understand their unique advantage, embrace their personal power with clarity and develop a unique business strategy for their business growth and sustainability. email to frenetta@frenettatate.com or connect to @frenettatate on social media.

It Will not End Until…

 

It will not end until accountability, responsibility and true justice is taken seriously across the board – top down and then across. The pattern is that a vast majority of police officers are not held accountable for killing unarmed men and women who are clearly no threat to them or to society. They are not doing their jobs. They are being paid to be criminals. I don’t care how they were trained and I am tired of them hiding behind ‘training’ and not being charged with activities that are criminal. I am tired of them being ‘above the law.’

We are smart. We see. We rightly judge. We look at the videos and discuss it among ourselves. There is no open season on blacks. We are not going to put these images and phrases out there. That is not what we want or desire. We do not want an ‘open season’, We do not want to be ‘targeted’, we do not want to be in ‘fear’ of our lives just driving down the street or standing still. We do not want that. What we want is to be able to live and enjoy life and not continue to be threatened, harassed, beaten and killed because of who we are.

We are tired of being misjudged, mishandled, misunderstood, falsely accused and guilty before innocent. What we ask for, continually, is to simply live our lives, enjoy peace and happiness, afforded to all in this damn country. I am sick of the racial divides that promote hate and the people who continue to propagate it throughout this country. I am tired of people talk big talk and doing nothing about it – putting up a good front for the TV and behind the scenes not doing anything to solve the problems.

It starts with accountability and responsibility for criminal action, then conviction, then sentencing that fits the crime and a pattern of such.

• When police officers see that they will no longer be able to just shoot and kill someone without a justifiable reason – they will start actually doing their jobs the way it is supposed to be done.
• When police officers see that there is no longer a network of people supporting their criminal behavior, they will have no choice but to do their jobs correctly.
• We need an increase in examples of conviction, prosecution and proper sentencing of police officers who abuse their power and kill unjustifiably.  I further believe that police officers who have gotten away with unjustifiable murders should have their cases reopened and reviewed by a higher, objective court, with subsequent proper sentencing.
• No longer should a police officer be set free when his or her actions are criminal. At that point, he or she should not be considered an officer, but a civilian, because the actions were not congruent with that of an officer. They were not protecting and serving; they were acting outside of the bounds of their duties and therefore, it is something else.
• There needs to be a stricter adherence to the law for police officers, judges, police chiefs, district attorneys, mayors and internal affairs staffers.

I hope there is a DA and a Judge that will have the courage to step outside of the ‘code’ or the unwritten ‘I got your back’ laws and do what is right, instead of what is easy.

I have a theory and I am speaking into the universe that things will begin to unravel in various areas of government, public and private, about why police officers are not being held accountable for unjustified shootings.

• May it be revealed the truth about side deals, bribes, gift exchanges, favor exchanges and other unlawful acts.  
• May whispered conversations that are against policy or that show a blatant miscarriage of justice be heard loudly.
• May lawmakers, influential person(s) or anyone who can effect radical change in how this is all done rise up with the courage to walk away from the ‘in’ crowd and reveal the currently hidden information about why things are happening the way they are.
• May the ‘behind the scenes’ become the front page news.’ 
• May everyone who has anything to do with these cover-ups and mishandled justifications be ousted through a divine intervention.
• May resignations of people who are fouling up the system come forth.
• May those who truly want to make a difference in our justice system rise in power and truth and NEVER BACK DOWN, speak truth to power and render right judgments.

Now, that I have gotten that out of the way. Here is where WE come in.

It will not end until WE do what we need to do in our own communities. WE have work to do. WE cannot ‘wait’ for things to be given to us. WE must do the work within our own communities. WE must unify and strengthen ourselves; Mind, Body and Spirit. Instead of asking “What is the plan?” Ask “what can I do?” and then be willing and ready to do it. Start right where you stand. Start with yourself and let it permeate. Start with feeding your mind, taking care of your body and coming to a right spirit within. It is time for us to become more united than we are divided. We can’t effect change with a divided house. It is only through ‪‎unification‬, can change ‪manifest‬. We need to get ourselves together. Each state and each city can mobilize their communities, bring everyone together to educate and empower them. This is not about violence, eye for an eye or revenge. As you know, you live by the sword, you die by the sword. We are not desiring to die! No one has to die! We want to live and we fight for this through unification, education and empowerment of our people. WE put forth the effort to change the landscape of our lives and our communities, one person at a time. I’ve developed the EECBU 7 step solution.

The EECBU 7 Step Solution™

Educate Our People. Empower Our Communities. Build Unity.

• In your community, Form a leadership team of passionate and sound-thinking individuals.
• Meet to discuss an agenda for the community wide meeting
• Create a flyer to hand out to everyone in neighborhood to invite them. Do it!
• Have a community-wide meeting at a local community center in your neighborhood.

Have the following or similar discussion topics:

• The Current Problems
  • Community Perceptions
  • Community Appearance
  • Loss of Unification
  • Loss of Life
  • Dealing with the Police
• The Sustainable Solutions
  • Change the perception and appearances
  • Mini Communication Courses
  • Develop a team of Community Caretakers
  • Policing our own neighborhood
• Community Cleanup Days
  • Get volunteer street leaders for each street
  • Solicit Donations for trash bags and other needs
  • Yard beautification guidelines – Start with your yard to clean up the community!
• Community Patrol Officers
  • To police our own neighborhood – Get them trained in ER, FR and FA, develop patrol schedules, daily logs and incident reports.
• Community Conversations
  • Stay connected by building regular block parties for quick 30 minute classes on various topics related to Life-Skills, Discussion panels and motivational speakers.
• Have 5 sign-up sheets for the above areas – Names, Numbers and Emails of people WILLING and READY TO ACT and serve in these capacities, as well as designate leaders.
• Create Accountability teams for all of the above discussion topics

The key is to take back the neighborhood, educate the people, and empower them with knowledge and skills. Build relationships and promote unity among our people. If you follow the above, you will see transformation in your neighborhood.

It is important to be a part of the solution instead of continuing to talk about the problem.

This is one solution, starting from the inside out. There may be other solutions. I believe it begins in OUR HOUSE! We’ve got to change perception, encourage new ideas and thought, as well as get our minds right, ourselves in order and bring back the unity in our community.

 

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Learn more about Frenetta at http://www.frenettatate.com

Kwanzaa: Celebrating the Good

Happy Kwanzaa!  I enjoy this time of year – Celebrating Kwanzaa!

You have the power of leadership. You have the power to create and celebrate the good in this world. Never forget how awesome you are and how much you can offer this world.

Below is an excerpt from Dr. Maulana Karenga’s annual message. I share this excerpt to provide education and inspiration but that you would also be moved in your heart to embrace the principles and implement them in your life and business.

The beautiful thing about Kwanzaa is that while it is speaking to African Americans; Dr. Karenga’s message is kindly inclusive of all people and the world. 

“Embracing the Principles and Practice of Kwanzaa: Creating and Celebrating the Good”

The Seven Principles, the Nguzo Saba, prove their enduring and daily relevance in the life we live, the work we do, and the struggle we wage on every front to expand the realm of freedom and justice, peace, security, well-being and other goods in the world. Umoja (Unity) teaches us the oneness of our people, the common ground of our humanity, the interrelatedness of life and the indispensability of family and community in our righteous togetherness in love, work and struggle.

In a world where there are ongoing invasions, bombing, occupations and other mass assaults on vulnerable peoples and lands, and there are outrageous denials of the rights to freedom and independence, the principle of Kujichagulia (Self-determination) reaffirms our right and everyone’s right to control our destiny and daily lives, and build the good communities, societies and future we conceive, aspire to and struggle to bring into being.

In a world where degraded forms of individualism claim the day and people are taught conflict over cooperation and rush ruthlessly ahead at the expense of others, Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) teaches us that we come into being, thrive and flourish in needed and principled relationships. And it teaches us that it is together that we must conceive and construct the good communities, societies and world we all want and deserve.

In a world where corporate pillage and plunder of the wealth of the world and alliances with invading and occupying armies are understood as normal and necessary by citizen beneficiaries, and where silence in the face of slaughter and suffering is justified for “reasons” of the false right to be secure in that brutal robbery and repressive rule, the principle of Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) teaches the value and practice of shared work and shared wealth, the right of people to their own re-sources and the ethical imperative of a just and equitable sharing of the good of the world.

In a world where evil and injustice flourish and the poor and vulnerable are held in contempt by the rich and powerful and by the wannabe’s that worship and follow them, the principle of Nia (Purpose) reminds us of the ancient ethical teaching in the Odu Ifa that we and all humans are divinely chosen to bring good in the world and that this is the fundamental mission and meaning, i.e., purpose, of human life.

In a world in which worldwide destruction is digitized and brutally imposed on the world, and the police and vigilante taking of Black lives has become almost epidemic, and where countries and whole peoples are devastated, and the environment laid waste with wanton disregard and distain, the principle of Kuumba (Creativity) urges us to practice the ethical teachings of The Husia that put forth the concept of serudj ta, the moral obligation to heal, repair and transform the world making it more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.

Finally, In a world where faith is funded, religion is racialized and used to indict and discredit whole peoples and their faith, and God is given the blasphemous and sacrilegious role of co-signing oppression, land and resource robbery and claims of racial and religious supremacy, the principle of Imani (Faith) teaches us to hold tightly and firmly to the faith of our ancestors who taught us to respect each person, people and culture as a unique and equally valid and valuable way of being human in the world.

These are great principles to implement in daily life and in business. Kwanzaa is celebrated December 26 – January 1. Read Dr. Karenga’s full message here.

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Frenetta Tate is a Motivational Orator, International Author, Women’s Empowerment Coach, Business Consultant and Partner. Learn more at http://www.frenettatate.com

Keep the wolf teeth at Bay

It takes one person to destroy it for everyone, even those who are innocent. It takes one person to mar the image of something that may have once held the most positive image of what life can be. It takes one person to ruin it for us all. It takes one person to bring destruction, pain and utter disappointment. It takes one person. Many fail to realize how their actions and their non-actions affects far more than their own life.  It affects everyone who has been associated with you. If you rob, kill or steal – even if you lose your life – you have people left to deal with what you did – even though they had no part in your behavior.

On the flip side, you can do great works in the earth – touch millions of people through your personal efforts. You can leave a great legacy. You are one person. You can either be great in your life or you can a big disappointment to every one around you.  While I applaud and I am a proponent of living in the present moment – I can’t get away from the fact that you must think about your future when you make decisions about your life and actions.

Actions come back. Will yours come back good or will they be a big disappointment to those who are left in your line? Decide who you want to be and how your legacy will play out when you are not here; through your actions and decisions. Choose to be great and to leave a beautiful legacy. Don’t do anything that will come back with wolf teeth!

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Frenetta Tate is an International Best Selling Author of “Hot Mama in High Heels”, Certified Empowerment Coach and Motivational Speaker. Visit www.frenettatate.com to learn more about her services and products.