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WhatchuTHINK: mine your mind

FORWARDEVER MEDIA CENTER

Writer Alex Haley writing The Autobiography of Malcolm X with Brother Malcolm.

"The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses."
- Malcolm X

Mission

The Forwardever Media Center is 100% committed to providing unconventional writing workshops and media literacy training to "at-risk" Black youth, particularly males, ages 14 through 24. Working in partnership with The Mentoring Center in Oakland, CA., the Center's writing workshops, website internship, and film forums, help students develop critical thinking skills and discover their creative talents. We recruit youth for our programs from the California Youth Authority (the state's largest prison for youth) as well as from universities and high schools. This cross-pollination of young minds creates dynamic shared experiences.

Programs

Whatchusay Cinema–A monthly film forum hosted at schools or community centers in Northern California that explores issues such as race, class, gender, and society. Students are joined by a panel of activists, educators, athletes, entrepreneurs, etc. to rate the films and convene roundtable discussions about corresponding relevant issues in society. For info about film screenings and schedules contact: cheo@whatchusay.com

Writing Workshops–We offer intensive seminars in journalism, creative writing, cultural criticism, new media, film production, etc. These seminars are taught at the center, located at 1224 Preservation Park, Oakland, CA, 94612. They are also available on location, at schools, community and detention centers, churches, etc. For info about class schedules contact: cheo@whatchusay.com

Internships–Whatchusay.com offers competitive internships to young writers who have clearly demonstrated a passion for the craft of writing or media production. The 3-month internship covers news writing and reporting, feature writing, creative writing, media literacy and new media. Working in partnership with community based organizations, universities and international and national media outlets, we produce a pipeline of informed journalists of color who will go on to create their own independent media organizations or work for major media organizations.

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Sex and the Single Sister

By Michelle Michelle

For the last couple of weeks or months I should say, this column has not appeared on whatchusay.com for awhile. I have been missing and only giving you, my dear people, limited information as to where I was hiding or running to. The truth of the matter is this: I failed an important test in life but gained knowledge that will last me a lifetime. I make a solid promise that I will never be gone away from you for as long as I was. I know I will have to work hard to prove to you my word is good. I don't mind working hard to earn back your trust...

I failed the test on June the 9, 2006. I sat in a car parked on a
street of North East Washington, DC. My eyes were red from crying and
the beautiful blue striped tanktop that I had so carefully picked
out to wear that night was now covered in vomit.

If asked at that point where I was at or what I was doing there on that street, I could probably not give you an answer that you could understand. Though it made sense in my mind, the words seemed to come out random and misplaced. I remember pressing the number 24 on my cell phone and hearing a Latina with a Bronx accent answer with her usual, "Whut's up?". I confessed to her that I was sitting outside of "his" place and that "his" roommate had read some parts of "his" journal.

On the other end, Mali,that's her name, sighed and like the rest of my
dearest who friends tried to offer words of comfort. She stressed that now was the time for me to remove myself away from from this man. She pointed out all the signs of how sorry he was and how he didn't deserve me.

But for what ever reason my brain wanted could not see the obvious. I didn't get it or maybe I just wasn't trying to hear it. I remember her saying, "Start the car and get out of there now! Go home and walk away." But I was in such a work that I couldn't think of which direction to go to get home. And I couldn't think of anyone here in DC to come and get me. I continued to cry and vomited again all over myself. A woman came over to the car but backed away for what ever reasons.

In a brief momment of clarity granted by God, I noticed Mali was no longer speaking. I called out her name and she replied, "SO HOW STUPID ARE YOU?"

I am not sure what I was thinking and I am sure that I heard her the first time. But I answered with a, "Uh?" And again in the same voice that was not cold or angry, she asked, "SO, HOW STUPID ARE YOU?"

It was at that moment that I looked in the mirror and caught a glance of myself. There I sat with my nose running, face covered in tears and vomit. Presious minutes of my life wasted over a man whom even his own mother didn't trust. I'd canceled my weekly visit to one of my favorite DC haunts, The Blue Mercury Spa. All to sit here and deal with this bullshit.

I didn't answer her question with words. Instead, I started the car and Mali in return only replied, "Call me when you get home." She hung up and I went home.

I came and got out a sheet of paper and a pen. I wrote down all the things this man contributed to my life. NOT what I brought to the
table but what he brought to me. What I found out was that he didn't
offer a damn thing. I failed. I failed the test.

Are you wasting time with a man who doesn't appreciate you? What I want to know from you is are you failing the test?

Posted on July 30, 2006 9:23 AM