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  • Politics Is Like Hiring A Hitman
    by Scott Woods inPolitical on2020-08-13

    For me, politics is like hiring a hitman. I have values and things I care about. I care enough about them to at least bother voting for 5 minutes every year for one issue or another. And because I care at least that much, I vote for people who align with the ability to realize the things I care about.

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  • Punching Above Our Weight
    by Roger Madison Jr. inPolitical on2020-07-24

    I believe our vote is the punctuation of our voice. Without that resounding exclamation mark, I believe our voices are just incoherent noise.

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  • BLACK PROGRESS AMIDST SOCIAL CHAOS
    by Roger Madison Jr. inPolitical on2020-06-16

    Recent events have raised the profile of historical injustice and inequities here in the USA. The entire world has taken note of the fact that BLACK LIVES MATTER.   We invite all of our friends to engage in actions that result in the greatest movement for change in our history. It is imperative that we take advantage of this opportunity to affect a positive change by ACTING IN OUR SELF-INTERESTS.

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  • Living in a Black No-Man's Land
    by Roger Madison Jr. inOur Community on2019-10-28

    There are many narratives that define the Black experience in America in this 2nd decade of the 21st century. Our striving over the centuries of our sojourn in this nation is a tapestry of every human experience -- oppression, enslavement, forced assimilation, dehumanization, exclusion, segregation, isolation, struggle, perseverance, achievement, excellence, celebration, mourning, despair, progress, setbacks, lynching, assassination, genocide, terror, self-hatred, low esteem, pride,...

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  • Fighting Racism
    by Scott Woods inOur Community on2018-10-25

    I had a boss who was racist. Not an outright bigot, of course; her toolbox was more subtle than most. We bumped heads a lot over inconsequential things. She frequently couldn’t keep my name out her mouth. Lot of gaslighting. You know…2018 style. I tried a lot of ways to combat or navigate her issues. None of them worked, and that’s saying a lot because I’m really good at fighting racism. But at the end of the day – every day – she was my boss, I had to deal with her, and that was that. Finally I...

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A Positive Website for African American Teen Girls and Young Girls

Beautiful Young African American GirlsAfro Puffs and Ponytails is a positive website that seeks to inspire African American teen girls and young girls by providing positive articles, resources, and words of encouragement. You will find pictures, and personal stories by professional African American women who offer their advice and suggestions for success. This is not a web space for demeaning boys or belittling girls of a different race or nationality. It does however, serve as an electronic avenue for empowering black teen girls by helping to build confidence, improve self-esteem, and sharpen decision-making skills.  

One of the categories of this new e-world is entitled For Parents of African American Young Girls and Teen girls. It presents helpful information for mothers and fathers seeking advice, ideas, and suggestions. The information addresses issues and concerns that parents encounter when guiding and raising their African American daughters.  

Another interesting focus of the website is the High Achievers. High Achievers are young girls and teen girls recommended by their parents for personalized recognition. Recognition may be for academic and sports related achievements or parents might choose to acknowledge their daughters attitudes, personal growth efforts, and responsible behaviors as a form of reinforcement or kudos so to speak.  Family members, friends, and optimistic visitors provide encouraging comments and electronic pats on the back.

Special features include numerous links to programs that encourage participation of African American young girls and teen girls. This national listing includes organizations, camps, clubs, etiquette info, and mentoring programs. Contact information and links to these valuable resources are all available for anyone seeking alternatives for improving the outcome of young black teen girls.

There is so much media coverage of African American teen girls and alarming statistics about teen pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, and inappropriate conduct. I believe that in order to help the girls who have fallen off track, we have to expose them to something other than reminders of their offenses.   Advertising their shortcomings has been the norm for some time now and in my humble opinion, it's not helping but it is breaking their spirit.

On this site, we strive to counterbalance the girls' well-publicized shortfalls by introducing an overflow of encouragement and hopeful possibilities.  If a teen girl has made numerous calamitous decisions and she is alive, she still has an opportunity to change her path towards a flourishing and rewarding life.  Afro Puffs and Ponytails is an attempt to demonstrate this belief by serving as a positive website of empowerment and inspiration

For more information about Afro Puffs and Ponytails, please visit their website.