Words By Raymond Tyler
I like many of my dear friends are still in shock of the sudden passing of Miss Ruby Dee.
Unlike my parents, I have NEVER known a world with out Brother Amiri, and Sisters Angelou and Dee...so the need to reconcile is very real in my mind.
Unlike my parents, I have NEVER known a world with out Brother Amiri, and Sisters Angelou and Dee...so the need to reconcile is very real in my mind.
As I look on Facebook today I see a lot of pictures of Mrs. Ruby Dee and that's good.
BUT IT AIN'T ENOUGH!
A friend of mine named Damali made a great point....Ruby Dee will be missed....but we are mainly sad because not enough people will stand up to fill her shoes.
This is an open letter to all my remaining facebook friends. Get in where this message fits your shoe size.
This is an open letter to all my remaining facebook friends. Get in where this message fits your shoe size.
Number One....To those of us who use words like "conscious" and "spiritual"....let us not get weary in well doing. I am speaking to myself as well.
No one of us alone could step into the breach and be the next Amiri...much less Amiri, Maya and Ruby....we still have not any of us created anything on par with Ossie Davis's Purlie Victorious....and Mr. Davis has been away from us for 9 years now.
We may never live up to the legacy our elders left...but we must press on. We can find comfort in knowing that many of the elders gone on and those with us still are very proud of our work as artists. We know that we have helped many people who we touch first hand that may not have shaken hands with our great elders.
Let's keep pressing for the mark.
Number Two...this letter is for the one's that believe their posting Ruby Dee is enough.
Sorry.
If you are not willing to do certain things? If you are not willing to write about certain topics? If you can not say no to a dollar?If you have to take of your clothes off, shake your behind, act like a fool, every time some one throws money at you?Do not bother to post Ruby's image on your facebook or talk about her on Twitter.
People like Ruby Dee said "NO" numerous times to media that would assassinate Black Dignity for a price tag. People as famous as Ruby Dee and not, have created monumental works of art that people said "no body will pay money for that." Ruby Dee had a beauty that rivaled anyone's but you would have never have found her on a reality show acting like she was let out of a cage.
People like Ruby Dee invest their own time and money into projects, not because somebody at a radio station will give them a shout out or say it's hot. They create these works of art that become plays, TV shows, films, and books because they believe in real change.
I am here today and have done what I did because people like Ruby Dee PROVED there is more to life and being black that what's "cool".
I am CLOSER TO FREEDOM because of Amiri Baraka, Ruby Dee and Maya Angelou.....and like it or not everything I write, draw, or post on face book is going to lead people closer to their FREEDOM or THEIR SLAVERY.
It's time for you to choose.
We may never live up to the legacy our elders left...but we must press on. We can find comfort in knowing that many of the elders gone on and those with us still are very proud of our work as artists. We know that we have helped many people who we touch first hand that may not have shaken hands with our great elders.
Let's keep pressing for the mark.
Number Two...this letter is for the one's that believe their posting Ruby Dee is enough.
Sorry.
If you are not willing to do certain things? If you are not willing to write about certain topics? If you can not say no to a dollar?If you have to take of your clothes off, shake your behind, act like a fool, every time some one throws money at you?Do not bother to post Ruby's image on your facebook or talk about her on Twitter.
People like Ruby Dee said "NO" numerous times to media that would assassinate Black Dignity for a price tag. People as famous as Ruby Dee and not, have created monumental works of art that people said "no body will pay money for that." Ruby Dee had a beauty that rivaled anyone's but you would have never have found her on a reality show acting like she was let out of a cage.
People like Ruby Dee invest their own time and money into projects, not because somebody at a radio station will give them a shout out or say it's hot. They create these works of art that become plays, TV shows, films, and books because they believe in real change.
I am here today and have done what I did because people like Ruby Dee PROVED there is more to life and being black that what's "cool".
I am CLOSER TO FREEDOM because of Amiri Baraka, Ruby Dee and Maya Angelou.....and like it or not everything I write, draw, or post on face book is going to lead people closer to their FREEDOM or THEIR SLAVERY.
It's time for you to choose.
______________________
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