Refined and Fly

Monday, April 13, 2009

CAN YOU LIVE WITH REGRETS?


Peace. You know a popular adage is that you should live life without regrets. To that, I say hah! Easier said than done. The important thing is not to wallow in them, but I think it is natural to go through life and do some things that had you more knowledge, wisdom or understanding, you would have done differently. So the other day, I was reading the Harvard Business review and there was an article "Go Ahead, Have Regrets." Below are some points that I took into account.

-"The most successful people have been those resolute in the face of failure

-Instead of ruminating what might have been, let what happened point the way. The regret you feel from a frank re-appraisal of your decision making need not undermine your self-confidence. Use regret to improve decision making and clarify values.

-Balance regret and risk. Instead of choosing a less risky option that you are least likely to regret, choose the one that will maximize your chance of reaching realistic goals."

Maybe the key is not to live in regret, to not make a temporary space like regret your home, because you cannot change the past. You can only prevent it from re-occurring...if the lesson has been learned.

WAR AND PEACE (the name of one of the songs on my mixtape)

*Also here's a what I call an "Embrace the Message, Not the Messenger" quote I found in Newsweek that I found to be applicable:

"Whoever thinks that he will achieve something by way of concessions, no, he will only invite more pressure and more wars. If you want peace, prepare for war."
-Avigdor Lieberman, Israeli Foreign Minister

My name, I Medina Peaceful Earth, specifically focusing on the "Medina Peaceful" embodies the essence of this quote. It is a constant process to find peace, and often times you have to fight for it. You can't suppress the chaos or confusion or opposing side (if you try, it will only work for a little while). Eventually, your opponent will rear it's ugly head and you will have to face it. You will have to fight. And if you have the right tools or strategy, you will win. Peace is not constant (though we want it to be). Nothing really is except change. Peace is temporary because in life we are constantly challenged or constantly challenging ourselves, therefore, the process for maintaining peace becomes what is constant. You struggle to maintain your balance when you get thrown curve balls. You have challenges and you work them out. You achieve the peace, you may remain in that space for a while, and then you have another battle. For example, there have been empires that were in ages of peace and prosperity, but someone who was jealous, envious or simply wanted what they had tried to invade. Sometimes you have internal battles and you have external battles (people who may want your peace because you have what they think they have been looking for). I suppose the battle is not one we should fear, but view it as an opportunity for growth, to get stronger, better, faster and more efficient.

Not easy, but necessary

Peace

I Medina Peaceful Earth

Monday, April 06, 2009

CHECK OUT THESE ORGANIZATIONS! YOU'LL BE INSPIRED!

Peace! I arranged a business trip with a couple of co-workers to California to visit these dynamic organizations. If you work with youth or within the social justice area and need some ideas or inspiration, check out the web-sites to these great orgs. They are doing great work and have really good, innovative creative models. We are hittin up everywhere accept the People's Grocery (boo...I want to go there so badly! A People's Grocery is needed in so many neighborhoods without proper access to organic produce). All of these places are in Oakland, CA. It was pretty easy to arrange visits with everybody (most people we are meeting with are Executive staff)...just give them a call or email and be persistent. With all the drama goin on out there, there are some positive things happening. I am truly proud to be from the Bay!

I Medina



1) School of Unity and Liberation (SOUL)

www.schoolofunityandliberation.org


Focus of Org: youth leadership development, youth organizing, trainings on social justice issues. Curriculum manuals for sale





2) Youth Uprising-

www.youthuprising.org


Focus of Org: comprehensive youth centered facility and programming (Performing Arts, modeling, Career Exploration, GED Prep, Personal Development, Neighborhood Unity, Youth Leadership)




3) Leadership Excellence

www.leadershipexcellence.org


Focus of Org: Freedom school, Sister Circle, Brother Circle, Youth Leadership, Summer Camp, Trip to Africa




4) Silence the Violence/ Urban Peace Movement

www.ellabakercenter.org


Focus of Org: Utilizing the arts to bring youth in different neighborhoods together, Turf Unity Project




5) Art in Action/ Green for All-April 9, 12:30pm

www.greenforall.org (check out user guide)

www.artinactionworld.org


Focus of Org: Utilizing the arts to bring youth in different neighborhoods together (Art in Action) and Resources for community campaigning, strategy, and implementation of Stimulus Bill (Green for All).





6) Ella Baker Center for Human Rights

www.ellabakercenter.org


Focus of Org: Books Not Bars (Juvenile justice), Green Collar Jobs Campaign, Soul of the City (community education, ecological sustainability, community leadership), Silence the Violence (it emerged from the Ella Baker Center but is now its’ own entity), Bay Area Police Watch




7) People’s Grocery-

www.peoplesgrocery.org


Focus of Org: Innovative means of supplying organic locally grown produce to neighborhood residents of West Oakland, youth staff and youth led workshops, Nutritional Cooking classes, community education




8) Youth Together


www.youthtogether.net

Focus of Org: utilizes four main programs to meet our mission: 1.) Youth Together Student Teams: Youth Together operates student organizing clubs on six school campuses to develop student leadership skills, multiracial solidarity, and to improve school conditions. 2.) School-Based One Land, One People Youth Centers/Collaboratives: Youth Together operates multi-service collaboratives and youth centers on high school campuses. 3.) Community-Based Youth Centers/Collaboratives: Youth Together advocates and organizes for community based multi-service collaboratives and centers and partners with local officials to design, plan, and develop these centers. 4.) Regional Programming: Youth Together provides regional programming to core youth leaders and is the lead member of the ODB network, a regional network of youth-serving organizations working to improve a variety of issues which impact the areas’ young people
MIXTAPE DELAYED TILL MAY


Peace! Okay, so today was supposed to be the day that my mixtape drops, but we are lookin at May. We're having some tech issues with the computer in the studio and I'll be out of town for 2 weeks out of this month. The good news is that I'm almost at the finish line...3 more tracks, a lil mix, a lil master, guerrilla style the duplication and voila! It will be ready to get in your hands. So as the 80s song says...Don't you...forget about me! This is not a 52 fake out move! This is not a vague "coming soon" in disguise!

I'll be back soon

Peace!