Lifted

I am on a high! Recently I've been feelings as if I'm floating on air and I don't want to come back down anytime soon. My insides are glowing.

The Onyx held our 2nd SOULSPEECH Live last night and it was a PERFECT ending to Onyx Week. We had some Jill, Billie, and Erykah playing lightly in background. Incense and candles burned, adding to the ambience. Around 7:45pm folks slowly trickled in and the vibes were positive. We purposely didn't have a sign up sheet or rigid program. The night was all about expressions from the soul, so we encouraged anyone who felt something on their hearts to come up and share. There were testimonies, jokes, poetry, and singing. Folks got inspired and began writing poems and thoughts down on napkins. My man Terry Gresham came through and blessed us all with his vocals. The Cabral Center got so packed that we ran out of chairs but no one complained. During the moments when no one stepped up to the mic we would all sit back, turn up the music, and enjoy eachother's company. Last night more than ever we were all family and the Tute was our home. SOULSPEECH could have lasted until midnight but campus police needed to lock up the building. We promised everyone that it will definitely be a monthly event.

Though the Onyx has been through more than its fair share of hard times, this week has proven to me why we're here and the reason I've been editor-in-chief for 3 years. In 1972, Ted Thomas, Ileen Dotson, Joyce Clark, Harold Hunte, and Barbara Ellis came together because students of the African Diaspora at Northeastern needed their voices heard. In 2005 that need is still present. Nowadays since some of our battles and obstacles aren't as overt many of us have become complacent and that's why the Onyx endures.