Cachinnate – cach·in·nate /ˈkakəˌnāt/ verb: laugh loudly.
Cogitate – cog·i·tate /ˈkäjəˌtāt/ verb: think deeply about something; meditate or reflect.
Contemplation – con·tem·pla·tion /kän-təm-ˈplā-shən/ noun: thoughtful observation or study.
Namaste – na·ma·ste /ˈnäməˌstā/ noun: a respectful greeting; a conventional Hindu expression; a bow to thee; the divine in me respectfully recognizes the divine in you; greetings to you.
Negro – Ne·gro /ˈnēɡrō/ noun: a member of a dark-skinned group of peoples originally native to Africa south of the Sahara; adjective: relating to black people.
Satire – sat·ire /sa-ˌtī(-ə)r/ noun: irony, sarcasm, or caustic wit used to attack or expose human foolishness or vice.
The word, Negro, was respectfully penned when establishing organizations, with a mission to create equality, and empower, as with, The United Negro College Fund (UNCF), founded in April of 1944, by Mary McLeod Bethune, and Frederick D. Patterson, and, The National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW), founded in 1935, by Mary McLeod Bethune.
Daily life on Earth is full of danger for all of its inhabitants. Yet, it seems this daily dose of danger increases exponentially in humans with higher percentages of pigment. Racism impacts the health and well being of Black people in detrimental ways like, higher rates of heart disease, hypertension, depression, anxiety, maternal mortality, infant mortality, chronic diseases, and asthma just to name a few. Racism is a scientifically proven public health threat. It causes a decrease in the life expectancy of Black people. The rage and ravage of racism is real. Comedy is not a cure all. But, laughter does help ease a small bit of the stress and strife of life. Laughter lowers stress hormones like cortisol and boosts T-cells for a stronger immune system. Comedy has helped me with the anger, anguish, and anxiety racism causes. Seriously…racism is no joke, it can kill you. My hope is that Namaste Negro encourages thought and T-cell boosting laughter.
“To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.” James Baldwin
Cogitate, and cachinnate. We are all connected on this planet, let’s flourish together.