Today’s It’s Not What You Know, But Who You Know Chronicles…

I don’t know how Michai’s boss found me, but she inboxed me a few years back and asked to meet for lunch. Although I try to avoid awkward situations with strangers, specifically White strangers, our mutual friends list was solid so I agreed. I could tell she was passionate about life, which included teaching children how to read. Y’all know from other Chronicles how I feel about being responsible for such service, so I had in my mind to support the organization in any way I could, but volunteering for them wasn’t my ministry.

I also hoped she could help me understand why the organization I volunteered with wasn’t collaborating with her organization (because they were focusing on the same things), and why many of these organizations who service communities of color are led by White people.

Fast forward to when she invited me to an event. I wasn’t going because I had to work, but she pleaded for me to get someone to work for me so I could attend. I said to myself, “This White lady knows how I feel about my coins, so this better not be boring.” I took Michai and told him we’d sit in the back in case we wanted to slip out. When I arrived and gave my name, a person loudly said, “OH YOU’RE VIP. COME RIGHT THIS WAY.” Michai said, “VIP? I thought you said you really didn’t know this lady. I’m not sitting in the front with you because I don’t like attention.”

I don’t like attention either so, when the literacy statistics were offered and I didn’t see many people in the room who were responsible for funding education, I had to bridle my tongue and fix my face as to not be put out of ANOTHER church. Each time I looked back to check on Michai, his mouth was full of either food or candy. When I asked what he learned, he said, “I wasn’t paying attention, I was busy eating and drinking tea.”

Little did he know, the lady who he fake smiled at then, would read one of my posts and offer him a job later.

I am so proud of him and grateful he has an opportunity to work at a place that allows him to be himself. He dresses comfortably, they see him when his hair is freshly cut and twisted and when it’s big, they see him in the same shorts and t-shirt, they watch him move at the same SLOW pace with the same monotone voice while they (staff and volunteers) move on a mission with excitement in their voices, yet…they DO NOT JUDGE. I told his boss to treat this like a Corporate America job because he can’t go anywhere else and experience this. Who walks in the door at the age of 15 with a “Director” title?!? The Leo in him is only exacerbated when he puts his badge on. 😏🙄

I am determined to get him involved in the community. He thinks he is paid to do what I do for free, but he has NO idea how this experience is setting him up for the things HE is going to do for free. He doesn’t understand why I ask what days he’s going to be in the community so I can make sure he changes his shirt from “Charlotte Hornets” to “Future HBCU Grad.” He is, however, starting to understand when I tell him what my mother told me, “Somebody’s always watching…” when I learn about things from someone he didn’t think was paying attention.

His boss is one of the Wokest White women I know. Her stories about her husband and kids should be published. She’s one of the reasons you read my work on this platform.

ReadWS=Read.Write.Spell NOT Read Winston-Salem (as I thought), has been/is doing great work. They understand problems are systemic, they understand this remote learning experience is pulling back the covers even further on how poorly communities of color are treated. The staff AND volunteers “get it” and I appreciate the inboxes I receive reminding me of why I am determined to teach Michai to “help somebody as ‘he travels’ along…” so his “living will not be in vain” 🤗