Intro

My name is Shari Logan and the name of my blog is “MsKonflicted.” With this blog I intend to cover everything from Christianity TO spirituality TO food TO health issues related to the foods such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol TO mental issues like depression TO cultural events TO entertainment TO race relations TO local news TO whatever else catches my interest.

I choose the name “MsKonflicted” for the following reasons:

1.) I’m a Christian woman who believes in God and the fact that he sent his Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for my sins. But at times I become very impatient waiting on the “Word” to fulfill itself. That’s when I choose to disregard everything that I read in the Bible and then unfortunately I follow the way of the world. Am I Christian or a sinner? Both?

2.) I’m finally ready to do God’s work even though I’m unsure of what exactly that task is, but I know this much: I was born to tell stories. So with the scripture of 1 Timothy 4: 14-15 in mind which says: “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. 15 Put these things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress,” I have created this blog but pray for me since I struggle with consistency.

3.) I have caramel colored skin, dark brown almond shaped eyes, and dark hair that I wear natural. I was born and I still live in Brooklyn, NY, USA. So this country considers me African-American. But my mother and father are from the islands of St. Vincent and Jamaica respectively. So am I Caribbean –American? I think so but my mom says there no such thing. She is a naturalized citizen now and she says that both of us are African-American. My mom thinks the category of African-America is just fine for every Black person living in America regardless of where they were born.

4.) Now that you know who I descended from, I must let you know that I love to EAT. My favorite breakfast consists of fried bakes, smoke herring and cocoa tea. But by lunchtime I’m craving for an all beef burger and seasoned French fries and an ice cold coco-cola. As I write this, it’s a Thursday, and I’m reminded of my college days. On Thursdays at Howard University in Washington D.C. lunch consisted of fried chicken, Mac and Cheese, greens, sweet potato and occasionally black eyed peas. Nothing but comfort. Or is it?

The Office of Minority Health says that in 2006 African American men were 30% more likely to die from heart disease, as compared to non-Hispanic white men. Also, African American adults are twice as likely than non-Hispanic white adults to have been diagnosed with diabetes. http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=3&lvlid=23

5.) I am a proud Black American who will not deny any part of her ancestry starting back from the West Coast of Africa where my people were forced on to large ships and packed like sardines to advance the capitalistic greed of European men. To the islands of the Caribbean where my people worked in the blistering sun to harvest a land that still isn’t theirs even in 2010. To the lunch counters of the South where young men and women like myself were spat upon or sometimes beaten to death because by ignorant White people that felt a Black person should not be afforded the same opportunities and privileges as they had received. So I wonder if America will ever be able to fit me into one of their nice boxes that appear on the census form every 10 years? I doubt it.

6.) I also love the performing arts, trips to the museum, documentaries and movies. With that said I equally love the thought provoking works of Spike Lee and Tyler Perry, even though many educated people like myself call his work buffoonery. I love to laugh, so am I a sell out? I don’t think so. I just understand that both of those men have a gift. One man has gift to educate while the other has a gift to entertain.

7.) Last but not least. I told you that I was born to tell stories. Therefore, I’m attracted to people that tell compelling stories. My two favorite books are “Banana Bottom” by Claude McKay and “The House of Mirth” by Edith Wharton. However my favorite author is Pearl Cleage. Some of the best musical story tellers I have come to know are Tupac Shakur and Scarface. My other favorite artists include Michael Jackson, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, Chrisette Michelle, Whitney Houston, Yolonda Adams, Donald Lawrence, Buju Banton, Bob Marley, Beres Hammond, Sanchez, Lucky Dube and countless others.

I hope you will enjoy stepping into my world and my mind. As this intro comes to a close I would like to leave you with some words from Jamaican poet Staceyann Chin. “I’d like to be that girl that never ever cries. I want to go down in history in a chapter marked miscellaneous because the writers could find no other way to categorize me in this world where classification is key. I want to erase those straight lines so I can be me. ”