“The Unbreakable Spirit of Black Men and the Ballot Box” don’t underestimate the blood in my bones, fire-forged in black onyx, iron-rooted, breath baptized in the truth of a thousand tongues. you ain’t never known the reach of this history, never known the way our laughter lifts walls, the way we hold what’s broken ‘til it mends, how we breathe light into dark rooms, how we were here, guarding these streets, before time knew its own name. i am the son of a mother’s prayer, the strength of a grandmother’s hand, the pride in my sister’s eyes, the hope in my daughter’s smile, the trust that my wife wraps around me. we love like armor, like gospel, like a promise sung under low-hung stars. we vote not just for survival, but for living. we vote for air our children can breathe, for hands that build, for homes unbroken, for justice unbound, for schools that sing with the laughter of every child. we vote like roots finding earth, like dreams unfurling at dawn. and you see, I vote for me too, for the wants i wear close to my chest, for the dreams that wake me in the night. we’re more than keepers, more than shields— we’re builders, creators, we got visions like rivers, like rivers, carrying us home. project 2025, you thought you knew power? watch me claim tomorrow like it’s mine, watch my people line up like a thunderstorm, ballots in hand like seeds ready to bloom. we got opps, but we’re here, stone-steady, bound to this earth like a covenant, like fate. you can’t replace us. can’t tear down what’s already rooted. can’t shatter a man who knows he was born to rise, to guard, to love and to live. we’re here— and we’re voting, we’re claiming tomorrow in the fierce light of today. ©️MustafaSantiagoAli #Poetry #BLM #winwithblackmen #ProudBlue #KamalaHarris #Resister #Vote #Culture

The mainstream media and black media have largely overlooked the disproportionate effects that vulnerable and especially Black communities are enduring due to #HurricaneHelene, as well as the additional concerns and actions necessary to safeguard both Black and other vulnerable communities from the potentially devastating impacts of #HurricaneMilton. It's crucial to feature Black experts on television who can explain both the scientific and social repercussions of these hurricanes and floods. Our communities are often the first to bear the brunt of the impact and face difficulties in returning home and rebuilding. It's essential to present the complete narrative, encompassing both the challenges and the opportunities. @rolandsmartin did touch on the #hurricane in the breakdown of the @VP debate. @MSNBC @ABC @CBS @CNN @NBC @TheRevAl @thereidout @rolandsmartin

Diamonds in the Rough: A Negro League Tale” In fields of green, where shadows grow, a story's etched in time, Of men who faced a bitter world, with courage so sublime. Denied the chance to chase their dreams, in Major Leagues so grand, They carved their names in history, with steadfast, skillful hands. Beneath the sun, they played their hearts, as crowds began to cheer, Their talent shone, undeniable, though prejudice was near. Racism's chains could not restrain the fire in their eyes, They soared beyond the boundaries, beneath the segregated skies. Satchel Paige, with arm of steel, threw pitches that amazed, And Josh Gibson's mighty swing, left every skeptic dazed. Cool Papa Bell, so fleet of foot, could outrun the light, And Buck Leonard's steady grace brought victory to night. They barnstormed through the countryside, from town to bustling town, Their spirit never wavered, though the world sought to bring them down. Their leagues, a testament to strength, as popular as the rest, But lacking the same fortune, they still gave their very best. White players feared the challenge, of facing such great might, For in those Negro Leagues, they knew, true brilliance did ignite. Yet still, the walls of ignorance kept these stars apart, Until Jackie broke through barriers, with a lion's heart. In stadiums of packed delight, they played for pride and love, A legacy of resilience, blessed from up above. They taught the world a lesson, through hardships faced with grace, That talent knows no color, in this vast, shared human race. So here's to those who paved the way, in times of dark and light, Their spirits shine eternally, in baseball's endless night. Diamonds in the rough they were, but polished, they became, Legends of the Negro League, forever we'll proclaim. ©️MustafaSantiagoAli #Poetry #BlackExcellence @MLB #NegroLeague #Baseball #History