2015 LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP INFOGRAPH

CHILD SUPPORT MEANS MORE THAN MONETARY

We sometimes get the phrase "Child Support" mixed up because of how society has painted the picture. The government system has made many believe that supporting a child should be based on a controlled monetary system. Let me explain my argument. 

Each year men and women are imprisoned because of the lack of monetary support based on legal judgment. They find themselves fighting court orders because they fail to pay their court obligations. 

The Social Service system requires custodial parents who may need public assistance to placing the non-custodial parent up for documented child support. 

Not saying that this is all a bad thing, but the after affects can become ridiculous. Some men or women may not be able to physically pay the asked obligation. 

I feel that it's unfair to the non-custodial parent who may be really putting forth effort. Why can't spending time with the children count for a form of child support. This question isn't even an option within the evaluation for the custodial parent to gain assistance. 

To the men and women who face this issue with a system that ends in a bias judgment, I extend my deepest sympathy. I can relate to the lose of your drivers license, job placement, credit issues, and etc. The things that men and women have to experience when they can't offer monetary.

 Look deeper into the responsibility of parenthood. As long as a parent can provide quality time with their children I think the they should be honored and the custodial parent should be given assistance. I'm sure this blog post will create a lot of comments in the discussion block below. 

What do you think? 

BECOMING A ROLE MODEL FOR YOUR CHILDREN

  This may open up a can of worms, but I hope my readers will be open minded to what I am about to express. I am a former baby daddy in transition of becoming a real father. Okay, let me explain to you a little more in depth of what I am saying. Any man can lay and become a baby daddy, but it takes a real man to transition into becoming a father. Becoming a father takes time and dedication. It brings the means of being responsible and gaining a positive parenthood trait about ourselves.

 Often times we as men find ourselves doing what I call playing the field. We become ladies men and some of us even become womanizers without taking notice to what we are doing to these potential mothers and women in general. Well since this is more of a personal blog for me, hopefully you the reader can find some sort of clarity within yourself.  

  I was a young man who loved to party and run the streets. I cared more for what others thought about me than I even thought about myself. I wasn’t responsible at all and even though it looked like I had it all together honestly I was an accident waiting to happen. A real woman’s nightmare walking. Don’t get me wrong my intentions were innocent, but I was so stuck on myself I didn’t even realize what I was doing as a young man. Being in this state I found myself running a lot of woman. I guess you can say I was little promiscuous. Well let me be honest, at that time I was a lot promiscuous. I had many sexual partners because I just couldn’t find that space that kept me content. I know your saying, what does this have to do with the topic. Well sit tight because it will all merge a little further into this story.

  At the age of 18 I would have been a baby daddy, but some complications happened that I don’t care to share at the moment. But, at that time I knew my girlfriend and I wasn’t ready to become parents. So fast forward a little in my life, I had my first born at the age of 20. By now I was somewhat ready and excited to becoming a father for the first time. I stayed in contact with the mother of my child, I went to visit her often just to check to see if she needed anything for our child. I did everything I could to be a good father. But later in to life something took a turn in my mindset. Let me explain…

  I begin to gravitate away from fatherhood and gravitate towards what I loved over everything. I loved the streets and what it had to offer me. The choices were broad and I could do whatever I wanted. Somewhere selfishness kicked all the way in and I later begin to pay for it. I found myself seeing my child less from where I began getting myself into trouble making matters even worse.

  Let me bring this home for you the reader or I will have you here reading all day. I allowed other unnecessary things to pull me away from the most important things in my life. I chose other things over my children. Yes, I have mentioned children because this cycle continued for years and within those years I conceived other children who also suffered my stupidity and irresponsibility. As many men today we put other things before our own God given creation. We stay selfish and some of us can’t come out of that mindset. I know for some it’s difficult to overcome. But if you truly transfer your energy into wanting better for your children first you will work hard at leaving them your legacy. Some people won’t understand what you’re doing because you will appear to move out of your comfort zone. 

  Stay focused and be the best father you possibly can be. Fatherhood means more than providing money, so becoming a role model should be the only way you live around them. I hope this may help someone else become the father who will transition from being the typical baby daddy.

  Men I realize that we aren't perfect. We will make mistakes and we have to let our children know this. Show them that they're special and that they have great gifts to offer this world. We should want the best for our own. Wanting the best for them means we have to give them a good outlook on life. Teach your children the importance of character and how to carry themselves within today's society. I am also guilty of this, I had to find who I was first. Since I've found me, now it's time to go back and instill positive energy within my children. Let's take some of the load off the mothers by letting the mother be the woman. A woman shouldn't have to struggle with two personalities.

Thank you for reading this article, hopefully you can take away something positive. Please leave comments below and let’s start a discussion. 

THE BEAUTY OF BALTIMORE THE MEDIA ISN'T SHOWING #BMORENOTLESS #ILOVEBALTIMORE

We have heard the many forms of negative news that has happened within the City of Baltimore, MD. All sorts of stories have been shared among the viewers and listeners. Images have been taken in the manner of creating Baltimore as a savage place to be. No one is shining light on the positive that's taking place during this time of media propaganda. If a story is to be shared about anything, I feel the story should be full and complete. Share both sides of the story and gain a greater understanding. Below is a movement that some concerned residents and citizens have formed together to bring a stop to the violence taking place. Please watch this and embrace the sincerity that is behind it.

 

The Stokey Project brought the community together at Druid Hill Park for a block party to empower the people and organize peaceful protesting. There was music, open mic and free food through out the event. A special thank you goes to McDonald's for donating food and special thank you to the Baltimore community for donating other materials needed for a successful and peaceful gathering.

You have organizations behind it that are really concerned to seeing Baltimore citizens better themselves. Let's come together and get in where we fit in to lend a helping hand if it's nothing but just spreading the word of peace. Churches of all religions conduct daily prayer for the city as well as those who live within it. I commend organizations like "The Stokey Project" and "The Emory Jones Foundation" for being leaders to help gather the city together. Let us come together as one and fight for what's right. Please leave comments below and share this positive message.


For more information on how you can become involved please contact "The Stokey Project" via email c.stokey10@gmail.com or visit http://www.thestokeyproject.com

HOW LONG WILL YOU CARRY YOUR VISION

I'd like to begin by first saying your a winner. It always feels good for someone to acknowledge the good job your doing. I may not know you the reader on a personal level, but I do know the spirit of my readers in which take a liking for my articles written. I sat and thought about this for a while and finally decided to release this piece. This is a article especially directed for you my readers.

Many of you who I've had the privilege in speaking with shared with me why you like my articles. You have expressed that many of my writings birth hope and life back into the atmosphere. Some of you even said to me that your thinking has been changed in a more positive way. Well this will be one of those empowering pieces that will leave your mindset stuck on ten. So here it is...

Have you ever been told you wouldn't amount to nothing? Has your support team ever left you to support yourself? How about this, have you ever shared a vision with someone and they told you that you weren't capable of making it happen because it appeared to them you didn't have the means to getting it done? These aren't even half of what you'll hear when your a born winner. Winners prepare for the race. Winners know that there will be some people who will run with you, and then there will be others who will be left behind. Some people are only good for the starting of the race with you. There's nothing wrong with that, let me tell you why.

These type of individuals have the right intentions to running the race with you, but mentally they haven't prepared themselves yet. They have too many other things going on at once and can't focus long enough to seeing things manifest to the finish. So know that it's not a intentional sabotage, it's a unintentional commitment. You as the born winner have to prepare yourself for running this race of life on your own if needed. Obstacles always will present themselves before us unexpectedly and we have to be prepared. We have to prepare ourselves for life's setbacks, disappointments, and general ups and downs. How can I do that you may ask yourself, well here's a few things to start your practice.

First you have to identify where you stand as the individual; and then decide if you need to change some things as it stands in your life. If you see room for change, now is the best time to act on what it is you need to rearrange about your life. Is the problem listening to others when they say you can't do things? Are you allowing people to stagnate you from moving forward? Are you letting people belittle your confidence and make you feel unattractive at what you do? What about those people who make you feel less qualified about yourself because of your appearance or level of professionalism because of your lack of education. Well listen to this...

It didn't mattered to Oprah Winfrey, Michael Dell, Bill Gates, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Mark Zuckerberg, Evan Williams, Richard Branson, or Ray Kroc just to name a few. What people thought or said about these individuals on a personal level didn't break these successors focus. They're regular people like you and I. The difference is they separated themselves by not giving up and abiding to the negative opinions of others. They went after what they felt passionate about. They didn't allow fear or any other distraction stand in their way of success. They took the chance at failing and succeeding at the same time. 

Many us fail because we won't take the chance to see if we'll make it at something or not. We finish before we start. This is a wake up article for my readers. Get back on the horse of life and ride it out. Don't let disappointed moments shut down your appointed time. Often times we want to rush success just to get premature results. Take your time and reevaluate your core purpose. Success starts from the inside while giving birth is totally up to you. How long will you carry your vision?

Author: Armah O Dashiell

THE FEAR OF SUCCESS

Author: Armah O Dashiell

As we exercise our right to dream, we’re also obligated to willfully give it our best shot to becoming successful. Becoming successful is our own outlook of overcoming certain things within our life that may seem a little challenging. Anything worth being proud of does not come easy. It makes us as human beings feel good when we can accomplish something in which we give it everything. It’s the process that makes us the strongest. Let me give you a good example.

Richard and Maurice McDonald had a vision of speedy customer service in the restaurant business. They came up with a great business model for “McDonalds Bar B Q” and executed it the best way they knew how. They took notice to what was selling the best and they remodeled their business plans a bit by refocusing on certain key items. For a while everything was going well for them, but they begin to get comfortable with their financial success and didn’t realize they had placed a lid on their potential earnings. They forgot that the original vision was so much bigger than they had reached at the time of their stagnation point in which we also find ourselves doing at times. They reached a place to where they had to make a choice to either stay in their comfort zone financially or recreate the wheel a little to exceed where they currently found themselves. After giving thought they made the choice to sell the business to a gentleman by the name of Ray Kroc in 1955 under certain stipulations.

Ray Kroc was the seller of Multimixer Milkshake Machines in which the McDonald brothers used themselves. Ray was introduced to the McDonald brothers in 1954 by his friend named Charles Lewis who made the life changing suggestion that Ray checkout the restaurants potential. Ray met with the McDonald brothers and suggested to them that they should franchise their business because he seen a greater potential for a financial growth. The McDonald brothers took Ray up on his suggestions and the rest is history. Now we all across America love to support Richard, Maurice and Ray’s vision over 50 years later. Who doesn’t love the McDonalds Corporation?

I used this story as an example because as Richard and Maurice had a vision, so does many of you the readers of this article. What stops many of us from pursuing these visions come from our inner emotions such as the fear of failure, fear of being criticized by others, and the fear of being disconnected from those people in which we hold close to the heart. These are often what I call unnecessary road blocks. We find ourselves placing boundaries in our way voluntarily. So how can we bring forth the change to the involuntary fears that many of us face today? Let me give you a few ideas.

When you find yourself up against fear it can be really overwhelming at first. That’s why you have to know strategies of how to embrace these fears while using them for your good and not allowing them to overpower you for the worse. The first step is normally the hardest, but you have to admit to self that you let your fears get the best of you. Secondly, you have to be determined that you no longer will allow fear to stand in the way of getting things done. Lastly, you have to just take the risk of pursuing what it is you believe in while remaining positive no matter what the result may turn out to be. I encourage you the reader to pursue your dreams and let nothing stand in your way. Go for bettering yourself over becoming stagnated from what you think others may think of your dream. You'll never know your ending unless you attempt to begin. 

Dorchester Native Launches First Book

To Purchase Click Here

Bianca Moore is an author that writes contemporary fiction. She was born and raised in Cambridge, Maryland, also known as “Groove City.” She graduated from Cambridge South-Dorchester High School, completed her undergraduate studies at Strayer University in Washington, DC, and graduate studies at Central Michigan University. She is employed by the Department of Defense as a Cyber Security Engineer and finds writing to be her favorite pass time.  Writing was just something that always came easy for her, even at a very young age.

While attending Cambridge South-Dorchester High School, she enjoyed Mrs. Judith Howell's English class.  This is where her writing really started to blossom.  She started writing poems, songs and short stories and eventually wrote a book that was never published.  Years later, she began to write the now published novel Is He All That? A novel about a young professional African American woman who takes the reader on a journey of her dating adventures.

The book outlines the dating struggles people face when trying to find a mate. Bianca Moore was determined to go through with the project this time and it's a good thing she did.  The book has received great reviews on Amazon.  She also performs spoken word at numerous venues in the Washington, DC area.

She is presently hard at work on her second novel as well as a poetry book which consists of a collection of poems she has written over the years. She enjoys physical fitness, traveling and working with children. She lives in Waldorf, Maryland with her son Xeondre’.

You Don't Have To Be Perfect

Illustrated By Chambers MD

Audio Version  Click Here

Often times we find ourselves in a place in-which we couldn’t visualize happening to us. Coming out of tough situation could seem to appear never heard of. We try to get a hold of our circumstances and look to see ourselves practically getting nowhere. Well this is the article for you to read. I have agreed to take a look at my personal life and share with you the reader one of my life experiences. Hopefully you can visualize yourself in this story as I take you on a personal journey.

I remember it like it was yesterday, because technically it was. I found myself down and out on life. Life had hit me hard, but it wasn’t by force. I had done all I could do to get me to where I was in that part of my life. My decisions were unclearly made and I couldn’t tell you if I was going or coming. My reactions happened on impulse instead of being well thought out. I made decisions without even compromising with the consequence. I found myself sinking in life without even doing anything to better it. I played the blame game on everyone except the right person who I should have been pointing the finger at the entire time. I was in denial, couldn’t get a grip on the truth.

The truth is, I was physically, mentally, and spiritually killing myself. Not knowing how far off I was from a change for the better. I simply didn’t want it, it was a lot easier just to feel self-pity and make excuses on why my life was how it was. I disliked others success because I felt I should have had it. I wanted the perks of being successful, but didn’t want to do the work to get me there. I was a real complainer behind closed doors. To see me back then, I didn’t converse with many because I didn’t know who to trust. I thought everyone who offered to help me was out to set me up or get me for what I knew at that moment. I ruined many important relationships because of this attitude and thought pattern. I had to learn to open up a little, but at that time I refused to be a willing vessel. I couldn’t see the potential that was on the inside of me because I covered it with disappointment, discouragement, hurt from others, misunderstandings, and all other negative things I’d allow to take control of me. I was a mess with a message, but yet I still couldn’t seem to get it for my own self.

Two years ago I found myself at the lowest point in life’s turns and trails. I didn’t see myself getting to the point where I would begin to losing everything. I lost my car, the roof over my head, friends, and a lot of other things that come with the territory. I had nowhere to turn but to God. I questioned God as we all do. I asked Him questions like, “Why Me”, “What did I do to deserve this”, “How long will I suffer”, and so many other questions we all ask. Now honesty I knew the answer, I just didn’t want to own up to my own selfishness. I couldn’t see the need to beating myself up because of my mistakes. The truth is, my mistakes turn into decisions. I did the same things over and over. So they were technically my choices made.

The Bible states in James Chapter 1 verses 2-4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” This means we all will experience trying times. It’s our trails that make us who we are. How we endure is what makes the difference in our results. We can’t afford to give in and say I’m done or I quit. Quitting shuts down your greater reward. We must get to a place where we say enough is enough. Change our mindsets to wanting better than we have and go get it. Even if this means sacrificing everything we’re used to.

Change started with me, I realized who I was and what I could offer from my experiences. I visualized myself helping others by me sharing my disappointments. Sharing my pain became someone else’s healing process. My confusion gave someone else a clear understanding. Don’t look at where you are now, look at where God can take you if you truly let Him. You don’t have to be perfect, just seek His perfect love. Watch how much your life will turn around for the better. Sometimes we have to be willing to pick our own self up and pull it together. Let God have His way in your life. Find the God who gives you peace over any storm. And through Him all things become possible. 

Author: Armah O Dashiell 

Legacy's Last A Lifetime

roc nation executive emory jones starts a legacy

The Emory Jones Foundation
Emory Jones Speaks (Audio) Click Here

 Written By: Armah O Dashiell

Cambridge, MD, May 29, 2015– The Emory Jones Foundation is an organization based within the Eastern Shore side of Maryland. This Foundation is dedicated to providing prevention and empowerment programs for at-risk youth. The youth of our community will be enhanced with enrichment programs, workshops, and events that will inspire them to becoming tomorrow’s leaders. The founder, Emory Jones envisions a community in-which the youth will experience empowering relationships with positive mentoring adults.

“My vision is to be a positive role model. When coming up, I had no role models. I plan to leave a legacy that gives the youth something to hope for.” – Emory Jones (Founder of the Emory Jones Foundation)

With the influential leadership of Emory Jones, positive lifestyle adult figures will help our youth further develop their confidence, education, and personal goals. Emory Jones is known for his good heart and giving back spirit. One of his notable giving moments to the community of Cambridge would be the “Feed the Community” Thanksgiving project in 2012 that took place at the Empowerment Center in Cambridge, MD. The Emory Jones Foundation kicked off its first event on April 18^th, 2015 with a “Ties and Tiaras” Daddy/Daughter Dance.

“The first event was personal to me. I’ve been away from my daughter for twelve to thirteen years, and not being around for the most important parts of her life when she needed me the most was something that really made me want to touch more now that I have grand-daughters. What better male figure to look up to other than your dad.” – Emory Jones (Founder of the Emory Jones Foundation)

If you would like more information about this topic, please contact “The Emory Jones Foundation” at the emoryjonesfoundation@gmail.com 

You Are Stronger than You Think

                                      

For some time now I often thought that I was weak. Not because of my physical strength, but because of some of the trial and error I had found upon my life. Some of the short comings and mistakes made by me choosing to make wrongful decisions. Those choices of who I called friends and the mistakes of where I laid down my loyalty of friendship. Today, I don’t count that as what some would call regret, I actually count that as my strengthening point. Here’s the main reasons why.

After I looked over my life, I begin to recognize how there was room for growth. Not just in a physical form, but in the mental and spiritual aspect. I had to change my whole thought process while taking advantage of those growing opportunities. I found myself in a battle with things people labeled me as from my past and those expectation left upon me by others. At this time I was still emotionally weak in which I’d allow people’s opinion stagnate my growth. It was all about pleasing others before I could even attempt to please myself. I felt as long as the people accepted me, I would be fine. Well, somewhere down the line it began to take a toll on my physical being.

After years of beating myself up emotionally, I eventually begin to pull it together. I begin to look at all my mistakes as learning tools and find ways on how not to revisit those negative results. The number one thing I’ve learned was how not to pass judgment on those in which I once was associated. I’ve learned to allow them to see the positive change in me and know that eventually it would rub off on them. Condemning an individual doesn’t help the changing process, this is where you have to utilize love to replace rejection. Mainly the folks who show off for attention are the ones who have been rejected or pulled themselves away from society. They feel as though they’re not good enough within the society’s standard because of their lack of opportunity. That’s not an excuse for those type of people, but I was once one of those type people. When I say people, I speak not of race, but I speak of mentality. Our upbringing can truly affect the way we think. Not to blame anyone in particular, but we must take life on a serious note and really keep in mind that the next generation is following our lead. They are watching our every move and habit. If we find ourselves having a time controlling our children, take a look at what we are doing as the parent. We are not perfect so let me share that fact, but we can keep control if we really want to.

I’ve said all this just to leave you with this overall message. You are stronger then you think. Your outcome consist on how you think. Example: “If you cut yourself and don’t look at the seriousness of the cut it won’t hurt you as much. But when you look at the cut, you now have identified just how bad it is and you let it overcome your emotions.” Don’t look at the seriousness of the cut. Look at life in a positive light even when things may not seem to be so positive in your life. Don’t become drowned in a pessimist atmosphere when there’s always room for growth. May you the reader be encouraged to live a more healthy and positive life. Remember these words and this message, YOU ARE STRONGER THEN YOU THINK.

Author: Armah O Dashiell

Allowing Your Potential to Be Watered

              

Let today be the day to free your mind. If you can reflect on where you are today in comparison of where you were on yesterday then ask yourself, what has changed? Are you closer to your set goal and have you taken the necessary steps forward towards the execution of progress? Are you seeing your premeditated results, what has happened since your yesterday has passed you by? What is it that’s holding you hostage in that one place in your life? If I can make you think a little, let me explain further.

Often times we find ourselves being a little harder on ourselves than we should. We place ourselves in comparison over other people’s results. We look at how others have it or how others handle situations that may come within their own lives. Instead we should focus on our own plans in life. Ask yourself, do you seek out to finding who you were born to be? Did you know that each individual has a gift that dwells within them? How about this, did you realize that you were born unique and made to be different?

When’s the last time someone told you that your smart? Do you believe it or do you beg to differ? Will you take the risk of making better results out of a negative situation in your life, or will you allow it to just hold you back from making that positive change? I challenge you the reader to do something for me. After reading this article, I want you to look in a mirror and tell yourself that you love yourself. This is the first step to a mind blowing change in your life. What you will be doing is simply exercising each day on how to build a strong confidence. This is very important, after a while you will begin to see the seed you’ve planted inside yourself begin to grow stronger.

Some of you the readers are saying at this moment, where does this apply to me? Well let me explain, we all have many ways of dealing with issues that come about. All of us share the same thing, we all are human beings. We all have emotions and most of us still hasn’t learn to deal with them properly. We act out of emotion because we’ve grown accustom to using this as a form of defense. Instead we should be using emotion to drive us closer to achieving our goals. Sometimes our emotions can cause us to say forget it and give up on what we were just inches away from accomplishing.

If I may give some advice to you the reader. Exercise this one thing and watch how much better you will feel afterwards. Start looking at life as how can you the reader make a difference in today in which you’re living. Who can you see yourself helping with something in which they may not be able to do on their own? Allow your potential to lead you in all you do. Let it change the entire way you have been looking at life. You’re entitled to greatness, you can achieve greater things. You must just tap into a positive form of confidence and just continue to walk in it. Let your day’s be different for the better from here on out. I wish you much success.

Written By Armah O Dashiell - Encourage Coach

Breaking the Cycle that Causes Change

Written By Armah O Dashiell

As you the reader reflect on your life as it stands today, what is it that you see yourself finding a struggle with? Why is it so hard to overcome your struggles if you can identify that in which causes you your major difficulties? We can continue to question ourselves of why we have this problem; or we can find ourselves looking for the effective solution to overcome it as it present itself. Often times we allow our struggles to become a heavier weight on us and it causes us to become stagnate. We allow our fears to close doors on opportunities that build us into becoming successors. Sometimes we can become our own biggest enemy.

“I want you the reader to take time and think of your gifts. When I speak of gifts, I’m speaking of things in which you find yourself good at performing. Are you a good communicator, are you a person with influence over other people? What about getting along with others in which you have never been in the presence of before. Do you speak when spoken to, or do you normally speak first. I ask the simple questions to you the reader because change is a simple process. It is us who make things more difficult and prolong the greater thereof.”

 In order to cause a different atmosphere, we first must look at things differently. We must first pull ourselves away from tradition. What I mean by tradition is simple, we must begin to think outside of our normal thought pattern. We all are created as unique individuals. We all at some point or another want to become greater or live greater than we do at the present moment and time. The key is to allow your confidence lead you into who you were born to be. Let no one and I mean no one discourage you from being different. What I mean by being different is this, like a great mentor who spoke into my spirit many years ago said, “I will do today what others won’t in order to have tomorrow what others want.”

  

What is it that you will do today in order to change your tomorrow? Let me ask you in a different way, how long will it take for you to want different results for the better and yet you will still do nothing to change the result? We as a team and you as the individual can create a positive change. The key factor is, we must first want to change within self in order to change outside of self. Change comes from a positive mindset. It’s better to be optimistic then to become a pessimist. Let us stop racing to gravitate to the negative that happens in our lives and start chasing for the greater result.

“In my conclusion to this message in which you have read, I want to first thank you the reader for already being victorious over your struggle. You have successfully planted a seed of positive growth within your spirit. You will never be the same again from this day forth. As you read this article it made you rethink your decisions and see what has to go and what will stay in your life. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to let go of things you’ve grown accustom. Don’t allow comfortable actions cause you to miss out on reaching your fullest potential. You are a conqueror and you have to trust and believe it in your heart. You can be whatever you set your heart and mind on, but you have to first be prepared to fight mentally for it. Anything worth having is worth pushing yourself beyond the limit for. Let your success come from good faith."

Is This Community on Life Support

“Is This Community on Life Support” By Armah O. Dashiell

First let me clarify for my readers that this is just my opinion and the outlook I have on some things within my community. Take no offense to some of the things I may express as you read on. Things have to be said from the perspective of someone who was born and raised within this community of Dorchester County.

As an official resident of the county being born at Dorchester General Hospital back in 1976, I have seen some major changes happen within my community right before my eyes within my life. I’ve seen the community as a whole go from good to bad, and then back from bad to good. But for some reason, history seems to be repeating itself all over again. Let me explain to you the reader what I mean. 

As I grew up here in the City of Cambridge I can remember hearing stories that many of us don’t care to share let alone touch. So out of respect of those individuals, I won’t touch those stories either. I will on the other hand express the fact that the results of some of those stories still exist amongst us today. We literally pay for it because the historical residue still lingers.

Many may not understand what I am saying so let me take it a step further for those of you who question my opinion. As I grew up here in the City of Cambridge, I can remember the community showing signs of togetherness. We interacted on programs, projects, events, shopped together and etc. Everyone for the most part knew one another and had some form or respect for each other. I could walk into one location and they could tell me what the other location was h

osting or had to offer me while doing it unselfishly. It wasn’t much selfishness within ones character back then. It was more of an “Us” mentality than it was a “Me” characteristic. Many people cared more for their community back then over how they’ve begin to show it now. This is where we begin to lose our community focus

As the time has passed us, we’ve left many positive characteristics behind us. We’ve forgotten about how it takes a village and not just a dictator to raise up a community successfully. We must hear the voice of the people speak louder then we have allowed them. Our community use to speak; we use to have a voice, but somewhere we’ve been silenced. We’ve been closed out to our creative ideas to helping uplift our City. I’m not attacking any Officials or City leaders by writing this article. I had to make that clear before someone took this article the wrong way. But I am asking for more community interaction. We the community deserve the chance to speak our minds and share ideas. Of course we know how to filter those opinions that display the “Me” mentality, and honor those ideas that express a “We” mentality. Let’s move forward Cambridge or else our city in my eyes will stay on life support. There is no “I” in “We”.