Candle Light Vigil in Cleveland

Anthony Sowell is a name that will live on in Cleveland history. The bodies of 11 women have been found throughout his house in Imperial Ave, in Cleveland, Ohio and one has been identified so far, as a 52 year old mother who had been missing since November 2008. Sowell, an ex Marine, has already served time in prison for rape and was currently on probation when the investigation began. He has been arrested and convicted but these tragedies are still lingering over Cleveland, as many people have questions, some that may not be answered anytime soon.



This Friday at Luke Easter Park there will be a city wide candle light vigil, from 6pm to 8pm for the 11 bodies found. Click here for more info.

Cleveland, its time to REBUILD OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER. WE NEED A STRONGER FOUNDATION AND IT BEGINS WITH US! UNITY IS WHAT WE NEED BEYOND THE CURRENT MEDIA HYPE, SO DONT STOP HERE.

Letting Go By TD Jakes

There are people who can walk away from you.

And hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk away from you:
let them walk.. I don't want you to try to talk another person into
staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to
see you, staying attached to you. I mean hang up the phone.

When people can walk away from you let them walk. Your destiny is never
tied to anybody that left.

The bible said that, they came out from us that it might be made
manifest that they were not for us. For had they been of us, no doubt
they would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19]

People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not
joined to you, you can't make them stay.

Let them go.

And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person it just means that their
part in the story is over. And you've got to know when people's part in
your story is over so that you don't keep trying to raise the dead..
You've got to know when it's dead.

You've got to know when it's over. Let me tell you something.. I've got
the gift of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in
good-bye.. It's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know
whatever God means for me to have He'll give it to me. And if it takes
too much sweat I don't need it. Stop begging people to stay.

Let them go!!

If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was
never intended for your life, then you need to......

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to past hurts and pains .......

LET IT GO!!!

If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your
worth......

LET IT GO!!!

If someone has angered you.

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge.....

LET IT GO!!!

If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction... ..

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or
talents

LET IT GO!!!

If you! u have a bad attitude.... ...

LET IT GO!!!

If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better......

LET IT GO!!!

If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level
in Him.........

LET IT GO!!!

If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship. ....

LET IT GO!!!

If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help
themselves.. ....

LET IT GO!!!

If you're feeling depressed and stressed .............

LET IT GO!!!

If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling
yourself and God is saying 'take your hands off of it,' then you need
to......

LET IT GO!!!

'The Battle is the Lord's!'

OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

DOLLHOUSE SUPPORTS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS AND SO SHOULD YOU! JOIN US IN THE FIGHT!

The 20Something Year Olds Challenge

Prelude: At first, I was going to try to make this poetic, catchy and deep but then I realized that the issue that I am about to discuss deserves more attention than just a rhyming sequence; An issue that hurts my heart and is evident in everyday news that this issue isn’t getting any better. My biggest concern is that we, the 20somethings, are ignorant to the fact of our importance and relevance in what is going on in today’s society and without awareness, it will only get worse, making it even harder to fix.

OUR YOUTH NEEDS HELP FROM US, THE 20SOMETHING YEAR OLDS…PERIOD. THEY ARE VICTIMS OF A LIFE AT RISK DUE TO:

WORKING PARENTS NOT AROUND, STRIVING & STRUGGLING TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILY IN THIS RECESSION

ABSENTEE FATHERS

YOUNG PARENTS

PARENTS AFFECTED BY SUBSTANCE ABUSE

AND THE LIST GOES ON…….

It is not our fault nor is it our obligation to be there for them, when no one else can be BUT it is our responsibility as the future leaders we all want to become, to acknowledge what is going on in our community with our youth and to take action. We put statuses up on Facebook and Twitter, distraught, sad and angered by what we hear on the news about another “unfortunate situation” with another young teen. In the midst of the hype, we are vocal and opinionated about what is going on in the streets with our youth. We come together, in agreement finally, as young adults to state how we feel and how distressing it is. And it is not until when the news, the politicians and the activists quiet down and forget that we begin to quiet down and forget…..that is until the next act occurs.

As a 20Something yea old, we need to stop acting as a HYPE man/woman, emphasizing our opinions when it is convenient and accepted but to take it to that next level. Our generation gets scared when we hear the term, “GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY,” but it’s not as hard as it sounds. Encouraging, mentoring, spending time with, acknowledging and empathizing is all it takes, whether it’s the young girl down the street or your Aunt Whatsherface’s 14 year old son. We are caught up in the “I” but it’s time to get caught up in the “WE.” WE are too self-centered to notice anyone else in the same room with us, someone who may be crying out for help…

Be proactive within your surroundings and maybe we won’t have so many retroactive frequencies in the community.

This is my challenge to YOU, the 20Something Year Olds, as well as MYSELF…..Ready? Set….GO!

BY MONISA

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Sometimes to be genuinely happy, you have to step out of your comfort zone.” It will be awkward, it might hurt, it may not be fun, and you may regret it but when it is all said and done, your happiness, which was at stake, will be complete and you will walk away from your comfort zone, at a point of no return.”

-Monisa Mason

GOD’S PRESENCE AND YOUR ABSENCE

In a world where Christianity is stressed yet hidden, taught but forbidden, a common practice yet rarely taken seriously and loved but still despised. The common belief may be that Christianity is only acceptable when times are hard. God is only existent when we need Him the most. Prayer is only necessary when our personal issues have reached their climax. That is when the world can accept Him. At the same time, as we seek Him during these storms, we question who He is and why He does what He does. We don’t understand His ways, we are quick to judge Him and sometimes, we denounce His name because we simply just don’t understand Him. When the storm has passed and the tears are dry, He becomes nonexistent again and believe it or not, we are quite okay with that. We no longer speak His name, the praises are gone for now, our appreciation is now a skeleton in the closet.
Many of us were raised in the church. We were taught to say the famous bedtime prayer, “Now I lay me down to sleep….” We prayed over our food, “God is great and God is good, today we thank Him for our food….” And one of the first songs that we memorized was “Jesus Loves Me.” Every Sunday, your mother probably dressed you in your Sunday’s best, fresh haircut, fresh pressed curls, tights that itched and always got torn, dress shoes that you had to scuff every chance possible and cookie crumbs and juice spots on your new white shirt. We couldn’t wait to get to church and either sit in the sanctuary or go to children’s church because you were either hungry and couldn’t wait for snack time or simply because you would see your childhood best friend at church. Life was good, God was great and to a certain extent, we were not liable for our actions.
Skip about 15 years down the road now. Here you are, its Sunday morning and you are either at work, mad because you just got home from the club at 5am and now have to be at work at 9am. Maybe you didn’t have to work, but because of last night’s festivities, you just cannot get your body out of bed. A possible attempt to make it to church crossed your mind but for some reason, your body fought you about it and you lost. “God knows my heart,” sounds familiar? This is what you say, as you lay back down and promise that you will make it to church next Sunday. God understands because that is what He does. He is gracious and merciful, right? He is forgiving and won’t mind if you miss a day, right? Soon, this becomes a weekly habit that you just cannot shake. Next thing you know, it’s been about a month since the last time you heard the Word. You feel that reading a bible verse here and there can serve as a substitution. Maybe a prayer in the morning and one at night will do because, say it with me, “God knows my heart.” So God knows your heart, but is God in your heart? Of course He knows because He is the creator of all things, even you and I. So come with something better.
Let’s take a quick look at what a relationship is; defined as “the connection between two or more people or groups and their involvement with one another, especially as regards the way they behave toward and feel about one another,” a relationship consists of involvement and getting to know a person on an intimate level. God already knows you but do you really know God? Do you understand why He does what He does? His purpose on your life? What He needs you to do to really know and understand Him? Do you know His voice because if you did, then this walk that we call Christianity wouldn’t be so hard.
Many times, we get so caught up in what the world considers cool and acceptable that we forget that while we are in this world, we are not to be of this world. Easier said than done, trust me, I know but I also know that God is open and is forgiving. He knows our struggles, our weaknesses and what we need to do to get stronger in His ways, but He will not continue to give us what we want if we do not give Him what He needs. It’s only human to want without having to give and that is how we treat God. We want Him to bless us, answer our prayers, protect us, provide for us and counsel us but we refuse to work for Him. We don’t give praise where praise is due. We barely go to church. We don’t speak of His name to our unsaved friends. We don’t praise Him just because of who He is and not because of what He has done. We don’t know His voice. When you go to work, do you just sit there and stare at the clock until its time to leave but still expect your 401K, medical, vision and dental benefits? You walk in, you don’t speak to anyone, you ignore your supervisor and dare your boss to fire you? Well God is our boss, yet He is more patient. He is allowing you to be “lazy” for a little while, waiting patiently while throwing a couple of bricks in your path, to trip you up, seeing if you eventually will wake up.

By Monisa

What Happens To a Dream Deferred?

Stop what your doing for a moment and think with me. There's something you've been thinking about doing lately, but you just haven't yet. Going to grad school, moving to L.A., going into a new field. Maybe you shared that dream with someone only to quickly be shot down. I feel your pain. I've often been accused of not knowing what I want to do in life. But the fact of the matter is, I know exactly what I want to do...EVERYTHING! All too often we allow the people in our lives to create our future. There's a quote I love by Tyler Perry that goes like this:

"When you start to dream and see yourself in a better place, don't share it with everybody. Long ago I stopped telling people my dreams because I would always run into dream stealers--people who are so miserable and so mad at the world that all they can do is bring you bitter words of hopelessness. Stay away from these people. They are poison." --Tyler Perry

Harsh, but true. Many times when we get excited about a new possibility in our lives we want to share it with everyone. However, nobody knows you quite like you do. The people whose opinions we care most about sometimes don't understand where you are in life and what your ultimate goals are. They don't always see things the way you do. How many times have you written off your dreams because you shared it with someone else who simply didn't see things your way?

Sometimes you have to follow your own instincts and make your own way. Don't let other people live your life. Langston Hughes once asked what happens to a dream deferred? I don't know, but I'm definitely not trying to find out.

**Editor's Note**
Thank you, anonymous. I stand corrected.

by Ciara

Our Generation, Why?

A land of raw talent, confidence and opportunity
A land of goals, of polish, and of wishful thinking
Cleveland is the home of many striving artists
In a world where only the real can survive in it

Promoting, Rapping and DJ’ing at its best
Cleveland’s talent is undeniably in a stage at its finest
Models, artists, poets, athletes and so much more, but wait
we have to leave our own land just to gain some support?

Many were made right here in this land
Maturing in the best way that we all know that we can
But right next door, your own neighbor is knocking down your doors
Taking the life out of you and your dreams, putting you on life support?

Competition is at its best, even right down the street
Party promoters trying to be on top, wanting the most money
Not giving a care about whose toes that they cross
As long as the money is coming, their own cousin may be the cost

Local party goers kick it and support your own ish
But when they throw an event, all you wanna do is talk spit
Giving you their dollar and all of their love
But you coming to their event? Yea right, you got me effed up

Bring it down a notch and get off of your horse
Because the ones who support you gave you that Porsche
Remember where you were ten years ago before all of the fame
Most likely, you were that kid in school where people barely remembered your name

Cleveland is full of raw talent, confidence and opportunity
A land of goals, of polish and plenty wishful thinking
Cleveland is OUR home, a place that we all share
And it can be that ATL or NYC if we add an ounce more of support and care

Life is not a competition and with that attitude you will only win a loss
Letting your ego get to you, you will definitely pay the cost to be the boss
Success can be fun but only with those who support you
Money focused mindsets will only get the best of you

Money makes the world go round, but it will not bring a lifetime of happiness
You’ve heard it before, from Diddy, one of Hip Hop’s wealthiest
“It gets lonely at the top” and that’s if we don’t make a change
Recognizing how to really make it while playing this game

You think the game is about the money, the fame and the best rep
The nice clothes, maxed out capacity parties and the whips
Stamping the city with your name, you obviously think that’s hot
But I don’t think that’s the change Barack was talking about

So bring your ego down just a notch or maybe two
Take a step back and see how you really are an influence
Nothing major at all, if you lack that cup of humble iced tea
You think that you’re major, but you’re name wont go down in Cleveland history

Be the change that you want/need Cleveland to be
Support those around you, because you never know where their success may lead
You may need them one day more than they need you now
But if you pull them up with you now, then it won’t be so lonely at the top

By Monisa

Have You Ever...

Made the first move?

Gone out to kick it by yourself?

Traveled alone?

Prayed first thing in the morning?

Had a good conversation with a complete stranger?

Sat in total silence with zero distractions and just listened to your thoughts?

Done something that is "so unlike you?"

...No? Try it! You just might learn something new about you:)

by Ciara