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It is long past time that the destructive tendencies within the African American community be checked and reversed.
As only African Americans themselves can do.
Here is the story of Kimberly Bailey -- 150 years after the American Civil War.
The result of the Wednesday Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) skills section retest:
It is long past time that the destructive tendencies within the African American community be checked and reversed.
As only African Americans themselves can do.
Here is the story of Kimberly Bailey -- 150 years after the American Civil War.
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A very nervous Kimberly passed in -- then an hour later emerged buoyant and full of hope.
She had walked through the gate to a salary increase and promotion at one hospital where she is an experienced mental health worker.
Now she is qualified to apply for a second high paying job at another.
With the test passed, and Kimberly fully registered as a CNA in North Carolina, she can stay in the Valley of the Angels.
Had she failed, she would have been forced to take a civilian job in Afghanistan, the Valley of the Gun, to earn money to restore her finances.
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She is now qualified to register for and join in an registered nursing (RN) program.And move onward and upward toward $65,000 a year....!!!!!
In America military service and years as a teacher and mental health worker may bring in limited money.
Until the right certificate is earned to grant promotion and and a path to still higher certification.
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Oh yes, "when the saints come marching in. "
Kimberly Bailey has helped show the way.
But without the black and white "saints" of the Civil War, that gate might never have opened.
Indeed Kimberly was in such a state of anxiety and self doubt when I met her that she might not have been able to move as rapidly through the gate without my encouragement and support.
The movie Glory, 1989:
"saints" who opened the gate
"saints" who opened the gate
Even with an open gate, it takes a "saint to march on through."
For many that is the challenge: to garner up the strength, the courage, the discipline to march on through.
To feed themselves with dignity -- to say goodbye to manipulation of the white "massa," to say goodbye to the government handout.
To say goodbye to the flaunting of sex for prostitution or for surviving by trading drugs.
It's a rough road up and through the narrow gates -- and few of the "saints" meet the standard definition of a "saint."
Indeed many pioneering "saints" can be deeply flawed.
Toward them:
"Let those who have not sinned throw the first stone."
"To those who have given much, much is forgiven."
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The challenge is to enter the narrower gate: to build self esteem, to avoid the temptation to rely on easy quick buck schemes.To honor the memory of the "saints" who came before.
As Kimberly Bailey has done -- to become her own kind of "saint" 150 years after the Civil War.
The doors have opened...It is long past due for many more "saints" to march on through.
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In the Jewish Christian tradition of martyrdom suffering is not in vain.
Through it comes the crown, for God recognizes those who have suffered -- and promotes their souls upward onto a throne of Glory.
I can personally bear witness that God has smiled on Kimberly -- but it is she who has done the work "walking through that lonesome valley by herself."
Kimberly Bailey has shown the way.
Others must now follow.
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Kimberly Bailey:"walking through the valley"
