Tashas Cipher

I know this can be a hard time when you've been abused by the people who were supposed to be your guardians. It's okay if your feelings are complicated, and if anyone judges you for not showing enthusiasm for this day remember that they are wrong. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a good mother and it's not their place to tell you how to live your life.

If you are no longer in contact, be kind to yourself. Remember that you are deserving of safety and happiness, and do not try to reconnect.

If you are still in contact, and especially if you are in a place where you are forced to cater to your abuser, do what you need to do to get through it safely. Remember that you do not deserve the abuse, it is not your fault, and you are valid no matter who tries to tell you different.

You also deserve safety and happiness, and your abuser has failed as a parent for not giving you that.

My heart goes out to you all. It sucks that this is a thing we've had to live with, and there's nothing I could say here that could possibly make it better, or any easier to deal with.

Just know that none of us are completely alone in our experiences. Know that not everyone agrees with the abusers, that there are others out there who would recognize them as the awful people they are. Know that you are important and you deserve good things, and that you are not at all to blame for the things they have done.

“The double agent for the patriarchy is basically just a woman who perhaps unknowingly is still putting the patriarchal narrative out into the world. Is still benefitting off, profiting off and selling a patriarchal narrative to other women. But it’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing. You know, just because you look like a woman, we trust you and we think you’re on our side, but you are selling us something that really doesn’t make us feel good. You’re selling us an ideal, a body shape, a problem with our wrinkles, a problem with ageing, a problem with gravity, a problem with any kind of body fat. You’re selling us self-consciousness. The same poison that made you clearly develop some sort of body dysmorphia or facial dysmorphia, you are now pouring back into the world. You’re like recycling hatred. I find that really dangerous and I think it’s unacceptable and I don’t care if you’re a woman. I think constructive criticism is needed for anyone to ever evolve. For our gender to evolve we need some sort of constructive criticism. As long as we do it in a somewhat careful way. (…) So many of the worst things in the world have happened motivated by greed. And I just don’t think that’s an acceptable excuse anymore. How much money do you need? Really how much money do you need? How much money do any of these huge influencers who are worth millions or billions sometimes… why are they still promoting appetite-suppressant lollipops to young girls? And it’s not a fight against obesity. They have young, already slim girls, in their adverts for Flat Tummy company, this company that are absolutely everywhere, and they’re even being advertised in some of the most mainstream magazines, women’s magazines, and they have a billboard in Times Square. The money is built on the blood and tears of young women who believe in them, who follow them, who look up to them like the big sister they never had. It’s so upsetting and it feels like such a betrayal against women.”

Rootworkers know just how important and essential Florida Water is for almost every foundational practice that we do in our tradition from cleansing to sweetening to spiritual baths and head rogations to feeding our ancestors. Florida Water is a staple across not just hoodoo, but also many other Africana and Latine religions and folk traditions. You can read more about it here.

While it’s possible to buy Florida Water in botanicas, on Amazon, and even in Walmart these days, any rootworker knows that homebrews are usually the best. There’s plenty of recipes out there, but here’s one of my favorites adapted from Roots, Stones, Sticks, and Bones by Stephanie Rose Bird.

Ingridients:

16 ounces of fresh water

¼ cup 100-proof vodka (for ages 21+)

6 drops lavender essential oil

2 drops clove bud essential oil

8 drops bergamot essential oil

Tools:

Measuring cups for the water and vodka

A dropper for the essential oils

A clean glass jar, bottle, or another container

A clean bowl

Instructions:

1) Pour some water into a clean bowl. Freshwater from a natural, local source like rain or river water is ideal, but if you use non-tap water, make sure you filter it and boil it so that it’s as clean and sterilized as possible.

2) Bring the bowl of water even to your face so that you can speak your ashe (energy and intent) over the surface of the water. Recite Psalm 25 or any other prayer that relates to cleansing, blessing, and/or protection. Let your voice resonate over the water.

3) Add the other ingredients to the bowl starting with the alcohol and then each of the drops of essential oils. Concentrate on what you intend to use the Florida Water for as you mix in each ingredient. Gently stir clockwise until thoroughly mixed and blended evenly together.

4) Pour the contents of the bowl into your glass jar, bottle or container for the Florida Water. With the alcohol, it’ll be highly flammable so make sure to store it safely away from heat, candles, and flames.

5) Now you can use your Florida Water! Check out these 19 different ways you can incorporate it into your practice. If you have an ancestor altar, you may want to ask your ancestors to bless the Florida Water for you and leave the fresh batch on the altar for a few days before using it.

Hypervisibility and Anti-Blackness                   

By Shanice Brim @likethebrimofahat

One of the major stumbling blocks in PoC solidarity has got to be the ways in which non-Black people of color react to Black hyper-visibility. A lot of non-Black people feel that Black issues take up too much space in the racism discussion. I’m sure you’ve experienced it: You’re having a conversation about anti-Blackness and a non-Black person pipes in, “I’m tired of Black people and White people acting like they’re the only two races.” or “If this situation had happened to a non-Black PoC nothing would’ve been done about it.” A recent example is this exchange from Aziz Ansari’s new series Master of None:

I’m here to explain why that’s anti-Black.

1. It ignores the agency of Black people.

In order to wash our hands of the atrocities Black people have faced in this country, America likes to pretend that Black people overcame by the grace of the changed hearts of White Americans. That progress is something that has been handed over to us. This, however, is not true. Every right Black people have earned, we’ve had to take for ourselves. Black people were major players in the Civil War. Many Black people fled plantations and journeyed up North to fight with the Union army. Harriet Tubman became the first American woman to lead a troop in battle in what would become one of the largest successful military strategies in American history during the Civil War. Prior to the Civil War, freed Black people had been fighting for the abolition of slavery and recruiting white allies. Years later, during the Civil Rights Movement, it was Black people who organized themselves. We organized those protests and boycotts that America is so proud to display the images of every Black History Month. We refused to give up our seats or withhold our money from discriminatory businesses. And today, we are the ones tweeting at, calling, and standing in front of major news networks with picket signs to have stories picked up. We are the ones going out into the streets, shutting down highways, getting arrested, and tear gassed in the face in the name of freedom. There’s no mystical group of people coming out in droves to decry American anti-Blackness. It’s us. And nothing is stopping non-Black people from organizing themselves and taking up their causes en masse let alone Black people.

2. It places the responsibility of white supremacy at the feet of Black people.

When you buy into the idea that you can not be free because Black people are receiving “special treatment.” Not only are you sorely mistaken, but you’re not looking at the bigger picture. Black people do not run most major corporations, we do not even have proper representation within most governments, in short we aren’t the ones running the world. Black people aren’t responsible for colonization. The same boot that’s on your neck is on ours too and blaming Black people for working hard to remove that boot is intellectually/historically dishonest and doing a disservice to everyone.

3. It ignores the fact that anti-Blackness is global and that non-Black PoC perpetuate and benefit from it.

When you perceive the successes of Black people as some sort of slight to your people you’re perpetuating NBPOC anti-Blackness. You’re essentially saying, “Black people succeeding is holding us back.” And you’re standing on the side of history that has through Anti-Black legislation and outright terrorism sought to quell the progress of Black people worldwide. You’re also ignoring the role non-Black PoC have played and continue to play in this history. From donning Blackface, to “socially cleansing” us from your countries, to allowing yourselves and others to uphold the model minority myth.

4. You’re ignoring the difference between visibility and hyper-visibility.

Yes, Black people have fought very hard to get to where we are today. The success of Black shows like Empire and Black-ish are great. There’s starting to be more diversity on screen today than there has been in years. However, hyper-visibility is not that. The United States has always had a vested interest in keeping Black people from the mountaintop. From the use of our bodies as free labor, to keeping us out of the same job pool and relegating the worst jobs to us, to locking us out of their neighborhoods and resources, to trafficking in harmful stereotypes about Black people for big bucks. American corporations make a lot of money perpetuating Black stereotypes and those stereotypes are killing us. Myths about “super predators”,  “the slapping game”, and angry Black women are literally getting us killed. People are raking in the ratings and blog hits (and the cash) from sharing videos of us getting murdered (Eric Garner and so many others) and assaulted by police (Spring Valley, McKinney and so many others). Then their raking in ratings, blog hits, and cash by blaming us for our assaults and deaths. Trust me. You’re not missing out on anything.

5. You’re ignoring the fact, historically speaking, when Black people progress…  so do other people of color.

a. The Civil Rights Movement that Black people fought so hard for has helped countless immigrants of color.

b. Because of Brown v. Board of Education non-Black PoC can attend desegregated schools.

c. Because of Loving v. Virginia ALL PoC can marry interracially.

d. Because of the Voting Rights Act it is illegal to discriminate against voters of color. (Though Republicans are working double to gut/undermine this act.)

Black America is under a lot of stress. All over the globe we are battling anti-Blackness and fighting for our right to live. Do not put it on us to ignite and run your movements for you. Trying to draw attention to your issues is one thing but using Blackness as a litmus test for your suffering is an entirely different beast. We can not truly have solidarity until communities of non-Black PoC address this and other forms of anti-Blackness in their communities. And in a time like this, getting real about anti-Blackness and the resentment non-Black PoC feel about Black progress is crucial.

- When you walk into a dealership, the salesperson will immediately “be your friend”. They’ll act like it’s you and them against dealership - Sometimes a salesperson will offer to talk to the manager. This does not mean anything. Chances are, they’re going to have small talk for a few minutes and come back out - Carefully consider the usefulness of an extended warranty. You’re losing money unless there’s an accident or issue soon after you buy the car - This wasn’t so clear before, but you’re still going to have to pay a down payment. What you should refuse is a securing payment - The securing payment is a psychological trick. You feel more tied to the company so you’re more likely to buy from them - You’re extremely more likely to buy at the last place you go, but with the securing payment you’re less likely to go to another dealership due to a sense of commitment - A salesperson may say it’s a limited time deal. Most times, unless this is the last of that years model, or it’s a special event, the deal is not going away and will still be there if you decide to go back. It’s not necessarily a deal breaker, but you should be suspicious if it’s said to you - Save money by asking to buy the floor model. There’s no mileage on it, but it’s worth less because people have sat in it - Or, ask to buy the demo if you’re willing to buy a car with some mileage. The depreciation of the price is usually worth it - Each can get you a few thousand dollars off due to the fact that it is technically not a “new” car anymore - Always look at the websites and play around with the build a car, payment calculators, or anything other offered features. Make sure when you’re using it you look at the down payment and the number of months that you will be paying for the car over - Try to not buy a really obscure model because the trade in value will be lower - Get the maximum down payment you can afford to lower the interest cost - Look for a crash rating test. A 5 is going to get good trade in value, and is much safer

You’ve heard of hoodoo and “voodoo,” but what can you do? Everything you’ve ever wanted to know or ask about cultural appropriation and the various magic traditions, cultures, and religions that have their roots in Africa. I’ve featured a number of different posts that cover a range of topics and perspectives from various sources and bloggers. Updates and additions will be made over time!

So, what is cultural appropriation, and why does it matter?

An explanation of what it is and why it’s harmful

What the idea of cultural appropriation isn’t implying

Why it won’t work even if you try anyway

Santeria Church on Cultural Appropriation by Non-Initiates

The Impact of Cultural Appropriation on Hoodoo

How can I avoid racism and cultural appropriation of Africana traditions?

What do “Afrocentric” and “Africana” mean?

What are “ATRs” and which ones are open/closed/semi-closed?

List of non-Kemetic African deities who are closed/semi-closed

Is it okay to purchase Africana magic and/or spiritual services?

Is it okay to wear African clothes from Africa and other cultural items?

Which tarot decks to buy (or not) for supporting diviners of color

Understanding Eurocentricity in mainstream witchcraft and magic

Eurocentric standards & racist criticisms of magic

Racist stereotypes in the magic community

What are hoodoo, rootwork, and voodoo?

The definitions of and differences between each of those terms

An overview of Haitian Vodou

Hoodoo has nothing to do with Satanism

Is hoodoo really open or closed? What’s the real story here?

Why are there many different opinions about this topic?

Why do so many black rootworkers feel it’s closed?

If no one can stop me from practicing, then why not do it anyway?

How do I know if I can practice hoodoo or what I can/can’t borrow from it?

Can I practice hoodoo and/or is it okay to be interested in it?

If I can’t practice hoodoo, what are the boundaries of what I can borrow?

Can I practice ancestor work?

Is it okay to use voodoo dolls? [x][x]

Can I mix hoodoo with other types of magic and/or witchcraft?

Can I incorporate hoodoo into brujeria and practice hoodoo as an Afro-Latine person?

What if I have recent black ancestry, but don’t identify as black?

I have reasons why as a white person I still want to practice hoodoo. Heard those other arguments before, please tackle the REAL questions?

Why can’t I practice hoodoo if black people practice white traditions?

What about if I’m Irish because the Irish were slaves too?

What if my white ancestors had nothing to do with slavery, and they weren’t oppressors at all? (About Vodou, still relevant to hoodoo)

What if I am white but from an African country?

At the end of the day, what about my personal opinion?

If I’m already a rootworker, how do I avoid appropriation in the craft?

What about all the cultural appropriation I see in botanicas?

Is it okay to burn ancestor money?

Hoodoo has Jewish influences, how can I avoid appropriation?

Books to avoid due to cultural appropriation & misinformation

Why Cat Yronwode & Lucky Mojo are extremely problematic [x][x]