Brown Condor
Essence of DOPE
Dope Mathematics
1110 days
by teddyfikre
in Uncategorized
The money we waste on a daily basis could ensure that no children in Ethiopia or Eritrea die from malnutrition or HIV/AIDS.
by Teddy Fikre written: Monday, January 31st, 2012
Time for me to put on my Mos Def hat and turn to mathematics to count up the ways and errors of my life. I will add up multiple negative moments—and some upbeat times—to arrive at a number that I am sure will not be too positive. This article was inspired by a conversation I shared yesterday evening with my fraternity brother Robert Sinclair from Nasty Nu Psi. We were talking about the various things we have done in our lives, the times we have escaped the clutches of countless hazards and lived to tweet about it. We are the luckiest fellas in the world, while a guy like Ayana Werku Tegegnedies dies from liver disease before barely taking a sip of liquor; we continue to lead healthy lives indifferent to the dangers around dark lit corners waiting for us. This world, it is cruel and uncaring, the good ones die young and the sinner live for an eternity.
It was at this point I conveyed to Robert that my ass was dead broke and that I was counting up change in order to put gas in my car. He shook his head in disbelief (at least I envisioned him doing so because this was a phone call after all) and asked how a single man who makes almost six figures could be broke living paycheck to paycheck. I told him about my epic New Year’s night where I spent close to $2,000 and my more epic time with the Ethiopian crew and how Mastewal and I partied like rock stars only for me to end up dropping near $1,000 in the process. Thus, in less than 2 weeks, I divested myself of more than $3,000 only to find myself eating Raman noodles waiting for February 1st to arrive. I am wealthy, I am considered Upper-Middle class, I am in the top 20% of earners. In short, I am rich; I make double the money that my father ever earned after working for 10 years in the US Post office.
This is where I am about to apply some DOPE mathematics. Ready sewoch? Here goes! I am 37 years old + I have been working since the age of 14 + I’ve been working professionally since the age of 24 + my average income since I graduated from George Mason University is $65K + I am a few thousand away from making $100K now. So let me add that up. Thinking…thinking…adding…adding. Finally, the answer, in my lifetime I have earned more than $1.5 million dollars from wages and income. Thus, I am all Newt Gingrich with it, shit I should be a Republican, why the hell am I an Obama trooper again! Oh right, it’s because I have made $1.5 million yet I have wasted nearly 99% of it. I am a great earner; alas I am a greater idiot when it comes to being a saver. I am the cricket who tweets all day while the ants walk by storing up food for the winter. Alas, the winter has come, the ants are eating and broke ass Cricket Teddiye is shivering in the cold heating slicing up Spam and spreading it on some Saltine crackers. Yasazenal aydel?
This is an outrage if you think about, there are 9 million Americans out of work—most are on food stamps and welfare. Yet—here I am—gainfully employed yet scrounging up change to make it through the end of the month. Now this is the part where I apply further DOPE arithmetic to arrive at a more sober answer. You see, the reason I am broke ass Teddiye is because I have spent countless cash and charged multiple credit cards while partying my ass off in DC. I am a big Willie spender, from the time I was 18, I have been spending at least 25% of my money on partying and drinking. My addictions in the name of alcohol, cigarettes, and other substances that do nothing but destroy my body has accounted for a vast sum of money spent in the name of having a good time. 25% of $1.5 million dollars adds up to roughly—ummmm–$375K! God damn, I have spent nearly $400,000 on drinks and cigarettes. This is obscene! This is outrageous. This is the reason I find myself drinking tap water and conning my way into getting free coffee at Caribou coffee at this exact moment.
Think about it; $375,000 invested in poisoning my body with toxic substances. Imagine what I could have done with that money. Imagine if I invested that money in stocks or bonds, imagine if I would have just put that money a savings account that earned 2% annually. 2% interest compounded over 10 years on $375,000 would have translated to over $500,000 by now. So you see, not only did I blow $375,000 on useless substances, I actually lost over $500,000 in the process. I could have bought a house with this money; I could have visited Ethiopia over 500 times by now. A more sober thought, a tenth of that money could have paid for a liver transplant for Ayana Werku Tegegne and he could be alive today instead of dying from not having enough money for a medical procedure.
This is the cost of our actions. Each one of us goes out to DC or any random city—Bole to Baltimore—you choose your location. And each ones of us chases away our blues at the bottom of a bottle or by inhaling various smoke infested sticks. In the process, we continue to blow away our money and end up being poorer for it. There are billions of people in the world who make less than a dollar a day—yet here we are living in the lap of luxury throwing our money in the wind and making it rain dollar bills that could feed an entire village. The money we waste on a daily basis—whether it’s our addiction to buna at Starbucks or addiction to Hennessy at clubs in DC—could ensure that no children in Ethiopia or Eritrea die from malnutrition or HIV/AIDS. But who has time to think of that while doing eskista on the dance floor with intoxicated thoughts of that Ethiopian girl’s ass floating in our minds aydel?
This is what I mean by my DOPE arithmetic, really I am the DOPE that continues to subtract from my wealth and in the process end up being negatively influenced by Yohannes Aramaji. But I am making positive progress. To wit: Ignorance -> Denial -> Resentment -> Acceptance -> Change. I finally added it all up, I am hell bent on changing my circumstance in life. I hope you too—the readers through the ether—learn this DOPE mathematic and avoid the subtractions and divisions that have divided my life for far too long. Rest in Peace Ayana Werku Tegegne, we all love and miss you wendem::
“All sins tend to be addictive, and the terminal point of addiction is damnation.” ~W. H. Auden
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Church of Tewodaj Teddy Fikre
0111 days
by teddyfikre
in Uncategorized
Nope, I won’t ask you for 10%, I will not ask you to stand and sit 45 times, and most definitely will not insist that you convert to Teddism at the of my sermon.
by Teddy Fikre written: Sunday, January 29th, 2012
Welcome family to a new church called Tewodaj Teddy Fikre. By no means am I the priest, pastor, or Abba. I am just a deeply flawed man who is seeking in Him guidance and forgiveness. I will not wear false pretenses nor will I wear a purple robe in the guise of the King of Kings. I will most definitely not wear a crown or make people bow down to me and kiss my ring. I will be like the rest of the flock, I shall not stand on a pulpit and preach at my audience. I will simply sit in a circle with the rest of the sinners and read from the bible together and find in the pages the essence of love and patience.
To be honest, I have tried to go to church multiple times in my life. When I was in the midst of my deepest depression, I went to church often pleading with God to save me from misery and anguish. I had countless sessions with multiple preachers, pastors, and Abba. I am not being judgmental, their words and counsel prevented me from committing the ultimate sin that I used to think about often. I owe these men my life because they gave me the will and the hope to believe that tomorrow would be better than my present state of melancholy. The seeds they planted in my head were the very seeds that gave me the courage to keep on living. And it was an Ethiopian pastor that gave my father the peace he sought his whole life right before he passed away from cancer. Thus, I am a man who is a product and a byproduct of copious churches.
No matter this debt I owe Ethiopian and African-American churches, I could never shake from my conscience the essence of what the churches stood for. I revolted on countless occasions at the thought of giving 10% to churches knowing that some of that birr would go towards the pastor’s Mercedes Benz monthly payment. I hated the fact that folk would go to church dressed up in their finest outfit even as I saw them struggling to keep up with the rent. I could not suppress the injustice I felt deep in my bones each time I heard a pastor beseeching his flock to give to the church instead of paying the electric bill—give the church money and the electric bill would be taken care by God. Believe absolutely and never question the church, bend to their will or be blamed for insolence. I just could not take it, whatever good the sermon did for my soul, each time I would walk out of church upset by the ongoing con game that was being played by good Christians on helpless victims
I am not really sure if the church has played a good or a bad role in Ethiopia and within the African-American community. During slavery, the church was both a source of hope and bondage. Preachers would tell slaves to be good brothers and sisters, to keep on picking cotton and to make sure to give 10% to the slave pastors. They would tell their flock to work hard and that their reward would be given to them ten fold in heaven where they would drink honey and milk with Jesus. Thus, the church was just as instrumental in oppressing black liberty as any overseer and white master was. Black folk were taught to be timid and to never rise up to overthrow their shackles. They were taught instead to step and fetch it—and to always give 10%.
The same phenomenon is evident in Ethiopia. I am not sure what the churches are to be honest, they resemble gangs more than they resemble houses of worship. Ethiopian churches have become Starbucks, they pop up every minute on every block, each one breaking off from the prior to start up their own church. In DC alone, there are more than 10 Ethiopian churches that I can think of from the top of my head. They bicker and fight, always seeking to glorify themselves first before glorifying God. This is what churches are, glorification of mankind instead of glorifying HIM. Always they keep fracturing, always they are full of politics and rarely do I see them cooperating with each other. Sorry, but I don’t need this bullshit, if I wanted to see a street fight between Christians, I don’t need to go to Church, I will just go to a DC club where Habesha folk worship Yohannes Aramaji and see all the fighting I want to see while sipping on tsebel of Hennessy. Yeah I know, I will have to tip the bartender 10%—but at least the bar tender is not claiming to be a preacher, pastor, or an Abba.
It is with this in mind that I am starting a new church. This DOPE church will be called Tewodaj Teddy Fikre. Nope, I won’t ask you for 10%, I will not ask you to stand and sit 45 times, and most definitely will not insist that you convert to Teddism at the of my sermon. In fact, there will not be sermons, just like minded folk who will pray and seek humility before God together. And trust me, the church will not be some fancy luxury church like the one you see above, it will probably be a buna bet in DC. I will not judge anyone, you do not have to come dressed in your fancies clothes, and if you tell me that your electricity is about to be cut off, it will be me that will give you my last dollar instead of telling you to give me your last dollar and wait on Him to solve your problems. This is the essence of Tewodaj Teddy Fikre church, I will start the fist service next Sunday on 9th St in DC around 10:00. Who wants to join this church—don’t worry, I won’t ask you for 10%.
“Every church is a stone on the grave of a god-man: it does not want him to rise up again under any circumstances.”~Friedrich Nietzsche
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Habesha Mailbag
0113 days
by teddyfikre
in Uncategorized
Welcome to the Inaugural Habesha Mailbag
I am launching the Habesha Mailbag with the help of a few friends who lent me their time and creativity to come up with some questions, enjoy the gursha sewoch.
by Teddy Fikre written: Friday, January 27th, 2012
Well the moment has come for the launching of the inaugural Habesha Mailbag. Yes, I have changed with the time, I still don’t like the word Habesha, I prefer to be called Ethiopian. However, the word is not going anywhere, and if it serves as a bridge for Ethiopians and Eritreans to identify with a common name—well who am I to hold a grudge? So going forward, I shall call this the Habesha Mailbag.
So you ask, what is Habesha Mailbag. Well it was influenced by one of the writers I idolize by the name of Bill Simmons. On a weekly basis, Bill would take questions and comments from his readers and then reply back with a wit and humor that would make me literally make me laugh my Qit off as I was reading the article. Grant it, trying to emulate Bill Simmons is a tall order—after all, Bill was a writer for multiple late night comedy shows. But hey, I am if nothing audacious.
So I started reaching out to Brown Condor readers and asked them to submit their questions and comments to me via email. Ideally, I wanted 10 questions for the inaugural Habesha Mailbag, to my surprise I received over 45 emails. So I picked out the 10 best from the submissions and below is the back and forth between the readers and my responses. I hope you enjoy, if this is successful, I plan on making this a weekly feature every Friday. Make sure you submit your questions in the future; when you do, avoid having a one line question. Make the question or comment juicy, apply a bit of your personality to it so that the readers can get a sense of who you are as a reader and an Ethiopian/Eritrean out in the Diaspora.
Before getting on to the questions and answers, let me do one thing. Bill is a sports journalist; as such he would always focus on sports first and foremost. I will not necessarily follow this model, but in his honor, let me make one comment about sports. You do know they call the giants little blue right, as in Viagra pills, most of their fans are kind of lame. I say that as a precursor to my Super Bowl prediction, which is that the Patriots will beat the wholly crap out of the little blue giants. My prediction: Patriots 38 Giants 10. Oh, and if you want to talk trash, just remember that my Redskins beat the shit out of the little blue giants twice this year. OK, on to the readers!
Q: Hi, I’m a 27 year old Ethiopian living in Washington DC. I have noticed that the selection of Ethiopian and Eritrean men is really weak in DC. Most of them have no game and if they do, they like to think they are all players. And what is it with them calling every Ethiopian girl nefse and hode? I’m really tired of it to be honest, I’m thinking of dating white guys or Spanish guys. What is your advice Brown Condor? -Mimi, Silver Spring
BC: First Mimi, I want to thank you for being the first reader to ever submit your question to Habesha Mailbag. You will be getting your bottle of Atmit and bag of qwanta in the mail shortly eshi. Second, as far as you being frustrated, I have 3 words for you: Hi, I’m Teddy! You have my email, let’s discuss your plight over wine. Now as far as you dating white guys or Spanish guys, just be ready, because I have a feeling most of them have a lot in common with little giants fans (refer above). What I find interesting though is that you did not think of dating black guys? Maybe it is true what black guys always gripe to me about, that Ethiopian women don’t like to be with black guys. I will have to do some more research about this. But for the time being, leave the black guys, Spanish guys, and white guys alone eshi ehete, we will talk your issue over wine tonight at Portico eshi yene big forheadiye.
Q: TOP favorite books (3) –Ellal, Philadelphia
BC: Now this is a classic example of what a question should not look like. Ellal wendem, you see how Mimi’s question was detailed and she lets the reader get an insight into her life and her situation. O_o…you are not part of the Ethiopian dudes that Mimi is talking about are you? Are you the reason that Mimitu is about to date Ricky Ricardo?? MTS! Wuy gud! You and I will have a sit down later. But to answer your question, my three favorite books are, in no particular order: 1) Malcolm X 2) Invisible Man and 3) Assata. However, it is really hard to narrow it down to just those three. I mean I could list another 50 easy. Mostly I love reading about African-American history, especially dealing with struggles for freedom and liberation. However, I have been reading a lot more Ethiopian books lately. I’m currently reading the History of Haile Selassie at this moment along with Assata for the third time.
Q: Can all the DMV promoters make one big habesha event instead of separate parties for a weekend so every habesha can come to one location that would be dope? -Anonymous, Philadelphia
BC: Escuse me, I just spit my coffee on my laptopiye at the thought of that happening. Put it this way, do you think that Mitt Romney and Gingrich will hold hands with Obama and sing kumbaya? This ain’t gonna happen captain! I love all the DC promoters, and honestly speaking, I talked to the DC Habesha crew last night at Portico for a long time. Promoting ain’t easy, and it’s a dog eat dog world. I wish there was a place for Hebret in the scene, but it’s just too cut throat to think that all the DC promoters will sacrifice one night to have a party together. Each night is a potential to lose your clientele for good and there is no incentive. Besides, I blame us—the clients—we don’t care about Hebret so why should we expect the promoters to care about Hebret. Na’mean?! All we care about is how sexy the girls look and how strong the Yohannes Aramaji is. So no bro ham, this ain’t happening, better play the lotto instead—and if you win, I want 10% eshi anonymous.
Q: Two friends of mine were having a heated debate about why Habeshas look the way we do…one argued its simply bc we’re “blessed” however the other side argued its bc of migration and added historical facts to back up his argument. Why do some Habeshas look Indian or Asian….why do some have soft curly/wavy hair while others have kinky/coarse…and although we all look different we still look Habesha…What’s your take on this? –Megdi, VA
BC: To be honest, I am not sure why we have such big foreheads and big eyes. Here is my DOPE theory, our ancestors used to play futbol (soccer) before soccer was invented in the West, and we used to be the best testa (header) takers. So over centuries, we developed big foreheads in order to protect our chinkila and in order to score more goals. As for the big eyes, I think it is because we used to play soccer at night time, thus our eyes got really big so that we would be able to see the ball and stop running into the goal posts (two shirts always 5 feet apart). I’m still doing some field research on this issue to make sure I have it right, but I am meto gena certain that my DOPE theory is correct. Oh right, forgot you said why we look Asian? Now on that one I don’t know, I spent too much time focused on the big forehead and eyes theory and have not done field research yet on why we look Indian. I gather it is because we were part Cush, and India a long time ago used to be part of Africa. Thus, a lot of Ethiopians, Eritreans, Sudanese, Somali and Djebouti people have certain similar traits. Now what I really want to know is how the heck did the women in America get such big booties!! Good gawd! I am looking for some research assistants to figure this one out Megdi, would you be interested in volunteering for this DOPE study. Don’t worry, you will be in good hands sis, besides you are doing this for Ethiopia not me eko:: Eshi, we will discuss over wine the day after I am done consoling Mimiye eshi.
Q: What makes someone a HABESHA?!!! – Asia, Jobe
BC: Sigh! You have been talking to Ellal aydel Asia? See this sewoch, this is another example of how the emails should not look like in the future eshi:: Asia, ehete, next time, please put some life into the questions. You know, like Mimi and Megdi did. But to answer your question, hmmmm, lets see. We are always 3 hours late, we eat too much tire tsega, we never drink Gingerale and Coke unless it came directly from the can or bottle (we don’t do the soda dispenser EVER!). We also swear that Baklava was invented by Ethiopians, all our fathers and uncles drive Taxis, we eat dirkosh and Injera by itself. We like to do eskista competition as if we were extras in Michael Jackson “Beat It” video. Our women swear they are 25 when they are 35+, the guys swear they aer 5’11.5” when they are really 5’7”. Oh man, I can keep this going forever, see what happens when you give me an open ended question. Next time Asia, give me a longer comment question, eshi Asia, stop being such a Habesha eko::
Q: Why are folks waiting on a government handout? Don’t they know we hold the power to change our country’s fortune and future? –Alicia, VA
BC: Dude, New Gingrich, why the hell are you emailing the Habesha Mailbag pretending to be Ethiopian or whatever nigga? First off, you had your ass handed to you yesterday by Mittens, second, your wife looks like scary ass inflatable doll except it is her that has to blow you in order to inflate your ego, and third you look like my left scrotum. As far as your question “Alicia” Gingrich, folks are not waiting for handout. It is easy for people like you and me with jobs, education, and stable parents to not look for “handouts”, but for those who were not privy to parents, an education system, and grew up in crime ridden areas, the least we can do is give them a hand up. Besides, if memory serves me correctly, the US government owes African-Americans “Forty Acres and a Mule”, so fuck the food stamp, they need to give all African-Americans “Forty Acres and a Mule” adjusted for inflation. And no Habeshoch, we will not be entiteled to this….oohhhhh…now you want to claim you are black all the sudden aydel. Nope nope, this shall be reservd for African-Americans only who can claim ancestors back to slavery. Which means that I need to go to Bmore tonight and marry me a hood chic, I am pretty sure I can get one, I’ll just offer her a black and mild and a dinner at a sea food joint. What, you are offended Gingrich?? You are the same one that said that Palestinians were an “invented” people. OK I’m done with you Newtiye, on to the next question.
Q: What do you think about interracial relationships?? Especially habesha ppl dating non-habesha ones? –Habeshafro, Los Angeles
BC: I highly discourage it unless you try dating me first. Hi, I’m Teddy, you have my email addy. Here is where I am hoping Habeshafro is a girl and not a guy. Stay tuned, if I get an email with subject header “Hi Boo Boo” from Habeshafro, I know I would have just encountered a big #FAIL
Q: Why do habesha women try to act like they are goodie girls and say things like? Ye Bet lij Negn (I dont leave the house) and Pente Negn (I am Religious) I think they say this to cover up their dark side so no one will say anything bad about them. But these chicks are the craziest, and you see them at all the parties, and every restaurant. This is real talk! -Anonymous, somewhere in PA
BC: Actually this guy wanted me to use his name, but he is a young guy with a bright future, I did not want him attacked by 15 Habesha women and get his eye balls scratched out by their finger nails. So I chose to keep him anonymous. Now as far as your question El—I mean anonymous. My first instinct was to say it is because they are nothing but teases who love and live to give Habesha men worldwide one big collective blue balls. But the truth of it is that we—us Ethiopian and Eritrean men—are assholes. We get mad at our women for not giving it up, but the second we do, we go out and spread shit about them, calling them sluts and whores. It’s really fucked up if you think about it, I have seen countless women get destroyed because some dude went out and told his boys that she was a slut and she gave it up—and most of the time that nigga is lying. So I don’t blame them for saying the things they do, we are to blame. Ummm…ladies, just so you know, I—Teddiye—never kiss and tell and even if you are a big old freak, that will be our little secret eshi nefse::
Q: What is up with the shitty service that Ethiopian restaurants give? Why is it that I always have to beg for more Injera all the time? I went to a restaurant one time by myself and I ordered a doro wot. Now mind you, I went to the same restaurant on a date the day before and ordered the same thing and the doro wot came out with only two pieces of doro in it. For sure I was pissed, but did not say anything and me and my date found ourselves rationing the doro. The next day, I ordered the same thing and this time the plate came out, and it only had one piece of doro! I asked the waitress why I only had one doro and she said it was because there was only one person eating. I asked her if the price was the same and she shook her head yes. Really, you charge me the same effin price yet I get one less one chicken?? What should I do next time Brown Condor? Why do they act like this? -Teddiye, Alexandria
BC: Wow Teddiye, you sound like an articulate, smart, good looking, and amazing guy all around. I think that Mimi and Megdi should jump all over you bro, I see I have some competition on my hands. Now as far as your question, I have observed this myself. I think it is because most Ethiopian restaurants—with the exception of the ones I frequent—suck balls when it comes to customer service. I am not even sure if customer service exists in our dictionary, and if it does I am sure the owners think that they are the customers and we are their waiters. But at the end of the day, if we accept shitty service and continue to patronize restaurants who treat us with Clasless service, we are to blame. So, next time you get 1 piece of Injera for four people and you sit there and decide to divide the Injera one gursha at a time and refuse to speak up, well then, don’t come over here and submit questions to me complaining after z fact. Gebah wendem::
Q: How come Ethiopian men don’t believe in oral sex? I mean they eat gursha all day but yet when it comes to having a real gursha, they refuse to go down south! What is up with that Brown Condor? -Anonymous, Arlington
BC: Besma’am! Anche balege!! Wuy gud. Ummmmm..mejemera, do you practice what you preach? I mean, do you also take gursha as you give gursha? Secondly, you know what, I can’t go on with this topic, I will utterly ruin my credibility if I do. We will discuss this off line sis, ummm, after consoling Mimi today, then discussing business with Megi tomorrow, how is your calendar looking for Sunday anonymous. Let’s talk eshi 
Q: I approached an Eritrean girl once and I asked her if she was Ethiopian. She smacked me in my chinkila and kicked me in my balls! What did I do wrong Brown Condor! -Thomas, Chicago
BC: Getting close
Q: If you drink atmit while you are wearing a Gabi on your couch and you are a 40+ year old man, does this mean secretly you want to move to Atlanta and you want to compliment women on their shoes and call them boo boo? -Hiwot, London
BC: Getting even closer
Q: I hear that in Addis, they think Gchat is something that hard core Ethiopian gangstas chew to get high, is this true Brown Condor? – Becca, Addis
BC: Yep, these are my readers!
Well this concludes the first ever inaugural Habesha Mailbag. Hopefully you enjoyed it. If you did, and depending on the reception and the amount of questions I receive for next week, I will do another Habesha Mailbag next week. If you liked this article, please post it on your wall and encourage others to send in questions. The Habesha Mailbag’s most vital component is the questions provided by the readers. As you see, my responses are better the longer and detailed the questions. I mean, don’t go writing a book, just make sure it is approximately a paragraph and it gives a good insight into the situation, and if you want, make sure you apply some humor to it eshi::
If you want to submit questions going forward, please send them to info@browncondor.com with subject header “Habesha Mailbag”. Do me a favor, tweet about this on twitter right now, tweet the link to this article and use #HabeshaMailbag and encourage others to read this joint. Who knows, maybe one day #HabeshaMailbag could be a trending topic—yeah I know I have an audacious mind. Also, make sure you post this on your Facebook wall—all about the Hebret. OK, time for a break, hope you enjoyed. Have a great weekend, catch you next week on Habesha Mailbag 2.0. Esger Estelene sewoch!
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A Beautiful Soul Named Soledad
0113 days
by teddyfikre
in Uncategorized
Maybe one day my daughter will end up breaking more glasses than you and when she does, I will tell her to salute sojourners of truth like Soledad.
by Teddy Fikre written: Friday, January 27th, 2012
Time for me to put pen to pad and write about another beautiful soul by the name of María de la Soledad Teresa O’Brien. I am sure you have seen her radiant smile on your television before and High Definition has done nothing but enhance Soledad’s radiance that much more. This lady is DOPE to the bone, no other news anchor captures my imagination more than Soledad each time I watch the news. Seriously, her beauty makes me forget for the moment of the inanities spewing from Newt Gingrich’s mouth or the duplicity forthing from Mitt Romney’s lips. This is quite an accomplishment, who knew that a journalist would be able to gloss over the enmity of the Tea Party.
But let me not minmize Soledad’s accomplishment to mere good looks. Soledad is an accomplished writer, journalist, news anchor, and the conscience of our collective minds. Born on September 19th, 1966, Soledad has gone on to accomplish great feats in such a short time that it makes my head spin. She is currently the news anchor of CNN’s morning news program called “Starting Point”—which premiered on January 2nd, 2012. So no thank you MSNBC, I would rather start my mornings with a Starting Point than sip on Morning Joe Meto be Meto times out of a hundred. I mean, who has time for Joe Scarborough when I can watch a beautiful soul by the name of Soledad five days a week.
Soledad’s career has a long arch that can shadow that arch in St. Louis. She is a daughter of immigrants; her mother was from Cuba and her father from Australia and met each other at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. You see, this charming lady was the byproduct of a serendipitous moment in Charm City. At the time, interracial marriage in Maryland was illegal, so the O’Briens married in Washington DC. After marriage, the O’Briens moved to Long Island New York where they gave birth to a beautiful soul by the name of Soledad.
Soledad is New York through and through and soon enough she found herself graduating from Smith High School East in 1984. She set out to etch her names in the stars and in the process began to realize the magic of the pen and the power of the media. She soon found herself on an NPR quiz show—one of my favorites actually—called Wait, Wait, don’t Tell Me. She explained on the show that her name means “the Blessed Virgin Mary of Solitude”. I know one thing, there is nothing solitary about Soledad but in her cornea I see nothing but blessings. Despite her Hispanic heritage, Soledad does not speak Spanish fluently—ayzosh Soledad I don’t speak Amharic fluently either. It is hard growing up in America, where the rush to assimilate makes us forget the best part of our culture. But I know that all Hispanic-Americans and Australians are proud of you each time they see you on CNN—I know I am.
Soledad began her career as an associate producer and news writer on WBZ-TV, then the affiliate for NBC in Boston. From there, her spaceship dipped without tail lights and she soon started traveling at light speed through the cosmic ether that is mass media. She joined NBC in 1991 on a show based in New York as a field producer for the Nightly News and Today. O’Brien then worked for three years as a local reporter and bureau chief for San Francisco NBC affiliate KRON. At KRON she was a reporter on “The Know Zone.” In due time, Soledad found herself as the main anchor of her own show called “Starting Point” and it is from that perspective that I find myself looking up at this beautiful soul while typing this article and sipping Ethiopian buna.
Soledad has racked up a litany of awards; Soledad’s work has been honored several times, including a local Emmy for her work co-hosting the Discovery Channel’s The Know Zone. In 2007, Soledad was awarded the NAACP President’s Award. She is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, which named her the Journalist of the Year 2010 [26] and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. She is a member of the Board of Directors of The After-School Corporation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding educational opportunities for all students.She also serves on the board of directors of The Harlem School of the Arts. She was named to Irish American Magazine’s “Top 100 Irish Americans” on two occasions. She is also on Black Enterprise magazine’s 2005 Hot List. Also in 2005, she was awarded “Groundbreaking Latina of the Year” award by Catalina magazine.
In April 2008, she became the first recipient of the Soledad O’Brien Freedom’s Voice Award, an award created in her name by Morehouse School of Medicine. “The award was created to recognize her accomplishments and willingness to be a voice for the voiceless in our society, and her determination to cover stories that might otherwise go untold. It will be given annually to mid-career professionals who serve as catalysts for social change in their given fields.” She has been named in People’s 50 Most Beautiful in 2001 and in People en Español’s 50 Most Beautiful in 2004.
You see, this is what I mean when I say that Soledad is a beautiful soul. She is a lady grace through and through. She is a barrier breaker and a woman who pops her collars in the hurricanes of glass ceilings. Against all odds, she has broken through and now this radiant soul shines my morning at the Starting Point each day I awake. From humble beginnings in which her parents were forbidden to wed in Maryland, I am now wedded to this DOPE journalist each morning from 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM.
Thank you Soledad for giving me hope, I see that there is no limit to my audacity other than the paucity of my imagination if I choose to be so. I will aim high just like you, who knows, one day I might join you on Starting Point. Who knows, maybe one day my daughter will end up breaking more glasses than you and when she does, I will tell her to salute sojourners of truth like Soledad. I know one thing, we are all tall because we stand on the backs of giants, thank you for letting me stand on your back for at least one day. Soledad, thank you for being the beautiful soul that wakes me up each morning even if I do so in solitude.
“Any work of art that can be understood is the product of journalism.” ~Tristan Tzara
[click to see Soledad]
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Author
Teddy Fikre
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Divine Model
1114 days
by teddyfikre
in Uncategorized
I know God is thanking you profusely for all your works and deeds, but let me thank you along with HIM, thank you Aimee for being such a Divine Model.
by Teddy Fikre written: Thursday, January 26th, 2012
Let me introduce you to a divine model named Aimee Velázquez, a DOPE lady of grace who is gracing the pages of the universe. Aimee is of Puerto Rican and African-American decent, this hot mamacita is on her way to burning the universe with her beautiful smile and an equally enchanting soul. Aimee proudly represents both her Puerto Rican heritage and her African-American culture with pride and distinction. From an early age, Aimee was destined to be in front of cameras—she was born with beauty that only Nikon can capture fully.
Aimee is not typical in her demeanor; she is not a spot light chaser for the sake of owning the spotlight. She is an altruistic beautiful angel, she is intent on shedding light on issues that impact too many of our sisters and brothers in dark lit corners—she is champion of Domestic Violence Awareness and countless other efforts to overcome senseless violence perpetrated in our community. She was a presenter at the Domestic Violence Awareness and she has volunteered countless hours at local Domestic Violence shelters working with abused women and children. This is the essence of beauty, the ability to help others in their time of need and in return give them hope when the least have it. You see, skin beauty is ephemeral, but true bone deep beauty—the kind that is of the soul—last for an eternity.
Aimee has taken this eternal beauty and made a difference one step at a time. Lest you think her talent is limited to just looks, Aimee is also a poet and an actress. Her ceiling is sky high; it seems that the only thing that will hold her back is the breadth and depth of her imagination. With looks, prose, and poetry behind her, Aimee is destined to dance across the stars and prance on comets on her way to heaven. How apropos actually, Aimee is unconditional in her affection of perfection; her beauty inspires and identifies with heaven. This is why Aimee is so Divine; she is heavenly bliss and a melodic kiss. To be honest, it has taken me almost an hour to write this article where I usually finish my articles in 25-30 minutes. I just can’t help but looking at her pictures every 2 minutes—she is mesmerizing to my iris and I am captured by her loveliness.
OK, I’m back from looking at her pictures yet once again—this would now be the 14th time I have done so in the past hour. My eyes are strained but Aimee has lifted up my spirits. Back to the topic at hand aydel, this beautiful princess is making inroads towards big things in 2012. You see, Aimee is all that I want my daughter to be—on second thought, maybe not, I want my daughter to be a nun. What I mean is that I want my daughter—and really all women—to aspire to give back to the community. It is all fine and well to be a carnival barker in the mold of Donald Trump, but what does it benefit one’s soul to get all the attention in the world if you neglect the needs of your community in the process. Aimee harbors no desires to be an attention monger; instead she has put on the boots of hope and marches to the drums of an altruistic drummer. And I am proud to be marching in that band right with her; hopefully I will not stub my toes on concrete sidewalks every two seconds distracted by enchanted looks.
As Aimee grew older, she blossomed into a gorgeous and ambitious young woman, who was spiritually grounded by her strong mother. As she continued to pursue a career in modeling, Aimee quickly realized that her greatest traits would be best suited for a career in print modeling and acting. At the age of 19, she was featured as the “Miss February 2008” in the Okinawa’s (Japan) Best Kept Secret Calendar; the “Miss July 2009” Okinawa’s Treasures Calendar; she graced the cover of Hair ~N~ Motion magazine (2011); she was selected Vibe Vixen of the Day (2011); and most recently was featured in Flava Girl Magazine (2012).
OK, I’m back again, I caught myself looking at Aimee’s picture for the 15th—and hopefully final—time before finishing up this article. I am proud of you Aimee; you are an angel in my midst. Thank you for shinning your radiance my way even if you live 100 miles to the south. More importantly, thank you for shining your radiance towards those that need it more than me; thank you for giving hope to the hopeless and letting them see in you a home for happiness. Expect to see much more from this young ambitious angel on the rise, while she continues to work on her own personal projects and broaden her horizons.
It takes a kind soul to give unconditionally to others, I am trying to learn from you one DOPE lesson. In life, you don’t always get in return from people who you have invested in. At times, the words “thank you” will never be directed your way from those who you helped. I am learning from your brilliance that the only thank you that is needed is the thanks from our father above. I know God is thanking you profusely for all your works and deeds, but let me thank you along with HIM, thank you Aimee for being such a Divine Model.
“A thing of beauty is a joy forever: its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness.” ~John Keats
[click to view Aimee's website]
[click to view the poetry that is Aimee]
Author
Teddy Fikre
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[click pic to follow us on twitter or follow us @browncondor]
We would love to hear your comments/feedback. Also, share this on Facebook, tweet it on twitter, or print it and give it to your grandmother. If you would like to follow us on Twitter, you can do so @browncondor
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