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>MY oldest and youngest SUNS and thier grandfather and i had a long discussion over the weekend. We flew here to Cali to see him. And it was at that time that he shared something that caused me to overstand just who he is..and who he has always been..Beyond the freedom fighter..

So here is a bit about me..What my father shared with us..will be at the end..

Today, as an Elder at aged sixty four..having earthed 8 sons , six still living 16 grands and 6 grt grands,,my life has evolved and i now focus on my horses and our business. And while doing so, give credit to the men who inspired me to learn to ride as well as own, and to go back and seek more educ and to learn how to care for them.
The man i will intro to those not from Newark NJ.. first is Miles J Dean horseman and educator extraoridinaire, someone who walked into my life as a blessing from the ancestors.

MILES, THANK U

All of my life my family and i have owned German shephards ,and to me, and in my OP they are most trusted dog breed in the world.
As a teen living in NY in the 60's and again as an adult prof in the 80's 90's i had never ridden a horse and knew nothing of Miles Dean.. Rathr i was exposed to the only horsemen in NYC, when i met via my uncle.. the other extraordianary African men from the Federation of Black Cowboys..and Ben Miller who was in his 80's then and still riding.
http://www.federationofblackcowboysnyc.com/page/members01.html

As a young woman i was immediately intimidated by the horse its size and its power..However Ben and his assoc quickly educated me, and as time passed i learned to ride as well as any of them.
Time passed and in 2008 i met Miles J. Dean, the man who has had more influence on me unbeknownst to him than anyone since my father and my husband. And who because of him, i have taken my life savings and invested with a good return in horses, and a piece of property that we now own and which can serve long after i am gone, as a way for those who own it..to earn as we have...http://www.blackheritageriders.org/ www.milesdean.com..Thank u my brother..

NEXT: EIGHT STEPS TO HOW THE VIILAMILS DID IT, AND STILL DO IT

1.BECOMING UNSTUCK

IF U ARE STUCK IN A DEAD END JOB, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO LEAVE SOONER THAN LATER, IF U BELIEVE U ARE IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT OFFERS U AS AN AFRICAN NO SUCCESS
Too many people with skills unsuccessfully keep trying to aim thier own personal battering ram at a brick wall..Find another wall and go around it
Seek people who believe in you, and your cause, and those who can motivate you without an agenda.

2. GOOD ASSOC:

Find and align yourself with people who will give you a challenge, and then do everything you can to use those challenges to push yourself, even if it puts u out of your comfort zone...U wiill be surprised at what u can accomplish and how it will encourage people to want to support you and be on your team.
Keep those relationships and assoc, and build a powerful network of people who are invested in your success, and be equally invested in wanting them to be successful....Please no backbiting

3.DO NOT BET AGAINST OTHER AFRICANS!

Accept the fact that the unfortuante nature of people is to bet against anyone taking a risk and going against the grain( ie how many Africans own or even ride a horse)?..DO NOT TAKE IT PERSONALLY (unless they try to mess with your $$)..It diminishes them not you..
It also gives you the amazing opportunity to see who your friends and supporters are, and who are not.

In the Sankofa Bus we have a strict rule..We never bet against any Africans. We bet on who is going to succeed..not on who will fail?
As a former nurse prac as well as an Atty i have had many sucesses and made mucho dinero.i
was treated reasonablly well, loved those who worked with and behind me, however i knew that medicine was TOXIC as was LAW and so i made hard choices.

i left nursing (other than to assist as a part of Cubas efforts worldwide), and also become a probono Atty for a good cause..i could not reconcile remaining part of a culture of supremacy, fear and lies from both careers regardless of how i was being treated..if i stayed it meant i condoned it, for nothing other than my persona i...gain
So after returning from Katrina and taking a sabbatical i resigned. i kept my license and renewed it as needed..

i knew i could not afford not to work, but i knew that i could afford not to work where i know people were being duped and murdered with impunity via MEDICINE" and the industial prison complex
With law, i left the public def office State of Nevada and began my own practice gathering assistance from Anti death penalty supporters nationwide
i also learned the value of keeping my legal name private on FB /et/al..and why doing so this keeps me safe as well and able to do my best...helping others.

4. LEARN HO TO CHOOSE YOUR ASSOC:

The value of company. The reputation and behaviour of the company and your personal compass are much more important than the short -term financial gains you may be realizing..i had to accept this.
Be so ever careful of whom who and what u affiliate yourself with..**AND NEVER EVER QUESTION YOUR VALUES.
My ability to read people in person and elsewhere has led me to the self -realization and overstanding of my own personal motivations..I know that i need and want interaction from people..i love the team concept and i thrive on motivation..However, i have no room for so called LEADERS..i do not look at myself as one, and will never look to anyone to lead me..i now have the confidence to step out on faith and get it done.

5. BECOME A DREAMMAKER AND DREAMSHAPER"

Follow your dream..which is what my father and SUNS* spoke of last eve..i have had a dream from the day i was born..and guess what it was?.. To be a NURSE?
.Block out the noise and go with your gut.Invest in yourself for the future and be strategic about yourself for the future..while being strategic about what you want next.

i chose law after seeing how so many people were being discriminated against when they tested positive for HIV in the 80's..That led me to law school in Havana..This all transpired as i was watching one of my family members wither away from diabetes in NY
i took a risk, esp when the success was much greater than the downside of failure...Nursing catapulted me to the front lines of humanity, and gave me the depth of exp that would prove to be invaluable as i later embarked on my biggest gamble..To save humans from death..ROW..and/or after being oppressed and pressed down in gulags for yrs after being wrongfully accused.

6. BECOMING A VISIONARY:

Most people can only see what is in front of them today .Many cannot take the leap, and visualize a new way of living..That is why today i am surrounded by people who are creative..Those of u here see me as a joke or a woman who talks smack and trash..LOL..Whoa!! how we judge others..;( But regardless, believe me there is a GEMINI in the house and i know how to sell my product, as well as my self..Today.ITS ALL ABOUT AFRICA.
i am surrounded by people who emanate positive energy, who have the capacity for 3 dimentional thinking and who are willing to break the old boy network rules.

There is nothing i dislike more than racists and ignorance.They stifle creativity and limit possibilities.
i love debate and was one of the best in my law classes in Cuba..i still hold my own i am told..LOL

7. A NEW BIZ, AND A NEW WAY OF DOING BUSINESS NOT AS USUAL:

When my SUNS" and i came East and filed the paper work at the county some yrs ago while i was living in Las Vegas.. we were looked at like? WTF..We read the lack of belief and the supposition of failure..in the faces of the clerks, as well as the CEO of the lic dept for the city..Now all of them know how to ride horses?..We befreinded them and word got out..
We personalized and humanized ourselves, we removed the typical Spanish speaker stereotype, and African dress negative attitudes and sent a message that things were different on our ranch.
We believe in being accessible and in promoting the African ciulture..We/ i give not a dayum about euros or any peopole who have attempted to stifle the indigenous peoples of the world.
There is fiyah in my name and fiyah in my veins..

CULTURE:

Culture we have always known..defines a company, org, group society etc., and in our op it is a key element to long term success. Why u make ask?
Because to be successful one must put him/herself in everyones shoes. Do not be afraid of competition, or to be asked questions that seems out of the ordinary as those questions can bring new ideas?

COMMUNICATION:

Never be afraid to OVER communicate on important things ..such as the company vision because as many times as you may hear it..there is always something that u may have heard for the first time.

i have never felt that i was held back because i was a woman..i have known however that the powers that be did not want success because of racism and because i am an African.
However, i do not believe in diversity in my own business.. i do not hire euros or people with ties to them. The people who are with us are all family..i do have many African desc and other young ladies who come and stay for the summer in order to generate $$ and learn about the horse..Others come to learn the horse.. PAY!! and go home...i will never shoot my $ in the foot..LOL

Suffice that as hard as it is for many here to accept and/or agree..i am an advocate for African desc in all goals of life and to this end if i do not see an African desc in a store i do bus in..i take my bus elsewhwere?
i do not need euros in my business, there are in my state millions and millions of my people from all over the world who know people.. who know peoplec who know people.., And thus our marketing stategy does not include seeking euros, who as we have experienced, come to assist with a different agenda..To BUY u OUT and make an offer they believe cannot be turned down? NOT!

On the other side..When the African/or anyone comes he/she is made aware of the rules..And if they are violated..The gate is 1/2 mile away..he or she is relieved of thier duties and sent off the property, but not before they speak with myself or one of my fam..And paid.


8..SPREADING THE WEALTH:

90% of the wealth, goes to europeans world wide so why are women only 13 of the Fortune 500 companies..OH u didn't know?
In 2009, women held 14% of the board seats for the Fortune 500. Furthermore, African American female executives only held 3.3% of the seats on public boards! African American women appear to be at a double disadvantage...

And u ask me why i will not hire euros.? Do i take apps..YES, but we never employ anyone during the summer other than partime African desc teens who need summer jobs..Besides euros are too caught up by all of the fine..African males walking around and many are also afraid of the the work that must be done to maintain.
For the most part..This is not a fortune 500..there are no mini skirts, halter tops or hoochies needed. Your nails will take a beating as will your hair and makeup?

Seriously i personally like to seek women or young ladies from the comm whom i believe i can help achieve a level of DO FOR SELF..ISM!!.i believe it is my responsibility to mentor and develop other African women..as i was.. As well as create opportunities for advancement. And so i champion women and young girls vision of owning thier own.

When i was doing the hiring i looked for toughness, resolve,dependability, tenacity and willingness to get dirty..????????????????????????

9 RECOGNIZING THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE U:

THE ANCESTORS GAVE US VISION AND COMMANDS

THEY TOLD US TO LOOK LISTEN AND ACT

OUR OWN DESIGNS ARE SURE TO FAIL

IF WE NEGLECT THE ANCESTRAL WAY

SPIRIT VS MANS WILL

10 In our attempts to find success, we need to watch out for the spiritual pollution that comes when we fail to follow the ancestral path and GODS spiritual guidelines. Spiritual living vs religious dogma and actions always leads to TOXIC free living

My fathers told me..Nina..do what u must to get to Africa..And if it means letting the horses go, and selling them/it all. and buying others ..Just.return home to Africa..

..He did not have to tell me that..He wants to be buried in Cuba..i overstand..and will fulfill his wishes

HE WHO PLANTED FIRST SEED BEN MILLER BLACK FEDERATION OF COWBOYS NY NY

..HE WARNED ME ABOUT LOOKING DOWN..OUCH!!..i love him