LOCAL • ENTERTAINMENT • POLITICS • FASHION
WHAT NOW? Special Edition: The Future of Baton Rouge
15| THE TRUMP EFFECT 17| PASTOR FRED JEFF SMITH 20| WHAT NOW ? ISSUE 7 • DECEMBER 2016 • FREE
A note from the
PUBLISHER Gary Chambers Jr. I was born and mostly raised in Baton Rouge, I lived a brief period of my life in Jacksonville, Florida. I left at 13 years old and came back at 18. My years in Florida allowed me to see better schools, developing neighborhoods, and mostly progressive communities. My best friends were from Columbia and Scotland, people from across the world decided that they wanted to live in this community and as a result the culture of the community was one that helped me to see the good America could be as a teenager. I moved back to Baton Rouge as a senior in high school and went to Glen Oaks High. It was a major difference from the school I went to in Florida, there was no
diversity. That lack of diversity wasn’t just at school, I saw it daily in my life in Baton Rouge. I cast my first ballot for President that year, mayor as well, I voted for Melvin “Kip” Holden to be elected the first black mayor of Baton Rouge. I had hoped that by electing a black mayor the issues of race and diversity in Baton Rouge would improve. I was 18. Now 12 years later I ask myself what did my community get for my vote? The truth is, not much. As I’ve gotten older, started a family, and a business I’ve learned how this process works and how much power the mayor of Baton Rouge truly has. Each year the mayor has the ability to craft a budget for the next year. That budget is voted on by the Metro Council and is rarely changed from the wishes of the mayor. After the budget is approved by the council, the only person who can make changes, create contracts, and move money is the mayor-president of the parish. This is a huge amount of power. The council of course has the ability to reject a measure by the mayor and that happens, though rarely. Considering the condition of the community I grew up in, a year ago I began to think
• She allocated, $13,900,000 La Community & Tech, Automotive Training Facility • $15 Million for Southern University Baton Rouge Central Parking Facility. • $600,000 for BR Metro Airport, Airport Aviation Business Park. • $3 Million for New Baker Fire Station. • $600,000 for Hooper Road Sewer Improvements. • $1 Million for Southern University Baton Rouge A.O. Williams Hall Renovations. • $1.2 Million for Baton Rouge Metro Airport Aviation Business Park.
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about who I would support for mayor this year. This person would have the ability to reshape the outlook for hundreds of thousands of people in this community and that job shouldn’t be given to someone again just because they were from my community. I looked at the track record of those running for office and the person who seemed to have accomplished the most, but made the least amount of fuss about it was Sharon Weston Broome. Over her time in office Broome allocated millions of dollars for development for projects that she never bragged about, she just did the work. (See accomplishments below) Each one of these projects were a benefit to the people of north Baton Rouge, things that we don’t hear a lot about because Sharon Weston Broome hasn’t been looking for a camera, she’s been working for results. When Gov. Bobby Jindal decided to privatize healthcare in Louisiana, Sharon Weston Broome helped to put funding in place to create the urgent care clinic in north Baton Rouge that is now set to be a new emergency room. We may have lost an asset due to the decisions
• $1,050,000 for Baton Rouge Recreation and Park Commission for Children’s Museum. $1,555,000 for Baton Rouge Recreation and Park Commission Anna T. Jordan Site and Facility Improvements. • $165,500 Baker Fire Training Facility. • $100,000 for Southeast Community Health Center in Baker. • $1 Million for North Baton Rouge YMCA • $100,000 for Rollins Road park Basketball Court Cover • $300,000 for Water System Improvements in Zachary. • $95,000 for Natural Gas Distribution System Improvements in Zachary. • $135,000 for Annison Plantation Renovation in Zachary. • $70,000 for Sewer Testing and Rehabilitation in Zachary.
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of Gov. Jindal, but the work of then Sen. Broome, helped to pave the way for what is hoped to be a future for healthcare in north Baton Rouge. The mayor’s office will give Broome the opportunity to do more to allocate resources to areas in our parish that need it the most. Projects that happened under her watch in north Baton Rouge created hundreds of new jobs, many with the aid of her office. The mayor of Baton Rouge has a huge amount of power over the allocation of resources, if Sharon while in the legislature appropriated millions, I have no doubt she will do the same as mayor.
Then the great flood hit our city. I was visiting the shelter at the Jewel J. Newman community center in north Baton Rouge and in walks Sharon Weston Broome. Her home had flooded, but she was there to see how she could help the families affected by the flood. I had a conversation with her and said “take some time for Sharon.” She said, “I will.” Then she walked over and opened a box with a cot in it for a flood victim and helped them get situated. I watched her stand and talk with people in the shelter and encourage them, while she herself had a flooded home.
After the murder of Alton Sterling, one of the first calls I received after reporting on the incident was from Sharon Weston Broome. She called to say she wanted to help in any way she could. In the moments following, she attended the press conference on the steps of city hall, she never attempted to be seen, but she was present. She met with the family privately to offer her condolences, an act that was never seen, but she was present. She attended meetings and protest, took notes, and followed up after events to share advice or offer resources. She was never in search of an opportunity to talk, but an opportunity to serve. This showed me a lot about who Sharon Weston Broome is as a person. Much was revealed about our leaders on a local level when Alton Sterling was killed, it showed us who was ready to work for change and who was campaigning and not just those campaigning for mayor a host of politicians were looking for credit and not working for solutions. When the police officers were killed on July 17th, both Sharon and I were called to local news stations to speak on what had taken place in our community. I listened as others told protestors to get out of Baton Rouge. I watched Sharon handle the situation with the type of temperament needed to lead in crisis. She didn’t take credit for ending protest, but she like others asked for peace while our city faced yet another tragedy. Sharon was present.
I have watched Sharon Weston Broome this summer reveal herself in a silent way, to be the type of strong leader our community needs. Not a leader for the black community alone, but a leader that can bring all sides to the table after the tragedies our community has faced this summer. From her presence after the killing of Alton Sterling, her temperament after the killing of our police officers, and her sacrifice for others after the great flood even though her own home had flooded. Sharon was present, and willing to do the work to help the people. That’s leadership. Last year I challenged Sharon to be vocal about the race Carolyn Hill was in for her seat on BESE, Hill was being attacked daily by her opponent. I wrote Broome an open letter and said, “Will you be another Kip Holden for Baton Rouge? Someone who is good for business, but not good for blacks.” Sharon Weston Broome has shown me, she is no Kip Holden, by her actions this summer. Her funding of projects in this community as a legislator shows that she has been pushing resources to this community while in office. She simply isn’t one to brag, and in a generation of social media that is to be appreciated. Baton Rouge needs police reform, economic equity, better schools, expanded healthcare access, and
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more inclusion. Those things won’t happen without a leader who can walk into any room in Baton Rouge and sit down with people and have a conversation about the future of our city-parish. When I made the decision to support Sharon Weston Broome, it wasn’t because of something I saw on TV, it was because of what I witnessed with my own eyes. I have challenged Sharon Weston Broome on more than one occasion and each time she has responded with action. She has proven to me not to be the type of leader who avoids the issues, but deals with them in her own way. I have cast my support behind Broome, but will challenge her each step of the way to do what is in the best interest of all people in Baton Rouge. As a business owner I know that leadership is about doing more than about talking, and I’ve watched Sharon do. It is critical that we as a community elect the right type of leader as we move forward. Too many in our community are behind because we have had leaders who limit the growth in our community to certain groups of people. I believe there is a seat at the table for us all under a Broome administration. That’s what our children deserve, a chance to flourish with people from all walks of life, the same way I did in my years in Florida. Too long have we been behind, because we refused to do something different. From the millions of dollars of investment, to her silent presence, Sharon has proven the leader she is. Let’s give Broome an opportunity to clean up this mess, and take a city in a better direction. For these reasons, I’m casting my ballot on December 10th for Sharon Weston Broome.
Re-Elect
#89
CHAUNA
BANKS EBR Metro Council District 2
“Working on Behalf of Families for More Than 25 Years” Election Day: December 10 th ACCOMPLISHMENTS • Pursued the renovation of the James Watson Airnasium and Chamberlain Street Parks • Created the NBRNow Blue Ribbon Commission • Co-sponsored ordinance for University Place buyout • Stopped closure of the Anna T. Jordan swimming pool • Sponsored ordinance to donate the old Scotlandville Fire Station to the Scotlandville High Hornets Alumni Association • Recouped funding to rebuild the Southern Heights Homeowners Association signage • Sponsored ordinance to place human trafficking hotline signs in all city parish buildings • Secured over $100K in grants and community support for Jewel J. Newman Community Center programs • Advocated for increased bus shelters in Baker and Scotlandville • Won approval of sidewalk projects for Harding Blvd, Elm Grove Garden Drive, and Central Road • Sponsored ordinance lowering the age requirement of city-parish student interns from 17 to 15 • Sponsored ordinance to hire consulting firm to market and recruit from minority communities for the BR Police Department
A PASSION FOR PROGRESS
Yours, Capital campaign for the BREC ZOO at its current Thomas Road location Publisher of The Rouge Collection
Aggressively pursue police reform and their community engagement
Continue NBRNow Blue Ribbon Commission efforts toward increased economic development and healthcare opportunities in north BR
Increase equitable funding for infrastructure and beautification projects
The Rouge Collection • therougecollection.com • 4 Paid for by the Vote4Chauna Re-Election Campaign
A note from the
EDITOR
this issue, you will notice a redesigned publication with the same insightful opinions on things that are important to you.
Publisher & Co-Owner: Gary Chambers Publisher & Co-Owner: Stephen Johnson Editor-in-Chief: Thelisia Davis Creative Director: Laticia King Email Us: info@therougecollection.net Follow Us: twitter.com/therougecollection instagram.com/therougecollection The Rouge Collection LLC. is owned and operated by G. Chambers and S. Johnson
THANK YOU for picking this issue up. The last time The Rouge Collection went to print was the summer of 2014. Since then we focused on building our online presence and we have been concentrating more on public interests.
We’re still passionate about sharing the voice of Baton Rouge’s community. Sometimes that means letting others know what services they can get from a local vendor or business owner; sometimes that means being the pages where you can find interesting stories about your neighbors. We’re happy to be back in your hands and will, of course, continue to grow, getting better and better for you over the time we’ll spend together.
So much has changed since we started publishing in 2012 but our commitment to being what you need is and will be stronger than ever.
So here’s to many more conversations about Baton Rouge, its people, its concerns, and its future – in issues you can hold.
This month marks the beginning of a new chapter for the magazine. With
Thelisia S. Davis Editor
Sharon Broome Mayor President
THE BALLOT FOR PROGRESS IN BATON ROUGE YOUR VOTE IS YOUR VOICE
Chauna Banks
Metro Council District 2
Linda Dewey
Metro Council District 5
13 ART DE VIE
With visual artist, Bryson Boutte
The
TRUMP EFFECT
25 Since Sex Got Easier to Get Love Got Harder to Find
8| BEAUTY: BEAUTY TIPS WITH KING ARTISTRY 9| STYLE: DIVAS & DIAMONDS 17| FEATURE: PASTOR FRED JEFF SMITH 20| COVER STORY: WHAT NOW ? Foster Campbell U.S. Senate
Kenneth Perret
Metro Council District 9
Lorri Burgess
Metro Council District 10
#TRCBallot
VOTE YES TOO ALL OF THE PARISH-WIDE PROPOSITIONS -Mental Health: Crisis Stabilization Center -The Greenlight Project -North Economic Development District -Consolidation of Road Lighting
Gary Chambers Jr., Publisher Lamont Cole
Metro Council District 7
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Rose Carey
Metro Council District 12
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you can use essential oils on your face! No, if used correctly, it will not cause breakouts!
SERVING GOD AND COMMUNITY GOD IS STILL GOD, EVEN IN TEMPESTUOUS SITUATIONS BY PASTOR GUEVARA JOHNSON, TH.D. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. --Psalm 50:3 Weeks leading up to the tragic and devastating events that impacted Baton Rouge and surrounding communities, God spoke to me to encourage the Body of Christ. His message to His people was to press in to prayer and intercession, and that it is our job to speak to and declare what God says we can have even when tempestuous situations arise. God has given the Church the greatest weapon: Prayer, Praise and above all, the Spoken Word! Interdenominational Faith Assembly (IFA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the ministry of the Word of God and promotion of cooperative community partnerships for charitable, educational and religious purposes. God has blessed and favored my wife and I to pastor a growing congregation and to lead an expanded organization that is a thriving community support and outreach entity that offers resources to those in need. Over the years, several programs and services were birthed and operated under the organization including: Achieve to Succeed Adult Daycare, Free and Not in Bondage/Prison Ministry, God’s Children with a Destiny, Programs for the Elderly, Health Fairs, Faith Bible Institute (Extension Campus of Faith Christian University), youth and young adult programs, outreach and educational camps, afterschool tutoring, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Camps, Back-to-School Expos, etc. IFA also provides scholarships and financial assistance for collegebound students, activities for youth and young adults, food and clothing to the homeless, ministry to the incarcerated, and to the hearing-impaired community. IFA has also engaged communities and ministries in 7 • The Rouge Collection • therougecollection.com
Current projects include the opening of a Survivor Resource Center for the Flood of 2016 and ongoing collaborative partnership with Senator Regina Barrow on community projects for the betterment of the at large community we serve. Through a cooperative agreement with the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center, IFA is working to further assist disadvantaged neighborhood in the aftermath of the Flood of 2016. More than a hundred members of our congregation were impacted by the flood of 2016. Many of these individuals were overwhelmed by the loss experienced and found themselves at a disadvantage when attempting to navigate through available federal, state and local resources. To meet the challenge, IFA mobilized existing and volunteer staff to participate in town hall meetings and subsequent ad hoc meetings throughout the parish to educate themselves with the distinct goal of providing a supportive resource to assist those impacted. Meetings were immediately hosted with congregation and community members which offered a Q&A format as well as an opportunity to distribute informational updates. Networks were also reengaged to coordinate essential supplies and emergency funds to help in the relief effort for survivors as they transition from the chaos caused by the event. IFA is committed to further educate and empower minority and disadvantaged disaster survivors successfully navigate through the recovery process post flood of 2016. Strategies underway include: 1) engaging survivors to determine ongoing needs with connecting to available resources; 2) assisting survivors in targeted population with completing applications for assistance and submitting necessary documentation for appeals; 3) advocating for at risk populations, i.e. elderly and disabled community in accessing supports to reduce exposure to predator contractors; 4) coordinating with impacted churches and faith-based organizations to promote support in their community; 5) offering training and support to survivors and the at large community to provide assistance with filing of insurance claims and appeals utilizing a local insurance agency; 6) maintaining a library of information/updates (including applications, forms, resource lists, directories, etc.) for community access throughout the restoration and recovery process; 7) working with community and state leaders as a host site for small scale focus groups to increase general community awareness of existing restoration and recovery activities as well as resources and anticipated changes that will impact those survivors. I want to encourage you to unite with us in prayer and the declaration of God’s precious promises of perpetual victory and protection for the Church. Add to your daily confessions Psalm 91 and prayers written by the Apostle Paul throughout the Book of Ephesians. All you need is in one Jesus Christ who is Lord or all!
BEAUT Y
East Baton Rouge and surrounding parishes through empowerment conferences to educate minority and low income communities in financial planning, grief counseling certification, marriage and family support workshops, entrepreneurial and tax support seminars.
½ cup raw Shea Butter ½ cup coconut oil 10 drops rose oil 10 drops grapeseed oil Mix ingredients on high speed with hand mixer until creamy. Apply lightly to face, massaging into the skin in circular motions. Pay extra attention to creases of nose and around eye, as these areas are often overlooked.
BEAUTY TIPS WITH KING ARTISTRY
HYDRATE
The final and most important tip for maintaining a beautiful skin, is to hydrate! Water, water, water…… and then more water. Exfoliation and moisturization is simply not enough.
BLACK DON’T CRACK: 3 TIPS FOR WINTER SKINCARE BY LATICIA KING
Yes it’s true, melanin rich skin has been known to age gracefully and maintain elasticity no matter the circumstances. But as the cold weather finally begins to creep in, it’s time to start giving a little more attention to this beauty that comes so naturally. Cold weather causes dryness, and dry skin leads to wrinkles. So in order to stay smooth and supple, use these 3 Tips to keep your melanin radiant throughout the winter months.
EXFOLIATE
Fresh skin is beautiful skin, and exfoliating reveals that fresh new layer underneath. Not only does it remove dead cells from the surface of your skin, it also increases blood circulation and helps keep pores from getting clogged. Weekly exfoliation is the first step to maintaining smoother, more youthful skin! There are hundreds of the different scrubs and peels out that work wonders, but there is no need to spend time and money on expensive skin care lines. Nothing beats all natural products. So skip the drugstore and head to the pantry. Trust me, your skin will appreciate you avoiding all the alcohol and fragrances that are added to store-bought products. 4 tbsp. brown sugar 1 tbsp. honey 2 tbsp. olive oil
Mix ingredients. Massage into skin, working in circular motions, for 2 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Pat dry with towel.
MOISTURIZE
After exfoliation comes moisturization! As a makeup artist, I often ask my clients do they moisturize. The usual response goes something like, “Um, no”, or “My skin is already oily so I don’t need to”, or “When I feel dry I do”. People often don’t realize how important moisturizing is. Maintaining the moisture balance is the KEY to maintaining healthy skin. Throughout each day, your face is exposed to more than any other part of your body. Wind, rain, smog, it gets it all. At the end of the day when you cleanse away all of the dirt, you also strip away your skin’s natural moisture. If you constantly cleanse without replenishing moisture, your skin will respond by over producing oil to combat the dryness. This overproduction is what leads to breakouts. I try to explain to my clients all the time, being too dry is just as bad as being too oily. Do not avoid moisturizers in fear of breakouts. They most often have the complete opposite effect. Here is a recipe for a homemade, all natural moisturizer. Yes, it contains oil. Yes,
The absolute most important part of taking care of your skin, whether face scalp or body, is to hydrate. Take care from the inside out. The majority of us do not drink enough water. We fill up on juice and soda and other sugary drinks. But that only makes us thirstier. Water is the only thing that truly quenches. It is essential to sustaining human life. We all know its benefits, but still don’t take advantage. I challenge everyone reading to make a conscious effort to drink more water during the last stretch of the year. Start the New Year off right. Dedicate a few weeks to drinking more water, and avoiding juice and soda and coffee and anything else that’s not water. Then take a moment to evaluate yourself. How do you feel? How is your energy level? Is your hair softer? Is your skin smoother? I can almost guarantee that your answer will be yes. The more water your body gets, the better your body will perform. So, as the temperature drops and you prepare to put on the scarf and boots, don’t forget to take care of what’s underneath first. Exfoliate, moisturize, and hydrate. A few months of cold weather can have a lifetime effect on your skin. IG: @KINGARTISTRY. FB:KINGARTISTRYMUA KINGARTISTRY@GMAIL.COM
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STYLE
Divas & DIAMONDS
GET TO KNOW THIS B.R. BOUTIQUE OWNER BY THELISIA S. DAVIS Photos by Tamara Williams
The thing I love about boutiques is the intimacy. Unlike large department stores and chain retailers, there’s the advantage of a customized shopping experience, your chances of running into your piece elsewhere are slim to none, and you have an opportunity to really find clothes that bring you joy but, the best perk is getting to know the owner. This happened to me when I visited Divas and Diamond Boutiques located on 3939 South Sherwood Forest, Ste A. The owner, Venice Holiday, is certainly dedicated to making sure you look your best but she also has values and charm that will easily make her one of your favorite people.
I think you should get to know her. Venice is a native of Baton Rouge and she’s been in the business for five years. “I was blessed with this business 5 years ago from my good friend.” Choosing the name of the shop: “My friend, Rochelle Williams – Mason, gave me the business 5 years ago and it was just ‘Divas.’ When she gave me the business I didn’t 9 • The Rouge Collection • therougecollection.com
want to take ‘Divas’ off so I added my grandbaby’s name, Diamond.” Venice says of a name that represents good friendship and family.
HER IDEA OF LADIES STYLE: You dress to impress! “Something sexy but nothing overexposed.”
WHAT DOES THE BRAND REPRESENT: Tastefulness. “Contemporary with a flair.”
WHAT TYPES OF PEOPLE VISIT THE SHOP: Teachers, policewomen, ministers – the scale is large. “I recently retired as a teacher so lots of my customers are former and current educators.” HOW SHE PICKS HER PIECES: Research!
“I try to look at what’s current, in magazines. And I watch a lot of popular shows, like Empire. And TV personalities to see what they wear. For example, I watched Black Girls Rock and Gladys Knight had on a necklace with medium and large pearls that I sold.”
GETTING INTO ROADSHOWS: Again…research!
“I just started looking for conferences and festival online.
WHAT SHE REALLY LIKES ABOUT HER JOB: Giving advice on how to accessorize. “What I really, REALLY enjoy about what I do, especially on the road, is that a lot of ladies don’t know how to accessorize their jewelry with their clothes. I do jewelry consultation.”
She also offers private showing at the customers’ home. “It makes them feel special. I want them to feel that. ”
WHO IS ON HER TEAM: Usually she’s a one woman army but when times call for extra muscle she calls in her husband and a friend. “I’m a loner mainly and very particular but when I need him, my husband is my set up guy. And there is Natasha. She has a great personality. She knows how to sale, she’s very approachable and knows how to approach people. She’s been in retail for a long time. She calls me ‘Mom.’ I do Mistletoe Market, a two-day show at the Belle of Baton Rouge, and she helps me there when I need two people.” HOW SHE FEELS ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA: Don’t just “like” it and get in there and BUY it! “Social media is good but sometimes I get frustrated. My daughter says I have to post something every day and I get that, but it’s frustrating not seeing every day results after I take out my time to share things online.” PUTTING FAMILY FIRST: What I love most about Divas and Diamonds is its family element. “I have my grandchildren involved in the small day-today operations at the shop so they will know what having their own businesses entails. I let them help rearrange the merchandise, sweep the floors, label items. I’m still teaching. I will always be a teacher no matter where I go. Teaching doesn’t necessarily have to be in a classroom, it’s just sharing with others.”
ADVICE TO ENTREPRENEURS: Fear nothing and try everything
you can think of. “You don’t know until you try it. I did a roadshow in Lake Charles last year, in November. It was very disorganized. When I called for details all they said was, ‘just be here for 4 o’clock.’ My husband and I walk in, everybody is already setup and they didn’t have a table or place for me. Finally, they place me across from a business from Opelousas, which was RIGHT at the door of the conference. The man across from me never spoke until when everyone is coming out of the conference some people remembered me from a previous year. The man says, ‘She comes here late but everybody goes to her booth!’ But that motivated me. Sometimes you don’t know what you are walking into but personality, proper merchandise, inviting display and fearlessness are what you should try to bring into everything.” Being able to see a business proprietor as another person reminds you that there are human beings behind your favorite clothes. You see that they have families, responsibilities, and aspirations. They make you feel special and allow you to see that you need each other. They put clothes on your back and you put clothes on theirs. And it makes your dollar feel that much more appreciated *Visit Divas & Diamonds (@divasdiamondsboutique) on Instagram and Facebook to view their newest pieces.
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185 Eddie Robinson, Sr. Drive • Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802 • 225.343.0640 www.shilohbr.com 185 Eddie Robinson, Sr. Drive• •Worship Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802 • 225.343.0640 Discipleship • Fellowship • Ministry www.shilohbr.com Sunday Worship • 8:00 and 11:00 a.m. Bible Study• •Worship Wednesdays, Noon and 6:30 p.m. Discipleship • Fellowship • Ministry Fred Jeff Smith, Pastor Sunday Worship • 8:00 and 11:00 a.m.
Come Worship With Us! 6:30 p.m. Bible Study • Wednesdays, Noon and Fred Jeff Smith, Pastor
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Come Worship With Us!
E N T E R TA I N M E N T & A R T S
ART DE VIE with visual artist, Bryson Boutte BY THELISIA S. DAVIS Photos by Tamara Williams
Visual artist, Bryson Boutte, (appropriately nicknamed Munk given his cool & quiet demeanor) has always had love for the visual arts. He started painting in high school during art class but didn’t get serious about his talent until the summer of 2013. “When I first got interested in art, it was rooted in graffiti and I was searching for a tag. I cycled through a few until I found myself watching a documentary on monks in Southeast Asia,” Boutte said. He was absorbed by their quest for inner peace and as a reminder, “I took the word monk on as my moniker.” Having the name Munk, he says, helps keep him keep his ultimate goal of inner tranquility and humbleness in mind. Boutte says he learned a little about art on his own at the beginning of discovering his talent, but he isn’t at ease with saying he is completely self-taught. He gives major credit to Allan Jones and John Hawthorne at the University of Louisiana--Lafayette.
The two have helped enhance his skills as an artist and advance his expression across a broad array of art forms, including digital art, topography, animating, sculptures, even “the human spirit,” he adds. Currently he has a series that focuses somewhat of the human spirit. The “Human History” series “… draws a parallel between the present and the past, the physical and the metaphysical, the mind and our shared experience.” His favorite medium, acrylic. “Its drying speed lets you create layers,” Boutte said. “Layers on top of paint and if I ever mess up, I can just work on another part of the piece and paint over it.” His favorite art form, “Painting definitely. I mix a lot of my colors and do the blending on canvas so I’m constantly surprised by the results, I can get lost in a painting for hours.” At the time of this interview we discussed the popularity of live art performances. In 2014, we saw a surge
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in events inviting artists like Bryson Boutte to create signature artwork on location. I asked him what he though about the development of these types of pieces. He answered, “When I started to see all the shows come up I was amazed then and even more now that I know who organizes these events. You always see these paintings online or on display but the process is an amazing experience that not too many people get.” Some of the events Bryson has performed includes; Art Has a Home, Build the Fire by Modern Day Scribe and Bits of Baton Rouge. Beyond that, Bryson just wants to keep on creating. He is currently living in Los Angeles. “This is my dream and to see so much support growing behind what I’m doing only pushes me to continue to chase it.” Editor’s note: The description of Bryson’s current series come from his website, artbybrysonboutte.format.com
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Donald Trump has become the United States’ president-elect and some people are convinced this gives them license to carry out hate crimes. Since Nov. 8 more stories of racially charged assaults and insults have made their way to the surface of news on the internet. One of the main anthologists of the incidents is Shaun King. On his social media accounts he shares the stories of others. Some reports run the gambit from children being called “niggers” to women having their hijabs snatched off their heads. It hurts to see people go through mistreatment but what King and others like him are doing is developing an online space where those of us who face discrimination because of skin tone, gender, or religion can encourage one another. I am grateful for that. Not too long ago a friend asked me “Who would you consider leaders?” When I paused for a moment to think he stacked another question on top of the last, “In this generation?” I couldn’t think quickly of anyone from this generation but the ongoing argument that my generation has no leaders came to mind. Now I don’t think I would be so hesitant to answer the question. Now I believe that although we have a good number of standout individuals locally and nationally who advocate for marginalized communities, we each are our own leaders.
The
TRUMP EFFECT
BY THELISIA S. DAVIS
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We each have the power to secure our safety and happiness regardless of who is in office or who has the narrow-minded belief we don’t all deserve America’s brand of freedom. If anything socially sharing police shootings of black men and publicizing hate crimes targeting all the groups Donald Trump spoke against on his campaign trail, has pulled the shroud of darkness and quietness away from issues like these. Since the election, a lot of things have been made clear. One of them being that love overcomes hate. I choose to see it as a call to action. Unbeknowst to him, this is the other side of the Trump Effect. The Rouge Collection • therougecollection.com • 16
F E AT U R E
GARY CHAMBERS: What do you believe, after all our community has endured, is the most critical point as we move forward? PASTOR SMITH: I’m curious to see how a city like Baton
Rouge responds to the overwhelmingly conservative victory in the most recent presidential and state elections. Baton Rouge is a conservative city, but I would say they were more on the moderate conservative side than the radical-extreme. I’d like to believe that that moderation will come forth and I think a lot will be known about that by who wins the mayoral race. In my mind, the mayor’s race is more important than the U.S. Senate race because it’s more hands on. Once you become mayor, you’re almost guaranteed a second term and in this particular parish you are allowed three terms. We’re making a decision that could have an impact for the next 12 years as far as who the chief executive of this parish is going to be and how that person balances business interests versus social needs will be a critical issue. Beyond the [Alton] Sterling shooting and beyond the present strife with regard to law enforcement in this city, before this ever happened you had such a dichotomy between north and south Baton Rouge. You had such a dichotomy between affluence and poverty. You had such a dichotomy between education with regards to private schools and public schools. I think it’s very critical to see whether or not any political office holder is going to be able to wade into that and turn the tide in such a way as to bring about a certain degree of fairness in this community.
Q&A: Gary Chambers, Jr. & Pastor Fred Jeff Smith of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church
“THERE ARE SLEEPING GIANTS IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THEY NEED TO WAKE UP.” It’s 1:30pm on one of the busiest shopping days of the year. Yesterday was thanksgiving, the holidays have arrived and many would welcome the change in the air that comes during this time of year. 2016 has been a rough time. For many it’s also set the stage for change, not only across the country but change in a city that’s seen more than it’s fair share of tough times. These are thoughts that run through my mind as I enter Shiloh missionary baptist church. The place where Charles T. Smith pastored for 50 years. The man who took up company with local leaders such as TJ Jemison to meeting other great men such as Nelson Mandela. Since his passing in 2012 his son Fred Jeff Smith has been elected as Shiloh’s 5th pastor. The spirit of change that many people crave resonates in Fred Jeff Smith’s demeanor. As he welcomes me into his office he seems eager to speak on the climate of the events that have changed around us. 17 • The Rouge Collection • therougecollection.com
GARY CHAMBERS: How does the church and government work together in this process? When things like this happen, the church is highly criticized. Churches like the historic Shiloh Baptist Church and others helped to fight the fights previously but we had no seats of power. So how do we balance the role of power as well as the role of the church as we move through this water? PASTOR SMITH: The African American church has to reclaim
a certain degree of authority in this community with leading the fight on social justice issues. Wealth would be nice to have, but you don’t need it in order to do that. What you do need is a certain degree of tenacity and a certain degree of deliberate and thoughtful aggressiveness to speak truth to power in such a way as to cause power to respond to it and not dismiss it. One of the problems that I see existing today, is that too many people want to shout from the outside, and not enough people want to come in and sit at the table. Positive differences can only be made by those who sit at the table. There’s a scene in the movie Lean on Me when Morgan Freeman puts the police officers out of the school and puts chains on the doors. Someone complains “but he’s calling me a n*gger”, and Morgan Freeman’s character responds “But you know where he’s saying it from? He’s saying it from the outside.” Which means whatever’s going on out there doesn’t really matter with what’s going on in here. What goes on out there makes headlines. What goes on out there causes people to have conversations and so on, but decisions are made by those who come to the table. The church has to be in a position to demand a seat at the table and it not be a ceremonial seat.
It has to be a seat where thoughtful people actually think pragmatically about what can be accomplished realistically. I think that another weakness that we’ve had is that we reach for far more than what we say we want. You have to be able to read the climate and know what’s tangible and what’s possible. You have to know what people can give up without feeling like that have succumbed or surrendered. Power is a zero sum game. Nobody believes in sharing power, anybody who says otherwise is lying. People believe in utilizing power in ways that will allow them to retain it at the end of the day. So if I can be sensitive and compassionate towards your need and it helps me to retain my position of authority, then it’s in my best interest to do so. If a man has his foot on my neck, do I really care about whether or not he’s concerned if he’s choking me out or whether or not his foot gets a cramp if he doesn’t take his foot off my neck? All I want is for his foot to be off my neck. So I think pragmatism has to prevail in these conversations, and instead of asking for these things that are completely unreasonable, I think you need to have a thoughtful approach to what you can actually accomplish.
GARY CHAMBERS: Has the church, with its absence in some issues, lost its credibility in the community? PASTOR SMITH: I think there’s a segment of this community
that no longer has any trust in the church and church leadership. I think that the prevailing media bias against the church for the last 30 years is what has caused that. The church has been mischaracterized. The church has been caricatured in print media, television, and the movies. Pastors are corrupt womanizers or cheats and degenerates who hide behind the cloak of the pulpit in order to accomplish their own selfish ends. When you hear that for 20 to 30 years, you tend to go along with that. And even if you don’t realize that you’re being affected by that, you are. After the Civil Rights Movement hit its climax, there was a movement within society to make sure the church would never be as strong again as it was during that time. The church was the unifying force within the community. The church was the hub during the Civil Rights Movement. It was the hub through which change took place and people
Pastor Fred Jeff Smith and Gary Chambers, Jr.
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recognized and saw the strength in that they could dilute. If they got you to question your leadership and the authority of your own base, eventually they wouldn’t have to do anything to the church, you’d do it yourself.
GARY CHAMBERS: So what does Shiloh do? PASTOR SMITH: I’m very proud of the fact that my father that pastored this church for 50 years, led this congregation in the direction in what he liked to call “holistic ministry”. He believed that Jesus wasn’t simply concerned about people’s souls but he was concerned about their quality of lives. If we are to be the church that Jesus would want to establish then we also have to be concerned about people’s total lives. He led this church with a focus to meet everyone’s daily needs. The daycare and early learning center was established over 40 years ago to provide up and coming Black families who needed to work and needed to have somewhere decent and clean where they know that their children will be in a safe environment. Shiloh has always been a leader in benevolence towards the poor and the indigent. A lot of people wouldn’t have lights in their homes or wouldn’t have a place to stay if it wasn’t for us. We pay rent & we pay for people’s prescriptions so they can have medicine. For a long time, we had a credit union here that allowed people to borrow money at the rate of 1% against the unpaid balance, which lasted until about 9 years ago. We have a bargain center that operates to try and provide clean clothing for people that can’t afford clean clothing. We put diapers on babies and formula in their stomachs.
Three decades of Pastorialship: Charles T. Smith, Dudley Turnball Smith, and Fred Jeff Smith pictured on wall.
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My challenge as I see it is to find a way to take that holistic ministry piece to a new level. We are relying heavily on the expertise of Rev. Jennifer Jones who serves as our Minister of Social Justice, a position I recently established. I see these things as social justice issues and there needs to be someone that spends all of their time trying to address those needs. Rev. Jones has a background of experience working with that as a community organizer with PICO locally and nationally for several years. She has access to entities and groups from across the nation that really proved to be beneficial for us when the floods hit and we were able to get help from across the country as we tried to help people in this community. There were 150 families at Shiloh that were directly impacted by the flood and I’m glad we were able to help them as well as other families in the community. I’m very proud of the work that our people did which was mostly on a volunteer basis and from people who were also affected themselves. Part of our problem is that there is a terrible lack of organization. One church can make a difference. Two churches can make a bigger difference. 100 churches can make a much bigger difference. If we stop being concerned about who is going to preach at the annual session and start being concerned about issues at hand and that people being negatively impacted by what’s going on in this community, I think we’d do a whole lot better. We have sleeping giants in this city that need to wake up, and I’m talking about the 4th District Baptist Association and the Louisiana Baptist State Convention USA Incorporated, both of which Shiloh is a part of. They need to wake up.
COVER STORY
WHAT NOW? WALTER MCLAUGHLIN, artist, activist, entrepreneur
EUGENE COLLINS, community leader
Regarding the flood: it would be nice to see outreach from state officials to the federal government for more funds in a Road Home style program. I know they have no intention on doing so but it could prevent another mass exodus from the state as well as our metro area who only amassed this population following Katrina. Secondly I would like for all contracts to be reconsidered and then more evenly distributed amongst the different demographics. Lastly, I think if a white owned company gets a city/ parish contract then we should guarantee that a minority owned business is awarded the sub-contract to allow for more of those businesses to join the fold, and at some point be deemed sufficient enough to be granted a primary contract.
Regarding the flood: Unity is defined as being united or joined as a whole. Some say that during our 1000 year flood and I witnessed so many random acts of kindness. Although I agree we experienced a glimpse of what unity looks like through these random acts of kindness, we would have to see these acts more consistently. In addition, more consistent fluid conversations around unity.
In the aftermath of Alton Sterling, we must continue to fight for justice for Alton and his family, starting with a decision being handed down from the DOJ. State and local officials do have influence in calling on the feds to render a judgment that the community has been waiting 5 months for. Next, we should implement a fully empowered citizens review board to whom the police chief is accountable to, and that can, in concert with law enforcement, review all officer involved shootings, with findings being binding. Lastly we should address this theory of community policing & what that might look like including a parish residency requirement while providing an incentive to do so.
For example, while working on my home I had a neighbor stop by and give everyone working $50.00. During this time I also met neighbors and developed relationships with neighbors I had never spoken to. Seeing those relations develop and knowing that we very well could have developed lifetime friendships, I thought why did it take tragedy to bring this out of us all. I saw what unity in our town could be and I thought of how we could build on it. I also saw the greatness in people, men spent hour in and hour out saving the lives of people they didn’t even know. I saw greatness in people, but we have work to do to try to recapture it. Regarding Alton Sterling: We need to have clear and consistent conversation across the board when it comes to police reform. The community needs a clear definition of what police The Rouge Collection • therougecollection.com • 20
reform is, we often have several definitions floating around. I don’t believe we will get any conviction of the officers involved in any way, but at least give the people an apology from the department that the situation should have been handled better. Regarding officer safety: We need to increase community and officer relations through vast community outreach events, which includes: • Active street outreach explaining the function of police • School seminars on policing • Police as community servants • Increases in training efforts around cultural competency and community mobilization Provide a safe space for officers to report officer related claims. A space where officers can be honest about officer involvement, which will increase community involvement. Essentially the better you know the community, the safer you will be.
ABI WINGET,
Southern University student Regarding the flood: We need to tighten up on city-parish maintenance, make sure that the maintenance is equitably distributed among the city-parish, and have some sort of funds given to each district, like start up, money to keep it maintained and/or help it make improvements. Regarding officer safety: Police officers need extensive psych evals, the force needs to be de-militarized, and after 20 years they have to go. Plus the residency requirement needs to be re-written and put back on the table.
ASHEBA BROWN, flood survivor Regarding the flood: We need to see that our legislatures use the experience from the flood to put future measures in place in case this happens in the future. The conversion that leads to the Mississippi River has not been completed, [it] needs to be completed. It would have helped with the overflow of water.
CAROLYN HILL, Chair of BR Democratic Party Regarding Alton Sterling: I think what the community needs to see as it relates to Alton Sterling is more community engagement between law enforcement and the citizens within the city of East Baton Rouge Parish. The community also needs our community leaders to bridge the gap between local police officers and the community, by building a rapport, bringing more community programming that supports educational awareness between law enforcement and the community. Finally, more transparency as it relates 21 • The Rouge Collection • therougecollection.com
to law enforcement investigations, specifically with offices involved shootings.
and true training of the history of black people and police so they can better understand the uneasiness of the citizens towards police.
TONY TUMAC, hip hop artist, activist
Regarding officer safety: Have police properly police the other areas of the city instead of over focus on black communities (crime happens just as much with whites as with black), don’t let money and power dictate their job, swift judgment on those officers who do wrong, transparency in the police unions.
Regarding Alton Sterling: I would like to see the following happen: 1. Residency requirement. If you look at it from sheer economic standpoint, there are around 645 officers under the Baton Rouge Police Department. They make on average $53,000. That is $34,185,000 of Baton Rouge tax dollars being paid in police salary. If you take only a quarter of that as their “discretionary income,” i.e. money after expenses, which leaves $8,546,250 of tax dollars that is leaving our parish. We are allowing too much of our tax dollars to be funneled into other parishes. Let alone the fact that familiarity with the citizens will reduce violent tendencies of police towards the people they’re supposed to protect. 2. The creation of a civilian law-enforcement oversight agency. It is obvious from the comments of Chief Carl Dabadie Jr. that the top brass in the BRPD are not going to be holding their officers accountable for flagrant violations of policy. “Among the thousands of fatal shootings since 2005, only 54 officers have been charged,” says the Washington Post. This is astounding! This statistic truly goes to prove that the blue wall of silence is alive and well. You simply cannot trust top brass and internal affairs to investigate their buddies. It doesn’t work that way. 3. Institute harsh penalty for failure to use properly working and calibrated body cams. It seems every instance of police shooting whenever the police are in the wrong, their body cams always seem to magically malfunction. Some officers have even out right admitted to turning their body cameras off. This is a crime in itself as it is an interference with police investigation and tampering with evidence. Suspension WITHOUT pay, termination, criminal charges all can be applied here. There are a few other things I could probably think of if given the time. Just spit-balling a few.
BYRON WASHINGTON, business specialist, entrepreneur Regarding the flood: [We need] an economic boost for the north side of the Baton Rouge as a recovery effort, a greater increase in contracts and contractors who are black, and self-gentrification of our neighborhoods before outsiders buy up homes and real estate and push us out. Regarding Alton Sterling: [We need] actual reform and start a recruitment of a police force that reflects the actually majority black city/parish they protect and serve, repeal or reform of the blue lives matter (it’s a job not a race of people),
TED JAMES, State Representative District 101 Regarding the flood: [Make] sure the federal dollars are adequate and get to homeowners as soon as possible. Getting our neighbors back home is my first priority. Our renters can’t be left out of the equation as they were after Katrina. The approach is 3 prong with dollars going to repair rental housing stock. Build and increase quality affordable housing. Creation of mixed income communities. And there needs to be compassion from our owners and a reduction in price inflation. [We need] infrastructure improvements to help mitigate further flossing events and better evacuation plans and an increased focus on having local aid available.
DONNY ROSE, teaching artist, marketing director at Forward Art Inc. Three things related to the flood I would like see happen: 1. Continued follow up with residents in areas most heavily affected. Many of the residents in poorer areas got a great deal of initial assistance, but it would be good for volunteers/those who are able to continue to monitor those residents progress as they attempt to get back to normalcy. 2. A few community-based seminars led by insurance specialists on the importance of flood insurance/options to obtain insurance. Many people suffered loss due to lack of insurance, but probably even more so due to lack of information on access to flood insurance/what does flood insurance actually cover. 3. Community leaders and property management companies discuss alternate shelter options. A huge source of discomfort to those affected and drainage of resources, was having thousands of people spread out over roughly four facilities. It would be worth talking about the prospect of setting up additional shelters that are more neighborhood-centered as opposed to placing large groups of people in spaces that may not be in proximity of where they live.
before January. The window of time is narrowing before the Trump administration makes cases like this a non-issue. For the sake of this community and the Sterling family, there needs to be answers forthcoming in the very near future 2. If the metro council is going to not reach a consensus of approving a residency requirement, then there needs to be more forums, symposiums etc. to set up dialogue between local law enforcement and the communities they serve. These meetings cannot remain reactionary, but must be proactively done. Maybe once a quarter, Baton Rouge police officers can implement a community check-in as a part of their training. This could allow them to have town hall meetings with residents around the city to assess residents’ concerns and help alleviate implicit bias. 3. The community deserves to have access to the whole of the story to have informed dialogue internally and with law enforcement. There’s still the absence of the surveillance tape and other elements of the story that are told differently depending on who you ask. Transparency from law enforcement is key and the community has to be able to trust that the police will be honest about what took place on July 5th. This level of accountability is significant with regards to mending relationships. What most citizens do not have a grasp on is what is the barometer for using excessive force and in what instances does an officer find it necessary to end a life as opposed to just apprehending someone.
DANIEL BANGUEL, community organizer Regarding the flood: Great Flood 1. Better drainage system 2. A rainy day fund to help flood victims during National Disasters. 3. More minority engineer firms to assist in the parish wide drainage problem. Regarding Alton Sterling: 1. Repeal the Blue Lives Matter bill 2. Revise the Police Union Contract 3. Better training with officers getting to know the community that they patrol Regarding officer safety 1. Better Body cameras 2. Personal relationship with the community 3. De-escalation training
Three things related to Alton Sterling case 1. Applying continued pressure on the Department of Justice/Loretta Lynch to speak to some sort of resolve The Rouge Collection • therougecollection.com • 22
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R E L AT I O N S H I P
Since Sex Got Easier to Get Love Got Harder to Find BY: FLIP
“Neighbors Know My Name,” “Dive In,” & “I Invented Sex,” are all songs by the talented sex symbol Trey Songz. Tracks that make bodies move and lyrics that make our minds wonder about the last time we were there and deep up in it. Sex has become not A, but THE marketing tool that any company uses to lure people in. Since it has become marketable it is no longer valuable and with that it has made what we knew as love a mystery and what we know as sex a constant reality. (Hi I’m Flip and if you haven’t read my stuff before this is the Flip SIDE, the male perspective on relationships and ish, let me take you
for a ride) Love was once what we knew, we understood the need to love and why we loved. Now we have come to a place where sex is what we know and love is what we are trying to figure out. Let me break this thing down and I mean all the way down. Let’s start with sex and work our way to love, because I have to give it POETIC JUSTICE! Sex is what we have begun to use as the basis for our relationships. It shapes what we do. We have allowed it to determine if we stay or if we go. How long do we wait is often the question asked by women, and
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how long is she going to make me wait the question by men. I have learned how sex works because I’ve had sex with enough women in my life to last myself and probably you a life time. It’s not something I’m proud of but it is a reality. When you’re young and horny, you learn how to get what you want and how to keep getting what you want once you get it. The sad part is that I’ve learned that most people who have sex have just that; sex! Not a true intimate encounter. Sex has become Hollywood like everything else in society. We do it like the porn stars,
just like we dress like the superstars. Men look at porn and then what they saw on TV. The image is burned into their minds and the desire is created to know just how that feels. We saw Jake Steed bend over Pinky and all of a sudden we found a way to get it rock hard and started looking for the girl with the biggest butt so we could bend her over. Not fully understanding that Pinky probably didn’t get much from the sex, but she would always act like it was the best sex of her life, hell she is getting paid. In reality though women have learned to do the same from watching the same porn, they fake the sex, because they think it helps keep the man. Women try to pretend they don’t watch porn and the majority pretend not to masturbate until you stumble up on the silver bullet they use to get off and realize that the reason you can’t please her when you give her head is because she is no longer sensitive enough in her vaginal area to receive that pleasure properly. The reason I can go from pillar to post on sex is because I’ve seen just about everything you can mention when it comes to sex and nothing and I do mean nothing surprises me. Men and women have both learned how to equate the flow a relationship by the flow of sex. If we want to fix a problem the solution is make up sex, when in reality you still have the same issues, you’re just too tired to discuss it because you’re out of breath. You see if we were really to improve our sex lives fella’s we would learn from the women who are taking our women. I’m never intimidated by a woman who tells me she’s gay because although I’ll piss a lot of people off with what I’m about to say sexuality is a choice and because you choose you can change at any given moment. When two women have sex although they reach an orgasm it is often not the act of climaxing that makes women desire the sex of another woman over a man. It is the sensuality of sex with another woman. It is more romantic it is less Hollywood and feels more like LOVE! Even though they pull hair and bite and scratch they do it slower. A woman knows what a woman wants because she is a woman. Not because she can do it better than you, she just often does it more sensually than you fellas. Every woman wants someone to bang them to perfection every now and then but no GOOD woman wants that every time. When a woman
cheats and another man satisfies her more than you it is often because that woman has given him the playbook to making the sex better when she told him everything you did wrong. Sex is supposed to be the King on the Chess board. In chess you see in order to win, you’ve got to eliminate as many other pieces as possible before you get a check mate. Sex should not be on the table until other parts of the relationship are established. Yet, today the first thing we talk about is how many sexual partners a person has had. I don’t need to know how many sexual partners you’ve had if I don’t know anything about you. Moral of the story porn star sex is for the porn stars. Love has become an illusive mystery. We read about it in books where a woman takes the time to paint a picture of what she sees as love and what she dreams to have. Love is not and I repeat IS NOT attached to sex. If I can’t love you without sex then I don’t really love you. There was a time when men laid out the red carpet for women. They pulled out chairs and opened doors, but they stopped. WHY??? That’s a simple answer. Why open doors and pull out chairs for a woman who doesn’t require me to do it for her to open her legs? You can never get to the place of truly loving someone when sex is the driving force of the relationship and that is why so many people have failed at their attempt to love. To adequately put into words what love is would take me far longer than you would be willing to read, but love is far more than 322 pumps and 4 positions. Love has the ability to steal your ability to function. Wars were started over love. Men don’t kill over someone stealing their hooker, but they do kill over someone stealing who they love. The power that love possesses is far greater than any feeling that sex can ever give you. Love has the ability to make you believe in yourself and the ability to make you doubt that you are even worth being alive. I would describe parts of love this way. It is the most beautiful thing I have ever experienced in life. It is the fragrance of happiness. For you see with it, I learned how to feel good about living, how to embrace someone and never desire to ever let them go, but I learned more from losing love than I ever did from having it. You see sex has fooled us into believing that we have something special because we connected physically. The truth is you can
connect physically with another person and feel the exact same way, but when you love them it becomes different. When I lost love, I learned what pain really was. I felt the world crash and my heart break. Not the kind of heart break that heals after you say I’m sorry, but the heart break that lingers past I’m sorry. The heart break that shifts your world into a parallel universe where life without that person feels like nothing, where you would rather die than feel the pain of living without them. Sex can fool you into believing it is love, but that is merely infatuation. For women, they can often become infatuated more easily than men, because sex has more power with women than it does with men. It’s simple to understand why, because when a man enters a woman he deposits part of him in her and then exits. He goes on with his life and what she left on him he washed away the moment he turned the handle on the faucet to wash his penis. However a woman is left to carry that which he left in her for a time, so she feels connected to him, because of what he left in her. The deposit has made her feel like it’s love but it is really infatuation. Many people believe that scripture tells us to not to have sex before marriage because it’s just the right thing to do, but in truth, if I love you enough to marry you before I sex you THEN I KNOW IT’S REAL! The greatest way to show someone you love them is to sacrifice for them and the moment we let love decrease in value we turned relationships upside down. Sex has become something cheap, and love has become harder to find, because we have flipped the dynamics of relationships because we flipped the order. We fall in love after we have sex rather than loving someone and knowing who they really are as they continually evolve. Ladies if he can’t wait he doesn’t love you, and if you can’t wait then you don’t love yourself enough! Sex is a prize for earning my love. The reason we really should wait is because sex makes the relationship more complicated. A woman doesn’t have to wonder if a man loves her if she waits, because she will know without a doubt before she ever lays on her back and spreads her legs. Sex becomes beautiful and passionate when it is attached to love, but Since Sex Got Easier to Get; Love Got Harder to Find!
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