DOPE: "Last Night" by Saul Williams

Many things, even poems, aren't always what they seem. Take this poem by Saul Williams, as seen on the (HORRIBLY missed by me!) television program, "Girlfriends". What may sound like a romantic and seductive poem on the surface is actually a poem about the rampant spread of HIV and AIDs in the continent of Africa.



In honor of National Women and Girls’ HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and of course, Rock the Red Pump™ Day, this week's poem with strong imagery and a very powerful message. I dedicate this to the Women and Children affected by HIV and AIDs in Africa, the U.S. and the entire world. Remember that Awareness is the key, so get tested. Click here to find local HIV/STD Testing sites in your area.



Last Night

Last night I laid within your continent
Sought salvation from frustration
with in your loving nation
found the true meaning of homeland
when you let me inland
Swahili tongue knew I hadn’t been there before
kissed for me to stay awhile
I did you one better and stayed forever, in your country
Then you let me tap your virgin drum
releasing echoes of me being free
Free to run through your countryside
touching jasmine, dropping weed
Free to nibble on your Nigeria
Blow on your Botswana
Eat your Opia til there is no more Opia left
Won’t be any leftovers when I’m done
Won’t be anything when I’m done
Just remembrance of that night when I laid within your continent
seeking salvation from frustration within your loving nation
and that’s all we’ll have
That, and a few thousand orphans to read this poem

DO SOMETHING: Rock the Red Pump... March 10, 2011!!!!!

People who know me may find it very hard to believe that once upon a time I LIVED in heels. In my late teens and early twenties, I was all about big clunky platform boots (3-4 inches high!) and can remember vividly running for the bus from Prospect Park (Think cobblestones... broken cobblestones) wearing 5 inch wedge heels (a gift from La Diva Elaine... I called them my Carmen Miranda shoes) without even stumbling.

In my mid twenties, I had a job at a clinic in an Acupuncture school that required me to be on my feet for several hours at a time... and after a few months of working there, I traded in my platform boots for more "sensible shoes". Two years later, I worked in a call center where sneakers became my uniform. Fast forward to today... I am 33 years old and I merely admire high heel shoes a la distance, as my feet hurt just looking at a pair.

Since I was on the cruise at the beginning of the year, I never blogged about my New Year's Resolutions for 2011, and now that we're in March, it seems silly to write them now. Suffice to say that one of my resolutions was to reacquaint myself with heels and to once again become good friends with "cute shoes". LOL

When I heard about The Red Pump Project and their yearly "Rock the Red Pump" campaign, I knew that this would be the best time to incorporate my resolution for a very very worthy cause.



The Red Pump Project™ raises awareness about the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls. Their mission is to promote HIV prevention through education, and open dialogue about the issues that surround sexual and reproductive health.

Founded in March 2009 by Luvvie Ajayi and Karyn Watkins, Red Pump believes that if HIV affects one, it affects us all. Using the red high heel shoe as a symbol of empowerment to represent the strength and courage of women infected (and affected) by HIV/AIDS. The incorporation of fashion into the message of HIV prevention is their contribution with the hope that everyone recognizes that Awareness is Always in Style!™

National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is March 10th every year, and there’s a whole lot of talking and educating happening all over the country in honor. The Red Pump Project was born out of as genuine desire to get conversation started on the issue of HIV/AIDS and ask others to do the same.

So recognizing the powerful medium of the internet, they put out a call for bloggers to “Rock the Red Pump™."



The goal of this initial campaign was 100 bloggers, but over 125 bloggers responded and “Rocked the Red Pump” on March 10, 2009. And, in 2010, the numbers doubled to over 250 sites.

The Red Pump Project has grown from a social media campaign to a national nonprofit working on the ground and online to ensure that women are empowered with knowledge about HIV/AIDS and the issues surrounding it. This year, The Red Pump Project is asking bloggers to participate in the third annual “Rock the Red Pump™” campaign: 500 in 50. Their goal is to 500 blogs in 50 days, leading up to March 10, 2011.

I am proud to say that they have exceeded their goal.. receiving a response of over 700 Bloggers (Lovingly called, "Red Pump Rockers"). I am of course a very happy one in 700, and have proudly displayed the banner on my blog and will continue to do so until the end of the month.

In addition to this, on Thursday, March 10, 2011..... Miss Moon WILL BE ROCKING A RED PUMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And on behalf of the women and girls who are living (and/or loving someone) with HIV/AIDS, I hope that all of you will consider joining me.

In the next two days, all of my posts will be "Red Pump Inspired", and I will of course take lots of pictures to share here and on the Miss Moons Musing Facebook Page. If you'd like to be featured in my post about "Rock the Red Pump™" day, be sure to share your pictures, along with who you're rocking red pumps for on Facebook or by sending me an email.

Champions of Crackheadedness: DJ Cipha Sounds & HIV Prevention

I haven't listened to Hot97 since I was in my teens, but from hearing about DJ Cipha Sounds heartless and ignant as hell comments, I am guessing that the NY based Hip Hop and R&B radio station has come a long way from the Roll Call with Ed, Lisa and Dre back in the 90s.

"The reason I'm HIV negative is because I don't mess with Haitian girls," DJ Cipha Sounds said Friday morning on air. After a deluge of complaints were phoned in to the radio station, he quickly apologized "I made a stupid tasteless joke that was a one-liner and taken totally the wrong way and I want to say sincerely that I apologize," he said.

Please explain to me the RIGHT WAY the comment was supposed to be taken...I am still scratching my head about that one.



While I do not believe that DJ Cipher should be fired outright, primarily because I think everyone should have an opportunity to right their wrongs and to . I think, like expressed by a woman in the video, that this incident should be used as an opportunity to spread awareness about HIV and Aids and to in kind educate the younger or more ignorant listeners about protection. And apparently Emmis Communications, the owner of Hot 97 plans to do just that, so I guess only time will tell if this will turn into something that will... in the long run, be educational and life-saving to someone out there.