Navigating The New Divide

Sometimes in life, you'll find that people want to push you one way or the other. They tell you that they think a certain college major or a certain career move would be best for you. How in hell can you be sure that these people have your best interests at heart? Simply put, you can't. It doesn't matter if they're your mother or father, brother or sister, uncle or aunt, grandmother or grandfather, cousin, niece or nephew. People like to sabotage those who are promising yet lack some self-confidence. Trust me, it happened to me more than once. And I swore that I would no longer trust anyone. I only trust myself.

There are so many bad people out there. The haters. The manipulators. The dream crushers. You can't trust anybody these days. My name is Steve. A big and tall Black man of Haitian descent living in the city of Brockton, Massachusetts. I'm twenty four years old. I'm also openly bisexual, hold a degree in Criminal Justice, and I've authored various works of fiction which fill my hometown's library. You name it, I've written about it. I like to explore the Black experience through fiction. Black literature has made tremendous strides in the past four decades. Some Black authors have risen to the top of the best-seller list. Still, we're still underrepresented in some genres.

Take science fiction and horror for example. Everybody knows about Will Smith making waves in movies like Men in Black, I Am Legend, Independence Day and Hancock. Lawrence Fishburne dazzled us in the Matrix Trilogy. Blacks have made great strides in science fiction movies. However, why aren't there more Black science fiction authors? I wish I knew. That's why I've written about Black characters in leading roles in several science fiction anthologies. The Nubian Empire Saga explores the life of a young Black man living in an intergalactic empire tens of thousands of years from now. People of Black descent are the dominant society in that time, and there are no other types of sentient beings around. Only Nubians. This young man, is both a Prince of the Realm and a bisexual, privileged and outcast all rolled into one. He seeks to discover the Origin of his Species.

In another anthology of mine, I delve into the fast-growing world of Black Horror. I chose to focus on Vampires of African descent. This Black Vampire Anthology I penned explores the lives of these men and women. Fighting against prejudice and racism in post-colonial America, using their supernatural powers by defending the ordinary men and women of the Black community from their oppressors, and doing various other good deeds. Yet in humanity's eyes, these unique vampires are monsters. Why? Simply because humanity has always feared what it doesn't understand. The Vampires in my anthology are antiheroes fighting against the forces of prejudice and bigotry throughout human history, yet in the eyes of the very people they protect, they're villains. How tragic. A poignant tale, to say the least.

Yes, I've tried my best to use my talents in literature to uplift my people. So many Black men and Black women out there are brilliant, gifted and creative. Yet the world denies them the opportunity to shine. Also, sometimes their own families and friends act as the obstacle makers and dream crushers who get in their way. Too many in the global Black community don't like to see their own succeed. It's inexplicable, and also quite sad. I know this all too well. I've authored and published numerous books. They've been ready by many. Yet my own family continues to despise me simply for being different, and blessed with a talent. Someone once called that the crabs in the barrel mentality. I guess the person was right. Sad, but ultimately true.

Sometimes, I wonder why we do what we do. And why did God and Nature conspire to make people of my ethnicity suffer more than all others. The world hates the Black person. No matter what men and women of European descent say, they're not fond of those who are different from themselves. It's in their blood. Deep down, they're power-hungry and deeply malevolent genocidal maniacs. People of color need to beware of them. Now more than ever. Since the end of World War Two, white imperialists worldwide have begun to lose power. They've lost their holdings in Africa as country after country declared its independence from Old World powers such as France, Britain, Portugal, Italy and Russia.

Today's Africans are striving to overcome the nightmarish legacy of colonialism as they reclaim their power and dignity in their homelands. Interestingly, almost every race on the planet is experiencing a population boom. Asians, Africans, and Middle-Easterners are leading the way. The only race which is experiencing a population decline is the white race. In Europe, their numbers are dropping due to skyrocketing infertility rates, something the western media doesn't talk about. Also, Europe's population is aging rapidly. Their young men and women are few in number compared to the number of old people. That's not a good thing in a population. Now, they're weakening but history has proven that they're not to be underestimated. Like a wounded serpent, they can still strike murderously. The treachery, malevolence and destructiveness of Europeans is legendary. Africans, Asians and Middle-Easterners are quietly doing to Europeans what Europeans have done to the rest of the world for centuries. People from Asia, Africa and the Middle East are now colonizing Europe. I guess Karma is really a bitch. I hear that in many parts of London, down in England, people of African, Middle-Eastern and Asian descent outnumber whites. Some call this shocking. I call it progress.

Immigrants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East are also growing in number in many European countries, and places like New Zealand and Australia. It is my sincere belief that people of color will be present and prospering on all continents someday. It would mean a truly diverse and multicultural planetary society rather than the racist, imperialistic and Euro-centric mess we've lived in for the past five hundred years. It's a quiet revolution. Think of what it will mean for education, art, culture and literature. Men and women from Africa, the Middle East and Asia have produced some of science and literature's brightest minds yet their works have been ignored or stolen by Europeans. I hope someday their contributions to humanity will be well-known to all human beings. They deserve it. We've allowed one tiny branch of humanity to dictate world affairs for far too long. It's time for the rest of humanity to take their proper seats at the table and lead. Yes, lead. We're done following. The old days are over. Get used to it.

In anticipation of things to come, I try my best to diversify previously all-white genres of literature such as horror, science fiction and mystery. Black writers dominate the urban fiction market. They've made great strides in the world of erotica. Black erotic literature has scores of fans across racial and cultural lines thanks to the tireless works of certain ladies like Zane and L.A. Banks. I want to show the world, and the ever-growing ranks of Black men and Black women who are fiction buffs, that Black authors can succeed in multiple genres. Who says a time-traveling adventurer has to be a white male? Why can't it be a Black guy or a woman of color? And how about zombies, angels, demons, werewolves and vampires? The modern world is diversifying. Why must the supernatural world remain lily-white? Are the forces of darkness afraid of Black people? I'd love to find out.

It is my hope that in later centuries, men and women of African, Asian, Middle-Eastern and Hispanic descent, along with Native Americans and Aboriginals will take a look at themselves and see human beings of worth, ability, beauty and intelligence. Europe's xenophobic and power-hungry brood have tried their best to subjugate us but we'll overcome them because we're human beings fighting for our right to live. Our right to be. Our right to achieve, prosper and multiply. Let us never forget that we've collectively suffered at their hands and our mutual pain must unite us rather than divide us. The universe is ours. Let us live our lives, explore the stars and make discoveries yet unimaginable to my twenty-first century mind. The bulk of humanity has spoken. Let the world behold its wonder. Let a brightly colored multitude take the cosmos by storm. Our time has come. Let this millennium be ours.

These are my hopes and dreams. The dreams of a young Black man from the first independent, Black-led democratic Republic in the New World. Haiti is my homeland. And I see greatness in its past and feel hope for its future. I also hold good wishes for the diverse communities of the world. Let no single group hold sway over humanity because of its belief in its own superiority. Should that happen, it's the duty of all humans to unite against this monstrous upstart and remove it. We must never allow the evils of Euro-centric imperialism and racism of all sorts to threaten entire populations again. Humanity in all of its racial, ethnic and cultural diversity must be preserved. Absolutely. Members of radical groups which threaten humanity's diversity must be removed. This should be the charter of all future global conglomerates whose mission statement is to protect their fellow human beings. The world would be a better place if our current leaders adopted this motto a long time ago.