Baba Blair: Hosting a Panther
The movement came to my front door, y’all — for realz!
I’ve been thinking about what my role is in this here moment in hiz-tree. I’m a natural born outsider in a lot of ways—I’ve tended to be talked about a lot more than folx have bothered to talk to me. Getting in touch with my shaman and all around magick self, I realize it just comes with the territory. My kind live on the outskirts, in the woods, and alone on mountaintops. We wait to be called on—like Batman with the bat signal.
Odd AF, the march landed dead ass in front of my house—heading up Field. My neighborhood is warm with the spirit of resistance. Grace Lee Boggs was one of my neighbors, ‘til she transitioned. Her spirit is still in these streets with us. The crowd had log-jammed in front of my house. I guess they felt the same energy that keeps hawks circling above my crib. They were out there ten minutes before I gave in, grabbed my drum and joined them. I keep safe distance, though. I ain’t trying to flock with COVID-19.
A few days later, Blair came at my door with a brick. Blair is a surviving member of the Black Panther Party, an elder and a friend. Blair was in the Monroe Street apartment in Chicago, when police raided to assassinate Fred Hampton. It’s a fucking miracle Blair is alive to tell the story, which he did again last night after I gave him the best blessing my atheist ass could summon.
My relationship with Blair defies logic. When we met, he was battling his own homophobia. I had mind-controlled attitudes about men in general, and Black men in specific, I had to squash. Blair was the first time I stood my queer ground on a personal level. He took that shit to heart and changed. I gave Blair a charm and a piece of High John the Conqueror root. He left the brick behind. I’ll be using that in another kind of protection spell.
A lot of folx who been following these daily posts know Baba Blair. Now that I know a bunch of y’all have been practicing work of your own, I’m asking y’all to do some for Blair today. While you at it, work those protection spells for all our kids in the street. Get in my DMs for suggestions. If you’re one of the kids taking to the streets, take your ancestors with you. That’s what they’re there for. Counter-protestors and other officials who may be monitoring these little musings, I bless you and see a change of heart for you to act in your own best interest and become part of the solution.
Stay safe today, everybody.
