In his book, Harper dedicates a chapter to crossing the other line and the issue of interracial relationships in our community.
“Freedom gives you the option to make choices,” says Jerry Clark of Chicago. Clark has been happily married to his African American wife, Robin, for 27 years.
(But I have to admit there’s just something about witnessing that ebony love that makes my heart skip a beat just a little, which leads me to the most recent example and model of this: the Obamas.)
Barack and Michelle represent what we aspire to be, as both a couple and as individuals. Both were hardworking, intelligent minds who found that special way to complement each other, and not complete each other, which is key! According to Harper, Michelle also saw the potential in Barack and not his status, which is one thing people in general (this goes beyond race) struggle.
“The fabric and the foundation of the partnership have allowed them [the Obamas] to rise to higher heights than they would be able to get to on their own, and that’s what I’m talking about in the book, that’s the ‘conversation’,” explains Harper.
Clark said he knew he was going to marry Robin when he met her but didn’t know how it would fall into plan. “If you’re committed, that’s not going away,” he says. Some of his secrets to his successful marriage include love, respect, honesty and commitment. “For us, it’s been about giving each other space and letting us be us—I never stepped on her dreams and she never did that to me.”
Potential goes beyond what you physically see and goes to the core of someone. Harper mentioned neither Michelle nor Barack would be where they are as individuals if it wasn’t for the other. He even ventured to say that principle applies to him.
“What I found for me is, I won’t reach the best level of myself on my own,” he comments. “I can stay a single man for the rest of my life and kick it with plenty of incredible women for the rest of my life, but the best version of me is in partnership. That’s the conclusion I’ve come to for me personally. I’m basically symbolic of someone in the book who’s going on a journey just like everyone else.”
The purpose of Hill’s book is to truly start a dialogue between black men and women about our hurts, fears, joys and loves, which can ultimately begin to heal those wounds and bring us together. Hill says he believes our community is going to witness the statistics mentioned earlier reverse for the first time in 40 years.
GlossMagazineOnline.com (GMO) Staff.
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