"Where the hoes at?!"

The room was dark and the music was loud at the most recent concert I went to. A group of hip-hop artists had just finished performing and the DJ working alongside the headlining artist took the stage. He started playing music to really get the crowd going. It worked. They were dancing and having a ton of fun. For me, the fun ended shortly after.

The room began to fill with the smell of weed, and just before announcing the headlining artist, the DJ yelled "Hold up, hold up." The music stopped. He continued on, "Where the hoes at?" The room quickly filled with a roar of cheer and applause from women - as if being a ho is something to be proud of. The definition of a ho is literally "prostitute" - Is that how you want to be treated? Is that truly how you see yourself? These men don't even know you - but they literally referred to a room full of women...a room full of their fans, as hoes? From there, they continued to shout things such as "Let's hear from all the ladies who left their boyfriends and home tonight so they can f*** with us." Again, the room filled with cheering, and I was left with an uneasy heart.

If I could scream it to every single woman in that building, I would - but since I can't just jump on stage, I'm going to use this platform instead. Please listen to me when I say to you YOU ARE VALUABLE. There is no one in this world, no matter how famous, who should be allowed to disrespect you by calling you any sort of derogatory term. You scream and jump at the opportunity to engage in those activities the artist raps about - but I am telling you now, if he is going to refer to you as a ho, then that is most definitely how you'll be treated. Just another city they performed in. Just another number. Just another girl he was able to hook up with and never see again. If that's worth it to you, then you are so much more broken than I could have ever imagined.

Aren't we better than that?

Yes. The answer to that question is yes. Instead of a room full of cheering, those men disrespectful boys should have been booed off stage.

Maybe it's a culture thing. But hip-hop culture doesn't have to be this way. We've got artists like Lecrae, Andy Mineo, NF, Izreal Graham - where their content isn't just about what's "hot" or "cool" by society's standards or based on what will bring in a quick paycheck. Where success isn't based off of who can get away with being disrespectful - and their words contain more weight than that of cursing and talking down to an entire group of people:

"But I know these people greater than the songs they created
It's little homies in the hood regurgitating
And everybody watching, thinking that you made it
The truth is for a few designer labels and a little bit of paper
Now you twelve years slaving
Hey, but you ain't Lupita so why you beat up and pushing people
To lean on the devil copping a seizure
It sound like you put your feet up
You still a slave and money can't buy you freedom"
Lecrae // Nuthin

"...they come to my shows with tears in they eyes
Imagine someone looking at you and saying your music's the reason that they are alive."
NF // Therapy Session

"Years later lust changed into sex no more love just goals to forget
gotta couple sins that I need to confess
supposed to be more mature bit it hurts no less
more years, same flesh, lots of fish up in the sea get caught in the same net
There's only one safe sex when your mind, soul, spirit, and the savior connects."
Izreal Graham featured on Justin Smith Williams track // Like I Love You

"I'm back and forth like a tug of war
I've been fighting for my life, like I'm trying to get right and I really want more, and I don't know
Back and forth like a tug of war
And I've been fighting for control, and fighting for my soul this is war"
Andy Mineo // Tug of War

These lyrics mean something. They meet you where you are, they tell a story, they lift you up, they make a difference...they make change - yet we glorify the garbage we are fed each day by every news outlet, TV show, movie...

Music is powerful because it connects with people in such a special way that invokes change.  It's time to speak life into this generation and every generation after, respecting ourselves and each other so we know without a doubt that we are worthy of something real.

Here is where you may not agree with me, and that's okay - but to me, the biggest proof of our value is the cost Christ paid for us on the cross. Even if it were just for you, He would have made that same decision because you are worth it. Even in our imperfection, God sees us as worthy.

John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."

There is no greater love out there than what the King of all kings did for us on the cross. Now pick up your crown, princess, and wear it with dignity. Expect nothing less than respect and honor from anyone in this world.

Men - be better than what society is telling you that you have to be. It's not okay to disrespect women - or anyone for that matter. We are all valuable and we deserve so much more than what our culture is teaching us.

One more time, in hopes to truly drive this home for you: You are valuable. Expect others to treat you as such.

-jennilea

Vacation Time: Summer is Here!

It is about time to blog, and there is a lot to update you on!
I have now accomplished 71 out of my 101 goals!  7 goals have been checked off the list in these last few weeks.  With 485 days left for my Day Zero Project, I am feeling a lot more confident that I can knock out the other 30!

To begin, I am proud to announce that I have finally graduated from American River College!  I have graduated with degrees in Commercial Music Business and Liberal Arts!  I will be starting at Sac State in the Fall.  I can't wait!

After graduating, I decided that I would take a trip so that I could get my mind off of the craziness of life, and to celebrate my freedom from school.

Katie and Nic joined me in waking up at 330 am to begin out journey before the sunrise, so I could check off seeing the sun rise and set in the same day.  We left Just before 5 am and had a gorgeous view on our drive.

Ashland, Oregon was the first real stop that we made, and it was to get gas.  It was really weird to find out that you are not able to pump your own gas in Oregon!  They have to come pump it for your.  You hand them your card, and they get started!

Oregon is really nice.  Right when you cross the border into Oregon, you definitely notice that you are no longer in California. Everything is so green.  There are trees everywhere!

Our first stop, Bandon, Oregon for the West Coast Game Park Safari!  I experienced a lot of pretty awesome things on this visit.  I also learned that I hate Llamas.  This is the last photo in existence of my memory of llamas.  Llamas are dead to me.

On a more awesome note, I got to check off holding a baby cub!  I got to play with a baby bobcat and some baby bears!  Words cannot describe how excited I was when this little bobcat climbed on my lap.  I was trying not to freak out too much, because all I wanted to do was hug her, but I also did not want my face to be clawed off.  I found out that they purr, which is neat.  I loved it!

The bears were more off in their own world.  They didn't focus on anything other than their bottles.  It was neat to be able to touch them.












We also went to the nursery section of the safari, and got to hold ferrets, an opossum, and baby foxes!
They actually let Katie and I name two of the foxes:  Rocky and Esther!

 I learned that Ferrets are super bendy!  Their spines can be moved and twisted around and it doesn't hurt or them.
I also learned that opossums have 50 teeth...and confirmed the fact that they are super creepy looking.

After this stop, we made our way to the 45th parallel, which is half way between the equator
and the north pole.  Kind of neat.
On the way, we stopped at a beach to see the sunset!

Here is a photo of the sunrise and sunset for the day:  Pretty perfect.  We stayed at this beach for quite a while.  The tide was low, but on it's way in, so I decided to do a little bit of tide-pooling, as I usually do. :]
We found two ocher sea starts, which was neat.  If the tide was not coming in so quickly, I would have loved to explore what was in the rocks.  It was a neat little area.

We drove late into the night, until we all finally became quite tired.  Close to the 45th parallel, I voted that we would continue on at least until we made it there, so we did!  The 45th Parallel is just a tiny little sign, and you almost miss it!  It was cool to have made it there!  Half way between half of the earth.  :]


We stayed in a super cheap hotel that night, and then got up to make our way to Washington!

I don't want to overwhelm you with information, so stay tuned for the next blog, where I will discuss Forks, WA, the Cullen House, messages in a bottle, bad memories, La Push beach, and so much more!


In other news:  Know your worth.

-jennilea