Lifts

Amended Self - A Poem by Mphatso Khoza

Amended Self - A Poem by Mphatso Khoza
“You and your Black self!” An expression so common in my youth, Meant to hyperbolize the facetious impunity. How dare I conceive myself with such e...

C.R.E.A.T.I.O.N

C.R.E.A.T.I.O.N
Recognizing that life is not fair is a developmental milestone.  The inequity associated with the availability of opportunities can sometimes be ob...

Start Where It Matters Most

Start Where It Matters Most
Hey! Can I ask you to stop for a second and let's have a quick heart to heart? This is important, because you are important!⁣⁣Are you running from ...

What Does Culture Have To Do With It?

What Does Culture Have To Do With It?
21 She named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The Glory has departed from Israel”—because of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in...

Essential Boundary Statements

Essential Boundary Statements
If you struggle with people pleasing as I have in the past, here are 10 must use statements with which you must make peace and include in any inter...

The N-Word

The N-Word
After yet another incident in which the use of the N-word by a White person against a Black person featured prominently, I thought I would share th...

Merle's Love

Merle's Love
April 16th marks what would have been the 80th year of the birth of Merle Adeline Khoza, my mother.  Merle was a fighter, non-conformist, and tirel...

"Don't Give Me Attitude!"

"Don't Give Me Attitude!"
In his book Attitude 101, Dr. John C. Maxwell tells us that a good attitude does not promise our success, but a bad attitude guarantees us of failu...

Fear Buster!

Fear Buster!
Have you ever sat to do something – something you know you want to do, you’re excited about doing, it is meaningful – yet you go blank? Not even su...

What color was Jesus?

What color was Jesus?
If you and I are alike we would have grown up hearing that Christianity was “the White man’s religion.” We would have been influenced by such songs...

Letter To My 18-year-old Self

Letter To My 18-year-old Self
My dearest Mphatso, We turned 50 this year.  My, what a ride it has been!  We have experienced some significant losses but have also experienced po...

What Is In a Name?

What Is In a Name?
Were you called a derogatory nickname when you were growing up? I was. In high school, some of the children started calling me “toad”. I never full...