I just got off the phone with the Spousal Unit who, after a few days of being rather out of it finally went through the messages on our answering machine. It turns out that George Kelly was looking out for me and I didn't realize it. You see, he left a message on my home phone that I won an award. Huh? What?
Rather like the news that the slaves were free that reached Texas on Juneteenth, I just discovered that twelve days ago I won the Aaron Hawkins Award for 2008.
The Black Blogger Achievement Award will now be known as the Aaron Hawkins Award. Aaron Hawkins, for those of you who may not be aware, was the dynamic and outspoken voice behind the blog Uppity Negro. Sadly, Aaron is no longer with us, but you may find out more information about him and his wonderful blog by visiting his about page. Special thanks to the Valerie Hawkins (Aaron’s sister) and the Hawkins family for allowing us to honor Aaron’s memory.
So when the committee gets back to me, I will proudly add the distinction to my 'stinking badges' collection. Right at the top.
Aaron Hawkins was an inspiration to me. Way back in the day, in searching for a title for my blog, I discovered he was already the Uppity Negro. Over time we tracked back and traded some threads, and he eventually gave me the nickname 'Tuvok'. The black blogosphere was a lot smaller back then and relationships between black bloggers just getting started was a lot more important, as were the links between Left and Right a lot more numerous. I owe a lot to Aaron and other pioneers like George Kelly, MacDiva, LynnLuva, MisterJT and Prometheus 6. Now that I'm an all grown up blogger, I don't check those links as often as I used to. Now is a good time for me to check back with those homefolks and pass it on.
My mission remains to be an independent voice representing my fragment of the African American scene, The Old School, and having a critical dialog on the politics, culture and current affairs of our nation. I don't know how big that Old School fragment is, and I get more and more individual every day. But I never forget where I come from and remain true to those origins. Of course the most difficult thing with that truth is that none of us expected what has come to pass - for some of us, we are larger and more complex than we dared dream we might be, and still we carry some of the same burdens. For me they are to embrace the world as it is, and take responsibility for walking through it with a sharp focus. I remain perceptive and articulate and I open up my mind in public for a true Socratic dialog, curious, skeptical and analytical.
As an award winner, I am compelled to be responsible for those who supported me, even though I was unaware that I had been nominated. That means that my mission, as I see it, has been validated without it being all about me. That is a great blessing and for that I am grateful. I very much enjoy being a bulldog, I just need energy to fuel me and a target to bite. I'd rather be strongly wrong than weakly acceptable, and so I will continue to engage the issues with passion for the sake of clarity, and to posterity, so that nobody can ever come back and say that we as a people didn't deal with the world. I've got more energy, so I get more bite.
I look forward to the day when I can contribute not only in writing and on radio to the discussion that animates thoughtful citizens in a free society, but in televised conversations and roundtables as well. I feel that I have something yet to contribute, and with this as my avocation, as my primary responsibilities give me time, I will continue to push forward to that end. Perhaps one day I might even crossover.
Special big ups to George. Thanks for the call. We're in it for the long haul.
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