Facebook Publication Date: 2/10/2018 16:02

Hey, y’all. I am feeling feisty. Rib tips and good collards will do that for ya.

Quick and dirty–I am gonna talk more about money, yes money, yes money–I was thinking as I was driving home from Coop’s. About an article about the joint imma gonna do right after this post, but also about this space, and why I launched it, and why I mustered up the audacity to ask y’all to support me in this effort.

Welp. For the same reason Coop’s swiped my Visa. Coop’s is, for my money, the best BBQ in San Diego County. (Haven’t tried Bankhead’s yet. But Bankhead’s isn’t 2 miles from Casa Tikka Rose) Coop’s is doing something no one else in San Diego is doing. They turned the art of collard greens on their head. You will not find a better cobbler. Period.

If I can be so arrogant as to venture a comparison, same here.

I will tone it down to say, I have no illusions that I am the best writer in Lemon Grove/North Encanto, or for that matter, So Cal, or for *that* matter, across Internet land. But I’m not bad. And I do try to look at familiar issues from different angles. Think of it as proprietary seasonings for my collard greens.

If you recall, two weeks ago, I said I was going to do a weekly ask, but I got derailed, first by that woman and her son who reported me, then by the woman who wanted her money back.

Both threw me off my game. Both made me question my call. Both made me question myself and my worth.

Not ok.

Listen. I am not everybody’s cup of Rooibos, or for that matter (cuz we’re talking about Coop’s) not everybody’s styrofoam cup of Diet Pepsi mixed with fruit punch. Don’t judge me. If you stop by, and you ain’t buying me or my words, no harm, no foul.

But if you are here for more than a minute, then you have indeed chosen to join a community. And, gently said, you have chosen to keep the community strong.

I wish the button on your upper right didn’t say ‘Donate’. It’s wrong. You are not ‘Buying’; this isn’t strictly transactional. You aren’t ‘Donating’; I’m not on late night basic cable (yet) full of moist eyes and trembling vocal cords and desperation.

What I am asking you to do is to contribute. For a few reasons. One, people (especially wipipo) appreciate and value what they pay for; they devalue and take less seriously what is free. If you contribute, you are more likely to come here more often, and get what I hope are words to make you think, reconsider, act, reflect. Like I said in an earlier post–this is not an entertainment site.

Two, you need to value me more. Yes, I said it. How many rib tips and forkfuls of collards do you need to ‘sample’ before you tell the truth as you belch–you ‘sampled’ a full meal.

This reason too: and I am a little anxious as I disclose this: This is not a bot woman-ing the helm here. It’s me, and I am human and have a heart of flesh. It is sometimes…sometimes…well, let’s just say I could easily feel some kind of way. I am not for consumption. I am here to collaborate and collude.

All the flattery, all the private messages (which have been almost universally kind; all of which received responses); the shares and likes and hearts are heartening.

But there is a sharp disconnect between the fawning and how it plays out.

We are a community, and I promised I would be transparent.

Welp. Numbers. Here’s a ‘ferinstance.

Two weeks ago, when I started paying attention, we had just hit 500 followers. Now it’s almost 700.

When I did The Ask this was the breakdown: it reached about 1200 people; it garnered about 5 shares, 100 hearts and likes, and about 72 responses.

There were about 40 people who did a 1 time click, and now there are about 30 people who have chosen to be sustainers. So about 5 percent response, which is not bad for this model. There have been other posts that have reached almost 4000. Yay us.

We are doing this model for what I feel are good reasons. It’s only three weeks. I am not giving up on it. But we are at almost 700 followers. Part of learning here is learning how to be more than passive consumers; disinterested spectators. Part of learning here is acknowledging the labor of brown women in general and this brown woman in particular.

More on this angle later. Rib tips and collards are the gifts that keep on giving.

Meanwhile, I invite everyone to go back and re-read the Carl’s Jr. story, the explanation of why so many people of color use this model to fund social change, and The Ask itself.

I need you. I am just arrogant enough to say out loud that you need me too.

We need us.

And like I promised I would:

Please support the work and community of Lace on Race:

paypal.me/mennolacie

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