Click Start: Editor’s Preview
Watch for the falling iguanas! It’s approaching that time of the year in Florida, where the first freeze not only threatens orange farms but also iguanas falling like leaves. As the temps drop, they sometimes become almost frozen in the trees, then hit the ground. Just another way to think of the ‘Fall’ season.
Well, we’re not gonna be frozen in place with the holiday season just about here. In this month’s Thanksgiving Edition, we’ll spotlight the harvest, family tidbits and hurricane recovery. Also, thanks to Serge for our feature pic this month and a salute to him and our veterans. Visit the About page to learn more on how this portal of ‘Family Line Influencers’ came to be.
The holiday season is a time of good cheer and great memories. Whether it’s at Thanksgiving dinner, group parties or Black Friday shopping. But it might also be a time for some when the feeling of family either draws near or feels distant. What’s it gonna be for you this year?
If you’d like to be among the families covered each month, then link-up by dropping your email below. Hope you’ll enjoy the stories and feel free to leave your comments. Thank You!
Celebrity Row: Here for the Culture – “Hoop Dreams with a Little Showbiz Thrown In”
It’s pretty much common knowledge that Madison Square Garden is called the world’s most famous arena. The history tied to that venue includes major boxing events, concert tours, sports tournaments and auto shows. Of course, the most important squad is the NBA’s NY Knicks. It goes without saying that the team’s most recognized fan is Spike Lee.
When Lee isn’t lecturing as an NYU film professor, he’s often seen on the sidelines cheering his heart out. He’s known to wear Knicks gear, like the dedicated fan he is. Lee gets to mix hoop dreams with a little showbiz thrown in, with his body of work on the big screen. These include recognized names like Denzel Waahington, and movies like ‘Do the Right Thing’.
He even had a chance to link-up with NY Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. The family Line learned that Lee recently had a Film Forum sit-down chat with Late Night host Stephen Colbert. The big news from the event was him revealing that his favorite movie of all time was ‘On the Waterfront’ which was shot in NJ, not NY as one might have expected.
We shared with his team some memories we have from his movies over the years. Plus, we asked if they thought about doing a ‘Do the Right Thing II”. We gave them our ‘top 5’ reasons to consider having Mookie bring a new ‘vibe & flava’ and other ways to impact roots & culture in our global space. Haven’t heard back but maybe we’ll know more after the revamp of their website that’s underway.
Lead Story: “The ‘Hurricane Melissa Made’ Comeback Stories Being Written”
It’s been a rough few weeks since the biggest storm in recent memory slammed the south-west coastline of Jamaica. The devastation is enormous and the damage far-reaching. Some have posted pictures/videos online showing the before & after impact of the ‘Category 5’ storm. A big concern is getting to some of those hard-to-reach areas.
Thousands of vacationers were caught in an unexpected situation. They found themselves sheltering in-place on a second-floor conference room or evacuation center. With the Montego Bay airport in the crosshairs, inbound/outbound flights have been hard to come by in the early stages of recovery. A major hotel chain has even announced closure until after the new year.
An official Jamaica Government website was setup to coordinate relief efforts (see below). Others have been posting inspirational songs on Youtube to help ease the pain and rally spirits, even with the savvy of using AI. From what we know about the Jamaican people’s mindset, creativity and resilience, there’re many ‘hurricane Melissa made’ comeback stories being written.
Official JA Gov website: https://www.supportjamaica.gov.jm/
Damage tour video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQkfV4VgP_Y/?igsh=cjg4NjQ3cHlzZmt0
Creativity: https://www.tiktok.com/@uhstonishing6/video/7566409805456346376
Innovation/resilience: https://www.tiktok.com/@betterwithbunting/video/7567527181874760972
Island Vibes: Scoops on Roots & Culture
Did you know that across Caribbean countries that Jamaica was the first to launch a website?
Did you know that Usain Bolt had his eye on playing cricket before track & field got his attention?
Did You Know? Family Archive Tidbits
Shared by: family elder Cynthia and cousin Noelle
Is Thanksgiving a good time to reminisce? Some might remember moments when the turkey came out a little dark or the dessert got forgotten in the oven at 450 degrees. Then there was a scramble to find plan B. Maybe even hearing some of those back-in-the-day stories from the elders can be heartwarming or eye-opening. Well, Steele family elder Cynthia shared a preview with pics and a story teaser.
Over the past few years there’s been growing interest in knowing more about the Generation Steele family line, for as far back as we can find. Different group efforts have been underway to help connect the dots or stitch some of the pieces together. The Generation Steele (GS) name points back to Alexander and Anne Steele, who some current family members knew in the flesh. Their next generation included two daughters Miley and Lena who together with Alexander and Anne, represent what we might call GS0.
Each generation after takes on GS1, GS2, GS3, GS4. Some might remember a math class concept called the number line. There was ‘dot zero’ (so to speak) and from there we had numbers to the left going back on the scale, and numbers to the right, going forward in scale. To see where you fit in the GS fam, try to picture GS0-GS4 on the family line like a number line. So, maybe this Thanksgiving will have that story teaser be a highlight of the various family get-togethers.
Family Feature: “Here’s to Madam Esquire, J.D.”
A few months ago, family gathered to congratulate Sydni on her graduation from Columbia Law School, becoming the first lawyer in her family line! Over the last three years she had some of the most challenging times but wouldn’t trade them for anything. She was grateful to all who encouraged, mentored and supported her along the way.
The journey included spending a semester abroad at King’s College London; traveling to Sierra Leone for pro-bono work; returning to her creative roots through a fellowship with Warner Bros. Discovery; publishing her first piece of legal scholarship on racial injustice and the exploitation of Black musicians in copyright law in the Columbia Journal of Law & the Arts; and taking on her first client through an externship with ‘Genius’, to explore the world of music law in practice.
While she was excited to begin her next chapter as an associate at Paul Hastings in New York, she still had one more hill to climb. Well, the breaking news after her extensive summer study was that she officially passed the New York Bar Exam with a score high enough to practice in any UBE jurisdiction (State). So, here’s to Madame Esquire Sydni for pulling out all the stops to get her J.D. cred.
Turn Up Tips: Notes on Trusting the Process
“True success is who you become while waiting on God’s timing. God’s pace protects what your purpose will one day require.” – Shedeur Sanders
“The greatest skill you can develop is the ability to figure it out.” – Alexander Schnepp on IG
“Through my strength I know my weakness, through my knowledge I know my faults, with my drive I know I can overcome.” – Wilhemina Allen
Good Stuff: “A Tribe Called Hampton, The Other HU!”
Written by: Walter Jackson
“I’m still so freakin’ full and on a Hampton High from having the amazing opportunity to celebrate my 30th QT2 (Quintessence II) Class Reunion and my Birthday in the same weekend with some absolutely beautiful people — inside and out.” Those words cut right to the core of the recent Homecoming weekend celebration at Hampton University.
Just to add more personal feelings, “My class is special on so many levels. But what I truly cherish the most is the genuine REAL LOVE, we have for one another — whether we personally knew each other in school or not. Our bond is pure! It’s not a FANTASY— THIS IS HOW WE DO IT and not just on Friday night! Sometimes, you don’t even know what you need… until your ‘Home by the Sea’ reminds you!” So, until next time, here’s some parting words shared with those who came out for the fun:
O Hampton, we never can make thee a song, except as our lives do the singing;
In service that will thy great spirit prolong, and send it through centuries ringing!
Kind mother, we’ll treasure the dear happy days, we’ve spent here in life’s preparation;
Yet go with brave hearts upon our chosen ways, of service to God and our nation.
Still wearing thy colors, the blue and the white, as pledge that our fond hearts will cherish;
A love which for thee ever shines true and bright, A loyalty that ne’er can perish!
Other Mentions: Added Touch Like Gravy
Someone was really excited about that special gift she got on her birthday. Our tween Sara finally got a cell phone that she long hoped for. Ok Sara, watch for those shady people who’ll try to get you in trouble. But you’re prob already an expert anyway from using grandma’s phone.
Up up and away, were Tim and Jasmine as they took off in a hot air balloon over Mexico. Then they thought, why not Facetime our fam to have them see the view.
The Fall colors in the trees are just about at full beauty! To see some of the looks, we headed out to Boston for apple picking with Deja on her birthday (this pic she took of us). Let’s just say…them apples were juicy! There was so much juice, jam and baked goods to come out of the harvest.
As Jamaica works on distributing relief supplies and taking recovery steps, many countries and aid organizations are getting into the act. The World Central Kitchen is already on the ground providing meals for those affected.
We also learned from Shaun Sr that United airlines sent an all-Caribbean flight crew to deliver tons of needed donations. They were of Jamaican or Haitian backgrounds. In the process they also made history by flying the largest aircraft to ever land in Jamaica. See more at FB link below.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10162151240193848&id=574313847
Lastly, here’s a flashback pic of Shaun Sr, hanging out from his early days in the Air Force. Well, after 23+ years in the military, he’s now a retired veteran. That pic got a laugh after realizing how much it looks like his own son Shaun Jr.
Smile Emoji
A different kind of hurricane hunter. https://youtube.com/shorts/3JKbmt9Sml0?si=EOLiFX8bN7jJxPpt
‘Boots on the Ground’…in Church? https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKk-jjJOpyG/?igsh=bmhlYjE0NWpmcTdh
Life & Times Flava (Chill Sauce for the Grind): “Find my Friend of Fam!”
Every few years we get to the point of needing a new cell phone. Sometimes the battery just doesn’t hold the power-charge as long as before. But sometimes you’ll hear about a new feature that makes you go, “I want that”! Maybe that’s what makes some parents get their young child a phone, right?
Well, there’s a feature called ‘find my phone’ which can be used to locate a misplaced or lost phone. This works by using an app on another device. So just in case a child finds themselves in such a spot, at least there’s a way to try and locate the missing/lost device. What if we translated that idea to a kinda ‘find my friend or fam’?
As the holiday season fast approaches it means there’ll be opportunities to reminisce, reflect and reset going into a new year. But this period can also be a low point for those with missing loved ones, whether they’ve passed on or just not heard from for a while. Maybe this could also be a chance to reconnect in some way with those who’re missing, or maybe even lost in a physical or spiritual sense.
Let’s not use the holidays just for gifts and good vibes. It could also be the kind of ‘present’ that money can’t buy. Thinking about ending the year on a high note or starting the new year with a bang? Then ‘find my friend or fam’ might just be the gift that’s needed. As the story of the prodigal son reminds us, having the right mindset and heart-posture might sometimes bring a friend or fam back home!
(For a deeper dive into the issues, checkout https://SeeAmericaInColor.com).
Line Jams
Warrior Sound – Two-Minute Reggae Mix – https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJeb7TuIt6F/?igsh=MXZnMXV2bjVoZXV2eA%3D%3D
Lee Vasi – Teach Me – https://youtu.be/-lddOg1eJoc?si=hv67PppbnemZBgRk
The Family Line Motto: “Open Door to Good Cheer.”
The Family Line 