Hey Reader,

The idea behind Life with Ken is that we want to partner with you on your self-actualization journey. To be all that you were created to be and to make your dreams a reality you need someone who will cultivate your character. Whether it be here or somewhere else, get connected and in alignment with people, places, and resources that will inspire, encourage, and enable healthy growth, improvement, and development.

What I am Interested in This Week:

Mississippi

Mississippi is in the news this week. Over the weekend Mississippi was hit by a series of devastating tornadoes-yes more than one-over 12 in fact, across Mississippi and Alabama. None seemed to be as deadly and impactful as the EF-4 tornado that tore through the Mississippi town of Rolling Fork. EF-4 is one of the highest ratings a tornado can get, and it essentially means get away or get blown away. The tornado was said to hit around 160 MPH and it threw debris up to 30,000 feet (the same average altitude of a commercial flight) in the air. Rolling Fork was for all intent and purposes, flattened…

​A woman news anchor in Mississippi was taken off air after making a racial remark in reference to a snoop dog song. Barbie Bassett of Mississippi news channel WLBT said during a broadcast "fo-shizzle my nizzle." That phrase is a euphemism for "for sure my N****." In a statement Bassett said, "Though not intentional, I now understand how my comment was both insensitive and hurtful." Her use of that epithet was reference to WLBT doing some type of promotional collab with snoop out of respect for his business acumen. This was not the first time Bassett used that phrase. Her actions were received as offensive…

Mississippi currently has a rule in its state constitution that disenfranchises people convicted for certain felonies. People convicted for these crimes are not allowed to vote and be part of policy change. The purpose of this part of Mississippi's constitution was specifically to "exclude the negro." At one point in its history, Mississippi was very segregated and hostile to the black man. The United States Supreme Court is considering hearing an appeal to this constitutional policy. Eleven states including Mississippi don't restore voting rights immediately following a convicted felons release from prison. The issue with this in Mississippi is, this constitutional law is inherently and explicitly racist, and the process for regaining the right to vote is uniquely arduous and cumbersome compared to the other states with similar rules. Currently around 1 in 7 black people cannot vote in Mississippi.

Word of Encouragement

This week I want to encourage you to be accepting. We talk a lot about receptivity here at Life with Ken. To receive is to take what is given to you, this typically refers to some type of payment-but isn't exclusive to that. Accepting is to consent to receive. It's a little semantical but you can accept something and not receive it. You may accept the quality of your life, but you don't receive it. You consent to it, but you don't embrace it. It's an acknowledgment of the revelation of a subjective reality. For example let's say you go out to eat with friends, and you go to a restaurant you don't like. Acceptance is making the most out of that situation. If you were to receive that situation you would take the fact that you don't like the food there and be okay with just ordering a water or nothing at all. acceptance looks like finding something you actually may like on the menu. Life may not always be ideal, and we may not always want what is offered to us, but sometimes you must accept what you're given-consent to receive it-so that you don't block your own blessing.

Have a wonderful week!

All the best,

Ken

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