"Purpose revealed through a storm"
Current mood: creative
Category: empowered Goals, Plans, Hopes

Our stories are all phases and small scenes, sort of like clips from movies.  Though our life journey we receive different metaphors of life's twists and turns. I believe that when it is all said and done all that we have as a guide through our many twists and turns is God, our faith and the directions that he give to us all. This project will empower women of color to share their stories with one another without judgment. 

We must continue to share our stories to heal those who are suffering and cannot seem to find relief.  One of my prayers that I pray every day is that God will break down the walls that stand between women of color and then together we will heal one another through our stories, strength and faith.

I give to each and every one of you who will read my words the breath of life that God has given me. I was instructed to share my story of empowerment as the purpose of my life was revealed through a storm. 

What is your purpose story?

"Purpose revealed through a storm"

On Aug. 27, 2005, I got dressed for work.  I put on my sky blue vest, my navy blue dress paints, a patched sky blue uniform shirt, a one pound duty belt and my black running shoes. I went to work that day as a New Orleans Police Officer.  I did not know that there was a designed plan already set in place for me by the Creator of all things. This plan was to be revealed o me after five years of service to my City.  

On Aug. 28, 2005 at or around 5:45am, I was awakened from a nap by my superiors via a dispatch radio signal.  My God what was going on I wondered.  The levees had broken! I went to God like never before in all of my thirty-two years. I got up put my heart in the right place and focused my mine.  These are God's people and then my people I will do the best that I can.  I was prepared to give my life for God's people and for my City.  In mind head I prayed all day countless hours it felt like praying became my work shift.  I felt like it was the end of the world.

On Aug.29, 2005, collectively the New Orleans Police started their rescue mission after two days of holding our City down and protecting the property and life of our people. We worked all night and all day around the clock going from the New Orleans High rise; (this is the bridge that connects the eastern part of New Orleans to the Inner City festivities) to the Mark Morial Convention Center.  I'd worked as a security guard inside the Convention Center in the past; I knew that they were not prepared for what they were about to experience.  I knew that many more citizens would be taking up camp.  I knew this because I saw the mass of citizens on the bridge, I seen the water that had come in from the breech of the levees. This water surrounded the New Orleans Superdome as well as the outskirts of the inner City.  The people came in multitudes to seek help there was no land in sight. I saw that this had turned into a major fight for life.

On Aug.30, 2005, after working countless hours in what seems like a never-ending night mare, we still were not done.  By the time morning arrived everything that I had envisioned was just a vision of how things would be.  It was worst! There were over 1, 0000 citizens who had gathered together at the Morial Convention Center to seek refuge.  My heart was filled with guilt.  My mind began to pay tricks on me.  What have we done?  Why weren't we ready? Why has no one come to help us?

On Aug. 31, 2005-4^th day we realized as Officers on the front line, that it was now time for us to take care of ourselves, the system had failed to come through for us, so it seemed at the time. On this day the police district that I was assigned to flooded, which we then had no place to house ourselves and our means to survive.  Those days were long and hot and we begin to seek refuge for ourselves to protect ourselves. We created a make ship camp in the parking lot of Wal-Mart located on Tchoupitoulas Street, near the Morial Convention Center. We armed ourselves heavily, we did this to protect ourselves and our salvaged personal items form looters as and disgruntled citizens. Some of us even had to house our family members and pets at this camp.  That was my new home and duty post. We worked countless hours, when we were off we were working looking for our families and fighting to keep our sanity.

On Sept. 1, 2005-A young woman walked up to my squad car holding a young baby boy who appeared to be about 6-7months in age.  The baby was an albino baby, so he needed less sun and more water.  The baby was limp in this young woman's arm.  She asked my partner and I for a ride to the Superdome where she had just walked miles from.  She needed to go back and seek medical assistance for her baby.  I could not help her.  We were advised by our superiors that we could not transport anyone in our cars, due to how great the need was for people to be rescued.  I felt like I was in the movie "Hotel Rwanda".  I searched my mind and my heart, I even went deeper a searched my soul that day. A squad car sit behind ours, in that car were two of my Superiors.  I looked up at the young lady will my tear dukes full and as a humanitarian I had to tell her that I could not put her in my car.  I gave her the juice that I was drinking, the water that I had for me and my partner and I told her to go back up the bridge and walk as slow as she could and I'd sneak and come.  When she walked away the tears fell from my eyes like water running from a stream.  My partner and I pulled off we got a call of shots being fired and we had to answer the call, we were back up.  When we arrived on the séance there were indeed shots being fired by a young man who had stolen a milk truck to drive his family out of the disaster and was caught by police.  This lasted all day…call after call.  I never got a chance to get back to see about the lady and her young baby boy.  I felt guilty all over again.  I broke my promise.  My job was no longer fun, the people were gone.

Sept. 29, 2005-I reigned from the Police Department this was the day that my Commander in Chief also resigned. What will I do now….God I need your help.  I returned to School to pursue a Master's degree in the field of Social Work and I finished May of 2007. I was educated in a make ship College Campus that was set up with trailers by FEMA, as our only black university in the city of New Orleans remained closed.  I have got to press on.  When the people come back they will have a lot of issues to unscramble, so I kept going for God's people, my people, my City and I remembered our culture to serve our neighbors.  How would I do that I asked the God.  I'll show you.  I became a member of NOLA Playback Theater Company in 2006; I started my own organization called SAFREE, INC. in 2007. I started "A NU US" movement in 2008.  Today I come before you as a humbled servant to the people of the God.

Whenever I share my story I am reminded of two recent quotes by a friend of mine "Mr.' Al Mead" who is one of the fast Paralympics in the world and has won a gold medal and made it to the Hall of Fame.

"A setback, is A set up, for A comeback"

"Your past is not a place of residence but rather designed to be a place of reference"

Copyright © Safree Inc. 2007 - 2008. All rights reserved   

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A Temple was built
Current mood: full
Category: New Religion and Philosophy

Visions from the choir stand                                 Arthur: eNCHANTe' Franklin

Part I

If you look close enough you can see history repeat itself time and time again.  You can see signs and wonders; you can even see the glory of God. 

On Saturday April 5, 2008 at exactly 3:00pm the Franklin Ave. Baptist Church Mass Choir experienced the fall of the fullness of God's Holy Spirit.  They experienced this fullness in a familiar, but yet different sanctuary.  In the eyes of each choir member and all present you can see the spirit of anticipation and hope.  "Oh did we sing that night and oh did our Pastor dance!  The story goes that he had never danced above the church alter before.  Did he dance!  As my Pastor stood before us with his heart filled with humility and grace we could see the glory of God manifest itself on his face.  He did this dance after our disaster in a familiar, but yet different place.

In my vision as I sat smiling with pride at the glory of God. My vision expanded to Sunday morning worship service when the saints will fill the sanctuary. I'd vision the saints full of grace with much curiosity and hope on their face.  Oh how we longed to see our old friends lined up against the walls to here the mighty word of God come forward and confirm God's glory.  These saints will experience this fullness in a familiar, yet different sanctuary. I waited and I waited for the saints, for the revelation of my vision and watched for these mighty saints to overflow in a familiar, but yet different sanctuary.

Part II

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Oh my, did the saints gather on Sunday morning April 6, 2008, just as the vision on Saturday had given me.

We sung in the fullness of the fresh spirit that fell upon our faces on Saturday. We went from a disaster to dancing. Oh did our Pastor dance! He even sung a song. The story goes he had never sung above the church alter before. The Ushers, Deacons, Parking control, Church up keepers, they were all in places with smiles on their faces. The word of God went forward and for all of the saints.  God showed his glory in the place.  My heart filled with thanksgiving as I watched God's promises come to pass.  To give evidence to what I'd vision God sent a servant to deliver confirmation that grace was in the place.  HE sent history by way of (Ezra) with the third (3RD) chapter and the sixth (6) verse.  "They people took a break after the foundation of the temple was built". "Just… the foundation… oh ye people", my God!

My conclusion to this story is not a hardly a true ending, but a moment to cease history repeating itself.  God has shown his grace IN and ON our dwelling place.  We are cover in his blood. "WWWWWWOOOOOOOO"!

Part III

 Elizabeth Luther, left, wife of Franklin Ave. Baptist Church Pastor Fred Luter Jr., his mother Viola L. Brooks, and U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu (D-La.)

My God! On Monday April 7, 2008 the day of completion in the year of new beginnings. The extension of my vision reached the heavens. Dancing in eternity with our father, on that great day of glory. We will dance in a familiar, but yet different place. If Pastor danced this Sunday it's only a small celebration until we all get to heaven and she Jesus.  He has done great things! He is doing great things! He will do great things!

 And a Temple was built                                                              (Ezra 3:6)

Oh Lord!

Oh Lord!

Oh Lord!

That's the sound of the Franklinites praying to the man

Ooh good Lord!

Ooh good Lord!

Ooh good Lord!

It's about our burdens

It's about our families

It's about our disasters

Please God Almighty!

 It's about our City.

It's about our pain.

It's about our children. 

Move God Almighty!

It's about our Temple.

We put our trust in you God Almighty!

We have fasted and prayed.

 Franklin Ave. Baptist Church member Ora Magee hugs a fellow member during the first service at the church since Hurricane Katrina Sunday April 6, 2008.

It's about our church family.

Hear our prayers.

Hear our cries.

Save our lives.

Let it be done Lord.

Let it be done Lord.

Let it be done Lord.

And a temple was built.                                                                                                 

And all of the saints danced

                                                                                                               Arthur: eNCHANTEe'

Copyright © Safree Inc. 2008. All rights reserved.

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What is it holding us back? (JENA 6)
Current mood: cultured
Category: Writing and Poetry

JENA 6...

What is it that tore into the souls of the little town Jena as a whole?

Creating tension that has never been told,

That is before it was showed.

My God! There has got to be a hole in America's soul!

To have something like this the JENA 6 go so untold.

Today this thing will unfold!

What were they thinking separating our people by the road?

But we so strong we ani't never sinking,

At least not because of how they been thinking.

Now that the silence has been broken

JENA 6 will finally get there token.

There mama's heart no longer broken.

America's soul will no longer burn.

This thing has got to take a turn!

What a work of art,

Like when the people did their part

With that liberated MARCH!

Exposing what many knew about Jena from the start.

You know the tension that was never mentioned

Instead of sitting together under the tree eating lunch

This tension caused those boys to throw a punch,

My God, now the little town Jena is in a crunch!

I feel this thing so deep inside of me

This thing!

Did not start with a tree

Maybe it's just me.

I see this thing, was placed in those boys head mentally.

My God of heaven!

This thing should not be in 2007,

But they think that it's to late

Because we are in 2008.

But as you can see, all over TV

Even the whites in Jena know that this thing has gotten to deep.

Like when they shut down their stores,

So that they wouldn't have to feed me.

That hurt me deep.

How could this be?

This thing will not enter me

Trying to take over my soul

I refuse to be cold!

What a spill into the hole of the stories untold

This thing has got to unfold.

Maybe someone should be told,

That this thing!  Called RACISM is killing America's soul as a whole.

Author: Enchante' M. Franklin             

Copyright © Safree Inc. 2007 - 2008. All rights reserved            

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The Soul of My Sisters
Current mood: hopeful
Category: Stop Hurting our Sisters Writing and Poetry

MY BROKEN SOUL

Go deep into your soul as a woman. 

Go deep into your soul as a man.

Go deep into your soul as a child.

Don't demean me mentally

Don't demean me emotionally

Don't demean me sexually

Please don't demean me physically

This will break my soul.

If you don't hit me,

I will not be frightened living my life in fear.

If you don't hit me,

I will not endure the internal pain of being abused by you

You are my boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife and father.

If you hit me,

I will only solitude myself to protect my family.

If you curse me, my soul will be broken

If you rape me my spirit will go weak

If you leave me my heart will lose its beat,

But on the day that I pray!

I will be strengthened.

My heart will be healed!

My soul will be filled.

My God the silence will be broken!

I will speak internal peace!

I will speak self-respect!

I will fight back!

I am no longer a stranger to myself.

I will keep my soul!

I am not alone.

Copyright © Safree Inc. 2007 - 2008. All rights reserved 

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Free yourself
Current mood: confident

So many of us have ideas in our heads that some how or another turn into writings. These writings may show up in journals, paper towels, scratch paper, the palm of one's hand, to a piece of toilet paper.  We find those times when we are writing that we are unable to free ourselves.  We get stuck.  An Author by the name of Pamela Davis (Coffee Colored Dreams) held a workshop a few weeks ago in NOLA.  She articulated to a group of writers that we can free ourselves by writing as it comes to us in the natural. 

What I recieved from this workshop was that if you have something that burns inside of you then you should write about it in an authentic voice (Truth). Meaning what is true to one's own experience weather you see it through your eyes or whether you experience it through the eyes of others. This truth should  cause such a response that it provokes you to just articulate it on paper just to get it out. It should not matter if you are writing for others it should matter what you are writing for the creator.  To many of the writers who are struggling in your SOUL.......WRITE your way through, even when you are in stuck mode.

Happy Writing Day

Currently listening : Freedom Writers By Original Soundtrack Release date: 09 January, 2007

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"What makes us unique individuals"
Current mood: awake
Category: Humbled by what I’ve learned from the Creator. Religion and Philosophy

Have you ever wondered why you choose your favorite color?  One that would symbolize your personality and the spirit within you.  Well today I wondered why I picked the color "White" as a symbolic color.  The only thing that I could honestly come up with was that in all of the biblical pictures in my mind of Jesus Christ is that he wore thick white garments.  In the days of slavery our ancestors where clothe in stitched white fabrics.  Today you I see in some religions they baptise in thin white materials.  You will notice that I referred to three different times and three different descriptions of the attire of three different bodies (The Son of God, Man, and the rebirth in body of Christ). One word PURITY. Wow! What does your favorite color represent for you?

Currently listening : White As Snow By James Felix Release date: 10 July, 2000

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"Happy Valentine’s Day My First Love I Love You"
Current mood: content
Category: Love the one who Love you. Writing and Poetry

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAYJ...

 PERPARED JUST FOR YOU BY: Enchante' Franklin 2/1/2008

HIDDEN DOOR

BEHIND THESE WORDS ARE MY FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS THAT WERE NEVER TOLD.

IF YOU SHOULD OPEN THIS DOOR YOU'LL FIND THAT WHAT YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR HAS BEEN THERE THE WHOLE TIME.

IF YOU SHOULD OPEN THIS DOOR YOU'LL FIND THE PEACE AND RESTORATION, YOU'D ONLY HOPED FOR.

IF YOU SHOULD OPEN THIS DOOR YOU'LL FIND A HEART OF GOLD, SO PURE AS GOD'S IVORY MOLD.

IF YOU WALK THROUGH THIS DOOR YOU MAY FIND REST FOR YOUR WONDERING SOUL.

IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY THERE IS A HIDDEN DOOR WITH A MESSAGE BEHIND THESE WORDS.

THEY SAY THAT ANGELS SURROUND US DAILY, SAVING US FROM ALL HURT AND HARM.

THEY SAY THAT EVERY ONE, AT ONE TIME IN THEIR LIFE WILL EXPERIENCE A FIRST LOVE.

THEY SAY THAT SAME PERSON, WILL ALSO EXPERINCE A BROKEN HEART IN THAT SAME LIFETIME.

IF YOU WOULD LISTEN TO ME WITH YOUR HEART WHEN I NOW SPEAK TO YOU, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT MY WORDS ARE PURE AND TRUE.

IF YOU WOULD SEE MY VISONS OF YOU WHEN I CLOSE MY EYES TO SLEEP, YOU WOULD KNOW HOW MUCH I WEAP.

MY TEARS NOW FALL LIKE RAIN ON A STORMY WEATHER DAY, MY HEART NOW RUNS A SLOW RACE, UNABLE TO KEEP UP THE PACE.

IF YOU WOULD JUST LISTEN TO ME, I'M TRING TO SAY THAT I LOVE YOU.

IF I COULD I WOULD HAVE SHOWN YOU WITH THE BLUE SKIES AND QUIET GREEN GRASS.

I'D EVEN TRY TO FIND THE BIGGEST NEED IN YOUR HEART OF GLASS.

I JUST WANTED TO TAKE ONE MORE MOMENT OUT OF MY DAY TO TELL YOU HOW I WAS FEELING.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, I LOVE YOU IN MY OWN SPECIAL WAY.

Currently listening : PS I Love You By Various Artists Release date: 04 December, 2007

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i AM WHAT I WAS MEANT TO BE
Current mood: enlightened
Category: CONNECTED TO MY SOUL Religion and Philosophy

I pray everyday for my heart to be more like the heart of the Creator. I make the necessary steps to receive that gift. I want my heart to do amazing things for my community.  I would sacrifice my very being to see a smile on the face of my family and a perfect stranger. I love to meet new people that the Creator has made.  To see how creative God is causes me to seek that type of creativity that I posse within me.  When my fingers move to write a piece of wisdom I know that the Creator is ready to use me as a tool. I am always waiting for my next mission to serve God's people. My time here I have realized is not about me, it is about the work that I do for God in and out of my heart. I am very cautious about the friends I chose to dwell in my energy.  I am very protective of my SOUL. I have worked very hard to find it.  I have been through many trials and tribulations to receive it as my own. One day I went looking for God and when I met God I was introduced to my SOUL and then........my SOUL introduced me to ME.  Today I spend every waking moment of my life protecting and nurturing the beautiful woman that I found. I am who I am I did not make myself and I am just what I was meant to be. 

Currently listening : The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster By Ruthie Foster Release date: 06 February, 2007

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YOUNG FEMALE OFFICER KILLED IN NOLA
Current mood: indescribable
Category: Humbled Life

A female police officer was killed in my community yesterday.  She was killed with her own gun by a man who suffered with serve mental health issues. She was only 24 years old.  She graduated high school in 2001. She served in the community where she grew up.  New Orleanians referred to this community as Central City.  My grandmother told me that the community got its name due to its location in the center of the City.  She also told me that long ago this was the parts of the City where blacks would go to shop at small make shift markets and integrate with one another.  This was and still is one of the most impoverished and rough areas of the City...

I am a product of this community and I also served as a female police officer in this community for five years.  Today I serve my City and my Community in the capacity of a Social Worker with a special focus on mental health and empowering at-risk youth. 

As I watched the news story unfold I was immediately humbled by this officer's death. I felt her courage, I embodied her bravery, I embraced her fight and I understood her commitment.  I honor her and I smile as I weep for other young women on the street walking the beat.

Every day a female officer will go to work in this city putting herself and sometimes her family on the line.  Anywhere you go in this City you will always find a female officer serving in one capacity or another.  From a traffic stop to a high speed car chase.  From a domestic violence call to a cat in the tree.  They are always on the streets committed to serving the City and the needs of their communities.

If you know a female officer call her up and let her know that you are praying for her safety, health, courage, and faith in God daily. Please don't stop praying.  So many of them will get ready for duty (work) arming themselves for the war on the City which can take a toll on her psychological frame.  Their eyes will see things you can never even imagine. 

In my time as an officer I served for the people and I knew every time I got dressed for the call there was a strong possibility that I might die for the people.  I can't say to you that I was never afraid; indeed I was afraid all of the time. I almost lost my life multiple times.   The thing that helped me to survive every day was my unbelievable faith in God and my courage to carry out his mission for me.  You see, it never occurred to me that I was constantly in harm's way for a designed purpose. To prepare myself for the future ahead helping to empower others through my commitment to God's people as well as make an extreme difference within the impoverished communities that I serve. I would imagine that this was the path that Officer Nicola Cotton chose in the mist of seeking God's purpose for her young life.  

Today my heart is heavy for Officer Nicola Cotton, her family, and all those who loved her. Let us all come together and lift this Angel and her family up in love and prayer...

    eNCHANTe'  (Decreased so that the Creator may increase within me).'08

Currently listening : Hero By Kirk Franklin Release date: 04 October, 2005

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Speak Positive Over Your Life
Current mood: inspired

Positive Tongue Fast

This year let us all come together as women of color to speak positive things over our lives for the whole year.  Every time you speak something negative (I can't, it will not work, this is to hard ect.) into your life immediately begin to pray and replace it with (yes I can, I'm going anyway, he'll never give me any more than I can bare).  Share this with your sisters. 

Share Your Gifts

 It is now time for us to come together and lift one another up.  See the different gifts that the creator has given each and every one of us. Let us learn together how to manifest out thoughts. We are different because we are suppose to be. If you have a special gift we want to hear from you.  We want to rejoice with you.

"For Thinking Minds Only", April 22, 2007

It is written on a level where anyone can understand it. The sciptures references help to bring the principles alive and thus allows this stellar work to minister to the soul of man with the added benefit of manifesting that which you think. The Master Prophet lets us know that all that you desire is available to you if you first understand your oneship with God and your divine right to have exceeding abundantly above all that you ask or think. This book is strictly for thinking minds only and those who desire to think right.

THE LAWS OF THINKING, September 9, 2007

THE LAWS OF THINKING HAS CHANGED MY WAY OF THINKING I AM MORE POSITIVE NOW. I ALSO SEE THINGS DIFFERENT.

I like It, May 14, 2007

I love listening to the cd, it's information I already knew but learning to use your own abilities better and with understanding is always helpful. I have always understood the power of my thoughts however, creating a more positive outlook and meditating on the positive as much as I worry (meditate) about the bills or other annoyances is a more productive way of using energy. I think that Bishop Jordan is clear in his delivery and it's merely up to the listener to take heed to the messages and tapping into your own inner being.

Currently reading : The Laws of Thinking: 20 Secrets to Using the Divine Power of Your Mind to Manifest Property By Bishop E. Bernard Jordan Release date: 01 February, 2008

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