Hello Everyone! Thanks once again for the generosity of feedback in the week leading up to the launch - the love is much appreciated.
By now perhaps you a have a theory; if not, hopefully you've at least asked yourself: “Why did this brother choose to launch his site on 07.07.07?” Well, since you ask, indulge me for a moment...
Whether it’s the poetic appeal – never mind if you’re a biblical literalist or Darwinian by design – of the earth being spoken into existence in six days followed by one of divine rest…
Or you’ve been out on those corners praying for that lucky roll of the die,
Whether you were listening to Minister Farrakhan move the crowd at the Mall in 1995 when he started laying down those numbers…
Or you’re a gospel music loyalist waxing nostalgic of Fred Hammond - before he signaled the move of black churches to praise and worship music - on his second to last album with Commissioned (circa 1991),
Whether you witnessed pre-break up Erykah Badu and Andre 3000 name their first born…
Or you’ve had to fight the itch of that long seventh inning stretch in your marriage,
There’s just something about that Number – a near universal appeal that appears to be attributed to the number seven.
Now, I’m no numerologist, but it was still all too difficult for me resist the resounding resonance with which the number seven seems to be celebrated. And just in case none of the examples in my above litany sold you, let me share, more personally, just a few reasons why I chose to launch my site on this the seventh day of the seventh month of the seventh year of the new millennium.
First of all, I am nearing the start of my seventh and hopefully final year (pray with me!) of what has been an extremely rewarding time of doctoral studies at Harvard University. They say seven years is average at Harvard... so call me average!
Second, seven is a number that many religious traditions treat as significant – just check out wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_(number) – so this choice also reflects the fact that religion and spirituality, in all their diverse manifestations, take a primary place in both my personal biography and intellectual journey.
And third, it has also been seven months since the passing of my mother, Patricia Ann Wallace, and amongst other things this site has afforded me the opportunity to memorialize her life on the web and to acknowledge the tremendous wealth of her spirit, to which I am an heir. Check out the page dedicated to her (www.josefsorett.com/patricia-ann-wallace-tribute/) on this site to learn more about this remarkable woman. We miss her dearly!
At the church I grew up attending, seven was believed to be the number of completion – and thus of new beginnings as well. In a year that promises us all a host of new beginnings – as well as important endings – I am excited to start this on-line dialogue.
Staying steady with the number seven, I've decided to define my launch into the blogosphere by an initial series of seven blog entries. Don't worry, not all at once.
Here's a glimpse of what you can expect from posts in the days and weeks to come:
Today: Reflections on Human Frailty: Life, Death and My HBO Addiction
Coming Soon:Towards the (Post) Hip Hop IntellectualRace, Religion and Politics in the City University of New York"I Ain't Here to Argue About His Facial Features..."Left, Left, Left, Right, Left: Culture Politics, Policy and the Poles of Public MoralityThe Art of My Eclectic (Personal) Fashion SensibilityMuhammad Walks an Underground Freeway to the Club
Before I get to the first post, I want to quickly acknowledge one of my closest friends, who also happens to be my personal technology consultant: Joselin Mane. If you like what you see on this site, check out www.litbel.com for the best techie I know (website design, hosting services, etc.). While academic trends of late have highlighted the history of intersecting afro-latina/o diasporas (See: Future of Black Studies), this site has been an exercise in building black & Latina/o partnerships. In the process of learning to work this website, Joselin claims that he has been teaching me to fish... bacalao, I guess? If you can't swing the cod fish, then try some Platanos and Collard Greens. Either way, Mucho Amor a mi hermano dominicano de otra madre!
Okay, enough with the self-less plug. It's now official, www.josefsorett.com has been launched. And while it's surely anti-climactic at this point, check out my first blog entry, Reflections on Human Frailty: Life, Death and My HBO Addiction, which will post at 7am.