Black folks can often be “something else” with this titling and credentialing mess.

We do to one another, most times, things white folks don’t do to each other unless it’s absolutely necessary and that is usually only when it’s a matter of life or death.

Degrees, titles, Mr Such’n’So and Ms Such’a’Much, and Mr & Mrs. Who A. You… whew. Really, who cares?

Sometimes, we need to quit and adapt more of a “get ‘er done” mentality.

There are folks out here who can do things for which they haven’t necessarily been white-credentialed in some “institution” for; and I speak as a Black women WITH a degree and many many years of work experience in several different fields. Also, I worked for lawyers in Atlanta for more than 18 years and even they didn’t go overboard with the “authorization” stuff when they found someone who wanted to do a certain job and had the spirit and zeal and energy and zest to do it.

Sometimes, energy and passion is far more important than how many degrees and titles a person can throw on a table. If Pookie and Shae can shake up some stuff TODAY and make it happen, whereas Mr. & Mrs. SatinFanny Signifying Tightass don’t want to go forward without first having 15 different meetings and over-analyzing the situation, then I’m bringing Pookie and Shae to the table so I can see something happen within 24 hours rather than six months to a year from now.

I’ve also watched Black folk who are more “comfortable” with white folk in charge who actually challenged a Black man on his “credentials,” then copped a local ruse to replace him with a white man whose credentials were not questioned and did not even come into play.

We have a “tightness” about it because white folks go overboard with us due to racial considerations; then we start doing ‘it’ to one another even worse than they do.

In most cases, we could all really stand to stand down on the “who authorized you to do so and so” stance. It would help move things along a lot faster.