One of Black America's youngest certified national fitness trainers employed as a fitness consultant for the LA Fitness Centers, Skyler Rose Hall

Congressman John Conyers who fought valiantly for Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday introduced the legislation for Americans of African Descent to get their just rewards for enduring slavery and Jim Crow oppression has passed away today. Representative John Conyers lived a rich life of 90 years and in his time Representative Conyers saw many achievements by peoples of color. He also experienced many of the pitfalls that accompanied people of color in this nation.

Representative John Conyers experienced the mass demonstrations of the civil rights movements, he hired Rosa Parks to be on his staff when Ms. Parks moved to Detroit, he shepherded the political black power movement that moved Detroit from being controlled by white politicians to black politicians throughout the city, he also was on the streets of Detroit's inner city in 1967 attempting to mitigate the violence of the tragic riots, He also saw the mass exodus of whites fleeing Detroit's inner for the vanilla suburbs, he saw the economic collapse of Detroit's municipal government, and finally Representative John Conyers has seen the rebirth of Detroit economic machine.

There need to be special services to honor Representative John Conyers for he is one of the last of a dying breed of black political figures who rose through the ashes of injustice. Representative Conyers fought the battles that were unwinnable but he continued to fight the fight. John Conyers was born 5 months before the collapse of Wall Street on October 29, 1929. He served in Congress for a 1/2 century, he fought in the Korean War, he battled injustice in his nation North and South, he endured constant criticism from his many political adversaries, and he maintained his dignity and restrain when others would have evaporated from the pressure.

John Conyers never understood "no". John Conyers's mind was fixated on the singular thought, "why not". So today October 27, 2019, after 90 years of life. John Conyers the symbol of black political consciousness takes his eternal rest and the nation both white and black should say well done John Conyers you were indeed a credit to the American spirit of democracy. Congressman Conyers, it seemed throughout your life couldn't be shook or shaken by enemies at your gate. Your life path, Representative John Conyers was forged in righteousness and built on a solid foundation of belief in justice for all.

Yesterday on my Facebook timeline one of my friends made this quote "If you want to be a good shepherd you must smell like your sheep".
This comes from a quote by Pope Francis he made to his priests. Pope Francis was discussing the imagery of Jesus Christ as the Good Shepherd willing to lay his life down to protect the defenseless in the world.

Of course, my initial thought was but don't wolves the archenemy and devourer of sheep love the smell of sheep? Then, I thought for just a moment. Yes, they do and that's the catch. The shepherd fools the wolf in thinking that the coast is clear for him to run amok amongst the defenseless sheep only to be devoured by the shepherd.

Our leaders who protect the innocent from the wolves in our society must live amongst the sheep. Otherwise the defenseless will always be in danger of being overrun by the wolves. The fact is in many of our communities across this nation the shepherds live away from the sheep, away from the herd that needs protection. So the dangers that the residents of these communities are always visible.

Currently, it seems that the wolves are constantly being fed, and there are no shepherds to protect them from the onslaught of attacks. What our communities need fewer wolves and many, many more shepherds.