Davina Cunningham’s Reviews > Don't Cry for Me > Status Update

“I said, ‘Yessir,’ and wiped my eyes. I’m not sure I ever loved that way again.”

These notions which were often told to boys are the same things that ruin their emotional recognition and regulation, and really prevent them from being vulnerable/open in their intimate relationships. A sad reality.

It’s so heartbreaking to think that many black elders never knew “I could decide how to live, how to be in this world. Never knew I had the right.” The reality that for so long they had only known to just accept everything as it was makes the past so much harder to fathom. It hits deep when you understand “ we didn’t think we were supposed to be happy… feelings are irrelevant. They had to be.”

That is so real. I’m happy to see that Jacob found revelation and enlightenment through his reading. I’m also happy to see that his first full book was Malcom X’s Autobiography. Definitely a good read.

I feel bad for Jacob, but I am glad he’s at least doing all of the reflection required to repair their relationship. The action is definitely lacking, but the effort is admirable.

He’s better than most fathers of that time because they wouldn’t have even apologized. It’s easy to see that Jacob is at least willing to change.

It’s very karmic that now that Issac has confessed he is gay, now Rachel shows controversy. Even further emphasized is the frequency with which Rachel undermines Jacob’s authority and has been openly criticized for it. Just goes to show that they were toxic from the start—primarily because both had very harsh and rigid views.

“If you have no heirs, find some deserving black child and give it to him. He’ll thank you for it one day. We all will.”

This really leans into and emphasizes the importance of Black people having their own property, aka land, and the rights/power it affords one. That kind of power needs to be passed down otherwise it’s a setback.

This is such a beautiful gift Issac has, and it’s so sad to see the conflict in Jacob’s mind between his instincts and his perceived reality.

The authenticity of Black’s writing makes it so easy to empathize with Jacob. While he hasn’t been in the right with Rachel, she was still further in the wrong than him for not at least discussing with him the fact that they had conceived. Don’t get me wrong, she was vey much in her right to terminate but I feel there should have at least been a discussion and some consideration for his feelings.

“Just ‘cause a few crackers do a few good things don’t mean white folks ain’t the problem.” PREACH!!