The Marathon Continues: The Gift of Clarity by: Emmanuel Philor
Family, today marks One Year. A year of our greatest wins and our hardest losses. A year of memories that we love to remember and some that we wish we could forget. But, in a year we have been able to rise from the dust slowly and begin running again. Now, we are stronger and we are wiser but we still bear the marks of this painful day. While this day is a fleeting memory for some, some people have this date etched into their memory forever. This was the day we lost our beloved Ermias “Nipsey Hussle” Asghedom! Nipsey Hussle was a 33-year-old, from the Crenshaw section of Los Angeles, California. He was a member of the Rollin’ 60’s Neighborhood Crips and managed to be one of the most radical leaders in our society. He was a lover of his family and made it his business to love them publicly. From a distance, it was clear to me that there was something different about Nipsey. In a business riddled with fraudulent, vision-less, and morally depleted artists, Nipsey always brought light into the room. Whether he was discussing the healing remedies of Dr. Sebi or discussing his life’s story, it was clear that he had it. But what is, it? While I couldn’t find it in the days immediately following his death, I know now that he had the gift of Clarity.
Nip had an insight that proved he was a sage. He was not a hoarder of information;
he was a teacher. He wrestled through the tensions of our understanding and
provided us with opportunities for growth and advancement. While in an
environment that was set up for failure, he gave us hope to keep fighting. He
proved that we, too, could be Neighborhood Heroes. In interviews, he discussed
the rough realities of growing up in his neighborhood. His consciousness caused
some of us to wrestle with life’s hardest topics while grooving to a beat. When
his music came on, we instantly took the role of student, as he taught us the
way of life. He had a gift! This gift is what caused him to break-through the
barriers of common life into a place that could uplift others.
Many,
both near and far, were not simply impacted by his death; we were impacted by
his life. Nip lived a full life that modeled the capacity to be successful in
the world and a hero at home. He used his gift of clarity to shift the minds of
many and jumpstarted conversations around activism, community engagement,
leadership, and ownership. He met with Civic and Community leaders to bring
about Policy Change; made conscious efforts to shift the thinking of the
community and proved himself to be a visionary. He could see far beyond what we
could see. He had Clarity! While we all are saddened by his death, we are
grateful for the life that he’s lived. We are grateful for a library of music
and a life well lived before us. Communities far beyond Los Angeles are the
recipients of his hard work.
Although
I wasn’t privileged to meet Nip, I am deeply impacted by his work. His work
reminded me of the value of building up your own home first before building up
anywhere else. I am honored to know some individuals who reach back in
their community and create platforms to aid others. I call these people "Neighborhood Heroes", and I am proud to highlight one of these individuals and
his organization. That is my dear brother, Jeff Pierre; Founder and CEO of
Clarity. Clarity was founded during the days following Nipsey’s death.
The organization’s name derived from Nip’s song Clarity featuring Dave East.
While many were grieving and merely stating: “The Marathon Continues”,
Jeff was getting in position to catch the baton. Jeff developed this
organization to ensure that the Marathon would not only continue in Los Angeles
but also in a small town of Orange, NJ. When asked about Nip’s death, Jeff
recapped that he and Nip shared similar values around community engagement and
enrichment. Jeff has proven to be a pillar in the community by showing up when
the community needs him most. He has offered free haircuts, community
giveaways, provided free food at community events and so much more. I would argue that
he, too, has Clarity.
Clarity is defined as “having an intellectual understanding with a 'clear vision' to overcome any challenges”. Clarity is not simply limited to the ability to see clearly but the ability to comprehend beyond the common expectations. When everyone is living amid the fog of life, some have the gift of Clarity. People who are gifted to bring others out of the fog that they are riddled with and aid them in seeing what is truly meaningful. This gift offers the privilege to overcome the obstacles of life in a simplistic way. Jeff’s movement is intended to provide students with the capacity to do just that. With a unique perspective, Jeff has been able to allow youth to see the obstacles of life from a different perspective and enable our youth to be better citizens at home and abroad.
Jeff is proud to say that Clarity defines him. As a young man, who was raised in Orange, NJ; he recognizes that he has overcome many challenges in his life. He learned that he needed to redirect his energy to fulfill his God-given purpose. As a man from Orange’s Berwyn Street to working onNew York's Wall Street; he has modeled the importance of gaining Clarity at a young age. To ensure that this takes place, Jeff offers financial literacy events in his hometown. He is training a generation on using their God-given talents to overcome the obstacles that the world has set before them. The gift that Clarity offers Orange’s youth is the support system. Despite the challenge or obstacle, these youth know that clarity is available for them.
Later this year, Clarity is planning on expanding its platform to include Clarity Investments, to found The Clarity Foundation, and develop a Clarity Sports Group. Jeff informed us that “with Clarity Investments, we are looking to purchase real estate property for business purposes to produce jobs within the community”. The Clarity Foundation will continue to founding efforts to give back to the community but will also be offering scholarship opportunities. Regarding Clarity Sports, there have been discussions with local High School and AAU teams collaborate with student-athletes in the future. Clarity’s impact will work through multiple aspects of the community and we have Nip and Jeff to thank. So, on the anniversary of Nipsey's death, we can say that the Marathon Continues with Clarity!
For
more information about The Clarity Movement, or for ways to get involved with
their efforts; email Clarity at: claritycv11@gmail.com or follow Clarity on
Instagram: @Clarity_CV
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