Slater Hayes Podcast

The lessons taught and learned

"Along the Way"
are too numerous to capture in one short piece.  Lessons are oftentimes thought to be only dispensed by parents, teachers and others who possess positions of authority within one's life.

I ruminated on this piece after it was composed.

It led me to consider the number of things that I observed throughout my childhood and into my teenage y...

62 and GOD IS INDEED GOOD!!!

It's my birthday--the BIG 6-0. As the years have flown by I find myself taking note of the things that I can no longer do--AS WELL. However, I also find myself able to do things with more proficiency and with less effort. The journey of life is indeed something that I give honor to GOD for on a daily basis. I continue to thank him for his mercies and grace that are fresh and new each and e...

Another piece written while vacationing and looking out over the hustle and bustle of persons going about their daily lives in Bangkok, Thailand.

 In this city of 12 million, it seems that there are 24 million cars, motorcycles and  vespas. Each, transporting individuals with independent lives along multitudinous paths-in search of "that thing" that constitutes happiness.

I marvel at the sheer thought ...

This piece was composed while sitting on the 4th floor balcony of a hotel in Thailand.

I was overwhelmed by what I was reading and seeing on all the social media platforms regarding a reprehensible beating inflicted by those of the Memphis Police department.

Many were providing their rationale as to why African Americans should not read the articles nor view the camera footage of what occurred. Concurrently, jus...

God has blessed Marjorie and I to be able to travel to a number of countries throughout the world (moreso her than I). In various countries we have witnessed the day-to-day living of the inhabitants of the countries visited.

During our most recent travels we had the opportunity to witness the hustle and bustle of Hanoi in North Vietnam.  the laid-back city of Hue, located along the Huong River, in central Vietnam-just 5 mi...

Mid -week Post!!!

I am a firm believer that there is NO coincidence with Christ.

This piece was penned at the outset of the journey that is now Slater Hayes, Productions.
I was scrolling through my Facebook page and came across a post from a man whom I consider a great father, inspiration, community advocate, believer in our youth. In general a person that personifies the mantra of my church..." I was cre...

I decided to republish this piece to kick off the start of Season 3 of "The Spoken Word.

Slater Hayes, Productions has grown immensely since its' beginning two years ago.
My desire to inspire, educate, expand horizons, increase self-awareness and to free US ALL from the constrained thinking created by the ill-effects of racism, classism and the other prevalent 'ISMS continues by the GRACE of GOD.

During this month of Black History, I think it important that we seek a better understanding of a mindset that is becoming more and more pervasive within OUR community.

That of which I speak is the notion that we are SELF-MADE individuals that can traverse this journey without anyone else providing anything necessary for the ride. This mindset seems s to be intentionally propagated within our community in order to further ...

Well, what we have oftentimes attributed to the white man has now found its' way into the public arena within our community.

The OPPRESSED have now publicly demonstrated that we have indeed become willing instruments of the OPPRESSOR.

Sure, we can point to periods throughout the annals of time that the black man has utilized force and other manners of brutality to exercise control over our own. However, ther...

Critical Race Theory, Loving, Voting Rights, Affirmative Action...all these and many more are now under scrutiny.

There are those that accuse me of tripping, of simply being the purveyor of hyperbole.

I think many, if paying attention, now see that the movement inspired by 45 has now become reality, due primarily to the judicial picks that were ramrodded through by the person occupying the seat of senate majorit...

Whether it be within neighborhood communities, the Capitol or the Halls of Congress, the trickeration of those who are seeking to hijack this experiment called democracy is real.

The sycophants have all exposed themselves and are hell-bent on maintaining their visibility and continuing in their craven desire to circumvent the will of the people, irrespective of the damage that it may create.

"Hiding No More&q...

On this special day that we remember Martin Luther King, Jr.  I think it important that we also pay homage to one of the numerous icons on whose shoulders that he, and so many others, firmly entrenched their footing.

Frederick Douglas!!

"Mad Respect"
was written as a tribute to this man who voraciously ensured that the content of his eloquent messages was heard throughout a nation that considered his...

It seems that during this particular juncture of my journey, I have become more sensitive to those things that occurred, at times, along the way.
I am not one of those persons that has a vivid recall of a variety of things that occurred during my childhood. However, I do seem to remember things if someoe else either begins to play them out from their stored memories.

However, the incident that I speak of in this episo...

"That place where emotions are stored- unable to be reconciled with what is occurring just past that place that is visible to the naked eye...past that place that is actually tangible by ones' s self or observable by others."

A further description of that which I felt when I was led to write...

"The Question"
...there is often a certain consternation that exists-questions that arise -w...

***REPUBLISH

The celebration of Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching. Though I penned this piece during our Thanksgiving gathering of 2021, it was published during the Easter season of 2022.  Prior to the funeral service of my dear cousin, Edith.

The words and sentiment contained within this piece are timeless.

I pray that each listener will recall the precious memories of family gatherings and the love th...

There are numerous occurrences within the Bible that speak to how numerous individuals and groups of people literally looked up to acknowledge that they were aware that their help emanated from someplace-SOMEONE- that far exceeded their human abilities to adequately confront the obstacle(s) with which they were confronted.

This act of literally and figuratively calling on and acquiescing to the presence of that SOMEONE, GO...

"Unabridged": not cut or shortened;
COMPLETE.

Just as with any phrase or sentence, the punctuation that is used is helpful in determining  the meaning of what is written preceding its use.
In fact, it even plays a role in the voice inflection of  the reader.

While reminiscing about the times past during the journey of "your dash", ask yourself the following,
" what manner o...

Innumerable opinions and justifications (read as excuses) for a lack of involvement inundate that place to which I refer in this piece that was inspired by speaking to friends, listening to neighbors and the panoply of overbearing pontificators that have found their way on to various networks.
 
I envisioned myself as that coach nervously approaching each, wondering if they were indeed ready to display ALL THAT which seemed...

So, the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT has to impose its will by appointing a THIRD PARTY MANAGER to ensure that the residents of my hometown have accessibilty to one of the essential needs of existence-WATER.

Yea, attorney General Merrick Garland, with the approval of federal judge Henry Wingate, have acted to immediately address the wanton neglect by ALL involved concerning the perpetual water crisis.

Allow me to identify s...