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What's In Your Bag, 119 Elm St, Montclair, NJ (2026)

03/04/2026

B O U N D A R I E S
The Healthy Balance

“Don’t become a prisoner behind the wall you built for others”

wmb

02/28/2026

Today, I pause to wish my funny, smart, beautiful, caring, loving, and always supportive sister Jean Barbee-Wilson a Big Happy Bornday Anniversary. She’s lots of fun. Just look at the video. I was recording my brother at an event, and she consciously walked through the active frame. 😂😂😂😂 Jeannawillis, I love you Sis. All the best. ❤️🎊🎂🥂🍾🎉👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

02/27/2026

Congratulations Big Bill
❤️🎊🎂🥂🍾 ⭐️ 🎉👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Many of Bill Duke’s friends and family came out to celebrate his Star induction into the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Others sent video testimonials honoring their mentor and friend. Through many of the testimonials, the crowd laughed and broke out in cheer. While there, we chatted, laughed, shared personal accounts, and networked. With much cheer, we sang Happy Birthday, then embraced old and new faces in the crowd. It was such an honor just being here and sharing the love with Bill. I was humbled to be considered family. As the celebration continues, I had to take a well needed break and come back to my hotel to relax. I will rejoin them tonight for the third party. 😂😉❤️🎊🥂🍾🎉👌🏾

Congratulations Bill. ✊🏾

02/26/2026

CONGRATULATIONS ❤️🎉🎊👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

I’m having a blast out here in Los Angeles with Lisa Wu, Kathy Ward, and Reshaun Frear, as we celebrate our friend and mentor Actor/Director Bill Duke. Tomorrow, Bill will be inducted with his Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I am so happy for my Big Bruh Bill. ❤️

Congratulations! ❤️
❤️❤️🎊🎉👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

02/24/2026

Mental Wellness Break

No matter your faith, God provides all of us opportunities to ground ourselves in the midst of storms. Photography, exercising, meditating, hiking, praying, and writing have been my outlets for adjusting my perspectives while knee deep in things I had little control over. So, do yourself a solid and treat yourself to a mental wellness break.Step outside your comfort zones and try something new. Breathe!

I will see you on the other side.

Mike
❤️🤚🏾

02/23/2026

HAPPY BORNDAY ANNIVERSARY
❤️❤️❤️🎉🎂🥂🍾🎊👌🏾

I post very few Bornday announcements on my wall. However, there are always exceptions. While I am proud of ALL my godchildren, my Jadapooh pulls the hardest on my heart strings. To see her as a mother and wife makes my heart smile. She is a kind, considerate, empathetic, loving, funny, smart, adventurous, socially aware, intriguing, God-fearing human being, who loves unconditionally. Whenever I see her in pictures holding her son, I am quickly reminded of the days when I held her as a child. So, had I birthed a child, Jadapooh represents everything I would have desired for my own. Out of all the people in the world, I will forever be grateful to her parents for bestowing me the honor of Godfather. 😢❤️❤️❤️

I love you Jadapooh.
❤️❤️❤️🎊🎂🍾🥂🎉👌🏾

02/22/2026

After yesterday’s intense MAN VILLAGE Men’s Support Group session on Moral Courage, Bro. Daniel Kofi Morteh and I went to the Nia Fellowship Baptist Church for their Black History Program. There, we supported our brothers Pastor Alphonsus Platt, Rev Kevin Williams, and (POP) Chairman Bro. Larry Hamm, as they along with others honored the legacies and contributions of our ancestors in this country. The occasion was wonderful and filled with great songs, poetry, and reflection. ❤️

Once Bro. Kevin told me who was on the card and where the event was being held, I would not have missed this occasion for anything in the world. I know all three gentlemen separately, and each one of them are solid men who are committed to the struggle of our people. It was an honor that some representation of MAN VILLAGE was present. Afterwards, Bro. Daniel and I broke bread in Jersey City, and reflected on the impactful day. ❤️

God Bless ❤️🙏🏾

02/16/2026

M I L E S T O N E

Yesterday was a milestone for me. It represented closure on another level. It marked the 1 - year interment anniversary of my Mother’s remains. It also represented the completion of a year cycle of me being without the physical representation of both parents. Without sadness, I honored both of my parents, Dea. Otha Donald and Josephine Priscilla Barbee; my brother Donald Martin “Marty” Barbee; and my grandmother Mother Jeannawillis “Jean Humphrey Barbee with flowers at their gravesites. I am forever grateful to God for blessing me with them. Their legacies will forever live on through generations to come. ❤️

02/12/2026

Epstein Files

The lengths Pam Bondi and President Donald J Trump would go to protect wealthy pedophiles while yet exposing the victims to further harm is repulsive and incomprehensible. Also, I do not always trust today’s skewed news reporting. However, I was saddened that Pam Bondi confirmed the employment of some of President Donald J. Trump’s pardoned January 06 insurrectionist who are now working as ICE Agents. It further explains their wearing of masks, measure of violence, and illegal tactics they use while terrorizing America’s streets. Some of those agents are convicted thugs. There are jail cells awaiting all of President Donald J. Trump’s morally bankrupt functionaries at the end of his terms. 😡😢😡😢

02/10/2026

Black History Month

I have always had mixed feelings about Black History Month. While it is a time when American society acknowledges the sacrifices, commitments, and accomplishments made by people who identify as Black, for me, it has also exposed a stagnant ideology of a traumatized people who continue to feed off the accomplishments and sacrifices of those before us, and base our history on narratives told by others about us. Many folks have never heard of Rev. Josiah Henson. Yet, they have been more familiar with the white washed narrative of “Uncle Tom,” as told by Harriet Beecher Stowe in the novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” For this and many more reasons are why I must never sit comfortably on the accomplishments of my ancestors, if I am not willing to honor and protect their legacies.

During this month, I always ask myself, am I committed to causes that advance and protect my people? I can only imagine how far the Civil Rights Movement would have gotten if the majority of those few leaders chose not to stand in the fold and hold the wall for others. Just imagine Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, A Phillip, Randolph, Malcolm X, Ella Baker, Fannie Lou Hamer, Roy Wilkins, Bayard Rustin, Dorothy Height, and others telling folks around this country that they cannot participate in peaceful demonstrations in their communities because the weather was too hot outside. The distance was too far. It’s dangerous out there. Or, there were too many pressing issues on the other side of town. Just imagine how those narratives would have been told today.

It was our beloved Bro. Malcolm X who often used the phrase, ”If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” That phrase is more than just a cute sound bite that moves and get quick rises out of listening crowds. It should challenge people to be more introspective and stand on their morals and convictions. We must fight against the lull of convenient, comfortability, and complacency. We must write and preserve our stories so that those who are in the once closed rooms never forget why or how they got there; and more importantly, what are they going to do for the innocent generations who will follow.

02/08/2026

ETHICAL PARADOXES

Know the people around you, and do not be afraid to stand alone. Have you ever met well meaning people who conveniently lack courage, morals, and integrity? While these characteristics are beautiful to spout, they can all be inconvenient and uncomfortable when needing to be executed. Years ago, it mattered what people thought of me. Back then, I abused and used my shyness as a crutch. Due to my low self esteem and fear of isolation from the masses, I used silence and deflection because they were more comfortable tools to use than speaking out against others who boldly operated to satisfy their self serving needs.

Today, and after years of therapy, self evaluation, and soul searching, I discovered courage in the face of fear. I had to determine what it meant to me to show up for myself and others, even when my voice and views may have been unpopular. At times, my views presented ethical paradoxes for those around me. Those closest to me, who silently postulated as bearers of morality, were forced to look at themselves. How they chose to address ethical paradoxes often exposed the problems they faced within themselves.
Having a lack of moral courage and collective weaknesses have the ability to work against us, especially in group settings. A group’s ability to remain high-performing relies on each member’s ability to be honest, trustworthy, respectful, transparent, and accountable. In fact, collective weakness among group members will forever erode its core values and become the antithesis to trust and progress. In this hour, I am reminded about the story of the whistleblower who was frowned upon because the sound of the whistle hurt others ears. Or, the fireman who was scolded by the group for smelling like smoke after putting out fires created by the one holding matches. Do you have the courage to speak truth to power in the face of fear, especially when it’s inconveniently, uncomfortable, and unpopular? Who are you?

Have a great day!

Mike
❤️👌🏾

02/08/2026

ETHICAL PARADOXES

Know the people around you, and do not be afraid to stand alone. Have you ever met well meaning people who conveniently lack courage, morals, and integrity? While these characteristics are beautiful to spout, they can all be inconvenient and uncomfortable when needing to be executed. Years ago, it mattered what people thought of me. Back then, I abused and used my shyness as a crutch. Due to my low self esteem and fear of isolation from the masses, I used silence and deflection because they were more comfortable tools to use than speaking out against others who boldly operated to satisfy their self serving needs.

Today, and after years of therapy, self evaluation, and soul searching, I discovered courage in the face of fear. I had to determine what it meant to me to show up for myself and others, even when my voice and views may have been unpopular. At times, my views presented ethical paradoxes for those around me. Those closest to me, who silently postulated as bearers of morality, were forced to look at themselves. How they chose to address ethical paradoxes often exposed the problems they faced within themselves.

Having a lack of moral courage and collective weaknesses have the ability to work against us, especially in group settings. A group’s ability to remain high-performing relies on each member’s ability to be honest, trustworthy, respectful, transparent, and accountable. In fact, collective weakness among group members will forever erode its core values and become the antithesis to trust and progress. In this hour, I am reminded about the story of the whistleblower who was frowned upon because the sound of the whistle hurt others ears. Or, the fireman who was scolded by the group for smelling like smoke after putting out fires created by the one holding matches. Do you have the courage to speak truth to power in the face of fear, especially when it’s inconveniently, uncomfortable, and unpopular? Who are you?

Have a great day!

Mike
❤️👌🏾

What's In Your Bag

03/04/2026

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