Ron's Ribs

Rons Ribs was a famous rib spot on south street. Not only did Ron serve some of the best ribs and chicken in the city. He was also a community activist who lent his space to jazz bands, community events and poets.

This is where some of the most progessive and intelligent people gathered.
I remembered a night when two brothers, one Mel Davis a Lt. Junior Grade in the United States Navy and Butch Slaughter another member of the Navy held community meetings and book reading clubs called Harambee's. These meeting place me closer to my African history and roots.

During one of these meetings they had at roundtable discussion on male and female relationships. Just as today this was a very heated topic. There was one male at this meeting that drove the women crazy, I will call him brother X.

Well Brother X kept us on the defensive all night. When the Sisters would ask a question like, Why do brothers cheat? His answer would be, Why do Sisters Cheat?
obviously you are not giving the man what he needs at home.

The women were fighting one another to get at this brother? The next thing I heard was a woman state, What is it that you want? Many of you still run out all times of night even if things are good at home.

Brother Mel intervened to get some order in the meeting an give Brother X a chance to redeem himself because at that time he was on a Island on his own. Not a man in the room made a sound. It was as if every man's mother called their names at the same.
time.

Brother X was not moved he came back complaining how a woman would draw you in by giving everything you want and then slowing taking things away making you barter and beg for it. He specifically complained how women liked to withdhold sex when ever they get angry, or would bring up problems with you without focusing on their own faults.

Well the claws came out. The temperature rose in the room went up by 80 degrees and rising. Most of the brothers attempted to shut him up when a sister by the name of Stephanie said " let me at him."

She stated that Brothers need stop lying to women and be truthful so a woman can make a choice. The brothers all raised they're hands and one brother by the name of Jay stated " Even if we tell you we have a woman or we don't want to be exclusive you don't hear us.

Jay stated that he was out at a party where every one at the table was the X boyfriend or X girlfriend of other at the table.

He stated how couples could not keep a commitment to one another would easily give up when times get hard.

This was the first of many Harambees where brothers and sister progressively came together to discuss community issues.

Ron Ribs was the place where the hottest Poetry Slams Occured poets such as Tyrone Highsmith,Lois Moises, Selvin Gordon, Kimmika Williams, Stephanie Renee, Eric Webb, and Crystal Brinson.

This was the beginning of some positive spoken word performances.