I thought it only fitting to produce a publication that reflects a cultural perspective of what some of the dynamics that are involved with the actual funeral proceedings from the Black experience as a model that could possibly be used by willing participants and readers alike. The historical, global and universal considerations were applied to this particular attempt based on my convictions relative to this point of focus. Please be reminded that cultural here as within my previous publications speaks to one's beliefs, traditions and values. It is also only fitting to further attempt to emphasize some valuable information that is not typically brought out in many of the mainstream educational realms as with some public educational settings. Perhaps for many this is a very tender subject as with my own personal experiences in that regard. Having carried out the eulogy for several of my own family members, friends and colleagues, this required strength beyond what is believed to be sometimes perceived as what is commonly accepted as a reality for the standard in this instance. This involved eulogizing my mother, father, two brothers in whom one was murdered, my grandmother's sister, my play mother, father in law and his sister and several parishioners. Another perspective that I have been convicted to include was intermingled within some of the models that existed and still exist within our culture. This certainly goes beyond the enslavement period and the impact of systematic challenges of old like colonialism. In some instances, this further goes back thousands of years and in other instances to possibly the beginning of time. Therefore, I have attempted to bring a further sense of togetherness in how individuals within the Black Experiences possibly view this issue through an outside of the box kind of thinking manner. This is why it is necessary for this publication to be brought forward from a cultural perspective. So much blood, sweat, tears and humbling sacrifices have been carried out within the awesome culture of the Black Experiences for such meaningful ceremonies to not be representative of these realities as one's humbling funerary experiences. This is very important and evident from even some of the artifacts that remain preserved in secured museums and other historical sites globally. Some of the sites illustrating these ancient realities are the Palermo Stone, the Pyramid Text, the Coffin Text, the Shabaka Stone, the burial site of Queen Pharaoh Hatshepsut, Rameses II, many of the ancient Stelae in ancient locations such as Uganda which is considered the grandparent country of Ancient Africa and Ethiopia which is considered the parent country according to Dr. Yosef A. A. Ben Jochanan and as well as many other priceless remaining sites. That is why it is necessary for this publication to precede in all sincerity.
About the Author: Vinson Ballard was elected as junior class president in high school and later chosen as sophomore, junior and senior class president distinction in undergraduate school at Mississippi Valley State University. He later would continue these efforts by serving as state president for the Mississippi Association of Multicultural Counseling and Development (MAMCD) within the Mississippi Counseling Association and serving on its Executive Board. He continued these efforts on the national and international efforts by collaboratively working to help organize the Diversity Special Interest Group (SIG) within the Association on Higher Education of Disabilities (AHEAD). The Diversity SIG became the RED SIG for Race Ethnicity and Disabilities through his collaborative efforts. He would be also appointed as the Secretary for the AHEAD Organization and asked to head the Diversity Initiatives from its initial exception until 2008. His efforts also lead to the formation of the Diversity in Disabilities Leadership Institute Training at Yale University (DID LIT 07) in 2007 in New Haven Connecticut. He also founded the Emergency Preparation SIG within the AHEAD Organization which would later be approved by the AHEAD Executive Board. He additionally coined the phrase "Access Profiling" at the International acclaimed AHEAD Conference in San Diego California in 2006 to emphasize the importance of not singling out the rights of those qualified individuals who may have disabilities. In retrospect, his efforts in 2004 to orchestrate the first initial collaborative gathering of inter-agencies designated for Emergency Preparation for Individuals with Disabilities (IWD) is believed to be the first in the country before Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. He has been an educator, a community volunteer, a motivational speaker, poet and has participated in many conferences, gatherings and other humanitarian efforts. He is also a published author with over twenty-nine books to his efforts. He continues to be a cultural humanitarian, historian, martial artist, family member and advocate for all of divinity.