Benny Harlem, Creativity and the Human Nature
‘The only way for me to protect her for life is to prepare her for life’
Benny Harlem and his six years old daughter Jaxyn are a true inspiration of a father-daughter relationship, of a creative duo, and even more than that, they are sending an important social message to the world.
‘Parents continuously grow if we pay attention to our children’s Godly Sunlight’
Benny Harlem is an artist, producer and now also known as a Guinness world record holder with the highest hair top fade.
It all started one day from simply posting a picture on Instagram. Very soon, their images became known worldwide. However, the most important message, behind the art and the exceptional example of fatherhood is a powerful social message, which Benny is delivering through his creativity.
‘My only concern of my daughter is the nobility of her character.
I teach her to demand respect’
In his images, there is a big accent on the social questions of race, equality and the memory of the history of slavery. The history of black people is the history of America. No matter how many changes there will be and how many years and decades will pass.
At first sight, I found Benny’s images radically different, powerful and meaningful. I admired him and his little daughter Jaxyn from the first moment. The account kept growing, and Benny’s mission started touching more and more people. Through his work, he delivers messages of healing, strength, respect, and love.
However, not all people see the good in kindness. It is the basics of human nature. Anything and anyone will have an opponent. What moved me the most to share this article about Benny and Jaxyn, except of the inspiration and creativity their work brings, is the fact that these two people, spreading nothing but peace, love, respect, and strength, are getting threats with racist messages, saying “You will not make America Africa!”. Moreover, saying that slavery has finished a long time ago, so it is time to forget along with insulting Benny and his child.
Why hatred has such a deep place in the heart of the sender? How can his hatred to the different from him, be stronger than his ability to love?
Will America ever be Africa? I don’t think so. Did Africans move to America voluntarily?
I don’t think so.
This subject is endless and painful. Painful to think how much weakness and lack of ability to accept each other and live in peace there is. It is us, the people who decide what our lives among each other will look like. History is there to be remembered and respected but not to be repeated.
Otherwise, what have we learned and where have we moved?
‘She’s a beautiful girl who’s gonna be a pretty woman, but I teach her to love herself first’
