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boulevardconstruction · 1 year ago

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What are the Roles and Responsibilities of Commercial Builders

Introduction:

Within the building sector, commercial builders are essential to the global growth of commercial areas and infrastructure. They supervise many facets of a project from inception to conclusion, guaranteeing its effective implementation within financial and time limits. The functions and responsibilities of commercial builders are thoroughly explored in this article. It looks at how they are involved in project management, planning, building, quality control, stakeholder collaboration, technology advancements, obstacles, and future trends.

Overview of Commercial Builders

A. What is meant by "commercial builders"? The construction of non-residential structures, such as office buildings, retail establishments, hotels, warehouses, and industrial facilities, is the area of expertise for commercial builders. They are skilled in engineering, architecture, construction methods specific to business projects, and project management.

Commercial builders play a crucial role in the construction industry.

Commercial builders are essential to the development of urban environments and the promotion of economic expansion. Their initiatives boost local economies, create jobs, and supply vital infrastructure for communities and companies. In addition, they promote innovation in building techniques by implementing cutting-edge and environmentally friendly techniques to satisfy changing market needs.

Commercial Builders' Roles

Planning and Design

Assessment and Selection of Sites: Potential construction sites are carefully evaluated by commercial builders, who take into account aspects including location, accessibility, zoning laws, and environmental impact. To ascertain whether the site is suitable and feasible for the planned development, they examine its circumstances.

Idea Generation: Commercial builders work in tandem with architects and clients to convert project specifications into conceptual ideas. To develop a vision that is in line with the client's goals, they investigate various layout choices, creative space utilisation techniques, and aesthetic concerns.

Design of Architecture: The creation of comprehensive architectural blueprints that take into account building codes, functional needs, and aesthetic choices is overseen by commercial builders. They collaborate closely with architects to fine-tune designs and guarantee adherence to industry best practices and legal requirements.

Design Engineering: The project's engineering plans are completed by commercial builders in collaboration with mechanical and structural engineers. They optimise performance, efficiency, and safety by integrating utilities, mechanical systems, and structural elements into the architectural framework.

Project Organising

Making a budget and estimating costs: For building projects, commercial builders create thorough budgets and pricing estimates that take into account overhead, labour, material, and equipment rents. They create economical plans to optimise project value within financial limitations.

Timeline management and scheduling: For commercial construction projects to be successful, efficient project scheduling is essential. To guarantee on-time completion, commercial builders draft comprehensive project schedules that include tasks, deadlines, and dependencies. To keep the project on schedule, they keep an eye on developments, spot possible setbacks, and put corrective action plans in place.

Purchasing Supplies and Equipment: Commercial builders find reputable suppliers and negotiate advantageous contracts while supervising the acquisition of supplies, machinery, and building materials. They guarantee prompt delivery of supplies to the construction site, reducing disturbances and preserving efficiency.

Employing and Supervising Subcontractors: Subcontractors are hired by commercial builders to complete specialised jobs including HVAC, plumbing, and electrical installation. To ensure quality and efficiency, they assess subcontractor qualifications, negotiate contracts, and plan work activities.

Construction

Setting Up the Site: Commercial builders grade the soil, remove any vegetation, and install temporary utilities to prepare the site before work starts. By putting in place erosion control techniques and site-specific safety procedures, they provide a structured and safe work environment.

Building a Foundation: As a crucial component of commercial building projects, foundation construction offers stability and structural support. Commercial builders supervise the excavation, formwork, reinforcing, and concrete pouring processes to provide a sturdy foundation that satisfies technical requirements.

Frame Structure: The construction of structural framing, such as steel, concrete, or wood framing systems, is supervised by commercial builders. In order to guarantee precise installation and alignment of structural components, preserving structural integrity and safety, they collaborate with structural engineers and tradesmen.

Finishing on the inside and outside: Outside finishes like cladding, roofing, and landscaping are installed under the supervision of commercial builders, as are interior finishes like plasterboard, flooring, cabinetry, and fixtures. To accomplish the intended visual and functional results, they collaborate with suppliers and subcontractors.

Compliance and Quality Assurance

Quality control and inspections: Strict quality assurance procedures are used by commercial builders to guarantee that the building complies with regulations and specifications. They test, check, and keep an eye on the materials and craftsmanship regularly, quickly discovering and fixing any flaws.

Adherence to Regulations: Commercial builders must handle the many regulatory requirements that control construction projects, such as safety standards, zoning laws, building codes, and environmental rules. Throughout the project, they assure complete compliance, communicate with regulatory bodies, and secure the required permissions and approvals.

Safety precautions: On commercial building sites, safety is of utmost importance. Commercial builders must put in place extensive safety protocols that safeguard employees, subcontractors, and the general public. To detect and reduce risks, they create and implement safety policies, offer PPE and training, and carry out frequent safety audits.

Environmental Factors to Be Considered Commercial builders work to reduce their project's environmental effects at every stage of development since they understand how important sustainable construction methods are. To improve sustainability and lower carbon footprint, they apply eco-friendly design strategies, make use of energy-efficient materials and technology, and integrate green building concepts like LEED certification.

Working together with stakeholders and clients

Consultation and Communication with Clients:

Successful collaboration between commercial builders and clients depends on effective communication. In order to maintain alignment throughout the project, commercial builders engage with clients to understand their needs, preferences, and goals. They also provide regular updates and answer any issues.

Working together with engineers and architects:

Commercial builders convert conceptual designs into workable solutions by collaborating closely with architects, engineers, and other design experts. To maximise project achievements, they expedite communication, eliminate design issues, and support interdisciplinary collaboration.

Working together with inspectors and regulatory authorities:

To handle regulatory requirements and assure compliance, commercial builders interact with permitting agencies, building inspectors, and regulatory authorities. To maintain a smooth project progression, they enable inspections, handle code infractions, and settle permitting concerns.

Managing Relationships with Subcontractors and Suppliers:

To facilitate the completion of projects, commercial builders maintain solid connections with suppliers, subcontractors, and trade partners. To keep a cooperative and effective work atmosphere, they manage vendor relationships, negotiate contracts, and swiftly settle disagreements.

Innovation and Technology in Commercial Architecture

Construction Information Modelling (BIM) Use:

Commercial builders may produce digital representations of building projects by combining MEP, structural, and architectural systems into a single, collaborative platform thanks to Building Information Modelling (BIM). BIM software is used by commercial builders to visualise designs, identify conflicts, streamline building processes, and enhance communication and collaboration within the project.

Putting Sustainable Practices into Practice:

In the field of commercial construction, sustainability is becoming increasingly important, and environmentally friendly building methods are being adopted by commercial builders first. To lower carbon emissions, save resources, and improve building performance, they combine renewable technology, energy-efficient systems, and sustainable materials.

Including Cutting-Edge Construction Technologies:

Technological developments in construction are revolutionising the design, construction, and operation of commercial structures. Modern technologies like 3D printing, prefabrication, robotics, and drones are used by commercial builders to increase efficiency, quality, and safety on building sites.

Smart Building System Adoption:

IoT sensors, automation, and data analytics are used by smart building systems to optimise building operations, increase occupant comfort, and boost energy efficiency. To create intelligent and connected buildings that fit the changing needs of owners and occupiers, commercial builders use smart building technology including lighting, security, and HVAC controls.

Issues Facing and Resolving for Commercial Builders

Budget Overruns and Project Delays:

Unexpected site circumstances, supply chain disruptions, or design changes are frequently the cause of project delays and budget overruns in commercial construction projects. By using appropriate risk management techniques, proactive planning, and backup plans, commercial builders reduce these risks.

Shifting Regulatory Environment:

The ever-changing regulatory environment that oversees commercial development presents difficulties for commercial builders in terms of obtaining permits and maintaining compliance. In order to minimise regulatory risks and adjust to changing requirements, commercial builders connect with stakeholders, stay up to date on regulatory changes, and employ flexible techniques.

Problems with Skilled Workforce and Labour Shortages:

The construction sector is beset by a persistent scarcity of skilled labourers, which affects the quality and schedule of projects. To improve productivity, draw talent, and close skill gaps, commercial builders invest in worker development, training initiatives, and technology adoption.

Taking Sustainability and Environmental Issues into Account:

Concerns about the environment and sustainability are gaining ground in the commercial construction industry. To solve environmental issues and encourage responsible growth, commercial builders prioritise green building certifications, employ sustainable techniques, and work with customers and stakeholders.

Prospects and Trends for Commercial Builders in the Future

Emphasis on Green Building and Sustainable Development

Green building and sustainable development approaches are predicted to become more and more in demand due to market choices, legal requirements, and environmental awareness. In order to satisfy sustainability targets and lessen their impact on the environment, commercial builders will continue to prioritise sustainability and incorporate energy-efficient technologies, renewable energy, and eco-friendly materials into their projects.

Developments in Automation and Robotics for Construction:

Technologies like construction robotics and automation have the potential to completely transform the construction sector by enhancing efficiency, productivity, and safety. In order to reduce labour dependency and expedite project delivery, commercial builders will increasingly utilise robotic technologies for jobs like material handling, assembly, and site preparation.

Combining Augmented and Virtual Reality (VR/AR) in Design and Construction:

Technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are revolutionising design and construction by facilitating virtual walkthroughs, immersive visualisation, and design coordination. Commercial builders will make use of VR and AR technologies to optimise project planning and execution, boost decision-making, and foster cooperation.

Commercial Builders' Changing Role in Infrastructure and Urban Development Projects:

Commercial builders will become more and more essential to infrastructure and urban development initiatives, helping to revitalise public spaces, transit hubs, and metropolitan districts. To create lively, sustainable, and resilient communities for future generations, they will embrace creative concepts in urban design, mixed-use developments, and transit-oriented developments.

Extra Things to Think About

Inclusion and Diversity in the Construction Sector:

Building a more resilient and equitable construction business requires fostering diversity and inclusion. Commercial builders are dedicated to supporting minority-owned companies, encouraging diversity in the workforce, and developing welcoming workplaces that mirror the communities they serve.

Projects Involving Commercial Buildings' Economic Impact:

Large-scale commercial construction projects have a big economic impact because they create jobs, boost local economies, and encourage spending on services and infrastructure. In order to maximise financial gains, generate employment possibilities, and support sustainable economic development, commercial builders work with stakeholders.

Conclusion:

In the construction sector, commercial builders handle the planning, design, construction, quality control, and teamwork components of projects involving commercial buildings. They embrace innovation, sustainability, and teamwork as stewards of the built environment, producing high-quality, durable, and future-ready structures that satisfy the demands of customers, communities, and the environment. Commercial builders will, in the future, use technology, embrace sustainable methods, and adjust to changing trends to mould the direction of commercial buildings and leave a lasting legacy for future generations.

#Responsibilities of Commercial Builders #Roles of Commercial Builders #commercial construction services

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philmonjohn · 2 months ago

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A Call to the Children of the Global South: The System That Made My Father Disown Me

I didn’t write this living testimony for virality. I wrote it because silence almost killed me. Because truth, even when ignored by algorithms, remembers how to survive. If this resonated with you — even quietly — share it with someone else who’s still trying to name their Fracture. That’s how we outlive the system. - Philmon John, May 2025

THE FRACTURE Several months ago, when I, a South-Asian American man, turned 35, my father disowned me.

He didn’t yell. He didn’t cry. He simply stopped calling me his son.

My father is a Brown, MAGA-aligned conservative Christian pastor, born in Kerala, India, and now living in the United States. His rejection wasn’t provoked by any breach of trust or familial responsibility, but by my coming out as queer and bisexual — and by my deliberate move away from a version of Christianity shaped more by colonial rule than compassion.

I became blasphemy made flesh.

My mother and sister, equally immersed in religious conservatism, followed suit. Most of my extended family — conservative Indian Christians — responded with quiet complicity. I became an exile in my own lineage, cast out from a network that once celebrated me as the Mootha Makkan, the Malayalam term for “eldest son”.

This break didn’t occur in isolation. It was the culmination of years of internal questioning and ideological transformation.

I was raised with warmth and structure, but also under the weight of rigid theology. My parents cycled through different churches in pursuit of doctrinal purity. In that environment, my queerness had no safe harbor. It had to be hidden, managed, controlled — forced into secrecy.

Literal, cherry-popping closets.

Even my childhood discipline was carved straight from scripture — “spare the rod, spoil the child” was not metaphor but mandate. I was hit for defiance, for curiosity, for emotional honesty. Control was synonymous with love. The theology: obedience over empathy. Is it sad I would rather now have had a beating from my father, than his silence?

I would’ve taken the rod — at least it acknowledged me.

Instead, Daddy looks through me.

THE INHERITANCE And I obeyed. For a time, I rose through the ranks of the church. I led worship. I played guitar in the worship band. I wasn’t just a believer — I was a builder of belief, a conductor of chorus, a jester of jubilee and Sunday morning joy — all while masking a private ache I could not yet articulate.

In the last five years, I began methodically deconstructing the ideological scaffolding I had inherited. I examined the mechanisms of theology, patriarchy, and colonial imposition — and the specific burdens placed upon firstborn sons of immigrant families. Who defines our roles? Who benefits from our silence? Why is this happening to me?

These questions consistently pointed toward the dominant global structure: wealthy white patriarchal supremacy. Rooted in European imperialism and sustained by centuries of religious and cultural colonization, this system fractures not only societies but the deeply intimate architecture of family.

What my family experienced is not unlike what the United States of America continues to experience — a slow, painful reckoning with a foundational ideology of white, heteronormative, Christian patriarchal dominance.

My family comes from Kerala, home to one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. But the Christianity I inherited was not indigenous. It was filtered through the moral codes of Portuguese priests and British missionaries and the discipline of Victorian culture. Christ was not presented as a radical Middle Eastern teacher but as a sanitized figure — pale, passive, and Western.

In this theology, Christ is symbolic. Paul is the system. Doctrine exists to reinforce patriarchy, to police desire, to ensure control. When I embraced a theology rooted in love, empathy, and justice — the ethics I believe Jesus actually lived — I was met not with discussion, but dismissal.

To my family, my identity wasn’t authenticity. It was apostasy.

THE RECKONING In 2020, the ground shifted.

I turned the triple decade — 30 — as the COVID-19 pandemic erupted.

Remote work slowed life down, and I had space to think deeply.

That year, the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and countless others triggered a national and personal reckoning.

I turned to K-LOVE, the Christian radio station I grew up with, hoping to hear words of solidarity, truth, or even mourning. Instead, there was silence. No mention of racial justice. No prayers for the dead. Just songs about personal salvation, void of historical context or social responsibility.

As Geraldine Heng argues in The Invention of Race in the European Middle Ages, race was not merely a modern invention void of scientific basis — it was already taking shape in medieval Europe, where Christianity was used to sanctify, encode, and sell racial hierarchies as divine order and social technology.

As Ademọ́la, also known as Ogbeni Demola, once said: “The white man built his heaven on your land and pointed yours to the sky.” That brain-powered perceptive clarity — distilled in a single line — stays with me every day.

With professional routines interrupted and spiritual ties frayed, I immersed myself in scholarship. I entered what I now see as a period of epistemic reconstruction. I read widely — revolutionaries, poets, sociologists, historians, mathematicians, theologians, cultural critics, and the unflinching truth-tellers who name what empire tries to erase.

I first turned to the voices who now live only in memory: Bhagat Singh, James Baldwin, Frantz Fanon, bell hooks, Octavia Butler, Gloria Anzaldúa, and Vine Deloria Jr. Each carried the weight of revolution, tenderness, and truth — from anti-colonial struggle to queer theory to Indigenous reclamation.

I then reached for the veteran thought leaders still shaping the world, starting with Noam Chomsky, Naomi Klein, Shashi Tharoor, Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, Susan Visvanathan, Geraldine Heng, George Gheverghese Joseph, J. Sakai, Vijay Prashad, Vilna Bashi Treitler, Claire Jean Kim, and Arundhati Roy — voices who dismantle the illusions of empire through history, mathematics, linguistics, and racial theory.

In the present, I absorbed insights from a new generation of public intellectuals and cultural critics: Ta-Nehisi Coates, Jared Yates Sexton, Cathy Park Hong, Ibram X. Kendi, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Heather McGhee, Mehdi Hasan, Adrienne Keene, Keri Leigh Merritt, Vincent Bevins, Sarah Kendzior, Ayesha A. Siddiqi, Wajahat Ali, W. Kamau Bell, Mary Trump, & John Oliver. Together, they form a constellation of clarity — thinkers who gave me language for grief, strategy for resistance, and above all, a framework for empathy rooted in history, not abstraction.

I also turned to the thinkers shaping today’s cultural and political discourse. I dreamt of the world blueprinted by Bhaskar Sunkara in his revolutionary The Socialist Manifesto and plunged into Jacobin’s blistering critiques of capitalism. The Atlantic’s longform journalism kept me tethered to a truth-seeking tradition. The Guardian stood out for its global scale and reach, offering progressive, longform storytelling that speaks to both local injustices and systemic inequalities across the world. And Roman Krznaric’s Empathy: Why It Matters, and How to Get It helped crystallize my core belief:

Be a good human. Practice empathy.

That’s the playbook, America. Practice empathy. Do that — and teach accurate, critically reflective history — and we have the chance to truly become the greatest democracy the world has ever seen.

And this empathy must extend to all — especially to trans people. In India, the Hijra community — trans and intersex folk who have existed visibly for thousands of years — embody a sacred third gender long before the West had language for it. But they are not alone. Across the colonized world, the empire erased a sacred third space: the Muxe of Zapotec culture, the Bakla of the Philippines, the Fa’afafine of Samoa, the Two-Spirit nations of Turtle Island, the Māhū of Hawaiʻi, the Sworn Virgins of the Balkans — each of these communities held space outside Western gender binaries, rooted in care, ceremony, and spirit. Some align with what we today call trans or intersex, while others exist entirely outside Western definitions. Colonization reframed them as deviants.

And still, we must remember this: trans people are not new. Our respect for them must be as ancient as their existence.

THE RESISTANCE As I examined the dynamics of coloniality, racial capitalism, and Western empire, I realized just how deeply imperial power had shaped my family, our values, and our spiritual language. The empire didn’t just occupy land — it rewrote moral codes. It restructured the family.

I learned how Irish, Italian, Greek, Hungarian, and Albanian immigrants were initially excluded from whiteness in America. Over time, many adopted and embraced whiteness as strategic economic and social protection — and in doing so, embraced anti-Blackness and patriarchal hierarchies to maintain their newfound status. Today, many European-hyphenated Americans defend systems that once excluded them.

And over time, some Asian-Americans have followed the very same racial template.

At 33 — the age Jesus is believed to have died — I laid my childhood faith to rest. In its place rose something rooted in clarity, not doctrine.

I didn’t walk away from religion into cynicism or nihilism. I stepped into a humanist, justice-centered worldview. A system grounded in reason, evidence, and above all, empathy. A belief in people over dogma. In community over conformity.

I didn’t lose faith. I redefined it.

I left the pasture of institutional faith, not for chaos, but for an ethical wilderness — a space lacking divine command but filled with moral clarity. A place built on personal responsibility and universal dignity.

This is where I stand today.

To those with similar histories: if your roots trace back to Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, East Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, the Caribbean, Oceania, or to Indigenous and marginalized communities within the Global North — you are a Child of the Global South. Even in the Global North, your experience carries the weight of displaced geography, the quiet grief of colonial trauma, and a genealogy forged by the system of empire. Your pain is political. Your silence is inherited. You are not invisible. They buried you without a funeral. They mourned not your death, but your deviation from design. However, we are not dead. We are just no longer theirs.

White supremacy endures by fracturing us. It manufactures tensions between communities of color by design — placing Asian businesses in Black communities without infrastructure and opportunities for BIPOC folk to share and benefit from the economic engine. Central to this strategy is the model minority myth, crafted during the Cold War to present Asian-Americans as obedient, self-reliant, and successful — not to celebrate them, but to invalidate Black resistance and justify structural racism. It’s a myth that fosters anti-Blackness in Asian communities and xenophobia in Black ones, while shielding white supremacy from critique. These divisions are not cultural accidents; they’re colonial blueprints.

And these blueprints stretch across oceans and continents and time.

In colonial South Africa, Mohandas Gandhi — still shaped by British racial hierarchies — distanced Indians from Black Africans, calling them “kaffirs” and demanding separate facilities. In Uganda, the British installed South Asians as a merchant middle class between colonizers and native Africans, breeding distrust. When Idi Amin expelled 80,000 Asians in 1972, it was a violent backlash to a racial hierarchy seeded by empire. These fractures — between Black and Asian, colonized and sub-colonized — are the legacy of white patriarchal supremacy.

Divide, distract, and dominate.

We must resist being weaponized against each other.

Every Asian-American must read Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong. Every high schooler in America must read and discuss Jared Yates Sexton.

Study the systems. Name them. Disarm them.

Because unless we become and remain united, the status quo — one that serves wealthy cisgender, heterosexual, white Christian men — will remain intact.

This is A Call to the Children of the Global South. And An Invitation to the Children of the Global North: Stop the infighting. Study and interrogate the systems. Reject the design.

To those in media, publishing, and the arts: postcolonial narratives are not cultural sidebars. They are central to national healing. They preserve memory, restore dignity, and confront whitewashed histories.

If you want work that matters — support art that pushes past trauma into structural critique.

Greenlight truth. Platform memory. Choose courage over comfort.

Postcolonial stories should be the norm — not niche art.

Jordan Peele’s Get Out was a cinematic breakthrough — razor-sharp and genre-defying — in its exposure of white supremacy’s quiet machinery: liberal smiles, performative allyship, and the pacification of dissent through assimilation. The Sunken Place is not just a metaphor for silenced Black consciousness — it’s the empire’s preferred position for the marginalized: visible, exploited, but unheard.

A system that offers the illusion of inclusion, weaponizing identity as control.

Ken Levine’s BioShock Infinite exposed white supremacy through a dystopian, fictional but historically grounded lens - depicting the religious justification of Black enslavement, Indigenous erasure, and genocidal nationalism in a floating, evangelical empire.

David Simon’s The Wire exposed the institutional decay of law enforcement, education, and the legal system - revealing how systemic failure, not individual morality, drives urban collapse.

Jesse Armstrong’s Succession traced the architecture of empire through family - showing how media empires weaponize racism, propaganda, and manufactured outrage to generate profit and secure generational wealth.

Ava DuVernay's Origin unearths caste and race as twin blueprints of white supremacy - linking Dalit oppression in India to the subjugation of Black Americans. Adapted from Isabel Wilkerson's Caste, it dismantles the myth of isolated injustice, revealing a global system meticulously engineered to rank human worth - and the radical act of naming the system.

Ryan Coogler’s Sinners — a revelatory, critically and commercially successful film about Afro-Asian resistance in 1930s Mississippi — exposes the hunger for speculative narratives grounded in historical truth.

Across the Spider-Verse gave us Pavitr Prabhakar - a Brown superhero who wasn't nerdy or celibate, as Western media typically portrayed the South-Asian man, but cool, smart, athletic, with great hair, in love, and proudly anti-colonial. He called out the British for stealing and keeping Indian artifacts… in a Spider-Man movie. That moment was history reclaimed.

A glitch in the wealthy white patriarchal matrix.

Dev Patel’s Monkey Man is a visceral fable of vengeance and resistance, where the brutality of caste, corruption, and religious nationalism collide. Amid this chaos, the film uplifts the Hijra community who stand not only as victims, but as warriors against systemic violence. Their alliance reframes queerness not as deviance, but as defiance — ultimately confronting the machinery of empire with what it fears most: a system-breaking empathy it cannot contain.

The vitriolic backlash from white male gamers and fandoms isn’t about quality — it’s about losing default status in stories. Everyone else has had to empathize with majority white male protagonists for decades. Diverse representation in media isn’t a threat to art — it’s a threat to white supremacy. It’s not just a mirror held up to the globe — it’s a refusal to let one worldview define it.

Hollywood, gaming studios, and the gatekeepers of entertainment — if you want to reclaim artistic integrity and still make money doing it, we need art that remembers, resists, and reclaims — stories that name the machine and short-circuit its lies. The world is ready. So am I.

Today, efforts like Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation, and the Federalist Society are not merely policy shops — they are ideological engines: built to roll back civil rights, impose authoritarian values, and erase uncomfortable truths. They represent a hyper-concentrated form of white supremacy, rooted in unresolved Civil War grievances and the failures of Reconstruction.

Miraculously, or perhaps, blessed with intellectual curiosity and natural empathy, through all of this, my wife — a compassionate, steadfast partner and a Christian woman — has remained by my side. She has witnessed my transformation with both love and complexity. While our bond is rooted in deep respect and shared values, our spiritual landscapes have diverged. Her faith brings her solace; mine has evolved into something more secular, grounded in justice and humanism. We’ve navigated that tension with care — proof that love can stretch across differing beliefs, even as the echoes of religious conditioning still ripple through our lives.

I am proud of her increasing intellectual curiosity and her willingness to accept me for who I am now, even if I wasn’t ready to accept myself when we met.

But our marriage has defied the splintering that white supremacy specifically creates: hyper-capitalist, hyper-individualistic, fractured families and societies.

As Children of the Global South — descendants of peoples who survived enslavement, colonization, and erasure — we carry within us the urgent need for stories that do not turn away from history, but confront it with unflinching truth.

In the pain of losing my family, I found a deeper purpose: to tell this story — and my own — any way I can. A sudden rush of empathy, pity, and love struck me: My parents’ and sister’s rejection was not theirs alone — it was a lingering Fracture left by colonization and global exploitation, tearing apart families across generations. As Children of the Global South, we still carry those wounds.

Make no mistake: white supremacy leaves wounds — because it is the system. And unless it is dismantled, both the Global South and North — and their collective Children — will remain trapped in a dance choreographed by empire — built to divide, exploit, and erase. Any vision of democracy, in America, will remain a fragile illusion — if not an outright mythology — built on a conceptually false foundation: white supremacy itself.

A cruel, heartbreaking legacy of erasure — passed down through empire — indoctrinating God-fearing Brown fathers to erase their godless, queer Brown sons. Preaching shame as scripture. Teaching silence as survival.

I reject that inheritance.

Empathy as praxis is how we reject that inheritance. In a world engineered to divide, it rebuilds connection, disarms supremacy, and charts a path forward. If humanity is to survive — let alone heal — empathy must become our collective discipline.

And perhaps what cut even deeper for my father — beyond my queerness — was that I no longer validated his role as a pastor. In stepping away from the faith he had built his life upon, I wasn’t just rejecting a belief system. I was, in his eyes, nullifying his life’s work. For a man shaped by empire, ordained by colonial Christianity, and burdened with the role of moral gatekeeper, my departure from his manufactured worldview may have landed as personal failure. But it wasn’t. It was never about wanting to hurt him. I love my father. I love my mother. I love my sister. It was never about them — it was about the system that taught them love was conditional, acceptance required obedience, and dissent unforgivable. That kind of pain is real — but its source is systemic. I still want to be Mootha Makkan — not by obedience, but by truth. By love without condition. Not through erasure, but by living fully in the open. Not in their image, but in mine.

Yet, and yes, I also carry the wound — but I also carry the will to heal it.

THE CALL I believe in empathy. I believe in memory. I believe the Children of the Global South are not broken. We are not rejected. We are awakening.

Children of the Global North: join us. We are not your enemies. We are your present and future collaborators, business & creative partners, lovers, and kin. We are building something new — something ancient yet reawakened, a pursuit of empathy, and a reckoning with history that refuses to forget.

If this story resonated with you, kindly share it, spread the word and please comment. I’d love to hear from you. Your voice, your memory, your Fracture — it matters here.

You are not alone. All are welcome.

Thank you so, so much for your time in reading my story.

You can also email me directly: vinesvenus at protonmail.com I'll be writing more on Medium as well: https://medium.com/@vinesvenus/a-call-to-the-children-of-the-global-south-the-system-that-made-my-father-disown-me-fecad6c0b862

#queer #exvangelical #global south #colonialism #religious trauma #deconstruction #lgbtqia #longform essay #history #queer history #queer community #queer pride #mental health #agnostic #ex christian #atheist #empathy in praxis #empathy

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dnangelic · 6 months ago

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scary , ritsuka says , and azumano's fallen angel feels his feathers stiffen and raise in a ruffling hackle --- the quiver in the master's voice squirms in his ear like a mouse he wanted to swoop down , pounce upon , and snatch .

' --- are you being serious ? ' the hand that had innocently extended itself at first suddenly raises , and though its hidden claws and razor talons keep themselves from any sharp , threatening reveal , he still presses his fingers hard against the other's cheeks , blowing out their lips until the master resembled a caught fish .

' don't hide behind others just to make excuses for yourself . ' his wintry clutch shakes the other : before someone like him , who was endlessly arrogant , who took an immense and stubborn pride in his independence and all the lonely-leaden-weights of responsibility that came with , did the master truly believe that he could be fooled by reasons as flimsy as those ? ' fujimaru ritsuka isn't a coward . when has something being scary ever stopped you ? i've watched you stand before all sorts of ridiculous things without the light dying in your eyes , and on the field , never once were you someone who ran from a fight and abandoned your servants just to save your own hide . you've always stood right beside us --- with us , so why is anything any different now ? '

his speech hangs heavy in the air ; the word honesty leaves the other's lips and the great phantom thief scoffs . ' --- this isn't about something like that anymore . don't lecture me about honesty when you're behaving like a hypocrite . ' a blunt accusation --- one even his other self might have readily called too cruel and too harsh .

even so , ' you're only human . '

a breath . his grip eases , and the strict , oppressive hold of his touch gradually retreats from ritsuka's mien . his gaze remains as it were ; an unflinching ruby smoulder . ' it isn't wrong to rely on others when you feel weak . it's fine to have needs . and if you want something , there's no reason to settle for what feels good enough . ' the ambition of any dai-kaitō : to claim the very world for itself , right into the palms of his hand . yet ritsuka beats him to any more touch ; the embrace comes and it shocks him . his nerves alight , and the moment he comes to , heart pounding , form shrinking , the terrible sense of something wrong striking him like lightning , he shoves --- and grips the other by a second snatch at the sides of both of their arms .

' stop it . stop trying to make yourself disappear !! '

ㅤㅤTHE immediate refute caught the master in a flinch and he found himself nervously holding onto the other side of his arm, gaze lowered elsewhere as if he were the picture of uncertainty. Honestly ... what was he so afraid of ? Being an ordinary person, he was well aware he had the privilege to love and be loved just like anyone else but standing here now, he couldn't help but wonder ... just what sort of person did everyone see across the glass ? Perhaps, all they saw was the ideal facade that the master had desperately maintained for as long as he could remember. It was the self that everyone flocked to because he was incredibly kind, helpful and most of all, willing to accept anything that came his way. But yet behind this ideal, he was an utterly selfish and miserable person who sought to act out of self-gratification ( it was the only way he knew to make himself feel like he was worth something ). So that's why, he was content to stay where he was, wearing that same smile while his true self remained behind the looking-glass self, detached from the world.

ㅤㅤBut to admit all of this ... would be pretty pathetic wouldn't it ? In the end, he was nothing more than a coward, afraid to have his true self acknowledged out of the fear that there was truly nothing worth staying for. Besides, why did it matter ? His own insecurities were practically miniscule in the face of the world. He was just but an ordinary person that didn't have anything worth going for him.

ㅤㅤ" ... Breaking that wall is pretty scary, you know ? " He finally, spoke his voice quivering ever so slightly even with a smile on his face. " I wouldn't want them to get hurt after all. " He was only making excuses ( after all, he was the one afraid of getting hurt ). " ... Maybe under normal circumstances, it'd be difficult for her to believe you when you act the way you usually do but I think if you're honest about your feelings like this, maybe you would get through to her. Even if it's just by a little. She and I are pretty different people after all so maybe you'd have a better chance there. " It would be pretty upsetting if she was anything like her master after all.

ㅤㅤ" ... But ... well ... it's not that I don't understand where you're coming from -- rather ... it's a bit hard to believe in myself. It might be a little hard to understand but ... " He trailed off as he found himself hesitant to continue. " ... I do appreciate the sentiment at least. " It seemed more like an apology rather an expression of gratitude. Even his gaze that flicked towards Dark's extended hand had followed the same sentiment.

ㅤㅤ" In the end, you don't really need to do any of that for me. It's not as if it's that big of a deal and besides, I'm already happy enough where I am. " He suddenly reached out, as if to finally take Dark's hand but instead, he seized his wrist to pull him into a tender embrace. " Still ... I'm really happy to have a friend like you. You and Daisuke both. " Perhaps on the surface, it could be perceived as an act of appreciation towards Dark's concern for him but in reality, this was his way of deflecting any attempts to peer into his heart ( this was his way of regaining the control that momentarily slipped from his fingers ). All he had to do was veil himself with the facade that everyone was so happily acquainted with. " So, you don't have to worry about me in the slightest. " He reassured with a gentle smile, squeezing his shoulders ever so slightly.

#GETTIN REAL SICK OF YOUR SHIT MASTER!!! /J IJWEIWJWHARAFKJKGLJ #AAAA #OH MY GOOOOD NO WAY THAT WOULD EVER WORK #HIS WHOLE THING IS RESPONSIBILITY RITSUKA SAYS 'ITS BC I DONT THEM TO GET HURT' AND HE'S LIKE (BASS BOOSTED) LIAR!!#HE KNOWS WHAT YOU ARE!!!!#<- NOT EVEN IN A BAD WAY EITHER #*･ﾟ⊰ IC. ⊱#FGO.#yoakenouta #he thinks to well of ritsuka to accept any of this bs dark vc this is all bullcrap and u should know it #im WEEPING #THAT HUG SETTING OFF HIS FIGHT OR FLIGHT DUDE!!!!#WUWEAHWAOGKGFKJKGJK J AT LEAST DARK WANTS TO HELP 😭his self esteem issues are so real but he's so #never ever show those......... one weakness and he'll die #its all up to daisuke #dark vc fine i'll be the bob the builder bitch in this moment wiz bring me a hammer #we begin with Smashing the Wall #he sees ur glass chamber and hes going 2 break it to pieces <- said by a guy w destructive complexes

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