It was a crystal-clear day in early September, one day before my first day of another school year, this time at a brand-new school. I was playing in our newly sodden back yard while other children started classes. Daydreams flooded … Continue reading My Nappy Roots
I was sitting in a writing workshop with a group of writers, and our assignment was to make a family tree. We could employ some creative license in making our trees. I set out putting together my creation, complete with … Continue reading When Your Roots Are Severed
If you forget your roots, you’ve lost sight of everything. Walter Payton Whenever you meet someone new, it’s common to ask them, “Where are you from?” It’s just a natural thing to ask. It gives people an idea of who … Continue reading Discovering My Roots: My Personal Journey
“Where do we go from here, where do we go? And is it real or just something we think we know? Where are we going now, where do we go? ‘Cause if it’s the same as yesterday, you know I’m … Continue reading Where Do We Go From Here?
My great-grandmother was generous to a fault. The stories of how her house was a haven for needy people abound. My grandmother inherited this value, and I grew up never knowing who would show up for lunch at her table. … Continue reading What we model…
The Metaphor: So, I planted a rosebush next to my mailbox. I thought it would be a beautiful thing. I thought it would grow up and have pretty pink flowers and like so many of my neighbors’ mailbox flora would … Continue reading “The Rosebush and the Root”
I love you. I have loved you since before I could write my own name in either cursive or print. As a child, I publicly waxed poetic about you. I pledged allegiance to you every morning. I sang songs to … Continue reading “Of Thee I Sing”
1444 marks the beginning of the Atlantic Slave Trade. This is when the Portuguese transported the first Africans to Europe as slaves. By 1526 they expanded their reach and delivered their first shipload of enslaved Africans to Brazil. In 1619 … Continue reading Slavery and the Roots of Racism/White Supremacy
My father took me to the eye doctor not long ago. The pressure in my eyes has been slightly elevated. After a thorough examination and waiting for the eye drops to finally kick in, the doctor told me I’m doing … Continue reading Ignorant Beliefs of Cultural Roots have Damaged Life in my community
Three-Fifths 