As the media is constantly bombarding viewers with the growing debate around the subjects of colorblind and critical race theory, I often think about my childhood and what my parents taught us about racism and how to deal with it. … Continue reading A Season of Recognition and Reconciliation
As I think about the idea of roots, I ponder the question: where did it start for me? My mind wanders to people, places, smells, laughter, and family. I am not sure if my musings will make much sense, but … Continue reading The Roots That Connect Us
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
“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
