- I grew up in the Baptist Church, converted to Catholicism as a teen and for years I prayed the rosary, performed the stations of the cross, completed confession, and went to Catholic school.?As a high-schooler, I studied world religions -Hinduism, Buddhism, and more.?As a young adult I even attended a Messianic Synagogue for years.?I can still say my prayers in Hebrew, celebrated Pesach (Passover) last year, and love to hear Jewish praise music.?
- I am the lowest percentage possible to be a "card carrying" Native American.?Blackfoot, Creek, and Cherokee blood runs through my family.?As a young girl, I couldn't wait for summer - not just for school to be over with, but for the time me and my mother would spend on the Pow-Wow trail!?I learned how to make dreamcatchers, bone and bead chokers and breast plates, how to hand press holes in leather and make traditional garb.?We would spend hours wrapping crystals and listening to dear friends play exquisitely beaded flutes.??I would run when the drum circle started up, and danced with the Wind Clan, dressed head to toe in representation of our family tribe.?As the sun would set, everyone would gather for frybread, buffalo stew, or some other "big pot" meal.?Drumbeats, crackling embers and the night sky would drift me off to slumber until we did it all again. It wasn't until later that I learned, and really understood, the travesties of Native American's and the losses that can never be repaid.??
- As a young black girl, growing up it was common to have the t.v. playing The Jefferson's, 227, The Bill Cosby Show, The Heat of the Night, and others. My favorites being 227 and The Cosby Show.?One day, I was going to grow up to be "wealthy" like Sandra, or better yet, I was going to be an attorney like Clair Huxtable!?I even started college double majoring in Criminology and Sociology, with the intent to be an Indian Affairs Attorney.?While sometimes I wonder what that would have been like, and now I know the difference between being wealthy and simply stable without lacking, I am thrilled with where I have made it in life - I am blessed beyond measure.
- I thank God, often, that my son is "white passing".??I also pray that the Lord continues to protect him, as he proudly protects and serves people that could care less about him - every. single. day. All cops are not bad. One bad apple does not spoil the bunch.?That's my baby out there, trying to protect you and yours! I wish he would have went into Tech!? I remember when he associated his skin color with a crayon in the Crayola box - Peach to be exact. I originally thought I was doing the right thing. Why did he need to know color? Why was it necessary? Our family has always been a rainbow of races and ethnicities. We didn't compare shades, tones, color names. Fast forward several years - it is the center of our lives every. single. day. Now, everything I tried to protect him from...over-protected him from, he faces head-on daily. PS - I am raising my daughter to do no harm but take no bull.
Note - all posts, thoughts, notions, and opinions are mine and my colleague writers alone. We are not speaking on behalf of any organization or collective other than ourselves and our individual experiences!
