Write The Vision

It's been a while since I posted anything.  I have become a freelance writer for Urban Views Weekly .  Within that position, I've been able to listen to and highlight the transformational stories of people and organizations in Richmond, Virginia.  Here are the cover stories I've written thus far: Young writers sharing their words at national poetry competition I've had the privilege of interacting with this group of poets for a little over a year.  They embody what it means to courageously stand within and speak your life's truth. VCU Professor uses theater to heal racism Theatre is a powerful tool for engaging people in difficult discussions of difference.  I loved hearing the wisdom and journey of Dr. Tawnya Pettiford-Waites. Tammy Hawley: From Clerical Help To Press Secretary to the Mayor Life can be a surprising adventure when you live within what you're most passionate about.  Talking to Tammy Hawley inspired me to consider what...

I believe that words have power.  Growing up, I loved to read.  I loved how books made words come alive off the page.  I was an only child of a military family.  Meeting new people ever 2 years or so until I reached middle school.  My relationship with words was consistent.  With people….not so much.  I saw each move as an opportunity to start anew, rarely retaining any of the relationships in my previous location.  Despite being introverted and shy, I was able to meet new people fairly easily until I reached 6 th grade.  I went from being the only Black student in the 5 th grade on Guam to being one of the least “Black” students in a predominately Black school in Florida. Things were very different there – not just the people and the place but also the words.  In the afternoons, students gathered for lunch around cafeteria tables to “rank” on one another.  Basically, to “rank” on someone was to insult them in the most original a...

I love to sing-a about the moon-a and the June-a and the spring-a. I love to sing-a about the sky of blue-a and a tea for two-a…I love to sing!   I have been singing this song from a favorite Merrie Molodies cartoon for most of my life.   Today, I decided to make the little owl who sings the song my Facebook profile picture.   I wanted to know what the song’s actual words were so I did a quick internet search.   I learned that Cab Calloway and Al Jolson had made the song popular.   I thought, “It’s a Cab Calloway song!   No wonder I like it!”   The name Al Jolson sounded familiar but I didn’t remember why.   Another quick internet search informed me that he was a popular American singer, actor and comedian.   Then came the shock.   I chose to look at the images before reading through all the text of the Wikipedia entry for him.   What did I find?   A picture of him in blackface!   My heart sank.   My stomach went ...

I am transitioning. It’s taken me three months to be able to say that. "Transitioning" is a term used by Black women to indicate their decision to journey away from straightening their hair with chemical relaxers to a new experience of their hair in its natural state.  It's been three months since I last put a relaxer in my hair.   I am “going natural,” becoming acquainted with my hair’s natural curves and character.  I am redefining my understanding of who I am and what I understand to be beautiful.  I did not know I was making a life-altering decision when I chose to rent Chris Rock's documentary "Good Hair" from the Red Box.  I was very familiar with the phrase "good hair."  Growing up, I had one cousin who had it.  It felt smooth.  Its roots were thin.  It was straight.  It was “pretty.”  All of my female cousins, aunts, friends and I thought so.  It was unlike what we had growing on our own heads.  Our hair had...