International Women’s Day

Yesterday for International Women’s Day, I paid tribute to the women of my family tree who sprouted me and help keep me rooted, nourished and strong. I cherish and love them everyday!

Diatra and great aunt Goldiie, aka “Sissy”

Great aunt Goldie (paternal)

Great aunt Dora (maternal)

My mother Doris

Great grandmother Augusta (paternal)

Diatra, me and our mother

Great aunt Dorothy (maternal)

Great grandmother Maldonia (paternal)

Great aunts Annie, Esther, Laura, Goldie and grandmother Evelyn (paternal)

Great grandmother Lonie Ann

Cousin Britt and great aunt Annie (paternal)

Grandmother Lucille and great aunt Pauline (maternal)

Diatra, my sister

“… I prayed to God to make me strong and able to fight, and that’s what I’ve always prayed for ever since.” — Harriet Tubman, 1865

Last night’s performance of Harriet’s Return, a one-woman play about Harriet Tubman written by and starring Karen Jones Meadows, sold out! And Karen received a spontaneous and resounding standing ovation from the audience of over 400 people.

The play kicked off the “Heritage & History” programming series that I collaborated with the Gantt Center to create this year and that Duke Energy is generously sponsoring. The series will feature “remarkable experiences with renowned culture keepers”. One luminary presenter is scheduled per quarter.

During Karen’s visit to Charlotte, she participated in a “lunch and learn” with about 50 Duke Energy employees last Friday. On Saturday, she led “Culture in the Quarter,” a hands-on workshop with local youth and families.

The lunch talk, workshop, play about Harriet and Karen’s personal story were highly inspiring and proved ideal for celebrating strong, fierce women (praying to be one) during Women’s History Month and on International Women’s Day.

Below are photos from the past week.

— VF