This past week, my viewing and reading reflected people who were seen as different, whether it was because of race or gender or sexual orientation. Following are notes on a series about a black woman entrepreneur, a documentary about a lesbian couple, and a heartwarming Facebook posting about a young girl’s quest for reassurance.
ACCOMPLISHED WOMAN
Self-Made (Netflix)
The sub-title of this 4-part series is: “Inspired by the Life of Madam C. J. Walker,” and it’s the story of America’s first self-made millionaire. An African American laundry woman who started her own haircare product business, Sarah Walker was enterprising, indefatigable, and forceful. From selling Addie Monroe’s hair grow product to developing her own improved formula, to determinedly opening her own factory, Sarah was unabashedly ambitious. Saddled with a husband who was at first supportive, then roving, and a daughter with a sneaky, lying spouse, Madam nonetheless persevered. Her company prospered and endured from its founding in Indianapolis in 1910 until it ceased business in 1981. This is a good series about a remarkable woman, whose achievements and concern for black women everywhere are a welcome respite from today’s news.
ENDURING & AFFIRMING LOVE
A Secret Love (Netflix)
This documentary is the life story of a female Canadian couple who for more than six decades lived together, claiming to outsiders that they were cousins or just friends splitting the high cost of their Chicago rent. Terrie Donahue and Pat Henschel met in the late 1940’s and fell in love much to their mutual surprise. Terrie played shortstop on a professional women’s softball team in a league that played around the Midwest. Later she and Pat both worked for the same company. Ever careful, they didn’t come out to their unsuspecting families until 2009.
The film was made by Terrie Donahue’s great nephew with lots of archival footage of their early lives and real time documentation as they approach their 90th birthdays. It’s a sweet and amazing story about the power of love. In their professional and personal lives, Terrie and Pat were pioneers. Highly recommended!
A CARING COMMUNITY
I’m going to do something here I’ve not done before, and that is to share a Facebook post by my niece, Whitney, about her biracial 8-year old daughter, Naya. It’s a heartfelt message about a lively black girl, her caring mom, and a town police team who went above and beyond to reassure Naya that she matters. It’s a welcome reflection in a tumultuous week.
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There comes a day in every kid’s life where something changes…reality strikes and the light in their eyes dims just a little…the gift of the free-spirited careless, adventurous day they had not only one day earlier, gets traded for a long day of worry, self-doubt and anxiety.
Maybe they realized they weren’t as good at school as someone else, or maybe someone played a sport better, or maybe they wish their hair was straight, because everyone else’s was…
or maybe on that particular day, they just so happened to realize, what it meant…
To be black.
Naya is … Naya.
Since the day she could walk and barely talk she commands attention most places she goes. She makes friends with young and old, and will always strike up a conversation with anyone and I mean ANYONE. (not always a good thing lol)
She is the most confident, authentic, talkative, stubborn, smart, energetic, hilarious, beautiful brown skinned little girl…
She’s a natural born leader, she loves to dance and sing, she loves art, she was blessed to be incredibly athletic, that I am in awe with daily bc she definitely didn’t get that from me lol. She is a talented competitive swimmer ( who dreams of being in the Olympics one day so remember her name #statesbates ), she is only 8 but swears most days she’s 18.
She truly embraces life each and every day. It breaks me to think that anyone could look at her and think she is anything but all the amazing, unique things that make her, her.
She has been glancing at the news time to time as she runs out of the room to ride her bike …she knows what’s happening, she can feel the injustice…We have talks and try to educate her the best we can…
Yesterday was different though, she looked at me with real fear in her eyes and asked, “Mama will a cop come to my house and hurt me?!??”
So now it’s time to really drive it home…we have to make her understand that everyone’s differences are what make them amazing and no one person is superior over the other. But sometimes, unfortunately, in certain situations she might be treated differently ….
So, Thank You Sheriff Catalfano, Sheriff Loveless, Trooper White and Trooper Tubbins for coming to speak to Naya today.
You went OUT of your way today to show her that she MATTERS!
Thank you for showing her that most law enforcement doesn’t want to hurt her just because the color of her skin… thank you for showing her girl power and thank you for easing her anxious heart by speaking warm, comforting words from the trooper that “ hey! He looks like me!”
But mostly, thank you for HEARING an 8-year old’s cry FOR CHANGE...
and making her feel safe. I know that’s what most of you signed up for.
I realize it won’t always be like this for her, but she had today… and this is what hope feels like…
Today we won a little battle on the war on racism, today kindness and LOVE for humanity prevailed… and once again, I am so proud to call this community our home. #auburnNY
#blacklivesmatter #voteforchange #letsshoutoutthegoodcops #loveisaterriblethingtohate
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