Celebrating Our Differences
Drummers beat out the rhythm of harmony from their bongos as they enter the rear of the chapel with skillful artistry and measured synchronicity fingers palms heels of the hands strike forcibly upon the hollow of the vessel we call the drum melodious flowing sounds that invade…
Garden Spices met YeYe Omileye Achikeobi-Lewis a few years back. I chronicled my journey to Asheville, NC to a ceremony that honored the Four Elemental Mothers. Along with her husband, Chief Olu, Omileye was “answering the call’ to host and facilitate the event. She has conducted a number of…
“Until the lion learns to write, all the stories will glorify the hunter.” -African proverb On opening night for Black Panther, the movie based on the Marvel comic book character and the mythical African nation of Wakanda, I was front and center with a close friend….
I met Kerrigan Casey at a wonderful Black History program, Youth Program: Who We Were Then and Who We Are Now, held at the library in Florence, AL. Part of the program, Casey was the ‘live art’ exhibit who was painting/creating, as other folks performed. When I saw…
This morning I woke for some reason thinking of the yoga and racism article I recently read, shared on Facebook and all the comments it elicited. Then I thought of the diversity facilitator training I went through and thought what good does it do? Who benefits? Does anyone?…
Charlene Carter has a smile that signifies her vitality. She is an exuberant trailblazer that shares her many gifts and talents in the Shoals area. The oldest of 3, Carter revels in the fact that she is fabulously 60. “We can be free at any age.” She grew…
Confederate monuments continue to be controversial as we Americans seek to understand our past. In memorializing the past by building monuments, it is easy to obscure reality, to glorify a cause, and to justify the actions of a group of people. The difficult part is acknowledging the past…
The word “DIWALI” is derived from two words ‘deep’, which means lamp or diyas, and ‘’ avali’’ which means row – so the meaning stands for a row of lights. During the festival of Diwali all the houses in India, offices, and streets are decorated with lights or…
Stage and screen actress, educator, life coach – the list goes on and on for Chrisje Comvalius. A little over a year ago, her kitchen table in Amsterdam was the place to land for counsel, fun, and divine food. Today, you must travel to Rotterdam to receive her…
I asked Pepe Villegas to share his artwork dedicated to Puerto Rico, since the ravaging of this American island by hurricane Maria. This work needs no text; it reveals the pain of Maria, yet Puerto Rico emerging.-Victorine Please send donations to Puerto Rico Recovery Fund – Pepe…