Tag: Women

Lynda Blackmon – Youngest person to participate on Bloody Sunday

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At the young age of 14, Lynda Blackmon was allowed to march from Selma to Montgomery.

Lynda Blackmon

In the height of the Civil Rights Movement, hundreds marched from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., in a nonviolent protest for voting rights. February 2020, Bay Area News 9 wrote these words sharing her story, her struggles and how she continues to live with the aftermath of Bloody Sunday.

“But the March 1965 demonstration was met with violence in what is now known as “Bloody Sunday.”

For Lynda Blackmon, the youngest demonstrator allowed to march that day, it’s still hard to talk about.

“I can’t forget those feelings to this day,” said Blackmon, who was 14.

She was hit twice in the forehead and shoved to the ground.

“I was running into a cloud of tear gas and this man was running, beating me, hitting me in my head,” Blackmon said.

The book Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom tells her story.

Blackmon said she became involved in the movement at 7 years old after her mother died.”

Learn about the women of the civil rights movement. They may not be household names but they are living history. Women have a story to tell. Learn their stories. This woman who walked with some of our civil rights giants had been through a tremendous ordeal at a young age. She had lost her Mother, her foundation, the person who loved and cared for her. For her to even participate in civil rights was a tremendous feat and a testimony to her mother, her tribe, her community. Learn the stories of everyday people in your community. It will change your life, change your perspective.

#womenshistorymonth #herstory #BloodySunday #LyndaBlackmon

Renee Montgomery, two-time WNBA Champion and now WNBA Team Owner

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Renee Montgomery

Black History happens everyday by the extraordinary women and men who stand on the shoulders of our ancestors fighting for a life that is better today and tomorrow than it was yesterday. Renee Danielle Montgomery made not just Black History in 2021 but American history. She saw injustice in the league that she had played for 11 years and decided that she would either be part of the problem or the solution. What a solution she found.

Renee Montgomery just bought out Kelly Loefler’s stake of the Atlanta Dream, the WNBA team which she owned when she was appointed as a US Senator foe the great state of Georgia and lost to the Honorable Rev. Dr. Raphael G. Warnock in November 2020. What makes this so spectacular and newsworthy is that Ms. Montgomery decided to take off a year after Ms. Loefler threw her Black team members under the bus during her campaign. Those same team members and along with others in the WNBA banded together to support Rev. Warnock against their team’s owner.

In the summer of 2020, members of the Atlanta Dream and Phoenix Mercury came together on national television wearing Black t-shirts with bold white letters that read “VOTE WARNOCK” in all caps. At the time, some members of the WNBA didn’t even know who or what Warnock was. Now the world knows!

One of the leaders of this movement was Renee Montgomery. She made the conscious decision to ignite a campaign against the team’s former owner and won. She asked to meet with the team owner and respectfully discuss their differences. This now former team owner decided not to meet with Ms. Montgomery and her allies for political reasons. That was a mistake on her part. Ms. Montgomery and her allies went on to support Rev. Warnock helping him win his campaign on January 5, 2021. Ms. Montgomery would not stop there.

With the support of her teammates, fans, the community and eventually the league, the stakes owned by the now defeated Loefler were bought by Ms. Montgomery and an ownership group that she joined. In just one year, Renee Montgomery went from being an Atlanta Dream team player to an Atlanta Dream team owner.

Renee Danielle Montgomery has only just begun which in my book make her one of the the greatest! To learn more about Renee Montgomery and the Atlanta Dream, please visit the following links. She is Black History. She is American History. She is Women’s History!

#womenshistorymonth #reneemontgomery #blackgirlmagic #blackgirlsrock #livinghistory #changeagent #warnock #AtlantaDream #WNBA

Renee Montgomery official WNBA site

Time Magazine article: WNBA supports Warnock

Atlanta Dream WNBA page

I Am Not My Hair – Part 1

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Recently, I’ve been thinking about cutting all my hair off. I actually shaved the sides with longer Locs on top. I wear it this way to work so that no one sees my shaved hair but often now wear it a ponytail or bun at home. It is a huge adjustment from my long, full Locs but I’m adapting. (check next post for past hair pictures)

When I read this story about the TSA machines possibly singling our Black Women because of their hair, I had a flashback!

When I transitioned from relaxed hair to natural hair, I wore different types of hair styles. However, working with corporate America and in the political system, it was necessary for me to remain conservative. In addition, I traveled – A Lot! I was in different cities and states on a weekly basis. Sometimes I drove, if my destinations were close enough. Most times, I was flying or catching the train. It gave me time to work 🧐

When they say this story is late, it could have been written more than a decade ago. No matter how conservative my hair, I was always stopped. And I was not alone. Any woman at that time who pioneered this natural phenomenon that we are experiencing today can attest to it.

One time, my braids were pinned back in a tight bun because braids were not considered professional or conservative at the turn of the century. I was asked to attend this meeting at the last minute. Because I had Bobby pins in my hair, they forced me to take them out and scan my hair. At the time, I really think they just wanted to touch my hair 😉 Black Hair always fascinates some.

If the TSA scanners are now targeting Black women, we must address this and address it now! I can only imagine what is happening to women today. I don’t travel quite as often as I did then, but I am always prepared for the pat down and hair check. It has become part of my life. I wonder, 🤔 will they continue to check my hair when I cut it all off. I suspect that they may!

I am not my hair!

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Let’s Go Crazy 😜

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The title of this post is the my theme for the year and one of my FAVORITE Prince songs! It always made me happy to hear it, usually followed by dancing around and making some people a little uncomfortable. I was HAPPILY dancing and singing like no one watching or caring.

Being happy is not always easy for everyone. It involves knowing and being true to yourself. I spent most of my life doing what I thought other people expected me to do. I didn’t want to rock the boat. I didn’t want anyone to be upset with me. I wanted to be and have friends.
See, I’m an only child. My parents divorced when I was young. My MoM was great, and I did everything she asked me to do. I always wanted to be the perfect child: independent, smart and caring. In all of that, I forgot to be myself. So after 40-something years of living, I’m being me. It’s not always popular or right or wrong, but it will be me.
So from where does Happy come? It comes from within!

Put God First

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10695039_10204683380864339_793525817_n-e1518187998456.jpgWednesday, February 8, 2018, I attended my first Paparazzi Regional event called EmpowerMe Pink in Phildelphia, PA.  There was a lot going on in Philly that day: there was a MASSIVE parade for the Eagles who won Super Bowl LII.  People were everywhere.  The city shut down 5 miles of streets and people were required to take public transportation just to get into the city.  There were no cars, trucks or SUVs on the street of Phildelphia that day!  Just hundreds of thousands of people celebrating a long awaited victory for a team that they never gave up on.

The Eagles were not the only champions in town that day.  Thousands of Paparazzi Independent Consultants traveled to Philly by car, bus, train and plane to hear from the champions, like Trent Kirby, Chani and Ryan Reeves,who started our company and share with each other stories of success and hope!  For me, it was AMAZING.  I was reminded of the power of hope, the importance of consistency and the hard work of discipline.  Most of all, the meeting confirmed my goals, my heart’s desire, is waiting for me to attain it.  Nothing and no one is holding me back but me.  That stops now!

Everything I am, all that I have, all that I’ve accomplished, all that my children accomplish is by the Grace of God.  I was reminded of a commencement address that Denzel Washington gave at an HBCU recently.  I went back and listened to it this morning (following one of the tips that Trent taught us to start each day listening to motivational videos).  Now I’m sharing it with you.

Denzel Washington – Put God First

Be blessed and make today GREAT!!

The More I Lose…

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This post is all about me. I’m going to share more of myself during this journey than I am accustomed to doing. But you can’t do new things, if you’re not willing to do new things.

I have struggled with my weight for a long time.  After getting married, cooking every night for my husband [and of course, waiting for him to get home after 9:00 pm – that’s when we ate home-cooked meals five (5) nights per week], having two beautiful girls and being what my husband calls his “Super Woman” I gained a few pounds.

After gaining weight the first time, we bought me some new clothes with the thought that I’ll lose weight but don’t want to look crazy in the mean time.  Well, I never really lost any consistent weight because no matter what I tried, I kept eating. This is me now! 40 pounds overweight, unhealthy, and sometimes unhappy – but still smiling!  My office boo even says that my legs need a tan which means I don’t show them that often – LOL!!!

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Now, I’ve finally found something that is easy to do and I like. Not only that, people that I know – that I see, feel, touch – are losing weight immediately and feeling great!  So I figured I’d try it. Blog it and see what happens. It can’t be worse than anything that I’ve tried previously!

It’s a pouch of pink powder (like Crystal Light) that I pour in my water bottle once a day – the “Pink” drink. That’s it! It’s that simple.  It helps curb my enormous appetite; I have more energy; and most of all I like the taste.

I’ll be adding exercising and clean, healthy eating to the mix. But one step at a time. For now, I drink Pink and juice! Yes, I also bought the NutriBullet and I LOVE IT!!  I put everything in that juicer but that’s another story for another day.

For today, think PINK and drink!

Briggsy

FRIENDSHIP IS A CHOICE!

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Good Day! I have to share a somewhat recent experience (it’s from this past winter). There is a lesson here and writing the experience helps me learn the lesson! Get Excited!!

So I awoke at 2:00 am that morning because our youngest still was not feeling well.  I don’t sleep well when my babies are sick. Since I’m up, I check my phone (of course) and I have 6 text messages. Turns out 5 are from the same person with foolishness. Unfortunately, it’s foolishness that I have let linger much too long. I have a sick child, so it will have to wait another day or so. I don’t have time for her drama today! Anyway, I had baby duty yesterday, so hubby and nephew agree to step in today if needed but her temp was normal by 5:30 am. So I’m out the door. I’m late at 5:45 am, but I’m still ready for my meetings today which don’t start until 10:00 am.

 
Now, I’m running late but I get to the bus stop in time and find that the bus has no heat. No problem! Our driver arranged for a new bus. However, one woman was so irate that she follows the driver off the bus (we are outside, in line, watching this drama unfold). This woman gets in the bus driver’s face and proceeds to call her an idiot, invading her personal space so much so that her spittle hit the driver in the face.
 
Seriously?!? Was that really necessary?

When did we become a society that stopped treating people like people, with dignity? Was all that necessary at 6:00 am? At any time? Absolutely Not! Just like my text messages, sometimes situations call for people to talk with one another with respect, not envy, not malice, not passive-aggressive behavior. R-E-S-P-E-C-T as Miss Aretha taught us!

People are so caught up in their own lives and issues that they forget that other people have a perspective also. Having recently experienced others taking my kindness for granted, I decided to look at my own behavior. What am I doing that others believe that I am vulnerable in this area? Recognizing that I’m not perfect, there are things that I plan to change. Much like my driver this morning, I refuse to allow others to take my kindness for granted. Sometimes you just have to allow them to vent, then walk away!

The driver just walked away from this unreasonable woman. She allowed her to vent her frustrations then proceeded to continue doing her job. That was an admirable response. In many instances, people do not recognize just how inconsiderate and thoughtless they are being. They see the world from their own perspective giving little to no brainpower to the other person’s perspective. 

Personally, those type of people are toxic, poisonous and have no place in my life. I’ve decided to pursue friendships with people of like values and mores. I will continue to be kind and considerate to others but I choose not to have them in my life. We are born into family but choose our friends. It’s time to make the best choices!