The Gumbo Newsletter - The Beginning
Hello Gumbo Family,
Imagine the possibilities of today. Let’s take some action to move from imagination to creation. Welcome to The Gumbo Newsletter family. This newsletter is for Black women of certain age. I was looking for a community of like-minded women who want to do life together abundantly (all aspects not just financially). I want this community to for the regular people. You know those of us who are regularly in the jeans/shorts and a t-shirt. A sisterhood with no initiations or titles.
Just a group of black women understanding life through the lens of culture and history. Together we celebrate the successes, support through the bad/hard times, and provide a kick in the butt when you get stagnant or off track.
I am sure the format will change as we get to know each other and what things are needed. Thank you again for stepping out on faith and joining this community.
WELLNESS WISEDOM:
Strength training isn't just for the young. It helps maintain muscle mass, metabolism, and confidence. You will not get big and bulky without chemical help. Being able to move your body is a gift to yourself and your loved ones. A fit body helps you to remain independent. Lift like a boss!
MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS:
Make the time to forgive someone who has hurt/offended you. Forgiveness is not just about reconciling. It is about stepping into self-healing and freeing space in your mind. Sometimes we don’t want to let go until they apologize or until we get to pimp slap them. Yours is not the hand by which God will enact His vengeance. Take your power back and release them with a clean heart. Peace is too hard to come by for you to voluntarily waste it on someone who is probably not even thinking about you. Protect your peace, your heart, and your mind.
HIDDEN HERSTORIES:
This week, I stumbled upon the story of Xernona Clayton, a woman whose contributions to journalism and civil rights are not well known. Xernona Clayton, a formidable figure in civil rights activism and media, was born alongside her twin sister, Xenobia, on August 30, 1930, in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
Her efforts in the Civil Rights Movement were significant, especially in desegregating hospital facilities in Atlanta through the Doctor's Committee for Implementation project and supporting the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) alongside Dr. and Mrs. Martin Luther King, Jr.
By the 1960s, Clayton's influence extended into media as she wrote for the Atlanta Voice and, in 1968, launched a prime-time talk show, "Variations," on WAGA-TV in Atlanta, making her the first black woman in the South to host a regularly scheduled prime-time talk show. Remarkably, she convinced a Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan to renounce the Klan later that year. Clayton's autobiography, "I’ve Been Marching All the Time," was published in 1991, further cementing her legacy as a champion for justice and equality.
CUTURAL FIX:
This week I overhead a conversation about black writers creating better white characters than white writers create black characters. Culturally black people have had to study and understand white people just to stay alive. That continues to this day. Some white people have not even socialized with people of color until they go to college. It is not necessary for them to understand us. They just follow the going narrative. if they took the time, especially those in the middle and lower income brackets, they would stop voting against their own interest. That’s a discussion for another day.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
"Amidst prayer's stillness, the answers I seek are found within." - Harriet Tubman.
II am always reading, listening to podcasts, sermons, and lectures. There is a nothing wrong with that but I realized that what I need is within me. By being the best me, I attract without trying the people and things that need to be added.
FEEL-GOOD FEATURE:
This recommendation goes with what we have discussed. This song: “No Stressing” by Damon Little (featuring Angie Stone). This song stays in heavy rotation on my phone.
SOUL FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
When you did someone wrong, did you really get away with it?
Sometimes flipping the perspective of situation brings clarity. Instead of focusing on not letting someone get away with an offense, look at it from the perspective of you being on the other side.
Your stories, wins, and even those not-so-great moments? I want to hear them all. Reply to this email, drop a comment on our socials, or just send good vibes into the universe.
We're all in this beautiful mess together, and every bit of support counts.
Until next time.....remember your voice matters!
