Beyond a Boost
You give me a boost every time you drop a line saying how much you like the magazine or how something in it gave you a boost. I also get a boost from praying, being with loved ones, hanging around young people, laughing, hearing “my song,” bringing a smile to someone’s face, running a Boston, talking to long-lost friends and relatives, sailing, listening to a great choir,... Read More
Evelyn Cunningham: A Witness to History
Evelyn Cunningham with Mamie Eisenhower. Benjamin Hooks, Dorothy Height and now Evelyn Cunningham—I guess deaths really do come in threes. What a triumvirate of leaders in human, women’s and civil rights. While services for Height are in the second of three days here in Washington, Cunningham died peacefully this morning in New York, according to her niece, Gigi Freeman. I brought... Read More
Building Strength
Strong black women — that’s a common description for us. Where does it come from, and how do we keep our strength strong? For me, it can be summed up in a passage from Exodus 15:2, “the Lord is my strength and song.” I also draw on the strength of my family, friends, character and reputation. People who know me believe that my word is bond. The strength of my character and... Read More
Together Sisters
You know that you’re a together sister. Right? Some of you accepted this fact long ago, but a few are still in denial. Think about your favorite together sisters—the ones you know and the ones you don’t. What do you admire about them? Why? What do you see in them that you also see in yourself? You probably have more in common than you had imagined even if you’re at different... Read More
We’re Wise Women
Photo by Bobby Quillard Think about how much more you know now than you did 10 years ago. With each passing decade, we grow stronger — whether it’s the leap from adolescence to young womanhood at 21 or the soulful strut into our 30s, 40s or 50s. We’re wise women. No one has to tell us that 30 is the new 20 or that 40 is the new 30. We’re feeling it and living it. We’ve... Read More
Counting Our Blessings
This has been a tough time for many of us, yet still we must count our blessings. After all, we made it through another year—even if we’re limping into 2010 weighed down by downsizing, foreclosures, health issues and other personal challenges. With record unemployment, our families have been trying to make unruly financial ends meet. More families have joined the ranks of the... Read More
