It has been a week y’all. A whole week. And as an empath, I have struggled. Hell, as a Black women in the US, I’ve struggled. And I can only imagine what US Appeals Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has been feeling.

I was stunned, and not at all shocked, when I started reading stories and watching video/hearing audio of Africans who were being denied access to neighboring countries and being blocked from fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It was and is unconscionable. I had to be still and lament, pray, and meditate on what I should do to come alongside these people, many of whom are international students. I thought about my Dad who was an international student in the US decades ago. I also think about why many Africans opted to pursue their degrees in Ukraine compared to the US or the UK. It was usually related to financial considerations. This broke my heart even more. The racism, mistreatment, and discrimination many are facing. This is also a class issue. To that end, I knew I had to do something and yet was unsure with whom I could partner.

Dressember 2020 is different than previous years; and it’s par for the course.

For the past three months I’ve been having friends sponsor an 𝚞𝚋𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚞 bag or more. And they have been doing it.

I love that this image says: I don’t care what I allowed in the past, try me today. I’ve become more unapologetic as I get older and wiser. As I continue to surround myself with folks who see me, who are invested in my spiritual and personal growth. They remind me of the truth of my experience and also that I am valued and loved as I am because I am a member of humanity. For this, I am truly grateful.

So how do we, in these times of uncertainty with the local, national and global climate, have conversations where we are present, undistracted and connected – even when we are in disagreement?

What I’ve found more and more in the last few years is that many people are unable or unwilling to move from their podium of privilege to speak out against that which many of us claim we’re against. When we realize there are no others, no us vs them, but that the reality is: I am you and you are me, we have the potential to move forward together. 

I decided that the folks who had experienced the loss deserved to have a voice and the subsequent healing that would take place by talking. I organized a town hall (before town halls were en vogue) that was attended by the Ann Arbor Mayor, the Chief of Police for the Ann Arbor Police Department, the Fire Chief and concerned and affected community members (parents and students).