Women Can't Afford to Ignore History: Black History IS Valuable History

My Fellow Women,  Even with all of the innovations and technological advances,  anti-intellectualism is fighting hard to stay alive. Back in...

My Fellow Women, 

Even with all of the innovations and technological advances,  anti-intellectualism is fighting hard to stay alive.

Back in grade school, I didn't get classmates who did not have a curiosity about history or even just listen to the elders tell stories about "back-in-the-day".  

I have so much less understanding of women who are not curious about the history of women from all backgrounds.   To choose to ignore, hate, or disregard other demographics of women is to cut yourself off from yourself.   

Maybe some males can afford that, but no woman can. Males from some groups can decide that they do not want to know facts and for the most part, they might be alright.  That is not true for every male.  That is not true for most females. If you are a woman, at some point, you are going to have to know some things for yourself. 

Why would I deprive myself of learning about the warrior women from other races .....when that only strengthens my confidence? 

Strengthens my resolve. Strengthens my perseverance. Strengthens my understanding of what I am capable of.

By necessity, women have had to tap in with our courage.  

Yes, some women more than others...and those are the women I want to know about because y'all know I'm passionate about people who overcome the odds and survive!

Artful Women

Why would I deprive myself of learning about art, design, music, film, writing, and fashion from other designing women of other cultures?  

I'm an artist.  I LOVE creativity.  Women have such a beautiful creative eye. I love seeing what we women can create and make possible.

Guiding Women

Parenting is not for the easy folders or the non-perseverant.  If you give up when failure stops by, parenting may not be for you.  And, that's ok.

Parenting is one of life's biggest challenges. When I was raising my young child, I looked for wise words, especially from those who had mothered.  Most of that came from family but so much came from the diverse groups of women around me.   Different customs, traditions, and lessons that were not necessarily a part of my own lived experience. Thank God they were there.  

People have a right to be skeptical of women who proclaim to be women's advocates but are only curious about, motivated by, and inspired by women who look just like them.  

Is that really liking "womanhood" or is that more.....liking yourself a whole lot? Maybe you just want a replica of yourself? A statue or a doll? 

Real "womanhood" is about the collective of women. 

 I LOVE living my life as a Black woman.  I love gaining more understanding of :

• Women's history, 
• Women's possibilities, 
• Women's strengths, 
• Women's accomplishments, 
• Women's unique and special differences
• Women's similarities
• Women's scholarship
• Women's contributions and how this world would be nothing without us.

The choice is yours.  I'm a better, stronger, more joyful woman because I stay open to learning about what womanhood looks like for both women and look and live like me, and those who do not. 

In studying our history, all women's history, we only have ourselves to gain.  Hey, but as always, you've got to do you. 

Warmest Regards,

Tonya

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