I read this earlier and felt awkward about not having anything to say. Had to feel it and give it some time. Honor it, not just say I know when I don’t really know what to say. I honor you and how you show up with zing and zest and righteousness.
“...it’s palpable, like the sound of an off-key jazz solo in a silent room...the only speck of cinnamon on a plain vanilla cupcake—bold, vibrant…mosaic…diversity like air breathed...Every corner pulses with a cacophony of languages, sounds, and smells…. a beautiful mess of humanity that makes it easy to feel like you belong everywhere and nowhere at once…”
Love all of your delicious chocolate words:)
Aiy-with the Frederick Douglass—should be taught. But perhaps your words will ignite & educate.
The spontaneous laughter with the other “bigfoot”-haha! Well, I imagine that you can blend & spice with any crowd, but I do imagine that your habenero taste might eventually take you elsewhere from milktoast CO!
Catching up on your musings. You have a book inside of. you, don’t you? Or have you already published?
I grew up in Loveland, CO. I could have been one of those vanilla ladies you meet every day. So yeah, going away to college in Portland, OR and then seminary in New Haven, CT was an experience. But surely I learned about Frederick Douglass in high school? A long time ago. A few weeks ago I stayed at the Imperial Hotel in Cork, Ireland, where he spoke. The room is now the Frederick Douglass Reading Room. Oh gosh, gotta subscribe to follow this journey of yours.
Hi, Willa. Great to hear and thanks for subscribing. Love hearing about the Frederick Douglass reading room at the hotel in Ireland. 🇮🇪 Does he have some sort of historical connection with the country?
He came here in 1845, to avoid capture or worse. He thought to stay a short while, spent four months here. Galvanized support for the abolition movement in Ireland.
In his words:
I can truly say, I have spent some of the happiest moments of my life since landing in this country. I seem to have undergone a transformation. I live a new life. The warm and generous co-operation extended to me by the friends of my despised race—the prompt and liberal manner with which the press has rendered me its aid—the glorious enthusiasm with which thousands have flocked to hear the cruel wrongs of my down-trodden and long-enslaved fellow-countrymen portrayed—the deep sympathy for the slave, and the strong abhorrence of the slaveholder, everywhere evinced—the cordiality with which members and ministers of various religious bodies, and of various shades of religious opinion, have embraced me, and lent me their aid—the kind hospitality constantly proffered to me by persons of the highest rank in society—the spirit of freedom that seems to animate all with whom I come in contact—and the entire absence of everything that looked like prejudice against me, on account of the color of my skin—contrasted so strongly with my long and bitter experience in the United States, that I look with wonder and amazement on the transition.
Who's Frederick Douglass? Even my vanilla heart cringed at that! But I'm in Rochester, NY where both Douglass and Susan B Anthony lived and are buried so poor me just assumed everyone knows them.
I grew up in a large town on the outskirts of London that had people from all over the world there and I just assumed that everywhere was like that. Then my husband got a job in Nelson, NZ, and we moved there and it was 99% white, a few Maori, one Chinese family and one Indian family. It was a real shock to my multicultural bones!
I grew up in a very white coastal city (small city) in Massachusetts. I moved to L.A. in 1990. Back to my hometown area, Newburyport, MA in 2009. It's still very white around here. Not as white as it used to be, but I sure do miss diversity. My 35 year old daughter does too. She was raised in L.A..
I've read several of your posts recently and I'm hooked. I've been fascinated by tiny glimpses I've gotten over the years into Eastern philosophies. I have a friend who is a Buddhist. I'm going to send you to him. Thanks for the great work and enlightenment.
Saul and I had a similar experience long ago, when Mateo was only a baby, in a small Texan town called Forney, in the Dallas-Fortworth metroplex. Long story, but in essence, it felt like we had gone back in time 100 years. It was tough exiting in a town where you had to ask yourself, "Who am I? at every given moment. Feeling observed and questioned, the awkward silence. And yes, sometimes believe it or not, being denied access or service, only because of what one looks like. Who ever decided that "vanilla" is better than strawberry, blue berry, cacao powder, or chocolate? Why should one have to work so hard to justify one's existence, worthiness, sense of belonging, or even just... breathing? I don't believe we were there for more than two months. Unbearable.
You grew up in Chicago? What's that like? 😂😂 Seriously though, love the different takes from Buddhism, Baha'i and Daoism about what it's like to live in a monocultural environment. Particularly love the bit about human expression being a garden of flowers, from the Baha'i point of view. Looking forward to the release of your new country song "You're in Colorado now" 😂🤣
I read this earlier and felt awkward about not having anything to say. Had to feel it and give it some time. Honor it, not just say I know when I don’t really know what to say. I honor you and how you show up with zing and zest and righteousness.
“...it’s palpable, like the sound of an off-key jazz solo in a silent room...the only speck of cinnamon on a plain vanilla cupcake—bold, vibrant…mosaic…diversity like air breathed...Every corner pulses with a cacophony of languages, sounds, and smells…. a beautiful mess of humanity that makes it easy to feel like you belong everywhere and nowhere at once…”
Love all of your delicious chocolate words:)
Aiy-with the Frederick Douglass—should be taught. But perhaps your words will ignite & educate.
The spontaneous laughter with the other “bigfoot”-haha! Well, I imagine that you can blend & spice with any crowd, but I do imagine that your habenero taste might eventually take you elsewhere from milktoast CO!
Catching up on your musings. You have a book inside of. you, don’t you? Or have you already published?
Hi Zara. I am in the process of writing a book now. So stay tuned.
look forward to it!!
We in Chicago miss you, but exporting our awesomeness is a Chicago tradition. You're a good ambassador.
I grew up in Loveland, CO. I could have been one of those vanilla ladies you meet every day. So yeah, going away to college in Portland, OR and then seminary in New Haven, CT was an experience. But surely I learned about Frederick Douglass in high school? A long time ago. A few weeks ago I stayed at the Imperial Hotel in Cork, Ireland, where he spoke. The room is now the Frederick Douglass Reading Room. Oh gosh, gotta subscribe to follow this journey of yours.
Hi, Willa. Great to hear and thanks for subscribing. Love hearing about the Frederick Douglass reading room at the hotel in Ireland. 🇮🇪 Does he have some sort of historical connection with the country?
He came here in 1845, to avoid capture or worse. He thought to stay a short while, spent four months here. Galvanized support for the abolition movement in Ireland.
In his words:
I can truly say, I have spent some of the happiest moments of my life since landing in this country. I seem to have undergone a transformation. I live a new life. The warm and generous co-operation extended to me by the friends of my despised race—the prompt and liberal manner with which the press has rendered me its aid—the glorious enthusiasm with which thousands have flocked to hear the cruel wrongs of my down-trodden and long-enslaved fellow-countrymen portrayed—the deep sympathy for the slave, and the strong abhorrence of the slaveholder, everywhere evinced—the cordiality with which members and ministers of various religious bodies, and of various shades of religious opinion, have embraced me, and lent me their aid—the kind hospitality constantly proffered to me by persons of the highest rank in society—the spirit of freedom that seems to animate all with whom I come in contact—and the entire absence of everything that looked like prejudice against me, on account of the color of my skin—contrasted so strongly with my long and bitter experience in the United States, that I look with wonder and amazement on the transition.
Who's Frederick Douglass? Even my vanilla heart cringed at that! But I'm in Rochester, NY where both Douglass and Susan B Anthony lived and are buried so poor me just assumed everyone knows them.
Indeed. It was quite the cringeworthy moment
Lovely, DM. Also pure gold? Your language in 'two chocolate souls in a sea of oatmeal.'
Hoo ra. :)
I grew up in a large town on the outskirts of London that had people from all over the world there and I just assumed that everywhere was like that. Then my husband got a job in Nelson, NZ, and we moved there and it was 99% white, a few Maori, one Chinese family and one Indian family. It was a real shock to my multicultural bones!
I grew up in a very white coastal city (small city) in Massachusetts. I moved to L.A. in 1990. Back to my hometown area, Newburyport, MA in 2009. It's still very white around here. Not as white as it used to be, but I sure do miss diversity. My 35 year old daughter does too. She was raised in L.A..
I've read several of your posts recently and I'm hooked. I've been fascinated by tiny glimpses I've gotten over the years into Eastern philosophies. I have a friend who is a Buddhist. I'm going to send you to him. Thanks for the great work and enlightenment.
Glad to hear David. Great to connect and feel free to reach out anytime.
Another great piece Brother… so very relatable.
Thanks brotha. We ought to connect for coffee sometime. Please DM me.
Saul and I had a similar experience long ago, when Mateo was only a baby, in a small Texan town called Forney, in the Dallas-Fortworth metroplex. Long story, but in essence, it felt like we had gone back in time 100 years. It was tough exiting in a town where you had to ask yourself, "Who am I? at every given moment. Feeling observed and questioned, the awkward silence. And yes, sometimes believe it or not, being denied access or service, only because of what one looks like. Who ever decided that "vanilla" is better than strawberry, blue berry, cacao powder, or chocolate? Why should one have to work so hard to justify one's existence, worthiness, sense of belonging, or even just... breathing? I don't believe we were there for more than two months. Unbearable.
I couldn’t imagine that feeling of being the only person like yourself in your environment. Both in melanin and intellectually.
Love Fort Collins but it’s definitely a bubble that doesn’t reflect what America really should be about.
You grew up in Chicago? What's that like? 😂😂 Seriously though, love the different takes from Buddhism, Baha'i and Daoism about what it's like to live in a monocultural environment. Particularly love the bit about human expression being a garden of flowers, from the Baha'i point of view. Looking forward to the release of your new country song "You're in Colorado now" 😂🤣