Tag: letters
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A Four-Page Letter to Black Women Who Work, Teach or Learn in Higher Ed Spaces
Abstract: Don’t work at North Park University without an exit plan. Don’t attend North Park University as a student of color without being prepared to advocate for your needs—often alone. Please accept this as my letter of resignation from the Assistant Director of Student Success, Careers, and Internships role at North Park University. If you…
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Them Project Kids | Poetry
I used to think I looked presidential here. Maybe I should rename this to “from the PJs to the Presidency.”
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A Moment of Gratitude
After a long night of filming, I realized I should say thank you! So, I went live on Facebook… at 12:00 a.m. …Yep! That’s how much you meant to me! In this video: 🎥• I say THANK YOU to you! 🥰• I talk about why I started my blog! 💻• I share the meaning behind…
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Oh, But After This!
I stayed up a little late last night finalizing my monologue for this weekend while on the Art of Transparency Tour stop in Memphis. It’s a gritty take on my life story. Raw, real… and I hope I don’t ugly cry at the end… 🥴😂 For tickets: bit.ly/aotmemphis —Sincerely, Tyra **COVID protocol will be followed…
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Prayer of Preparation
Dear God, Your mercy amazes me. We have such little time on this plane and yet we consume ourselves with trivial things + mere minuscule seconds compared to the glorious permanence we’ll find at home with You. Why do we use our time so frivolously? Why do we have so many temporary lapses of judgment…
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New Quarter = New Goals Accomplished
You know, I think I’ve always wanted to start a clothing line. I vividly remember sketching designs for our cheerleading uniforms in grammar school and re-designing all the hottest Nikes I couldn’t afford. I was customizing Nike’s before it was ever an option on a website. So earlier this year when I decided that I…
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What About Self-Awareness?
I want to hide… Literally just want to get under the covers, ball up like a baby and hide. Why? Because of this feeling of rejection—and how I chose to respond to it. Disclaimer: This post is going to share my flawed reactions to a recent male friend’s choice to be in a relationship with…
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Defining Black Womanhood: A Conversation with us, by us, and for us
Good morning Family! I pray that you are all healthy, happy, and adhering to the Shelter-in-Place guidelines in your area. #StayAtHome (as much as possible). There has been so many movement-building moments happening in the past couple of weeks. I have been participating in marches, reading up on the Black Panthers and Toni Morrison, researching…
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No Cap. | Only a Prayer.
God, this afternoon, I want You to know that You are appreciated. There are so many times in my life when I have been distracted and forgotten who You are, have been, and continuously will be. So, in this moment, I am making time in my day and making room in my mind to put…
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Go Vote—with Your Children!
Listen, sometimes what looks like an obstacle is actually an opportunity! If you can, take the babies with you to vote today. It’s a reason they are out of school and we are off work at the same time! It’s the perfect opportunity for them to see the process and learn something. My Joy had…
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The Black Woman | Poem
This womb was created to create life These hands made to make magic These feet and legs, stand stronger than a pyramid, immovable during struggles This heart pumps blood of Ghanaian warriors and American freedom fighters This hair grows closer to the sun each day, vivid reminder of my royalty She sustains a legacy far…
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Chicago Peace Project Revisited
(Politickin: The Chicago Peace Project participants discussing future goals, ancient societies, and their favorite cartoons while creating art in trauma-informed breakout sessions facilitated by the Teen Arts Council members.) (Drop Me Off at the L: Teen Arts Council members facilitate an icebreaker called Mr. Taxi Driver for The Chicago Peace Project participants.) Is it still…
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#SlayTheDream | A Catalyst Story
I realized a long time ago that when you start wanting better for yourself, people might want to tear you down or destroy your vision…
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Move on, Sis!
“If we both wanted the same thing, we would be in a relationship right now.” I had to explain to my friend that I knew this because he never made a deciding move. Don’t get me wrong now, we’re not on bad terms. We don’t hate each other. We simply aren’t meant to be committed…
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You are INSPIRING | #GRWM
Dear Righteous and Holy Father, I’m sure You heard me say that I would close out this year on “Cloud Nine,” praising You and blessing Your Name for all this goodness that You have done thus far…. I think right as I was saying that the devil asked You if He could try me. There…
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#DearSelf
Honestly, I haven’t been feeling like myself lately… Then, I remembered I’m cut from a different cloth: I’m a Queen. I’m genuine and caring. I have goals achieved and that are making progress. I’m stronger than I give myself credit for. AND, I know my purpose. So despite everything, I was born to win. Women…
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#DearSelf
Dear Self: Stop trying to compact your love in their tiny box. It’s too huge; too vast; and too much a thing to be marvelled. Not at all a fixture to be hidden or revealed by decision of a weak ego needing to be stroked. –Sincerely, Tyra
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Worth the Work
Writing this post thinking of some of the ways that I have blocked my own blessings in the past: A. By moving too fast, B. by trusting too quickly (yes, there’s a difference between trusting people and being naive like I was), C. by doing my own thing out of pride, D. and by not…
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Prayed Up | An Excerpt
She is gospel and spoken word all at once. Healing and remedies summonsed at her command. Who would dare stand in doubt about her strength? Or the length of her care? The type you pray that you stay in her prayers. —Sincerely, Tyra
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Comments on Control and Being Still
Bruh, here’s a not-so-secret secret: I struggle with being in control. If I’m being real, I can paint a picture for you. Give me a second… Okay, so: A. Sometimes, I roll my eyes at people who I think don’t know what they’re doing instead of helping them. B. Although I’ll say when I’m wrong,…
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Breakthrough Prayer
Dear God, Help me bring everything to You FIRST. Every dream. Every concern. Every responsibility. Every decision. Every relationship. Every battle. Every opportunity. Every obstacle. Every health issue. Every need for healing. Every trial. Every step outside my home. Every job promotion. Every difficult conversation. Every worry. Every idea. Every victory. Every sin. Everything, God.…
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Happy Mother’s Day!
Yo I’m tired now that I’m actually sitting still —BY MYSELF. Finally. Hosted an event, facilitated class today, and an hour and a half-long admin meeting. But God gave me the strength… This is a Gal. 6:9 moment. Just being able to sit still, alone. Grateful for a day filled with great conversations, but I…
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Voice and Freedom
I used to be “the quiet one” in the family. But my fam knew how to uplift me stoically. Voice is still only revealed or reeled in when necessary—mostly to heighten the sound of another’s. It’s tougher out here for the introverted mind that’s alerted by the time we usually tend to run out of…
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Eartha-Ntozake Mashup
“From the Desk of Eartha-Ntozake: Interesting how that works for a woman—brown-braided and radical like myself. I can be as fragile as flower and as submissive as a servant. And yet, it’s always been the ones that said they want a woman who has something to offer the world that leave me abandoned. So they’ll…
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Light, Zest, Space | #GRWM
“Light, space, zest!” This whole idea that God our light, the creator of every space, and our zest/spice of life is really special. It’s a simple reminder that God is really everything and with Him, I should have no fears! I mean in the NIV version it literally says WHO shall I fear? Well, whom actually, but you…
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#HealitGod: Fear of Love
I read somewhere that God can’t heal what you are unprepared to reveal. This is an interesting concept that requires us to do a bit of work. Mainly, if you are not in the mindset to be self-reflective and confess your flaws and sins to God, they’ll remain thorns in your side. As my relationship…
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Free Woman
No one wants a free woman. They want us to be small and contained, unopinonated and ashamed of all our own ideas. When I say, “Stop that. It hurts me.” They’d rather recall how strong I was before and parade my wounds around like a trophy. I just want to be a free woman, full…
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I talked to God in Public.
I think I’ve just now decided to call this what it is. I’m not a preacher, not an evangelist or a even a great intercessor. But I am consistent. And I’ve been consistently praying over us. Yes, even you–who I may not know. But you’re reading this right now–so yes, definitely you, too. There’s a…
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18 Love Lessons I Learned in 2018
I took some time to reflect on my relationships. This list represents the love (and sometimes lackluster love) that I experienced in the form of my family ties, friendships, and more intimate relationships. Ultimately, I realized that I should pay special attention to the ones that were blessings and found some important lessons in the…
