Posted by Tagged with Family travel, parenting, roadtrip Posted in Uncategorized

We Are Moving!

BIG NEWS!

We are moving out of our home of 10 years on Juno Avenue in St Paul at the end of August.

Tabby and Ellie will both be moving out to attend colleges on the East Coast, and we will just have Malia and Ivy, ages 11 and 8, with us.  

It’s a new season in our family as our older two kids have both entered adulthood.

Every year, we take time to consider the next year and what it holds.  Both Mark and I have been feeling like we are on the brink of change. We’ve decided not to re-sign our lease, but before moving on to a new home, we are planning a 6 month U.S. road trip.   

We see this family travel as a pilgrimage, a time of learning, and a chance to see God in new faces and places.

The idea for the trip came back in the summer of 2021 while Mark and I were on a drive to Chicago for a wedding. We started noticing license plates from different states and writing them down. We were just dreaming together as we drove down the road and Mark said, “What if we took a trip and made a show called “Where Will We Move?”   

I usually reject these kind of big ideas immediately, but for some reason this time, I felt a resounding, “Yes, Let’s Do It!”  Maybe not a show, but the road trip.  

We told our friends Ross and Jenn about it, and they said they knew a family who had done something similar a few years back.  We set up a meeting with the Schenk family of five and they shared with us stories from their road trip which lasted 9 months and spanned most of the United States.

That meeting gave me faith that this kind of thing was possible.  I had only heard of people traveling longer term with an RV, but this family had stayed in the homes of their friends like we envisioned doing.   

The next step was to tell our kids, our families, and my piano students.  Even though we are only planning to be gone for about 6 months, it will be during the winter months and we will miss the big holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas back in MN.

Mark’s main DJ season ends November 1st and that is when we plan to begin our trip.  He will have occasional weddings and events during the trip and will also be booking future business in MN while we are gone.  I will be taking a break from teaching piano and focusing on homeschooling Malia and Ivy and doing some writing.  

Where will we go?  Where will we stay?

We are in the beginning stages of setting up an itinerary and finding people to host us.   We envision our trip starting in November, lasting 6 months, and covering most of the Southern states.  

Places we know we will be visiting are Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, California, and Utah.    

Let us know if you would be interested in hosting us, or know of people we should meet. 

I want to include Malia and Ivy as a way of keeping in touch with people we care about.  We will document the places we visit, the things we see, and stories we hear in a newsletter called “The Story Hunt”

If you would like to support our travels in a practical way, you can join our patreon community. For $6 a month, we will send you a postcard from the road and our ”Story Hunt” newsletter over email each month starting in November. Enter your email address below to get details on how to follow our upcoming adventures.

Also, let us know if you would like to host us as we come through your state or if you have people you think we should meet or places we must see. 
   

Thanks in advance for your support of this big adventure!

Anna, Mark, Malia and Ivy

Posted by Tagged with Artist Spotlight, Bilingual, Blogging, Mandarin, parenting, Taiwan Posted in Uncategorized

Artist Spotlight – Sunny Horstmann

Are you part of a bilingual family? Do you know someone who is raising their children bilingual?

I chatted with Sunny Horstmann about what it was like to come from Taiwan to America at age 8, her love of language and culture, and her passion to pass these on to her children. Sunny and her husband currently reside in Kansas City, but in the early years of marriage lived in Taiwan for 3 years. After their first child was born, they moved across the world from Taiwan to rural Minnesota.

Moving to a small town where they were the only Mandarin speakers was challenging at first. One day at the farmers market, Sunny met a family who asked her to teach their daughter Chinese. This 1st grader began going over to Sunny’s house 4 afternoons a week for language lessons. About this time, Sunny also started a blog and began writing about her experiences in bilingual parenting. She also used the blog to share educational resources with other parents.

I love the fact that Sunny didn’t give up her dream of speaking only Mandarin to her young daughter in a community where she was the only one speaking the language. She could have easily said, ”This too hard. We are just going to speak English like everyone else.” Instead, she continued to live out her convictions. She started her blog as a creative outlet, and a way to connect with other families like hers around the world. Little did she know how much interest there would be and the impact she would make.

The blog has expanded and Sunny now has an instagram and facebook page as well She has also offered an online course along with personal coaching.

When I asked Sunny how she would describe herself, she said ”I’m a cheerleader for bilingual parents!” It’s so true. In one short conversation, I saw this unique gift on full display. Sunny is an example of a midlife creative who saw a need in her own life and wondered ”Are there others like me that need encouraging? How can I help?” Then she dived in and began to fill that need.

Here are a few examples of resources Sunny shares on her Instagram: printables, activities for holidays, language learning tips, lists of childrens books in Chinese, and articles for parents. It is a gold mine of content for anyone interested in learning about the joys and challenges of being a bilingual family.

Dustin and Sunny are a really wonderful couple with a huge heart for other people, but they will be the first to tell you life isn’t easy. They have walked through some challenges including miscarriage and infertility. When they found out they were pregnant with a 2nd child, they saw it as a miracle.

Coming out of a difficult season, Sunny felt God asking her the question, ”What do you want?” Can you dream again and share with me instead of saying its too hard?” Sunny admitted to God and to her husband that her dream was to go back to Taiwan and deliver her baby there. It looked like an impossibility, but as some of you know, God really loves surprising his kids when they begin dreaming. All the puzzle pieces fell into place and Sunny and Dustin and their daughter traveled to Taiwan and stayed 3 1/2 months.

Another miracle was that the same midwife that delivered their first child years earlier contacted them and offered to deliver their second baby in her home.

Did you know that after women have a baby in Taiwan they stay in a Postpartum Care Center for up to a month? You read that right! No going home to tough it out a day after giving birth. Sunny was given wonderful care, nutritious meals, and lots of TLC for both herself and the baby. She stayed for about 3 weeks. I asked if all women get this kind of special attention after giving birth. She said that it is the norm, and those who don’t go to the center get a postpartum doula who comes into the home to cook and perform the household duties during the first month. Pretty amazing, I’d say!

If you are interested in living or traveling in Taiwan, bilingual parenting, or tips on learning a language, you can catch up on Sunny’s wealth of writing and resources at https://spotofsunshine.com/ or on Instagram and Facebook @spotofsunshinechinese.

Thanks Sunny for sharing your experiences and knowledge! You are a gift to your family and to the world! Keep being that cheerleader and don’t forget to surround yourself with others who will cheer for you too!

Posted by Tagged with family, mothering, parenting, teenagers Posted in Uncategorized

My Love for You

My love for you is not dependent on 

Getting good grades

Winning a contest 

Looking a certain way

Being popular

Getting a driver’s license 

Having friends

Graduating

Going to college

My love for you is not dependent on 

Your gender identity

Your sexual orientation

The state of your mental health

The state of your physical health

What religion you choose or don’t choose 

Your social status or wealth 

My love for you will not change if

You get cancelled on the Internet

Arrested

Suspended

Fired

Pregnant 

Or need to move back home someday 

***

My love for you is not dependent on

If you marry

If you have children 

If you live close by or far away


***

You are not a disappointment to me.  

I may be disappointed in circumstances

Or my shattered expectations

I may be surprised by things you say 

Or frustrated with how things turn out 

I may hurt if you are hurting 

And get angry and want to blame 

I may say things I regret 

I may even make you feel like you are

A disappointment

But, you’re not.  

***

My love for you will always remain

For as long as I breath, you are my child

You cannot earn this love

You cannot change this love

You cannot lose this love 

This love for you is fierce

And it’s never going away

Posted by Tagged with family, parenting Posted in Uncategorized

2021 Family Update

Here are my top 5 highs and 2 lows from 2021. It really was hard to narrow it down.


HIGHS

5. Camping at Pattison State Park. Those of you who know me well, know that I love being outdoors. We have slowly started to dip our toes into the world of camping – very slowly. We found this gem of a state park just over the border in Wisconsin thanks to our friends @volkmanadventures on Instagram. This park had two beautiful waterfalls, a swimming beach, and was just a short drive to Duluth.

Tabby invited a friend who was a great addition to the camping crew.

4. Outdoor Piano Recital. As a piano teacher, I missed gathering with my students during 2020 and was thrilled when one of my piano families agreed to host an outdoor spring recital in their huge front yard. Mark set up speakers and I used my Clavinova which is easy to transport. We had two recitals in the same day to accommodate my 30+ students and all their families. It was a sunny and joyous day!

3. Spark Studio. My husband, Mark, saw an empty basement in his friend Bryn’s office and decided it had potential. He made it into a studio space complete with custom artwork, lighting, and furniture from Facebook marketplace. He began hosting small concerts and gatherings to connect with new and old friends who are musicians. Through this experience Mark has realized his gift of “placemaking”


2. Back to School. After a long stretch of distance learning and online piano teaching, our kids all got to go back to school in person. Even though we are still in masks and not able to enter the buildings as parents or meet the teachers in person, it is still quite thrilling to be back after the year we had. Ellie got to go to college at Mount Holyoke on the East Coast in August which was both a high and low as I grieved and celebrated seeing my oldest enter adulthood. Ellie flew out on their own and and my sister in law helped with the move-in. We all went out to visit over Thanksgiving and were able to see the campus (or at least the outside of the buildings)

Here’s Ellie at Mount Holyoke showing off a theater festival they were a part of.

1. Punta Cana. My obvious top High for 2021 was our 20th anniversary trip to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic in January. It was the trip dreams are made of. Mark and I stayed at an all inclusive resort and spent a whole week lounging by the pool, on the beach, eating, drinking, and being together. It was AMAZING.

LOWS

Nobody likes to share lows but they are a very real part of life. This year 2 lows come to mind immediately.

1. I had a hysterectomy for uterine prolapse in May and spent a full 6 weeks recovering at home. I am happy to have it behind me.

2. This year was especially challenging for my 2 oldest young adult children as they dealt with physical and mental health challenges. It was hard for me to see them both struggling and not knowing how I could help.

Why Reflect? Thinking back on the year brings into focus what we care about. It helps us embrace a full range of emotions from joy to grief to frustration to hope. I hope you will take time to think about your highs and lows and share them with me or others in your life. Happy New Year!

Posted by Tagged with childhood memories, family, parenting Posted in Uncategorized

My Dad

My Dad woke up before the sun (4:30am sometimes). He read his Bible, wrote in his notebook, made his eggs or oatmeal, and did his paper route. .


Dad had already had a full morning before the rest of the family rolled out of bed. There were 7 of us kids. My youngest brother was born when I was 17, so there was 2-3 years between each of us.


My Dad was a teacher. Even though he is retired now, he still teaches us. That is who he is. He taught at Holy Redeemer Catholic School for 12 years. I liked how he always spoke respectfully about the nuns and the school even though he wasn’t Catholic. It helped me realize how important it is to respect and learn from many faith traditions.

He left that job to help a group of parents start a non-denominational Christian School. It was a big project; starting a school from nothing. It began with a handful of students grades 1-4 and then a grade was added each year. I was a part of the first 4th grade class. It was a one room school house of sorts at the beginning. There were multiple grades sharing the same teacher. He taught there for the rest of his career. The school had very humble beginnings. Dad was one of the people who made a lot of sacrifices to keep it going.


One thing that stands out in my mind is how Dad stayed after school to help kids who needed extra help. It was always the same kids. I’m sure it required a lot of patience, but Dad never seemed frustrated. He whistled a lot and had a strong faith that sustained him.


Dad’s specialty was science and I always knew he was in awe of nature. I remember him listening to a certain cassette tape while we washed dishes after supper. It was a man explaining how small humans are in relation to the galaxies in the universe. He loved that tape.

We would often go hiking at Camden State Park and Dad would a stop and point out different plants, trees, and mushrooms along the path. He also loved showing us how to classify leaves each fall.

My Dad valued my mom and always put her first. They were opposites in many ways, but a good match.
When I was young, my parents did foster care for adults with disabilities. Then, for a season, Grandma Shirley moved in with them and then my Uncle Gary. They cared for many people in need. More than I even know about.


I am so happy to have been born an Oglesby.
Thanks Dad for all the sacrifices you have made, both known and unknown. I love you.





Posted by Tagged with family, parenting Posted in Uncategorized

How My Kids Changed Me

“Learn to love the kid you have, not the kid you thought you would have.”

When I was pregnant with my first child, I had my idea of how it would go. I imagined the birth and the early years. I always pictured my life with kids. It was a dream of mine. I thought being a mom would be the easiest thing in the world.

My kids would be sweet and quiet and thoughtful. They would enjoy reading, music, and participating in church activities. As teenagers, they would teach preschool Sunday school and go on mission trips to third world countries. They would love going to the library and ask me daily to read aloud to them. My kids would never raise their voices or speak unkindly. They would eat everything on their plates and always say thank you. They would never struggle with depression or anxiety. They would share with me everything on their minds and would most definitely never tell a lie.

I now see how clueless I was about parenting.
Here’s how I see it now, 19 years in.


Being a parent is seemingly endless days of taking care of another tiny human like nothing else matters. These days and sleepless nights turn into months and years. The cute babies turn into toddlers with tantrums and fevers and strange illnesses you never knew existed. When the diaper stage ends, you throw a celebration and breathe a collective sigh.

Early elementary school means finally getting a break (unless you homeschool) and re-assessing your priorities. You get a little bit of your life back and start sleeping through the night. These are the gravy years. There is the occasional case of head lice or stomach flu or a trip to the ER in the middle of the night, but overall it’s a great time for posting every moment with your adorable child on Facebook and Instagram.

School can be exhausting for some kids and if your kid is bullied, you feel it too. Picky eaters are a real thing (God, why?!) I never imagined I would give birth to a picky eater. If your child is neuro-divergent, you can become overwhelmed when you realize your kid isn’t like their peers. If your kid is __________ (fill in your own blank), you realize that the real marathon of being a supportive cheerleader for your child is just beginning.

Middle school and highschool bring questions like “What about cell phones and social media?” “What about dating and sex?” “What about friends and parties, curfews, jobs, driving?” You feel like you are always worried and wondering if you are doing things right.

As the years go by, you begin to get a glimpse of who your child is becoming. Their strengths and talents emerge. You have some proud moments where you see all the years of investment begin to bear fruit. There are also days when you say “What the hell?!” You find yourself swearing a lot more than usual. And also praying a lot more than usual.

Here is what I know. Not all are meant to have kids. I appreciate those who have chosen not to have kids or those who are unable to have kids just as much as those who do.

This post is mostly to say to those who are early in the kid game, be careful to keep an open mind and let your kids become who they are meant to be, not who you expect them to be. I now realize that if my kids would have become who I expected they would be, I would have never had the opportunity to grow and change into who I am becoming. My kids have helped make me stronger, wiser, and better. They have helped broaden my perspective and given me a greater empathy for people who are different than me. They have kept me curious, humble, and dependent on God and others.

Thanks kids! This momma is forever grateful for each of you being YOU!




Posted by Tagged with autism, parenting, special needs kids Posted in Uncategorized

My kid isn’t like the others


When I see parents posting first day of school pictures of their kids with smiling faces heading off to school, I can’t help but think of the kids like mine, who found the school environment incredibly challenging.

My oldest has overcome a multitude of obstacles and is facing college head on this year, but it has not been easy. School has always been exhausting for Ellie, as someone on the autism spectrum. Bright fluorescent lights, noise, timed tests, confusing social interactions with peers, and the never ending feeling of being over stimulated. As parents, we wish our kids felt more at home in the world – and in the schools that are designed to fit some kids, but not all kids.

For those with ADHD, autism, sensory processing issues, anxiety, and other challenges, school can be extremely difficult. I remember looking around at parents of the “normal” kids in those smiling back to school pictures and thinking “they have no idea how easy they have it”. Nobody told us in the childbirth and early childhood classes how hard this would be. The formulas in the parenting books just don’t work for us. We’ve tried, believe me.

If you are a parent of an atypical child, I’m thinking of you as I see the back to school pics being posted. You want your kid to fit in, or at the very least, have someone to sit with at lunch. You want to shield them from embarrassment and pain. You want them to not just survive, but thrive. You want them to be themselves and be embraced for who they are.

Many teens like mine have found ways to cope in this world through therapy, medicine, and finding community with others who are like them.

If you are a young parent, worried about your child being different and not knowing where to turn, I know that feeling. I’ve been there. I remember having another parent tell me that their 1st grader could not be friends with my first grader because my child “couldn’t control themselves”. That hurt. I have also been in social situations where my child was having a meltdown and a roomful of people were staring at me as I helplessly stood there, not knowing what to do.

Parenting these amazing, unique kids is challenging, confusing, and overwhelming at times. I know you are doing your best and you are your child’s biggest cheerleader. I applaud you and encourage you to take a break and look after yourself. It’s gonna be ok. School is hard for kids like ours. Sometimes we get tired and pull them out, because it’s easier than seeing them suffer in an environment where their needs are not understood. Other times, we keep them in school and advocate for them, finding accommodations that help them to do their best. No kid is alike and there is no ready made solution. It is just plain hard, and I see that now more than ever.

My hope in writing this is for at least one parent of an atypical child to know they are not alone. If you have a friend who you know is struggling to understand their child and the challenges of school, reach out to them and listen. An understanding friend can make a world of difference for a parent who feels alone.

This photo of Ellie brings me joy. It communicates the life and joy that Atypical kids bring into the world. They are intense, sensitive, persistent, and we love them for it.

Posted by Tagged with evolving faith, parenting, parenting teens Posted in Uncategorized

When one sentence changes everything

How can one sentence change the course of a life? How can one sentence change how you see a person?
How can one sentence change how you see the world?

The time I’ve been thinking about when a sentence changed everything was when my oldest child was 14. We were driving in the car and had just arrived home from a church event. There was a long silence, and then Ellie said, “Mom, I need to tell you something.” I took a deep breath because it seemed like it was something big, but I couldn’t imagine what? Then Ellie said in a barely audible voice,

“I don’t believe in God. I’m not a Christian.”

This was after a time of worship where Ellie was singing, with eyes closed and arms raised. I said “Well, why were you worshipping like you were tonight?” To that, Ellie replied, “I didn’t want to hurt you. I was pretending.”
Ellie has always known that my faith is very important and I assumed that all my kids would follow me down the same road of beliefs. Much later, Ellie told me they had felt this way for 3 years and felt pained to go to church and “fake it” and that’s why they decided to sign up to work in the nursery so they wouldn’t have to listen to the sermons.
I was in complete shock.
What now?

In the days that followed, a neighbor told me about the Liturgists podcast. The early episodes feature a worship leader and a Sunday school teacher who talk about their complete loss of faith, while continuing to lead worship and teach on Sunday mornings, unbeknownst to their family and church members.

I started to look around in my church and wonder if there were others who were “faking it”. How many people in the room had doubts that this whole Christian/God thing was real? How many people were there to please their friends and loved ones or out of habit, but in their heart of hearts, didn’t buy it.

I started reading books by authors who had went through faith deconstruction and disillusionment. I started to have my own doubts. Instead of seeing the good in the church, I started seeing everything that was wrong. I didn’t feel like reading the Bible anymore and prayer felt empty. This went on for several years. I read a book called The Critical Journey about the stages of faith and realized I was going through something called “the wall”. There was no way around it. I was just going to be there for awhile. I started meeting with a mature spiritual friend who listened and helped me walk through where I was at. We have met monthly for the last 4 years. I’ve begun to see that asking questions is an important part of a maturing faith. It is normal and should be embraced instead of feared. Now, when someone tells me they have been hurt by the church or don’t understand the faith of their child or teen years anymore, I don’t feel surprised or worried like I once would have. I am actually drawn to people with doubts because they tend to be more authentic and tell you the whole truth.

Am I back to “loving church” again? Yes, but in a very different way. I assume the best from people, while all the while, expecting that they will disappoint me. I don’t look to Sunday mornings as the centerpiece of my life, but a small part of the whole. I do not see church as a building and I don’t see it as a small group of people. It is wider than that and extends beyond the small minded barriers we construct in our tiny human brains. I have more questions than answers and nothing seems impossible to consider. I do love Jesus and He is my model for loving others. I find myself praying again and looking forward to doing life with God’s people in whatever setting that may be. Around a table, at the piano, on a hike, or in a time of prayer or conversation. I see God’s people as those who have accepted His gifts and those who have not. God created all and includes all at the table. No exceptions.

The sentence spoken by my firstborn 5 years ago has taken me on quite a trip and I’m better for it. Thanks Ellie, for your honesty. Love you tons!




Posted by Tagged with family, home, parenting Posted in Uncategorized

Room Redos and Switcharoos

Hi Friends!

It’s been awhile since I last posted, and thought it was time for an update. Ellie ended up not going to college as planned. She is staying home and taking classes online due to the Covid-19 thing that you might have heard about. My first thought when plans changed was, “What about our promise to Malia that she would get her own room this year?” My 9 year old was supposed to take the college student’s room when she moved out. Now what?

Much to my surprise, my 17 year old offered to give up her room and share with her 6 year old sister. Why? I have no idea.

I think she was feeling sorry for me and wanted to help. We all live for these rare moments when our kids surprise us.

Here are a few pics of how the switching of bedrooms turned out. I wish I would have taken some “before” pics, but unfortunately I wasn’t that organized. This all came together rather quickly.
So….here are the finished rooms.


Malia’s Room. (this room used to be bright red, blue, and yellow. I wish I would have taken before pictures)

Malia’s vision was “black and white with fake plants”
Here is Tabby and Ivy’s new room. Colors chosen were pastel blue, yellow, and pink. All the furniture we already had but was painted new colors. The bunk beds were the largest piece to paint. I also need to remind myself for future that this used to be Mark and my room so all of our furniture and clothing had to be moved before Tabby could get started. Tabby did the entire room from start to finish.
Desk area. My favorite part of the room.
Photo Collage (one of several)
reading corner. notice the lights, fake greens, flowers and paper cranes hung across the ceiling. It looks much cooler in person than in photos.

Having every person in our family of 6 switch bedrooms (except Ellie) was a huge undertaking, but I’m really glad we did it. I will show you Mark and my room in a future post.

Posted by Tagged with parenting, Racism, social justice Posted in Uncategorized

My kids are teaching me about racism

A common question these days on social media is “How are you teaching your kids about racism?”
I wish I had an amazing 5 step answer that showed that I am the most woke mom ever, but I’ve got nothing.

I’m a white woman who grew up in a white town, in a white family, going to a white school, and a white church. I was never taught about slavery, lynchings, hate crimes, prejudice, white supremacy, or the genocide of indigenous people. I am an avoider who was raised by avoiders. We didn’t tackle hard conversations, pick fights, or raise our voices (except when we were shouting, “Praise the Lord”.

My life has been sheltered and safe. but the time has come when continuing to live that safe, comfortable life while ignoring the cries of my black, immigrant, and native brothers and sisters shouting “Help us, Please help us!!” is not ok.

Their cries are growing louder. The cries have come in the form of protests, riots, looting, writing, poetry, art, films, and songs of lament. Their cries have been going on for hundreds of years and everytime there is a tragic news story where a person of color is killed or wrongfully accused, we notice for a few weeks and then the white people like me forget and go back to life as usual. Why do we forget? Because we are not affected.

As a white woman, I can’t remember ever having a reason to fear the police or fear being jailed for a crime I didn’t commit. I have not feared that my children would be taken from me. I have not feared that I would be refused a job or house or promotion because of how I look or speak. I’ve never had people pass to the other side of the street when I walk by or roll up their window and avoid eye contact when I pull up beside them at a stoplight. I’ve never felt bullied or targeted by a teacher or worried that I wouldn’t graduate.

When I moved to the city, I began to encounter people of color on a daily basis. My first opportunities were through my kids. I learned that kids are really good at teaching us how to love ALL. My daughter, Tabby, has always been one of my best teachers. I remember her pushing me to call her friend Zaynab’s mom in 4th grade so they could have a play date. Her friend was Somali and her mom didn’t speak much English. Tabby was so persistent and that persistence pushed me out of my comfort zone and into a friendship with this lovely Muslim woman.

I have not done much to teach my kids about racism, but they have surely taught me. The friends my kids have made over the years in Minneapolis and St Paul have opened my eyes to whole groups of people I knew nothing about.

Austin Channing Brown in her book I’m Still Here. Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness says, “I need a love that is troubled by injustice. A love that is provoked to anger when black folks, including our children lie dead in the streets….a love that has no tolerance for hate, no excuses for racist decisions, no contentment for status quo.”

After the George Floyd killing, Tabby was the one who pushed me to join her at a protest. She encountered the kind of love Austin Channing Brown speaks of at these protests. She felt the heat and it ignited a spark in her that I am convinced can do nothing but grow. She has come home from these events and shared stories told of unacceptable injustices. Seeing her passion has ignited a spark in me too. We all have a choice to make. Will we engage in this discussion about poverty, race, and immigration, or will we ignore it or deny it?

I am now finally ready to listen and learn from my black brothers and sisters. I’m ready to stop hiding and show up. “Showing up” looks different for everyone, but however looks, I hope it leads to a world where more people start seeing black as beautiful.