cookies for Dr. King.

At The Dr. King soul food dinner 1/19/09



Life is full of redemptive moments.
On Saturday I was at my old apartment which is the same place we store the DinoMights equipment. I lived in this building 2.5 yrs. ago. The year I lived at the 4 plex honestly was one of the most stretching years of my life in so many ways.

5 beautiful girls lived below me, and moved to a nearby suburb 6 months into my stay at the apartment. we lost track of one another through phone numbers changing, and I thought I would never see them again. WELL, this Saturday I saw some familar faces walking down the street. They moved back to the 4 plex 2.5 years later! The oldest is now 12. When I lived at the 4 plex the youngest ( LaShanti) was 3, now she is 6 and in Kindergarten! They invited me up to their apartment, and I got to spend some time with their Mom. The place was super clean, and their Mom is going back to school. LaShanti is the cousin of the 4 girls. Sadly, she stays at a homeless shelter with her Mom & younger brother. Arteshia, the oldest of the bunch had a birthday yesterday. She asked if we could make cookies on Monday for Dr. King. The girls ended up coming over to make cookies, attend a soul food dinner at my church, and a service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We also watched the " I have a dream" speech in my living room.

As LaShanti ( the youngest) saw this middle age African American man enter the balcony at church she said " LEAH, LEAH! Is that Dr. King right there?" I am not sure if anyone had ever explained to her that he is no longer living. As the kids were given rides home, and their bellies were full of greens, macaroni, potato salad, and fried chicken their voices bellowed the words to "We shall overcome." Children are our hope, and as one man at church told them this evening they are the future...

BELOW: FALL 2006

Ominee a.k.a "Diva" ( age 7) & LaShanti ( age 3)

L to R: Zikia(age 6),Arteshia (age 10), Ominee(7), and Lanaya( age 5)


BELOW: Making "Dr. King" cookies 1/19/09


LaShanti ( age 6) & Lanaya ( age 7)


Zikia ( age 8), Arteshia ( age 12) & Lanaya (age 7)

Better People

I am without a doubt an extrovert, but I am not a verbal processor. Many times I find myself daydreaming, or stuck in my own head...

Often, I am struck by the hope that lies in humanity... I am also continually in awe of how much our lives intersect..

My friend Marta moved here from Poland a little over a year ago. A few weeks ago she shared dinner with her husband, her sister & her boyfriend, a few Muslim individuals from Yemen, a Hindu couple, and a few other people. She was expressing to me how much can happen through conversation and the sharing of food. All of the cultures surrounding the table were drastically different, some even from countries fighting wars with one another...

On Saturday I ended up getting in a long conversation with an individual in my neighborhood regarding public schools, social work, and justice. This individual was so refreshing to talk to because he was not afraid to ask REALLY tough questions. Our conversation sparked something within, and I haven't been able to stop processing it.

Then today at church I was once again influenced by the crazy interconnectedness of our lives. During the offering portion of the service our pastor always explains that our lives are meant as an offering.. It is a time where we share moments of pain, petition, and protest before the congregation. The church I attend is diverse both culturally and generation ally. After the service the church always provides a drop-in meal to the homeless. Lately, a way larger number of the homeless have been attending the church service. During the offering people shared concerns for friends they know in Palestine dealing with the issues in Gaza, others shared personal tragedies within their own family, some shared moments of joy announcing they were expecting their first child, some shared that they are seekign employment, one woman shared that she has been sober for 5 months ... Today, we also had communion. Our pastor always randomly chooses 2 people from the congregation to serve communion together. He seems to choose individuals who would appear quite different from one another. Today, he chose an African American man in his late 30's who is homeless, and myself. This was a humbling experience... As Christ's body was broken for each of us, and his blood shed for us... As we approach a year of new beginnings... May we live in the hope that is found in Christ.. A man who came to this earth to LOVE, not to divide... May we continually recognize our stories are woven together into a beautiful tapestry and we cannot forget that we belong to each other.

India Arie says it best...


"Better People"

Yeah Yeah!
Yeah Yeah!


I wish there was a video game
to teach you your ancestors name
I wish there was a phone number

like 1-800-Save-Your-Brother
I'm thankful for the radio station
Not afraid to put the truth in rotation

there are skirts of information
That you can only get in conversation when...

[Chorus:]
Young People, who talk to
Old People, it would make us
Better People, all around...
(Yes it would)

And if Old People would talk to
Young People, it would make us
Better People, all around....
(Yes it would)

[Verse 2:]
We went from radio to TV
Now we're going from LP to CD
Don't be afraid

To try something new
I can help you with the brand new technology
Help me with the age old philosophy
Together there's so much we can do when

[Chorus:]
Young People, who talk to
Old People, it would make us
Better People, all around...

And if Old People would talk to
Young People, it would make us
Better People, all around....

They say that every
Generation gets worse
They call it a generational curse

These problems don't just drop out the sky (yeah)
Listen to Mahatma Ghandi's words
Be the change you want to see in the world
Start with yourself and healing will multiply
AAAAAAH, that's what happens When..

[Chorus:]
Young People, who talk to
Old People, it would make us
Better People, all around...

If Old People would talk to
Young People, it would.....
Better People, all around....

If black people
Would talk to white people
It would make us
Better People
All Around....

If Republican people would
Talk to Democratic people
It would make us diplomatic people
[laugh] All Around.....

2009...shine.

2008 is old... 2009 is new. Happy New Year!
I thank God for another year.. full of many changes, struggles, joys, and all that is in between.

We took the DinoMights to Feed my Starving Children again this year.. We had 35 youth partcipate, with 10 adult volunteers.


Yesterday I went to the pow-wow to watch three of my neighbors dance.



Overall I am looking forward to 09. I am not really into resolutions..( more into life goals/dreams) Some exciting things are coming up though:
-finishing my last semester of classes for grad school
-taking voice lessons ( many of you know I DO NOT sing.. )
-cabin weekend with the friends
-January 20th...! ( Gobama)
...and many other shennanigans.