I was delighted a potential new client! Weeks go by, and it seemed that finding a mutual time to have a meeting was like trying to stay warm while naked in Antarctica - I'm sure its possible haha, and today we proved it - we were both free yay!
Cameras go on and it's like all the memories immediately flooded back. I realised that she did remember me and I remembered her, but we couldn't quite pin it to a particular experience or time. We discuss potential collaboration, the meeting goes well.
We're saying bye. Impulsively i say "wait, I think i have a really important memory of you and it's correct I owe you so much gratitude"
She looks shocked but so intrigued "Ohhh really?" "Yes" - i tell her the story, she didn't even remember much because she said those years at college were a blur for her due to personal reasons. She didn't know the impact she had on me, that she had any impact at all.
"You were a huge reason I kept showing up to that awful class, with such awful students and that racist teacher". She had no idea how that teacher treated me in private or what she did to try to kill my love of literature. She seems delighted, emotional to hear this.
After 10+ years I got to say thank you. To tell her how just a smile every time I walked in that class stopped me from giving up. I told her I got a 1st in BA, got an MA and PhD all in literature. That it was i part due to her being that a reason not to give up
I hope we can collab together but if we don't, I'm grateful to God for the opportunity to say thank you. This is a testament to the words I always (!!!) say: 'I don't think it's possible to be self-made, we are not a whole picture, we are mosaics of all the people we encounter'
We encounter good and bad people and they shape us in some way or another. In the podcast show I recently worked on, i emphasised this a lot, because it uses stained glass windows and talking points for contemporary issues...
Stained glass windows often involve mosiac as a technique, pieces of different shapes and colours, that make one whole. But with all of it, you only see the picture clearly when light shines through. END.
Back to say, I'll be 28 soon. In some ways, being an academic in UK higher education, I feel like 'the young Black girl' again but just bc there are few of us in my field. Just 2 days ago I spoke about the senior Black women academics who champion me, they remind me of *her* ❤️
It's been 2/3 days this week where something has happened that's offered me an opportunity/reminder to give thanks! Gratitude is a must, not least to keep us humble, grounded and compassionate.
Wow didn't expect this to move so many of you! I'm so glad my story of the power of both kindness and, in turn, gratitude could remind us all that light always has victory over darkness. Some are shocked this happened so recently (2012), unfortunately I have more recent stories..
@Nay_Landell Thank you for persevering and sharing this story. This is what we do. We rise above those who try to hold us back. May God give you even more success and keep sharing your story.
@Nay_Landell That is an amazing (and horrifying) story. I'm so impressed by your gumption then, and your lack of rancour now.
@Nay_Landell Amazing thread, thank you for sharing.
@Nay_Landell Thank you for sharing. Love the stained glass/light description.
@Nay_Landell Thank you so much for sharing.
@Nay_Landell That such destructive racist behaviour should have been happening so recently is shocking. I'm glad you found and continue find allies. Consider me one.👍
@Nay_Landell Thank you for sharing this wonderful story -very best wishes to both of you.