Just a few hours ago, I returned from something called The Sankofa Journey. Each week, I participate in a weekly creative arts challenge on the Facebook page of my sister’s company. This week’s theme was “bunnies,” so I wrote the following piece as one way to begin processing my Sankofa experience:
The Soulful Bunny Hop
Started in Chicago, hopped down to Birmingham
Four little girls, God rest their souls
Saw the park where young people stood up for Right
Hopped down to Montgomery
Saw the site of the voter’s right march
Saw Dexter Avenue Baptist Church
Saw a list of people who were killed because of hate – but their families don’t
even know yet…decades later, discoveries are still being made
Hopped over to Selma
Walked the Edmund Pettus bridge and sang songs of my people
Hopped over to Jackson
(but not before stopping in Demopolis for soul food…ribs so tender they fell
right off the bone…and yes, there was peach cobbler!)
Saw The John Perkins Center (for Racial Reconciliation)
It was Sunday, so yes, we had CHU’CH! (Reminded that, just as He was with
Moses and Joshua, God is with us today in this struggle.)
Hopped up to Memphis
Saw the Lorraine Hotel…room 306…the balcony where he died. Even saw room
5B of Bessie Brewer’s Boarding House…and am reminded of our call to forgive
Saw the Slave Haven – a stop on the Underground Railroad. Was reminded that I
am the descendant of a strong, resilient and clever people. Warriors.
Saw Beale Street…and a plate of chicken and waffles at Miss Polly’s – got
sho nuff “sancti-fried!”
Hopped up to Portage (Indiana) and unpacked our experiences…continuing to learn
and grow and be challenged by each other
Hopped up from Portage to Chicago
What a ride, what a ride!