Wednesday, February 23, 2011

A Letter for Pop-Pop

As some of you may know, my grandfather, also known as Pop-Pop, recently passed away. I wrote this letter for him and read it during the funeral...

Dear Pop-Pop,

Thank you for all of the memories, for all of your advice, for your encouragement and for your support throughout the years. Thank you, especially for sharing your stories and wisdom.

Because of you, we know red light cameras aren't for our safety, they're for the money. We know mountain goats eat the paper off the cans, even if we never established where the cans come from in the first place. We know how to dance the Charleston...with a chair. We even know how to flip a fork off a table. And, because of you, we know how to effectively get rid of mice. Correction: April knows how to get rid of mice. I was grossed out and ran back inside the house to watch "The Price is Right" and soap operas with Nanny.

Thank you for getting us out of trouble when we were younger. You were our protector and April's partner in crime. As long as we were with you, nothing could hurt us. Thank you, also, for teaching us the value of a dollar. A buck for helping you back in the day was a big deal.

Thank you for taking us to Whitey's and letting us pick out the ice cream of our choice. Thank you for our summer trips to the zoo, coming with us to the circus and for our lunch dates at Friendly's...even if you "accidentally" ate my sundae on numerous occasions. It's okay, I forgive you.

Thank you for buying our first car: a lime green 2003 New Volkswagen Beetle affectionately known as Lima Bean, or, as you called her, Butter Bean. And thank you for stopping the traffic at Wal-Mart so that I could back out of that parking space.

Thank you for attending every graduation, every birthday party and every other special event in our lives. We will continue to make you and Nanny proud of us. Most importantly, we would like to thank you for always being there for us no matter what. Thank you, simply, for everything.

You are the best grandfather two girls could ever ask for and we will keep you in our hearts forever and always. We love you, Pop-Pop, and we will always be your little girls.


Love,
L'Oreal and April
xoxo

Sunday, February 6, 2011

You, Too, Can Make a Difference

"The First Lady of Civil Rights"
On my desk at work is a card with a quote from Rosa Parks: "To this day, I believe we are here on the planet Earth to live, grow up and do what we can to make this world a better place for all people to enjoy freedom."

My family gave me the card as a source of encouragement for my first day on the new job. It worked. Whenever I feel discouraged, I look at her smiling face and she inspires me.

If she could be brave and stand up for her rights (ironically, by sitting down), then surely I can find the courage to overcome my own obstacles. My obsession with Rosa Parks, who would've been 98 on Friday, dates back to elementary school when I heard her story for the first time.

How could this small woman spark such a big movement? By refusing to give up her seat to a White man on December 1, 1955 in the segregated South, Rosa Parks kicked off the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which became an iconic moment in the Civil Rights Movement. It struck a nerve with me and I'll never forget how I felt that day–like I could also make a difference.

From that day on, I wrote about Rosa Parks for every Black History Month project, paper, etc. My mom prompted me to broaden my scope and write about other great Black leaders, but my heart was set on Rosa Parks. I aspired to be like her.

If I'm being totally honest, I can admit I'm not doing all I can to "make this world a better place." That's why, one month into the new year, I'm adding yet another resolution: to volunteer more. I think it's important for our young girls to have positive role models in their lives. This is not to say I'm perfect nor am I the world's greatest role model, but I want young girls, especially Black girls, to know they can do whatever they set their minds to–that there are more options in life than shaking their butts in a rap video.

I don't want them to feel ashamed of the color of their skin, like I once was. I want every girl to know she is smart, beautiful and capable of anything. I want them to be confident and I want to help. This Black History Month, I encourage you to find something you're passionate about and do your part to make this world a better, happier and more beautiful place.