Flashback

Approximately 25 years ago, I was granted a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet the legend herself Rosa Parks in Greensboro, North Carolina. My mother and I had just purchased Quiet Strength: The Faith, the Hope, and the Heart of a Woman who Changed a Nation by Gregory J. Reed and Rosa Parks. I remember patiently standing in line to get our copy autographed.

As I sit and reflect on the magnitude of that day, I am reminded that we are indeed intertwined with past generations. We are the continuation of a narrative they dreamed about and sacrificed for. The expectation was for the next generation to carry the torch for change. The imagery of a young girl born in the year 1986 touching the hands of a female civil rights giant who entered this world in the year of 1913 is just mind blowing.

Check out one of my favorite excerpts from her book below:

You are among my most treasured friends and this country’s most treasured possessions. You are our future. I see your energy as a real force for change. But you must know who you are, where you are, and where you are going. Once you know this, then you will be on the pathway to freedom. Parks, R. & Reed, G. (1994). Future. Quiet Strength: The Faith, the Hope, and the Heart of a Woman who Changed a Nation (pp. 84) Great Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

Her message to future generations continues to hold true, especially within the Hand Made Dreams community. I am thankful for such a historic opportunity and the ability to share my experience with others. Let us continue to remember the legends who paved the way and those who continue to walk beside us in our own families and communities.