Tiffany Riley

You should never be ashamed of who you are. Here I will give you the opportunity to show your self-love and pride in who you are and what you do. If you would like to share your story with me feel free to. It is bringing me joy to put on display inspiring people. Your story, your testimony, your legend could help someone begin theirs. As we become stronger as individuals we can then become stronger as a unit.

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You keep thundering', I'm wondering wondering, why you keep thundering'.

Rihanna (Get it Over With)

[oddxo]

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I'm the mother that teaches my son to play with his food; peanut butter is dinosaur snot and spaghettis are earth worms. In our world he's the little monkey jumping in the bed and if he falls then mommy is the doctor that's called. We stay woke. Sometimes a bedtime isn't convenient for our adventures. Grocery bags are tied to strings and then to our waist to become a parachute. And a sheet fort becomes the coziest home in the center of our living room. We play with red balloons under the stars and leave the worries of the world to the gravel we walk on. Life is a bliss when you're free. This is his freedom, his innocence, his childhood.

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//Why I call him Mr. Bean\

While I was pregnant I stayed up late pigging out and watching movies. The last movie I watched was “Mr. Bean’s Holiday".

I fell asleep for a while and then was awakened by severe abdominal pains. I began to vomit like never before, I grew very weak and cried for help. As I became light headed I could hear my mother and sister talking and trying to pick me up off the floor.

My sister then carried me to the car as my mother proceeded to transporting to the nearest emergency room. I was seen immediately.

The nurse began to ask questions I didn’t have answers for, although my baby was safe they told me that I should see my doctor as soon as I could or the next time I wouldn’t be so lucky.

When the doctor on duty came to my room to discharge me he jokingly said to me “Ms. Riley, what were you doing like that at this time of the night to put yourself in the ER?" I replied, “Haha, I was watching Mr. Bean."

Once I signed all my papers to leave and return home I gathered my things and my emotions. As I walked out the doors of the emergency room the doctor came to me and said “Mr. Bean… That’s not a bad nick name."

Well, once I was told I was having a little girl I just forgot all about the nickname.

It wasn’t until the day I held my baby boy in my arms and I looked down on him and said “Hello Mr. Bean."

:) and that’s how that story goes.

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Just a kid picking up a package from the post office. A little old man and a box of dinosaurs. Moments like these are priceless.

[kari-shma]

Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.

Dr. Seuss (via desmylove)

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"My awkwardness is my individuality." ~ Herman Russell III While masked when working a 9 to 5, Herman, an artist of Baton Rouge, LA makes his thoughts physical on canvas for us all to see. "It's literally creating something out of an image only I can see." Herman gets comfortable to speak about his art. Me: "What message would you say you try to deliver through your art?" Herman: "I'm intrigued by the dark side.the unknown, breakups, death. I love showing my vulnerability as a man." Herman knew from early childhood that he would be an artist. Although along the way he found himself lost, he rediscovered his talent in his early 20s. By then he was ready to live his life freely instead of what was expected of others. While growing comfy in his awkwardness, "I have a slight stutter, and when I'm overwhelmed I'll stare at the floor. Silly things like that." Herman begins to unmask hisself through his art. Me: "Have you ever felt the need to compromise yourself or your work for acceptance?" Herman: "Compromising my work is an everyday struggle. I do try to find a middle ground between me and what the world wants." Herman explains to us a philosophy that some rappers may use. He elaborates on how musical artists may write and produce an album that speaks about injustice, love, brutality and violence; yet on the same album they compromise with a party song that may catch everyone's attention. A set up, to get listeners and viewers to receive the bigger picture. "But it's all authentic." Herman says. "You hear people say it all the time, "If you did this and that, you would make so much money." when I start worrying too much about what others think of me, my ideas are no longer my ideas." Even with the persistence of others trying to make Herman not only conform his art but conform hisself, he remains firmly planted in his identity and his art form. He then begins to express his love for art by nearly naming it a therapy. Art gives him a unit to channel all of his energy into, a place and a way that he can bring his emotions out. "Some people harbor feelings for a long time because they cannot articulate them, I'm lucky to be able to." Me: "If you could give any advice to people on how to become more comfortable with themselves, what would you tell them?" Herman: "Learn to laugh at yourself. Having a healthy sense of humor about yourself will put a bounce in your step. Let that awkwardness be your beauty mark. If you have a snort when you laugh, then let it out." I hope that we can all learn from Herman to be proud of our awkwardness, and to laugh at ourselves as he said. He is truly a great artist and I can tell that he lets it speak for itself, and for hisself as well. His art is the tangible image of his awkwardness. Thank you for sharing your story with us Herman, I'm proud of you.

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A cup of coffee sat on a loose board of a step into a home. This first step, will one day be my last. This step will one day be a part of a memory. "Oh I remember those rotten loose boards on my mother's steps. I passed my feet upon them every sunrising to snatch a cup of coffee from grandma's and a sip of gossip." Once I've entered a home of my own, the day I have to become independent these steps and this cup will be valued so much more. Peace be with you. Selah.

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//2 Random Throwback photo. My mother in the early 80's. Not once have I ever heard my mother use her skin color to her advantage because of exception. If you'd ask her, she wasn't Cape Verdean or French Creole, she was simply black. She too saw racism. But how do you humble yourself to become equal as your community when you can pass the paper bag test? I'm not sure but she did. Not once have I ever heard my mother speak of her skin being any better than another black's because she is fair. Not once have I heard my mother say her hair was good hair or better hair because it was silky and wavy. No matter the skin, hair, or ethnicity she was proud to be black, not light skin, black. Thank you mom for humbling me and teaching me not to use my skin and hair to define me.

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"I had to be that for me, because I knew nobody else could." ~Ebony Cobbs Ebony is a 28 year old woman, who is raising three beautiful children. Simple enough? Right? Lets not be so quick to judge. Ebony has not had the sweetest life. Here's her story. Me: "So would you say you're proud to be strong?" Ebony: "Most definitley stronger..To be seventeen and have a man who is six years older than you beat on you and control your life.. Oh yes, I'm stronger." After an abusive relationship and another rough relationship, Ebony had to teach herself to be strong not only for herself, but for her kids as well. "It wasn't something I wanted my daughter to see." Despite of all the hurt Ebony found the strength to move forward with her life. She is now working and taking care of her kids on her own. Ebony: "I've built up my confidence and I'm loving myself. I'm learning that my struggles always bring me to a blessing thats greater." Aside from working a full time job and being a mother, Ebony is also a poet. Her first poetry book written was titled "Inside Ebony's Heart". When I asked Ebony to use one word to describe the person she's become she responded, "Loyal, I had to be that for myself because I knew nobody could be that for me." Ebony is a very strong girl, an example of "Never judge a book by its cover." We all have a story and we all experience the lows of life at some point. Ebony is still growing but loving the process. Thank you for sharing your story with us Ebony. I'm proud of you.

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If everybody were living according to his own nature, not trying to be somebody else, a tremendous intelligence would explode within you.

Osho

[beyonce]

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Love love love Sol

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"This one is new to me." ~ Sheetal Rajah Beginning this blog I couldn't think of anyone better to start with than my new friend, Sheetal. At age 38, Sheetal is a mother of three beautiful children; two twin girls and one chunky baby boy. Sheetal moved to America in the year 2004, the year her girls were born. While living in Atlanta, GA she struggled to conform to the American culture. When I asked her what she was most proud to be out of everything she replied simply, "A mother." With already having a small, but dysfunctional family back home in New Delhi, India, Sheetal found difficulty in making friends here in America. Not only does she face the obstacle of being accepted in America for being Indian, she also had difficulty fitting in while growing up in India for being Christian. With all of the imbalance and not really having acceptance in India or America, she finds peace and love within the walls of her home with her children. "My life had been filled with shame for things I did, and for things I did not do. My kids love me unconditionally, I can be who I am with them... Mostly. *chuckles a little*" within the walls of her home Sheetal can be an Indian woman who is Christian and living in America. Nothing less, nothing more. Me: "What's the most important thing you can teach your children?" Sheetal: "Love God with all your heart, mind, and soul. And He will teach you all else, the right way. I didn't have that growing up I try to give that to my kids." Sheetal is teaching her children to love God, and in that they will love themselves for who they are, knowing that God created them the way they are for a reason. I then asked if she would teach the girls anything from their Indian culture, "I mean lets be honest, if I wanted them to be Indian I would have stayed and married someone there. I'm here now, God brought me here." Although she is allowing her children to grow in American culture, they are also learning some Indian values such as respect for elders, respecting themselves, and of course food. Sheetal: "I will also teach them henna." Me: "Sounds great, haha, you can teach me henna too." Sheetal is a great example of having to find self-love in order to get through obstacles. "God loves me. With all my baggage, my strength, my goofiness. If he chose to love me then how can I not feel a sense of dignity?" She has found a love in God and the people she has been encountering who have accepted her for who she is. She said to me, "You made me feel welcomed. We were brought together by God's purpose." Sheetal is proud to be Indian, American, Christian, and a mother of three. And I hope that we can all learn from her, and teach her as she continues to live her life in America so that she can be proud to be a friend as well. Thank you Sheetal for sharing your story, I'm proud of you.