SCHEMYA

“She’s my mom’s youngest sister, so she’s kind of closer to my age. But, she is a minister, well she hasn’t been all her life. So, she’s had her fun and did her dirt; my mom says I act just like her. But, she’s the only person that never judges me. Never critiques me in a negative manner for the choices that I make. I’m a lesbian and everyone else thinks that’s a bad thing, and I have children – why would you bring your children up that way. Even though she’s a minister, she understands that love is love. You can’t just put that in a box. She lets me be who I am and she mentors me, she guides me. She has actually helped me and mom’s relationship, because we had a horrible relationship all my life. She’s actually mended that relationship for us and I’m really thankful for her and just her words of wisdom. She talks to me like a friend and not always like an aunt. She’ll tell me things that I don’t necessarily want to hear, but it’s the truth and I need to hear it. She’s dope to me in my world…”

AEMON

"I use to have a job as a therapist and I was the only Black person there and the youngest also. Because of that, I felt like I was kind of treated differently... I felt like I didn’t really have anybody to advocate for me. One day, one of my white co-workers touched my hair. And obviously, you know as Black people, we know that's what you don’t do. You don’t touch a Black person’s hair, that’s just a no, no. My manager happened to see it, and I know she must know that it's not culturally appropriate for you to touch a Black person’s hair. It upset me that she saw it and didn’t say anything. I personally didn’t have the courage to say anything because I was the only Black person there for one, and for two, I was the youngest. After that, I just started picking up on different things. I realized my co-workers were micromanaging me on things that I obviously knew how to do. I have that same job now in a different company and they actually think I know more than what most people know – so I know it wasn’t me, it was them. I quit that job, so that was a part of my self-care. I valued my peace way more than I did the money or even the experience. Sometimes you really just have to quit those jobs or cut off those friends or family members if it means they’re deteriorating who you are and messes with your values. Personally, it was the best decision for me.”

JARTU

"She inspired me with her generosity and her open heart and she led all of us to do that. When she met my dad, he had three other children and she loved them just as much as she loved us. She taught us how to love and be open."