Black History Month 2023: Let Freedom Ring...

“And before I’ll be a slave I’ll be buried in my grave and go home to my Lord and be free… oh Freedom….”

~post-Civil War African-American freedom song

Freedom Defined

The power or right to act, speak, or think without hindrance or restraint. The state of not being imprisoned or enslaved.

…other words for freedom – liberty, liberation, release, emancipation.

In 2022 I had an opportunity to participate in a “freedom conference “ curated and facilitated by rev dr candi dugas. Here are the questions we were asked to discuss:

Freedom Questions

• Do you feel free?
• In your experience has church(faith) helped or hindered your freedom journey?
• If you don’t feel free, what are your next steps toward freedom – professionally, personally, socially

Well, you might imagine I got lost in the first question. Using the definition of freedom my answer is “nope.” In this BHM 2023, with all the “awake-ness” in America, I keep wondering what will it take for me to feel free. There are few people and fewer places where I feel like I can speak my truth without having to defend it or justify my desire for liberation.

What would freedom look like? Taste like? Feel like?

Freedom would look like me, a Black Woman, having the same access to education, banking systems, healthcare systems as a rich white man.

Freedom would taste like ambrosia, if when I speak, my words and thoughts would be as valued as my white counterparts.

Freedom would feel like loving arms around me, if I didn’t have to measure my looks, my ability, my success, by a white yardstick.

Oh Freedom, oh Freedom…let it finally ring!