I do not feel indignation because this country never intended to treat us fairly. My existence is an afterthought if it is even a thought at all.

As I've come to understand myself and my conditions, I can share some ways I, too, have continuously experienced joy during pain.

I wrote this post on September 23, 2016. I never published it. I didn’t publish because I didn’t want to have conversations that tend to happen when Black people speak up for themselves.

When I started teaching my art classes on Outschool, I had no idea if this was a real way to earn money. I didn’t know anyone else who taught, and the platform didn’t provide much support as it related to getting started. I did a lot of figuring stuff out on my own.

I was 19 when a friend said to me, “Latonya, I don’t want to ever see you going out to eat alone.” She made this comment while she, her young daughter, and I were dining across from a woman who was eating alone.

We moved to middle Tennessee four years ago. It was a necessary move for my family. We needed a change in scenery and opportunities for my husband and myself. Now that we’ve been here for awhile, I figured it’s time for me to intentionally connect with other homeschooling moms in my community. Although we are now in the South, there still doesn’t seem to be many Black homeschooling families connecting in our local homeschool community.

It was late 2017 when I realized my life was a bit out of control. I had added several new things to my plate, but I hadn’t put a plan in place to keep it together. I pretty much operate in a do the next thing that makes sense way which is great most of the time, but during the last quarter of 2017 I knew I had to make some changes.

It’s been said over and over again that moms tend to place others before themselves. It’s also been said that if you don’t take good care of yourself then you can’t be much help to others. For the most part, I agree with the statements.

Last February, I begin teaching online on a whim. I wasn't sure what to expect since I had never taught online, and the last time I put myself in a classroom situation, it wasn't the greatest experience. Honestly, my last public teaching experience made me feel like I would never teach again, and after years of teaching at a local co-op and coming to the conclusion it wasn't my most favorite way to teach either mostly because of class size, I began to wonder if teaching would indeed be a part of my life outside of homeschooling.  Now one year later with Outschool, I can happily say that teaching is definitely a part of my life, and I enjoy it. 

We're celebrating our anniversary, and I am sharing 15 truths I've learned from 15 years of marriage.

2017 is coming to an end in a few short hours.  But before 2018 begins, I wanted to take a moment to share reflections from the year-- from the beginning to the end ... the good and not so great.