One of my biggest heroines is a woman I do not remember meeting.
My great grandmother Hickman, born less than 70 years after slavery was “officially abolished,” grew up as a servant but was treated as a slave. I am told she was a wise woman who loved with all her heart. I grew up hearing stories of her doing back breaking work in the plantation fields of Alabama. She died when I was barely walking but I have idolized her all my life.
Hearing those stories, I always have had a sense of pride in my roots; pride that my people have been struggling for a very long time but we have continued to survive and figure out ways to strive. When I am asked “why I do what I do”, it always has been about my family’s history of struggle for dignity. I constantly remind myself that I am not alone, that I stand on the shoulders of warriors in a long battle for justice.
My favorite Grandma Hickman story is of her time breast feeding the babies on the plantation. She told my mom that she would breast feed the babies of the white and black “servants.” What surprises me the most about this story is that there were also white women who would breast feed both white and black babies. She would tell my mom that she never felt much prejudice for the white women, though they were treated more highly by the plantation owner than she, because she understood they were in the same struggle. Both sides, wanted to nourish the future, regardless of skin color. Both sides were being controlled and abused by the wealthy. Though the journey looked different because of their skin color, both sides, sought freedom.
What this story reminds me is to never forget the shoulders I stand on. To always root myself in my roots. It continues to give me purpose when the goal seems not achievable. It also reminds me to never forget that I stand BESIDE many shoulders. My great grandmother and the white “milk maids” recognized the power of allyship. This story tells me that we, the current day warriors for justice, must never forget we are in this battle together.
I do this work because I want those coming up after me to have strong bold shoulders to stand on and continue to work toward a people’s liberation. That is why I am going to Forward Together: TakeAction’s Annual Meeting and Progressive Carnival because it is a place where we are creating space together. Where we are recognizing we stand on the powerful shoulders of many and we need to stand strong together.
