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Photo by Donna Rogers
Chasmyne Carter, left, asks a question about relationships as Yasmine West
Houston looks on during the "Generational Conversations: A Day of Facilitated
Fruitful & Positive Dialogue" event on May 21. Both girls attend Hanes Middle
School.
Event
from page Al
where we will share dia
logue," she said.
"I don't think girls
spend enough time togeth
er," said Judge Denise
Hartsfield, the facilitator
for the event. Her job was
to "engage the panel and
audience in how women
can come together and
build intergenerational
relationships that will cre
ate opportunities for each
woman to share their own
HERstory!" according to
publicity material. The
judge did just that.
She said that she
doesn't see a lot of girls in
the juvenile criminal jus
tice system, in which she
works, "but I see enough."
Hartsfield said she hopes
events such as
Generational
Conversations will help
girls understand that
"power comes from with
in," not emulating the hip
hop image or other images
that are not positive for
girls.
The Rev. Dr. Felecia
Piggott-Long told about
how a tradition in Africa is
for the older generation of
women to fellowship and
impart wisdom to the
younger generation while
all worked on tasks. She
mentioned how she and her
mother, who died last year,
went through rites of pas
sage together in the African
tradition and made a quilt
using parts of memorable
clothing. She said fellow
shipping with her mother
helped strengthen her spiri
tual being.
"You listen to the other
women talking while quilt
ing" and capture the wis
dom they impart, she said.
Piggott-Long brought
the quilt to show the audi
ence and pointed to various
pieces of memorable cloth
ing.
Although only one
panel had the task to deal
with spirituality, references
to God were made through
out other conversations as
panelists mentioned how
they are being led by God
to make decisions in their
lives. For instance, a girl
asked the question "Have
you reached your goal?" to
the
Work/Education/Finances/
Career panel. Hartsfield;
Donna Taylor, an attorney;
and Tamara Turner, an
administrator with Quality
Education Academy, spoke
about being led by God as
they navigate through their
careers.
And in one case, when
the topic was
Health/Wellness/Mental
Health, Jesus entered into
the conversation when a
girl questioned a panelist
about what she said in
answering the question
"wnere do you get strength
and motivation from?" The
conversation, which
appeared to be a misunder
standing, ended with the
girl and the panelist pro
fessing their faith in Jesus
Christ as their Lord and
Savior.
At least two panelists
brought their daughters,
who participated. One pan
elist, Shenell Thompson,
and her daughter Kymberly
Michael Thompson, 16,
were on the panel address
ing family and relation
ships.
They both talked about
how important structure is
in family life. Shenell
Thompson has been mar
ried more than two decades
and Kymberly spoke high
ly of her father. "My daddy
is the best man I know,"
she said.
Kymberly said girls
should know themselves.
"You can't search foi
yourself in someone else
because you don't know
who you are," she said.
She said girls should
keep their priorities straight
and resist following the
crowd - and boys. She says
girls should say to boys:
"You should have to work
for me."
"This has been some
really good conversation,''
Shenell Thompson said.
"Networking and
telling your story is the
most effective way to keep
change happening,'
Hartsfield said.
ACEY is an acronym
that represents goals of the
group: Achievement in the
education of women and
girls about the power of
philanthropy; Commitment
to connect with women and
girls in the community;
Encourage self-esteem and
empowerment of women
and girls; and Yield women
and leaders and philanthro
pists.
Dr. Betty Alexander, a
retired educator who is
president of the group, said.
"This has been a wonderful
day, a tremendous day, a
day of learning, a day of
sharing and a day of lov
??
ing.
Piggott-Long
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