For the past few weeks my blog posts have been a reflection of my week. As I get to Thursday or Friday I think back on the events and conversations over the past seven days. What happened in my week that made me think? What happened that was worth sharing? Last week I had an experience that really made me feel. I chose to give myself a bit of extra time to sit with it before stringing the words together in this blog post.
Last Thursday, January 20, Ferene Paris Meyer spoke at a virtual event hosted by Champlain College. The event was a tribute to the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, and in her words Ferene was “honoring Dr. King and his legacy through heartfelt storytelling.” I wanted to spend some time and space this week reflecting on that event, and also reflecting on many other things that Ferene has taught me. To hear excerpts from her MLK offering click here.
For those of you reading who do not yet have the pleasure of knowing Ferene, let me tell you a little bit about her. Ferene is an incredible Black Hatian woman who lives in Burlington, Vermont, though originally from the Boston area (a fellow Masshole!!). She is the founder of All Heart Inspirations, which she started in 2020. All Heart Inspirations is centered around storytelling, and she uses storytelling to “create heart-centered spaces through workshops, community engagements, culinary food, and more!”. That quote was taken from her website, click here if you want to check it out and find out more about her and All Heart Inspirations.
I feel so lucky that I’ve been given the opportunity to hear Ferene speak on multiple occasions, and her MLK offering made me feel that all over again. It sounds very cliche to refer to a speaker as “inspirational”, but she is just that. The way she tells her story will entirely captivate you. In her storytelling spaces, she will make you feel seen and welcomed. She will then take you right out of your comfort zone with her genuine vulnerability. She will make you think, but more importantly she will make you feel.
Ferene has helped us feel our way into learning on so many occasions, most importantly surrounding the conversation of race. During the MLK event specifically she spoke about “bandwidth”. With the stories she tells she shows us how so much of her bandwidth is taken up right now by simply interacting with the world and the community as a Black woman. She tells heartbreaking stories about racist experiences she has had in Burlington, Vermont – a place that boasts such a “progressive” and “inclusive” culture. You can hear those stories (and get to know Ferene better!) in this podcast.
Through her storytelling she explains that White people often have more bandwidth when it comes to doing the work to fight systemic racism. Yet still, People of Color are fighting so hard, and we (White people) are not presently doing enough, I (White person) am not presently doing enough. In writing this I was reminded by a friend who also attended this event that “examining our own whiteness is a big part of the work that Ferene talked about”. In what ways has my white skin given me the privilege to be where I am today, and in what areas of my life can I use that privilege to do anti racist work? I exist in the incredibly white space that is sailing. So what position does that put me in? How can I strive to make sailing a more diverse activity? In what ways can I change the conversations that happen on my boats, with majority white passengers? Whose voices can I amplify in those conversations? Who can I introduce into their conversations around race and racism and where can I point them?
At the bottom of this post I’ve linked just a couple of resources that are getting my mind moving in this direction.
Ferene has also taught me so many things beyond the scope of race. She is a leader by example. She has taught me that it is not just okay, but essential to be able to show up as you are, without a fake smile on your face. It is okay to not be okay, and to acknowledge when you are holding more than you can handle. She’s taught me the significance of community care and how meaningful it is to have and be a part of a solid backing of people. And most importantly, Ferene introduced me to sunset wishes, which have become such a grounding practice in my life.
If you’re interested in learning more about Ferene visit her website allheartinspirations.com. In Ferene’s words “it takes a village”, so if you have the means to make a donation – know that it is going to the most amazing offerings in the Burlington community. Also, go follow her on instagram @allheartinspirations to keep up to date with what she’s up to and to see an excerpt from her MLK offering!
Here are some resources:
Diner Talks With James – The Stories Of A Radiant Hatian Queen With Storyteller And Activist Ferene Paris Meyer (mentioned above)
Emanual Acho’s “Uncomfortable Conversations With A Black Man” – Video Series
https://uncomfortableconvos.com/watch
‘Not Racist’ Is Not Enough: Putting In The Work To Be Anti-Racist
Ferenes Photography done by Isora Lithgow of Isora Lithgow Creations
Isora’s website: https://www.isoralithgowcreations.com/
Isora’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isoralithgowcreations/
All Heart Inspirations website: https://www.allheartinspirations.com/
Ferenes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allheartinspirations/