Rejection. Loss. Confusion. Pain. Our past and our future are
intertwined. Each distinct memory becomes one life. What once hurt,
eventually heals, and the lesson (or lessons) to be learned becomes
one with our soul and our spirit. Our experiences provide strength
instead of destruction. Our great-grandmothers, grandmothers,
mothers -- all women of power who came before us -- were great
descendants of the coastal lands of West Africa. They arrived in
strange lands with their Gumbo - -their memories, rhythms,
ingenuity, creativity, strength, and compassion. Their lived
stories and conversation were recipes mixed with unique
combinations of ingredients, dropped into the cast iron pot --
stirred, dropped in, seasoned, dropped in, stirred again, and
again, and again, until done. This Gumbo is savory like the soul,
carefully prepared, recipes rich with what our foremothers brought
with them from their homeland. They brought the best of what they
had to offer. Gumbo or Gombo is a Bantu word meaning `okra'. Okra
is a rich vegetable that serves as the base (or gravy) for a
delicately prepared stew. (Today's Gumbo cooks use a `roux' as the
base- see the recipe on page 3). Gumbo's West African origins have
been modified over the past two centuries by people of varied
ancestry: Native American, German, Spanish, and French (Moss,
2014). It is essential to understand the manner in which Gumbo is
prepared: each ingredient must be placed into the stew at its
specified time so that it can cook in and savor its own flavor.
When completed, Gumbo is usually served over grits or rice. Gumbo
has become a cornerstone of life in African-descended communities
across the south and southwest spanning from South Carolina to
Louisiana and Texas. Gumbo is a treasure... a reminder of the
greatness that lived in the village in a time of strength and
abundance...a reminder of the resilience and richness of our people
over generations. This book -- a collection of memoirs written by
Women of Color is shared to inspire and motivate readers. The
authors of these precious, soulful stories are from across the
globe and represent various backgrounds and professions. What these
women have in common, though, is their drive to tell their story.
Stories of pain, discovery, strength, and stories of beginnings.
Many of the experiences, as difficult as they may have been, made
the women who they are today. Telling these stories to a new
generation will empower and encourage them in their experiences no
matter how troubling or challenging (Harris, 2015). These stories,
like our foremothers offering their Gumbo, present the best these
women have to offer. These authors want the world to know that deep
inside of each of us is a rich, vibrant, purposeful beginning. As
our lives develop and we are "stirred and stirred again", like
Gumbo, our experiences begin to shape who we are and who we become.
When the stirring is complete, a comforting meal -- one that says
no matter what has gone into the dish, it's going to be amazingly
magnificent!! The authors hope these stories will inspire and
motivate girls and Women of Color to trust their experiences --
whether good or bad -- to help them become. Our becoming means that
after all that life has thrown our way, we are strong, purposeful,
and powerful people who are a great treasure to a world that
sometimes rejects and ignores our existence. Embedded in this book
are stories of abuse and triumph, sadness and victory,
disappointment and resilience, discovery and victory. We are very
proud to be the keepers of these rich recipes. They represent the
first in what we hope will become a collection or series of
inspirational memoirs that will be shared to help others live out
their destiny and become the women they were born to be.
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