Encouraged, Inspired and Supported by Youth

It is often said, and is the accepted tradition, that the elders teach and lead the young. But I have had and continue to have the good fortune to have young people in my life who love and respect me enough to lend me their time and knowledge in many areas of education and life. They often tell me that they believe in my ability to accomplish whatever I set my mind to. I have always thought that kind of affirmation to be powerful motivation for the emotional and educational growth of children. It is especially so for me, at age 75.

A young woman who has boosted my self-confidence in many ways is Aria Halliday. I was introduced to Aria shortly after my husband and I moved to Lafayette in 2015. Aria is a member of my daughter's Circle of Friends and when I first met her, I had no idea that I was in the presence of Greatness...but I was. She is a scholar, a passionate, dedicated teacher, a cultural theorist and the author of books ('Buy Black' and 'The Black Girlhood Studies Collection') and many articles about black girl culture (www.ariashalliday.com). I have watched her rapid rise to success with great pride and have shared my ideas with her, seeking any input or advice that she might offer. What I have seen to be true about Aria, is that she is a true friend to my daughter. Her friendship has never failed, and she never sugar-coats her counsel as a friend to my daughter and, I suspect, to anyone who is fortunate enough to be in her Friend Circle. She has always offered her heart-felt encouragement and advice to me freely and with respect, urging me to “Go for it, Mrs. Vera!” When I told her that I felt that my business sense was not as sharp as I'd like it to be, she quickly told me, “It looks like you've got pretty good business sense to me, Mrs. Vera.”. What she didn't know was that I'd written, copyrighted and self-published the book, 'Something from Practically Nothing' in 1997. And since then, due to several personal life circumstances, had shelved it and put it on the back burner of my life, and not given it any real serious thought. And the business of formal publication and sale of the book had long drifted from my focus. It was not until this year that I'd begun to think seriously about my artwork and the book again. Aria is one of the Bright Young Stars who inspires me to keep pushing forward towards my dreams...even at 75. And her example of self-confidence, determination and her own brand of pit bull tenacity continues to spark my own courage to, “Go for it, Mrs. Vera!”.

Jessica Green has been in my Family Circle since the early 2000's when she befriended my daughters at Savannah State University. I'll never forget the first time I met her in Perry, Georgia where her family lived and where my husband and I were also living at the time. She drove our daughters home almost every time she made the trip home to see her family. And the first time she stepped across our threshold, my daughter introduced her saying, “This is Jessica Green, and she was kind enough to give us a ride home.” My arms opened to her, and she walked right into my heart, where she still resides as “one of my own”. Jessica will always be a leader and a mentor - I recognized that in her the first time I met her. On that very day she didn't hesitate to put my mind and heart at peace, telling me not to worry about our daughters getting home because, “As long as I have a car, they will have a ride home!”. She felt like family, and continues to lovingly and respectfully address me as, “Mama V.”. She teaches Engineering and Technology Education at a high school in Warner Robins, Georgia and owns a “Barkery” that specializes in wonderful baked treats for dogs (www.ilbellebarkery.com). She also shares faith and inspiration through her blog at: https://jygreen83.wixsite.com/ambassadorspeaks and continues to serve our country as a Reservist. Recently, when I told her about my intention to start a blog and how nervous I was about being “technically challenged”, she quieted my fears and told me not to be afraid because the confidence in using the technology would come to me as I moved forward into it. She told me about WIX and how affordable it was to use it to create a blog site and encouraged me to check it out. I took her advice and found that she had given me good, sound advice. I am very happy that I trusted her advice and chose to use WIX to build my blog site. Even for someone who is as “technically challenged” as I am, WIX takes much of the angst out of the process, offering help on many levels...and my site is visual proof of that fact. Thank you, Jessica. You are a Great Teacher...of the young, and the old.

During our first year living here in Lafayette, my husband and I were at home on a rainy weekend afternoon when our daughter, Veronica (who we call, Nyeema), came to visit us. She told us that we should take her car and go explore the downtown area of the city and see what was there to see. She wouldn't take “no” for an answer and pushed us out of the door, handing us the keys to her car. We visited several stores and galleries on Main Street. And we stayed on that street because it was still drizzling rain, and we could dash from one store or gallery to another without getting too wet. At one of the galleries that we dashed into, we met the young artist, Tracey Jen (@traceyjen.art), who was showing and talking about her artwork...beautiful, vividly colored paintings. I was immediately drawn into her paintings and found myself lingering at each one long enough to “read” them. When Tracey came over to us and introduced herself, she also introduced her mother to us, and we later met her father and sister. That act immediately impressed me and endeared her to me. I told her that I was struck by her use and command of color in her work, and I loved the way she embedded images within images to weave a story into each work. We talked at length about our artistic journeys, and age and youth merged onto the same path. We became friends that evening, and our families have shared, and continue to share many hours of joy together. Tracey is an “Old Soul”, and we share conversations that are seasoned with the “Elder Knowledge” that she lives by. Tracey also gives me useful advice and continues to buoy my confidence and helps me to stay on track by sharing time and information with me. She often tells me that I inspire her and that she values my friendship...and I'm always honored by her sincerity each time I hear that from her. Recently, she spent a great length of time on the phone, texting a stream of instructions (and images) to me on how to use Instagram, because I told her that I didn't know how to use it, but I want to be able to use it in tandem with my blog. She took the time to thoroughly and patiently answer every question and concern that I presented to her. At the end of the session, I asked her what her charge was for that much instruction time, and she told me, “It's free to you, Vera – you're a friend.” Tracey is a multi-faceted artist, who creates, teaches and sells her work, nationally (www.legaleriste.com/tracey.jen). But to me, she is a friend who is young enough to be my granddaughter and treats our relationship with the respect of “Family”.

Meeting Artist, Tracey Jen

Receiving a beautiful art gift from Artist, Tracey Jen

Tracey Jen's mother, Mei, and Me

A few days ago, my daughter handed me her phone and told me to say, “Hello”. I asked who I saying hello to? And the voice on the phone said, “This is Chyrel Jackson”. And I immediately went into the “Joy Mode”. I had not heard Chyrel's voice in many years – since my husband and I lived in our home in Chicago when our children were teenagers. Chyrel and her husband used to visit us in our home because Chyrel was a really good friend and co-worker of my sister. She always addressed me and treated me with the same respect and love she gave to her own mother. I last saw her when I was in my 50's. But we all moved away and went in different directions...and now, some 20 years later, here she was, talking to me on the phone, telling me how I had positively impacted her life, and that she loves me, dearly. Chyrel is now an accomplished author; with 2 books of poems ('Different Sides of the Same Coin' and 'Mirrored Images' by Chyrel J. Jackson and Lyris D. Wallace) that can be purchased on Amazon. She made me cry when she recalled to me the joy and inspiration she gleaned from the time she spent with us in our home and in our presence. And she encouraged me to press forward in the development of my blog and the revision of my book, offering any help that I might need from her that she could provide. She told me that I was still a powerful force in her life...while my daughter sat on the side, looking at me and nodding her head in agreement.

When I first started to think about developing the idea for this blog, I talked to my daughter and the young women mentioned above about my idea. And each time I would voice my concerns and aired any doubts that I had about my own ability to undertake such a task, they would each, in their own way, challenge me to push past my fears and to keep moving forward towards my goal. My daughter was the first one I talked to about my idea, and she knows me better than anyone. She's watched me take many of my creative ideas from seed to fruit, since she was a little girl. So, when I started sharing my ideas with her, she offered encouragement and positive input to me, from day one. I have always been a little intimidated by technology, and to this day, I still operate at a high discomfort level, and I often turn to the young people in my life for technical assistance and advice. So, whenever I started having doubts about my progress and my process and doubt began to seep in, she would listen to me and offer any advice or assistance she was able to, helping me to understand and “digest” my fears. And each conversation ended with, “You can do it, Ma!”. She helped me to grow into my confidence!

Most recently she took a trip to Chicago to visit childhood friends and while there, they visited Vale Craft Gallery. Knowing that our hearts and spirits are currently in need of uplifting and that my husband and I won't be traveling to Chicago or visiting the gallery any time soon, she streamed a beautiful video of a walk through the gallery, showing me my artwork on display there - even giving me a view from the outside where my work can be seen on display in the gallery's front windows. And the highlight of the video was, “I'm so proud of you, Ma!” She kept saying those words as she brought each piece of my work into her camera's view for us to see. I smiled. Al smiled. She made our day.

Daughter Delivering Joy!

My Coiled Vessels at Vale Craft Gallery

My artwork at Vale Craft Gallery

A View inside Chicago's Vale Craft Gallery

As and Elder, I feel so very fortunate and constantly blessed with the Gift of Friendship and Honor and Knowledge that continues to be offered to me by young people whose paths merge with my path. It is a beautiful, wonderful example and reminder of the way Life should be.