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The LWM Blog Spot: March 2023

Living Waters Ministries Monthly Quote

"What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have. And I’m especially proud, and inspired by all the women who have felt strong enough and empowered enough to speak up and share their personal stories."

Oprah Winfrey

Inspiration

Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories

By: Jennifer L Smalls

The month of March is dedicated to Women's History. The theme for 2023 Women's History Month is "Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories". Women have made major accomplishments and significant contributions to our society and culture throughout history. The accomplishments of women have left an indelible print on society. Women have changed the face of politics tirelessly campaigning for the right to vote, and they have served important roles in many of our nation's conflicts. It was women who made it possible for a man to walk on the moon.

women continue to make gains in the corporate and political arena, they continue to shatter the glass ceilings making room for other women. Women are also making an impact in sports, In 2022, Lori Locust and Maral Javadifa became the first women coaches to win a Superbowl. Women are here and they're here to win!

For this month's inspiration, we will pay homage to some local women who are making their marks, breaking barriers, and making history in our community.

our very own, Shephard, Pastor Lavern March is an advocate for righteousness and a drum major for peace. She has marched and stood on the front lines fighting for equality and justice. She fights every day to ensure that the needs of those in her community are met. She is passionate and compassionate about the plight of all people, particularly those who are less fortunate.

Commissioner Cynthia Garris broke the glass ceiling and made history by becoming the first African American woman to be elected City Commissioner for the City of St. Augustine in 457 years.

St. Augustine Police Department's Chief Jennifer Michaux became the department's first female police chief in June of 2021. She begin her police career with SAPD in 1995 after honorably discharging from the United States Navy.

Officer India Green is a native of Jacksonville, Florida, she’s a graduate of First Coast High School. She joined the police academy in January of 2018.After graduating from the academy in June of 2018, she was hired on as a Police Officer with the City of St. Augustine Police Department becoming St. Augustine’s first African American female officer and currently the only African American female officer on the force. Her dream is to be a K-9 Handler. You don’t come across many female handlers and she’s never seen one that looks like her. She aspires to show little brown girls they can be anything they want to be.

Gayle Phillips is the Executive Director of the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center(Formerly Excelsior High School) here in St. Augustine Florida. She was unanimously voted into a position on the Tourist Development Council of St. Johns County Florida making her the first Black female member of the TDC Board which was created in 1986.

LaShawnda Pinkney bet on herself and took a chance, throwing her name in the hat to run for a seat on the St.Johns County Commissioner becoming the first African American Female to get her name on the ballot as a candidate. Although she came up short, she endured and ran the race to the finish line showing us it can be done.

These women like many others and those before them inspire us to make a difference for ourselves and our community. We celebrate these women this month as they continue to, walk the pathways of history and propel us all to step forward with confidence.

News from Living Waters Ministries

Happenings Around St. Augustine

women's History Month Brunch

Women's History Month Brunch March 11th, Living Waters Women's Ministry, The King's Daughters will host a Women's History Month Brunch with special guest speaker City Commissioner Cynthia Garris. The Women's Ministry is hoping to make this an annual fundraising event.

First Friday Art Walk, March 3rd downtown St. Augustine 5-9 p.m. First Friday Art Walk takes place on the first Friday of every month, exhibiting creative artworks throughout St. Augustine's fine art galleries.

First Friday Art Walk Concert Series, March 3rd. First Friday of each month, 6-8 p.m. This organ recital at the Cathedral Basilica in downtown St. Augustine is free and open to the public on the first Friday of every month.

MVP Voices of History Film Screening: Dare Not Walk Alone Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center, March 1st and March 15th, 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Join Multiply Voices & Perspectives (MVP) and the St Augustine Film Society for a film series fundraiser to continue empowering middle and high school students to have difficult conversations.

Militia Muster at Fort Fose March 4th, 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.

The Founding of Fort Mose Founders Day March 18th, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

St. Augustine Lions Spring Festival March 25 - March 26. Enjoy boatloads off Seafood delicacies, entertainment, and 100 artisans for two days of food and fun. $5 for adults and free for youth 10 and under. Francis Field. Saturday 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m - 6 p.m. www.lionsfestival.com

News For Us By Us

Jennifer McClellan becomes the first Black woman from Virginia to take a seat in Congress. Senator McClellan was victorious in a special election held for Virginia's 4th Congressional District.

When asked about her victorious outcome, Senator McClellan told the Grio “It blows my mind we’re still having firsts. But, it’s a tremendous honor and responsibility to ensure that I am continuing to support and bring up the next generation of Black women leaders.” She added, “I think about not only where my family has been, but also, that I am the first Black woman from Virginia which was the birthplace of American democracy – but was also the birthplace of American slavery.”

According to statistics presented in Essence magazine "There are currently only 29 Black women serving in the 118th Congress, and the Pew Research Center conducted an analysis, finding that only “[t]wenty-two states have ever elected at least one Black woman to Congress…Overall, 57 Black women – among a total of 106 women of color – have ever been elected to the national legislature, counting both voting and nonvoting members of Congress.”

Senator McClellan has advocated for voting rights and healthcare but now in her new role in Congress, she plans to tackle climate change and the transition to renewable energy, thus continuing the work of her predecessor, Congressman Don McEachin.

Senator Cory Booker and Rep. Ayanna Pressley reintroduced a bill to give every child $1000 at birth. This legislation known as the "Baby Bonds Bill" aims to close the racial wealth gap. This piece of legislation is also known as the American Opportunity Accounts Act, intended to create federally funded savings accounts for every American child.

This bill was previously introduced during the 116th Congress and again in the 117th Congress by Sen. Booker and Rep. Pressley however, the legislators never voted on the bill and referred it to House committees. Sen. Booker and Rep. Pressley are hoping the third time is the charm and pass the 118th Congress. "If the bill passes and President Joe Biden signs it into law, the federal legislation would authorize the secretary of the Department of Treasury to transfer $1000 into an account for every individual born after December 31, 2023"'

There is a great disparity between racial wealth, according to the Urban Institute, “in 2019, white households had eight times the wealth of Black households and five times the wealth of Latinx households. Despite some fluctuations over the past four decades, this disparity was as high in 2019 as it was in 1983 for the typical Black family.”

Many would say this gap is due to the choices of individuals but as shown by evidence systematic racism and systematic racist policies are major culprits, having denied Black and other households of color the same opportunities as their white counterparts.

Meet the woman helping preserve the legacy of Black cowboys and cowgirls

The founder of a literacy nonprofit in North Carolina has gained a social media following as “The Black Cowgirl,” showcasing her life and Black equestrian culture.

By Emma Sánchez, NBCBLK

While Black cowboys and cowgirls were essential to the Western frontier, they’ve rarely been depicted in classic Western films. Caitlin Gooch, a 30-year-old North Carolina native, has committed her life to teach Black children about this overlooked kinship, both through books and fun horse activities.

Caring for horses is something Gooch has always known. She began riding horses at 3, and today she is the keeper of her father’s 30-horse stable and farm. Generations before her, Black pioneers expertly worked with horses to entertain, compete and cultivate the land, giving way to a rich history of Black cowboys and cowgirls in the U.S. that has gone fairly ignored until recently. In 1875, for instance, the first Kentucky Derby was won by a Black jockey, Oliver Lewis; in fact, 15 of the first 20 derbies were won by Black jockeys, according to the Library of Congress.

The 2021 movie “The Harder They Fall,” starring Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, and Regina King, depicts cowboy Nat Love (Majors) and Bill Pickett (Edi Gathegi), the latter a groundbreaking Black rodeo performer in the early 1900s. Pickett is known for originating the “bulldogging” technique of grabbing cattle by the horns and making it fall on its side, a technique that is still used today, according to the National Cowboy Museum. That same year, the movie “Concrete Cowboy” — also starring Elba — came out, depicting a modern-day nonprofit that brings together Black Philadelphians with horses, the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club.

Gooch said it has been difficult finding information on Black women equestrians, herders, and jockeys. Still, some of the trailblazers she has identified include Sylvia Bishop, the first Black woman licensed to officially train thoroughbreds in 1954, and Cheryl White, the first Black woman licensed to jockey in the nation in the early 1970s, according to the International Horse Museum.

Gooch works to spread her passion for horses and books through her Saddle Up and Read initiative, which was established as a nonprofit organization in 2019. After noticing the low literacy rates in North Carolina and a literacy gap affecting communities of color, Gooch partnered with local libraries to incentivize children to read by rewarding them with a day on her father’s farm if they checked out three or more books.

As of September 2022, Gooch had raised about $40,000 for Saddle Up and Read. The organization has grown and its activities now include visiting elementary schools, libraries, and other community centers. It also has created a library of books that feature diverse stories.

A few years back, Gooch released a coloring book to educate children on Black equestrian history and plans to write more children’s books on Black horse culture.

“I think it’s important for people, not just Black people, not just people of color, but even white people to realize that Black people have always been a part of this, Gooch said. “We’re learning about everything else. We should learn about Black horse-folk, too.”

This All-Black College Swim Team Just Made History

By Nakylah Carter & Armando Garcia

An all-Black collegiate swimming and diving team won its first conference championship over the weekend, making history during Black History Month.

Howard University's swimming and diving team took home the 2023 title of the Northeast Conference Men's Swimming and Diving champions on Saturday in Geneva, Ohio, after being last year's runner-up.

"It's the first conference title for our men's program in 34 years, and it feels amazing," said Nicholas Askew, coach of Howard's swimming and diving team. "It just feels phenomenal to know that there's this group of young men and young women who believed that it was possible, even when we were first getting started and all kinds of things were not going our way."

The historically Black university houses the only surviving swim program at an HBCU -- the only all-Black swim team in the country, including coaches and supporting staff -- and strives to increase diversity in aquatics.

According to 2021 USA Swimming estimates, around 1.5% of its approximately 295,000 competitive swimmers are Black. Black swimmers account for just 2% of swimmers at the collegiate level, according to NCAA data.

Askew, an alumnus of Howard and a former swimmer at the university, believes that to bridge demographic disparities in the swimming realm, it takes initiative at a higher level.

"We need, in my opinion, strong legislation that's going to change the cycle that was broken to make sure that there's more access and make sure that there's more quality education for water safety," Askew told ABC News. "Being able to have 'learn to swim' programs that can lead to a life in the aquatic arena, not just in a competitive swim, but also in diving and synchro swimming and water polo and all other water sports that we have the opportunity to participate in."

Swim education among African American children is low, with about 64% of African-American children with little to no swimming ability, according to a 2017 study by the USA Swimming Foundation.

Askew, a swim coach since 2014, told ABC News that increased exposure at an early age could promote healthy growth in swimming, especially among minorities and inner-city youth.

The all-Black Howard swim team has become something of a family for the Bison, allowing them to relate through the sport and their race in an arena where they have been traditionally underrepresented.

"It allows them to be around people who share experiences that they can't normally talk about or they can't really express themselves. They can't really be authentically themselves. So now they're able to come out of their shell, they're able to be themselves, and they're able to shine while doing it," Askew said.

MORE: How Olympian Cullen Jones is challenging the stereotype that 'black people don't swim'

The 47-member swimming and diving team racked up a multitude of awards this weekend with Miles Simon, an Olympic Trials qualifier, breaking the meet record in the 200-meter individual medley and being named the NEC Outstanding Swimmer, and Jordan Walker named Outstanding Diver.

While this is the first championship the Howard program has won in over three decades, the Division I mid-major program's staff won the Northeast Conference's Swimming Staff of the Year award for the second season in a row. Diving coach Courtenay Miller also won the conference award for Outstanding Dive Staff.

Although the historic moment for the team was important to Askew, he noted that overall support for HBCU athletic programs is "crucial" for their survival.

"We talk about being the only HBCU [with a swim team], but that comes with a warning tag. We don't want to be a program that's cut because, even as a competitive program, NCAA swimming is the number one to cut sports and in all of athletics," Askew said. "We have to be very careful as to the support financially being in the stands, being able to send words of encouragement to the young men and women who are part of the program, as well as to administration."

Reflections

Living Waters Ministries celebrated Black History Month "From Resistance to Resilience ". The church foyer was transformed into Living Waters Black History Museum. Sister Cheree brought a powerful word on Super Bowl Sunday, "What To Do In Your Weary Season" Another awesome month in 2023 at Living Waters in the books. Take a look...

The Living Waters Museum