One of my views on Solomons Island, MD
Spring break is over and I’m back to my duties. Before the break so much had taken place – my daughter’s roller skating birthday party, doing the PR thing, especially attending a Greek Easter Feast Press Preview for one of the company’s clients, my dad’s short stint back in the hospital, working while dealing with a week-long nasty sinus infection/cold – that I’m thankful for the week my family and I took to just sit, breathe and vegetate a little…just a little. Our time was spent in Solomons Island, MD, a place we use to frequent when I was a kid and spend the day along the beach. I have to say I was a bit sad when I touched the beach this go around. People… beach erosion is REAL!!! There was barely a beach as the Patuxent River and Chesapeake Bay clearly rose and washed over the vast sand. Solomons Island still has some lovely views and is a nice place to feel at peace, but as I stood on the pier and looked back at the shoreline, I couldn’t get over how the beach seemed non-existent.
Aside from enjoying “spring break,” I was sucked in by the online conversations surrounding my latest article for EBONY.com. In case you missed it, my latest piece focuses on Relisha Rudd, a missing 8-year-old from D.C. who hasn’t been seen since March 1. I spoke with Derrica Wilson, co-founder and CEO of Black and Missing Foundation on the topic of her disappearance being a possible human trafficking case. I did something I don’t know normally do. I read the comments; on the article and on social media where the article was shared. I’m moved by the number of people who were touched by the article; some even reached out to me on Twitter. I’ve read countless comments where people were appreciative of the stats mentioned and the overall topic being discussed. All of this let’s me know I did my job as the search for Rudd continues. It scares me that her case is growing cold, but as Wilson vowed that she is not going to allow her case to go cold, I still feel a strange melancholy way when I see the police marquee along freeways announcing her Amber Alert, or the [now] once in a blue moon share of her Amber Alert on social media. There are no new leads, but with the flash of the Amber Alert it sobers you, if only for a minute to remind you, she is still out there. I pray she is alive and can be brought to safety.
On another note, I also manged to engage briefly on the topic of millennials. A fellow Howard Bison, who is also a talented journalist, asked to speak with me further on the subject. It was all for an article she was working on. I accepted and with a vacation brain – I was seriously on a mental break – I took some time to converse with her further as she interviewed me. I laughed when it was over, praying that I made sense. I was totally on vacation. Her article discusses the diversity of millennials and debunks the stereotypes attached to Generation Y; lazy, entitled, self-centered.
Take a moment to read: Millennials Are More Diverse – in Many Ways by Jazelle Hunt (Great job Jazelle!)
Also, remember when I spoke about an audition I went to for the show Listen To Your Mother? To briefly recap; in February a friend of mine asked me to audition with her for the show. The show’s central theme is motherhood where cast members are reading their pieces on anything pertaining to such. My friend was accepted to be a member of the cast! The show is in TWO WEEKS and finally her profile has been posted!
La Dale “Reina” Johnson and I have been friends since high school. We’ve been through a lot together and a part and through it all I’ve been amazed by the growth she has exuded!!! She is the writer behind the blog Johanna’s Mama and I couldn’t be any more proud of the voice she is presenting in two weeks. This is her time… her brave and I’m honored to witness this! Go read her cast profile as well as read up on Listen to Your Mother. Go buy your ticket and I’ll see you May 4th at the show!
Until then..let me get back to toiling. Actually, I’m breaking for the evening. I’m going to curl up with a book until I nod off, wake up and start fresh!
Mahoganie: Musings East of the Anacostia River 
Posted on April 22, 2014
0