Congratulations to Carolyn Watson, Kimberly Higgins Mays, and the Arts Facet for hosting an engaging Poetry Slam at Elizabeth House on April 6, 2023.
Loraine Binion Hardy delivered a delicious meal of chicken enchiladas with rice and beans for the adults and cheese and chicken quesadillas for the children. Chips and salsa completed the meal and girl scout cookies were on hand for dessert. Kimberly Higgins Mays, Carolyn Watson, and Loraine Binion Hardy decorated the meeting space for the mothers.
Kimberly Higgins Mays opened the program with greetings and Shakeya A. McDow facilitated a conversation about resilience. She read excerpts from the book Resilient by Rick Hanson. One of the points from the book, that Shakeya A. McDow shared, was that people need three things in life: safety, connections, and satisfaction. After sharing her personal story about resiliency, the residents were given the time to write their own expressions and stories. The evening concluded with some of the mothers sharing their poems and expressions. It was clear from the poems and stories shared tonight that OBAL has established a very trusting and positive relationship with the mothers at Elizabeth House.
Thank you to Shakeya A. McDow for supplying magazines, Carolyn Watson for supplying the flowers, magazines and children’s book, Angelina and the Princess and Kimberley Goode who donated the book of poems, There Are Girls Like Lions. Each attendee received the set of two books as a gift.
Much appreciation to the members who attended and supported the event this evening, Loraine Binion Hardy, Shakeya A. McDow, Carolyn Watson, Kimberly Higgins Mays, and Theresa Clincy.
