We are going to get into it. As you all know, or should know by now, February in the United States is Black History Month. All the usual Black History Stars are brought out all shiny and new with a bow. Kids go ooohhh and oh, and everything is sanitized by white revisionist history writers. But, yes, the people. know the truth. We are going to jump into a person who is Black, but is also queer.

Pauli Murray lived from 1910-1985. They are considered TGNG (trans/non conforming.) Like many people who lived in earlier eras, Pauli did not use the word “transgender” to describe themselves Many people and modern day information will still use she/her. We will be using they/them. Let’s be clear: In their writings, Pauli did use she/her pronouns. But outside of publishing and in their public life they considered themselves “a girl who should have been a boy.” Looking for a way to get testosterone for hrt. They also wanted exploratory surgery to see if they had an undescended testicle

Murray was often seen with a seahorse broach on their lapel, that was a symbol of their own ambiguity. It represented their genderless nature.

They were at the crux of gender liberation and racial justice.. They were known as the first African-American woman ordained as an Episcopal priest and the first black person to graduate with a JSD from Yale Law. Pauli, along with Betty Friedan, founded the National Organization for Women.

Murray is probably best known for their contribution to American life. They had a role in ending segregation by pioneering the legal theory that was used by civil rights lawyers in Brown vs. Board of Education, which, of course, outlawed racial segregation in American public schools. What an absolutely fabulous person.

I am going to drop one more name, and make no mistake, because I am not doing a big write up on her, does not mean she doesn’t deserve it. Miss Major Griffin-Gracy 1946-2025 - This is the first Black History Month without Miss Major, who was known to many as “Mama.” It would have been an absolute pleasure to have met and spent any amount of time with her.

Major fierce and intersectional approach to justice brought her to to care directly for people with HIV?AIDS in the early 80s. She started San Francisco’s first mobile needle exchange. She mentored ““gurls” within prison. She founded House of gg out of a desire to be a center to empower, heal, and be a safe haven for Black trans people and movement leaders in the Southern US.

“POETRY IS LANGUAGE AT ITS MOST DISTILLED AND MOST POWER.”

—RITA DOVE

“BREATHE IN EXPERIENCE, BREATHE OUT POETRY.”

—MURIEL RUKEYSER

“POETRY LIFTS THE VEIL FROM THE HIDDEN BEAUTY OF THE WORLD, AND MAKES FAMILIAR OBJECTS AS IF THEY WERE NOT FAMILIAR.”

—PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY

All of these quotes have to do, explicitly, with poetry, and the use of words to “Lift the veil.” Poetry can choke the life out of a phrase, and leave the reader breathless. It has happened to me many times.

And now for a few quotes on Revolution, because, hey, that’s where we are.

“WOMEN MUST BECOME REVOLUTIONARY. THIS CANNOT BE EVOLUTION BUT REVOLUTION.”

—SHIRLEY CHISOLM'

“I’N NOT READY TO GO BACK AND HIDE INSIDE A CLOSET, AND JUST GET ERASED LIKE THAT”.

—MISS MAJOR GRIFFIN-GRACY

“BLACK TRANS LIBERATION IS ALL OF US. IT’S YOU AND ME, IT’S OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT’S A RECOMMITMENT TO OUR ANCESTORS. WE DESERVE OUR REEDOM”.

—QWEEN JEAN

LET ME SAY THAT ALL THE MUSIC ON THIS PAGE, STAYS ON THIS PAGE. YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO TO YOUTUBE. I AM JUST DROPPING THE VIDEO IF I CAN FIND IT ON YOUTUBE. LET’S GET TO IT, SHALL WE??

OSHUN - WHAT MORE CAN I SAY? DO SOME CURSORY RESEARCH ON IFA AND OSHUN. I AM A CHILD OF OSUN.

ANOTHER TRACK BY OSHUN FEATURING JORJA SMITH. I AM SURE A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW NOTHING OF THE GROUP OSHUN, THE ORISHA OSHUN, AND THE SPIRITUALITY OF IFA. TAKE THIS AS A MOMENT TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW.

So, if you don’t know, I have Bipolar I with psychotic features.. It is a cute way to say my moods fluctuate and i see/hear things. Lol do y’all think it is that simple. Anyone who has dealt with mental illness knows that it is not easy, and often can be scary. I have been in a mixed episode for the last few weeks. I have to thank Egg, Mish Mish, and Sarah for keeping me from going over the edge. I was approaching that edge really fast, and I haven’t admitted this to anyone yet, but it got really scary. Sui is always on the table. The tabs in my brain opened all at once exploding colors, words, symbols, shapes, tastes — it was all assaulting me. It exploded and I shut down. The result—I slept the next 18 our of 24 hours. I was absolutely batshit crazy lol. Let’s just say it was enough to warrant an immediate psych visit, and another one today. A shift in meds is helping, but it will take about 3 weeks to take full effect.

Okay. Time to list some other stuff, so you know what your lovely writer struggles with, or uses as a super power. GAD - Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Crohn’s disease, HS, AuDHD, and my mind is blanking out right there. All I know is I had a meltdown, then spiraled down a hole where it was not safe for me to be. There is a reason we don’t have guns in the space.