A few nights ago, Oprah said, “A new day is on the horizon!”
And it is! Can you feel it?
Oprah was the first black woman to win the Cecil B. DeMille Golden Globe award. In her acceptance speech, she told the story of Recy Taylor and Rosa Parks. In Alabama, in 1944, Recy Taylor was a young wife and mother who was abducted by six, armed, white men when walking home from church. She was raped and left blindfolded by the side of the road. Rosa Parks took her case, and together they tried to persecute the men that destroyed Taylor. And although they did not receive justice at that time, they started a movement that continues to this day.
Oprah used this story to say remind us that this time is up! Justice must be served moving forward.
If you haven’t seen the whole speech, you can watch it here:
Did you see the women from the Golden Globes last night? Did you see the public outcrying of truth and support? Time’s up!
This is why I’m here. Sometimes it takes a reminder in the form of the fabulous Oprah, to get me to remember why I’m doing what I’m doing.
(If you don’t know what I’m doing yet, check out www.phoebesherman.com but I will also discuss who I am and what I’m doing if you keep reading)
It’s so easy to get caught up in sales, to do lists, and “creating content.” Sometimes, the internet feels like a black hole and a popularity contest all at once.It can make me sick with greed and jealousy. It’s a spiral of, “Why don’t I have that?” or, “Why can’t I be like that?”
This thirst for MORE MORE MORE is something I’ve always had. And yes, sometimes this thirst is benefical. My friends know that if you want shit done, you come to me. I have goals and to-do lists. I can multitask like crazy, and the sheer number of things I do in a day astound people. But why am I doing these things? What drives my passion? Why do I need to create? And why do I create what I choose to create?
There are plenty of reminders why I need to create. One of these reminders came when I listened Oprah’s speech. These moments are sometimes jarring and sometimes gentle. The reminders come in the form of spells and tarot readings prompted by The Many Moons Workbook by Modern Women. (You can find the book here or at local stores like Resurrect, Oakland). The reminders come in the form of a Tribe, the collective welcoming of a new group I’m working with through the Hell Yes Academy lead by Pat Bailey. A new tribe feels charged and readies me to say “HELL YES.”
The more jarring reminders come in the form of posts from my peers sharing their #MeToo stories. The truthful words sting, and remind me of my own experiences and the collective experience of women and minorities who have been stepped on, torn apart, or taken advantage of. A reminder comes to me when a woman in medicine who lives in Kentucky (whom I met in Belize) tells me there’s only one abortion clinic in the whole state (not a Planned Parenthood even) and they’re only sometimes allowed to perform abortions. She tells me she used to work at two sister high schools that cater only to pregnant teens. Two high schools in the same town where the only students are pregnant teens!
This whole past year has been a giant reminder of why I do what I do. This man who sits in the White House has actively bragged about sexual harassment. The time is ripe with a need of protest and activism. The outpouring truths from women in Hollywood has highlighted abuse in other environments. This collective screaming of truth has ignited my power and identified my purpose. This year of authenticity and shouting from the rooftops has empowered me to create thought-provoking, political, and personal art, but also has invited me to hold space. A space to gather collectively and explore a way to better ourselves and better our world.
I hold space in my yoga teaching, I hold space in the events we create for Girl Gang Craft, and I hold space by donating to Planned Parenthood and creating a safety net for those in need.
I acknowledge my privilege as a white, sort-of Jew, woman from a wealthy suburb.
But,
Me too
Me too
Me too
Me too
All of us.
I dedicate this business to you.
To the boy in 11th grade who called me Blue Balls Queen because I was collectively known as someone who would only make out. To all of you boys who called me a tease for the same reason. To the boy I was in love with for 6 years who asked me to keep it a secret after we kissed, and wouldn’t talk to me ever again after I told a friend. To the boy who grabbed me and held me down and eventually chased me as I ran out of his house and into my car after I said no. To the emotionally abusive alcoholic ex-boyfriend who taught me the term “gaslighting” (if you don’t know what this term means check out this article). To the gay restaurant manager who would comment on the other girls boobs to me, talking as if we were friends, and as if he could not possibly be misogynistic because of his sexual preference. To this terrible, terrible absolutely incompetent president who is a known sexual predator.
This is also for you. This is why I choose to create. This is why I choose to harness community. This is why I choose to donate. This is why I choose to write and think and paint and love.
I choose to move forward with heart and passion. I ask you as well, Why do you do the things you do? I invite you to float into 2018 with the question, How do I lead with love? How do I create a business that is heart-forward? Please feel free to share in the comments.!
That’s it for now, gang.
Thanks for hanging around at Girl Gang Craft. Here's to the launch of the Girl Gang Craft BLOG!!! Stay tuned for artist and entrepreneur interviews, tips and tricks to run a business, and so much more!
I love you!
Xoxo
Phoebe Sherman (Founder of Girl Gang Craft)
