Collections by Michelle Brown

Annamaria Salley had a vision in which she saw herself massaging someone in her backyard underneath a cabana with flowing white sheets. The massage table was covered in white sheets. She was wearing all white. She woke up and thought what was that all about. She got up and went to work going about her regular routine. But the dream haunted her.

She had worked as a graphic designer in Manhattan for a publisher and received her master’s degree in that field after moving to Florida. Even a year with back-to-back hurricanes didn’t discourage Annamaria from making her home in Florida. This native New Yorker had come to love the area and warmer temperature while visiting her mother who had moved to Miami.

With the support of other women, especially her mother, that encouraged her to follow her dream and take the leap from graphic design jobs to opening her own massage business she found a school, completed the training, and opened The Black Lotus Spa.

Annamaria has an amazing tribe of women who support, keep her encouraged, make sure she takes time for self-care and have helped her grow her business despite the pandemic.

Known for having “the hands of an angel” by her clients, she provides a transformational health and wellness experience to all who come through the doors of her spa.

Karen Kendra Holmes has been showing up and making a difference in her community not just as a member of the transgender community but most of her life. Being of service to others is just what she does!

When not speaking in person or virtually, Karen continues working with local police departments helping to bring dignity and respect to police interactions with members of the transgender community

She was recognized twice as "Soldier of the Year" by the State Guard Association of the United States and the Maryland State Guard Association.

This Award-Winning Public Servant and Transgender advocate shared her passion for helping others transition and to foster acceptance and support from those around them in a 2018 Tedx Talk.

She has been doing volunteer work with the Maryland Defense Force under the Maryland National Guards with the Chaplain's Unit, and with the Honor Guards. She has also done volunteer work with the American Red Cross for the National Capital Region and the MASS Care for Montgomery County Chapter.

For several years, she has been volunteering with Community Emergency Response Team in Prince George's County, Maryland, and also with the Medical Reserve Corps. When not speaking in person or virtually, Karen continues working with local police departments helping to bring dignity and respect to police interactions with members of the transgender community

Karen was asked to give a 60-second commentary on respecting each other to be broadcast soon by the Ted Talk folks. She said, "Treat others, as you wish to be treated. It's not just a cliche. It's the golden rule in life. I have feelings, a mind and a heart to serve kids and others. I am a human being and wish to be treated as one. Like you would treat your mother, father, children, siblings, and friends, just like you treat them with respect. I want to be treated with respect."

Chadra Pittman is the perfect bridge between our celebration of Black History in February and our celebration of women’s history in March. As a former Public Educator for the NY African Burial Ground Project and Creator of an Ancestral Remembrance ceremony, now in its 10th year, this native of the Bronx, NY has spent the past three decades on the front lines advocating for women, human rights, equity in education and honoring the Africans that the world forgot. She is the Founder & Executive Director of The Sankofa Projects, where she works to preserve the legacy of the African diaspora & 4 E.V.E.R. (End Violence End Rape), an activist organization that seeks to end sexual violence globally while advocating for deaf and LGBTQI inclusion.

From Chuck D, Dr. Carol Anderson to Ta-Nehisi Coates to NASA Pioneer Dr. Katherine G. Johnson, her work spans the full spectrum of the Black intellectual and cultural experience. Lecturing nationally her work has been published widely including in the American Anthropological Association Journal, A Joyous Revolt: Toni Cade Bambara and The Feminist Wire,

In 1991 she began speaking for the dead and has never stopped. Born of Seminole, Choctaw and African bloodlines, Pittman is a Black womanist, intersectional feminist, anthrpologist, social justice warrior and proud mother of two. Pittman proudly serves as the Vice-Chair of ZAMI NOBLA, the National Organization of Black Lesbians on Aging

Allener M. Baker-Rogers co-authored with Fasaha Traylor the book “They Carried Us: The Social Impact of Philadelphia’s Black Women Leaders.” The book follows the lives of 95 black women from 17th century Philadelphia to the present. The book is based on historical research of 46 forerunners and interviews with 49 contemporary women.

Cordelia Jennings Atwell is one of the forerunners profiled in the book. Baker- Rogers returns today to give a deeper dive into the impact of one of these forerunners profiled in the book

Jennings Atwell was born in New York to William Jennings, owner of a men’s furnishing store, and Mary MacFarland Jennings, a homemaker. Her family moved to Philadelphia while she was a child. She was an exceptional student and was enrolled at the Institute for Colored Youth at age 13.  Following graduation, Jennings-Atwell opened her own school in her mother’s home.

Her school quickly became popular and at one time had thirty African American students. Jennings moved the school to Ohio Street where it was renamed the Ohio Street Unclassified School. The Ohio Street Unclassified School was prominent within Philadelphia’s African American community. In fact, the Institute’s 1865 Board of Manager’s report commended Jennings and her school for having “colored teachers teaching colored students.”

After her marriage to Joseph Atwell, the first African American Episcopal deacon of Virginia, Cordelia went on to establish other schools around the country including in Virginia, Georgia and New York.

Many cultures associate the butterfly with our souls, as a symbol of resurrection, as representing endurance, change, hope, and life. Sandra Epps is all this and more. A survivor of Systemic Lupus (SLE) for which the butterfly rash is often a symptom, Epps has adopted the butterfly as a symbol of her strength, resiliency, and creativity. . Her triumph over Lupus inspired her first self-published children’s book -- Imani Has the Most Exciting Dream!

Epps is an artist and author. She is also the Founder of Sandy’s Land LLC and the Detroit Doll Show. The Detroit Doll Show strives to inspire black and brown girls of all ages to “Love the Skin They’re In.” The charge is to celebrate history, culture, self-love, and diversity with the promotion of dolls of color. It is the largest black doll show of its kind.

Epps also established SHE’S Empowered, (Sisters Helping Encourage Sister) which was an organization created to encourage women to live healthy in mind, body, and spirit and to increase lupus awareness. The Women’s Empowerment Conference BUTTERFLY BASH has been pivotal in providing empowerment from professional speakers, tackling health disparities with black women, intriguing attendees with creative fashions from local designers, and closing out the event with surprise entertainment.

Epps’ story has been featured in the media locally and nationally. She has also been recognized for her work to help women to live their best lives on their own terms.

Pamela E. Alexander is a part of Detroit’s LGBTQ history. She has been active in the metro-Detroit community for years  She is a “Gold Star” mother. The retired Deputy Director of the Ruth Ellis Center was instrumental on the founding and Development of the Kofi House: Center for Lesbian and Queer Women and Girls. Her love of Black, Women’s, and LGBTQ history inspired her research in the life and legacy of Pauli Murray.

The Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray was an activist for American civil rights and women’s rights. She was a lawyer, poet, author, and first African American Woman Episcopalian priest.“Pauli” Murray was born in Baltimore, MD. She was orphaned when young, and raised mostly by her maternal grandparents in Durham, NC. In 1940, Murray sat in the whites-only section of a bus in Virginia and was arrested for violating state segregation laws. She enrolled in the law school at Howard University, where she also became aware of sexism. She called it "Jane Crow" and published a book by that title.

As a lawyer, Murray argued for civil rights and women's rights.Thurgood Marshall called Murray's 1950 book, States' Laws on Race and Color, the "bible" of the civil rights movement.. In 1966 she was a co-founder of the National Organization of Women (NOW). Ruth Bader Ginsberg named Murray as a co-author of a brief on the 1971 case Reed v. Reed,  She became an ordained priest in 1977, among the first generation of women priests.

In addition to her legal and advocacy work, Pauli published two well-reviewed autobiographies and a volume of poetry.

Originally from Burton, Michigan a suburb of Flint, Cheryl Czach now calls Detroit home. She left a successful career in the corporate world to start her own firm Cheryl Czach Coaching and Consulting, LLC providing leadership and personal coaching for individuals and businesses. She has been guiding professionals through their work and life journeys for over twenty years. With the current pandemic, she has expanded her client base to include individuals.

She learned from her parents the importance of building community. Even though she was a stay-at-home mom, Cheryl remembers her mother always taking an active role in building community. 

A fan of Oprah Winfrey, she took to heart Winfrey’s words that life whispers to you all the time and encourages others to listen to the whisper before it becomes a roar.  

With her election to board president of Affirmations Community Center in Ferndale, MI, Cheryl recognizes she stands on the shoulders of the many incredible women in the LGBTQ community and is committed to continuing their legacy of stewardship. Building community, a place where people feel they belong, is an important part not only of her role at Affirmations but what she tries to share with her clients and all she meets.

Jayla’s Jaunts are the creation of our guest entrepreneur, actress, and author Senyah Haynes. Jayla’s Jaunts is an exciting adventure series about a fun-loving little girl and her whimsical auntie. Together they travel and explore the culture and history of every place they go. The plan is to visit all 50 states and this year Haynes keeps on track with the release of two new books “Agog & Awe in Arkansas” and “Arizona Antics.” Together they travel and explore the culture and history of every place they go. Haynes will be reading from the Jayla’s Jaunts series at Chicago area venues during Black History month

Travel is in Haynes's DNA. As an 18-year-old she traveled to Jamaica and for the first time understood how limited her view had been of the African Diaspora. This realization put her on the course for learning and sharing this with others, especially youth. 

She also co-founded Diasporal Discoveries to expose youth to the diversity of the African Diaspora with the goal of connecting them to various cultures both domestic and abroad.

Cathy Renna has been a voice in the LGBTQ+ community for many years working with countless organizations of all sizes to ensure a variety of voices in the LGBTQ+ community are heard.

She worked with the Matthew Shephard foundation for years.

She spent 14 years at GLAAD. She also helped coordinate the coverage of the World Pride celebration in New York City. In 2020 she became th Communications Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force. She is not new to the Task Force having worked as a consultant for the Creating Change conferences for many years and as interim Communications Director.

Renna shares how the organization has pivoted to continue to represent the LGBTQ+ during these challenging times not only with the Conference but internally as it prepares for a leadership transition as Kierra Johnson succeeds current Executive Director Rea Carey. it is also preparing for its first virtual conference with Creating Change 2021. The Conference will be held virtually from January 28th – 31st. The theme of this year’s conference is “The Power of You” and features 16 day-long institutes, 48 workshops and caucus session.

The opening keynote address will be delivered by activist and actress Dominique Jackson. The closing address will be by author, Black-feminist and women’s rights activist Adrienne Maire Brown. Performances by Big Freedia “The Queen of Bounce” and Latina comic Sandra Valls are just part of the scheduled entertainment

While many nonprofits are cutting back on services and in some instances closing their doors the Ruth Ellis Center is pushing through the pandemic and expanding services. Executive Director Jerry Peterson shares how the organization has carried on its mission of providing services during the pandemic while pushing forward with new plans.

Today, beyond its main 77 Victor St. location in Highland Park, REC is on its way to hosting four locations across the city. It recently announced three new programs – the REC at Clairmount for long term housing support in Detroit’s north end, and the Rapid Rehousing Project and the Kelly Stough Project. Both the Kelly Stough and Rapid Re-housing, via partnerships with landlords, can provide up to 24 months of rental support at both short-term and intermediate lengths for residents across Detroit and the Metro area.

Although the organization has grown over the years, it remains committed to carrying with it the spirit and legacy of its own namesake - lesbian activist Ruth Ellis. She is very alive in this work and that spirit.