Georgia On My Mind

~~~ “There’s Ma’s house!” My older sister, Althea, and I would scream in excitement as we approached my great-grandmother’s, Julia Dallas-Austin’s, house, 2247 Redwine Ave., College Park, Ga. I could always spot “Ma’s” petite frame sitting on her enclosed front porch, spitting tobacco, and overseeing everything. Ma looked like an Indian Princess: Flawless brown skin, […]

Silence

~~~ To my stepfather, Last October, I sat in the courtroom with my mother, witnessing the court put an end to your 32 year old marriage. Or as I refer to it, your 32 year reign of terror. I guess we appeared, as we always did, like a good family – despite the circumstances. So […]

Left For Dead

~~~ This is not exactly a feel-good story. A little over five years ago in 2005, on my 39th birthday, my boyfriend John, was brutally murdered by my ex-boyfriend in my own home. The reason why I’m able to tell you any of this? My ex-boyfriend thought he had murdered me too. He definitely ended […]