The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that Black women suffer death at a partner’s hands more often than women of any other race. Black women were also found most likely to be shot to death; 57.7 percent died of a gunshot wound. The study found that over half of all female murder victims are killed by intimate partners and that 98 percent of the homicidal partners, regardless of race or method used to kill, were men. This study looked at murders from 2003-2014. Globally, during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, reports of domestic abuse increased. The domestic violence I survived happened in 2003.

In 2007, I was involved in theater in Skid Row. Urban Possibilities was having a Night of Monologues and I asked if it would be okay if I wrote my own. They agreed and helped me shape my piece, Justice? Or Just Me?

A mixture of spoken word, story-telling, and comedy, the piece was based on a part of my journey. Dramastage Qumran encouraged me to keep performing it and gave me a stage to do so. It was through these theater companies that I was able to find my voice again.

A friend of mine from church saw my performance at Night of Monologues and invited me to perform for her students, and said there could even be a Q & A after. After ten years of performing the piece, leading improv workshops and having talk-backs,

I was honored to be part of the REDCAT Studio program. I was able to experiment with multi-media for my piece. Ordinarily, I had performed it without any additional effects.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The various opportunities to share opened the door for me to speak on other areas such as: The Underground Railroad, Slavery and The Roots of Black Gospel Music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhITJl2GYF0

Japan Talk — Sept. 2018 The Roots of Black Gospel Music. Tokyo, Japan

Being able to share my piece has brought light to the fact that I am not alone in my journey, which has encouraged me to continue sharing in order to bring awareness.

Thank you

Justice? Or… Just Me? The Bite at the Hollywood Fringe Festival Summer 2021

Justice? Or… Just Me? The Bite solo play is the first in the trilogy and was a winner of the Hollywood Fringe Festival Diversity Scholarship 2021 awarded to productions with powerful community impact. The play went on to be an official selection of Black Voices Solo Festival 2021 and Solofest 2022 with a 20 minute online version part of the Nesona Short Play Festival 2021.