RESPECT Juneteenth

This year and from here on out, I believe it is appropriate to recognize Juneteenth, the holiday celebrating the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the United States. Juneteenth commemorates the June 19, 1865 announcement of General Order No. 3 by Union Army general Gordon Granger, proclaiming freedom from slavery in Texas, and is celebrated on June 18-19 this year. (Hope our government does the right thing and makes this a national holiday; yesterday’s announcement was a great step in that direction.)

To celebrate Juneteenth, I’m offering a discount of 50% off all custom-made “Respect” quilts and wall-hangings! Decorate your house with a soulful message. Two days only, June 18-19, 2021.  Check it out on Etsy:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/HoneyGirlBooksGifts

The quilts are made primarily of fabrics designed by and/or purchased from Black businesswomen in the USA, and $100 from every sale is donated to the Boys and Girls Clubs of the USA. Every Respect quilt includes the square seen above (though the “respect” is implied rather than shouted: it comes out indirectly, in the symbols, textures, and images on the quilt… “)

“Respect” quilt no. 9, top, bottom, and back, custom-made for Janice, May 2021

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day 75, spending money is a form of activism too

Still overwhelmed, still eager to help, still confused and upset like you all. While walking about the hills this morning, however, I realized a way that I can help: I can purchase goods from African-American businesses. And so can you. This is a tangible way to tell our fellow citizens that we care.

I searched a bit online and found D’Iyanu (dee-ya-nu), a ready-to-wear bold print clothing line offering quality, trendy African inspired fashion at affordable prices, in Norristown, PA. I cannot wait to receive the gorgeous Kesi African print bag I just bought, maybe as a gift… but maybe not! (on sale now for just $44.99).

Finding a black-owned fabric store was helped by this article: “Black Owned Businesses to Support Right Now” by Hadley Keller on HouseBeautiful.com . I found some fabulous Harlem Toile de Jouy fabric (below, right) from Sheila Bridges Design.  That will feature in the new “Respect” quilts I’m designing, alongside the “Respect existence” patches I bought yesterday from La Ciénaga, a feminist seller in Sevilla, Spain.

Harlem Toile de Jouy from Sheila Bridges Design (NYC)

 

Also sort of useful was this article, “Etsy Makers to Support in Honor of Black History Month.”  That led me to xnasozi, seller of some beautiful pillows but not of fabric. And when I clicked the #blacklivesmatter tag, it sent me back to an article about Etsy’s corporate efforts but there was no way to mount a useful search for black-owned businesses on Etsy. Frustrating! Meanwhile a reply to my letter to D’IYANU, directed me to look for Ankara African fabrics which led to Cynthia O in Austin, TX and her store, Afriqueclothingstore.  Yay! Success at last!  I purchased some gorgeous Ankara fabric from her, below, and now I really must get back to those face masks orders that await.

Ankara fabric from Afriqueclothing (Austin, TX)

Ankara fabric from Afriqueclothing (Austin, TX)

Remember, the offer still holds:  this week people may order a personalized quilt to be made by me, including a “Respect” quilt, at Honey Girl quilts for only $100 (3-6 month lead time.)  Use the Contact form to reserve yours!

And yesterday’s face mask production fyi:

Moral of the story: spend some money at black-owned businesses and show them you care! spending money can be a form of activism, too.

 

 

Sixteen days to go: honoring hometown heroes

 

There are a few people I will really miss in South Bend. Steve is one. He’s Dale’s son, up at Dale’s Auto, on 933 north. Dale’s not running things anymore, but we all remember him well. I made Steve a pillow today, to say “good-bye.” It’s not the first time I’ve felt this special kinship with him or given him a gift: I wrote the poem below two years ago in a strangely poignant moment when I had just returned from a trip abroad and I suddenly realized that my time was ticking down, here in South Bend and… well, in general. What is it about mechanics that, when they are nice to you, honest and reasonably priced, you just love them so much?!

It was a hot summer’s day. I was waiting for a while at Dale’s Auto for my car to be fixed.* Honey Girl was with me. Having a big friendly dog makes it easy to meet people. Before I knew it I was deep in conversation, like with an old friend, with Harold–a guy I had just met! (I understand that he can be found on most days up at Dale’s, now that he’s retired from the GM plant.) The pillow you see above is number 1, “A Souvenir for Steve,” in the brand-new “Hometown Heroes” line of Honey Girl Books and Gifts. They have real jeans pockets for people who know what work is.

***

Dale’s Auto

The low thrumming of a window AC

Out here at Dale’s

Takes me back.

Aluminum siding hot to the hand

Muddy little footprints

Bicker, splash, play

Little boys on their way

I didn’t know then, but we were

All so young and lovely.

 

Harold was afraid of girls

He told me with a sidelong smile

Probably took a lotta nerve

To come and tell me

About his dog and its $600 end,

And Marmalade a ginger cat, a “friendly” cat,

Feline leukemia.

 

Rheumy eyes but good strong hands

Me ‘n the wife, she gets the couch

I got my chair.

65 years and a month

That was a pal from GM, dead, so…

Assembly line, ya know,

Gotta know how to handle it.

What’s for dinner tonight?

Where’ll we go fishin’ come spring?

It’s not so bad

If you know how to handle it.

***

The second hometown hero I’m honoring this week is Harvey down at the ReStore on South Main Street.  I volunteered there some hours this spring. I thank Harvey for giving me work to do. For seeing that I really meant it.  “A working person’s got to work,” he said.**

To receive a job to do gives you dignity and purpose–it’s so simple, yet so deep.

“In honor of Harvey”

 

*a 2007 Chevy Aveo, if you want to know. Just sold it for $450!

**Little did he know that he was echoing a similar thought as the Renaissance French philosopher Michel de Montaigne, who said: “Nous sommes nés pour agir … Agissons donc et autant que nous le pouvons” or “We are born to be active … let’s thus be active, as much as we can.” Michel de Montaigne, Essais (1580).