It is a new year and I am excited about the shift and the direction we are going. In the beginning of this year I heard news of the passing of a dear sister of mine Patricia Miswa. We met in 2012 when she featured my work with Women|Change|Africa on her platform Afroelle Magazine. Since then we began to build what I would call a solid relationship--a sisterhood. We had never met in person but in true Patricia fashion she opened up to me and we started to build a relationship, over the 5 years we gave each other advice from personal to career to business and we were there for each other in unimaginable ways. In early January, I was shocked to find out that Patricia passed away from a sudden illness. She had come to the U.S. for school and we were both so overjoyed that she got into the program she applied for. I was in total and complete shock, my entire world felt as if the ground opened up around me. I cried that day. I wept that day like a child. She never said goodbye, but she always wished me well as I did for Patricia. I started to reflect on Patricia's life and how she built this powerful community of women through Afroelle magazine. What a legacy of sisterhood she left behind! This is what I believe is what made her stand out was how she treated all of the women she worked with, with dignity and respect. In 2015 I interviewed Patricia for For Harriet Magazine for her initiative she was raising funds to launch a coffee table book for her platform and I am so glad she was able to finally do an interview! I will always cherish our sisterhood and our bond that we shared. This is why this month I celebrate her life and her legacy of sisterhood through the launch of the second Love and Sisterhood Series Part 2. I learn every day that we must celebrate each other's legacies whilst we are still alive, so that our voices are even more powerful once we transition to the next life.
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| Rest in Paradise Patricia Msiwa |
This month we take some time to reflect on the women in our lives who mean so much to us. This month is usually celebrated by love for couples but us here at WCA believe so firmly in the importance of nurturing black sisterhood, that of course we had to kick off the year right sharing what Sisterhood means to us. Sisterhood for me is a very intimate space, a place where you can be yourself with those you choose to call sisters. I have learnt over the years that sisters do not necessarily have to be family, they can be close friends who become just like family to you. Recently this weekend I spent some time with two of my closest sister friends Bunmi and Liz and we had such a great time. All we did was eat, dance, listen to great music all in the comfort of one of my sisters homes. It was the absolute best thing that happened to me this month as it was so refreshing. Every time i spend time with my sisterhood, I get a certain type rush of positive energy. I reflect every so often on what sisterhood means to me. And to me it is having a core support network of women who I can look to for advice, support, inspiration whilst providing the same back to them. It means sacrifice and having their back no matter what, it means that even in times of conflict and when seasons change we find a way to apply grace to each other to get to a better place. It means knowing when to be humble and apologize for our mistakes when we wrong each other. It means saying prayers in support of each other's life dreams and goals.
As I reflected on all of this I realized how black sisterhood and sisterhood in general is one of the things God has blessed me with in my life are solid women who are constantly in my corner. As I step into 2018, a lot has changed, a lot of growth has happened, a lot of people have come and gone but one thing remains true is that when women genuinely support one another in any area of our lives, we all WIN. I know Patricia's spirit lives within the work that every woman does to amplify the voices of African women. This month I celebrate every sister in my life and I hope you can join us in celebrating your sisterhood as well.
Here is to an amazing 2018 and I look forward to building with each of you.
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