This Juneteenth, celebrate the inspiring woman Henrietta Wood, whose story was lost to descendants for over one hundred years. We follow her dangerous and convoluted journey to freedom and learn how her endurance leads to victory!
CHALLENGE: FOR THOSE YOUNGER LISTENTERS, CAN YOU JUMP EVERY TIME YOU HEAR THE WORDS "FREE" OR "FREEDOM"?
CHALLENGE: FOR ALL WHO COUNT...HOW MANY TIMES IS THE WORD "FREE" MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE? ANSWER @BRILLIANTMORNINGS ON INSTAGRAM FOR A POSSIBLE PRIZE!
Episode Poem: "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" from Shaker, Why Don't You Sing? Copyright © 1983 by Maya Angelou. Used by permission of Random House, an imprint and division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. (Special permission granted for educators teaching through audio during 2020-September 2021.)
Our dynamic cast includes individuals who inspire the world on a daily basis! Discover them below:
Amber O’Neal Johnston (consultant and barbecue host) is a home educator, speaker, writer and consultant who inspires families around the world with her own journey in creating an inclusive, culturally-rich home education using the Charlotte Mason philosophy. She can be found on at Heritagemom.com, or on Instagram @heritagemomblog where she shares her wisdom, encouragement, and a vast collection of resources. We are so very grateful to Ms. Amber for her wisdom and participation in today’s episode!
Celebrated actress Mina Thomas (true words of Henrietta Wood; Maya Angelou's poem "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings") currently graces the stage of Sight and Sound Theater in Branson, MO, where she has most recently played the role of Mary Magdalene in the show Jesus. While you plan your trip to the theater, view a recent interview here: https://www.facebook.com/sightsoundtheatresbranson/videos/932053714292274
Damion Sanders, (Barbecue host) a gun violence survivor, lives to help the hurting heal & change worlds with words. His core belief is that freed people should free people.
Follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damionbsanders/
Randy Mason, a husband, dad and hip-hop artist has a heart for the next generations. Find his music and more information here: https://linktr.ee/randymasonmusic
Follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/randymasonmusic/
Sharon Chang, our narrator, recently made headlines as the first Black female partner in William Morris Endeavor's history! Check out her story here: https://variety.com/list_item/sharon-chang/ She has also brought her talent and passion for music as worship director to Pascack Bible Church for 30 years! (Thank you, Mrs. Chang, for being my first singing teacher!)
Our cast also includes Timmy L., Micah I., and Bella I.
Special Mention to our editors and consultants:
1. Erika Alicea https://www.instagram.com/cmcityliving/
2. Shaun McClin
3. David Chang
4. Natasha Sanchez
Primary sources are priceless. Please check out these life-changing stories I found during the in-depth research stage of preparing for this episode:
1. Henrietta Wood's story, in her own words! http://wcaleb.rice.edu/omeka/collections/show/9
2. Stories of former slaves in the Oklahoma/Texas region (in their own words): http://lcweb2.loc.gov/mss/m