They were Dragons

There are a few women that I can honestly feel strongly enough about to write a story of how they helped to shape my life. There have been some who influenced my will to survive. The dragon woman within myself, however, struggled to keep my spirit together through all the hardships, pains and sacrifices from which I have emerged scathed and bruised, yet completely determined to survive.

I pay homage to my mother and aunt who did their best to raise me into young adulthood. I was thrust out into a world where I had to claw my way into a cold and harsh reality. There are many sides of fences where one is raised and emerges an initiate, some are easy, and some are destined for great unpaved roads.

My dragons were cruel mistresses, they held tightly to my heart as I tried to detangle my way through this maze of life.

I began by first learning of my heritage, knowing that women in death defying situations rose to great life-threatening heights of leadership to overcome unsurmountable odds with bravery.

My country woman, Nanny of the Maroons resisted the slave masters by escaping up into the Jamaican mountains to give the white slave masters hell to pay, using any weapon at her disposal to protect her people.

During the years of warfare, the British suffered significant losses in their encounters with the Windward Maroons of eastern Jamaica. Maroons attributed their success against the British to the successful use of supernatural powers by Nanny, but historians argue that the Maroon's mastery of guerrilla warfare played a significant role in their success. Having failed to defeat them on the battlefield, the British sued for peace, signing a treaty with them on 20 April 1740. The treaty stopped the hostilities, provided for state sanctioned freedom for the Maroons, and granted 500 acres of land to Nanny and her followers. The village built on the land grant still stands and today is called Moore Town, also known as the New Nanny Town. Modern members of the Moore Town community celebrate 20 April 1740 as a holiday.

Harriet Tubman

Tubman and her Underground Railroad taught me the strength of sacrifice, suffering and triumph over adversities.

Born into slavery in Maryland, Tubman was beaten and whipped by enslavers as a child. Early in life, she suffered a traumatic head wound when an irate overseer threw a heavy metal weight, intending to hit another slave, but hit her instead. The injury caused dizziness, pain, and spells of hypersomnia, which occurred throughout her life. After her injury, Tubman began experiencing strange visions and vivid dreams, which she ascribed to premonitions from God. These experiences, combined with her Methodist upbringing, led her to become devoutly religious.

Although she escaped slavery, she returned to free many more. The Bible says, 'greater love hath no man/woman than the one who lays down her life for others'. Such a great motivation for success.

Louise Bennett

Louise Bennett was the first black student to study at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) after being awarded a scholarship from the British Council.

Louise Simone Bennett-Coverley, affectionately called 'Miss Lou'. OM, OJ, MBE was born on 7 September 1919 in Kingston, Jamaica. Miss Lou was our most celebrated female Jamaican poetess, folklorist, writer, actress and educator.

I remember listening to this vivacious, feisty, energetic and playful voice on the radio when I was a child. I would listen to her poetry and wonder if I could ever write the kind of poetry that made people so happy. Her audience was phenomenal, we watched on our black/white televisions back then or glued to the radio whenever she was on. Kids always made sure chores were done, parents got the dinner out of the way early as everyone huddled down for Miss Lou's Views and side-splitting poetry.

My love of writing and reading poetry was encouraged by this effusive, enthusiastic pioneer woman, who seemed like a giant female superhero in a mostly male dominated field. She was fearless and brilliant, and radiated a positivity that endeared her to everyone around and across the airwaves. I wanted so badly to be her.

Yes, there came Rosa Parks, Ida B. Wells, Maya Angelou, Oprah Winfrey, Angela Davis, Toni Morrison, Diana Ross, Vanessa Williams and many more of whom I could write. Sojourner Truth, Mary Mcloud Bethune, Fannie Lou Hamer, Dorothy Height, Septima Poinsette Clark Pauli Murray and Shirley Chisholm.

Fannie Lou Hamer was beaten and arrested in 1962 for attempting to vote.

Shirley Chisholm became the first Black woman elected to the US Congress. In 1972 she became the first Black woman to run for President.

I carried these women as company on my way to becoming independent and to remind me to never give up.

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