Recently, Deidre and I were blessed to be able to travel with our husbands on a cruise to the Cayman Islands and Cozumel, Mexico. It was such a blessing for the “Voices” to spend time with each other. An additional bonus was seeing beautiful sites in two different places that we had never visited.

We were also able to meet such friendly and encouraging people on board the ship, and watch Deidre’s husband, Larry, add to his following via his Karaoke performances!

Another highlight was getting to put into practice what Deidre’s pastor, Bishop McLaughlin, once told them – to preach what we already practice. That way people can see us doing what we are consistently saying. While wearing our “Color Is Love” T-shirts on board, we garnered the attention of several inquiring minds who wanted to know the meaning of the shirts (visit www.tphim.org and search “watch now” to find out more this Sunday. Feb. 14). It was a great way to spread the message of loving one another as Christ commands us in spite of our race, age, and background differences.

During this month devoted to showing and sharing LOVE, the Voices would like to encourage you to seek out someone outside of your regular social circle and offer them the Love of Christ. Hopefully, you can do this with ease because God abides in you. However,  you cannot give what you do not have. Do you have it?

I John 4:7

Deidre and Sue

As we move into February, Deidre and I were discussing Bill Murray’s movie, “Groundhog Day.” We reflected on the major premise, living repetitiously or going through the motions, day by day. Sometimes it seems that life resembles a scene from this movie: the holidays are over, the school year is half over, the weather is dreary, and life can seem mundane. In the education setting with teachers and students, the adults in the building are attempting to move students “beyond the break,” when most of them are still mentally “on the break!” After a few days of this situation, even to the most enthusiastic teacher can be discouraged. However, we suggest realizing that you can always change things up a bit. We love Verne Hill’s quote, “If you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got,” because it encourages us to move beyond the ordinary and do things in a different way.

When 2016 came in, Deidre and I wrote about “A New Year, A New Beginning.” It’s never too late to begin again and to stop the revolving door of mediocrity; halting your “ground hog” experience. Earlier through Sue’s Voice we reminded you to make good memories this school year and enjoy each moment. With the month of February, comes the message of love. We hope you stay encouraged as the school year continues to progress. May you experience the love of God clearly, and be able to share it daily with your students.

Two Voices As One,

Deidre and Sue

Beautiful gowns, limousines, the red carpet! It’s the Academy Awards – the night the acting community comes together to support their peers. Maybe not this year, though, as several Black actors and directors are encouraging a boycott of the ceremonies due to no major nominations for people of color. Last week two prominent African-Americans from the acting community chose the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday to announce a boycott of this year’s Academy Awards over a lack of diversity among the nominees. Jada Pinkett Smith whose husband, Will Smith, was expected to be nominated for “Concussion” but wasn’t, and director Spike Lee are boycotting this year’s ceremony and encouraging others to do so as well. Lee put this out on Instagram: “Forty white actors in two years and no flava at all. We can’t act?! WT#” Then there’s the other side as Academy Award-nominated actress Charlotte Rampling entered the debate over a lack of diversity at the Oscars by saying the calls for a boycott are “racist to white people.” Rampling is quoted as saying on Friday, Jan. 22, 2016, that sometimes “maybe black actors didn’t deserve to be in the final stretch.” President of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, issued the following statement: “This is a difficult but important conversation, and it’s time for big changes. The Academy is taking dramatic steps to alter the makeup of our membership and conduct a review of our membership recruitment in order to bring about much-needed diversity in our 2016 class and beyond.”

What does this situation show us? I think it is that perceptions are everything and we are still more divided by race than together.

Deidre and I write about the importance of perceptions to the racial divide in several chapters of our book. In our effort to get out our message on coming together as people – God’s children, not races – we are reminded how important it is to teach our children early on that we are “more alike than different,” and what lies inside a person is much more important than what is visible on the outside. Please help us communicate this message to as many people as you can through not only your words, but also your example.

Sue – Voice II

Perception is everything just as much as beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  People classify “the best” or their favorite based on their own personal tastes. If a majority or all of the Academy Board are white males over 50, I believe their selections will naturally reflect their gender, age, and personal preferences.

I plan to, but I have not watched Concussion with black actor, Will Smith. On the other hand,  I have no desire to watch,  The Martian starring the white actor and Oscar nominee, Matt Damon, simply because Science Fiction movies, including Star Wars, usually  do not interest me. This is because my initial and first preference in shows and movies will be to see dramas, comedies, faces, situations, and places that I can relate to the best. However, I have seen, and I still love the movie Good Will Hunting after Sue told me how good the movie was. Sue’s opinion is important to me and therefore made me see a movie I would not have otherwise viewed on my own. I am still waiting for her to see another classic favorite of mine entitled, Love and Basketball starring Sanna Lathan and Omar Epps.The Academy has finally realized that diversity can be best given and best selected when the basis of the selection process includes a wide variety of all ethnic and gender groups.Once again, that old adage still rings true but must be applied without fail, “Together we will stand because divided we have already failed.”

Question: Must We Repeat History? (Chapter- VIII ; One God, Two Voices)

Deidre- Voice I

On this day set aside by all fifty states to remember and honor Dr. Martin L., King, Jr., I think this picture that I found on my FB feed embodies what he worked towards. It is also what Deidre and I hope is an outcome of our book and speaking engagements. We are indeed more alike than different and you can’t judge a book by its cover.
The division that has come between the races today is not what Dr. King would have wanted. Let’s work to make it better. Think about it people!

Sue – Voice II

Are you one to make resolutions when the calendar page says January 1? Let’s see – lose weight, eat healthier, finish that degree, or carve more family time into your schedule. Those all sound like good choices, don’t they; but what would you add?

Teachers, I wish for you more meaningful time with your students in 2016, where the “light bulb” of understanding flashes on before your eyes. Parents, I am hoping for more face time with your children without the distraction of your cell phone interrupting the personal exchange. Students, I yearn for you to learn about priorities as you move through middle and high school. As Deidre and I wrote in Ch. 4 of our book (Teacher to Student), some opportunities will only be offered once, so take advantage of them now. Your social media is not as important as focusing on things that will affect your future!

Happy New Year to you all! May the Christ of the Bible become more real to you in this year as we draw nearer to His return.

Sue – Voice II

My pastor, Bishop Vaughn McLaughlin, preached a powerful message on New Year’s Eve entitled, “The Lord Will Help Us In 2016.” I will not even begin to paraphrase or summarize his message because I would not do it justice. However, what I personally gleaned from his message and would like to pass on to our readers is this: 2016 may not be better than 2015. In fact, with global catastrophic weather conditions, a seemingly uncontrollable world enemy called ISIS/ISIL and growing racial discord that is ready to further explode at any moment, 2016 will probably be worse than last year. As Christians, we have to brace ourselves for the worst as we continue to praise God for bringing us through every trial up to this point. In times like these, we must know without any doubt, that God is truly on our side.

Trials come to help us change and grow more into the image of Christ. Transformation can only take place when we become willing vessels by yielding to the plan of God for our lives. Repentance can take place when we begin to ask God to forgive us by admitting all of our faults, and humbly asking Him for help. We must constantly know just how much we really need God in our lives on a daily basis by seeking out His direction for how we need to move forward in life.

You can start by thinking about this:  “If it had not been for the Lord who was on our (my) side…, truly, where would we (I) be?”  (Psalm 124:1-8, KJV)

Deidre- Voice I