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I am Gail Dudley, a native of Columbus, Ohio. I dream big and go after whatever is before me. I believe “with Christ all things are possible!” and I embrace “Diversity is of God.”

From Formation to FREEDOM

Today more than ever outcries for social, economic and racial justice are escalating. People around the world are weary of living under the weight of dehumanization. While some have described what is going on as an uproar, I find myself searching desperately for the right words to express my thoughts. Finally, I found my voice during my recent experience of Beyoncé’s Formation World Tour. Beyond just being a brilliant performer, Beyoncé is a masterful storyteller. I now understand better why women are able to connect with her so easily. At age 50, I was content to sit through a rainstorm in Chicago in complete awe as I lived and enjoyed the moment. From ‘Formation’ to ‘Freedom,’ Beyoncé captured the experience of women and girls around the world. Truly amazing…

#FemaleBlackHistory

at its finest,

and on a very deep level.

Beyoncé has the gift to speak authentically to women and girls of different ethnicities and cultures, but there was something particularly transformative about that night for me. Something triggered within me that connected me with my God-kissed inner blackness. I experienced a multitude of emotions, but I sensed very deeply a renewed confidence and undeniable empowerment that I had been neglecting for years.

It is easy to stray from one’s history, but hearing Beyoncé recall simple memories of hot sauce, cornbread, collard greens, and baby hair took me way back. I remembered so vividly my childhood when the elders would lovingly prepare our Sunday meals. It was at the family table that we would experience life-affirming and life-changing conversations. Kitchen-table talk with my aunt, sisters, and grandmother solved every problem there was, as my mom brushed my hair and applied Vaseline to the edges for a smooth finish. Present as eavesdroppers, the kids were to be seen and not heard, and we didn’t dare let the table-talk leave the room. When I finally took my seat at the concert to gather my thoughts, I wondered if all those kitchen table conversations are part of the reason why we today have such a strong voice…a fierce roar from women who are truly alive!

I am grateful to my daughter for including me on her journey with “Queen Bey.” A few of us shared a meal the next day to process the experience. The beauty of  the moment around the table was witnessing moms and daughters having open dialogue, raising tough questions, taking strong positions, but in the end, finding common ground. We were empowered, ready to move beyond the status quo, and to be heard.

The concert opened with Formation. I recalled Beyoncé’s controversial halftime performance during the 2016 Super Bowl, when this beautiful black woman testified in front of more than 100 million people, having just released the song the night before. Taking the field, dancers adorned in afros and berets formed an “X” and a militant march proceeded. Together, Beyoncé and the gifted army punched the air with their fists in a visual embodiment of power and agency being reclaimed.

It didn’t take long for the negative rhetoric through tweets, blogs, news media, Facebook posts, and articles to intensify the unresolved divide that we all know exists in our country. But when the Formation World Tour was announced that same night, the ‘Beyhive’ fan club (my daughter included) waited in anticipation for the dates and cities to drop, even while police officers in Florida made clear that they would not help staff security at Beyoncé’s upcoming sold-out concert. (http://thegrio.com/2016/02/18)

What had just happened?

Could it be that African-Americans desperately crying out for justice makes others so uncomfortable that they can’t even fathom having a productive conversation? There was a time not long ago when black people struggled in silence: Keep your mouth shut, keep your head low, and stay in your lane. Through the empowerment of my generation’s upbringing and the children of my generation, we have decided that we cannot afford to let our voices be hushed. Communities of African-Americans are responding and refusing to sit back passively. We will not allow aggressive, micro-aggressive and passive-aggressive behaviors to rob us of our God-given dignity.

Could it be that tensions are rising now because women and girls refuse to be quiet? We have come into our own. We are fierce. We are taking a stand against being mistreated, discriminated against, being paid lower wages, and being controlled by those who reject our humanity.

I went to the Beyoncé concert for two reasons: One, because my daughter invited me. Having just graduated from Howard University, we decided this would make a wonderful mother-daughter get away with friends. The beauty of this particular concert was that many other mother and daughter teams were attending. But the other reason I attended was related more to my social consciousness. I wanted to understand why this brilliant artist deserved to receive such constant resistance, hostility, and opposition.

Beyoncé is a woman, a wife, and a mother. She is a successful businesswoman who operates on a global platform. She is young, gifted, and black. Her performance radiated empowerment. I came away empowered beyond measure, inspired and ready to make radical changes in how I think, how I do business, how I lead, and how I respond to whatever challenges and opportunities that life brings.

On that opening night of the Formation World Tour in Chicago, I stood in the rain, drawn in completely by the performance. I could not resist standing and cheering Beyoncé on as she performed. I was moved to join the ranks when she and her team displayed their artistic genius.

I found myself singing along on several of her older songs, even crying when she sang Sandcastles. At the height of the concert I jumped and I danced like never before. That was it! The transformation and transition from ‘Formation’ to ‘Freedom’ was undeniable.

Pride…Empowerment…Boldness…

Confidence… Resilience…

Self-esteem…Life

The journey came full circle for me that night as I let my life speak.

Reprinted from 2016, READY Publication, The Fierce Issue ~ Gail Dudley, co-founder

February 1, 2020 #BlackHistoryMonth

Gail Dudley

Co-founder of READY. Producer of Progress. Publishing Strategist. Consultant. Accountability Coach. Wife and Mom. Follow Gail on IG and Twitter @GailDudley and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/AtTheTableWithGail

Carolyn Parr

Carolyn has been a mom, judge, pastor, and family caregiver. Latest book with co-author Sig Cohen,  Love’s Way: Living Peacefully With Your Family as Your Parents Age, debuts in January 2019.

Denise Damijo

Denise Damijo is known as the Momapreneur’s Business and Lifestyle Strategist. She specialize in helping businesses get clear, get intentional, and get paid by strengthening their content, marketing, and sales plans. Denise has been featured in cool places like the Huffington Post, Addicted2Sucess, She Owns It, Elite Daily, and Women On Business. When she is not helping build successful businesses, she is spending quality time with her husband and 5 children (3 under the age of 2 years old).

Valerie Jones

Valerie Jones, CPCC

Valerie Jones is a Mindset and Transformation Coach. She works with women entrepreneurs all over the world, helping them overcome the inner blocks and mindset limitations so they can show up big in their business, and achieve higher levels of success and financial freedom than they ever dreamed. She also coaches the laptop lifestyle for entrepreneurs who want to catapult their online business into the stratosphere so they have the freedom to live life on their terms.
She is also a Couples Coach with her partner, James Robertson. They work with couples in crisis as well as preventative work, helping them to create a solid foundation of intimacy, trust and connection that will withstand the storms of life.
Valerie is launching her own laptop lifestyle, and will be living in Europe and elsewhere full time while she continues to support other women to do the same.

Rita Fuller-Yates

Rita Fuller-Yates Lifestyle Brands are growing and Rita doesn’t want you to miss all the action! She is taking her mission to Bring Social Home Again to new levels and working diligently to attract new audiences to share the good news. In America today, we have many structured processes that improve Lifestyles and increases self-awareness. It’s easy to have access to a Preacher, Teacher, Empowerment Coach or Doctor, but what about the person who teaches you how to have fun? Fuller-Yates provided the tools and resources to ensure America learns to embrace tough conversations, while also understanding the value of letting go and having fun.

Her newest innovate club, The Columbus Couples Club, is created of like-minded couples that enjoy having fun with other couples. Fuller-Yates provides the source to the evolution of social entertainment and competitive fun. Follow the Columbus Couples Club link on her website to learn more, or simply upload your picture to the page (Columbus Couples Club) on Facebook.

Fuller-Yates embraces loving people, teaching people, and becoming a resource to help people. When a country knows better, we can do better, and Rita Fuller-Yates Lifestyle Brands are the source to help Americans improve their lifestyles.

Join the conversation about social entertainment by visiting her website @ www.ritafuller-yates. Learn more about her vision and what you’ve been missing. Listed below are upcoming events, please save the dates or register today @ www.ritafuller-yates.com.

Marvia Davidson

Marvia is a Texas educator/creative soul who enjoys writing, creating art, laughing loudly, baking, dancing ridiculously because it’s fun, and smashing lies that keep people from living whole.

Join her at marviadavidson.com. You can also follow her on Twitter and Instagram @MarviaDavidson and on Facebook at facebook.com/marviawrites.

September 2018

Our mission is to build a movement of 100M action-taking Global Citizens to help achieve our vision of ending extreme poverty by 2030.

Global Citizen is a movement of engaged citizens who are using their collective voice to end extreme poverty by 2030. On our platform, Global Citizens learn about the systemic causes of extreme poverty, take action on those issues, and earn rewards for their actions — as part of a global community committed to lasting change. To learn more, take action, and donate go to: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/about/who-we-are/

August 2018

In 2006, Tarana Burke founded the me too. movement to help survivors of sexual violence, particularly young women of color from low wealth communities, find pathways to healing. Using the idea of “empowerment through empathy,” the me too. movement was ultimately created to ensure survivors know they’re not alone in their journey. The vision from the beginning was to address both the dearth in resources for survivors of sexual violence and to build a community of advocates, driven by survivors, who will be at the forefront for creating solutions to interrupt sexual violence in their communities.

In less than six months, because of the viral #metoo hashtag, a vital conversation about sexual violence has been thrust into the national dialogue. What started as local grassroots work has expanded to reach a global community of survivors from all walks of life and helped to de- stigmatize the act of surviving by highlighting the breadth and impact of a sexual violence worldwide. The work continues to focus on helping those who need it to find entry points for individual healing and galvanizing a broad base of survivors to disrupt the systems that allow for the global proliferation of sexual violence. To learn more and to donate go to: https://metoomvmt.org/

July 2018

Our publisher and CEO Gail Dudley traveled to Israel in May 2018. She had the pleasure of visiting Shiloh Children’s Fund during her travels. She expressed her gratitude to be among amazing girls ready to utilize their platform to share their voices by telling their stories.

Upon leaving this facility, Gail found myself torn between crying endlessly and being filled with joy because these girls gave her life and hope. She was amazed at their strength. Gail shared during an interview that she will never forget her time with these girls and ask you to join her in blessing this organization with a donation regardless of the amount. Gail witnessed first-hand the need for the organization to continue to ease the trauma of terrorism in the children which is their mission. Their vision is to see generations of children living as a light unto the nations in peace and harmony in the restored biblical heartland of Israel. Please join Gail and the READY Team by giving a donation to the Shiloh Children’s Fund.

To donate go to: https://www.shilohisraelchildren.org/donate/

June 2018

Juneteenth Festival 2018
Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. To learn more Google Juneteenth and join a celebration in your local area. Please visit the READY Facebook page and share your experience.

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