Ten.One Thousand & Eighty-One

1. Today’s the day.

2. I check everything to make sure it’s ready and scheduled. My brain has just been so foggy this week. Work is done.

3. Necessary conversations. They were still kind of as awkward as I expected them to be. I wonder, for myself, when it could feel like old times again. But maybe there is no such thing as going back to how it used to be. Everything is changing, has changed. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

4. I can’t help but sing when I hear the song.

5. Harmony over balance. The real definition of lynching and why you should know it. The relationship the wine industry has with white supremacy. Dr. Cadet shook us in the ways we needed.

6. Hungry but not hungry. Wanting to eat but only able to eat a few bites at a time. I haven’t been able to eat all week.

7. Sabering complete.

8. The best conversations always happen during the after-party.

9. We’ve got to learn to use our voice. To not be afraid of using our voice. And we need to name what we see when we see it.

10. And then we dance.

11. Mentally, emotionally, physically tired. I lay on the sofa and stare at the ceiling. This weekend I just need to dream and get clear.

12. But really, what we were able to do in only two weeks. So much love for Chevonne and Lindsay and Roxy. Thank you to Dr. Cadet, Julia Coney, Kisira Hill, Jimmie Herrod, all the attendees, the people who reshared all the posters, and the images and the links. Thank you to the folks who came wanting to listen and learn.

13. And that’s just it. This is what wine is supposed to do: bring people together.