
"Mama exhorted her children at every opportunity to 'jump at de sun.' We might not land on the sun, but at least we would get off the ground." ~ Zora Neale Hurston
I started the year off by creating a Vision Board to set my intentions for the year with special emphasis on my creative life as a writer~artist. Of course, I included an image of my favorite author and WOmanifesting shero, Zora Neale Hurston, in a corner of the board. Next, I wrote down specifically what I wanted in a prayer request and made the pledge that “I will be bolder and bolder in the sharing of my gifts, story, and compassion.” The blending of the selected imagery and words became my daily inspiration and affirmation. Then things just started happening…
Becoming Zora Timeline
1/7-1/8 Create Vision Board with Zora’s image and place it on wall next to my bed to see it every morning and night -1/7 is Zora’s birthday.
1/8 Place a copy of the image as my cover page on Facebook
1/9 Place a copy of the image on my wall at the office
1/16 WOMA, (www.womanifesting.org, non-profit for which I’m the Executive Director) signs up to sponsor the Liberated Muse production called “In Her Words”, (www.theyliveon.wordpress.com) written and produced by Khadijah “Moon” Ali-Coleman. This theatrical musical production pays tribute to transformative African-American women artists and Zora is one of them listed along with Lucille Clifton, Lena Horne, Billie Holiday, and Nina Simone. I am excited and can’t wait to support and attend the production.
1/19 Receive an email from Khadijah, telling me my love for Zora is palpable and asking me if I would like to portray Zora in the production because the original cast member will not be able to do it. I email her a picture of me dressed as Zora as my resounding yes! It will be an absolute honor.
1/20 Receive the script. PANIC. What have I gotten myself into? Self-doubt creeps in BIG time. My last acting gig was in 8th grade as Tom Sawyer in a Huckleberry Finn production (ran out of boys). There are way too many lines to remember in two weeks! I feel a wee bit (a lot) overwhelmed. I reach out to my girlfriends to calm my nerves and to gain assurance. They advise me. They pump me up. I love them. I feel better. OK I can do this. Zora, I will not let you down. Now, please stop staring at me wherever I go. It’s getting kinda creepy. LOL
Begin to immerse myself in all things Zora – books on my shelf, You-tube videos, and her essays – especially, “How it Feels to Be Colored Me.” I am reminded over and over again why she is one of my faves. I feel really inspired. I can do this.
1/ 21 Attend first rehearsal – OMG – The cast is amazing. So much talent and they all have so much love for the women they are portraying. I love the finale when
all the cast members come to the stage and sing. Well…not everyone sings. They give me a noisemaker instrument to make sure I have something to do so I won’t be tempted to sing. I practice lip~synching and my two-step.
Get to work. Memorize. Memorize. Memorize – in the mirror, in the car, walking to and fro, in the shower, under the bed, on tables… My daughter Sasha is starting to say the lines right along with me. My favorite line is, “No. I do not weep at the world. I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife.” I can do this.
1/27 Friend Heidi (an anthropologist like Zora who is from Florida like Zora was) wins tickets to see “GLEAM”, a theatrical adaptation of “Their Eyes Were Watching God (75th anniversary this year)”, Zora’s signature novel and my favorite book of all times. She gifts the tickets to me. I am thrilled and so appreciative of her generosity. I can’t breathe. Zora, my goodness, please slow down.
1/29 Lucy Anne Hurston, Zora’s niece, visits Eatonville, the restaurant in DC that pays homage to Zora. Miss Lucy is the featured guest for a series called “Food
and Folklore” and will be sharing Zora stories in celebration of her birthday month. I go (run) to meet Miss Lucy and just happen to mention that I will be portraying Zora in an upcoming production. She embraces me and invites me to sit next to her at her table. Happy dance. I ask tons of questions and soak up all her wonderful spirit and some of Zora’s too coming through her. It is a most splendid evening. Showtime is a little under a week. I am confident that I will be ready. (I think.)
2/4 Showtime at DC Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. Nerves. Stage. Action. I did it! The cast rocked it! @thepbg tweets “MOTHER ZORA JUST SHOWED UP! I’m getting my whole life!” That review works for me.
Later that evening, still dressed as Zora with hat, baubles, and sparkling shawl, I attend the “GLEAM” performance at Centerstage in Baltimore. My dear friend, Samantha, who accompanies me, says no to me bringing the long, golden cigarette holder. It’s a great, fresh adaptation and I love seeing the characters brought to life. After the show, my one desire is to get a picture with that fine character Teacake but unfortunately the cast never comes back to the stage after taking their bows. I’m really disappointed. My high starts to s l o w l y come down. I am in the lobby wondering why no one is recognizing me. Don’t they realize that the playwright of the production is standing right before their very eyes! Samantha tries to gently bring me back to reality. “It’s 2012. Your name is Tracy”…” “OK. I think I got it. If we leave now, we can still make the last train to Harlem and see who’s hanging out at Lenox Lounge. Langston owes me a drink”. She shakes her head and drags me out by my shawl.
2/16 The cast performs for the Peace Corps to a very attentive audience. We are their Black History Month event and the performance is live-streamed to their affiliate offices around the world (the world, the world – echo, echo). The Director, Aaron S. Williams, shows us appreciation and with all the flags around, it feels like we just served our country, “tis a thee.” Proud.
2/18 The Final Performance is held at DC Capital View Neighborhood Library. Afterwards, the manager of the library writes that the performance was described as “great,” “exceptional,” “inspirational,” “excellent,” and “beautiful.” Several attendees connected the informative content with the significance of the women and their times, pointing out that your format presented a remarkable “history lesson.” Mission accomplished.
2/19 Rest. Breathe. Give thanks for the experience.
I took Zora’s mama’s advice, left my comfort zone, and jumped at the sun, not landing there but definitely getting off the ground. The original reason for including Zora on my vision board was to spark my writing life in 2012. I consider myself fully sparked so this is what I must do…write…write…write. We can be inspired by so many things and so many people but then it’s up to us to DO, to ACT, to WALK through all the open doors inviting us to GET BUSY making our dreams happen. The vision continues.
Shoutout to the wonderful cast of “In Her Words”: Colie Williams, Quineice Singsoul, Naomi Rose, Nia Simmons, Anisha Newbill, and William Henderson on bass.
AND THAT”S A WRAP!



















