Black Women, what’s next for us?

Managing & Maintaining Mental Health & Spiritual Fortitude

Written August 10, 2023 | By Sheena Dennise

Afterword (Jan 14 2024): Oftentimes, I write not to share, but to hear myself say the things I censor for others. With the heartbreaking news of Black HBCU leader Dr. Antoinette Candia-Bailey’s suicide, I feel compelled to share a few experiences in this article and others I have in my coffers. My writing comes through as a channelling so understand that as you read through.

It’s been a minute since I’ve shared. You can always tell when I’m in my head. Brewing, contemplating, and assessing, because I go quiet.

To the outside world… For weeks at least, but at times, it can go on for months or years even… especially to folks on the periphery of my life. I don’t mean to isolate. I don’t realize I’m doing it. Well, not exactly, I do, but it’s not personal.

I’ve done so much to recover myself. Being in my own company feels nourishing when I’m going through a dip in mood or wellness.

Remaining sovereign in my unraveling, especially when undergoing deep-seated, evolutionary transformation is a privilege I want to protect. I shield it from those who may unconsciously or consciously try to dismantle it. I try my best to stay on the edge of others’ inner conflicts with themselves and the characters they find to help them act out their patterns, but I have my own Ven diagrams to navigate, and…