Renew, refresh, and rise?
My theme for January was to Renew, Refresh, and Rise. I had every intention to do just that for 2025. Yet, life at times gets in the way. Things happen that are completely outside of your control that throw you off your game. It could be something work related, financial, political, societal or personal. For me, it happened on January 2. I enjoyed only 1 new day of the new year and then it all went to hell. And as much as January 2 has affected and changed me, the impact is even more strongly felt by my sister, my two nieces, and my two nephews. Why? Because on January 2, my niece Ashley LaShay Elkins disappeared.
This beautiful and bright 30 year old mother of 2 beautiful boys left her house and hasn’t been seen since. We know what happened to her and the person responsible has been arrested and sill soon be charged. But our beautiful girl has not been found. We will never see her again. While my family works through the unknown and the grief, how do we renew, refresh and rise? Why should I even try?
As I look at my nephews, my other nieces and my own children, it becomes evident. I will do this because I MUST. My sister will do this because she MUST. She has used her energy to not only search for and advocate for her own daughter, but for other daughters out there who go missing; especially our black and brown daughters. She is speaking out about the dismissive response she received from the police and the delay to act. She has spoken about the power of community and family to mobilize and support one another. This tragedy has renewed our relationship, refreshed our commitment to one another and support of one another, and we will RISE from this.
Those boys will be supported and well taken care of. They will know, as they already do, how much their mother loved them. We will affect a change in the way daughters are searched for and hopefully found in the future. Why? Because we MUST! We will Renew, we will Refresh, and we will Rise! Rise in honor of my beautiful niece, Ashley LaShay Elkins.