Dearest family and friends,
The term “bittersweet” has never held more significance for me than in this very moment. I am honored to say that I have been a member of Reflect and Strengthen for the past 10 amazing years of organizing, sisterhood, consensus decisions making, equity, and restorative justice, addressing root causes of oppression, leadership development, anti-racism work, love, celebrating life, and change making. For 8 of those years I was a staff person with the organization. December 31, 2011 officially marked the close of my staff position and membership with R&S. I am grateful to the organization that helped mold me into the woman that I am today.
I became a member of Reflect and Strengthen in 2001. I was there for the first ever R&S play: ‘Tabula Rasa and All That Yin Yang’ and then years later, for our second full theater production: ‘Spill Life: Confessions of a Butterfly’. I was there when the city told us that a “little girl’s group” was not worth supporting. I was there to help nurture R&S’ growth from a “baby organization” into a vital part of community organizing in the city of Boston.
I was there when R&S underwent a furlough, threatening the future of the organization. What might have seemed like our lowest point to the rest of the world was actually the time of our greatest learning, growth, and strength. We fought for the organization that had transformed the lives of so many working class young women across the city of Boston…and we won! We didn’t just survive; we managed to raise more money for one fiscal year than ever before in the history of the organization. Not only did we prove our resiliency, but our members and our community stepped up in miraculous ways. They cooked for group, they babysat our kids, they had house party fundraisers, they told their friends to donate to R&S instead of giving them birthday gifts, and they gave their last monies to ensure the longevity of R&S. It became glaringly apparent that R&S was not only worth fighting for because of pride or because it was important to staff and members; R&S was worth fighting for because of the great impact that it has made on the entire city of Boston.
Because of the hard work of my sisters and community, I was there to watch members and their children grow up in R&S, leaving with the seeds that R&S implanted in them, that they continue to spread throughout their communities. From generation to generation those seeds continue to grow, blooming inside of all of us. I was there to witness the ripple effect of positive energy, love, and accountability first hang, a blessing that I pray I have done the work to pass onto future members, staff, board members and supporters of the organization.
I was there to help nurture the only all women’s collective in the city of Boston. It is imperative that women’s rights remain at the center of conversations, along with conversations about race, class, gender and queerness, and all of the ways that it is our duty to fight all forms of oppression. Through Reflect and Strengthen I learned how to live out the notion that if only some of us are free, then none of us are free.
As I write this, it’s reinforcing what I already knew. There are no words that can fully express just how much Reflect and Strengthen means to me. Reflect and Strengthen is the most dynamic group of women that I have ever seen, known, or been a part of. The echo of the impact that R&S has had on Boston will continue to sound throughout the streets for generations to come and I thank God that I can say that I was there to be a part of it. Through my membership and staff position with R&S I learned work and life skills that have benefitted me in every single area of my life. My role with R&S is different, but never-ending. I now get the opportunity to share in R&S through the role of a strong supporter and sustainer. I am incredibly proud to take on that role and look forward to watching R&S evolve into the next phase of its existence. R&S taught me how to love myself, how to believe in myself and in the capacity of my people to be greater than our potential suggests and far more than the world expects of us. Reflect and Strengthen has far exceeded the underestimation of “a little girl’s group” and has proved what incredible power women have to change the world.
Reflect and Strengthen has taught me that transition is about celebrating the journey from one phase of life to the next. I am grateful for the experiences I’ve had, the people I’ve befriended and the gems I will now take with me as I transition into the next period of my life. I am excited to announce that I will be moving to Oakland, California as the newest member of the Community Justice Network for Youth (CJNY) team!
Thank you to everyone that has loved me through it all. I am forever indebted to you…
P.S. I can no longer be reached at my Yahoo or Reflect and Strengthen email accounts. Please email me at: berry.roselyn@gmail.com with personal matters only. For all R&S related matters, please contact Mallory Hanora directly (mallory@reflectandstrengthen.org) or contact any of the members of our staff team at 617.442.2355. You can also feel free to visit our website at: www.reflectandstrengthen.org for more info about our work and programs.
Please feel free to visit the Burns institute website at: http://www.burnsinstitute.org/ and the CJNY website at: http://www.cjny.org/ for more information about the Community Justice Network for Youth and the work that I’ll be doing in the next phase of my movement work.
In Peace, Love, and Solidarity,
Roselyn Berry
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Friday, November 18, 2011
Strange Love
I saw you today
You passed right by me
And my breathe went away
You didn’t even say hi to me
I kept my composure
But I died inside
Because I never got closure
But I couldn’t stand the thought of you seeing me cry
So I kept walking too
Counting the ways in my head that I would let go of you
I turned back once
Quickly
Just to see if you were looking back too
Watching me watch you
But no, you stayed straight ahead
Just kept walking instead
And I wasn’t surprised
But time stood still in goodbye
An ironic metaphor for our relationship, huh?
I make all of the compromises
And you make none
Me bending backwards
You keeping it moving
Me making myself an option
That you were never choosing
One big game
That I was always losing
Me, like a lab rat
You kept testing my strength
Just to have your hypothesis proven
I was so weak for you
But only for you
What else did you expect me to do
When I was a fool
Head over heels
For a man with a gun
Who would steal my heart and then run
I’ll laugh away the pain
But it’s not funny
How somebody that knew me so well
Better than anybody
Has ever or would ever, could ever know me again
Could be so distant
Homies, lovers and friends back then
Now almost like strangers
We lost ourselves somewhere back there
Two blocks before yesterday
And I keep searching the ground for memories
But you picked them up and threw them all away
I keep trying to find us
But instead there are stains on the sidewalk
From where we murdered love
It’s never coming back to us
Just fades more with every teardrop
And I keep running back for love
But there are signs on every street corner that scream STOP!
How could I still love someone
Who would rather run than love me
Reality is, you didn’t steal my heart
You got it from me
I handed it to you sometime before hello and after goodbye
But I couldn’t stand the thought of you seeing me cry
Because I gave you more than you deserved
You never stayed true to your word
And now our love is left out on the curb
And what have I learned?
That I would still walk a thousand more miles for love
If in the end it promised to return
You passed right by me
And my breathe went away
You didn’t even say hi to me
I kept my composure
But I died inside
Because I never got closure
But I couldn’t stand the thought of you seeing me cry
So I kept walking too
Counting the ways in my head that I would let go of you
I turned back once
Quickly
Just to see if you were looking back too
Watching me watch you
But no, you stayed straight ahead
Just kept walking instead
And I wasn’t surprised
But time stood still in goodbye
An ironic metaphor for our relationship, huh?
I make all of the compromises
And you make none
Me bending backwards
You keeping it moving
Me making myself an option
That you were never choosing
One big game
That I was always losing
Me, like a lab rat
You kept testing my strength
Just to have your hypothesis proven
I was so weak for you
But only for you
What else did you expect me to do
When I was a fool
Head over heels
For a man with a gun
Who would steal my heart and then run
I’ll laugh away the pain
But it’s not funny
How somebody that knew me so well
Better than anybody
Has ever or would ever, could ever know me again
Could be so distant
Homies, lovers and friends back then
Now almost like strangers
We lost ourselves somewhere back there
Two blocks before yesterday
And I keep searching the ground for memories
But you picked them up and threw them all away
I keep trying to find us
But instead there are stains on the sidewalk
From where we murdered love
It’s never coming back to us
Just fades more with every teardrop
And I keep running back for love
But there are signs on every street corner that scream STOP!
How could I still love someone
Who would rather run than love me
Reality is, you didn’t steal my heart
You got it from me
I handed it to you sometime before hello and after goodbye
But I couldn’t stand the thought of you seeing me cry
Because I gave you more than you deserved
You never stayed true to your word
And now our love is left out on the curb
And what have I learned?
That I would still walk a thousand more miles for love
If in the end it promised to return
Current Love
I thought this was something it wasn’t
I thought you were something you weren’t
Even before our feet hit the shore
Everything we never were went away with the current
What’s left now that love has been cast away
To the deep sea of forgetfulness ?
Loneliness will be the price we’ll pay
Our love, locked deep inside of treasure chests
Forgiving ourselves before the harm has been done
Of giving up on love
Or for not fighting hard enough
We’ll forfeit everything that we could have had
If only we had more faith in us
You’ll try and get it back
When it’s far too late
And we’ve missed out on fate
Because we lost precious moments
And time was unwilling to wait
Every shared moment was a waste
You’ll try and convince me it’s not over
But it’s only for the chase
You’ll try and pull me back in
Take me by the hand
But our love stops in the sand
There’s nowhere left to go
When there’s no ground left to stand
I thought this was something it wasn’t
I thought you were something you weren’t
Even before our feet hit the shore
Everything we never were went away with the current
What’s left now that love has been cast away
To the deep sea of forgetfulness ?
Loneliness will be the price we’ll pay
Our love, locked deep inside of treasure chests
I thought you were something you weren’t
Even before our feet hit the shore
Everything we never were went away with the current
What’s left now that love has been cast away
To the deep sea of forgetfulness ?
Loneliness will be the price we’ll pay
Our love, locked deep inside of treasure chests
Forgiving ourselves before the harm has been done
Of giving up on love
Or for not fighting hard enough
We’ll forfeit everything that we could have had
If only we had more faith in us
You’ll try and get it back
When it’s far too late
And we’ve missed out on fate
Because we lost precious moments
And time was unwilling to wait
Every shared moment was a waste
You’ll try and convince me it’s not over
But it’s only for the chase
You’ll try and pull me back in
Take me by the hand
But our love stops in the sand
There’s nowhere left to go
When there’s no ground left to stand
I thought this was something it wasn’t
I thought you were something you weren’t
Even before our feet hit the shore
Everything we never were went away with the current
What’s left now that love has been cast away
To the deep sea of forgetfulness ?
Loneliness will be the price we’ll pay
Our love, locked deep inside of treasure chests
Friday, November 11, 2011
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Love's Journey
Will you take my hand
And join me on this journey?
I, your woman
And you, my man
I’m sure that God himself chose you for me
The stars aligned
Just in time
To lead you to me
Waves crashed down
And angels sang out harmony
At the victory of this unity
“He who finds a wife finds a good thing…
…and obtains favor from the LORD.” (Proverbs 18:22)
So walking in accordance with His word
You searched and you found me
I, patiently waiting
Now thanking God for His graces
Giving Him praises
Because God took note of all my prayers
And covered all the bases
Like a needle on a record player
Playing our song
God didn’t miss a beat
And now I know in my heart
That I was made for you
And you for me
So…
“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away…”
(Songs of Songs 8:6-7)
You,
I’m sure were sent from above.
We didn’t just find each other
We found the epitome of love:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
Through God’s lessons
We learn to strive for perfection
This love is the closest thing to God’s love
That I’ve ever been blessed with
I don’t know where this path will lead
But I know that if you’re standing there with me
At the end of love’s journey
I believe
Every one of my dreams
Would be manifested in that moment
And all of the possibilities of love
We would own it
We’ll look back knowing that we made it through the rain.
Let go of the pain
Just in time to learn that we and love are one in the same
Just as sure as salvation came,
This love, it will sustain
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
(1 Corinthians 13:13)
And join me on this journey?
I, your woman
And you, my man
I’m sure that God himself chose you for me
The stars aligned
Just in time
To lead you to me
Waves crashed down
And angels sang out harmony
At the victory of this unity
“He who finds a wife finds a good thing…
…and obtains favor from the LORD.” (Proverbs 18:22)
So walking in accordance with His word
You searched and you found me
I, patiently waiting
Now thanking God for His graces
Giving Him praises
Because God took note of all my prayers
And covered all the bases
Like a needle on a record player
Playing our song
God didn’t miss a beat
And now I know in my heart
That I was made for you
And you for me
So…
“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away…”
(Songs of Songs 8:6-7)
You,
I’m sure were sent from above.
We didn’t just find each other
We found the epitome of love:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
Through God’s lessons
We learn to strive for perfection
This love is the closest thing to God’s love
That I’ve ever been blessed with
I don’t know where this path will lead
But I know that if you’re standing there with me
At the end of love’s journey
I believe
Every one of my dreams
Would be manifested in that moment
And all of the possibilities of love
We would own it
We’ll look back knowing that we made it through the rain.
Let go of the pain
Just in time to learn that we and love are one in the same
Just as sure as salvation came,
This love, it will sustain
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
(1 Corinthians 13:13)
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
My Next Show!!!
Time Wednesday, October 26 at 7:00pm - October 27 at 12:00am
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Location The Greatest Bar
262 Friend St.
Boston, Massachusetts
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Created By Ralph Relly Rell Firmin, Mark A. Merren, Francis Pina, Roselyn B., Herby FirminShow all (5)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More Info New Life Entertainment Presents
Quality&Soul Poetry Slam
@ The Greatest Bar (Near TD Garden) on the 4th floor
Wednesday October 26 from 7pm-12am
21+ event
Soundtrack Provided by: JaggaMovements IntL
Hosted by: Relly Rell
Live Performances by: Mark A. Merren & Swerv-O
Spoken Word by: Rich Darx, MzEnveed, Mental Enlightenment, Frankly Pina, Lady Rose, Ms Gysele, Ali and Rondy Raymond
$5 All Night-Casual DressCode
Fellas- No Hats or Timbs.......Jeans/Sneakers ok with Collared/Polo shirt or Designer-Tee.
Ladies- Classy as usual
For more info call Relly Rell @
857-334-8875 or email @ NewLifeEnt.Intl@gmail.com
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Show Tomorrow!!! Our Bodies, Ourselves
Come out and show love and support and witness an awesome line up of performers at Oberon tomorrow at 7:30pm. Visit www.cluboberon.com for tickets and more info.
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