Happy Pride

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reading and once I finished, everyone stood up and started clapping. Now, if you've ever been at a mass at a Catholic church specifically, you know those types of things don't happen. Everything is methodical. It was one step and then the other, and that's just the formation of how things go. But it was something I said, or perhaps the way I delivered what I said, they got people to their feet

and they started clapping. That has been my view process my entire life when it comes to my thoughts, my viewpoints, my connection when it comes to religion. But if you've met me, been in my presence, had a moment to talk to me, you know that my love for God and my relationship for God is undeniable. The chances I've decided to take, the rooms God has granted me to be in, the countless of game shows and talk shows and opportunities I've had that I took a chance on me.

I said, without God, and no, I'm not perfect. It doesn't mean that I do everything right, because let me remind you, I'm a spiritual being having this human experience, and I can't negate the fact what happens to the man's side of me, and what I mean by that is that I'm not perfect. Everything is right, but God

knew me before he formed me. And for so long, I feel as though I tried to walk away or tried to push away of talking about the goodness of God and the way God has been in my life, as if it's contradictory, as if I will be condemned for being who I am. But yet I have to remind myself God knew me before I was formed. I like to say, that's not the one and only time that I've heard something of the similar nature. See, I

went to Catholic schools my entire life. With that being said, I did attend Renaissance, which is a Detroit public school, my freshman year because I wanted to give it a shot. So as far as the word of God and structure has always been selled around me, I don't recall it ever being a condemnation of so much ridicule when it came to sexuality, because it was just something that was never talked about it was something that you said, oh, it's wrong, but never really explored what it looks like

and what it means. And I sit there and I wonder, I want to say, the African American community, perhaps communities of color, or just perhaps my family. That's not something that we talked about a lot. We didn't talk about sex. We didn't talk about sexuality. Hush. You know, it's probably seen as an adult conversation and something that kids should

not know about. But what happens as you are growing through life and you don't know exactly how to move or what things mean, and if you just have somebody to tell you to say, hey, that's that and make room for you to comprehend and understand that. I say all that to say that view process of that being wrong. Because I didn't agree with that particular point in the Bible. I felt I couldn't call myself a Christian because I always looked at Christianity, are these rules and regulations of

how you have to live your life? And if I know off the bad that I am attracted to those of my same sex, well, it says right there that there's no place for me. But yet I'm thinking to myself. My God is so much bigger, God said, exceedingly and abundantly, far more than what you could ever imagine. Not one person on the earth is the same, not one, not one snowflake that falls from the sky is the same. If God could be so intricate with that, why would

he not be so intricate with us? And especially when the films came out like Da Vinci Code and speaking about how there were people that came together and set around a table decided what was going to be in the Word. Then we hear about the Dead Sea scrolls of books that have been taken out of the Bible. Then if you are of African descent, you'll see how religion was used to control us, how many of us.

I can even say myself, I had to be probably a good old in my adult I don't know how old I was, But the first time I saw a black Jesus, well, okay, I take that back, because I know I've been over a different family and friends. But I'm saying like out in media or something like that, or just out as a clear representation. How about that as the standard representation, like so known, so well versed. It wasn't a norm I should say make I don't even even know if it's a normal for now now

that I'm really thinking about it. But don let's stay on task. So this whole notion of how we use religion and Christianity as a way of the things that we cannot do, almost like a barrier. All I could ever think of is like, no, my God is more, says I go by many names. What and if we are all made in the image of likeness, who are you you to dictate what God is and what he can do and what he instilled? Because remember, God knew

us before we were formed. Stop playing with me. So being that I never considered myself a Christian based on these rules, it was kind of like a limbo space because I was like, but I know God. So after we leave our Lady of Lasolette, that's where I went for elementary to middle school, going to high school in junior high, and then going to high school, I was

at Mercy. I did go to Renaissance for a year, but at Mercy we're back in the Catholic school, so it's nothing too or it's a norm rather, So back than being at Mercy, talking about God was the way to go because it's a Catholic school and me being a speaker, and I would always say prayer on the speaker in the mornings. People always looked at me and pray. Heck.

I was even a leader for this group called Cairos and what this was it was like a religious retreat where we were going for three and four days and it was all about healing. And the juniors who were selected to be leaders our senior year went the year before so that we can experience the program, and then once we did coming to our senior year, it was

our time to lead. And even in that moment when we were out there, I remember it was one day after a session, we were like, oh, let's just go in prayer and they were like, Dawn, you lead it. I've always been that person where people have came to me and say, hey, don can you give me a word?

Don can you pray for me? Even when we would have assemblies and say if it was bar On in the religious department, if I wanted to talk about something with the program, I had a free range to speak on whatever I wanted because people knew that they were going to get a word that was me, that is me. Then I think about when I went to Howard and I had a friend Whitney Boggs. Whitney was a writer for The Hilltop that was Howard's newspaper, and the topic

happened to be on being religious or spiritual. Of course, like I'm saying the narrative of me and my connection, how I'm speaking on God, my love forgot, just my walk and I'm again I'm the spiritual being having this human experience. So everything ain't would you say, quote unquote writer whatever, there's no judgment because we're making room and I don't even like why do I feel like I have to get a clearance there? I'm making room because

we're growing, okay, AnyWho? She asked me the question. She said, Dawn, do you consider yourself spiritual or religious? I had to call back at her mercy and the leaders in the department. I said, I have been asked this question and I need to know what the difference is and see for me. Also, another thing while I he had like a disconnection from saying, oh, I'm a Christian, is because I never studied the Bible

back to front, front to back. In addition to that, we didn't go to church every Sunday we went to church, you know, on the holidays. It is what it is.

I haven't seen that song since I was a kid. Thank you God. Oh they felt so good. I could see everything.

really recall what they said. But what made me feel most comfortable about it is because my relationship and I looked at Christianity being religious and those are just the rules, and I said, God is so much bigger when I think how man created religion. God says exceedingly and abundantly, and it's interesting when we think about this whole sense of controls telling people of what they have to do based on your viewpoints, and it's like God is so

much bigger. So I settled on it and I told Whitney, I said, I say, I'm spiritual so we're going through college and I remember even, uh wow, let me take it, and it goes on even more. Oh, I forgot to tell you this. So even in high school, rewind, I also recalled what really? Oh, this is what really opened my eyes when I really think about it, and how I was like, wait a minute, this ain't this. We

gotta know more. And I couldn't never stand as firm on because, like I said, I didn't know the Bible back to back, but when I took a course called

war Religion. Stive. You've been listening to past episode, previous episodes, you know I've mentioned this about saying, Oh, taking this course has really got me to think how God says, I go by many names because all of these religions had the same principality loving your neighbor, respecting people, creating the life that you want, telling you about abundance and possibilities, and so many of them has similarities. It's like you know,

eating You can eat fried chicken, cook different ways. You can definitely have macaroni and cheese and salads and steaks and fish so many different ways, but it doesn't take away that it is a piece of fish, mac and cheese or noodles, a salad, lettuce, and so forth. You know what I'm trying to say, right, So that was

actually the key eye opener. And then of course my disposition about how who I'm loving is a sin, Well, we're given so much, we gotta make room because I gotta get to you what I got to tell you about. So even down to even after I left Howard, I'm thinking about I was on Craigslist and there was a job opening to speak because I said, I know I'm meant to speak, that's my passion, that's my gift, that's what I do, and it's what I love to do. And it was a Christian based organization all about God.

And again I never second guessed my love for God. This is when I'm in New York. And so we had to lead a workshop and at the time, I was reading a book that actually talked about a person, or no, not even about a person. At the time, I talked about how there's so many ways to see God, how you can see God in nature and life and many different people, because God says I go by many names. This person and I totally respect what they did because

it's just like anybody with their brand. What didn't feel I was necessarily a great fit for their brand to speak upon them and teaching the things that they talked about. But what they did still see inside of me was that they were doing different programs with the church and still made room. And that's why I can have so much respect for this said individual, because even later on had an opportunity, you know, because of this individual. Edwena,

do you feel bad if I say your name? Because I respect everything that you did and I love you to this day. Atwena Finley, she's an actress Abundant Life Creative Services. While she said, hey, Dawn, you know you know I am based on the Christian base and that's what we speak upon, so it's not congroing with the message. But when it came down to support now it was Sally Sally Vido events in Brooklyn.

to say she still made room. But it was at that moment where I still stood farm with my belief because I said, well, God is so much bigger and so much grander and man that it is Pride Month. I have to tell you a story about a listener that Bible thumped me, and it goes further how I got to show up as to who I am because God knew me before I was swarm. So we don't take a quick break, and I'm going to talk to you about how I was Bible thumped by a former listener.

And I'm not saying warmer because there is any animosity. I'm just saying because I'm on the FM dial and I'm not sure if he's tuned in, er privy that we do Vitamin D live because it's nothing but love for this listener. But I got to tell you how I was Bible dumped on the first day of Pride by this said listener. I will release the name, but I got to say some things for the Bible pic. So hold on.

you think I'm playing? No, I'm serious. Uh So, he called to say. Through the grapevine, he heard that my departure from the FM dial was because I was booking too many gay LGBTQ guests. And I said what I said, I might have had one or two. What you mean now, was there conversation about wanting to have people on there who have a voice, who are in the community. Yes,

because are we making room for everybody. But here's the thing, as we have to realize, and what I'm sharing with you is that if it doesn't serve you, it doesn't deserve you. Why did I entertain this conversation? Why are we on the phone this lawn? Because again, when he said caller called me, I hadn't heard from him in a couple of months. So again, what good news did you have for me? What true concern did you have

for me? What true I want to say love, but that's even premature because let's just call it what it is. But what good did you have to serve me? And if it doesn't serve you, it doesn't to serve you. Now do I think there was complete malice in this conversation with said individual?

And it wasn't because I was gonna come a place for so much anger, but I needed to let it meddle land, settle land in my thoughts of what I wanted to say, how I want to say it, my intention for saying it, and more importantly, why I gotta say it. That's why we have in this commonversation. Now, I guess right. So I go on to tell him. The moment I walked through the door, I was very transparent of how I'm showing up. So this is not about a sense of am I uncertain about who I am?

Because all I'm doing and all I will continue to do because God promised me exceedingly and abundantly for more than with anyone, any person, anything, any whatever could imagine. And I promised God that I was going to force myself out of hiding because I pray for this very moment.

I pray for this opportunity. I have been dreaming enough this moment since I was a kid, and I promise God that if I ever had this moment to live out my dreams, that I am going to show up as all of me because I want God to use me.

got for me? And if God knew me before I was formed, And if I can imagine that because God says, have a vision, and then God said, I'm gonna double down on whatever that is tenfold, triple fold, it just

exceedingly far more than if I can imagine it. I wounded because God promised, and we got to remind ourselves that we're here for a good time, not a long time, and we gotta make it count and making it count as being used by God and not second guessing how you were created to be used because God said, I knew you before you were formed. So I know the vision that God has placed on my heart.

abundantly for more than what I could ever imagine. What resonates with me is my God that tells me all the things I can do, who I can be, because it's exceedingly and beyond any type of comprehension. It's even more as I think about, like my mind really got expanded to this referring to the world religious class. I

took it mercy. And even when the film Da Vinci Code came out and they said all these people got beyond this table and started writing out what was to be in the Bible, and people, based on their own opinions and views, they struck out things that they weren't comfortable with. And it's no secret because we hear about this, what that did, see scrolls, and there's so many other things. But I'm saying, it's not like I'm just pulling this out on the air. Google it, check it out for yourself.

Ask somebody, this is not anything that's unheard of. We even hear about the Black Madonna and how when we think about the representation of religion, especially Christianity, has always been a not melanated figure. I'm just saying, I feel like God is just so much bigger. And when God says I go by many names made in the image and likeness, why do we feel as though as a one limit of one way to get to God. But see, as I'm being Bible thumbed, this is what this listener

wants to instealing me. I mean, I can't recall all the verses, but it was like Romans sixteen, and then was it Proverbs twenty or Acts? Something Bible thumbing me? And I said to him, I said, this is the very reason. And I a pause for a second there because when I said acts, it made me think about my brother Proverb and he told me early on he said, I think he said Acts nineteen. I'm not sure, but

he said, Dawn, guard your heart. He said, you're stepping into something and you're gonna have to guard your heart. And as I'm reflecting more, it just makes so much more sense to me. And furthermore, this makes me think about all the time, why are we entertaining certain situations. Then I'm thinking about I was talking to my friend Shelley, that's one of my best girlfriends. She moved over us. She left she from LA and then moved over to the Virginia. I'm like girl anyway, but we couldn't be

any closer. I'm telling her, I'm like, girl, I got Bible dumbed. She said, Dawn, that wasn't nothing but the devil. Now I'm not saying that she's saying he's the devil, but that energy of that darkness, what did it serve? She said, Dawn, you have to learn to get your limits. Because I even said myself, just like I said to you, I said, I entertained it along. Probably just shared and talked too much. This was somebody's this your friend, or this was a fan that was on the radio. We

got to use our power of discernment. And see, I'm glad that I'm getting it now because i know where I'm going. And you know, they say life is the greatest teacher, because sometimes you got to take the test before you learn a lesson. Catch it. So again she says, Dawn, that ain't nothing but the devil. We're trying to get in your way. Because we can't negate the fact of me standing who I am. Because again I've been transparent

from walking in from day one. How I connected with so many of my FM listeners in just five months. And I'm not saying this to be braggadocious. I'm saying but the connection that I was able to do by just standing in who I am, and that's why I say my God is so much bigger the God I said served. So I proceed to tell say a Carler, I said, it amazes me how us as African American people. And this is not saying that I am saying the FM diw this is the reasoning behind it. I'm saying

that this conversation and this narrative can exist. And let me be clear, he is not the only person that has said something about this or may mentioned. I had another FM listener who I'm very i'd say close with. We've established a great relationship for rapport. But I was never bible thumped by her. She just said, hey, I'm wondering if that was a reason, and I just said, hey, all I know is that they decide to no longer

continue with this program and we departed ways. So I said it amazes me how us as African American people, those of African descent, who have literally lost our lives, been beaten, disenfranchised. I mean, look at all our health diseases because of the color of our skin, or even think about discriminating someone else, and it baffles me that we could be more willing to accept somebody that is an abuser, perhaps an alcoholic, a serial adulteress or adulterer.

You have condemn something or someone based on who they love. Does this not sound insane to you? If God knew us before we were formed, and God is love and all you're doing is looking for love somebody that wants to receive her love, you find something wrong with it so much so that you look at it as a disease and lash out, thump on somebody, a beating for being who they are, even if you are sharing the

good news. This is what I'm sharing with him, because we hear this so often and for some reason we find disregarded. But I just say, we gotta have a conversation, and I just want to be real with you because I want you to know who I am and how I'm walking. Because God said, Dawn, I'm here to give you exceedingly and abundantly for more than what you could ever imagine. And I know that I'm going to have to show up as all of me because that's what

God promised me. And if I can walk away with somebody saying, Dawn, you inspired me, Dawn, you gave me another reason for living. Dawn, your words captivated me. Dawn, I's got this new job doing.

the message. And you know, even back to say a caller when I'm naming out these things about even being a molester and all that, and I wanted to highlight that because I'm not sure if I mentioned out of all the things that he could ask not heydn were you beaten? Hey, Dawn, do you have trouble with alcohol? His first question was, were you molested? Do you see the narrative? I said, no, not that I'm aware of. And I said if I had been, I said, could

you imagine how offensive that would be? Again, do you see what I'm saying? You got people out here losing their lives by taking their own lives because they simply can't breathe with the pressures of life. You got people out here who are losing their hair, diseases that are creating or being developed in their bodies because they can't love who they love. They can't simply love because it's not what you can imagine. It's unbelievable. We can't say

that this is something new under the sun. And I'm not saying that, Oh, that's the reasoning for it to

be okay. We're talking about people loving on people. People that have inspired us, Marsha P. Johnson, people have changed the political climate of life, Angela Davis, people that have said I'm breaking barriers when it comes down to media entertainment, Grew Paul Laverne Cox creating literature and dance that have inspired us all Alvin Ailey, Langston Hughes being declared as one of the greatest singers of our lifetime Whitney Houston.

So what do you want to erase their history? You want to throw them away for loving who they love? Thank you, James Baldwin. What we're really talking about here? Huh? What is God really about here?

thinking that you can judge as God? Because this said individual that you could be condemning, that could have been a person to save your mama's life, who transitioned from stage four breast cancer, or perhaps got your baby off of drugs because they were able to get them the mental therapy that they need, or perhaps provided space for an Olympic gold medalist because they were a foster child.

What are we talking about here? Would you rather for somebody to be in a house in which they are beaten every night, could possibly move molesting your young baby, committing adultery and doing so many destructive things to themselves and other people, but yet we're talking about somebody that wants to love. So I want to let you know who I am because I'm telling you what God promised me as.

I hope this is a reminder for us to make room for people to exist because God said so much bigger and rather than you're trying to condemn, why don't you make room to overstand because I feel what's going on right now is a lot of understanding and things haven't changed and people are still going to keep on living.

see better. Well, go ahead and put a rating on this episode.

social media, catch us everywhere Vitamin D Dawing Day. And also I want to remind you that on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I've been doing Vitamin D line. Right now, We're going live at six thirty am on Facebook on my Facebook page at Doing Daispects. I would love to hear from you. You can call in, I can have you video time in. I'm saying God said exceedingly and abundantly, So I'm showing up. So pull up on me.