Christina Weil.
I have lived in the United States my entire life, I have experienced some of the best and the worse that this country has to offer. However, to tell you about me, I have to tell you the story about my Aguto Shungo, as she impacts my thinking and decision making, ultimately, her journey is part of who I am.
Aguto Shungo, was a Nigerian girl, of the Ibo tribe in Africa. She was 12 years old in the mid to late 1700’s. She was sent to barter unknown items a task presented to her by her parents, as many parents, would send their daughter to the store as a simple errand. She never returned. That awful moment; is the first known origins of my family tree. She was enslaved to a plantation in Nassau, Bahamas. She was forced to assimilate and live her life as a slave. Aguta had at least one daughter; Carolina Store, who had a daughter, Marea Orlander, who had a daughter, Minerva Douglass, who had a daughter named Patrice Turner, who had yet another daughter, Christina Weil who brought forth another generation Cydara Cmeron.
You will notice one thing that stands out- ALL WOMEN. One of the things that I draw my strength from is knowing that I come from a long line of women who not only survived, they thrived! I am so proud of my family history, it is very uncommon for most African American’s to know much further back than possibly their great grandparents, and the women in my family have kept telling the story.
A large portion of the story of me includes the story of the women in my family, whenever I think, “This is too hard…” I think of Aguta Shungo who lived in the brutal slave quarters of Nassau in the 1700’s and I don’t get discouraged I tell myself, “…No it’s not.” When I feel like “I can’t…”, I think of Marea Orlander, who despite the social injustice of the 1930’s and 40’s she was a one of President Roosevelt’s favorite seamstress’, I am reminded, “oh yes I can!” When I tell myself, “I am not tough enough to…” I think of my mother, Patrice, who at 49 years old served our country in the Army in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and came back sound mind and body, I think “I better toughen up!”
These are just a few of the things these women, that have been through Hell and back have given me. So if anyone ever wonders, where I get my tenacity, my inner strength and confidence to do whatever I put my mind to, you are witnessing, the survival skills of Aguto Shungo, the loving strong will of Marea Orlander, the strength of character of Patrice Weil.
The Story of me is Weil, Turner, Douglas, Orlander, Store, Shungo!!!
