I need you to take a posture of total victory.
On July 9, 2016, a balmy morning in Baton Rouge, a 35-year-old nurse inspired the world. Ieshia Evans had watched Alton Sterling’s murder on the news from her home in Philadelphia. She’d never attended a protest before. It didn’t matter. Alton Sterling’s death came on the heels of the brutal murder of Philando Castille in front of his family. She couldn’t sit by. She packed her bags and traveled to Louisiana for a march for Black lives.
With shoulders back, heart open, eyes to the horizon – she stood in her fullness as an armed force in riot gear advanced to suppress the peaceful calls for life. She stood her ground. Fearless. With total equanimity. And was arrested. But before this powerful woman was arrested, photographer Jonathan Bachman captured a moment of pure equanimity, of fearlessness, and today, we celebrate Ieshia Evans as a spiritual muse. We name her as first in a line of 21 spiritual warriors whose actions will guide our strategy for complete liberation.
“This is the work of God. I am a vessel.” Ieshia said
It reminds me so much of David when Saul asked who will go and fight Goliath, the giant Philistine. Young David said, here am I, send me. He said, I can take him. “I have a history with God.” Listen... I’m here to tell every Black woman reading this today that YOU have a history with God.
Join GirlTrek’s Black History Bootcamp - The Prayer Edition at blackhistorybootcamp.com to receive specially curated emails with prayers, survival tips, speeches + dedicated songs to listen to for each episode. Together we will discover the stories of 21 spiritual warriors.
Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to the music or interview excerpt played during this broadcast. Original content can be found here:
I Shall Not be Moved - Mississippi John Hurt:
https://open.spotify.com/track/2Vxj13uC6lBOUqsebW73eJ?si=AgVOhGzJQruStYj3DoMf4g
Barley - Lizz Wright:
https://open.spotify.com/track/6sKKaLDc0SGoFSesS1WWD3?si=G3L4hXsdQF63xugSBkdugA
CBS This Morning Interview - Gayle King interviews Ieshia Evans:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFC6l0DjDF0