The Obama Presidential Center Juneteeth Grand Opening Friday, June 19^th, 2026

I am a writer and words cannot describe how wonderful this day was! I was born on the South Side of Chicago and raised on both the West and South Sides of Chicago. People have spoken about needing an organization like the Obama Presidential Center for years. Now it is here!

I was supposed to be with my family on a bus tour, but when I learned that Story Studio Chicago was giving a writers workshop, I arrived in the area at 5:30 am, parked my car and walked around. It was a lot of positive energy. I dressed the part: Juneteenth t shirt, loc cap, black stretch pants, black shoes, carry along bag with African print and containing the following: notebook, pen, crochet hooks and red yarn.

I walked to Valois Restaurant and had an Obama special of steak and eggs. Then I walked back for the Story Studio and Art Institute of Chicago workshop. I took some amazing pictures. Again, words cannot even begin to describe how wonderful this has all been.

Congratulations to the Obamas! Thank you for all you do!

I Made It Back to Quilter’s Plus Finally

I made it back to Quilter’s Plus finally. That is the only thing about working and going to school at the same time: It delays your creative process.

Oh, the horror!

I wasn’t about to let my life be a horror story anymore. Freddy, Chucky and Jason were all going to die by strangulation with my yarn and stabbing with my crochet hooks and knitting needles. I got back to my Monday night sewing circle called Quilter’s Plus. I told them my intent: I wanted to master the crochet granny square this summer if it is the last thing I ever did. My maternal great grandmother was an expert at crochet, I loved the work of the yarn bombers for the Whitney Young High School 50^th anniversary yarn bomb, I was doing this, then I fell out of it and I have made the decision that I was going to do it, this was my story, but I was literally going to stick to crochet finally.

I’ve made sure my purse was a backpack where I am able to have yarn and crochet hooks. I am keeping yarn and crochet hooks in my car. I have yarn and crochet hooks in my home. In case of emergency, break glass. There would be no excuse and no escape: I would finally master the granny square.

There was a retired Chicago Public Schools bus driver who was also an expert at crochet who was only too happy to share her knowledge with me. She started the square first. I finished it and started another. Something in my muscle memory was starting to take hold. Life does get busy. We are all trying to complete a long-held dream and every effort must be applauded, but I had no idea of how much I needed this: pleasant company, cookies and crochet.

It was a good day!