On 9/23, I went to San Francisco to see the women of Gee’s Bend speak and sing, and to have a brief audience with them (to have my book signed) where I gibbered “er, um, I’m so honored, urg, thank you! You’re so wonderful!” Blather blather.

It was a huge day. It was also a tense, weird, wonderful day. The ladies were modest, faithful, funny, poised. I was very teary for a lot of it. Lots of things struck very close to the soul for me and it’s difficult to articulate. I responded so deeply to their kindness and happiness to be there; their gratitude to God; their deep sense of community and family and duty. When two of the elder ladies got up to dance, I missed my mom, my own connection with family and place. And the fact that an art movement (finally, finally recogized) burst out of this stew of love, and struggle, and pain, and death.. it’s all too much for me to bear. As cheesy as it may sound, I felt as though I were elevated, for a time, up a little closer to god.*

Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir performed and they were awesome. They performed a Ring Shout and some of the Gee’s Bend ladies got up and danced.

And then everyone sang.

What a day.

I wrote and deleted, wrote and deleted a whole lot of thoughts about race, god, shortcomings, secrets, society.. but you know what? So what and who cares. I love these quilts and the people who make them.

• Here are pictures.
• Here is a short video with the ring shout and song (quicktime)
• Here is a vastly more articulate article about the day (with better pictures)
• USPS just released Gee’s Bend stamps (yes, i bought 2 sheets)

*yes i believe in god and no i hardly ever talk about my faith as it’s a deeply personal individual experience in my mind.. okay? are we good? excellent!