Shawnee Benton Gibson has a special place in my Hall of Heroines, for two reasons.  First, we share the same Born Day, different years.  I can always expect a call or a text from her on our special day!  How cool is it that I share the same Born Day with three women I’ve met during my odyssey? Shawnee, and my two “white sisters” I mentioned in a post.  Second, and more importantly, Shawnee invited me into the Red Tent.

The Red Tent is where the world begins. Under this tent one finds music, magic, and miracles, including the miracle of birth.  Under this tent one finds loss and grief, those twin towers of life, and how to deal with them.

Shawnee is a Womanpreneur – love that term! – Community Leader, Healer, Vision Coach, Author, Artist, and Inspirational Speaker. She is also the Co-Founder and CEO at Spirit of A Woman (S.O.W.).

Shawnee has been sowing seeds that have borne much fruit. I met Shawnee through my sister Jeanette.  When you have extraordinary sisters, you are bound to meet extraordinary women, one of the many blessings of growing up with and having three sisters.  Yes, I know why the caged bird sings; yes, I know how to be a friend with women; and yes, I know that women will lay it on the line in ways men cannot even conceive.  In one of my other posts, I stated that if I ever needed a lawyer, then I would first call my women lawyer friends, not any of the male lawyers I know.

Women know something, they have this knowledge that has kept the species alive.  If the world were solely left to men, I wouldn’t be writing this right now.  We would have destroyed it.  Why would any male be resistant to the leadership of women?  I especially like how Shawnee is an advocate of women’s health, especially Black women, raising health concerns the medical profession has ignored or minimized.  Women are more willing to have deep talk around matters that touch hearts and souls, while men will get all enthusiastic about sports.  I also like that Shawnee won’t hesitate to call out the foolishness of women, especially women of color, who think that we, men and women, are not in this together, for better or worse.

Shawnee, call me or text me on any other day than our Born Day!