Celebrating the Women of Since I Lost My Baby

The friendship of women and our history together encouraged my soul throughout my journey to find my daughter . . . and myself. These are a few of the women I wrote about in SINCE I LOST MY BABY.

In Oakland, there was Halifu Osumare, my first African dance teacher, who imparted to me the fundamental lesson of life: LOVE YOURSELF. Halifu founded Everybody’s Creative Arts Center, where I was immersed in multicultural celebration and the joy of dance.

Boni Grove was another of my dance teachers, and it was from the tragedy of her death at the hands of a man she was trying to break up with that I learned a different lesson about love, one that saved my life.

At the laundromat up on Telegraph Avenue I met Aeeshah who invited me into her circle of bright, provocative women that were seekers like me. And Sarasvati from the Yoga Society gave me unconditional love and support at my worst of times.

Then came the gift of San Francisco educator, actress, and director Gloria Weinstock who held me in her arms when we learned that our friend and my mentor Buriel Clay had been killed by a drunk driver.

In Los Angeles, my path crossed with singer-songwriter Patti Henley whose example of life in both gospel and Motown music led me out of the wilderness in my search for the Big Truth. A year later at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference, I not only won First Prize for my short story, I became friends with Joye Lytel. And from the Napa Valley to Hawaii, there was my partner in mischief and laughter, Rose.

It was actress Akosua Busia, with whom I became close friends when I moved back to L.A., who prayed with me to find my daughter; then set in motion our appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show. And of course, there is my beautiful daughter Kalila . . . this year, 2021, we celebrate the 30th anniversary of our reunion.

From the beginning, there was my mother, Margie Nemoy, who had such high hopes for me, yet found it tough to understand her wayward 1960s child. Neither of us made it easy, but thankfully before her final years, we were at peace.

Who's walked with you? These beautiful women and others whom I wrote about in my book will forever live in my heart. I honor them. And you.

Keep your head to the sky.