Team Talk Tuesday
Christie is serious with a loving heart.
If life is a marathon, then I am halfway to the finish line but in a community where justice still needs to be served, my work has only just begun. As your Program Coordinator for Family Fuse, I am proud, happy to serve and will share a little about my personal experiences with you. My birth name is Christie Nelson and life has been a journey with many ups and downs. There have been some really great successes and times where I have found myself in a ditch without a way to get out until I calm down, breath deeply and strategize. I have not always lived in Windsor-Essex. I came from a small town called Belleville, moved to Oshawa Ontario aka the SHWA and then came to Windsor for high school and college. I kick started a career in television, moved away, came back to regroup, went to university and now Family Fuse! As a Black person in Canada, I have experienced racism both in my own family and from communities across the province.
As a child of a white mother and black father, I was called oreo, zebra, the n-word, and found myself in many situations where I wasn’t respected because of the colour of my skin. Sounds crazy doesn’t it?! As a toddler of the 70’s, (yes I’m proud of my age) it was normalized somehow and I simply didn’t know better until I reached college when I watched an assault by authorities against men of color and I stood up for my brothers in the court of law.
Today my scars are healed but it took allot of self development, conversations with people from all walks of life, documenting my most traumatic life experiences, becoming an artist, telling and listening to other peoples’ stories and straight up healing! This brings me to the point where I am now. I am confident that I can help other Black, beautiful, strong, vulnerable, upset, amazing, curious, hopeful, determined people, to not only be the change they wish to see in the world but to help them be better members of their own families, be good to themselves and reach their full potential.
Family Fuse symbolizes to me, the unification and dedication of all parents who walk with their hearts on their sleeves, in their hands, and with the interest of giving the best to their children. The best being: the experiences, education, support, financial growth, and at the very least, the best of their love to their children. I once had a science teacher in high school who would start off sentences to enlighten the class by saying “If I were you … and thank God I am not,” which at the time I found funny and somewhat insulting but I never forgot his words or his delivery. Why do I mention this you say? I truly believe that no one else is meant to be anyone else but themselves and whatever your religious belief is. To be yourself, unapologetically, with confidence, proud, battle wounds and all, is a beautiful thing. I am whole and I want you to be whole too or the best version of you. So let’s get to work through Family Fuse, in this journey called life. While me and my team provide support to ensure that you and your children are supported in education, we may also help resolve some pressing issues related to bias, cultural competency, anti-Black racism, and at the least make things more equitable for you and your family. Be blessed and a blessing. Love & Light!