By Cheryle Moses
On Monday, November 14, 2017, I received a call on the office line. It was a very nice woman who introduced herself as a CA for Ms. Boucher calling from Connecticut. She went on to tell me that Ms. Boucher had her to call, and she wanted to speak with me.
Ms. Boucher lifted my spirits so high on that day! Her call came just as I was being hit with many negative responses to my “Come Meet a Black Person” Networking Event. Ms. Boucher called to encourage me, and little did she know she brought me a confirmation from the Most High.
Ms. Boucher followed up our conversation with a letter to me dated November 22, 2017. Below is the note exactly as it was written, and this post’s picture is the cover of the postcard she sent.
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Dear Cheryle,
It was so nice speaking to you on Monday. I read in the paper you say people call you naive. That’s allright because there are always naysayers but I think this is a valuable thing you are trying to do. I used to think if you could get 25 black and 25 white people to go out to dinner together and sit at tables for 4 they could get to know each other.
I am a 71 year old white woman but I pride myself on thinking young & would love to correspond with a black person. I do not have e-mail but I enjoy writing and receiving letters. I live in a nursing home now & there are quite a few black Nurses Aides here. But when I was young I lived in a small town in Mass. (pop. 8,000 people) & had no contact with a black person. Here in Wallingford there are not too many black people either (pop. 45,000).
In 1962 when I was 15 we took a car trip down to Fla. On the way we stopped for lunch & I was shocked to see a sign that said “Whites Only.” It was like a slap in the face to me & I’m French, Irish & Italian. When we got back home I read a paperback called “Black Like Me” & it was truly eye opening. I truly believe that if we Americans had more 1 on 1 contact & got to know each other & be honest about what our lives are like it would be such a better world.
I would like to write to someone 50-75 perhaps but I would also like to write to a younger person – perhaps 20-30 to try & understand the problems they face today. But I do want to express my honest opinion about things & not have the person be offended & for them to be honest with me. I’ll give you my phone #. I can receive calls but I cannot make long distance calls. 203-697-XXXX
Yours Truly,
Barbara Boucher
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Ms. Boucher’s call was amazing and her note to me was a big hug for me. It gave me momentum to keep moving forward with this movement.
I am writing Ms. Boucher, and I would like to invite any black person who would like to write her to build a genuine relationship to contact me direct on Twitter @meetblackperson, Facebook https://www.facebook.com/comemeetablackperson/ or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/iseeblackpeople.
Peace and blessings,
Cheryle
