Signify Softly

By Kathleen Thigpen

Signify Softly is a collection of my observations. While the sorority movement is the lead off, these observations could apply to any club, church or social organization.
Increasingly, the signs of overall societal decay are appearing within the Black Greek movement. I began the Signify Softly blog to ask a series of questions. The essays featured on the blog and in this book come directly from my observations, memories, social media and all manner of things posted on the internet.
July 11, 2012 would have been my grandmother’s one hundred and first birthday. In the ninety-ninth year of my beloved sorority and on the hundred and first anniversary of my grandmother’s birth, I am. I am grateful and blessed by the powerful influence my grandmother had on my life. And I am humbled that Delta took me in and added greatly to her early training. Here, between 101 and 99, I stopped to reflect.
On July 13, 2012 I committed to blog every Wednesday until July 13, 2013. This book is a collection of essays I wrote on my journey between 101 and 99.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kathleen Thigpen
• Release date: Jun 21, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301942947

Kathleen Thigpen

In 2004 Kathy Thigpen made a pact with her nephew, “... if you give me a college degree, I’ll write a book.” Working under the power of positive agreement they went to work. On December 12, 2009 she exchanged a completed manuscript for his college degree. Professionally Kathy Thigpen holds a Master’s Degree in Adult and Continuing Education and is a registered corporate coach with the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches. She brings over twenty years of experience in corporate learning and higher education to all of her keynotes and seminars. Kathy’s life experience has taught her the value of hard-work and the rewards that come from perseverance. Her presentations are packed with humor, scientific insights and common sense. She strives to provide a transformational experience by providing practical models and tips to help participants reach their personal goals. Writing under the pen name Regena Bryant, she has two published novels.

Book preview

Signify Softly

By Kathleen Flint Thigpen

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2013 Kathleen Thigpen

Thank you for downloading this free ebook. Although this is a free book, it remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Smashwords.com, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

Cover designed by Cover Fresh Designs

Edited by Mia O. McElroy

Forward

Signify Softly is a collection of my observations. While the sorority movement is the lead off, these observations could apply to any club, church or social organization.

Increasingly, the signs of overall societal decay are appearing within the Black Greek movement. I began the Signify Softly blog to ask a series of questions. The essays featured on the blog and in this book come directly from my observations, memories, social media and all manner of things posted on the internet.

July 11, 2012 would have been my grandmother’s one hundred and first birthday.  In the ninety-ninth year of my beloved sorority and on the hundred and first anniversary of my grandmother’s birth, I am. I am grateful and blessed by the powerful influence my grandmother had on my life. And I am humbled that Delta took me in and added greatly to her early training. Here, between 101 and 99, I stopped to reflect.

On July 13, 2012 I committed to blog every Wednesday until July 13, 2013. This book is a collection of essays I wrote on my journey between 101 and 99.

Thank you Grandma. Your beauty, grace and class have endured for more than one hundred years.

This book is dedicated to my grandmother Kathleen Bryant Flint.

* * * ~ ~ * * *

And I’m going to keep on trying to make a hundred, ninety-nine and a half won’t do.

Chapter 1

Honoring The Past

Honoring The Past

...when and where I enter, in the quiet, undisputed dignity of my womanhood, without violence and without suing or special patronage, then and there the whole…race enters with me. ANNA JULIA COOPER, 1892

These used to be our watch words. It matters how you enter. How you speak, dress and present yourself. When I entered corporate America I was well aware of the position of being among the 'first' to hold certain jobs. I was once told by one of my college students that I was the 'first black' teacher he'd ever had.

Have you ever received these words of caution?

When and where I enter is a call to excellence. An acknowledgement that individually we do not have the right to close doors so many