A Weekend in Dallas: Family heritage, art and soul.

The weekend of April 13th, I had the opportunity to visit Dallas, Texas to attend a symposium located at the African American Museum regarding my great grandfather Reverdy C. Ransom. As a Ransom heir, I felt extremely honored to attend this event and meet some of the scholars who studied his essays and work. It was also a great time to connect with family members as well. Reverdy Cassius Ransom was born in Flushing Ohio on January 4, 1861. His father, whose name is not recorded, was a Native American and his mother, Harriet Johnson, was an African American. Reverdy was a United States African American Christian socialist , civil rights activist and he was ordained and served in the African Methodist Episcopal Church as the 48th A.M.E. Bishop. Not only was he a very important figure, and author of several books, his wife Emma S. Ransom was as well. In 1918 in New York City she raised $100.000 to have the first African American women YWCA built and it was called the Emma Ransom House. As I listened to the scholars speak I reflected on the courage of Reverdy's spirit.

To be born in a time period where it was difficult for African Americans to thrive, he was determined by the help of his mother who sacrificed everything she could for his education and that moved something in me. It made me think about my own strength of how I overcame loss. I have this belief that through the strength of our ancestors, we can make breakthroughs and touch the world just like Emma and Reverdy did by their compassion towards others. As I go forward with my travels, I will do my best to continue this legacy by being progressive, and enthusiastic about their vision for social change.

Now for the fun Boho stuff that I did in Dallas! Knowing me, it did not take me long to find the quirky artsy areas. The first stop was at the Candle Bar located in the Deep Ellum district. This hip neighborhood was bustling with street art, cool vintage shops, cafes, and music venues. Inside the candle bar, I attended a class with around eleven people. The first step in making my candle was to pick a fragrance and my choice was coconut rose water. Step two was the difficult part in which I had to pick a vessel as there were so many colorful choices so that part took me a while. Step three was to measure my wax and get to pouring! The class fee was $40 and the candle will take about 3 hours to dry. For an extra $8 you can have the candle shipped to you which is what I did. I enjoyed this whole process and now I can gladly say I'm a mixologist lol! Tip: After your candle is done burning, you can freeze it and scrap out the wax and use the vessel for a variety of things.

In Uptown, I walked about 3 miles checking out various places. Uptown is Dallas' most walkable live-work-play community and boasts a host of new apartments, trendy bars, hot restaurants, and much of the best shopping in town. This pretty pink cocktail from Truluck's was my drink of choice for the night and it hit the spot. Tip : If you're a vegetarian/ vegan , Truluck's has a special dish just for you that's not on the menu. Ask your server for details.

Overall I had an amazing time visiting Dallas! Whether it was discovering interesting neighborhoods, chatting with family or looking at art, I urge you to never stop doing things that are good for your soul. Continue to move, muster, and be open to new adventures always.

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Dallas is an amazing city. I can't wait to explore more of the art and food scene in the future!