#HappyFathersDay to all the Black girls who had multiple dads. Whose dads where absent due to sufferings as Black men in America. Whose demons were larger than their dignity. Read captions for sight impaired for more insights into Norman Lee “Tom” Evans and Walter Shirley. Miss u 
Photo 1. 1/x I met my father at the age of 40 in 2002.We have photographed here outside the house where I grew up. He had lived 15 minutes away all my life and I never knew it. He came from Indianapolis. He was one of 13 children. He passed away in 2006 from prostate cancer.
Photo 1, 2/x prostate cancer is the most treatable cancer that afflicts African-American men, black fathers more than most. Why? Think about the impact of the Tuskegee experiments intersecting with patriarchy and homophobia.
Photo 1 is upper right corner of the four.
Photo w of me on Walter Shirley’s knee in front of my grandmother’s rose garden behind the house. I doted on him. He doted on me. He married my mom, a single parent, when I was 2. They split when I was 9.
The photo 1 is me at 40 with Norman Lee Evans aka Tom. He grew up in Connersville IN outside Indianapolis. One of 13 brothers and sisters. After he passed, I met my extended family who embraced me with open arms.
#HappyFathersDay I for gave my birth father in a lot of black women gave me flack for forgiving it “deadbeat dad”. But he gave me the only thing no other man could. A life! 1/2.
#HappyFathersDay 2/2 ... If he and my mother hadn’t had a role in the hay in 1962, I wouldn’t be here, wouldn’t be pursuing all i brought to my life. For that we should be grateful. Hurt people hurt people. Grace matters. #BlackLivesMatter
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