2021 is just around the corner, and it’s given me hope for the future, not just my own, or Wari Tumas but also for our world. 

Slowly I’ve been working on clearly defining my goals, rebranding, and creating a purpose for this blog. I started Wari Tumas because I wanted to be authentic and real and have truthful vulnerable conversations. As I started this blog the hardest parts of 2020 happened. COVID, racial injustices, and politics. All the topics are very hard to be open and vulnerable about especially with others that might not see things the same way. 2020 was an insane year to put it lightly, and writing a blog without a direction was difficult. But I want to do this purposely and focus on why I’m putting myself out there on paper and social media.

Let’s talk Mission first. 

Wari Tumas is about breaking the chains of silence that will free us to grow in our faith, mentality, culture, and our identity. This allows us to flourish in our relationship with others and with God. 

Our mission simply put is: 

Eradicate silence, defy limiting labels, & redefine authenticity 

So let’s break it down further and explain each part of the mission.

Eradicate silence: Silence feels like the right thing to do, the best thing to do. Silence allows us to hide and develop a picture-perfect sense of self. Silence feels safe and comfortable. I kept silent to protect my family, the mission, the church, and probably most importantly myself. But it left me isolated and lonely. Instead of protecting, it imprisoned me. And I need to break the silence and speak the truth. Only by doing that will I radically change my life and break free of the prison of perfection. 

Defy limiting labels: We all have those labels placed on us by ourselves and sometimes by others. Labels can range from good-intended to ill-intended to horrifyingly inhumane. Here are a few of my labels, both the good and the bad: woman, educated, a well-traveled, millennial, mixed-race, third-culture kid, multicultural, Christian to name a few. Limiting labels are labels that make an assumption about our identity and minimize our full potential. Derogatory terms and narrowed perspectives. Labels that take away a person’s dignity, who they are, and how they see themselves. I’m not black enough, or white enough, I am not eloquently spoken, I’m not pretty enough, I’m not thin enough. These are limiting labels that we put on ourselves and are put on by others. We need to let go and love our true selves.

Redefine authenticity: Authenticity is something I always thought I was good at. I was kind, open, real, and I let people see the parts of me that I thought they wanted to see. That’s authenticity, right? WRONG 😂 Authencity to me is being real about all the parts of us that we think people don’t want to see. Let me say that again better. Authenticity puts aside what we think we should show, it puts aside our masks and it allows us to make real connections with people and with God. But, it’s not a one and done. Redefining authenticity takes time, you have to do it over and over again. And it’s tiresome and it’s a process. It’s also a choice. We have to choose authenticity every time. 

Let’s talk about vision.

My husband and I have started a new tradition of having a Vision Casting Date every year on November 10, 2020 (The Marines Birthday as Jonny would mention proudly). On our date, we talk about our vision for the next five years. We share our individual goals about our marriage, our personal and professional growth. And we plan out what we have to do daily, weekly, monthly, and in one year to get there. And while thinking about that vision I was able to come up with Wari Tumas’ vision because my vision is so intertwined with Wari Tumas.

My vision simply put is to:

Build a generation equipped to mend our communal and individual brokenness through authenticity and vulnerability. 

This is my deep desire for Wari Tumas and for our future generations to live authentically and vulnerably. I have so much more to share and I hope you will join me on this journey.

Is this something that resonates with you?