Ally Henny :: Stories of Finding Your Voice When the World Says to Shut Up Part One

Today I get to share with you my powerful conversation with the amazing Ally Henny. Ally is an author, a speaker, a minister, an advocate, and the vice president of The Witness, a Black Christian Collective which is an organization committed to encouraging, engaging, and empowering Black Christians toward liberation from racism. This week, Ally released her book I Won’t Shut Up: Finding Your Voice When the World Tries to Silence You which one reviewer poignantly and perfectly called “An unvarnished perspective on racism that calls Black women to find their voice.”

During our conversation today, Ally is going to share some of the insights from her incredible book as well as some of her experiences as a Black Christian woman who for many, many years felt constantly silenced but perpetually on display for public opinion. She shares how it feels for her to never be “off” because her responses in conversations, even her facial expressions are constantly being evaluated and judged. Or what it feels like to consistently be perceived as a potential threat or as someone who needs to be handled or managed. She unpacks topics such as society’s expectation of women being the burden bearers, the helper, and the nurturers in American society, but how that uniquely plays out for many Black women and its roots in systemic harm.

Ultimately, Ally shares a glimpse into the culmination of events that led to her finding what she calls her “holy hell no,” the sacred boundary that rose up in her and said I do not deserve to be treated this way and that racism does not have to be an accepted fact of life. Her book moved me so deeply and continued opening my eyes to experiences I’ve lived in ignorance of, and this conversation continues to remind me about the beauty and the power of not staying silent in the face of injustice and the heart of God to let ALL of our lights shine before men. This conversation goes so deep and wide, that this is actually part one of two episodes, and I can’t wait to listen and learn right along with you. Remember friend, no matter where you are in your journey, you matter and your story matters. 

Connecting with Ally:

Book: I Won’t Shut Up: Finding Your Voice When the World Tries to Silence You

Facebook

Instagram

Website

Sponsor for this Episode: Hopefuel

Use the code 'SIMPLY15' for 15% off

Instagram

Website

References:

The Witness Black Christian Collective

Fuller Seminary 

Juneteenth

“Black Panther”

The Black Panther Party

Kantha Bae headwraps

Chadwick Boseman (“Wakanda Forever!”)

T’Challa

Fred Hampton

Huey P. Newton

The assassination of Fred Hampton

Mercury

Mercury thermometers 

Sassy Black friend trope (examples: “Sex and the City,“Save the Last Dance”,”Clueless,” etc.)

The idea during slavery that Black women could give birth and go back right out to the field.

(This is a fascinating read as well about the mindset towards enslaved women)

The history of medical racism, gynecology and struggle for Black women and also discusses the “science” myth that Black women were built stronger of enslavement rhetoric 

Black maternal mortality rates

Serena Williams’ birth experience

Simone Biles

Educated Black women are more likely to die in childbirth than undereducated white women and other statistics

Big tobacco lawsuits

The prevalent nature of smoking in the 20th century

Marketing menthols to Black communities specifically

Constellations in the sky

Science Olympiad- “Reach for the Stars”

Reconstruction

Civil Rights Movement

School-to-prison pipeline

Liquor stores and fast food funneled disproportionately into predominately Black neighborhoods

History of redlining

Booker T. Washington and respectability politics

Ferguson, MO protests sparked by the shooting of Michael Brown Jr.

The gateway arch to the west, St. Louis, MO

The L.A. riots in 1992

The Watts Uprising/Rebellion

Civil Rights Movement protests (these photos are from Nashville)

“Downton Abbey”

“The West Wing”

“The Golden Girls”

Scripture References:

Matthew 5:16- “Let your light shine before men.” 

Job 38:11- Thus far and no more

Micah 6:8- “He has shown you o mortal what is good, do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.”

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