Maeve, Wild & Free

Lewis Latimer: True Genius Who Illuminated the World      When you think about the invention of the light bulb, the name Thomas Edison often comes to mind. When you think of the telephone, you credit Alexander Graham. Do you know who invented the air conditioner? Behind most of the world’s inventions, was a Black inventor and engineer that did not get the recognition that they deserved. Here on this blog, we give them their flowers. His contributions to electrical engineering and patent drafting were pivotal in shaping modern technology, yet his name still remains absent from many history books. This week, we are learning about Lewis Howard Latimer— The genius who illuminated the world.      Lewis Latimer was born on September 4, 1848 in Chelsea, Massachusetts to George and Rebecca Latimer— both of whom had escaped slavery in Virginia. His father’s dramatic fight for freedom became a well-known abolitionist case, and although George eventually s...

Maeve, Wild & Free “Live, Learn, Thrive!”   That Time I Became a Foster Parent PART THREE:         A few hours into the morning, Cora has to have the C-Section done and she did amazing. She was so calm and she handled that situation like a pro, I was so proud of her! Lydia was there and she was supportive during the process and after, she was officially a grandmother! She was filled with excitement, love, and joy! Talking about all of the things she couldn’t wait to buy for the baby and everything she was going to do with and for the baby. The baby would have to spend the next few months in the NICU due to it being born prematurely, but this gave everyone time to fully prepare and get last minute baby items. Only, within the next few months everything would change.     Before the baby got here, I started planning the baby shower about a month after she was placed with me. It was stressful because I was trying to not only ge...

Maeve, Wild & Free #FunFactFriday        Most people believe that they make decisions based on rational thought and logical analysis, but research in psychology suggests otherwise. A significant portion of our daily decisions is influenced by subconscious processes, mental activities that occur without our conscious awareness. These automatic processes shape everything from simple choices, such as what to eat for breakfast, to complex decisions like career moves or relationships. The subconscious mind plays a dominant role in guiding behavior, often without individuals realizing it.      One of the key findings in cognitive psychology is that the brain relies on heuristics , or mental shortcuts, to make decisions quickly and efficiently. Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel Prize-winning psychologist, explored this in his book Thinking , Fast and Slow (2011) . He describes two modes of thinking: System 1, which is fast, automatic, and subconscious...

     George Stinney Jr. was a 14-year-old Black boy from Alcolu, South Carolina, whose wrongful conviction and execution remain one of the most tragic injustices in American history. Born on October 21, 1929 Stinney grew up in a small, segregated mill town where racial tensions were deeply ingrained in daily life. His childhood was abruptly stolen from him when he was accused, convicted, and executed in 1944 (less than 100 years ago!) for the alleged murders of two young white girls, Betty June Binnicker, age 11, and Mary Emma Thames, age 7. His case was a clear example of the failures of the legal system, with racial prejudice leading to his swift and unjust execution.      On March 23, 1944 Betty June and Mary Emma went missing while riding their bicycles through the town. Their bodies were discovered the following day in a water-filled ditch, having suffered fatal blunt force trauma to the head. Authorities immediately turned their focus to George ...

Maeve, Wild & Free “Live, Learn, Thrive!”   That Time I Became a Foster Parent PART TWO:     Cora ran away from that foster home and was gone for a while, this time she didn’t reach out to me or anyone else. When the police finally caught up with her, they discovered that she was pregnant! I tried multiple times to talk to Lydia and see what I could do as their aunt and her best friend, but any time I would bring it up, she would always cut me off and say “Fu** Cora! I don’t give a fu** what happens to her, she will never be allowed in my home again! Fu** her and that baby!” I’ve watched as Lydia has become more and more obnoxious over the years. This was it for me though. Not only had she completely dismissed the conversation once Cora’s name came up, but the things she said about her own daughter was unacceptable to me as a women. Since she expressed multiple times how she doesn’t care what happens to Cora, I decided to take matters into my own hands.  ...