This Sunday marks a deeply personal milestone for me—the posthumous launch of my mother’s memoir, How I Got Over. It is a project I feel divinely called to complete, as she told me nearly a decade ago that I would be the one to bring her story to life. I remember it clearly, around November or December of 2014, when she casually mentioned, “A major shift is happening.” At the time, I didn’t fully understand the weight of her words, but she was preparing me for her transition and entrusting me with the sacred task of finishing her life’s work.

My mother’s story is one of courage, resilience, and trailblazing achievements. Born in Brevard, she stepped boldly into history when she attended Bennett College, a historically Black college for women. From there, she became an educator at the historic William Penn High School, an all-Black institution in High Point, NC, before making history again in 1968 as part of the first wave of educators to integrate T. Wingate Andrews High School. She was hand-chosen for leadership roles in education and, just as importantly, in the United Methodist Church, where she mobilized and equipped people for service and leadership with the same quiet strength that defined her life.

My mother was a quiet storm—a force to be reckoned with, yet always moving with grace and intentionality. Everywhere her feet trod, she built bridges, forged relationships, and empowered others to lead. Her impact reverberates through the lives she touched, and it is my deepest honor to share her story with the world through her memoir.

Publishing How I Got Over is more than a fulfillment of her final wish; it is a testament to her indomitable spirit and a celebration of her incredible legacy. Her story is one of faith, determination, and love, and I am humbled to bring her voice to light for generations to come.

This book is more than just a memoir—it is a roadmap of resilience, a chronicle of history, and a call to action for us all to rise to the challenges of our time with the same steadfastness and grace that she embodied.

Mama, this is for you. Your life, your legacy, your story—it’s now out in the world, just as you envisioned.

In love and charity,

Giselle (aka) Blooming-lillie