Whenever Shauna McKenzie-Lee is actually more youthful, the girl mom, Sharon, went to a party where in fact the entertainment are a clairvoyant. Whether or not it are her check out stay to the lady, the fresh psychic advised Shauna the girl child would have a celebrity over her direct.
“The world observes me personally given that Black earliest, and in addition we enter into are a female and then we enter are LGBTQ. It has been my entire life because the a black colored person in this nation.”
“My mommy perform tell me this story all five years or very,” said McKenzie-Lee. “I think the superstar, on my mom, the brand new star probably found represent me personally following my personal journey to feel who I’m.”
For the remainder of this lady existence, we were able to operate not only in like, however in openness
When you look at the November, the day until the Starbucks Set aside Roastery inside Chi town unwrapped its doorways, McKenzie-Lee posed to own photographs near to the woman mom into building’s airy finest floors. Each other lady smiled – the caretaker, who was viewing the woman simply man lead the hole of your own largest Starbucks global, and also the child, who was able to do so instead of hiding any element of which she’s. Hanging above they both? A massive, neon star. Yes, it’s an element of the Roastery logo, but nonetheless … whoa, correct?
McKenzie-Lee laughed. “The two of us appeared up-and We reminded the lady of these story. It’s almost like reinforcement that i had made best elizabeth full circle.”
She was born in Cincinnati, section of a good tightknit, religious friends. This lady mothers separated whenever she is actually more youthful, even in the event they existed towards self-confident conditions, and you can McKenzie-Lee and her mother moved in along with her grandmother.
Since the a teenager, McKenzie-Lee grappled for the values of some on spiritual people that gay somebody should face effects or punishment if you are who he or she is
“The latest dictate regarding my mother’s mommy specifically – she grew up in 1919, widowed early, together with several children to increase while the one, black woman. She simply made it happen, making it research simple, and you may grounded us in chapel and you may spirituality. Given that a child, We was raised once you understand I can go out but it doesn’t matter what needed my personal butt in a chair to own Weekend university,” told you McKenzie-Lee, 46. “She trained myself one we’re all attached to one thing larger.”
“It had been a lengthy-label dating, and most invisible. I decided to go to prom and you will homecoming with male basketball family relations. For even myself, I found myself looking to discover – is it exactly who I truly am? At first glance, one thing was in fact a beneficial – I had good grades. We played sports. However it try a challenging date,” she said. “Picking out the acceptance from my personal grandma, all of that had myself concealing whom I became to have so long.”
“I had founded which upwards for days. Really, I became getting ready to beat my grandmother. That is what I was thinking do takes place,” McKenzie-Lee said. “She indeed got a couple of things to say. However, ultimately, she simply hugged me. She lived are 94. ”
“I’m sure she experienced certain despair, it absolutely was perhaps not a classic street their son was going to follow along with. She thought i would score hurt and you will punished and you can would not progress in the a career. But she has also been the person who gave me the foundation understand I will continue steadily to try to be who We have always been,” McKenzie-Lee said. “We must end up being just who we are. There can be so much stamina in this. Anxiety is one thing that individuals somehow think will change otherwise change otherwise subside as we era, but it doesn’t. Any sort of we need to do, we need to go-ahead frightened. Never finish losing go out.”