LOVE LIVES IN US.... THE WINSTONS. EL and Roni

Love lives in us…the Winstons and we want to share a little of it with you. In our life together, we have been blessed to meet a number of icons…grandmothers, mothers, aunties, teachers, and yes, even couples. Women deserving of our admiration and veneration. They survived experiences, raised families, and loved in times when most would have folded under the pressure. The Winstons have realized that it is the love these iconic women of the LGBTQ+ community poured into us which allows us to live our own love story out loud.

The Mrs.

Before I came out to the world, I came out to two women I see as iconic Their love encouraged me to be my most authentic self and believe that the kind of love I wanted was possible. I was in my 20s, but I had already had relationship after relationship. Nothing stuck. I didn’t have the patience or the understanding of what love looked like, but watching these two as they loved, fought, and made life work was a blessing to my spirit

Sheila and Shanda McLean fed me They loved me They encouraged me. They were real friends to me in the midst of my chaos. This is my opportunity for me to say thank you to two women who helped me find my way. The strength of their relationship showed me that loving isn’t perfect, but a perfect love can sustain us. You may not have known Sheila and Shanda before now but believe me, they are icons!

Winston

On the path to my wife, I met my own iconic inspiration. When my mom died, I was 22 years old and lost. I got into drinking too much and caring too little. So I became homeless and I was living in a shelter. One of my friends there told me about a local halfway house Little did I know then that my life was about to be blessed in ways I couldn't imagine Regina D Lewis, the icon, is the owner of Ashunti RMS Inc. and the woman who taught me that any change you want to see in your community and in yourself you're going to have to work for it. She taught me to be who I was unapologetically. She showed genuine love to a stranger when I needed it the most

I never felt like a client Regina has an amazing way of making everyone feel like family. Not only did she take me in, but she imparted in me a work ethnic like none other. She encouraged me to go back to school and she showed me the business of running a halfway house. These skills are still helpful to me today. I may no longer be doing that work, but the experience is still worth its weight in gold This woman is the definition of an icon because she has helped more women and men in the last 20+ years and her impact is immeasurable. She does it all, from back to school drives to summer camps for kids and work programs for her residents. I can honestly say that if it had not been for her I'm not sure where I would have ended up. I firmly believe that the seeds that are dropped into your spirit bloom long after you've moved onto the next phase of your journey She is definitely the definition of Love Lives In Us and a true icon!!

Thoughts to Leave You

Oftentimes we focus on the trauma of our experiences and these are truly major in our lives, but now let us break the cycle. The Winstons have known women who helped to change our trajectory. The words, the love, and the influence of these iconic women moved us into paths that led us to one another. If you don’t know a woman of this kind of greatness, it’s okay. Find how love lives in you and become an icon to your community. Spread the love that will take the world into tomorrow with hope!