Welcome back! And in honor of Women’s History Month, I will be writing about a woman that inspires me in every blog entry this March. In my last entry I talked about the ever-so-amazing Serena Williams. In this post, I will be discussing a woman much closer to me. There’s a tradition in my family; every first-born daughter, of the first-born daughter, is given “Hope” as their middle name. So, my name is Shyanne Hope, my mother’s name is Kristine Hope, and her mother’s name is Mary Hope. This has been passed down for 6 generations. In this entry, I’ll be telling you all about Kathryn Hope, my great-grandmother. I was blessed enough to have my great-grandmother in my life for 20 years. We have very fond memories together including shopping, cruises, and family dinners. She lived in Hawaii for multiple periods of time throughout her life because her husband was in the military (omg, she would send us holiday photos of the view from her back yard and it could’ve been a post card! Her back yard was the beach, with palm trees and a beautiful gazebo over looking the bluest water). All of her grand and great-grand kids called her Tutu. “Tutu” is a traditional Hawaiian term used most commonly for grandparents of both genders. All of her grand and great-grand kids called her Tutu. Tutu was an accomplished women, she traveled the world with my grandfather, Commander Walter Gover, who was a career naval officer. She raised four daughters all while having a success career as an economist at the Bureau of Labor Statistics in Washington DC. My Tutu taught me so many things. She led by example. I admired the woman I came to know through stories passed down from my nana (my grandmother) and through my own memories shared with her. After graduating from the 8th grade, my Tutu took me on a cruise to Alaska. We sailed through glacier bay national park, went whale watching, and visited multiple cities. Between formal dinners, horse-back riding, gold panning, and trolley rides, I learned so much about my great grandmother. She told me stories of working as a women in male dominated industries, living through wars, witnessing social revolutions, and raising a family. She stressed the importance of being kind yet strong, humble but confident, and respectful but assertive. She taught me there were traits other than “beautiful” and “soft” to describe women. Tutu was a patriot. Serving beside her pilot husband in WWII, she drew maps of bombing sites. She embedded in me, the sense of responsibility to vote— in every election. Tutu called it a “civic duty”. (If I have any Facebook/Twitter followers reading this blog, you can thank my great-grandmother for my constant and exhaustive rants about voting, haha... side note, #BetterWithBernie) Kathryn Hope Gover was the matriarch of my family. She was powerful, loving, and strong. You didn’t have to know my tutu to know how amazing she was. Like many mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers around the world, she held the family together, offered unconditional love, and passed down important retold experiences. There have been women like my tutu for centuries, offering perspective and wisdom for younger generations and shaping the world with their hard work. Honor a woman you know. Talk to the elders in your family and community. Women around you have been making the world spin since time began, take a moment to share their stories.
4 Comments
Jordyn Edwards
3/24/2020 08:28:21 pm
How touching this post was! It reminds me of the memories that I have created with my own great grandmother, Ma. It is heartwarming to see how grandmothers, mothers and daughters impact families for many generations to come. I hope that one day I am able to be a living legacy for my grandchildren and great grand children. Thank you for sharing the story of getting to know and love your TuTu.
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Kathryn Gover
3/25/2020 10:54:16 am
Wow, how beautiful. You brought a smile to my face. I remember telling her, “This world is a better place because you are here.” Reading your blog reminds me that she was an inspiration to so many in our family. Thank you for the memories.
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Zahria Harvey
3/25/2020 08:40:38 pm
Wow I really enjoyed reading this, it was like going back in time and being able to live through someone who you love and cherish. I almost teared up at the end with the photos. So beautiful! My great grandmother is my world so I can relate on admiring someone so deeply.
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David Dorsey
3/26/2020 08:15:18 pm
Awesome work! I love hearing about women who led the way and left a mark. In a world where women are constantly overlooked and overshadowed, it is important to highlight women who have made a difference. May your great-grandmother's lessons live through you, as you pass them on to others.
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AuthorHi, I'm Shyanne Dyson. I'm a senior at Hampton University studying Cybersecurity. Between being a student, daughter, sister, friend, ally, and volunteer, you can add blogger to the list. Archives
April 2020
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