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‘We Got Married on 8/18/18 and We’re Still on our Honeymoon Today’

BY JE’DON HOLLOWAY-TALLEY Special to the Birmingham Times “You Had Me at Hello’’ highlights married couples and the love that binds them. If you would like to be considered for a future “Hello’’ column, or know someone, please send nominations to Barnett Wright bwright@birminghamtimes.com. Include the couple’s name, contact number(s) and what makes their love […]
The post ‘We Got Married on 8/18/18 and We’re Still on our Honeymoon Today’ first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

5 months ago

December 5, 2023

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BY JE’DON HOLLOWAY-TALLEY

Special to the Birmingham Times

“You Had Me at Hello’’ highlights married couples and the love that binds them. If you would like to be considered for a future “Hello’’ column, or know someone, please send nominations to Barnett Wright bwright@birminghamtimes.com. Include the couple’s name, contact number(s) and what makes their love story unique.

NATASHA AND GREGORY GLASTER

Live: Pleasant Grove

Married: Aug. 18, 2018

Met: Fall 2005, at Greater Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church in West End. Natasha was a member when Gregory was sent to be interim pastor. Soon after, he was appointed to full pastorship, but they did not make a personal connection until more than a decade later, in 2017.

“I was over the youth ministry and the praise team so we communicated about those [matters], but one Sunday he preached a message on relationships and … and it just progressed from there,” Natasha said.

“On first Sundays, we would go out and visit and give communion to the sick, and she came and knocked on my office door and asked me had I eaten anything and I said ‘no’ and didn’t think any more of it. But less than 30 minutes later she came back with a sandwich she and bought me some lunch and that got my attention,” Gregory remembered.

The chairman of his deacon board would be in the office when Natasha would come by, and Gregory pointed out “that woman right there would make a great wife to somebody … I didn’t even know that I was speaking it on myself,” he said.

First date: July 6, 2017, at Logan’s Roadhouse in McCalla. “God had changed my heart to have feelings for him right before we started to date and I kept running from the feelings because I said I could not like or date my pastor,” Natasha said. “I was schoolgirl nervous, but it was a good date, he was great company.”

“Looking from a pastor’s view I was cautious because I was in a pastoral role but I had feelings for this young lady, and I didn’t want to offend her or stain my calling,” Gregory said, “but she was company that was needed, I could take off all my hats and finally be human.”

The turn: By September 2017 the two were a pair. “It didn’t take long because both of us were praying for spouses, so we went into the next two dates expressing that to each other. We knew we didn’t want to play, and be going out on dates just to be girlfriend and boyfriend… We wanted to get to know one another to see where it could go seriously. I can’t pinpoint the date, but it was very shortly after that we became exclusive,” Natasha said.

“Each time we were in each other’s presence it was something that we knew. We both had been searching for something for so long, and it’s hard to put into words but you just know when you’ve found it,” Gregory said. “That void that had been empty for so long was finally filled.”

“When we decided, we were going to date seriously, I called her up [to the front of the church] and held her hand and made an announcement to the congregation that we were seeing each other because I didn’t want any [whispering],” Gregory said.

The proposal: Eight days before Christmas 2017, at their church, Greater Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church in West End after Sunday service.

“I did it before the congregation. After the sermon, I asked can we have as many people as possible stay behind because we have some business at hand and I won’t keep you long. I had already asked her mother [who is also a member of their church] if I had her blessing in marriage when [Natasha and I] started to date seriously…

“And I had the youth [department] escort Natasha up to the front, it was about 12-15 of our youth, and she didn’t know why she was being called to the front I got on my knees and asked her to be my wife. The church was elated, she was crying all over the place, I don’t know who was crying more, her or her mama. Natasha was reared in that church, she came through the ranks and played a role in so many of the youth’s lives…she’s always wanted a family of her own and now it was coming to pass and everybody was elated to see it come to pass in God’s house,” Gregory said.

“My best friend doesn’t go to our church, and he invited her, and right before he got on one knee he asked for the doors of the church to be opened and she walked in and when I saw her I knew something was up,” Natasha said. “And when he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him, I put my hand over my mouth and gasped and said ‘yes’. And when people started coming up to hug me I started remembering my prayers to God and realized that God didn’t forget about me, I was 39 and had been praying for a husband. …I asked God to bless me with somebody who could pray over me and for me, and I specifically asked for it to be somebody at my church because I love my church family and I didn’t want to have to leave and go to another church… It became so overwhelming that I just couldn’t stop crying.”

Proposing eight days before Christmas and deciding to get married on Aug. 18, 2018, was no coincidence. “Eight is the number of new beginnings and the Lord told me it was time for a new beginning,” he said.

The wedding: At their church, Greater Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church in West End, officiated by Bishop Raymond Whitsey [Gregory’s pastor]. Their colors were red, black, and silver and their reception followed at the Marriott Hotel Ballroom on U.S. 280.

Most memorable for the bride was internal reflection. “I didn’t want the day to end, I loved every minute of it. When I came down the aisle my eyes went on Gregory and I just remembered ‘he [God] didn’t forget about you, and he didn’t forget about him [Gregory] either… And there was a part when they had the other First Ladies come and pray over me and the spirit got so high, I thought I was going to pass out, but they ended the prayer just in time,” Natasha laughed.

Most memorable for the groom was laying eyes on his bride. “When they opened the doors and I saw her, I knew I had finally gotten it right. I have messed up so many times in my life, that when I saw her, I said ‘Lord, if I don’t get nothing else in this life right, I know I got this right, Lord, I thank you’. It was like the final piece of my life was about to come together. She was what I had been missing in my life, and I finally had enough sense to let God do it, and it was finally done right…,” Gregory said.

They honeymooned in Gatlinburg, Tennessee at the cabins.

“We got upgraded when we got there and were put in a [newly renovated] cabin at the top of the mountain, and we’re still on our honeymoon today,” Gregory said.

Words of wisdom: “Never think that God has given up on you, what you’ve been praying for [is coming]. Keep God first, communicate with one another, and stay friends,” Natasha said.

“The bottom line is this– it’s one thing to love somebody, but you better make sure you’re in love, because if you’re in love, regardless of what comes up you can overcome it. There’s a difference between loving someone and being in love; I’m in love with Natasha,” Gregory said.

Happily ever after: The Glasters are a blended family with six children and their youngest, Isaac, 3 1/2, born of their union.

Natasha, 45, is a West End native, and West End High School grad. She attended the University of Alabama, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in biology; Grand Canyon University [online], where she received a master’s degree in education; and Walden University [online], where she obtained an Ed.S. in education. Natasha teaches 7th grade science at Hueytown Middle School.

Gregory, 64, is a Roosevelt City native, and Shades Valley High School grad. He attended the now-closed Southern Junior College of Business in Birmingham where he majored in business administration and played on the basketball team. Gregory pastors Greater Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church in West End and is Chaplain of Pleasant Grove High School’s varsity football team.

Birmingham Personal Injury Attorneys | Guster Law Firm, LLC

This article originally appeared in The Birmingham Times.

The post ‘We Got Married on 8/18/18 and We’re Still on our Honeymoon Today’ first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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