In addition to creating my Ancestral Medicine digital collage collection, I am reflecting on and creating digital collages about the person I have been and currently am.

Yesterday, I found my high school senior class photo and thought about who I was at 17 years old.

I looked into my 17-year-old eyes and saw Madelyn Cheryl Leeke (my legal name; known as “Puf” to family and friends), an independent, talkative, focused high achiever, leader, and student at Elizabeth Seton High School (all-girls Catholic school), poet, future lawyer, public speaker, and a fun-loving, social, party and flirty girl who loves lipstick, Prince, dancing, shopping, dressing in vintage clothing mixed with jeans, going to basketball games, dating, speaking Spanish and French, traveling, dreaming of living well on 16th Street in DC, nature, basketball, catching the Metro, art, music, beaches, and all things cultural.

I see a sensitive, creative, and smart girl who put a lot of pressure on herself to succeed.

I see an intense, self-determined, and brave girl who had high expectations for herself and believed she had to achieve academic, career, and material success in order to survive and THRIVE.

What a young woman!

Over the years, I have had to forgive myself for some of the beliefs I had and choices I made that created unhealthy mindsets, behavior, and experiences.

I know my 17-year-old self did the best she could with what she had.

Let me also say, I am still in the process of forgiving and healing the person I was during each decade of my life. That work is ONGOING.

With that said, I can honestly say at 61 that I would not change a thing about my 17-year-old self because she got me to the place I am today. All of her beliefs and choices, the good and not so good, led me to experiences, people, lessons, wisdom, grace, forgiveness, patience, dreams, joy, pain, loss, healing, growth, and blessings that make me who I am today. And that person is a Woman Intentionally and Patiently Progressing (W.I.P.P.).

The title of this collage is “17.” I started it with a painting I made in 2006 or 2007 as the background. I loved the red and yellow colors because they remind me of my high school colors.

The color red also represents my root chakra energy and how focused I was on establishing career and financial security.

The yellow represents my solar plexus chakra energy and my intense focus on personal power, persistence, and self-determination.

Three Ghanaian Adinkra symbols were added to the collage.

Epa is the name of the Adinkra symbol that is repeated on my graduation gown. It symbolizes law and justice and illustrates my dream and career goal of becoming a lawyer who helps people and makes good money to afford my lifestyle and home on 16th Street in DC.

The Duafe (the comb) Adinkra symbol represents femininity and beauty and illustrates my desire to be, feel, and look feminine, stylish, and beautiful.

The Bese Asaka Adinkra symbol represent abundance and wealth and illustrates my goal to live well.