Breathe Love--- Even on a Rainy Day: Letter to Oprah and Gayle King: Remembering Katherine Dunham, May 1, 2006

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Letter to Oprah and Gayle King: Remembering Katherine Dunham, May 1, 2006

Dear Oprah, Gayle and JJ...

I am writing this letter of Gratitude because I once told Katherine Dunham that it was never too late to say Thank You!

Looking back into times long past, Miss Dunham's letter to you Oprah, opened a mystical pathway that gave us all the opportunity to honor an elder and exceed her dreams.

Thank You, each of you...For your beautiful hearts and your generous spirits!

Oprah, when you named Miss Dunham one of your LEGENDS, it was one of the happiest days of my life. Miss Dunham shared the elegant invitation with unmitigated joy and asked me to call Dr. Glory Van Scott. She too was thrilled! We both knew that if Miss Dunham had One Wish, it was to meet You face to face.

Unfortunately due to unforseen complications, Miss Dunham was not permitted to make the journey to California. She was very disappointed and lamented that she had been so close, but that a great opportunity had been thwarted.

And then Oprah, something shifted in the Universe. Dr. Glory asked me to reach out to You and Gayle in 2006 and invite you to La Boule Blanche at Riverside Church in celebration of the publication of the collected writings of Katherine Dunham, KAISO! edited by Veve Clark and Sara E. Johnson.

I personally delivered packages to O Magazine and followed up with you, JJ. I will always remember your constant kindness and patience!

And when JJ let me know that Gayle would be attending La Boule Blanche on May 1st, 2006, my heart sang with joy!

But Gayle, you were unable to attend and sent a messenger with a personal note to give to Dr. Glory Van Scott.

It said that you were hoping to see Miss Dunham on May 11th. Neither Dr. Glory or I knew anything about an invitation for Miss Dunham but there was JJ to the rescue to explain it was the private viewing of the LEGENDS Weekend.

Dr. Glory was scheduled to travel with her beloved, George Wein and was unable to accompany Miss Dunham but she arranged for Leonard Buggs to drive her. In attendance were Madeline Preston and Eloise Anderson who both had been Dunham Company Members.

What a Miracle that Miss Dunham got her Wish before she Ascended on May 21st, 2006. I remember that it was bittersweet watching the show on May 22nd.

Gayle, we reached out to to help us commemorate Miss Dunham 's 100 birthday celebration produced by Dr. Glory at Symphony Space in NYC, and received a heartfelt quote for program booklet. It is in the enclosed press kit.

Ladies, I have struggled with writing this letter of Gratitude for some time but, last Saturday, I attended the 45th Anniversary Concert of Sweet Honey In The Rock with Dr. Glory and I felt Miss Dunham somehow speaking to me from the Heavens.

When I got home I turned on the computer and looked for a photo of Oprah and Miss Dunham. I had searched unsuccessfully for years but now there it was before me!

The last photos before Miss Dunham Ascended! WOW! What a Beautiful Blessing! What a Remarkable Memory!

Enclosed is a signed copy of GLORY: A Life Among Legends by Dr. Glory Van Scott. I am so happy to have journeyed with her as she wrote this book. Before he Ascended, Gil Noble told Dr. Glory that it ought to be a movie. I'm holding that vision too.

Sandra Bookman recently interviewed her on ABC7's Here and Now in NYC. It is available online.

Like you, Oprah, Gayle and JJ...

Dr. Glory Van Scott is a woman of compassion and integrity. She wrote GLORY so that many would be acknowledged and remembered. It is a tapestry of her life.

I am doing my best to share her story with many and am open to your suggestions!

With Gratitude and Respect,

Melony

Melony McGant

Coordinating Director

Dr. Glory Van Scott Productions

drgloryvanscottproductions@yahoo.com

Photo Collage:

May 11, 2006

#Oprah and #KatheringDunham

May 1, 2006, La Boule Blanche (produced by Dr. Glory Van Scott) Photo by Tyrone Rasheed

DUNHAM COMPANY MEMBERS

Standing (L-R)

#CamilleYarbrough, #JeanLeonDestine

#DrGloryVanScott

#JulieBelafonte

Sitting

#EloiseAnderson

#KatherineDunham

#MadelinePreston

Rev.Melony McGant aka Miss Mellie Rainbow

Melony McGant, poet, storyteller, humanist and world lover of children lives on HOPE; works to breathe in love, and exhales fear (false expectations appearing real). She says "Perhaps our current challenges are wake-up calls for our collective awakening to truth." And she believes that the truth is, there is no need for our constant bickering, our disdain for eachother, for wars and killing, for world hunger, massive disease, for discrimination, subjugation, or oppression. She maintains that LOVE, even on a rainy day, is the answer to our dreams, our individual quests, and our future collective identity. "If we can learn to value our children, our elders, ourselves, and our Mother EarthHeart, then surely we have the power to impact society and to create a world filled with JOY."

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About Melony...

Rev. Melony McGant Bio

Rev. Melony McGant, aka Miss Mellie Rainbow loves to travel, explore cultures, connect with people, and dreams of a compassionate World with safe, loving communities, equal opportunity with justice and peace for the next seven generations (and beyond) of All the Earth's children.

She truly believes that "peace is possible through compassion, cooperation, courage, creativity, deep listening, faith, forgiveness, good purpose, healing, hope, humility, integrity, joy, kindness, mercy, patience, respect, understanding and the gift of Love!", and uses social media platforms to inspire others.

She is a storyteller, thought-leader, poet, & compassionate communications professional with more than 30 years’ experience in assisting both people and organizations discover and promote their professional or personal life missions. From business and not for profit CEO's to job seekers, elders, parents and children; through deep listening, Melony has quietly impacted, coached or supported thousands of people on their life journeys.

Currently a resident of New York City, Melony has worked as a marketing professional, owned her own full-service marketing firm and was assistant to cultural icon, choreographer and Oprah Legend, Miss Katherine Dunham. She worked for many years as a Labor Services Representative for New York State Department of Labor where she was able to hone her skills as a career/life coach and personal empowerment workshop facilitator; has a BA in Communications from Marshall University, is a Certified Level One Trainer in Kingian Nonviolence (University of Rhode Island Summer Institute), and is a Vietnam era war veteran (United States Navy).

An avid reader, in 2018 she appeared in two episodes of the Great American Read, an eight-episode national television show on PBS that "explored the many ways in which novels affect, reflect and connect us all."

An ordained Interfaith Minister, and author of the coming of age novel "Sunshine & Olivier: A Parable of Love" (IUniverse), which will be reissued for the 20th anniversary of its publication in the fall of 2019, Melony is also the primary author of "The Healing Adagio: A Love Symphony In Five Parts" and the journal, empowerment workbook "Seeker Dreamer: Amazing, Brilliant, Compassionate YOU!" (both published by Authorhouse). Her books are available on Amazon.

Rev. Melony McGant's writing is also featured in several other books, magazines and newspapers including the first edition of The Poetry Cafe (Art for Awareness), W & Art (an international women's premium art talk magazine), African Voices Magazine, MBE/WBE Magazine, Our Time Press, and the Chicago Citizen. Early in her career she was a columnist for The New Pittsburgh Courier.

Her writing also appears in GLORY: A Life Among Legends by Dr. Glory Van Scott (Water Street Press), "Passing It On: Moving Stories of Activists 1960 to 2000" by Bev Jenai-Myers (Archway Publishing), "Go Tell Michelle: African American Women Write to Michelle Obama" (SUNY Press), "The Book of Hope" and "The World Book of Healing" (both by Beyond Borders Press).

While living in Pittsburgh, PA, Melony served on the boards of Big Brothers and Sisters and the Pittsburgh Branch NAACP. An avid supporter of the Andrew Goodman Foundation VOTE EVERYWHERE program, she strongly believes in embracing the values of good citizenship.

She has received the New Mexico Not Even One Service Award, the 911 Red Cross Volunteer Award in NYC, the Pittsburgh City Council Women's Recognition Award, and the Minority Business Enterprise Legal Defense and Education Fund Award for Service (MBELDEF).

To contact Rev. Melony McGant, email: melonymcgant@yahoo.com

Breathe Love--- Even on a Rainy Day

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Letter to Oprah and Gayle King: Remembering Katherine Dunham, May 1, 2006

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Rev. Melony McGant aka Miss Mellie Rainbow

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