𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐈 𝐖𝐚𝐬 𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝!
Many may be struck by this statement, some may even find it a bit offensive. That I can understand, because when I first read it, I was a bit struck too. Those who have been bullied may even find the statement a bit hurtful and that is by no means the intention. Regular listeners to the DTH podcast know that I speak often of the lessons of my life, and this is definitely one of those times. Both my guest, Madonna Hanna, and I speak on this topic with passion and vulnerability from a position of personal experience. It is my great honor to have met, and share with all of you, this conversation my new friend Madonna Hanna because of her statement, “Thank goodness I was bullied!”
𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐁. 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚?
Madonna was born on the Pensacola Naval Base and was raised in the conservative white suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts during the 60s and 70s. She was the only African-American student in her elementary school class. Her parents overcame incredible obstacles of discrimination to provide their family with the American dream of a suburban middle-class lifestyle.
Despite her creativity and talent, Madonna faced bullying, racial prejudice, and isolation at school due to the color of her skin. At that time, many white parents would not allow their children to play with her, which is why she only had a few friends.
The pain, loneliness, and injustice Madonna experienced could have destroyed her. But reflecting on it now, she recognizes that these adversities taught her how to meet future challenges with determination. It also informed her decision to always treat others with respect and compassion.
𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐚’𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐰𝐰.𝐃𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐇𝐚𝐭𝐞.𝐜𝐨𝐦