My name is Penny AtkinsCanada. I grew up in Tacoma, Washington in the early 50's during the Eisenhower and Kennedy presidential years. The cold war, the Vietnam war and President Kennedy's and The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination left unpleasant memories and anguish in my age of innocence. My love of family and the harmony of my family structure guided me with my adult accomplishments. My childhood was fun as I navigated through the complexities of moving from a mostly white neighborhood to the Hilltop crime infested bio-racial neighborhood. Our family dynamic with a Catholic religion and the catholic school system was paramount to excel with trusted friendships, work ethics and committed relationships. Everyone has their story to tell. I have chosen to tell my personal story with the world. I bring strong will, motivation, pure mother love and the hardship to make a terrible wrong right.
Racial biases and bigotry were subtly discussed at our dinner table and a part of my childhood life. As an African American living in a small white community always had unanswered questions about how my family fit in with the social atmosphere. And at the time of civil unrest in the south with people of color. And how my family related to it in the Pacific Northwest.
My journey in life has had highs and lows with establishing my career in my early twenties, motherhood and the tragedy of losing Kelton my only child. And I set sail to my profound acceptance of Nichiren Buddhism in my life; which gives me the resiliency to find my happiness. I continue to find my true destiny through this Buddhism. My zest for life has opened my inner-self to question my faults, weaknesses, my strengths, and willingness of acceptance of a changing world no matter how difficult and cruel it can become. Our humanity is based on people's choices. So my task is finding my peace and allow me to be a beacon of hope to my family and friends for however long I am on this earth.
