Gwenetta Records her Personal History in her Own Voice

At 70 years old, Gwenetta has experienced the loss of many loved ones in recent years. When her ex-husband died in her son’s arms and she watched her family grieve, it spurred her to think of ways she could leave a piece of herself for future generations. As a result, Gwenetta began writing short stories about moments that defined her life.

“I want my family to know all the things before I became Mom or Nana,” said Gwenetta, a mother of two and grandmother of seven. “If they could have my stories, it wouldn’t change their grief, but they would have the essence of who I was as a woman and a person.”

As she wrote down stories from her past, a series of deeply personal and traumatic circumstances poured out, centering around sexism and racism that she experienced as a Black woman.

As a child, Gwenetta remembers traveling through the south with a Greenbook, a guide that mapped out where Black people could safely stop to eat, use the restroom, and spend the night. Sometimes, there were no safe restrooms for hours and she had to relieve herself in a tin can that her family kept in the car. At the time, she didn’t understand why.

She attended one of the first integrated colleges in Detroit and was placed in a predominately white class. One professor didn’t think he should have to teach a Black person and called Gwenetta racial slurs in front of the class. While she didn’t report the incidents, her classmates did. Instead of being fired however, the professor was placed on paid leave.

In the hospital, Gwenetta also experienced racism. Once she was rushed to surgery because she was told she had an ectopic pregnancy—when a fertilized egg grows outside of the uterus. When she woke up, the doctor told her that in fact the pregnancy was not ectopic, but that he made the decision to perform a tubal ligation (tying her tubes). She was shocked to learn she had been sterilized without her consent. Shortly after, she miscarried due to the stress of the unnecessary surgery.

While Gwenetta admits that many people are taken aback by her stories, honesty is important to her. “There is no point in hiding who you are and how you got from point A to point B,” she said.

Writing was cathartic for Gwenetta, but she longed to capture these and other moments in an even more meaningful way. If she could record her history in her own voice, she thought, future generations of her family could connect more deeply with the ancestor who experienced them.

“One of the things I miss about my mom and dad is their voices,” she reflected. “I have pictures, but that is not the same as hearing them.”

Wish of a Lifetime was honored to grant Gwenetta’s wish by arranging time in a recording studio, to ensure that her history and heritage can be shared for future generations.

From her home in Sacramento, we arranged for Gwenetta and her friend to travel to the nearby BLCKLBL Studios, where individuals can book recording sessions with professionally trained engineers and producers. Gwenetta’s writing came to life with the help of a young male producer who worked at the studio.

Gwenetta believed that the young producer probably wasn’t expecting to work with an older woman that looks like she does, who lives on Social Security and uses a cane to walk. “I ended up not being what he thought I would be,” Gwenetta said. “We found a common ground. He got lost in my storytelling.”

The Wish of a Lifetime and studio teams walked Gwenetta through the entire process, and in the end, she created a legacy of 25 life-altering recorded stories.

“Wish of a Lifetime was concerned not just about granting my wish, but about me,” she said. “They made sure I was comfortable and involved in each step of the way, and when I stepped outside of my comfort zone, I was not alone. This whole journey has given me such joy. It is a tool I can share with my family to comfort them after I am gone.”

Prior to having her wish granted, Gwenetta had been an active member of AARP’s Sages and Seekers program, which connects older adults with youth ages of 15-21 online, for 8-week mentorships. But although mentally sharp and capable, most of her time was spent at home.

When her wish was granted, though, something began to change. “It made me want to get back out in the world,” she said.

In addition, the experience helped Gwenetta value herself. “It helped me look at my age and show me that I can still contribute to the world,” she shared. “It changed me in a lot of ways, and one was my writing, which had always been personal and private. It showed me that my voice as a writer was viable. This was very profound for me.”