Karla Karma: August 2014

When I decided to write this, I had no intention of using a sports analogy. I thought maybe I would use a seasonal one, the lyrics to A Very Good Year, where I take my life from spring to winter. Or to use wine making, 'from the brim to the dregs....". But, then I realized that with a sports analogy I not only got four full quarters but could also add in over time and double overtime and playoffs and exhibition games and the Olympics and more! With the year thing I only get 365 days, unless I use a leap year, and with wine, I'd be too drunk by the time I finished the keg....soooooo, I'm going with the sports analogy!

First Quarter

"I am born." 1952, and the whistle blows.

I am the 6th child, third and last girl, of seven born to Lala Odessa nee Rice and Hugo Henderson, Sr. I will grow up feeling like the odd person out, more interested in books than sports. I am skinny and will be called names, not have many friends. I will be considered too smart for my own good, unattractive and weird. The greatest thing my mother will do for me, for all of us, is to move from Bakersfield to Los Angeles the day before my 14th birthday. Fourteen would also be the age I would start working, through the National Youth Corps (NYC) that would become CETA.

Pamela Josephine, Lonnie Jewel, Hugo Jr., Sandra Diane, Karla Denise and Michael Wayne

circa 1954/5

I so cute

Prom date, Joe Urcia, 1970

and again in 1990

The only picture of the 7 of us, Bakersfield on the day of my father's funeral
(from l to r) me at 10, my Mom, Sandra, Lonnie, Hugo aka Clip, Mike with Wyatt on his lap, Pam in the background sitting next to our paternal Aunt Etta, Frances, Mike's wife, exiting through the door

Me at 14

With Brad, 1970

With Sandy Robinson-Saul, 1990

Los Angeles will be where I grow up....well sorta. Not sure, even after more than six decades, that I have actually grown up. Yes, I have done and continue to do all the things that 'grown ups' do, but in my heart of hearts, on a good day, I'm 21 and only that so I can legally drink. But, I digress....

Freshman in high school, 15, Fall 1967

High School senior, 17 - Spring 1970

Me with Charise Clardy, and Sandy Robinson, circa 1972

Jack and me fresh outta high school

The infatuation with Los Angeles will continue through another year in junior high (yeah, junior, not middle) through college, Loyola Marymount University, for the bachelors and masters. Jack will be there and I will meet some of the most lovely and loving people I will have in my life.

Wayne Louis Jackson

In Vancouver, British Columbia with Eugene Lucas and my chaperone from the Dating Game, 1972

My friend of 20+ years, Jack Wheaten, who would be murdered in 1989

Mom, Pam, Jack and me circa 1987

My oldest nephew, Michael Jr. Me, Rubbey-do (Pookie) Pam's son, Max Murrell, Sandra's son (seated) ? and her son, Kenji at Knottsberry Farm, circa 1979

Mike and skinny me, 1971/72

With Barbara Jones, age 14

Me with my great niece, Dei Jouri and Mom, circa 1981/82

Artistic me, age 26, I think

With Philip Kaufman

in La Verne, 1977

first trip to Hawaii, circa 1976/77

In Compton circa 1977

Ohau

With Charles "Aquil" Todd at LATTC

I graduate from college, Loyola Marymount University, and Wyatt graduates from high school, 1974

Jack Wheaten, Robert Cooksey, Jr. and my nephew, Rubbeydo 'Pookie' Brown, Jr.

Second Quarter

The Whistle Blows on Career and Motherhood

First and 10 - I leave the LA Supt of Schools after four years and begin what will be a 23 year long career with the Ca Community College System starting with Los Angeles Trade Tech. and ending with the Rancho Santiago Community College District in Orange County

LATTC and I'm the opening act for Gil Scott Heron

In a original musical comedy, How the West Was Fun, I play Miss Saddity

Thirteen years in the LACCD from Los Angeles Trade Tech to the Central Financial Aid Unit

1977 to 1990

We have a prom! Dancing with Chuck Brown, 1978

Halloween with Tim Lee. He is Pharoah and I am Shirley Temple Black, 1979

At LAPC with Doug Henderson, my son, Khalil, Kim Keller and Nguyen (I think), 1985

With my BFF, Kim Keller Willis in Pasadena, circa 1997

1980?

Hawaii with Khalil, 1987

Celebrating my 30th birthday in Paris with FiFi, 1982

With Jan Dracup in London, circa 1987

On a trip I won on Tic Tac Dough, the third game show I was on, two stints on the Dating Game and Joker's Wild

LAPC 1983

In a production of 'For Colored Girls', I am the Lady in Blue

Pasadena City College

1990 to 1996

Halloween, circa 1992 I look so much like my father, it's scary

(l to r) my paternal uncle by marriage, Robert Bell Peevy, Sr. (Uncle Bob), my daddy (Hugo Henderson, Sr.), my maternal grandfather, John Monroe Rice, my paternal uncle,Herman Henderson, Sr.

At a Women's Leadership Conference in Hawaii. I played Adam in the Garden of Collegiality (see the fig leaf?), 1993

In Costa Rica, 1995

I decide to get a PhD in Education Administration from Claremont Graduate School. Still working on it.

With my advisor, Dr. David Drew, 2010

Commencement speaker, high school graduation at Hathaway Children Services in Sylmar, 1993

Rancho Santiago Community College District

1996-2000

Sad, but I couldn't find a single damn pic from my time there. I became a Dean and it was from here I would retire but it wasn't the shining moment of my long work history.

But more importantly........

When I'm 30, my biological clock starts ticking so loudly, it keeps me up nights. I want a baby. Not in a relationship, I decide to adopt but because I'm single, the agencies say it has to be a school age child, four or five years old. BUT I WANT A BABY, DAMMIT! I complain to my dear dear friend, Emma and her friend, Lisa, overhears. In bed on a Saturday morning and I get a call from her and she asks if I'm serious about adopting a baby. I am. He was born the day before, Friday. Sunday, I meet his biological grandmother and we go to the hospital where I meet his biological mother, all of 16, and I see my son, my Khalil, for the first time. They say I can take him home Wednesday!

Instant motherhood.

I'm often asked if it was love at first sight. It wasn't. My initial reaction was deep and abiding terror! I was going to be responsible for EVERYTHING, his very life was, literally in my hands. I showed them my driver's license and signed a piece of paper saying I was going to adopt him and they gave me a baby! Just like that. Scared silly but then I held him......

Bobby, Khalil's surrogate Dad

She has just become a mother!!

Khalil Monroe Henderson, April 29, 1983

........and my whole life changed, beginning the most profound experience of this life

With Bobby, holding my niece, Melissa Amani, me hold fat cheeks Khalil and my great niece, Dei Jouri Terry

In Yosemite

I am the old maid of honor at Kim's wedding (dressed like a strawberry tart) dancing with Khalil, 1989

Khalil's first Christmas

2011

With Havoc, 2002

In Hawaii at age 4

Halloween in Whittier, one of the Mario Brothers, 1990

Disneyland, circa 1987

At the San Diego petting zoo

Motherhood is effing awesome so......

With Wendy Baker

So loved being a mom, I do it again, this time the old fashioned way

.....I give birth!! Kamani Layla Alexandra, January 20th

Kamani sings at Rip Tide in San Francisco, 2013

Theater Arts Nerd with Shayna Stander
Beckman High, Tustin
2006

In Oregon 2003

2007

With Will Cotter

And we are a family

Kamani at 6, Khalil at 13

Me at 48? Kamani at 12?

With Chaos and Havoc

Kamani 2013 wearing the dress I brought her from Botswana

Home from Christmas, 2013

Halloween, 1988, I am a pregnant nun and Khalil is a transformer

Halloween, 1986

Khail with Khan in Echo Park

Khalil, Kamani, my nephew Michael Monroe and me

Khalil's high school graduation, Tustin

Easter in Azusa

Khalil, age 31, in Lancaster

Christmas in Orange County

The Henderson KKK, Palmdale, 2010

I'm 45 and Khalil is 15

Going Away BBQ, 2011

With Khalil, Kamani and my nephew Max, 2000

2015

In Hawaii with Khalil

Aging like a fine wine

Catalina Island

Dublin

With John Amos in Los Angeles

age 40 even my mother said "Is that you??"

Portland for another Women's Leadership Conference...I am NOT the lead singer

Age 55

Age 57 with Judy Mays

My 50th birthday party at LMU, the Bird Nest

Mother's Day with Krystal and Kim, age 58

Halloween in Palmdale, 2010

With Buster, the uncommon, common dolphin
age 55

58 and effing gorgeous

Rediscovering my creative side, writing and art - Dellco Publishing's Poet of the Year, two consecutive years

I get two essays published on the NAACP LDF website, one of which includes my first ever published poem, Makungu. My short story, Overbite, wins a contest on Books B Nimble.

2010

Me at 35

At Pam's 60th with Aunt Juanita, age 57

Mom's surprise 80th birthday party,1995, Pasadena (seated) Willis Obea (Uncle O) and mom; (l to r) Wyatt, me, Max, Clip, Pam and Lonnie
1995

In NYC, circa 1997

With Gail Battle, 2010

3rd. Quarter - Peace Corps
After motherhood, the most profound experience of my life.....so far. Three years in Botswana.

It was the best of times, it was the mother fucking worst of times

First Christmas, me in ubiquitous dress

2011 Gaborone with Rose Cohen, Shannon Hewitt and Celia Jefferies

Teacher, counselor EDUCATOR

Mmanaana Jr. Secondary School

Moshupa

Aunty Skittles to kids in three villages, Kanye, Moshupa and Serowe

With Setunia, The English Club for primary students at the Serowe College of Education

In Pretoria for a workshop on racism with Shanta Adeeb, Margret K and Ashley Rice, 2012

Halloween in Kanye, 2011

I am SEXTY - 2012

The Monday Kids in Moshupa

JAB (Junior Achievement Botswana) at Serepisto Sr. Secondary School, Kanye)

The Homework Club at Moshupa Public Library

Teaching Life Skills at Moshupa Senior Secondary School while Terri Lundy shadows

My dog, my heart, Shepard, in Serowe

AVC - All Volunteer Conference, 2014 in Phakalane

Hail storm!!

The Peace Corps gave me an experience I don't think I can ever rival. It wasn't perfect but I wouldn't trade those two years for anything in the world. In addition to meeting some of the most wonderful people ever, the travel, the sights, the opportunity to grow and expand, well, wow, just wow.