The First Time I Touched LegacyI was fully grown the first time I stood on land my ancestors had worked as enslaved people. You ever experience a moment you can’t stop thinking about? That’s how I’ve been feeling ever since October 2022, when my family and I traveled to Menokin in Warsaw, Virginia, for its first “Descendants’ Day.” It was the first time this historic site invited the families of those who had been enslaved to return, not as artifacts or footnotes, but as honored guests and co-storytellers. Until that weekend, my understanding of the enslavement of my ancestors was shaped by inference. Emotion. General historical knowledge. But not definite geography. Not space. Not soil. That changed the moment I stepped onto those grounds and felt like I had sunk into a bath of warm water and sighed the deepest sigh. The Power of PlaceI met cousins I’d never known. Folks who remembered my grandmother and her siblings from when they would go back and visit as children. We met relatives who are descendants of those who never left Virginia, many who had ridden past Menokin on the school bus each day, never knowing they were descendants of the enslaved who worked those very fields they passed. The day was a whirlwind of sorrow, anger, joy, and gratitude all at once. But what struck me most was the woman who made it all possible: my dear cousin, whose tireless dedication to unearthing and recording our family’s history started decades ago. Because of my cousin, I know that my great-great-grandfather is Daniel West Gordon, one of two enslaved people who self-emancipated from that plantation. Because of her work, I know I am descended from the Igbo in Nigeria. Standing there, surrounded by relatives I was just meeting, I felt surrounded by the familiar. And I realized something profound: strategic clarity, for families, for nonprofits, for cultural institutions, starts with knowing where you come from and why it matters. When Legacy Meets StrategyThat weekend, I went home and found myself staring at an unpacked suitcase in the middle of my bedroom floor, literally and figuratively. Too many pictures and videos to edit, too many emotions to process. But most importantly, with a clear understanding of my work ahead. Whether you’re stewarding a legacy, trying to grow your organization, or figuring out where your story fits in the broader arc of history… it helps to touch the land. To name the names. To tell the truth. To have someone like my dear cousin, who does the research, keeps the records, connects the dots. And so, I began building Monday, Wednesday, Tuesday Strategies. Not just as a consulting firm, but as an offering for mission-driven organizations, heritage-based nonprofits, and legacy-holders trying to do this hard, meaningful work with clarity, strategy, and care. What’s Coming NextThis newsletter, Monday, Wednesday, Tuesday Notes, is where I’ll share what I’m learning in real time. From case studies and funding strategy to descendant engagement and cultural stewardship. Insights from moments like this one, when the personal becomes the spark for the professional. If you’re someone building a legacy-driven organization, or navigating growth and change while honoring where you come from, I hope these Notes will offer something of value. Because this work isn’t just strategic. It’s sacred. I am the great-great-granddaughter of Daniel West Gordon. And this is my work. Let’s build! Shani S. Shani Saunders, MSNPL, ML (she/her)
Founder & Owner
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