Hi all- I’m going to preface this by saying that what I want to ask/discuss is somewhat fuzzily defined in my brain, but it’s something my brain has been circling around for months and I’m not sure I’m going to be able to express it any better by continuing to go over it in my own head. If you’ve been on threads today, you’ve probably seen the discussion re: Dolly Parton and racism. I’m going to be honest. As an Appalachian native who can’t hear Dolly speak without thinking of my own grandmother, this one hurts, so I’m aware I likely have some blind spots here. This is a topic that could go a lot of ways that are worth discussing, but something in particular struck me that I’ve been wrestling with already. Someone noted Dolly’s previous statements when removing the confederate flag and the civil war reenactment from her also renamed “Dixie stampede” and how she said she was unaware of the harm caused by the flag. This person was asking how that was possible. And I am deeply bothered by the fact that I can understand how it’s possible, to the extent that it’s part of my own story. I’m going to copy over what I wrote in reply to the question, asked by the same person, “what does the confederate flag mean to you” because it gets at the core of what I’m wrestling with. “I want to be really clear that I am only answering your question and not defending or excusing anything. I grew up in rural Appalachia- not far from where Dolly did. I was taught that the civil war was about states rights. I was told an extremely inaccurate and whitewashed version of history. I believed it for a while. I am not proud of any of that. At all. At that time, the confederate flag was presented as a symbol of “southern pride”. Something that was taught as important because of the way that southerners and Appalachians especially were belittled and berated by “the north” and people in “big cities”. The connection between the word Dixie, the confederate flag, and slavery was not acknowledged. None of that is logical and I know that now. But that is how it was, and until I grew up and learned from other sources, and was exposed to other perspectives and facts and a less white washed version of history, I didn’t know better and those things were not connected in my brain. I know this sounds ridiculously naive and ridiculous and it is. The internet wasn’t common where I grew up until the late late 90’s when I was in high school. There was basically no diversity where I grew up, and I wasn’t exposed to many people who thought differently. I was ignorant. I am not proud of this. When I heard other perspectives and more accurate accounts of history, I understood why the flag is a terrible symbol of evil and hatred. That’s what it means to me now But I would be lying if I said that has always been the case. I’m not defending Dolly or anyone else. And also, it’s not unfathomable to me that someone who went from extreme poverty in rural Appalachia to a wealthy superstar who I’m sure was sheltered from many things, would be ignorant about the harm and hate the confederate flag represents. It’s not an excuse. At all. But I can see how it could have happened. I deeply regret my own past ignorance about this.“

Hi family, First things first. Thank you. You are our founding circle. The ones who said yes early, showed up with curiosity, and helped shape what this community is becoming. That matters more than you know. As we grow, we’re making a strategic move. Come February, we’ll be transitioning from Skool to Substack so we can deliver deeper content, smoother conversations, and a better overall experience for where we’re headed next. And because you’re our originals, we’re taking care of you. Founding Member Perk You’ll receive free access to all of our digital events this year, starting with I Have a Vision: Dream Board Party. Here’s how it works: - Use the event link to “purchase” - https://www.askardenia.co/dream-board-party - Enter code FOUNDERS - Your ticket will be $0, as it should be Once Substack is ready (we’re aiming for early February), we’ll send you everything you need to seamlessly transfer your account and keep your access intact. Easy. Clear. Supported. Just know this: we’re cooking up something really special. More intentional. More aligned. More worthy of the community you’ve helped build. Thank you for being here at the beginning.We’re just getting started.

I hope you had a restful holiday season. We’re back in action and have some exciting things in store. Please stay tuned for a big announcement tomorrow. I think you’ll love what I have planned for the community! 🤎🤎🤎