Celebrating Sisterhood and Community at WOW Gallery's High Tea

#WonderIsComing - This story is a part of Back2Besa’s look back and love letter to WOW Gallery after the recent closure of its Pacific Place Mall location. 

The WOW Gallery in Seattle hosted a high tea party last March to celebrate sisterhood and the incredible bonds between women of color in the Emerald City and beyond. This gathering brought together illustrious groups in Seattle that have contributed to social justice, community organization, and to the power and the wonder of women. 

Among the attendees was Stephanie Johnson-Toliver, President of the Black Heritage Society of Washington State, who expressed her enthusiasm for the event. "This is such an amazing day down at WOW Gallery," she said. "I’ve been feeling this need of this energy and this power of Black women all week, and am really energized by all of it."

Beverly Aarons, a writer and storyteller, highlighted the importance of such gatherings, particularly in the Pacific Northwest. She noted that the Black community in Seattle is spread out to the point that it’s difficult for similar gatherings to happen organically. Aarons emphasized that intentional gathering, like high tea, allowed an opportunity to learn about what individual women are doing and to connect with each other and build community.

Founder and visionary of the WOW Gallery and Wonder of Women International Veronica Very articulated the profound significance of the event. She shared that Wonder of Women discovered early on that “being with one another alone is medicinal.” 

Very emphasized the importance of creating space for women of color to genuinely see one another and intentionally be in each other's presence. She also celebrated the intergenerational connections, noting that attendees ranged from 16 to 84 years old, all "connected by the beautiful melanin that all of us hold and cherish as women of color."

Dr. Michelle Terry, a pediatrician, echoed the sentiment of community and learning. “It’s absolutely marvelous looking at all of these beautiful Black women talk about their contributions to our community here in Seattle,” she said, praising Very as "an absolute genius.” "Veronica uplifts everyone... she encouraged everyone…to live their mission with purpose and that's just a message that I can reflect on every day."

The high tea at WOW Gallery served as a powerful testament to the strength, resilience, and interconnectedness of women, fostering a space for healing, education, and collective empowerment.

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