I’m writing this after seeing what was written about Sacred Spiral Sanctuary and Elwin and Tom Herman. I’m very much against racism; however, I’m also very much against contempt prior to investigation, which is absolutely the case here.
I am the mother of three biracial children. I now have biracial grandchildren. I met Elwin in 2003 and in the 20 years that I have known her, race has never even been a topic of conversation. I have had many readings from her. Myself, my daughters and my grandson have been welcomed guests at the sanctuary several times. Elwin is also an ordained minister and performed the wedding ceremony of my daughter, and her very dark husband from Africa. I don’t think a racist would want to perform a Black wedding ceremony.
The article mentioned that Elwin used to go by a different name. Yes. Her given name. She explained very clearly in a previous post how her chosen name, Elwin LaFae, came to be.
Their “investigation” did not bring to light the fact that Elwins previous married name was Barrientos. This is what it was when I met her in 2003. She was in an interracial marriage and has biracial sons, one who is gay, and they have a very close family bond. She remained Barrientos until she and Tom were married and now she is Elwin Herman.
So Tom married a woman who was married to a brown man and has brown children, one gay brown son, and he loves them all, they have a loving family bond.
This goes against all the “rules'' of racism.
I work in the substance use disorder field and was disappointed to learn that someone who works in my field with the same client demographics, as a mental health counselor, is a part of this. In our field, we help people to heal. We are so proud of the former gang member who got out of the gang life and is now a person living a clean life with ethics and morals.
Right, Katherine Thompson? So why are we not happy and celebrating the fact that a former Klan member got out of the KKK “gang” and is living a life of peace and love for all humanity? You took a picture of a 27-year-old Tom, who is now in his 60s, to shame him for his past, over 30 years ago?
Did you ask him how he wound up in that life? Did anyone ask Tom how he got out of that life? I want to say I’m proud of you, Tom. I’m so grateful you got out of that life. You are a beautiful, kind and loving soul.
Elwin has helped me and my family more in these past 20 years than I can put into writing. She is a very gifted psychic, medium, energy worker, healer, teacher and many other things. She and Tom help people.
They spread love not hate.
Teresa Brunelle
Kelso
