This post is part of an ongoing Black History Month series written by Marcus Harden, a truly unsung hero of South Seattle, as he honors the living legacy of Black history in his community and beyond, and recognizes the people who are shaping the future.

Sweet love hear me callin' out your name

I feel no shame; I'm in love

Sweet love, don't you ever go away

It'll always be this way

There's no stronger love in this world, Oh, baby, no

You're my man; I'm your girl

I'll never go. Wait and see, can't be wrong

Don't you know this is where you belong?

How sweet this dream, how lovely, baby

Stay right here, never fear

I will be all that you need

Never leave, 'cause baby, I believe

In this love

Sweet love hear me callin' out your name

I feel no shame; I'm in love

Sweet love, don't you ever go away

It'll always be this way - Anita Baker

It has been said that love is patient, love is kind and love endures all things. Love as a notion of sentimentality, romance, raw emotion and fluttering social media filters is indeed a real thing. Yet a real love is the love that explores itself, that opens itself to examination, questioning and sometimes doubt. Yet those who are able to embody love, those who are able to take the sour of the love that isn’t expressed in greeting cards and make it so, so sweet, those people are what love is all about.

Kevin and Melissa Fredericks, in an age in which love, often times young love and even more times young black love are under attack, they stand steadfast as a testament to what it is in the swipe left era and display their love with a vulnerability and authenticity into their sacred union that is admirable far beyond any fictional doctor or lawyer on Nick at Nite.

Their testimony and evolution of a young love since High School, that has endured all things such as two incredible sons, corporate careers, relocation and daring greatly to chase their dreams, being bold enough together, always together to catch them, is astounding.

Kevin ever the dreamer, reimagining what it means to be a ‘provider’, the provision sometimes being that of traditional finance, yet other times being the keeper of the dream knowing that a life lived unfilled is not a life lived at all. While Melissa, not Kevin’s completion, but his balance and partner, provided the encouragement, the ‘traditional’ providing and serving as the ember that kept the Fredericks family flame burning.

Their journey together as a couple, who have grown individually to build their collective love stands as a true model for those looking to know what love is. The true beauty of their union is they never purport to be the perfect couple, they share their journey to and through love and if others can find a connection, then job well done.

Their love radiates through their two sons, who thrive in their own ways, having the safety in love to continue to grow into young men who will know how to love on the Philo, eros and agape level because love was not only mentioned but modeled. They continue to grow as a family unit and everything they encounter becomes love as well because true love never constricts, it only expands and the Fredericks grow in love by the day.

While commercially many will celebrate this day with cards, dinners, and words of affection, the Fredericks show us all that every day is a day to show and grow in love. If they had a soundtrack (mainly Melissa’s, Kevin only listens to old hymnals), it’d sing the song of Anita Baker, “We love so strong and so unselfishly, And I tell you now that I made a vow, I'm giving you the best that I got, baby Yes I tell you now, that I made a vow,I'm giving you the best that I got”.

Auntie Oprah may have hosted life classes, Melissa & Kevin host love classes and we’re all better for being their classmates. They continue to model the healthy way of being caught up in the rapture of love, is, giving us the best that they’ve got, loving each other just because and for those reasons, Kevin & Melissa Fredericks are Black History, today!

To learn more about The Fredericks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-love-hour/id1445509054?mt=2

Upendo!

-MLH