Barbara from Harlem—a Blue Magazine devout supporter, American patriot, and Icon dies at 78.
/Barbara from Harlem—a Blue Magazine devout supporter, American patriot, and Icon dies at 78.
The Rev. Selina Stinson Reid (also known as Barbara from Harlem) was born in the Bronx and raised in Harlem, NYC. This patriotic woman of God went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, August 6th, 2023. The “Big S” as she was affectionately known by her children, was an extraordinary woman, who singlehandedly raised five children. She was a go-getter who worked hard to ensure that her children lived a comfortable life. As a result, there were times when she worked two or three jobs in order to make ends meet. She also made time to run a business and produce talent shows, featuring young people in Daytona Beach, FL.
In spite of her busy schedule, she made time to protest with Catholics outside an abortion clinic in Central Florida, which is now a church. Her fight for the unborn was one of the defining passions of her life. Furthermore, due to her strong belief in God and her passion for His Word, she became an ordained minister in 1994. In addition, she graduated from The College of New Rochelle in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in English.
As part of her commitment to God and country, she worked with inner-city youths in Harlem for several years as the founder of “Looking Toward Tomorrow,” which she ran with her sons, David J. Reid (deceased) and Leonard F. Reid. Furthermore, she later became the director for a nonprofit organization in the Bronx, where she provided services to mothers and their children.
Selina (Barbara) wrote her compelling and inspirational memoir “Escaping the Racism of Low Expectations” to chronicle her journey from liberal – by – default to patriotic Christian. Her memoir became a hit within conservative circles and was endorsed by the “Great One” Mark Levin on his Facebook and Twitter accounts. In addition, in February 2022, former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani endorsed her book, and interviewed her for his podcast, “Commonsense.”
She was also a speaker at different patriotic rallies and clubs in various parts of the country, including Missouri. In 2003, she was honored to have been asked to speak outside the United Nations in support of Israel and our Jewish brothers and sisters.
In the last few years, Selina (Barbara) continued her work in the inner city by handing out copies of The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution to students at historically black colleges and to members of the community. She also took time to engage with members of the community, because she was a “people person.” She hosted a weekly live-stream show on Facebook (“Our Urban Story”), and a weekly Zoom call focusing on praying and fighting for America. And, at least two of her videos have received over a million views. Finally, she became a member of the Mordecai Mission, whose purpose is to reclaim America for Christ.
The Blue Magazine is saddened by her passing and is honored to pay tribute to this extraordinary woman of faith. We shall miss our dear friend, who regularly joined us for causes and events aimed to make a difference in others. Her podcast on our network was well-received, and we shall miss sharing time with her weekly in our office. Barbara from Harlem taught us a lot about life and perspectives on the individual. She was a shining light during dark times. Rest in peace, Barbara. And, thank you.
