Honoring Black Women Veterans: Sandra Durbin, My Story, and Our Journey Toward Healing

Amidst the noise of everyday life, I want to take a moment to celebrate Black History by honoring a remarkable woman and fellow veteran: Sandra Durbin.

In 1966, Sandra Durbin joined the United States Navy and quickly made history. Despite facing unimaginable hardships, including accusations of cheating due to her exceptional performance, she persevered. Durbin graduated in the top 10 percent of her air traffic control class, becoming the first Black woman air traffic controller to serve in the military. Shortly after her impressive accomplishment, Eleanor Toliver-Williams became the first Black woman to serve as an air traffic controller with the FAA. Durbin would later say, "God bless her because it couldn't have been any easier for her" (NATCA, 2018).

Sandra Durbin, USN

Photo: National Air Traffic Control Association, 2018

Why Stories Like Ours Matter

Stories like Durbin's, mine, and so many others are often overlooked. The narratives of Black women veterans are rarely highlighted with the positivity, inspiration, and recognition they deserve. This is why I founded Healing After Service and rebranded elorasong living: to create a space where sober Black women veterans can rediscover who they are beyond their uniform.

Elora Kindred, USN (Me)

My mission is to help Black women veterans reclaim their identity, break free from survival mode, and build lives rooted in lasting sobriety through culturally aligned recovery coaching. Traditional recovery spaces, including the VA, often lack support tailored specifically to Black women veterans. This gap in representation inspired me to reshape my coaching practice.

A New Chapter for elorasong® living

Starting today, elorasong living is dedicated to providing structured, compassionate support for Black women veterans in recovery. As a Certified Professional Recovery Coach and a sober veteran myself, I am committed to higher education, continuous learning, and growth to better serve my sisters in recovery.

Representation matters, especially in recovery spaces. My journey has led me here, and I am passionate about creating a community where Black women veterans can recover with confidence while being seen, heard, and understood.

Join the Journey

Thank you so much for being here. I invite you to celebrate Black History and the men and women who have influenced your life — year-round. 

If you're interested in learning more about Healing After Service and other products, visit the elorasong Recovery Collection.

Sending you a spiritual hug and a brief note of encouragement:

Your life, love, and laughter matter.

Until next time... stay encouraged.

Elora