One of my favorite courses…

Rest easy, Nikki Giovanni. Thank you for giving me the words to “turn myself into myself.”

Maybe my mother knew that. I believe that she was using that poem of Nikki Giovanni’s to help me not hide my light. That her words would become my words, giving me the courage to use my own words loudly, proudly, and unapologetically. So that “I can fly like a bird in the sky.”

Looking back, it’s an awesome poem. It was a way for me as a reserved and shy person to proudly, loudly, and unapologetically brag about myself (“I am so hip even my errors are correct!”)

After many tears (mine), yelling (both of us), encouragement (from her), and me saying the lines over and over again (Go ‘head!” from Dad once I nailed it.), I delivered a flawless performance.