Peace, love, and light to everyone on this beautiful
Friday. I am in the most wonderful mood after having the pleasure of being in
the presence of one of my personal heroes Sister Souljah. Just writing that
sentence makes me smile! She was everything I imagined that she would be—eloquent,
genuine, real, warm, and most of all loving. Her divine essence was pure light
and definitely was a blessing to my spirit.
The event was held in a public library. As I made my way into the space,
I noted Souljah standing on the left at the podium. The energy of positivity,
love, and admiration filled the space as well as the eyes of all who were
present. As Souljah took questions from the attendees, I noted how she spoke
with truth, with fire, and actually “listened” to the questions, took the time
to think about her responses, and never rushed anyone who had multi-layers to
their questions. Her compassion was apparent in each phrase that she spoke. I
watched as she looked the attendees in their eyes, how some were brought to
tears as they attempted to frame their question, how her heart remained open to
us all.
The brothers and sistars who attended all had a
look of appreciation on their faces as she took time to take pictures with
them, hug them, and sign autographs. The knowledge that she shared was
absolutely inspiring and truly has left an indelible mark upon my mind, spirit,
and my heart. You can never be in the presence of such greatness and not be
changed. As I listened to her describe her craft of writing, I realized how
much is possible; how a turn of a phrase, a sentence, a paragraph can
absolutely change someone’s life, even if the work is fictional. I also
realized that there are many stories that are left to tell, that need to be
told, that we must put into the universe.
Sister Souljah is a modern griot, a masterful
storyteller, a gem to us all. I have been changed by this experience. May she
continue to provide a voice to the voiceless, inspiration to the forgotten, and
the soothing salve of storytelling to the brokenhearted.
Hetepu,
Andre’a The Tru Lioness
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