♥ Someone was hurt before you, wronged before you, hungry before you, frightened before you, beaten before you, humiliated before you, raped before you……..yet, someone survived.  You can do anything you choose to do. – Dr. Maya Angelou

♥You are on the eve of a complete victory. You can’t go wrong. The world is behind you. – Josephine Baker

♥I get angry about things, then go on and work. –Toni Morrison

♥ I didn’t have anybody, really, no foundation in life, so I had to make my own way. Always, from the start. I had to go out in the world and become strong, to discover my mission in life. – Tina Turner

♥Your silence will not protect you. –Audre Lorde

♥ You’re not obligated to win. You’re obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day. – Marian Wright Edelman

♥Don’t be afraid to feel as angry or as loving as you can, because when you feel nothing, it’s just death. –Lena Horne

♥ You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.– Maya Angelou

♥Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to do something in life, the secret is learning how to lose. Nobody goes undefeated all the time. If you can pick up after a crushing defeat, and go on to win again, you are going to be a champion someday. – Wilma Rudolph

The extraordinary and deeply gifted Queen Latifah has always been intentional about protecting her private life. That boundary deserves respect.

And still, years ago, she chose to share something sacred: that she is a Survivor of sexual violence in childhood.

For many Survivors, moments like this matter more than people realize. Seeing someone who has built joy, artistry, strength, and a full life after harm can quietly steady the heart. It can soften the loneliness. It can remind someone, in the middle of their own long night, that survival is real and wholeness is possible.

Sometimes it isn’t a speech that carries us forward.

Sometimes it’s simply a light.

A small, honest light that says: you are not alone, and your life is allowed to be more than what happened to you.

• “When I was around 18, I looked in the mirror and said, ‘You’re either going to love yourself or hate yourself.’ And I decided to love myself. That changed a lot of things.” 

• You just have to connect with people who believe in your vision and who will work with you and advance your cause.

• No one ever got ahead by going through the motions. You have to constantly be improving yourself. Make your life the masterpiece you want it to be.

“instinct leads me to another flow”/Queen Latifah

• “I am a strong woman with or without this other person, with or without this job, and with or without these tight pants.” 

• The reality is, I like imperfection. You take away from the world when you’re not yourself. Whatever is unique and special about you was designed by God. And when you try to be someone else, we don’t get you. Who knows what you would have contributed to the world had you just been yourself, if you had just celebrated who you are and just walked boldly?” 

• Fear can be good when you’re walking past an alley at night or when you need to check the locks on your doors before you go to bed, but it’s not good when you have a goal and you’re fearful of obstacles. We often get trapped by our fears, but anyone who has had success has failed before.

• Let your inner queen’s voice come through loud and clear. Be strong, be authentic, be you, and you’ll do her proud.

• I really don’t know how to be anyone else, and whenever I try to be anyone else, I fail miserably. Or I disappoint myself. It doesn’t build my self-esteem, and it doesn’t help me grow me at all.

• Sometimes I pray when I really feel like I need God to help me with something, and sometimes we just have conversations. We just kick it.

1️⃣ “I am capable, strong, and built to overcome any challenge.”

2️⃣ “Difficult moments do not define me; my resilience does.”

3️⃣ “I trust myself to navigate uncertainty with courage and grace.”

4️⃣ “Even when things feel overwhelming, I remain calm and in control.”

5️⃣ “I am worthy of success, happiness, and peace, no matter what is happening around me.”

6️⃣ “Every challenge is an opportunity to grow, and I rise stronger each time.”

7️⃣ “I have conquered hard times before, and I will do it again with confidence.”

✨ Keep these close to your heart, repeat them daily, and let them remind you of your inner power! 💪🏾

When choirs put your song on their regular roster….you’ve done something bigger than make a hit song. 

Here are 12 empowering facts about this legendary group and their timeless message of hope.

🌟 The Heart & Soul of Sounds of Blackness

Born from a Movement – Sounds of Blackness isn’t just a group; it’s a legacy of hope. Formed in 1969 at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, this ensemble came together to celebrate Black strength, culture, and survival through music. They didn’t just sing—they uplifted!

Rooted in Every Black Sound – They didn’t box themselves into one genre. Instead, they blended gospel, jazz, R&B, soul, and African rhythms to tell our stories, making their music feel like home to many.

Led by a Visionary – When Gary Hines took over as director in 1971, he saw their potential to be more than a choir. He helped shape them into a musical force, carrying the spirit of our ancestors into every note they sang.

Championed by Icons – When Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, two of the most legendary Black producers, heard them, they saw something special. They signed the group in the early 1990s, bringing their powerful voices to a worldwide audience.

A Mission Bigger Than Music – Sounds of Blackness is more than entertainment. Every song they sing is a message—one that says you are powerful, you are seen, and you are loved.

🎶 “Optimistic” – The Anthem of Our Strength

Released in 1991, and still healing in 2025 – It’s been over 30 years since “Optimistic” dropped their album ‘The Evolution of Gospel’, and yet, it still 

feels fresh, 

feels needed, 

feels like a lifeline.

Hope in Every Lyric – The words of “Optimistic” aren’t just lyrics; they’re affirmations for the soul:

“You can win as long as long 

you keep your head to the sky.”💜

It’s a reminder that no matter how heavy life gets, we don’t bow—we rise.

A Chart-Topping Reminder to Keep Going – “Optimistic” reached #3 on the Billboard Hot R&B chart, proving that messages of hope and strength will always have a place in our hearts.

A Song That Walks With Us – From church pews to family reunions, from graduation playlists to morning affirmations, “Optimistic” has been a constant companion to Black folks in need of a reminder that we are built to endure.

Passed Down Like Wisdom – This song didn’t fade with the ‘90s. It’s been covered, sampled, and reimagined, including a 2018 remake by DJ Khaled featuring Justin Timberlake & Demi Lovato. But no matter how many times it’s reworked, the heart of “Optimistic” remains untouched.

An Anthem of Black Resilience – You hear it when our people march for justice. You hear it when we push past the struggle. “Optimistic” isn’t just a song—it’s Black survival in melody.

A Legacy That Won’t Fade – Over three decades later, “Optimistic” is still here—lifting us, reminding us, healing us. When life gets hard, this song stands as a voice from our ancestors saying:

Keep going. 

Keep dreaming. 

Keep your head to the sky.

💛 Why This Matters

Music holds power. It can break chains, soothe pain, and remind us of our greatness. Sounds of Blackness knew this, and with “Optimistic”, they gifted us a song that doesn’t just sound good—it feels like home.

So this Black History Month, press play. Let this song wash over you, lift you, remind you:

✨ You are powerful.

✨ You are resilient.

✨ You are enough.

And as long as you keep your head to the sky, 

you can win. 🎶

Each and every one of us.

Personal appeal: Please put the arts back in schools. We need a little more mental wellness, skill-building, and healthy ways for all youth to spend their time. The arts are such an organic opportunity for the youth to grow and share together.  Give them opportunities to stop tearing one another down and create art together instead. 

Through drama, the marching band, choir, and more; I learned about the lives, cultures, and backgrounds of other students.  I now know it was a life-saving blessing. 

We need that back.