09/02/2024
"Always want more...never settle and never be MADE to settle. Know your worth." These are the words my mother commonly and constantly shared with me growing up. A never-ending source of encouragement and inspiration, I watched my mom work incredibly hard to provide a great life for my sister and I. And while you might be able to feel the moods of your parents as a child, you only start to fully understand them as an adult. Those moments when I thought my mom was tired or frustrated, I would later learn were truly feelings of fear and doubt. Fear that she wasn't providing the life she wanted for her children, and doubt that she ever could. I imagine many single parents feel or have felt this at some point, but as a child, there isn't much you can do to help. However, little did she know that it was through watching her be strong, endearing, and supportive, even when the struggles seemed too much, it was those moments that motivated me to be the same. She inspired me through her actions to never give up, even when others told me that my aspirations were out of reach. She challenged me to not stop at what's easy, but to persevere to what is possible, even if it seemed impossible. The day I graduated with my graduate degree, something that I thought was out of reach and impossible for a kid from the "poor" side of town, it was with pride that I dedicated my accomplishment to my mom. She proved to me that the impossible is possible, but only if you never settle and that you always want for more.
This Black History Month, I am reminded of the MANY that came before us who never gave up. Those who dared to dream and pursue the impossible. Those that paved the way for our success and that we honor with our achievements. And I am reminded that the future is watching, looking to the present for wisdom and hope. Thank you, Mom, for showing me the way then and continuing to be my conscience and north star today.