The Broken Chains of Truth
My mind thought of so many things when I saw the picture that inspired this blog. As it is Black History Month, I’m thinking especially about all the black voices that have gone before me and carved a path so that I can speak freely and honestly as I do. I could talk about the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade or The Civil Right Movement, but I want to talk about someone particular who inspires me…so much that its my middle name.
Sojourner Truth might have been a very unremarkable slave, but it’s more what she did after she became free. She became known for the speech ‘Ain’t I a Woman’ which for its time was a strong proclamation of black, powerful women who have toiled, struggled and lived as slaves. She spoke Dutch and English, even tried to secure land grants from the federal government in her lifetime. In death, her legacy rings around the US as a forerunner of emancipation and with this same energy I chose Sojourner as my middle name.
She broke her own chains, look to open eyes through her speeches and was a powerful speaker in front of many people. If I can do my best to bring self awareness as a coach, become skilled with my speech as a trans activist and tell compelling stories as a creative and maybe, just maybe touch some lives in the process, I can die a very happy person, with my heart full and spent.
Until next time, let me ask you a question:
What is holding you back? What chains must you break to go where you need to be?
#embraceinfinity
