Acrylic paint on 16×20 canvas panel

While writing this statement about, “Crowning Glory,” a Television show called, “The Talk,” celebrated February Black History Month, by interviewing famous People of Color or Black Americans. Cicely Tyson, who I have always admired was interviewed. To my delight, I learned that I was born on her birthday, December19th. She, with such elegance, spoke about how others perceived her short natural hair back in the ‘50s on a TV show called “East Side /West Side.” Her choice to wear her natural hair has impacted the world even today. Also, I learned that her mother wasn’t too happy about her becoming an actress, and that challenged her to succeed, to fulfill her purpose of becoming an award- winning actor who inspires people in so many ways to be who they are.

Today, discrimination still exist. In my opinion, to say that people can’t wear their hair in its natural state in school, in the workplace or anywhere is a form of being bullied and showing a willingness to stay ignorant. For one group of people to make rules or express ill-will to exclude another group for their differences, is exclusion, and coercion, meaning forced to feel that you are not good enough. It is oppression, which ends self-esteem. We all should celebrate our differences with understanding. We all need to feel free to express ourselves and feel safe being who we are no matter what the ethnicity or lifestyle.

Thank you, Miss Tyson, for your inspirational encouragement to me and so many others.