Image Award Opportunity, Experience & Acceptance

And the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Poetry, goes to Nikki Giovanni.

Participating in certain events specific to my field are experiences only possible by making my dream an integral part of life. That's my part. Other forces often intervene; therefore, I am grateful and fortunate when opportunities materialize. Being nominated awarded opportunities that would not have been possible without being in full hot pursuit.

Yes, I met some celebrities. Many were decent, gracious and unpretentious if you were. That was the minor experience. The most important things were things with greater substance that don't sit on a shelf. Things like...

Allowing my mother to experience the experience.
Meeting person after person whose personality is their celebrity.
Receiving a boost of energy to work with as encouragement.
Realizing life is not about any single thing. Only the spirit it contains.
Being able to personally place my book into some hands.
Being blessed by having the poem "Eloquence" placed in the souvenir journal.
Learning to listen for more than a knock because today's opportunity uses many methods, including email.
Understanding the NAACP, our image and I have come partway down previously prepared paths and now we must press forward to secure the extension of these paths for others.

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Here's my acceptance speech for the opportunities and the experiences.

Thank you momma. Thank you NAACP and thanks to all those cool people who support others as they extend their reach in search of their better selves.

We were told at the opening luncheon to expect to win. It is a far better thing to expect to dream.

This moment is not mine alone. So be encouraged to, dream big, dig deep and let the Spirit of Truth direct your feet.

Take your gifts and your talents. Combine them with purpose, passion, courage and stamina. Stand Up and Be Counted.

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