You Are Wonderful...Ben Carson

“If you hear how wonderful you are often enough, you begin to believe it, no matter how you try to resist it.” 

--Ben Carson, M.D., Noted Neurosurgeon and Author

All Are Worthy...William Pickens

“To cheapen the lives of any group of men [or women], cheapens the lives of all men [and women], even our own. This is a law of human psychology, or human nature. And it will not be repealed by our wishes, nor will it be merciful to our blindness.” 

--William Pickens, Educator, Journalist and Founding member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

Realize Your Greatness...Myles Munroe (1954-2014)

It is my desire that every man, woman, boy and girl in every nation and every race will come to realize the tremendous  potential and capacity for greatness lying dormant within them.

--Dr. Myles Monroe, Motivational Speaker, Best-selling Author, and Pastor

mylesmunroeinternational.com

Dr. Myles Munroe (1945-2014)

What Unites All Americans...Barack Obama

What bind us together, what unites us is a single sacred word...citizen.

--Barack H. Obama, 44th President of the United States

Human Rights Are Not Just About Freedom...Suzan Johnson Cook

We recognize that human rights are not just about freedom from violence, torture, unlawful detention, discrimination, and oppression. Human rights include the freedom to speak, criticize, associate, assemble, and practice one’s religion.

--Suzan Johnson Cook Ambassador At Large for International Religious Freedom

We Still Have A Distance To Go...John Lewis

We have come a long way in America because of Martin Luther King, Jr. He led a disciplined, nonviolent revolution under the rule of law, a revolution of values, a revolution of ideas. We've come a long way, but we still have a distance to go before all of our citizens embrace the idea of a truly interracial democracy, what I like to call the Beloved Community, a nation at peace with itself.

John R. Lewis (D-GA), U.S. Congressman (1987-2020), Civil Rights Leader

The Power Of Dreams...Nona

All the gains that have been made exist because of the power of a dream.

--Nona

Reppin'...Sidney Poitier

As a man, I've been representative of the values I hold dear. And the values I hold dear are carryovers from the lives of my parents.

--Sidney Poitier, Award-winning Actor

The Struggles Within...Jesse Owens

"The battles that count aren't the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself--the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us--that's where it's at." 

--Jesse Owens, Olympian and World Record-setting Athlete in Track and Field

We Need Quiet Time...Susan L. Taylor

We need quiet time to examine our lives openly and honestly…spending quiet time alone gives your mind an opportunity to renew itself and create order. 

--Susan L. Taylor

Love Lesson...Iyanla Vanzant

“You can never love anyone to your own detriment. That is not love, that is possession, control, fear, or a combination of them all.” 

--Iyanla Vanzant, Author

Wisdom For The Heartbroken...Martin Luther King, Jr.

There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love.

--Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter From Birmingham Jail

Perspective: Past, Present & Future...Frederick Douglass

We have to do with the past only as we can make it useful to the present and the future. 

--Frederick Douglass 

The Cost Of Liberty...W.E.B. DuBois

"The cost of liberty is less than the price of repression." --W.E.B. Du Bois

Times Have Changed, But Love Hasn't...Halley Berry

The times may have changed, but the people are still the same. We're still looking for love, and that will always be our struggle as human beings.

--Halle Berry

Be Yourself...Marva Collins

“Trust yourself. Think for yourself. Act for yourself. Speak for yourself. Be yourself. Imitation is suicide.” 

– Marva Collins, Educator and Founder of Westside Preparatory School, Chicago, IL

Integrity Means Consistency...Ken Chenault

Integrity is critical in uncertain times. "Not just being honest, but a consistency of actions and words."

--Ken Chenault, AMEX, CEO

The Essence Of America...Condoleezza Rice

The essence of America - that which really unites us - is not ethnicity, or nationality or religion - it is an idea - and what an idea it is: That you can come from humble circumstances and do great things.

--Condoleezza Rice

We Are God's Creation

God created human beings; [God]* created them godlike, Reflecting God’s nature. [God] created them male and female. God looked over everything [God] had made; it was so good, so very good!

--Excerpts taken from Genesis 1:26-28, 31

*In deference to my former Wesley Theological Seminary Family.

Young, Gifted And Black...Nina Simone

Young, gifted and black
We must begin to tell our young
There's a world waiting for you
This is a quest that's just begun

--Excerpt from song by Nina Simone, "YOUNG, GIFTED & BLACK LYRICS"* 

Washington Performing Arts Society's Children of the Gospel (Choir)

*Hear the song performed by Aretha Franklin

Photo source: WPAS Children of the Gospel Choir Facebook Page

America Can Do Better!...Thurgood Marshall

“I wish I could say that racism and prejudice were only distant memories. We must dissent from the indifference. We must dissent from the apathy. We must dissent from the fear, the hatred and the mistrust…We must dissent because America can do better, because America has no choice but to do better.” 

-- Thurgood Marshall, Supreme Court Justice and Civil Rights Lawyer

The World Needs You...Cory Booker

“Go out there and swear to this world your oath, not with your words, but with what you do. Not with your hand over your heart, but with your hand outstretched to a world that desperately needs your hand, your help, your insights, your creativity, your honor, your courage. It needs you.” 

--Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark

Never Be Afraid...Lorraine Hansberry

Never be afraid to sit awhile and think.

--Lorraine Hansberry, Author and Playwright, "A Raisin In The Sun"

There Is No Shortage Of Black Leaders...Earl Graves

There is no shortage of black leaders - they are in every field, every walk of life. Our only shortage is in the perception that fails to recognize the black leaders in our companies and communities.

--Earl Graves, Entrepreneur and Publisher of Black Enterprise Magazine

Keep On Moving...Phylicia Rashad

There's always something to suggest that you'll never be who you wanted to be. Your choice is to take it or keep on moving. 

--Phylicia Rashad, Actress

Our Lives Are Valuable...Andrew Young

It is a blessing to die for a cause, because you can so easily die for nothing. 

--Andrew Young,  Civil rights activist, former mayor of Atlanta, Georgia and the United States's Ambassador to the United Nations

Let's do all we can to save lives!!

I'm Grateful...Maya Angelou

I’m grateful for being here, for being able to think, for being able to see, for being able to taste, for appreciating love – for knowing that it exists in a world so rife with vulgarity, with brutality and violence, and yet love exists. I’m grateful to know that it exists.

--Maya Angelou

I Was Born To Do This...Beyonce

"I am well-rehearsed. This is what I was born to do." 

 --Beyonce

Click the image to hear Beyonce sing the National Anthem Live