None Of Us Are Perfect!...Elizabeth Keckley

None of us are perfect, for which reason we should heed the voice of charity when it whispers in our ears, do not magnify the imperfections of others.

--Elizabeth Keckley, Dressmaker

Keckley was the dressmaker for First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln, the wife of Abraham Lincoln.

Once You See It… Arundhati Roy

"The trouble is that once you see it, you can't unsee it. And once you've seen it, keeping quiet, saying nothing, becomes as political an act as speaking out. There's no such thing as an innocent bystander."

— Arundhati Roy, Writer and New York Times Bestselling Author 

Faith Will Not Disappoint, The Morning Comes…Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.

 "Wherever you are tonight, you can make it. Hold your head high, stick your chest out. You can make it. It gets dark sometimes, but the morning comes. Don't you surrender. Suffering breeds character, character breeds faith. In the end, faith will not disappoint."

—Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., Minister, Civil Rights Leader, Economic Rights Advocate, Two-time Presidential Candidate, Coalition Builder (1941-2026) 

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Do Not Wait To Start Working On Your Dream…Napoleon Hill

“Do not wait: the time will never be 'just right'. Start where you stand, and work whatever tools you may have at your command and better tools will be found as you go along.”

—Napoleon Hill

#LeadershipTuesdays: Speaking Truthfully Matters!…Adlai Stevenson

“Those who corrupt the public mind are just as evil as those who steal from the public purse.”

—Adlai Stevenson

You Are Needed…Antonio Tijerino

“You are not lucky to be here. The world needs your perspective. They are lucky to have you.”

– Antonio Tijerino

Looking For A Normal Life?…Fred Rogers

“There is no normal life that is free of pain. It’s the very wrestling with our problems that can be the impetus for our growth.” 

—Fred Rogers

You Are One of One

“You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in one drop.”

—Rumi

Simone Manuel, is a two time Olympic winning swimmer and a six-time individual NCAA Division I Women's Swimming and Diving champion

Build Trust In Yourself…Miranda J. Barrett

As you build trust in yourself, your ability to expand your vision and fully live in your magnificence is amplified.

Miranda J. Barrett, A Woman's Truth: A Life Truly Worth Living

Photo Credit:

https://www.melaninbasecamp.com/trip-reports/2022/2/27/why-we-jump-an-interview-with-5-base-jumpers-of-color

Slavery: If It Happened To One, It Happened To All…Lupita Nyong'O

“Slavery is something that is all too often swept under the carpet. The shame doesn't even belong to us, but we still experience it because we're a part of the African race. If it happened to one, it happened to all. We carry that burden.”

--Lupita Nyong'O, Oscar Winning Actress

We Have Only Just Begun: Get Together Because It’s Possible...Andrew “Andy” Young

“The hungry cannot eat hope. They can't drink inspiration. They need clean water. Yes, they need food. 

There is more money, there is more technology. There's more understanding of human need on this planet than ever before. 

And so I cling to the message of my African brothers that say the ancestors are still with us. And if that be true, we have nothing yet to celebrate. We can only thank God that they showed us that it was possible…to break down the barriers that separate the rich and the poor.

It's the first time the Congress got together and Democrats and Republicans voted sanctions and they overrode the veto and and the UN got together and England and France got together with Germany and Cuba and China  and the US.

 …we made it possible to get this far, but you have sung that there's no easy walk to freedom. And I hear Madiba saying, ‘we showed you the way’.

There is the capacity in this planet that the hungry can be fed that the naked can be clothed that the prophecy of Isaiah can be fulfilled in our lifetime if we keep on keeping on.”

--Andrew Young, Civil Rights Leader; Member of U.S. Congress; Mayor of Atlanta, GA; U.S. Ambassador; Minister and Businessman

(Excerpts from Andy Young’s remarks on the occasion of the Nelson Mandela Memorial Service at the National Cathedral, Washington, DC, 12/11/13)

REPOST: My Prayer

My Prayer in times when words fail us:

Re-posting a prayer that I wrote over 15 years ago. The sentiment of the prayer really blessed  me and I hope it blesses you as well.
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Lord, there are places where we are not able to go, so we send your Spirit. There are hearts that we cannot touch, so we pray for the power and comfort of the Holy Spirit to minister to them. 

We also pray for those that will have the opportunity to minister and pray for those who are in need and broken-hearted. Give them wisdom. Help them to minister in a spirit of love, truth and restoration. 

In the name of Jesus, Amen. 

*Dedicated to the memory of Pastor Paul E. Sheppard who inspired this prayer. He past away on January 25, 2025 and my thoughts are with his family and church during this time of grief and gratitude for his life and ministry. 

Nona Ogunsula

The Type Of Leaders We Need To Be Developing…Martin Luther King, Jr.

“May I stress the need for courageous, intelligent, and dedicated leadership... Leaders of sound integrity. Leaders not in love with publicity, but in love with justice. Leaders not in love with money, but in love with humanity. Leaders who can subject their particular egos to the greatness of the cause.”

—Martin Luther King, Jr.

We Are The Harvest…Gwendolyn Brooks

“We are each other's harvest; we are each other's business; we are each other's magnitude and bond.” 

—Gwendolyn Brooks, Author, Quote from the book, “Paul Robeson”

The Path To Inner Peace

"Surrender to things you cannot change from your past, release your worries of tomorrow, and learn to value the present and inner peace will follow."

--Kenia Nunez

Mighty and Big...Zora Neale Hurston

"A thing is mighty big when time and distance cannot shrink it."

--Zora Neale Hurston

A Lesson Without Words…Dolores Huerta

“My mother never made me do anything for my brothers, like serve them. I think that's an important lesson, especially for the Latino culture, because the women are expected to be the ones that serve and cook and whatever. Not in our family. Everybody was equal.”

—Dolores Huerta, Labor Leader and Civil Rights Activist 

Dolores Huerta is the originator of the phrase, "Sí, se puede"! (Spanish for "Yes, it is possible")

#LeadershipTuesdays: Fly!

Not the cry, but the flight of a wild duck, leads the flock to fly and follow. 

— Chinese Proverb

Photo Credit: http://ow.ly/g25F50Jm4a7

On Tuesdays, womenatliberty.com presents #LeadershipTuesdays, a platform for a variety of voices and resources to develop, encourage and strengthen women leaders. On this last day of Asian American and Pacific Islander History Month, we celebrate Asian Americans who have overcome great odds and continue to lead and achieve, and most of all, lead the way for others. 

For more information on #LeadershipTuesdays, follow us on Twitter: @LeadershipTues.

Take A Stand…Howard Cosell

“Stand for something. Don’t quest for popularity at the expense of morality and ethics and honesty.” 

—Howard Cosell

Confidence Is…Nona Ogunsula

“Don't project your insecurities onto someone else. Maybe it's not that they think they are too this or that, it's that you're uncomfortable with who they are and what they represent.”

—Nona O., Founder, womenatliberty.com & Women Making History

I saw a television show this weekend where a group of women attacked and disliked another woman because her aproach to life and values were different than theirs. "She thinks she's too good for us. She's too quiet. She doesn't hang out with us all the time. She's a goody two-shoes." They felt this way because she did not like the same things they liked. She expressed opinions that were different from the group's opinions. So, naturally she became a target.

As adults, we have to be careful that we don't go through life constantly playing middle school games. Let people be who they are. That's a sign of maturity. If you are uncomfortable with who they are, check yourself first. Have the courage to do this as an individual away from the group. It maybe that her example will help you find the confidence to be more of who you really want to be rather than always fit the questionable expectations of the group.