67 people. 67 black women and men, on a Thursday night in New Haven, CT showed up for my first DEAR QUEENS event. This is purpose. This is God. I am grateful.
"SAVE THE DATE [New Haven, Ct]" is what I captioned my first event image with. The photo displayed a date, time and a tip to add it to the calendar. February 24, 2016. That's when it became real. That's when I became a vessel. There was no turning back. No deleting that photo. No date changes. No cancellations. This was it.
I followed up in April with a special invite to those on my e-mail list. Then a call to the public. I was in this and there was no level of doubt or anxiety that would get me out. Not now. It was too late. No turning back. What I hadn't expected was the excitement that was fed through social media. "Finally!" and "Can't wait!" rang through my notifications. People...couldn't wait...for me? For DEAR QUEENS? For an event?
There was a sense of happiness and urgency from an audience who've apparently been waiting for something. Something physical. Something tangible. Something they could experience.
I had no idea they wanted this. No idea they were waiting for this. But here I was, planning and promoting an event that was merely an idea months ago. An event that people were excited for. An event the poets were excited for. An event I was simply trying to buckle my seat belt for.
I was nervous for the things I couldn't control. The ticket sales. The audience satisfaction. The poets actually showing up. I was freaked out. I didn't want to be 1 in a room of 13 women, listening to 3 poets tell me stuff I already knew. I didn't want to work this hard for a subpar event. I wanted it to be amazing. I wanted to meet expectations. And I wanted to do this for God.
I was a vessel. I learned along the way that that was all that mattered. That God gave me an idea and I was brave enough to run with it. I let Him gain full control of what He wanted for this event. The poets He selected. The date He wanted. And the women He wanted to be present.
I let Him have the entire event, and excitement, not anxiety, overcame me. This is for You, I reminded Him each night as I prayed over each component of the show – the venue, the performers, the audience and the words. I wanted to be the vessel He called me to be and play the role He assigned. "Just trust Me."
I let Him have the entire event, and excitement, not anxiety, overcame me. This is for You, I reminded Him each night as I prayed over each component of the show – the venue, the performers, the audience and the words. I wanted to be the vessel He called me to be and play the role He assigned. "Just trust Me."
I counted down the days, hours and minutes. Printed out the guest lists. Gathered my introduction speech. And did a mic check. It was time.
Friends, family and strangers filled the space, grabbed their seats and sat in anticipation of this event I dubbed "the best women empowerment spoken word event, ever!" Bold words from little ole me. I held true to them, with full faith in God for the desired outcome. For His desired outcome.
The DJ played the soothing sounds of soul music and the room filled with the vocals of an audience that had begun feeling themselves. Yes, ladies! Y'all got it. Keep vibing! I thought as I witnessed women's insecurities head out the door, freeing space within them for emotional fulfillment. He was a vessel.
The host hosted, I shed tears and the women clapped for themselves...themselves! I ran from table-to-table making sure women had menus, their tulips and their worth. I was a vessel.
The poets spoke life into the women who appeared to be at wit's end. They dedicated pieces to their mother's and fiances, and poured out love to the women who didn't have any. They looked in the eyes of the audience and poured out their souls with hopes that their expenditure would serve as income to someone in the room. They were vessels.
It came. It happened. Lives shifted. Thoughts altered. Self-love increased. Women were celebrated. They left appreciated. The spirit was there. It was perfect!
The DJ played the soothing sounds of soul music and the room filled with the vocals of an audience that had begun feeling themselves. Yes, ladies! Y'all got it. Keep vibing! I thought as I witnessed women's insecurities head out the door, freeing space within them for emotional fulfillment. He was a vessel.
The host hosted, I shed tears and the women clapped for themselves...themselves! I ran from table-to-table making sure women had menus, their tulips and their worth. I was a vessel.
The poets spoke life into the women who appeared to be at wit's end. They dedicated pieces to their mother's and fiances, and poured out love to the women who didn't have any. They looked in the eyes of the audience and poured out their souls with hopes that their expenditure would serve as income to someone in the room. They were vessels.
It came. It happened. Lives shifted. Thoughts altered. Self-love increased. Women were celebrated. They left appreciated. The spirit was there. It was perfect!
The audience took home nuggets of inspiration, reminding them that Instagram filters won't fix what God had already made perfect, that they deserve to be adored for the way their gaze brings strength to their men, and that they are beautiful with or without a body.
They laughed, joked and were uplifted throughout the entire night as they obtained valuable lessons about self-love.
My lesson: just be a vessel.
They laughed, joked and were uplifted throughout the entire night as they obtained valuable lessons about self-love.
My lesson: just be a vessel.
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I am so thrilled at the outcome of this event. I got the opportunity to work with multiple poets, meet some of the sweetest souls, and brought my brand from the internet into my very own community. The community of which I was born and raised. I am ecstatic, that I was able to turn DEAR QUEENS from a digital brand, to an experience, even if just a night. Thank you to all of you who supported the event and were excited for me. To those who text me reminding me to enjoy the night. And to those whose silence was just as influential. I am grateful and honored that I was able to be a vessel for one of the most powerful nights of my life.
And to those already asking for a Part II to this, trust me when I tell you, this is only the beginning.
And to those already asking for a Part II to this, trust me when I tell you, this is only the beginning.
