“Is this your King?!” Yes, yes, he is!! The lights are low, the excitement in the air is thick, the lines to the theater stretched beyond the parking lot. I had never seen so much pride from my people. The unity, the colors & the tribal representation of African garb were only small reflections of the immense joy we felt in our hearts. The feeling was unexplainable, you simply had to be there. I went with my aunt and cousin on the first go around (mind you I saw it 3 times in one week). Black Panther wasn’t just a movie, it was a movement, an experience. As a people, we felt unified & better yet, undefeated. We finally had a film with a Black superhero, that depicted intelligence, strength, wealth, technological advancement and so much more. It bypassed the struggles and hardships that we see far too often as a people. It gave young, black boys a superhero that looked like them. Black girls were shown women who were strong and brave all on their own. But most, importantly it showed us the victory we could have if we worked together. So, I ask again “Is this your King?” Yes, yes... Wakanda forever!!”
I have been sitting around trying to find the words that could adequately give a tribute that is fit for a King. Chadwick Boseman’s death was one that caught us all by surprise. It was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Another blow to the culture. Although, I didn’t know him personally... It felt too close to home. The bruised pages in my journal were not sufficient to carry the burden of the pain I felt. I am thankful, I was with friends whom I could lean on when the news broke. Streams of tears flowed after I realized that all along, he had been living out his purpose while in pain. His death made me question God. Why wasn’t he healed? Why did the Black community have to lose another great soul? It’s as if we hadn’t already dealt with enough. We experienced the death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, a global pandemic that disproportionately affected our community, racial injustice that led to protests, and then a week prior, the shooting of yet another black man. 2020 is literally trying to break us.
Chadwick was an exemplary human being. He played each role as if it was his last. His speeches were heart felt, filled with wisdom, conviction and a love for his people. In a speech he gave, he stated ‘When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left... and I could say I used everything you gave me.” I think he did just that. If there’s anything we can learn from Chadwick, it is to pour everything into what you are called to do because you never know the impact you may have or the legacy you’ll leave behind. Our journey in life is never just for us, but a means of paving the way for those who will come behind us. He kept his illness private, never complained, & earned nothing through pity but simply by merit , hard work, dedication and passion. He was ridiculed in several instances for his loss of body weight. Little did we know, he was fighting for life. We must always strive to be kind because we never know what struggles or demons someone is fighting.
Whatever goal you have, go after it. Do not allow time, or life’s circumstances to deter you. Everything you need to be great is already inside of you. Always remain humble and remember that pain is in the Ingredients of the process.
If you find comfort in believing he has ascended/ transcended, is now with the ancestors or simply resting until the return of our Lord… find comfort in that. I know this isn’t easy, but I do know that his impact has changed the trajectory of our lives. He inspired us to live and love with more intentionality… so that we can die having walked in our purpose.
Thank you, Chadwick Boseman (Jackie Robinson, James Brown, Thurgood Marshall & Thee Black Panther!!)
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