Essence Fest’s nudge to write your story

Let me begin by emphasizing how amazing Essence Fest 2014 was. It was my first time attending but definitely will not be the last. For those who’ve never been, it’s not just concerts but FREE empowerment sessions as well. I’ll do my best to give you a fun-sized recap.

I’ll begin with my meeting Terry McMillan. I started reading her books in fifth grade. I was bored of my school’s summer reading list and perused my mom’s bookshelf for something more appealing. Mama caught my eye first. Loved it and read each one after that up until her latest. Favorite author, hands down.

Heard that she participating in Essence Fest and I had to meet her.

Lemme show you how God works real quick. I was an empowerment session where Maxine Waters, John Hope Bryant, Dr. Steve Perry, Roland Martin, and a slew of others had wrapped up their discussions. Steve Harvey was coming up next but I wanted to catch Terry without losing my kickass seat. I attended Essence Fest alone, so I had to ask and trust two beautiful women beside me to hold it down for me. They agreed.

Dashed down the corridor to make it to the signing. Long line but I made it to her. I was able to share with her how her books introduced me to AA literature and really got me interested in reading. How she motivated me to become an author. And just how amazing she is and how appreciative of her that I am. She left Essence Fest with a signed copy of my book and I with hers. I walked away in awe of the moment. Had Terry never jumped out there and told those stories, it’s a good chance (won’t say absolute) that I wouldn’t be the writer that I am today.

[Did you know that your story can be based on truth but written as fiction? Ask me how.]

Made it back to the area where the sessions were taking place and the door was now locked. Four guards stood in front of it, refusing to allow anyone to enter. Behind them stood a long ass line of people with their eyebrows scrunched up and hands on their hip. I went to the door and explained how I left my purse inside (which it was). They wasn’t trying to hear it. I don’t beg but I was begging. Out of nowhere, this a guy comes out and says he has room for four more.

I get back to my seat and thank the two ladies for holding it down. Next up was Steve Harvey and Lisa Nichols. Prior to Essence Fest, I’d never heard of her. In my dad’s voice, “Now I know.” This sister is a straight up lighthouse. She shared how she was once a young, single mother struggling to survive. At one point, she didn’t have money to buy diapers for her son and had to wrap him in towels for a couple of days. Needed Medicaid just to deliver him. WIC to feed him. And food stamps to get by.

The crowd was all ears. Not because we’ve never heard that story before, but because it never gets old. Because we’re forever in search of a success story. Even if you don’t have children, then you can relate to the tight-throat feeling of trying to make ends meet. Or low self-esteem. Or being told that you would amount to nothing. 

Through the stories of others, we see our own potential.

Afterwards, I went for my favorite dinner at my favorite restaurant. Ordered the crawfish ravioli and decided to start a book that I’d purchased at the festival by Essence’s Abiola Abrams. The Sacred Bombshell Handbook of Self-Love snatched my attention up from the title on forward. In it, she shares her story of her “failed” marriage and disordered eating. I felt so much of me in her.

I encourage you to purchase this book. I encourage you to save lives and heal hearts by telling your story. I encourage you to join me at next year’s Essence Fest. Do you have a story to tell? Let’s talk about it.

Click <here> to learn how Abiola made me put the fork down.