This month I had the privilege of being one of Challenge Detroit’s Spotlight Fellows. There was a blog dedicated to me and the things that I have been doing throughout my time in the program, and there were two videos that me and Fares were able to put together to visually display me living, working, playing, giving, and leading in the city of Detroit.

Being a spotlight fellow is an honor in its own right, but being spotlighted in a month in which we are encouraged to give thanks makes this experience mean that much more.

I believe that I have been spotlighted way too much, so I have decided to spotlight one of the people responsible for me being in the position that I am in today.

And the winner is…

My Granny Louise! She has been a portrait of perseverance, hard work, and dedication. Granny Louise grew up in Winona, Mississippi, where she earned numerous nursing certifications, and was one of the first African Americans in the south to become a Registered Nurse. And in order to create a better life for herself and her four children she moved to the booming city of Detroit, Michigan. This was not out of the ordinary for people of color in that time to migrate to the north from the south, but what made my grandmother extraordinary was that she was an educated woman of color making this move.

Upon her arrival in what she called, “The big city!” She realized that her certifications were not recognized in the state of Michigan. Due to her having to raise four kids(one of which was my dad), and not having a job, the state of Michigan informed her that she had 8 months to accept government assistance or she would have to choose which of her children would stay with her, and which ones will enter “The system.” She was given 8 months to make this decision, or the government would make it for her.

Let me tell you a little bit of what I know about my Granny Louise, she does not take handouts from anyone. She was one of the best nurses in Mississippi when she left, and she was determined to become one of the best in Michigan. Also at that time the government had little to no credibility with African Americans, in her own words, “I didn’t want my children to see them give me anything…I have been restricted by them for my entire life, and my children will never see me accept any handouts from them!”

She told the representative, “You will not take my children and I am a nurse.” After leaving that meeting she registered for courses that would meet the requirements to become a Michigan certified Registered Nurse. This would take longer than her 8 month time allowance, also paying for the additional classes were hard enough, and when you add she had four children it seemed impossible. So she decided to work at three different diners as a waitress. All three were part-time jobs, and as a waitress she had to rely on tips to support school, herself, and her four children.

It was all worth it! Because a year and a half later she earned her certifications and was then considered by the State of Michigan to be a registered nurse, and her children grew up knowing nothing but hard work and dedication always pays off. My Granny had plenty of opportunities to follow the norm, which was move to the north and accept whatever they will give you, instead she decided to go against the grain and become more than, “Just another colored woman with children.” And in the process she created a generation of go-getters within her family. It’s kind of hard for me to complain about how my path to success is bumpy, when she is responsible for consistently creating her own paths.

I still remember our talks from when I was a young boy. I would get kicked out of school for disagreeing with my teachers, or my classmates would tease me for, “being stupid” and she would always tell me, “Lil One remember that others are not built like us. You see stars look beautiful from a far, but blinding when close. Those people that makes us feel like we are not good enough are blind. They are blinded by our light so we have to keep them at a far, for we are stars and are meant to occupy the sky.”

I refer back to that saying every time the world lays out a path for me that I don’t agree with. I have continued to hang on to every word that woman has told me throughout my life, and that is why this day I give thanks to her. I give thanks to her and everyone else that has positively touched me throughout my journey to success. Please let us “spotlight” and “give thanks” to these powerful individuals year round, and not wait until the month of November to reflect.