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“Dr. Maya Angelou: remember that love is important.”

June 29th, 2014

Lyn-Marie BlackmanWriting is a blessing that can be used to motivate change, writes Lyn-Marie Blackman, a 27-year-old Commonwealth Correspondent from Barbados, as she discusses the legacy of Dr. Maya Angelou.

“I am a woman.  Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that’s me.”-Maya Angelou

She shared her smile and elegance with the world. She wrote for us, danced for us and encouraged us to live our lives expressing love and kindness to everyone we encounter. Growing up as a young girl in the Caribbean, I have always admired this beautiful lady. The way a human being can come from being oppressed because of her ethnicity to calling on humanity to embrace each other despite our differences is truly phenomenal.

Our world is full of greed, envy and hate that pull apart the moral fabric of society. This has resulted in many being pushed to commit suicide and engage in other self-destructive behavior. Maya Angelou’s writings, however, showed us that love is what should hold us up. Love is the foundation for success in this journey called life. Many, however, have been duped into thinking that being ruthless, hateful and spiteful leads to success. We have discord within our respective countries due to religion, race or gender identity but whatever group or section you belong to, let love be the order of the day.

As Commonwealth Correspondents, we have the ability, knowledge and wherewithal to exact and influence change within our respective communities through our voices and writings. This should arm us with the necessary momentum we need to become world changers. Dr. Angelou, with the stroke of her pen, the utilization of her voice and the deployment of her mind in being cognizant of her reality as an African-American living in a racist and segregated community, became a champion of human rights. She did not allow her roots to be an impediment to her growth. Instead, her background catapulted her into being an inspiration to many young men and women in the world.

Writing is a blessing that can be used to change and challenge conventional governmental policies, or a poison that can hurt, maim and disarm people and their environment. As the world reflects on the life and time of Dr. Maya Angelou, let us all remember that love is important and has the power to trade in a stony heart for a soft one.

“Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but has not solved one yet.”—Maya Angelou

Photo: Author: Talbot Troy Author URL: https://www.flickr.com/people/rustydarbonne/Source URL: https://www.flickr.com License: Creative Commons Attribution License License Url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ License Shorthand: CC-BY

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About me: I am a conservative and articulate individual with an innate desire to see love, peace and unity triumph. My interests lie in medical research. I enjoy researching medical news from around the world and reporting it in my monthly newsletter entitled L.I.F.E.

I love biomedical science and believe it holds the key to a healthier society. I aspire to become a medical researcher and writer. My focus now is obtaining more exposure for my newsletters: L.I.F.E. and The Believer.

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Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Commonwealth Youth Programme. Articles are published in a spirit of dialogue, respect and understanding. If you disagree, why not submit a response?
To learn more about becoming a Commonwealth Correspondent please visit: http://www.yourcommonwealth.org/submit-articles/commonwealthcorrespondents/
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Lyn-Marie BlackmanWriting is a blessing that can be used to motivate change, writes Lyn-Marie Blackman, a 27-year-old Commonwealth Correspondent from Barbados, as she discusses the legacy of Dr. Maya Angelou.

“I am a woman.  Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that’s me.”-Maya Angelou

She shared her smile and elegance with the world. She wrote for us, danced for us and encouraged us to live our lives expressing love and kindness to everyone we encounter. Growing up as a young girl in the Caribbean, I have always admired this beautiful lady. The way a human being can come from being oppressed because of her ethnicity to calling on humanity to embrace each other despite our differences is truly phenomenal.

Our world is full of greed, envy and hate that pull apart the moral fabric of society. This has resulted in many being pushed to commit suicide and engage in other self-destructive behavior. Maya Angelou’s writings, however, showed us that love is what should hold us up. Love is the foundation for success in this journey called life. Many, however, have been duped into thinking that being ruthless, hateful and spiteful leads to success. We have discord within our respective countries due to religion, race or gender identity but whatever group or section you belong to, let love be the order of the day.

As Commonwealth Correspondents, we have the ability, knowledge and wherewithal to exact and influence change within our respective communities through our voices and writings. This should arm us with the necessary momentum we need to become world changers. Dr. Angelou, with the stroke of her pen, the utilization of her voice and the deployment of her mind in being cognizant of her reality as an African-American living in a racist and segregated community, became a champion of human rights. She did not allow her roots to be an impediment to her growth. Instead, her background catapulted her into being an inspiration to many young men and women in the world.

Writing is a blessing that can be used to change and challenge conventional governmental policies, or a poison that can hurt, maim and disarm people and their environment. As the world reflects on the life and time of Dr. Maya Angelou, let us all remember that love is important and has the power to trade in a stony heart for a soft one.

“Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but has not solved one yet.”—Maya Angelou

Photo: Author: Talbot Troy Author URL: https://www.flickr.com/people/rustydarbonne/Source URL: https://www.flickr.com License: Creative Commons Attribution License License Url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ License Shorthand: CC-BY

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

About me: I am a conservative and articulate individual with an innate desire to see love, peace and unity triumph. My interests lie in medical research. I enjoy researching medical news from around the world and reporting it in my monthly newsletter entitled L.I.F.E.

I love biomedical science and believe it holds the key to a healthier society. I aspire to become a medical researcher and writer. My focus now is obtaining more exposure for my newsletters: L.I.F.E. and The Believer.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Commonwealth Youth Programme. Articles are published in a spirit of dialogue, respect and understanding. If you disagree, why not submit a response?
To learn more about becoming a Commonwealth Correspondent please visit: http://www.yourcommonwealth.org/submit-articles/commonwealthcorrespondents/
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