Hey there,
Your heart is pumping, your palms are sweaty, and now it is your turn...you step up to the mic, but right before you utter a single word, you hear that voice inside your head say, "You were born for moments like this. YOU GOT THIS. Oaks grow strong in contrary winds, and diamonds are made under pressure!" You press on, advocating for the neighborhood changes that will impact the community's kids at the board meeting.
Okay, that was my experience. Can you recall a moment similar to this in your life? A moment where your inner voice kicked into high gear?! Our inner voice can convince us to do what seems impossible. It can ensure you follow through with what is most important to you. Your inner voice–your intuition is a secret tool that leads to moments where your legacy is built.
Did you know studies show that kids develop their inner voices when they're around 3 to 4 years old? It's pretty cool how we sow the seeds for these inner voices, shaping how our kids see themselves and the world by giving our little ones strong, positive, and courageous inner voices right from the start!
We need to realize that you didn't learn that inner voice soundtrack on your own. Someone close to you, a caregiver, nurtured that inner voice, and then it became the words you told yourself in the moments you needed it most.
The inner voice is a personal superpower filled with strength, wisdom, and self-love. When we have open conversations with our kids, we help them develop their self-advocacy skills, so they can fearlessly own their brilliance with the language they hear you speak. Encourage them to express their thoughts, dreams, and what makes them uniquely brilliant. Let them know that their voice matters and that they have the power to make a difference. We will need our kids to take the reins because the systems around us that impact how we live aren't serving us.
On June 29, the U.S. Supreme Court voted (6-3) to limit the use of affirmative action in higher education. This decision overturned a 40-year-old practice that permitted colleges and universities to consider various factors, including race, during their admissions process. It's a reminder that relying solely on systems to acknowledge our brilliance will leave us waiting longer than we have time for–our brilliance don't have time for THAT.
We've got three tools to help your kids build inner voices that help them navigate a world that will not give them the recognition we know they deserve.
- The Family Meeting Ritual: Adopt a brilliant weekly ritual that allows your children to explore their brilliance with you and your family. It creates a safe place to explore who they are becoming and what they need as they grow.
- Afromations: Build a positive and consistent inner voice with a brilliant set of mantras and reminders that our brilliance is worthy. Practice positive afromations daily to build a positive and consistent inner voice.
- 30 Ways to Cultivate Black Brilliance: A set of exercises that will cultivate habits of brilliance that lead to new ways of thinking.
As we say on our team–we've got to GOT ourselves and each other! It's up to us to equip our kids with the tools and mindset they need to thrive. Teach them to question the world around them. Help them develop critical thinking skills, challenge assumptions, and seek diverse perspectives while building self-confidence.
By nurturing their inner voice, we're setting them up to be unstoppable advocates for their brilliance. So, let's stand boldly together, celebrating their genius, cultivating their confidence, and preparing them to shape a future that values and cherishes Black brilliance.
Keep rockin' on this journey of raising pro-Black children.
We’re building something pretty rad for you, so stay tuned. And remember to tell the world about the Black Brilliance movement!