[Uplifting theme music plays]
Marlo: Imagine it’s 1935and you’re a 7-year old little black girl and you’ve been raped by your mother’s boyfriend. A man you know and trust. Now, imagine, after identifying this man,he’s found dead by the side of the road…What would you do?
I don’t know what I would do. But I can tell you what one little girl did...She just stopped talking.
[Uplifting theme music transition]
Marlo: Hello and welcome to The Aquitaine Project. A podcast all about learning from yesterday, how we can shine today and create a brighter tomorrow. I’m Marlo Meade, your host, guide and fellow traveler on a journey where, together, we draw upon the lessons, wisdom, and experiences of women past and present, women I like to call my “Bright Lighters”.
Each episode I’ll bring to light their stories, voices, and legacies, inspiring each of us to become Bright Lighters in our own right.
For me, these women transcend time, teaching us lessons we can use in our own lives each and every day. Shining their light from different centuries, cultures, and corners of the Earth, they light the way, making it possible for the rest of us to create our own light and shine it forward.
So, if you’re ready to step into the light of some pretty remarkable women and learn a little, grow a little, laugh a little, and shine a lot, stick around.
[Music ends]
Marlo: The unspeakable trauma that little Marguerite Annie Johnson suffered resulted in a self-imposed silence that lasted almost five years. Years after the attack, Marguerite recalled feeling directly responsible for the man’s death.
Marlo (as Marguerite): “I thought my voice killed him. I killed that man because I told his name. And then I thought… I would never speak again because my voice could kill anyone”.
Marlo: Such were the thoughts of a 7-year old little girl who, for fear of the power of her own voice, just stopped speaking. Imagine the courage it took for that little girl, who we all know today as the one and only Maya Angelou, to name her attacker.
As one of the world’s greatest authors, poets, and activists whose words have inspired generations; had her words, her voice, which has brought so much joy, light, and healing to the world, remained stifled into utter silence as a young girl, I believe the world would be a much darker place.
Despite how traumatic this experience must have been, it led Maya Angelo on a journey from fearing the power of her own voice to embracing that power and raising her voice with courage, conviction and compassion.
Marlo: For decades self -help gurus, books, philosophies, and fads have lauded the search to [chuckles] find ones “Own Voice” or Speak ones Truth. A noble and ambitious pursuit for sure, but for many of us, down that road lies… fear, doubt, pain and yes, more fear. Believe me, I know. Finding the courage to step away from my own fear and doubt allowed me to reclaim my own voice and bring The Aquitaine Project to life.
For me, this week’s Bright Lighter has so much to teach us about overcoming fear and finding the courage to reclaim the power of our voices and she reminds us that our unique voice is a gift and sharing it to the world is a sacred duty we owe ourselves and those who come after us. How we chose to use it is up to us.
How often have we heard that as women we have lost our voices or, our voices have been taken from us, or, we have given our voices away?
Maya didn’t lose her voice. She locked her voice up and threw away the key for almost five years because she truly believed in it’s frightening power.
So, why do we women fear our voices and lock them up in cages?
Maybe, like Maya, we had a traumatic experience that shook us to the core.
Maybe we were brought up in a family or culture that demanded our silence and speaking up or speaking out was met with negative psychological or physical consequences.
Maybe we relinquished our voices to keep the peace in our personal or professional lives.
Maybe, our voices got shouted down, drowned out and ignored by a world afraid of what we have to say.
Or, maybe just maybe, we got tired of no one listening and opened the cage door and said;
Marlo: [patronizing voice] Aww, you’re such a poor little thing, you can live in here since no one wants to hear you.
Marlo: Then we locked the door and threw away the key.
I want you to take a minute and think about a time in your own life when you were afraid of your own voice. A time when you were afraid to say what you needed to say or a time you ignored an opportunity to speak up for yourself or someone else. Maybe a time your voice could have made a difference and you chose to stay silent.
I know in my own life there have been times I’ve locked my voice in a cage. A cage made of fear, doubt, apathy. A cage of my own making. Times when I didn’t speak my mind because…[disparaging tone] Nice girls don’t make a fuss.
Marlo: Times when speaking up meant taking a risk. Times when speaking out meant being labeled a witch, a bitch or both!
My point is, fearing the power of our voices has cost us dearly. Missed opportunities to further our careers and become more successful at work because we didn’t speak up about our achievements, our accomplishments, and contributions.
Missing out on the love of a lifetime because we were too afraid to voice our true feelings.
Fear of expressing our voice though our art or our craft because we may be criticized, ostracized, or otherwise not accepted for who we are.
Not speaking up for ourselves. Not speaking up for each other.
Sisters! The world needs our voices! It always has and it always will.
So enough with the fear, enough with the doubt. Let’s stop fearing the power of our voices and start celebrating it, sharing it, and inspiring others to do the same.
Time to find the key, unlock those cage doors and let our voices fly free.
Now you might be thinking, or maybe saying out loud;
Marlo (as skeptical listener): Okay lady, you’re so smart, how do we reclaim our voices and set them, free?
Marlo: I’ll get to that in a moment. But now, let’s get back to little Marguerite Annie’s story…
[Music transition]
Marlo: Those 5 years after the assault, little Marguerite, ‘Maya’ as we know her today, immersed herself in a world of books and poetry. She absorbed everything she read. She fell in love with the words, but still refused to speak them aloud.
The key that unlocked Maya’s voice came in the form of one, Mrs. Bertha Flowers, an elegant, aristocratic Black woman who Maya admired greatly for her poise and generosity. It was Mrs. Flowers who challenged Maya to give the poems and stories she loved so dearly a deeper meaning by using her voice and speaking them aloud.
In one of her many interviews, Maya Angelou recalls how Mrs. Flowers challenged her to break her silence. According to Maya, when she was about eleven and a half, Mrs. Flowers asked her if she loved poetry. When Maya wrote the word ‘Yes’ on a tablet she carried with her. Mrs. Flowers declared,
Marlo (as Mrs. Flowers): You do not love poetry. You will never love it until you speak it... until it comes across your tongue, through your teeth, over your lips. You will never love poetry.
Marlo: Maya goes on to express her anxiety at the thought of Mrs. Flowers trying to take away her friend. Her Silence. Finally, she took a book of poetry and went under the house and tried to read aloud for the first time in years. And she did.
-OK, we need to take a minute and go back to something profound Maya says here.
She says, Mrs. Flowers was trying to take “my friend”… Silence was Maya’s friend.
This idea really gets to me. We make friends with our silence all the time, don’t we? It becomes so comfortable to keep silent, [soothing voice] to fade into the background, to silence our thoughts and feelings, to hide our light.
Marlo: Later in the interview, Maya describes her muteness as a delicious, seductive addiction.
How many of us feel this way at times?
Our silence can become something we easily fall into when life gets hard, or messy, or frightening.
With the help, inspiration, and love of Mrs. Flowers who, as Maya says; became her first lifeline, she eventually reclaimed her voice from deep down inside where she had caged it, where she had buried it. At first, she didn’t trust it. Maya worried that, as she said; she had pushed it away so long, she was afraid it might just take off and leave her again.
Fast forward eighty years into the future and that child of silence has become one of the most notable voices in American culture.
Marlo: [softly] As women, we know from our collective experience using our voices can be a tricky thing. Whether we’re 7, 17, 37, 77 or 107 . No matter our ages, we can all struggle to find it, claim it, reclaim it, and use it.
So, how do we find, claim, reclaim our voices that we’ve caged for far too long? I have a few ideas that may help.
- Gather your Sisterhood; For me, it’s all about gathering my sisterhood. Women supporting women, women building each other up; creating safe spaces where our voices can be heard and shared, then having each other’s backs as we venture into [laughs] unfriendly territory. You can start by joining a women’s group or start your own. Reach out to women you admire, or women you’d like to get to know better. You’d be surprised how many women are seeking to create connections with other women.
- Throwing out Lifelines; Calling out to my tribe! My tribe; men and women who are dedicated to helping each other dig deep and project our voices into the world fearlessly with pride, purpose and passion. Those people who are in your lives to support you, to encourage you, [laughs] to kick you in the butt when you need it…
and like Mrs. Flowers, who was so crucial to Maya’s journey to reclaiming her voice, become a lifeline for others.
- Maybe a first step to helping you unlock your own cage and reclaim your own voice, is to help someone else do the same. If you’re like me, sometimes encouraging and supporting others is way easier than encouraging and supporting myself. Mentor or coach a woman you know at work or in your personal life who is struggling to express herself or is afraid to shine her light on her talents and accomplishments.
Maybe you have a friend or family member who is in an unhealthy relationship or, who like Maya, was the victim of a sexual assault. If they are willing, help them locate professional resources appropriate for their situation.
You may love sport or the arts. Why not coach a girl’s sports team? Or, volunteer your talents supporting young budding artists.
Maybe you’re at the top of your profession or industry and have the ability to light the way for other women to succeed.
My point is, be someone’s Bright Lighter…
Marlo: These are just a few examples and I hope they inspire you to seek out what works best for you and to take action. And, if at times you find yourself struggling, like I certainly do, keep in mind we don’t have to do this alone! Find a coach, find a mentor, call a friend or friends, grab on to a lifeline when one is offered.
Sure, it can be unnerving, scary, maybe even terrifying, but look at little Margret Annie Johnson’s journey to becoming Maya Angelou. Once she reclaimed her voice, she discovered she had a whole lot to say.
Marlo: Maya’s Bright Lighter legacy lives on in the voice she shared with the world. For me, Maya had many voices. Each one distinct in tone and measure but all sharing the same message. It was Maya’s mother who taught her the importance of courage and speaking up for what is right. Maya the activist learned to demand dignity for herself and for others. Something that did not come naturally to her. During her lifetime, she was a champion of civil rights, women’s rights, gay rights, human rights. Not only in this country, but in Africa and around the world. Her voice rang out for freedom and dignity for ALL people. She knew that our shared history as bloodied and battered as it is, holds within it the lessons we need to learn to become better at this thing called life.
Maya the poet, author, and storyteller bore witness to the degradations of racism, classism, and sexism. Shining a light in the deepest, darkest places of social injustice imaginable. Yet, she also celebrated the importance of motherhood, fatherhood, family, education, and community. She opened our eyes, our ears, and our hearts to the magic of life, love, loss, and the many joys this world has to offer.
Marlo: Maya the teacher was fond of saying, Marlo (as Maya Angelou): “When you learn, teach. When you get, give.”
Marlo: She used her voice to teach us about life and to help us find our place in the world. Her voice had a way of making us believe we are stronger than we think we are. That we are capable of great things and to believe otherwise does a disservice to ourselves and to the world. Her voice also had the power to heal. Words of love, forgiveness, hope, and faith meant to heal current and past social injustices.
I believe her words were meant for each of us individually as well; to love our selves, to forgive ourselves, to have hope and faith in ourselves. What an incredible legacy to leave us.
Maya had a wonderful way of voicing what’s in a woman’s soul! - When I heard her poem And Still I Rise… for the first time, I was blown away!! I laughed, I cheered I was so proud to be a woman. I must have listened to it a dozen times.
How many times in our lives as women do we hide in the shadows, speak softly and meekly not wanting to call attention to ourselves, our ideas, our hopes, and our dreams.
Her words speak to our quest for independence, personal dignity, and self-definition. To be recognized as women; strong, sexy, [playfully] vibrant, authentic and alive…
Marlo (as Maya Angelou): [seductively] “Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise that I dance like I've got diamonds at the meeting of my thighs?”
Marlo: [enthusiastically] Wow! I just love that-
Marlo: Maya the humanist spoke of the voice that represented our humanity. She could rip off our blinders; showing us the sad and desolate condition of our brothers and sisters right next door, or half-way around the world. Then, she would scold us for letting fear get in the way of doing what’s needed, doing what’s right. And in her very next breath, she would apply a soothing balm to our bruised psyche, encouraging us to love one another, respect one another. Two years before her death, Maya expressed her feelings about being a good human. She said; (Marlo as Maya Angelou): “What I really want to do is be a representative of my race, of the human race. I have a chance to show how kind we can be, how intelligent and generous we can be.”
Marlo: Love, Dignity, Joy, Freedom, Family, Community, Courage, Womanhood, Humanity. Like I said, Many voices; One Truth.
So, in honor of little Marguerite Annie Johnson, let’s challenge ourselves to reclaim our voice in a way that is meaningful and true to who we are.
It can be as simple as saying, ‘NO!’ to something you really don’t want to do.
Or
Saying ‘Yes’ to something you really do want to do.
It can be something big and ambitious, I don’t know, [chuckles] like starting up a podcast, dusting off that book you’ve been meaning to write or starting your own business.
You choose.
You could speak out or speak up for a something or someone you believe in. It could be a cause close to your heart that you really want to get involved with. [enthusiastically] Do it!
Maya believed that art is action, and through your art, through your creativity, you can move mountains and you can move people. Maybe, finding the courage to share your voice through your creativity is your challenge.
However you choose to use your voice is up to you. All I ask is that you have faith and trust in yourself.
Marlo: [honestly] Why I love this woman.
When I think of Maya Angelou, my soul smiles. Sage, poet, teacher, revolutionary, lover of life and a true believer in the power we all have when we find our true voice and share it with the world. And boy, when Maya found her voice, the world was never the same.
Shining a light on the soul of America and the world. Her voice inspires us; No, her voice challenges us, to do better, [earnestly] to be better.
Marlo: As a woman, I find great comfort, wisdom, joy and courage in her words.. Her poems, her stories.
And to hear that voice; that magical, mystical, musical voice that speaks directly to my soul and says; [dutifully] Sister, you know, you have always known. Now, do what you were meant to do, rise and SHINE!
Yes, Ma’am!
Marlo: In getting to know Maya Angelou I’ve learned some pretty important things about finding my own voice as a woman, as a human being. I believe much of her work is designed to shows us how to overcome our self-limiting fears and doubts. And, Maya inspires us to find the courage we need to share our voices with the world, the way she did throughout her lifetime. So, here are a few things we can take to heart from this week’s Bright Lighter:
1. Our capacity to accomplish anything we set our minds to is only limited by, yep, our fear and our doubt.
2. With love and forgiveness, we have the power to heal ourselves, heal each other and the world.
3 Human dignity and respect – it is a right. Demand it for yourself, demand it for others.
4 The joy of living. Don’t be afraid of doing what you want to do. Don’t waste time being afraid of what others think of your ideas, [chuckles] of you yourself. Shine your light, life is too short, make the most of it.
Maya Angelou teaches us how to use our own voice and speak up for ourselves, for others, for truth and dignity. Hers is the voice that speaks up for our humanity and champions our human connection, one to the other.
But, to me that’s only half the lesson. It’s not enough to reclaim our voices as women. Or to find the courage to speak up and speak out.
She teaches us it is our sacred duty to teach those who come after us. Our daughters and granddaughters, sons and grandsons, generations to come, to use their voices to create a better, brighter world.
Even in death, this incredible woman with this incredible voice could not be silent. A voice that continues to encourage us to lift up our own voices and help each other do the same.
[theme music fades up]
Marlo: She’s still reaching out; she’s still teaching us through her own life’s story.
Sisters, Maya continues to light the way forward, all we have to do is follow.
[uplifting theme music plays]
[music fades slightly]
Marlo: So, when you uncage your songbird, how will you share it with the world? Feel free to let me know in the comment section.
And, if you have a Bright Lighter you would like featured on the podcast, use the link below and let’s connect!
To learn more about this episode's amazing Bright Lighter, visit the; ‘Why I Love this Woman’ section on the Aquitaine Project podcast website. There you’ll find links and resources about Maya Angelou’s life, works and accomplishments. I would recommend beginning with her 1969 autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Singsin which she describes the early parts of her life. Maya uses her autobiography to explore subjects such as identity, rape, racism, and literacy. She also writes in new ways about women's lives in a male-dominated society.
Ok! Until next time my Bright Lighters,
Shine bright so your sisters can find you!
[uplifting theme music plays]
[music fades out]
