Starting Your Dreams Later In Life and Embracing the Detour

Jenee Darden speaking at Creative Mornings I know it's been a while since I've posted anything but that's because of my job. I'm working as a reporter covering Oakland and I host an arts segment on the radio where I get to interview amazing artists from around the Bay Area. Plus I'm publicizing my book  and building my speaking career!  You know what's funny? I thought this would all happen by the time I was 27-30.  Nope. That wasn't God's plan for me. I'm finally beginning to do the things I've wanted to do and I'm almost 40 years old. Some people reading this who are 40 will say 40 is still young. But some younger people reading may think 40 is nearly ancient. But I'm writing this post for those who like me, thought their career and personal dreams would come true much early in life. I'm here to tell you not to give up.  You know, death inspires life. A number of my relatives and friends have passed away, ranging in

Miss Lena Horne
Dies at 92


My identity is very clear to me now. I am a black woman. I’m free. I no longer have to be a ‘credit.’ I don’t have to be a symbol to anybody; I don’t have to be a first to anybody. I don’t have to be an imitation of a white woman that Hollywood sort of hoped I’d become. I’m me, and I’m like nobody else.
--Lena Horne at age 80
from the New York Times


According to the New York Times, the beautiful singer and actress Lena Horne died at a New York hospital Sunday night. She was 92. Hollywood wasn't kind to this woman of color. But she never gave up her fight for the spotlight. And she did it with grace, style, beauty and stamina. She was vocal about the mistreatment of black soldiers in WWII and the Civil Rights Movement. Many women of color lived through her glamorous lifestyle. She graced stages in beautiful gowns, performed around the world and spoke out against injustices. Sounds like one of those women I blogged about in my Powerful and Prissy post. Note to the up-and-coming female entertainers: she accomplished this all with class. No sex tapes or distasteful nudity took part in her rise to fame. Miss Horne was one of those ladies in the biz who believed in integrity when picking roles.

Miss Horne, like she said in the quote above, was one of a kind. A beautiful example on the inside and out.

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Comments

  1. Ohhhh.. Miss Lena will be missed sooo much! She was proud of who she was as a black woman, and did not apologize for who she was either. She was a class act; a black Aphrodite! A Goddess in every sense of the word. They don't make 'em like Miss Lena anymore....

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  2. Yes she was a class act! We're losing so many of our legends. It makes me sad. I feel like people like her were the prime of entertainment. Did you see Betty White on SNL? She rocked it! But Betty White knows show biz and has that organic talent we don't see anymore.

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