In honor of Women’s History Month, I was asked to share about a woman who has influenced me. By far one of the women who has had the most influence on my life has been the Author and Editor Toni Morrison. She passed away about 4 years ago. She released several novels and also books, writings, essays, and feedback. Her opinions, her outlook on race, gender, and equality overall, and how she focused on her characters with the African American storyline and insisted on writing for the black audience and not maintaining writing for mainstream (during her time) is phenomenal.

I’m always constantly re-reading her novels and I always find something different each time I read one.

My favorite novel of hers is, “Paradise,” a very underrated novel.

I always get a nugget of knowledge and wisdom from her. She was a single mother, raising 2 sons, having also suffered the loss of a son during her lifespan. The incredible strength that she had to live her life, to be one of the only black editors at a major publishing company, to demand equal pay for herself amongst her other white constituents, and white male constituents, was amazing. I cherish her every word that she has ever written. I’ve practically seen every interview that she has ever done always with knowledge and wisdom. Her writing and her artwork have essentially become my religion. I was very heartbroken when she passed away still to this day. But in honor of women’s history month, I have to say Toni Morrison is one of the most influential people I have ever come across in my life.