We Lost A Super Hero

Today is the day after Chadwick Boseman passed away.

It’s a sad day for many of us who’ve experienced intense grief and loss this year. It’s especially sad for those of us who are grieving the loss of a super hero we didn’t know we needed.

Chadwick Boseman left an indelible mark on us all. His work was powerful and intentional. And our children, Black children, will grow up knowing Black super heroes exist, Black excellence exists and the places their parents were once locked out of are now open and available to them.

Chadwick Boseman and I attended Howard University. We weren’t there at the same time but as an alumni, there’s a special kinship we feel with anyone who has recited the “I am a Howard University Graduate” manifesto before going off into the world.

It’s a bond that, at times, can be hard to explain. We’re tied to a legacy that connects us to spaces where we’re allowed to be all God has called us to be (and more) and to be it while being cheered on by people we may never know and faces we might never see.

Collectively we’ve lost our beloved civil rights heroes, our sense of normalcy and just about every week or month this year, we’ve been forced to see beautiful Black bodies slaughtered as we scroll through our timelines.

I’ve had enough. When Covid came I foolishly believed the rest of the world would stop - that only Covid would claim and take lives - but we’re losing life in unimaginable ways, consistently and frustratingly.

We lost a hero. And while grieving this loss, we’re also grieving the loss of the world we once knew - one where hugging each other was the norm and holding each other was safe.

I’m tired y’all. My soul is tired. Hold your loved ones close. Tomorrow isn’t promised.

Live now, love now, forgive now and heal your heart NOW. Tomorrow is so far away from today. Live in it and enjoy it because we don’t know how many todays we have left.

Rest in peace Chadwick Boseman. We’re grateful you blessed us with your talent and your spirit and that you left part of you with us, forever.

Love,

Tiffani