Dynamic singer Ledisi admits to being bullied as a young girl in New Orleans and Oakland.
Quite often in the Black community, we focus on what others do to us and not what we do to each other and the negative impact it can have on our lives.
There is a silent rule not to talk about what we have done to each other, probably birthed by the ‘what goes on in this house (community) stays in this house’ rule passed down through the generations. Nevertheless, hopefully, by admitting her truth, a little Black girl or boy who is being bullied will be inspired by her heartfelt admission albeit her current success.
Tonight, she is doing a concert honoring the legacy of Nina Simone at Carnegie Hall then she is headed out on a 31-city tour. She credits her mother for embracing her uniqueness and for introducing her to the music of Nina Simone, a black singer who was also bullied as a child and as an adult by her husband. See Ledisi’s post below.
“This little brown girl from Hollygrove, New Orleans, Louisiana, and 96th & Holly East Oakland, California got bullied by the kids every day after school in both cities for being different and not fitting in…..
Still not fitting in and being different….in the middle of a 31-city tour….Tonight she’ll be singing in a historic venue @carnegiehall . (Sold Out Show) Honoring a Legend who graced this very stage and taught her it’s ok to be different and not fit in.✨
Mama, thank you for introducing me to the Great Nina Simone! Most importantly, thank you for nurturing my uniqueness. I didn’t get here alone.”