Reflecting on the power of affirmations for Black History Month
Daily affirmations can highlight traits we already possess or summon who or what we aspire to be. Photographer Laylah Amatullah Barrayn says they're an important part of a larger self-care routine.
As a child, I remember watching the Rev. Jesse Jackson on television when he would recite the poem, "I Am — Somebody." It was a motivational poem that Jackson performed for crowds of people, large and small, near and far. He even and invited viewers to repeat the poem's title and main message: "I am somebody." And we did. This call-and-response collaboration felt good in my young belly. This was an early introduction to affirmations for me.
