Shirley's audacity is equally as infectious and inspiring in 2021 as it was in 1972, and her presence represents qualities I so desperately wish to embody. I'm sure that was Mrs. Chisholm's plan all along. Pull unsuspecting listeners in so that they felt emboldened enough to spread the gospel of social justice and demand that their voices are heard.

The history of black people everywhere is rich, our ancestors were innovative people, artists, and experts at survival. As their descendants, we are the lucky ones to inherit their power and talent. I often think about my ancestors and imagine their lives before colonization. I love a good origin story, naturally, I'm most interested in my own. In an effort to become spiritually closer to my foremothers and forefathers, I shipped a tube of my spit to a lab so that an analyst could trace my lineage.