My Favorite Dream In Black Moment Of The Stellar Awards
This is part of a sponsored collaboration with AT&T and the Stellar Awards. However, all opinions expressed are my own.
You may remember during Black History Month; I had an opportunity to partner with AT&T’s “Dream In Black” campaign. I had the honor of participating in the official launch and announced the first seven influencers honored as part of the “Dream In Black” 28 Future Makers List. Every week during Black History Month, we met seven more Future Makers sharing what it meant to Dream in Black.
As the campaign has continued well beyond Black History Month, I am even more honored to have been selected to participate in a unique and engaging opportunity as AT&T joins the celebration of the 34th Annual Stellar Awards to salute faith-based leaders and entertainers who “Dream in Black”.
My faith is everything to me, so I was delighted to celebrate, promote, and recognize the Stellar Awards and the amazing participating Talents. The Stellar Award is an award presented by SAGMA (Stellar Award Gospel Music Academy) to recognize achievements in the gospel music industry. The mission of the Stellar Awards is to provide faith-based, family friendly entertainment programming that is inspiring, uplifting and motivating to Black audiences worldwide. They deliver every year and this year was no different!!!
I had so many favorite moments during the Steller’s. I mean, Hezekiah Walker kicked it off with so many of my favorite songs, like Jesus is my help. Then the tribute to Aretha Franklin was amazing, I can listen to Kelly Price sing anything. That girl can sing the ABC’s and I will be completely inspired. LOL! But I have to say my favorite of the night was Jonathan McReynolds. He won so many awards, and more inspiring then him winning was his speeches. During his last speech he said, “I don’t know where I am going to make room to put these awards, but I do know that I am going to make more room for God.”
I was so impacted by all of Jonathan’s speeches, but this one made me pause. As I sat in my room watching the show I was so moved by the performances. It was as if I could feel the energy from the audience. My heart sank at the thought of being so busy pursuing “my call” that I forget to make room for the One who called me. Before I knew it, tears ran down my face. I was in a complete state of repentance and self-examination, and I began whispering a prayer
“God I want to make more room for you. I want to do all that You have placed in my heart, but I don’t ever want to allow the benefits of what I do take the place of You being first place in my life.”
By this time, I am literally sobbing and trying to whisper and the only person who could even possibly understand what I was saying was God.
As I settled myself down, I sensed an overwhelming amount of gratefulness to AT&T for supporting this faith-based conversation and for allowing me to be part of it. To dream in black means to pursue the purpose destined for me by God and allowing my light to shine that encourages others…. just as Jonathan McReynolds did for me with his encouraging words.
[latoyia]
