The news of her being gravely ill that was announced earlier in the week had many of us on edge every morning as we tuned in to our favorite social media outlets. Each passing day gave us hope, that maybe just maybe she would pull through. But on yesterday we all had to face our fears as our hearts dropped when we read our very first RIP Aretha Franklin.
Aretha Franklin was nationally known as “The Queen of Soul”, and rightfully so she had a voice that penetrated the mind and captivated the hearts of everyone who had an ear to hear. I can hear the empowering lyrics to her version of “Respect” playing over and over in my head. Today more than ever, our fight for respect is a day-to-day battle that she also fought for throughout her life. Franklin’s life was no different than any other Herstorian reading this today. She was the mother of 4 boys, having her first son at the age of 12 and her second at age 14. She experienced domestic violence at the hands of one of her husbands, she always struggled with weight and she had an extreme fear of flying. She experienced love and was no stranger to loss, but she sang with undeniable faith and embodied grace and courage.
“This is me.” “I’m an idol, but I’m a real woman. I don’t need anything to communicate with you but my voice, my truth, my story.” -Aretha Franklin
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