I Just Want You to be Proud of Me

March 29, 2021

Althea working on another project!

I don’t know a lot about Tito Lopez. I do know that his musical existence has been burned into my memory bank because of my friend’s relationship with his mother. My friend has a close relationship with his mother. She is his ace boon coon. For the most part, no matter what is going on, he makes time for her. Often, we will be hanging out and then I hear his phone playing Mama Proud by Tito Lopez as his ringtone. The part he has as his ringtone repeats “I just want my mama to be proud of me. I just want my mama to be proud of me.” When that happens, our conversation pauses, and his son duty calls. It’s a beautiful thing to watch, because his relationship with his mother is the embodiment of that song’s chorus.

The relationship dynamics I have/had with the mother figures in my life are a little different, but the desire to honor them is the same. They pushed me to not let where I come from determine where I was going. Most importantly, they wanted me to represent them in all that I do. By doing that, I learned I was representing the collective, not just myself. I take pride in seeking to bring honor to mothers I have/had my life. Thankfully, they all confirmed on this side of eternity that I did honor them well.

My efforts to bring honor to women did not stop with those who helped raise me. Recently, I watched a YouTube video of Nas writing a letter to Destiny (Dear Destiny). As the video develops you realize that all Nas wants is for Destiny to be proud of him. I can relate to Nas. I live with a queen and a warrior princess...Althea and Klarc Joy. I take great joy cheering them for their unique versions of Black excellence.

Madam VP dressed to change the world

Over the years I have seen them both find new things to thrive in. In the recent past, Althea became an expecting mother-to-be one-stop empowerment hub for pregnant women. For Klarc Joy, her thing was fashion and art. Times have changed; their creative energies have found new things to explore. Althea has become the little-carpenter-that-could. If she can think it, she has made it. Headboard, benches, hotel for Guinea pigs, tables, bathroom cubby...YOU NAME IT! (Yes, it is that serious.) Klarc Joy is becoming an activist for the collective. As Madam Vice President of her school, she continuously finds practical ways to reestablish community in a pandemic, and actually implementing them. As their cheerleader, I am amazed and inspired. The ladies of royalty in my house remind me that it is not a requirement for you to remain stagnant in your purpose or talent. Yet, to embrace this premise requires courage. It takes courage to try new things. It requires an unyielding persistence to become good at those new things. These two are doing that, and they are only getting started!

I hope to continue to be inspired by the ladies of my life so they can continually be proud of me.

The Biggest Cheerleader of the Hurd 3rd Crew Ladies of Royalty,

- Elgrie J.