• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
BlackDoctor.org
Where Wellness & Culture Connect

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

  • Health Conditions
  • Wellness
  • Lifestyle
  • Longevity
  • COVID-19
  • Find A Doctor
  • Subscribe
Home / / Nikki Giovanni: “These Are Our Best Years”

Nikki Giovanni: “These Are Our Best Years”

nikkiIn 1995 poet and activist, Nikki Giovanni, was diagnosed with lung cancer. She refused to associate with negative outlooks for her future and fired one of her oncologists for setting a date for her death. She underwent surgery and lost a lung but is living, healthy as a cancer survivor. And nearly ten years afterward, Giovanni’s life is still thriving. Below is an account of her recent interview:

“2005 was a hard year. All my little old ladies — Mommy and Rosa Parks and Edna Lewis — died, and of course my older sister, Gary, so all of a sudden, I had this void in my life.

“I’m still working on filling that void, but first of all, you’re a writer, so you have to write, you know that. I’m a big fan of the power of prayer. You have to pray for the strength to carry on, but it’s not what you want because you want everybody to be 35 years old.

“I think if I didn’t have my art, I would be lost. Nobody can tell you what to do with your pain. I happen to be able to write. Between my mother’s death last June 24th [2005] and now, I completed three books. Acolytes; On My Journey Now (Candlewick Press), where I look at the Negro spirituals — I’m a big, big, big lover of Negro spirituals — and Caldecott Medalist Chris Raschka and I revisited the The Grasshopper and the Ant. I just put my head down and worked. You have to deposit that pain someplace and hope that it doesn’t grow.

You May Also Like
9 Foods You Should Never Eat after Age 30

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE!

“I’ve been driving the same car for 20 years and I’m thinking I’m going to buy a new car. I did buy a dog, a little Yorkie, whose name is Kennedy. I go down [to Mexico] once a year to observe the sea turtles hatching. If they can get beyond a day, they’ll live 100 years and you know that you’re a part of something that’s going to go way beyond you. When you have family members who are terminal, your time is not your own, so all of the sudden, you find you have your days. I exercise. I’ve always been a reader. I travel. I can pursue some of my interests.

“First of all, I don’t think artists ever retire. People say, My best work is behind me, and I think, How could that be? You’ve had an opportunity to learn so much more, and to bring so much more passion to your work, there’s no deadline, there’s nobody looking over your shoulder, you’re not looking for tenure, you’re not looking for a bestseller, and there’s absolutely nothing to prove, and that makes your art totally free.

“I’m definitely feeling the best is yet to come. One, I’m learning so much more. I have absolutely no pressure on me to do anything. The one regret is I probably lost my primary audience because you write for your mother. You want her to be proud of the book. I was very close to my grandmother, so I wanted my grandmother to be proud. I’m having to re-create my audience, which is not to say the people who read my books, but the person I write for. MORE: You were named Yolande, Jr. after your mother. GIOVANNI: Yeah, but I changed it [legally] because everything is in Nikki. I would not have done it while Mommy was still alive because I would not want her to think that I did not wish to carry her name because I do, I’m very proud of it. Even though there have been some painful experiences, this is a very good time to be alive, this is a good time in the world to see what changes are coming, so it’s a great opportunity to re-create yourself. These are our best years.

Article orginally seen on More Magazine.

You May Also Like
The Most Common STD You've Never Heard Of

June 8, 2014 by Derrick Lane

Read Next Article

The Latest In

Casual woman with stomach pain sitting in bed

Top 5 Foods That Can Rescue You From Constipation

Constipation is no fun for sure. The impulsive resort is rushing at over-the-counter laxatives. However, there are some foods that you may already have at home that remarkably efficient in relieving constipation. These foods not only reduce the amount of time read more about Top 5 Foods That Can Rescue You From Constipation

Healthy habits: 5 healthy alternatives to diet soda

Soda lovers can attest to how stimulating the hissing sound of an opened soda bottle is. It appears the world stops for a moment when that refreshingly delicious soda lands on your palate. The United States is yet awash with read more about Healthy habits: 5 healthy alternatives to diet soda

Detoxes & Cleanses: Health or Hype?

As Spring draws near, ads begin to escalate across social media promoting Spring cleaning for your body—as in “colon cleanse” or “detoxification cleanse.” A variety of detoxification diets, regimens, and therapies have been suggested to remove toxins from the body, read more about Detoxes & Cleanses: Health or Hype?
Senior women taking care of herself she exercise with dumbbells

9 Steps To Great Health After Menopause

There’s a good chance you have more than a third of your life ahead of you after menopause. Why? African American women are living long lives. And it’s more important than ever to take an active role in protecting your read more about 9 Steps To Great Health After Menopause

5 Things To NOT Do With Your Tax Refund

It's that time of year again to receive your tax refund. Some people call it, "Black folks' Christmas." It's the time of the year that people are trying to buy and sell social security numbers. That's right, it's tax refund read more about 5 Things To NOT Do With Your Tax Refund

Dirt, Depression, and Childhood Obesity: Why Kids Need More Time Outside

This Do you remember when the days when kids would go outside every day? Well, the world has changed. It’s safe to say that technology has a grip on the youth like never before. From iPads to cell phones, our read more about Dirt, Depression, and Childhood Obesity: Why Kids Need More Time Outside

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to our newsletter

Poll

Popular Posts

  • 7 Bad Sleep Habits That Cause Weight Gain7 Bad Sleep Habits That Cause Weight Gain
  • Pooch Hall: Family Over EverythingPooch Hall: Family Over Everything
  • Black Health History: Rosa ParksBlack Health History: Rosa Parks
  • Home Remedies For Your Dry SkinHome Remedies For Your Dry Skin
  • 10 Cities With The Highest HIV Rates10 Cities With The Highest HIV Rates

Podcast

Diabetes prevention and management podcast

Dr. LeNoir is joined by Dr. Lenore Coleman, a Pharmacist and Founder of Healing Our Village, as they offer you the tools you need to prevent and manage diabetes.

Listen Now

Footer

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

BDO is the world’s largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans. BDO understands that the uniqueness of Black culture - our heritage and our traditions - plays a role in our health. BDO gives you access to innovative new approaches to the health information you need in everyday language so you can break through the disparities, gain control and live your life to its fullest.

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Learn More About

  • Hepatitis C
  • Diabetes
  • Sickle Cell
  • Mental Health
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise With Us
  • BlackDoctor.org Advertising and Sponsorship Policy
  • Daily Vitamina
  • TBH

Copyright © 2021, BlackDoctor, Inc. All rights reserved.