Common Instagram – With all that’s going on in my life, Mr. B is still on my spirit. The first time I met Mr. Harry Belafonte in person was for an Ebony cover shoot that we were doing. I walked in, and they had laid out every cover that Mr. Belafonte had been on for Ebony on the table. All I could think about was what he had done for people, the world, the struggle, and to uplift black people and people in general throughout his life because he had a cover for every decade! I was like, “This dude is super cool, like man… he’s got it all!” And then his artistry! Whew! I recognized his artistry even more after getting to know him, and I found out that he started off doing theater too. I thought, “This is a phenomenal human being, one of the most beautiful human beings that ever walked the planet!” He exemplifies strength, love, compassion, fight, courage, hope, and sacrifice. I have known him to be doing work with former gang members and incarcerated people, and he was doing work with grassroots organizations in the early 90s. I remember conversations I had with him, and I don’t know if he said this exact quote, but he said something like, “This is what we’re supposed to do as artists. You have a responsibility as an artist to uplift people and bring light to them and stand up against injustices.” When I found out how much he had done for the civil rights movement, it blew me away. He pretty much funded the movement. I know his career took a hit because of the work he was doing, but he always put people and purpose over profit. There was never a time where I called him, and he wasn’t available. This man even narrated one of my live shows. I said to myself, “I must be doing something right because I’m in the presence of Harry Belafonte, and that’s the path I want to walk.” I know we all have to walk our paths, but his footsteps were something that I really felt was the blueprint of who I would like to be in my era. I love him, and his spirit is always with us in all of his work. His energy will continue to change us and change the world for the better. May Good bless his soul!