My most memorable religious experience of late was underground in the Subway. An older, African American singer had garnered a crowd that looked like “worshippers” standing around her chair. From where I entered the station, I couldn’t even see her sitting within the mass of people of all backgrounds gathered around her. She held this unapologetic confidence that allowed us all to latch on to her strength after a long day. Our underground mother of love belted the lyrics of love through Whitney Houston, handing the mic on occasion to those she deemed worthy to replace her incredible voice. Her contagious energy caused the entire mass of straphangers to sing in unison to her final song, “Greatest Love of All”. Businesswomen, tourists, hippies-turned-professionals, African-American mothers and grandmothers, young men, families with strollers- a small sampling of those gathered in pause to give this New York moment its New York minute.
After going home elated, I realized that if you've seen the movie Precious, she is the real mother of the Oscar-Nominated actress: http://www.popeater.com/2010/02/09/precious-actress-mom-subway-videos/
What a woman.
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she auditioned on America's Got Talent recently too and made me think of you! I like her subway performances better, maybe its the interaction with the crowd. Still, she's phenomenal!!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBOYthKxQZA