An Evening with Iyanla Vanzant
Post by Jasmine Roscoe
Iyanla Vanzant at NC State; courtesy of AACC
With the national observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. just around the corner, NC State University is doing a lot to honor the man with the dream. On January 14th, the university kicked off the celebration with the annual campus commemoration lecture. The event featured a very special guest, Iyanla Vanzant. The amazing African American Cultural Center (AACC) sponsored this event and helped bring the famous lecturer to campus.
Iyanla Vanzant is not a name that is easy to forget. Author, minister, speaker and television star Iyanla Vanzant has been a powerhouse and inspiration figure for almost 30 years. She has received a number of awards and honors including two honorary doctorates, an Emmy, and an NAACP Image award. Named as “one of the most dynamic speakers in the United States” by Emerge Magazine in 2000, Ms. Vanzant definitely lived up to this title.
Iyanla Vanzant, courtesy of TVGuide.com
Unlike an ordinary lecturer Ms. Vanzant did not begin at the podium, she made an entrance from the back and got the audience out of their shell and comfort zone. If you’ve ever happened to catch an episode of her show Iyanla: Fix My Life on Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network you are very familiar with her sense of wisdom as well as her sense of humor. Both of which made it an enjoyable evening.
As a lecturer, Iyanla Vanzant tends to speak from her heart. In honor of the commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., many of his quotes were integrated in her presentation. One of these included “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” This quote served as the foundation of the advice she gave throughout her speech and to individuals who were able to ask questions. It was a fantastic and inspirational evening and a great way to kick off celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy.
To learn more about what the African American Cultural Center does for campus visit their website.
More information on Iyanla Vanzant can be found at her website and you can also follow her on twitter @IyanlaVanzant.
Don’t forget to follow me to @NCSU_Jasmine
