Claim Your Crown

Word: Nandi

Definition: Happy, joyful, satisfaction

A name powerful enough for a queen, the mother of the famous African king Shaka, a mighty and vicious ruler. A name powerful enough for my sister.

I chose to leave the beaten path for this beautiful challenge and pay homage to an offline persona, my older sister. At the age of 27 she is a veteran, a business owner ,the holder of a bachelor's degree and a fantastic sibling. Her confident attitude bestows upon her an essence that is of beauty and grace, that of a queen. I'm sure that's why our parents named her Nandi, they foresaw the path of greatness she has followed.

My sister is the owner of a wig and online beauty supply company, as well as a recently launched home decor online store. When she left the Navy, she was shouldering several physically and emotionally traumatic events. Refusing to let the tumultuous events of her, up to that point, short life span define her, she launched on a journey of self sustainment. Many people dream of working for themselves, yet how many put in the time and effort to find the resources and actually take that leap of faith to launch a business of their own? Keeping in mind the importance of the beauty supply store to the black community and the limited access that many had to such establishments given the current pandemic, she expanded her business to include beauty supplies as well. I strive to also have a mindset where I can think about what would benefit others and lift them up, while I'm raising myself. Too many people only worry about personal success, forgetting that supporting those we love or relate to can be just as rewarding. There's no need to stand on a pedestal and look down on those who are metaphorically drowning.

Nandi is always aiming for the next step. In recently launching her online home decor business, she shows me that I should never settle at doing the bare minimum. There's always room for improvement, even if that improvement is completely unrelated to something that you're already engaged in. Success has many different forms but it always requires action, effort and confidence. We would never settle for just anything in other people or in products were purchase, so why would we settle for just anything regarding ourselves?

My sister has also shown me that as black women, we don't have to be complacent. We don't have to tolerate disrespect from strangers or family members. Verbal and emotional abuse from a parent, someone who is supposed to unconditionally love and support you, can be very traumatic. It can certainly cause an individual to doubt their self-worth, or question any actions they take. However, she has shown me that I should never let the hateful words or actions of others, even those close to me, make me question my worth. I should never allow it to stop me from taking the next steps in building a life for myself. While I sit and overthink about words, that person is living their life to the fullest, unaware that they are destroying mine. In addition, I've learned to be forgiving. While I don't need to speak to that person, I shouldn't allow their actions to haunt my every waking hour and flood my thoughts until I become the same unsatisfied soul that they are.

Nandi means happy, joyful, satisfaction. However that name has so much more meaning for me. It means power, companion, role model, support system. I don't think older siblings get enough credit for the support they provide and I wanted the world to know that my sister is a queen.