Ava + Chaka + Gratitude

sharing some older articles I read + walking into gratitude

Dec 08, 2024

Ava DuVernay | Instyle Magazine (March 2022) | photographer: **Chrisean Rose**

“I’m someone who was a real workaholic, and I always resented being called a workaholic because that makes it sound like an addiction of some kind. My work is my heartbeat, and I enjoy doing it, so I always resented it being called something negative.” - Ava DuVernay | InStyle March 2022

These girls are in high school now *tears | 2016/2017

Reading this reminded me of my time working with children I would always say, my work and personal life blur (re: work/life balance). I loved it, so my mind was always on work or I was often doing something with the kids even on my ‘off days’. Yet I did not view myself as a workaholic because it ‘sounds bad’.

“My work is my heartbeat…” - Ava DuVernay

And did you take Ava’s picture in! My GOD!!! Zero flaws! NONE!

In 1974, Bob Monaco (A&R guy) got Stevie Wonder to come in the studio with Rufus - as in Chaka Khan’s Rufus.

Stevie Wonder started playing a song and Chaka wasn’t really feeling it. Chaka asked Stevie Wonder if he had anything else. He asked her what her sign was. Chaka Khan told him she was an Aries. From there Stevie started singing…. ‘Tell Me Something Good….’