My very dear friend, whom I often brag about, Lateefah Simon (the youngest woman to win a MacArthur Genius Award, as a single mother without even a BA), was the keynote speaker at San Francisco State’s Commencement Ceremony on Saturday. When I graduated from SF State, I had to work the day of my commencement, and so I missed it. Lateefah and I had drinks the night before she gave the speech. She mentioned that they were also giving her a honorary doctorate. Girlfriend is still brilliant and still working for her BA, even though she now is an Executive Director of a Civil Rights organization. I noted that she must be one of a small few without a BA to get such an honor. Another friend added that Maya Angelou and Oprah Winfrey were also in such a category.
Today I came across this great little piece in the New Yorker about how Patti Smith received an honorary doctorate from Pratt, despite her not having a BA. In the above video, she starts her related keynote by giving dental advice, and then just goes off on good things from there. (Patti has also passed on dental advice to me, which means that now, whenever I floss or go to the dentist, I basically feel like I’m making the rock goddess a bit proud. Totally encouraging cause!)
At any rate, this is just a post about beautiful people and unique roads. Themes I’m thinking a lot about these days! Enjoy!
