Cicely Tyson, “The Dignity of Refusal”

Cicely Tyson built her career on saying no. She turned down roles that demeaned Black women and, in doing so, redefined Black womanhood on screen.

Her legacy teaches this: you do not have to accept what the world offers if it does not honor you. Saying no to the wrong doors can open the right ones. Carry yourself with dignity, and you will shift the culture.