We asked folks to tell us about their favorite quote or affirmation and to tell us what it means to them. We’ve shared some of those responses below.

Bria Ogundele | Owner & Tutor

“So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow,” – 1 Corinthians 3:7 This is the anchor scripture for First Things First Tutoring and an anchor scripture for my life. Reminding myself of this truth removes the pressure to do all things and be all things.  Read more>>

Deborah Olivia Farmer | Founder of Brown Farmer Media Group, Adoption Advocate, Image & Beauty Enthusiast and Hospitality Snob

I have 2 favorite quotes/affirmations. They are, “I am the thinker who thinks the thoughts, that creates the thing.” The second quote is- “It Works If You Work It!” I am a Johnnie Colemon baby. I was baptized by Dr. Johnnie Colemon who was an influential minister and teacher in the New Thought movement. Those quotes/affirmations means so much to me, because it daily reminds me of the power God gave us to change things with our thoughts and our words. Read more>>

Mikaela Thomas | Digital Content Producer

Years ago my linesister mentioned to me the saying, “You don’t PLAN to FAIL, you FAIL to PLAN”. This statement has stuck with me as I maneuver through my career and profession. The saying is true – no one makes a plan to fail, often improper and poor plans yield poor results causing you to fail at whatever it is you’re trying to achieve. Read more>>

Hamza Hassan | Photographer & Musical Artist

I live by the South African ethnophilosophy of Ubuntu; which in Nguni Bantu translates to “I am because we are” or in Xhosa means “the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity.” This philosophy and quote is dear to me, not only because it is the philosophy I live by but also, because it is a quote that intrinsically reflects the ways in which the Black African diaspora live in their communities and shared spaces across the world. Read more>>