“Throw your hands up at me,” if you were beyond inspired by Beyoncé’s Homecoming movie! A production with over 200 performers on-stage, including an orchestra, drumline, band, singers and dancers. A birds-eye view into her life as a mom of three, with first looks at the adorable Carter twins and her mini-me daughter, Blue Ivy. Her reunion with Destiny’s Child and special guest performances with baby sister, Solange and hubby, Jay-Z. Homecoming really took us there to the mother, matriarch and family side of Beyoncé’, as much as it was a homecoming and ode to her African-American culture and HBCU’s (historically Black colleges and universities).
A mother teaches how to live by living out her own dreams
It will be a long time before the world stops reacting to the amazing Homecoming gift that Queen Bey bestowed on us. In the meantime, I’m running down five things that Mother Queen Bey taught us in her Netflix film.
1. “Just don’t give up what you’re trying to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.” — Ella Fitzgerald
Everyone experiences self-doubt: Even the queen herself. With eight months of practice for Coachella, Homecoming chronicled from start to finish Beyoncé’s production, with self-confessed moments of personal doubt along the way. If anyone was thinking that a huge, history-making accomplishment like this came without its challenges and moments of insecurity, then thank God for Beyoncé taking us behind the scenes. To whom much is given, much is required, and Bey lifted her royal veil to share the real with us. Arguably the best Coachella performance of all time- and headlined by the first Black woman ever.
2. “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” – Maya Angelou
A woman’s body is amazingly resilient: The struggle is real after having a baby. Beyoncé gave birth to not one, but two bouncing babies! We were granted a first-time look into the intimate joys and highs as we celebrated Mrs. Carter giving birth. Followed by the bittersweet lows of adjusting and reclaiming her body after carrying twins. We watched her overcoming adversities of weight loss and physical fitness that are oh so real for most every woman, along with the strong will, determination and discipline of a mother- an instinctive leader. In the end, she gave us her most triumphant performance yet- and a new album with over 40 tracks!
3. “The progress of the world will call for the best that all of us have to give.” – Mary McLeod Bethune
Success is best shared: What joy it brings to invite people to partake in a spotlight and celebration of cultural expression! Only a seasoned soul understands the value of giving over receiving. Learning so you can teach someone else. Old or young, this lesson is always worth the reminder. Thank you, Beyoncé for sharing with us that true queens are only as great as the people that they place in their courts. We watched the exchange of giving, receiving and gratitude between Beyoncé and an amazing cast of gifted artists.
4. “What’s the world for if you can’t make it up the way you want it?” – Toni Morrison
Community is everything: We learned that legacy is in community. Homecoming is an ode to the HBCU experience that Beyoncé marveled as a child. The Black college experience with its unmatched homecoming musical performances captivated a young Beyoncé. As a rising star, there wasn’t time for her to take part in the college life that was always a highlight in her childhood years. Beyoncé said Beychella was, “Creating something that will live beyond me. Something that will make people feel open and like they’re watching magic.” Her Homecoming experience will live long beyond the years of herself, every performer on the Coachella stage and beyond every spectator watching. There is strength in numbers and power in community. What the queen called to assemble has become a legacy of its own.
5. “You can’t be what you can’t see.” –Marian Wright Edelman
She created her own reality: My favorite of all the things we learned from watching Beyoncé’s Homecoming is how the queen assembled her own royal court. Her own Black college experience. Her own curated family. Invoking into reality the same dynamic atmosphere that she saw and desired to be a part of as a child. Life waits on no man or woman, no mother or father. You have to create the life that you want to see. Mrs. Carter had enough foresight to produce, perform and document one of the greatest collaborative experiences of all time.
“I gotta go home to my fifty-eleven children!” -Beyoncé, Homecoming
In essence, Beyoncé opened up her home to us. Allowing us an affectionate close up look into her maternal, mentor, protective of her people, parental side. What we learned from her was far beyond the epic music, talent and creative synergy. She taught us that mothers at our best are forever balancing family, careers and personal endeavors. This is also the time when we inspire the most. Simply being who we are, insecurities and all. Courageously dreaming out loud teaching our kids and community at the same time. “Shows them to dream big, and shows them that they are limitless. It’s possible. If my country ass can do it. They can do it.” –Beyoncé, Homecoming
Everybody say, “Heyyyy, Mrs. Carter!” Happy Mother’s Day!
“If you know me then you know my family is the biggest priority in my life. My family is my sanctuary. My weakness and my strength. They’re my tribe. And it was important that we all felt like family.” – Beyoncé, Homecoming
This article in its entirety was originally published on ShaundaNecole.com