| Iyanla
(pronounced Ee-Yan-La) Vanzant, hailed as among the "most
dynamic African-American speakers in the country" by Emerge
magazine, is a nationally recognized inspirational speaker devoted
to showing others the way to transform their lives. A
bestselling author, her books include Tapping the Power Within,
Acts of Faith (the 1994 BlackBoard Book of the Year), The
Value in the Valley (the 1995 BlackBoard Book of the Year), Faith
in the Valley (the 1996 BlackBoard Book of the Year), and two
new guides to self-awareness and spiritual fulfillment: In
the Meantime: Finding Yourself and the Love You Want (Simon
& Schuster Hardcover) and One Day My Soul Just Opened
Up: 40 Days and 40 Nights Toward Spiritual Strength (Fireside
Books/A Simon & Schuster Trade Paperback Original).
Vanzant's
personal experiences have given her profound insight into life.
After she left her abusive husband, Vanzant went to Medgar Evers
College and City University of New York law school. She
moved to Philadelphia with her children and practiced as a public
defender for three years. She later became an ordained
minister, committed to a message based on the principles of divine
power and self-determination.
Vanzant has
received numerous awards and accolades for her work. In
1992, Los Angeles Mayor Thomas Bradley named October 21
"Tapping the Power Within Day" in honor of Vanzant and a
workshop she presented in the city for African-American
women. In 1994, Vanzant was named "Alumnus of the
Year" by the National Association for Equal Opportunity in
Education, an organization comprised of the presidents and
administrators of the 117 predominantly Black colleges in the
United States. She was also awarded an "Oni" by
the International Congress of Black Women as one of the nation's
unsung heroes. She currently serves as a national
spokesperson for Literacy Volunteers of America.
"My greatest
desire is for people to know who they are from the inside out and
to use that knowledge as a tool of empowerment and love,"
says Vanzant. The founder and Executive Director of Inner
Visions Spiritual Life Maintenance Network, she conducts perennial
workshops and lectures to thousands around the country hoping to
inspire each listener to take a stand and create a better life, a
better community, and a better world.
The mother of
three and grandmother of four, Vanzant lives in Silver Spring,
Maryland, with her husband, Adeyemi, and Mr. Coco, the cat. |
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Joy is
what we are, not what we must get.
Joy is the realization that all we want or need in life
has been etched into our souls.
Joy helps us see not what we are "going through,"
but what we are "growing to"--a greater sense of understanding,
accomplishment, and enlightenment.
Joy reveals to us the calm at the end of the storm, the peace
that surpasses the momentary happiness of pleasure.
If we keep our minds centered on joy, joy becomes a state of mind.
Iyanla
Vanzant
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