Queen Latifahmade her first public appearance since sharing the news in March thather mother Rita Owens diedfrom complications of a heart condition at the Essence Fest in New Orleans on Friday, and used the opportunity to pay tribute to her mother.
“While teaching and raising my brother and I, she was being a mom to all of these other students. If you got pregnant you came to my momma. If you were worried about boys you came to my mom. If you wanted to know about a girl, was she good for you or not, you came to my mom. If you want to talk about the things you dream, you came to my mother,” said Latifah. “If you were getting abused at home and you couldn’t tell anybody you came to my mother. She was that type of teacher.”
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Latifah, who performed at the event the following night with other headlinersJanet Jackson,Mary J. Bligeand Erykah Badu, also spoke about the important lessons her mother taught her.
“I watched her give back all my life. So giving back is not even an option. It’s a requirement,” said Latifah. “She would always say that thing “to those much is given much is required.” But that’s not so much a burden that is a gift.”
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In an effort to give back, the actress and musician, 48, is partnered with Proctor & Gamble to launch theQueen Collective— an initiative aimed at helping more women step behind the camera.
The Queen Collective will welcome submissions from all kinds of women hoping to tell their story. Two women will be chosen from all the proposed stories and the Collective will work with them to make sure their movie is financed, made and distributed — with the mentorship of Latifah herself to help them along.
source: people.com
