Lady Brion introduces us to her view of the world in which she lives through the spoken word and poetry. Underneath that powerful umbrella of realism coupled with activism and artful linguistics; Ms. Brion Gill is an everyday person with big dreams and high hopes for a vibrant future. Some people may find her way of expressing grief and worldly woes as unbefitting for a young lady. But the words that Lady Brion speaks translate into much more than the depth of her voice. Lady Brion feels for all of us as she feeds our mind and soul with her charismatic tone and empathic aura that entices you to join her in thinking about the world in a different light. You may end up seeing the world through your own lens.
Brion is first in line to say that she did not live a lavish life with earthly goods handed to her on a platter. She struggled in her youth to stay out of the negative spotlight while watching Def Poetry Jam and honing her skills of verbiage and intent. It was her focus that led her to the national spotlight and her mother that kept her humble about her surroundings as she shared Sugar Cane Smile from her private collection of poems. “Southern sweetened iced tea hint of lemon in her kiss” and “Slow roasted conversations left overs in the corners of my mind” are just a few of Lady Brion words that describe her relationship with her mom (and best friend). Brion mentioned that it was this closeness that sparked her to pull over while driving home one day and pen her Sugar Cane Smile thoughts, thus creating a permanent testament to her love for her mother which cannot and will not be edited or revised, unlike some of her previous works.
Lady Brion represents the best of w
hat University of Baltimore hopes to be. The University of Baltimore’s Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences blog calls Ms. Gill “Bold. Dedicated. Inspirational.” The same sentiment could be made about this institution that has been serving Maryland scholars since 1925 when a handful of young men came up with an idea that was outside of the box for current schools of that time. It has been this university’s dedication toward educating and inspiring scholars to reach beyond what others expect of them that has made the University of Baltimore stand for individuality and aspire to make you the next Lady Brion or the next U of B President, Kurt L. Schmoke, of your time. It is evidentthat both Lady Brion and the University of Baltimore are seeking to embody not only the world we live in, but more so the diverse perspectives of those we interact with.