Why Not the Right Thing the First Time | Nikki Giovanni | TEDxHerndon

Life is good; love is fun. Why not enjoy them both?
Poet Nikki Giovanni was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, on June 7, 1943. Although she grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, she and her sister returned to Knoxville each summer to visit their grandparents. Nikki graduated with honors in history from her grandfather's alma mater, Fisk University. Since 1987, she has been on the faculty at Virginia Tech, where she is a University Distinguished Professor.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@amyhodges5464]

‘Ego Tripping’ is such a great poem - Nikki Giovanni seems amazing - I would sign up for college again to be in her class.

[@KhalidBoqorShow]

Thumbs up if you think she is still Beautiful 👍

[@manuginobilisbaldspot424]

To be in the presence of a living legend. I got to meet Maya Angelou in 2005. I would LOVE to meet Nikki while she still dwells with us on this planet. She is a world treasure.

[@angelface101ful]

Nahh shes rather a disappointmrnt, she no longer cares she's stop caring a while ago

[@dwhite8997]

@@angelface101ful she is currently working with NASA to get writers into space because it needs to be written about by real writers. She is a professor at Virginia Tech and runs the liberal arts dept. She just spoke at Emory College in Atlanta and it was a free event. She is currently working on a Tupac movie also... she's doing an awful lot for someone who DOESN'T CARE... *and what is it that YOU are doing 🤔 don't worry, I'll wait *BTW learn how to spell "disappointment" before you call a legend one...

[@vivianvandrey2594]

Indeed she is

[@ndubuisiomegara8215]

@@angelface101ful What have you done recently to show you care? It's easy to critic but try doing something worthy of others criticing would be nice.

[@markelabanks4808]

You are SO fortunate to have met Maya 😢 James Baldwin, Maya and Nikki were my childhood heroes

[@WWEENETWORK]

I had the pleasure of meeting her at a talk in my late 20s . She motivated me to go back and finish my degree. She hugged my tears away..and then said...WHAT YOU DOING IN THE MEANTIME....???

[@jahneastanfield2662]

For those commenting on her appearance in the now, compared to the days of 50-60 years ago... It's called life! Get busy living yours or get you one! Shallow minds create chatter that truly is nothing but; noise without logic. 💯

[@shannontimothy]

Jahnea Stanfield This has always been Nikki!

[@jerrysmith6321]

Great comment Jahnea. You're excellent sister. Peace&Love, Jahnea. I Love your comment. I fell in Love with Nikki Giovanni 49yrs ago. Those things in which you call hands are in fact two brown butterflies fluttering across the pleasure they give my body. Nikki Giovanni. I was twelve when I first read that.

[@jerrysmith6321]

My best friend Larry Gray turned me on to Nikki Giovanni. At 15 he wrote, To thirst for knowledge is a great thing, but to quench that thirst is even greater. His English teacher changed greater to better. I preferred greater. Larry Gray taught me how to read b4 the school did. We lived next door to one another. He had me reading the declaration of Independence at 14. At 12, I knew The Creation by James Weldon Johnson verbatim. I Love books because of Larry, and I Loved Larry. He wanted to be a lawyer. After graduating his 4th yr at U of D, he got another student pregnant. They married and had 3 children. I remember at 12 he read the entire dictionary. His funeral is Saturday. R.I.P my friend. I just wanted to talk about him.

[@axucaroso]

I met Nikki Giovanni at the original Chicago State University in 1970? 1969? She looks the same to me Now as she she did then.

[@Stoney-Jacksman]

we live in the worst age for that matter. People always clutter the world with clichematic noise, always repeating the same sentences, not saying anything, but still filled with a toxic message. Instead of focussing on the words and energy shared, they focus on only the superficial. I can not understand it.

[@nessa1063]

She is just deliciously WONDERFIFFICALLLL!!

[@sgreen9088]

Yes, she is! Enbolden.

[@tiffanih8465]

how sweet is that poem...chocolate.

[@leebrown2235]

My aunt is named after Nikki Giovanni. Such a remarkable woman.

[@cordellvazquez7150]

Words could give mrs. Giovanni the respect she deserves. " I'm so hip, even my errors are correct"

[@queen_of_domination]

She is a wonderful poet! Such a legacy!

[@latonyamsummers1]

Love her sense of humor.

[@shaniewestllc]

This week will be all about her for me. I found her by studying James Baldwin. And now I want to know all about her. Thanks for posting this.

[@fred5399]

Her books of poetry are great own most of them.

[@galelynsullivan8917]

Shanie West Nikki Giovanni was the poet to recite when I was 17 yrs old. The poem she just did Ego Tripping Absolutely put her on the map however, it was her choreopoem titled For Girls Who Commit Suicide When the Rainbow Is Not Enough that painted her in the public eye. FAMOUS.. this poem was performed on Broadway and actually Tyler Perry turned it into a movie by the same name... its still being performed all over the world in theaters to this day. The last book I received of her works by my husband John is called Bicycles... the book cover is just as beautiful as the poems inside... Ms. Giovanni is wearing a white suit standing by a red bicycle. Now that I've heard this TED Talk the book cover is so like her, whimsical, funny and wonderful.

[@shaniewestllc]

@@galelynsullivan8917 thank you for all this wonderful information. I'm going to read as many of her poems as I can. She is remarkable.

[@galelynsullivan8917]

Shanie West blessings on your journey

[@pattylabell2166]

Me too! I am adding her to my Amazon list.

[@HabitsofaHomemaker]

So authentic! Love her!

[@lericamims]

She is amazing! She is retiring. I love her poem Ego Trippin.

[@QueenBDreamwalker]

Nikki can never retire from who she is & will share what's Real as long as she possibly can ✍🏾🤔🤣💜🌎

[@lindajackson5143]

that last poem will always be one of my favorite Giovanni deliveries of her own remarkable genius. love eternal!

[@karotgold09]

Seeing this is highly inspirational for our culture. Awesomeness!!!

[@reggeesexpressions]

Kim Valentine Amanda Seales

[@demetriuswilliams5620]

She’s so beautiful I love her spirit, it’s Captivating

[@tanya1954tw]

Nikki Giovanni is still Awesomeness ❤️❤️💜 Much Love to you my Sista 💋

[@mulukusimushi5659]

She's pure gold

[@QueenBDreamwalker]

Beauteous! i Love hearing Aunt Nikki talk AnyTime AnyWhere AnyDay ~ she's AllWays been this True!!! Gratitude for sharing this clip 🤔🤣✍🏾💜🌎

[@taylordottie5858]

Nikki Giovanni is awesome. She's my favorite poet. I love Ego Tripping!

[@inchwormentertainment780]

She’s amazing. A true icon.

[@elbatey4798]

I was affraid of the age, but not I am happy for those who knows how to get old thanks to Nikki

[@collettecaraway2759]

Let me just go ahead and put the sheeeet out there...I want to meet this GENIUS B4 I leave this planet.💕

[@okolamarshall3811]

Me 2

[@ProphetsOfRockTV]

Her mind, her heart, her smile. Icon

[@IsisIrving]

What a woman ✨

[@ladybathshuamoshe1751]

Truly a GODDESS! 🤩🤩🤩🤩✊🏽✊🏽✊🏽✊🏽✊🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽👑👑👑👑💯

[@Stephanieani]

I love her so much. Gosh so smooth with so much spice.

[@Sebastian-lo3hn]

I saw her interview Mohammed Ali, her words then were equally delicious

[@expatmarc6611]

I watched that interview yesterday with her crowning afro and beautiful smile.

[@keishaPlum]

My inspiration

[@shereerabon8551]

Thank you thank you thank YOU!

[@presario1978]

Sometimes you write a poem cause dammit you want too

[@wairimutororey6614]

Love her 💛

[@brooklynforever1990]

Queen 👑

[@SonjaElizabethTeal]

Powerful!!

[@jasonharris7770]

The Fear poem....so simple, yet so profound. The Mamas should be running the world.

[@tomare6479]

You are smoking. Fathers are the natural care taker, the most nurturing that can exist is from a father.

[@standingstare]

she is so adorable

[@kennydawson265]

j'appr'ecie Nikki!!

[@Killersans_ishere]

I didn't want this video to end.

[@anitawilson1284]

Thank you for inspiration!

[@kerilofton1569]

Queen Everything

[@Msgoody2]

Jill Scott put me on to her. Love this!!!

[@HappinessTheBrand]

How did I....3 years... how did I miss this?

[@corettamckinney4476]

How did I miss this? Her? I hate I missed this.

[@moniquesmith6055]

Awesome!!

[@ericwilliams1880]

Awesome!

[@armondjay3135]

I like her interview with Baldwin and Ali. When she was younger, she was gorgeous!

[@angelface101ful]

Did you like anything else. Like did you listen to her

[@thatlittlezombie]

... Still is gorgeous.

[@angelface101ful]

@@thatlittlezombie yeah but what she said was more important than how she looked

[@cherylwilliams3193]

Ummm she's more gorgeous now. That's saying a lot.

[@happygucci5094]

She IS gorgeous- I hope you see one day that her type of beauty only increases with age. She has become more and more herself. Nothing, not even time can dim that type of Beauty.

[@howardcohen6817]

But ingesting fear pure, raw and as the main dish our gastro-intestinal system rebels - for weeks. There's a great difference between distilled and instilled fear.

[@AlohaKorean]

Great

[@jetellison147]

PURE UNCUT DOPENESS!!!!

[@teddydavis2339]

I never knew that Nikki was so funny.

[@dominiquegist5373]

I definitely have to meet her before she join the ancestors.

[@jerrysmith3302]

Those things in which you so laughingly call hands are in fact two brown butterflies flucting across the pleasure they give my body. Nikki Giovanni

[@AfroMedic]

She was very beautiful

[@angelica21290]

“I’m sure they had another word for that” 😂😂

[@jasonflores9376]

My son noah built newark and we stood soft... Shes omnicient

[@patmays8845]

Loved this when I seen the title lol

[@rmr3528]

♡

[@timothywilson7401]

Still relevant 2022

[@AlysonRose1221]

*Somebody gotta know ‘em* 🤣

[@cherylwilliams3193]

Lmao. What a line. 😍

[@RichardMcWolff]

Wasn't the last poem used in a song? My ears pricked up when she started it and I was like "Hmmm, I heard this in a song that played on SOMAFM's "Lush" radio station or was it "Groove Salad" ?

[@nadia4999]

I like it too!

[@kuunami]

If you haven't seen any images of her youth look it up. She was quite stunning in her day.

[@thatlittlezombie]

... She still is stunning.

[@beneaththecrust4661]

Now I want me some chocolate.

[@kennydawson265]

Always!!

[@alonzojohnson7955]

Wow

[@TeeTee-bz3pv]

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@angelface101ful]

We met her in rl about 10yrs ago it was pretty sad. my mom wanted to cry because she was a pale shadow of her former self (70s)

[@aboriginalstraightshooter7967]

People change🤷🏿‍♀️

[@yoganandarita]

Illness she’s battling cancer

[@eyobeman8522]

Poet Loretta

[@curtislee8769]

I would like to meet her, one very interesting lady.

[@rochellewarren5008]

💜☄️🌌☮️

[@ericmiller5770]

Americans say we want to be safe! Nikki: safe from what we are the ones that are crazy Me: Sandra bland, Trayvon Martin, Cops, Trump, Insurrection, Police, America !!!!

[@beemonique8466]

Okkkkaaayy

[@judithgrace9850]

Over 60 years visiting mostly Acapulco. Earthquakes were the deal breakers. I have lived in safe Queretaro, since Nov. 2021 at 79.. With the cool weather I love. I cannot pay rent or buy groceries with gold. I have 6 months food, water, and money preps. I did move to Mexico at 79,where I am safer and it is less expensive. Please research where you move outside the USA, and use a bank,that refunds ATM fees RIP everyone everywhere. Excellente I just left the USA at 79 in 2021 and all is well with me I have 6 months preps for food and rent. This is God's world. Life means nothing to demons. Move to another country. Karma ever loses an address. I just left the USA at 79 in 2021 and all is well with me I have 6 months preps for food and rent. This is God's world. Life means nothing to demons. Move to another country. Karma ever loses an address. My old KZbin videos when I was 70 to. 75. I am 80 now living in Quetetaro acajudi100 for my KZbin videos from age 70-75.

[@babyseewho]

Is still alive? -July 2024

[@Greenmile-45]

I wonder if she's half Italian 🤔

[@happygucci5094]

Nikki Giovanni please adopt me. Please.

[@sophiagonzalez4560]

Have a little fear’ atleast once a week, and you can build up a resistance’ like a vaccination ~ sheesh….

[@smackedinthejaw]

Giovanni has always been openly anti-white and said repeatedly she disliked and distrusted all whites, but has been celebrated since the 1970s.

[@VinoVenitas]

"The first person who reads you is you" ... FREAKING simple but FREAKING true. I should try to impress me more. Her energy is awesome. I wish I could take one of her classes.

[@osmankmbal1008]

You must see her when she was young. She has the same smile and courage

[@aquafina6544]

I wish i could take her class too.

[@dwhite8997]

Me too

[@lovesings2us]

@@aquafina6544 Me too.

[@bonitahobbs2097]

I have ALWAYS ADMIRED NIKKI ROSA!!! Least since the 70's!!!! She should be on PBS every week!👊🏾

[@kendriccarter]

“I’m so hip even my errors are correct” 🔥 Beyond Bars

[@miahleslie6183]

Boss ♥️♥️♥️💪

[@alexbutler3260]

What's the title of that piece?

[@oso3202]

@@alexbutler3260 " Ego Trippin' "

[@enosadieri6212]

Nikki Giovanni is me telling a story...veering off to explain all the stories that build up to the main story.

[@happygucci5094]

Right??!!!

[@pntshiba]

"all he CAN say is No"... I love that. That's the worst that it could be, so why not take the leap of faith as it could also be yes... Love you Nikki

[@mssaddity]

One of the best poets of all time!

[@ozozy1757]

poetry genius

[@visionquilt2987]

What a gift to humanity she is!!

[@ottogreenjr.7857]

Oh, to be alive!!! Thank you Ms. Giovanni

[@pattylabell2166]

I am going back to Amazon and add her to my book list! I really like her.

[@shannontimothy]

FISKITE! One of the BEST products of Fisk University! We ❤️ you Nikki!

[@nadia4999]

If I am not mistaken I think they kicked her out of Fisk University. She was and still is a Riot. lol. Nevertheless, she is an amazing Author.

[@shannontimothy]

Well she dropped out...but we still and will forever consider her a Fiskite!

[@nadia4999]

Of course! What university or Alumni wouldn’t want to claim a mind such as Nikki Giovanni. I hear you. when I heard Giovanni mention she didn’t graduate from Fisk I found it interesting. Since the objective of attending higher learning is to graduate, but clearly she didn’t need to do that. That’s all. You got it.

[@105pretty]

She went back a year later and graduated from Fisk.

[@aliciaburbank9962]

I've decided to Ego Trip all day long! Much love to you Nikki. 💕

[@OrotiFitness]

This was wonderful and so refreshing, Ms. Nicki. Thank you for enlightening us then and even now. You are truly one of the Greats and what an Inspiration!

[@sebastianbolt7886]

Can listen and listen to this wonderful creature of Nature. ♥️

[@jamelsweden9322]

She is just so gorgeous and brilliant, I adore her so much.

[@jewls808]

Ok Ms. Nikki Giovanni. Love her.

[@jenethompsonart]

Absolutely LOVE 💗 her!!!

[@AbsolutelyNOW]

She is awesome love her and James Baldwin too 🔥🔥❤❤❤

[@jamielunes1841]

My sister and me! 😍

[@misshoneysimone]

She is me.. wow....

[@darlenehenderson6914]

When I cannot door say what I want I try hard not to do or say what I don't want. thank you Nikki for this life fulfilling word.

[@kathalinehall1678]

Prolific, articulate, intelligent, sassy, classy, lady. Love you Nikki!

[@NateD21764]

Is the title one of her quotes?

[@patmays8845]

She’s so interesting to me lol she just challenges in such a good way lol