There are moments that aren’t just meaningful; they’re divine. During the 2025 Orlando Derby Soirée, I experienced a full-circle moment that still makes me so deeply grateful. I reconnected with a woman whose influence shaped not only media but also culture, confidence, and consciousness for generations.
The one and only Susan L. Taylor.
If you don’t know her name, allow me to elevate it here: Susan is the former Editor-in-Chief of Essence magazine, where she spent nearly three decades redefining what it meant to be a Black woman in print and in power. She didn’t just run the magazine, she led a movement. Her voice, her presence, and her vision helped shape the narrative of Black excellence, long before it was a trending term.
But beyond the accolades and titles, it’s who she is that resonates. Susan is light. Grounded. Intentional. Present. That’s rare. That’s divine. That’s Susan.
This encounter wasn’t just chance; it was alignment. It reminded me that legacy isn’t about status. It’s about presence, purpose, and how you make people feel when you enter the room and hold space.
Thank you, Susan, for your legacy…for the warmth, for the wisdom, and for showing, yet again, what a life of impact looks like in motion.
May we all walk with that level of light.