At the time of this episode going live, we're days away from Thanksgiving 2016 here in the United States.  It's usually a time that allows us to reflect on all the many things we are grateful for.  

I think now more than any time in our past, it's a holiday that is so necessary. It seems that more and more noise and news enters and exits our minds daily, and even this week, the media and corporations would want your thoughts on football and Black Friday promotions, but I want to get away from the material and the money and the noise for just a little while.   

For a couple minutes, I'm going to share some of the events that have happened that really moved us all in 2016. I'm sure there are many more too, but I wanted to share those that came to mind, so we can all spend this time, and throughout this week and this season, in a mode of reflection.  

In 2016, we survived!

We made it past what was hopefully the worst of the Zika virus.  Some survived the bombing in Brussels and the shooting in Orlando, Florida.  

And though we can each think of a handful of viral reports of people that were shot and killed by police, the Washington Post has a database that shows that number as of today, at a tally of 844 people that were shot and killed by police in 2016. That's a very startling number.    

Our friends in Haiti, Cuba, the Bahamas and throughout the Southeast US, got hit by a very strong Hurricane Matthew. More than 1,000 people lost their lives in that storm alone. 

In 2016, we witnessed the passing of Trailblazers and legends in Muhammad Ali and Prince.  

And of course, we all look at the results of this election and for many like myself, we look at the end of a run by one iconic trailblazer in Barack Obama and his family.  We should all be so grateful for the job he has done for our country.  I know many voiced their frustrations at the job our government has done over these past eight years, but as I look at where we came from at the beginning of this administration in 2009, I'm especially happy that he was able to get as much done in that time. And I hope to someday soon, have him on this show to share some of that journey with our listeners.

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I Am Black Success® is a podcast featuring conversations with trailblazing Black leaders, entrepreneurs, creators, and changemakers. With 200+ episodes, the show documents Black stories and explores the strategies, lessons, and tools that fuel excellence, leadership, and legacy.

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