Before she rose and was a phenomenal woman, a world-renowned author, poet, and civil rights activist, a teenage Maya Angelou finessed herself into the history books.
At the time, being a cable car conductor was a prestigious position, and finding a young Black woman in such a role was rare. That didn’t dissuade Angelou. Her mother’s blessing and encouragement gave her the power, at the age of 16, to achieve her dream.
The first day Angelou showed up, she found herself snubbed. It would be another two weeks of her standing outside the cable car office and finessing her age on the application before she’d finally be awarded the position.
Angelou’s ability to finesse the situation in her favor, added to the history of the power of Black determination. Had she not put the force of her will behind her, she would never have landed her the job of her dreams and the distinction of being the first Black female cable car conductor in San Francisco.
Despite her challenges, Maya Angelou enjoyed the autonomy, power, and pride that came with the job. In her pursuit of her dreams, she opened the door and paved the way for countless other Black women to do the same. She proved that when the system blocks you at every turn, you must finesse your way around it.