If I could meet anybody in the world - past or present, it would be… Maya Angelou.

Viewed as one of the most talented contemporary literature authors in recent years, Maya Angelou overcame troubled beginnings to find international acclaim with the publication of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings in 1970.

Since then, Maya Angelou has forged successful careers for herself as a poet, best-selling author, actress, playwright and civil-rights activist to name only a few, coming a long way from the girl who became a single mother at sixteen.

Her books including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and the more recent A Song Flung Up to Heaven succeed in captivating her audience with her frank accounts of life as a young black woman growing up in segregated Arkansas, USA and her later struggle to find her place in society.

Although her autobiographies beginning with I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings at times make for uncomfortable reading, detailing her abuse and rape at age eight at the hands of her mother’s boyfriend, her works manage to transcend race and class. Haunted by the death of her abuser, Maya Angelou remained mute from the age of seven until thirteen but transformed into a woman with an inspirational story to tell.

The talent of Dr. Angelou lies in her unique writing style. Her books contain a sense of wisdom and honesty that you cannot fail to identify with and raises deep feelings of compassion and grief in the reader. For me, what makes Maya Angelou’s writing magical is her ability to emotionally touch the reader regardless of age or circumstance and her never fading sense of hope and the belief that we can be better.

Overall, to me the writings of Maya Angelou preach hope and the importance of self acceptance. Although her past is undeniably dark, she never shies away from it. Instead, the past is recognised and overcome, encouraging others to realise not only the beauty that life can bring but also the darkness and the ugly side of human nature. In the process, she succeeds in showing that even despite tremendous adversity, the human spirit has the ability to draw strength from weakness and endure, telling her tale in the most haunting way.

Never ashamed of her troubled past, to me Maya Angelou is a symbol of all that black women can be, strong and successful with a kind soul and a never wavering sense of self.

As Whoopi Goldberg once said:

“Even in our bleakest hours, when we face a world of doubt, black women keep stepping, courageously making their way with a bodacious blend of beauty, style and strength… women who have distinguished themselves and illuminated a path for us all by the brilliance of their examples. Their lights have helped to guide us into the twenty-first century, and we trust that they will keep us advancing toward the next. Stand up and take a bow: Ya done good girl!”.

To me, never is this more evident than in the case of Maya Angelou. A woman who amazes with her insight, identifying with the problems facing young men and women today. Exuding compassion, she inspires a new generation, especially me.