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GOOGLE HONORS DR. MAYA ANGELOU ON HER 90TH BIRTHDAY WITH DOODLE AND VIDEO FEATURING THE VOICES OF OPRAH WINFREY, ALICIA KEYS, LAVERNE COX & MORE

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“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, 
but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

-Dr. Maya Angelou

In a life rich with experiences and stories, author, poet, memoirist, and activist Dr. Maya Angelou touched the lives of millions around the globe through her teachings, her writings, her voice, and her actions.

Born Marguerite Annie Johnson in 1928, her incredible story began with tragedy when a sexual assault at the age of seven rendered her mute for five years. During those years, however, books and poetry became her solace and constant companions, eventually helping her find her voice again to embark upon an intellectual and creative journey that defies description.

In her her teens and early adult life Dr. Angelou saw more experiences than many do in a lifetime: from motherhood, to becoming San Francisco’s first female and black streetcar conductor, to touring the world as a cast member of the opera Porgy and Bess — all while mastering several languages. She sang and danced in professional cabarets, worked as a journalist in Africa, and became one of the most prominent civil rights activists of her generation.

The success of her first book, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” in 1969 brought her mainstream attention as an author. Six other autobiographical works followed, in addition to poetry, children’s literature, and non-fiction (even cookbooks!).

Through her works, Dr. Angelou gave a voice to millions. She championed women’s rights and gender equality. She redefined black beauty and celebrated African-American oral traditions. She advocated against war and campaigned for universal peace.

She was also the recipient of numerous honors during her lifetime. She became the first poet to make an inaugural recitation in three decades when Bill Clinton became President in 1992. Her vast impact on popular culture was also felt through a host of award nominations, public accolades, and more than 50 honorary degrees.

Today’s video Doodle celebrates Dr. Maya Angelou on what would have been her 90th birthday. Set to her poem “Still I Rise,” the Doodle includes her own voice along with the voices of other individuals whose lives she has inspired, and who aspire to live by her legacy today.

Special thanks to these project partners who include (in order of appearance):  

​“Maya Angelou, I love her so much. Everything she represented as a woman, her creativity, her story, who she is. She was a renaissance woman of all types, she recreated though levels, all angles, all places in her mind. She is brilliant…I am honored to be able to say her words.”

 

 

“Being around Maya was so powerful and inspiring. I count myself very blessed to be one of the ones chosen to be a part of this. For some reason she took a liking to me and went out of her way to extend herself to me and I am forever grateful for that.”

 

 

“Dr. Angelou’s work is filled with such incredible wisdom and spiritual teachings. It feels like the ultimate privilege to have the opportunity to speak her words. She is a national treasure we should always celebrate.”

 

“Maya Angelou is not what she has done or written or spoken, it’s how she did it all.  She moved through the world with unshakeable calm, confidence, and a fiery, fierce grace and abounding love.” 

 

Here’s to Dr. Maya Angelou for her courage, compassion, and words, which continue to inspire hope around the world.

 

We Speak Entertainment

Alexis Hunter Guests On “If These Walls Could Talk” With Hosts Wendy Stuart and Tym Moss Wednesday, June 11th, 2025 

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Who else but hosts Wendy Stuart and Tym Moss could “spill the tea” on their weekly show “If These Walls Could Talk” live from Pangea Restaurant on the Lower Eastside of NYC, with their unique style of honest, and emotional interviews, sharing the fascinating backstory of celebrities, entertainers, recording artists, writers and artists and bringing their audience along for a fantastic ride.  

Alexis Hunter will be a featured guest on “If These Walls Could Talk” with hosts Wendy Stuart and Tym Moss on Wednesday, June 11th, 2025 at 2 PM ET live from the infamous Pangea Restaurant. 

Wendy Stuart is an author, celebrity interviewer, model, actor, filmmaker and along with If These Walls Could Talk she hosts TriVersity Talk, a weekly web series with featured guests discussing their lives, activism and pressing issues in the LGBTQ Community. 

Tym Moss is a popular NYC singer, actor, and radio/tv host who recently starred in the hit indie film “JUNK” to critical acclaim.

Joi Lansing may have been the last of Hollywood’s blonde bombshells, but she was also victim to its vile, indeed murderous system of control. With Joi Lansing: A Body to Die For, author Alexis Hunter, herself a victim of studio “indentured servitude” and Lansing’s partner and spouse during the starlet’s final years, offers the tell-all now available in a new, frank edition set for these post- #MeToo years, and just in time for the tenth anniversary of marriage equality. More so, the author is currently in talks with enthusiastic producers to cast this vital story as a film or mini-series.

Hunter, a quiet activist over decades for the rights of women and the LGBTQ community, was forced–like far too many–to endure a hidden life during her years with the noted sex symbol. “I had to pose as her little sister”, Hunter explained, “and was given the name Rachel Lansing” to explain their shared life. It is rare that such a romance can exist amidst the seductive yet destructive climate of Hollywood. Indeed, the pair forged a lasting relationship cut brutally short by the encroaching cancer Joi developed following years of breast- and buttocks- enhancement injections by a rabidly profit-mad industry. Told with a still palpable love by the author, the book places the reader into the heart of a relationship that couldn’t have known it was destined for such a meager shelf life. Joi Lansing, actress and vocalist, was the tragic biproduct of male-led business thriving on the distorted body imagery of women, particularly in the time of #BeverlyKills, which we apparently are not as far removed from as we’d thought. The book is a must-read as our society re-evaluates whether or not we’ve done all we can to assure this tragedy doesn’t happen again. As Hunter states in this unfortunately timeless tale, “Joi died for beauty”.

Watch Alexis Hunter on “If These Walls Could Talk” with hosts Wendy Stuart and Tym Moss on YouTube here:

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