Baby Girl! Aaliyah Appreciation Day

I’m not big on the topic of death. We all know what it means, but that doesn’t mean it has to be liked. So in my mind, Aaliyah still lives on.

19 years have passed since Baby Girl herself left this world. 19 years of reflection to what she meant as an artist, a celebrity, a woman’s icon, and a presence that changed the lives of many Black folks. 

Aaliyah’s death was the first death outside of family that stopped me in my tracks. The moment I truly understood the meaning of death, and how different it looks when it happens to the youth. I had never seen a star lose its light before.  While it was difficult to accept, it became clear that while nothing lasts forever, a touch of love is infinite.

Ergo, I deem August 25th as Aaliyah Appreciation Day. In the time since that sad day in 2001, Aaliyah Dana Haughton’s legend has done nothing but grow. We are at the point where new generations are seeing the influence she gave ours.

So it’s only right to see this day as moment to say thank you. We’ve said good bye and we miss you enough. Can’t hurt to shift the words around and express what value she’s added to your life since. At least that’s the way I’ve been looking at it.

Aaliyah, thank you for the soundtrack to my childhood. My first teenage crush. The sprained ankle I got trying out your dance moves. And one of the best vampire costumes to be cosplayed ever.

And if nothing else, you provided the best outro I ever heard. Its love always. Rule In Positivity.