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Description
From the Stated Meeting of Philadelphia City Council held Thursday, April 12, 2018:
Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown (At Large) led a presentation honoring Iyanla Vanzant's life, accomplishments and contributions to the fields of spirituality and personal development.
A
B
Thank
you
very,
very,
very,
very,
very,
very
much.
Mr.
president,
this
is
a
big
thrill
for
me,
as
it
is
rare
in
the
work
that
we
do
that
we
get
a
chance
to
meet
those
persons
we
admire
from
afar
up
close
and
personal,
and
so
this
morning
is
a
real
thrill
for
me
and
I'm
very,
very
grateful.
I
joined
the
many
who
were
thrilled
to
invite
our
very
special
guests.
The
City
Council
today
the
extraordinary
exceptionally
extraordinary.
How
about
that
young
lavon's
on
to
receive
an
official
city
of
Philadelphia
resolution
honoring
her
life's
work.
B
This
is
a
woman
with
many
titles,
mother,
grandmother,
good
girlfriend,
wise
woman,
life,
coach,
spiritual
teacher,
soul,
technician
attorney,
Minister
prayer,
warrior
servant,
cultural
custodian
and
student
of
life
are
all
words
that
have
been
used
to
describe
this
phenomenal
woman.
We
had
the
pleasure
of
honoring
today.
My
personal
opinion
is
that
she
exemplifies
the
answer
to
the
question:
how
to
reinvent
yourself
and
beyond
that
she's.
What
I
call
a
possibility
thinker
consider
this
possibility.
Thinkers
resemble
the
hummingbird
that
looked
for
and
fine
honey,
often
in
the
most
unlikely
and
unthinkable
places,
possibility
thinkers
perceptibly
probe.
B
Every
problem
propose
an
opportunity
to
discover
only
the
positive
aspects
present
in
that
situation
in
Reverse,
impossible
thinkers
make
sweeping
passes
over
proposed
idea
scanning
it
with
a
negative
I.
Only
looking
for
the
distasteful
aspects,
impossibility
thinkers,
look
for
reasons
why
something
won't
work
instead
of
visualizing
ways
in
which
it
could
work,
they
are
inclined
to
say
no
to
any
proposal
and
never
give
the
idea
of
fair
hearing
further
miss
Van
Zandt
has
learned
that
impossibility
thinkers
immediately.
B
Impulsively
instinctively
react
to
any
positive
suggestion,
with
a
sweeping
unstudied,
irresponsible
assortment
of
reasons
why
it
won't
be
miss
finds
I,
on
the
other
hand,
is
not
that
she's.
What
we
call
a
possibility
thinker
who,
when
faced
with
the
mountain,
did
not
quit
she
kept
on
striving
until
she
either
climbed
over
found
a
pass
through
tunnel
underneath
or
simply
stayed
and
turned
the
mountain
into
a
gold
mine.
B
Miss
Van
Zandt
recognizes
that
possibility
thinkers
are
resourceful
people
and
her
philosophy
is
that,
where
there's
a
will
there's
a
way?
Why
has
she
succeeded
in
so
many
genres
because
she
has
trained
herself
to
look
only
for
the
possibilities
in
all
areas
of
life
and
for
that
we're
honoring,
iyanla
Vanzant
life's
her
accomplishments,
contributions
to
the
fields
of
spirituality
and
personal
development.
C
Whereas
iyanla
Vanzant
has
had
a
30
year
long
distinguished
career,
in
which
she
continues
to
be
honored
for
her
writing
public
speaking
life,
coaching
and
spiritual
teachings
throughout
her
career,
she
has
published
18
books,
six
of
which
are
New
York
Times
bestsellers
and
has
played
a
leading
role
in
two
television
shows
multiple
speaking
tours
and
countless
radio
and
television
features
her
formal
titles
as
life,
coach,
ordained,
priestess,
spiritual,
healer
and
attorney
are
not
what
defines
her.
She
is
also
a
devoted
mother,
a
grandmother,
a
prayer
warrior
and
a
student
of
life
and.
D
Whereas
uliana
of
advanced
life
is
a
living
testament
to
the
values
in
life's
valleys,
Van
Zant
has
had
to
overcome
much
adversity
on
her
journey
to
success.
She
was
born
in
Brook
in
the
Brooklyn
projects
and
her
mother
died
when
she
was
two
years
old
throughout
her
childhood
and
young
adulthood
she
suffered
from
physical
and
sexual
abuse.
E
Whereas
against
all
odds,
van
zan
has
received
three
degrees
of
higher
education
in
which
she
has
graduated
with
distinguished
honors.
She
graduated
summa
laude,
with
a
Bachelor
of
Arts
and
public
administration
from
Medgar
Evers
College.
She
went
on
to
receive
her
law
degree
from
the
inaugural
Law
School
class,
at
the
unit
at
the
City
University
of
New
York.
After
after
deciding
to
pursue
a
different
career
path,
she
received
her
master's
degree
in
spiritual
psychology
from
the
University
of
Santa
Monica.
Her
educational
career
is
evidence
of
her
tireless
work,
ethic
work,
ethic
and.
F
Whereas
after
receiving
her
law
degree,
miss
Van,
Zandt
moved
to
the
city
of
brotherly
love
and,
more
importantly,
sisterly
effectiveness
to
serve
as
a
public
defender
with
the
defenders
association
Philadelphia
in
Janish
eres.
That
would
share
that
it
was
through
practicing
man's
law
that
she
developed
a
new
lover,
respect
for
God's
law
and.
G
Whereas
bends
in
legitimize
her
passion
for
spiritual
uplifting,
while
becoming
an
ordained
new
Robo
priestess
in
1983
and
an
ordained
minister
of
new
Christianity
in
1994
that
same
year,
bans
in
hot
Dora
Jamia
found
at
the
inner
vision,
spiritual
life,
maintenance
center
and
bookstore
in
the
Silver
Springs
Maryland.
To
use
the
sinner
to
carry
out
her
divine
purpose
by
offering
classes,
workshops
and
products
targeted
towards
personal
and
spiritual
development
and.
H
Whereas
Van
Zandt
is
known
for
her
renowned,
writing
and
speaking
abilities,
she
uses
these
gifts
to
educate
women
of
color
about
how
to
navigate
hard
times
and
her
words
have
helped
millions
of
chief
spiritual
awakenings
in
1988,
Van
Zant
published
her
first
book
a
work
perk
for
her
students,
titled
tapping
the
power
within
since
then.
She
has
published
17
more
books,
all
of
which
demonstrate
her
unique
ability
to
speak
into
her
audiences
lives
and.
I
And
you
have
to
grow
out,
grow
and
then
grow
some
more.
Her
quote,
whereas
in
addition
to
being
a
successful,
highly
revered
writer,
Van
Zandt
has
hosted
a
number
of
television
shows
she,
as
was
a
life
coach
on
NBC's,
starting
over
program
that
centered
around
her
helping
women
guests
overcome
dysfunction
within
their
lives.
Currently,
there's
an
is
executive
producer
and
star
of
Ayana
fixed,
my
life.
The
show
is
featured
on
Oprah
Winfrey's
Network
own,
and
is
the
number
one
rated
show
on
the
network
and
number
two
give
it
up.
E
J
Whereas
he
young
lavenza,
has
been
recognized
across
the
globe
for
her
accomplishments.
Van
zan
is
a
four-time
NAACP,
Image
Award
recipient,
a
three-time
Gracie
Award
winner
and
a
three
times
honorary
degree.
Recipient
Van
Zant
was
named
one
of
the
100
most
influential
black
Americans
by
evany
magazine,
which
stated
that
quote
her
books,
lectures
and
television.
Appearances
have
made
her
a
multimedia,
High
Priestess
of
healthy
relationships
and.
B
Whereas,
despite
miss
Van
Sant's
outstanding
number
of
achievements
awards
and
recognitions,
she
remains
humble
and
gives
God
all
the
credit
for
her
success.
She
has
stated
quote:
it
is
not
the
television
show
or
the
red
carpets
are
known
how
many
followers
I
had
that
keeps
me
going.
It's
remembering
the
truth
of
who
I
am
a
girl
from
Brooklyn
who
has
made
many
many
mistakes
and
is
still
God's
beloved
in
quote
to
Van.
B
Zandt
God
is
the
reason
why
she
has
been
able
to
touch
a
gazillion
lives
around
America
and
the
globe
and
embodies
the
traits
of
a
spiritual
technician.
Now,
therefore,
be
it
resolved
by
this
council
of
the
city
of
philadelphia.
We
hereby
honor
recognize
and
congratulate
miss
Van,
Zant's
life,
accomplishments
and
contributions
to
the
fields
of
spirituality
and
personal
development,
further
resolved
that
an
engrossed
copy
of
this
resolution
will
be
presented
to
our
honored
guests.
As
evidence
of
the
sincere
sentiments
of
this
Philadelphia
legislative
body.
Thank
you
for
all
you've
done.
K
Am
and
honored
to
be
here
and
I'm
here,
because
my
grandmother,
scrubbed
floors
and
clean
toilets
to
feed
me
and
my
brother
I'm
here,
because
I
am
the
demonstration
of
the
dream
that
my
ancestors
never
thought
would
come.
True
and
I
hope
that
each
and
every
day
of
my
life
I
live
to
bring
honor
to
those
people
who
sacrificed
so
that
I
could
have
the
privilege
and
the
benefit
of
standing
in
a
place
like
this,
of
serving
publicly
working
on
a
television
network
owned
by
a
black
woman
whose
grandmother
did
somebody's
laundry.
K
It's
not
about
me
at
all.
It
is
to
bring
honor
to
the
lives
and
souls
and
names
of
my
greatest
greatest
grandmothers
who
endured
indignities
that
I
would
never
have
to
endure
I.
Do
it
to
bring
honor
to
them
I.
Do
it
to
bring
honor
to
all
of
my
brothers
and
sisters
and
I
asked
that
God.
Keep
me
humble
and
clear,
and
every
occasionally
give
me
a
good
meal
and
I'll
be
happy.