Freedom Isn’t Free. Neither Is Influence.

What my grandfather taught me about cost, responsibility, and influence.

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"Hey Newly, get this picture of me."

That is what my grandfather said on our family trip to Washington, D.C., the first time I remember him ever asking to have his photo taken in my lifetime. He was not someone who liked being in front of the camera, but that moment seemed important. He stood next to a monument that read Freedom isn’t free and told me it was something I should remember. I was 10 years old at the time, and I thought I understood what he meant. Now that I am older and it has been almost a year since he passed, those words ring truer than ever.

He had been drafted out of college into the Vietnam War in 1967 and eventually retired as a Senior Master Sergeant in the Army. He knew freedom cost something because he had fought for it himself. Freedom is not something given once and kept forever. It is something that must be continually fought for, protected, and expanded.

"The truth is, no one of us can be free until everybody is free." - Maya Angelou

This time of year, with July 4th and Juneteenth so close together, asks us to think more honestly about freedom, not just as a celebration but as something we have to keep practicing. It is easy to celebrate freedom without asking what it really costs, who has it, and what it asks of us. Freedom is not something we can reserve for a single holiday. It is something we have to keep choosing and embodying over and over again.

One of the ways we practice it is through influence.

I do not mean being famous or having a massive platform, but the everyday ways we shape what people see, hear, consider, and feel. Influence shows up in what we say, what we share, what we create, and how we choose to be present, even in our quiet moments. It is something that we all have.

This week, there will be fireworks and flags everywhere declaring freedom, but many people do not feel free at all. We are watching ICE raids in our communities and worrying about who might be taken. We see politicians fighting for power instead of solving anything meaningful. As of this writing, both the House and the Senate have passed Trump’s so-called “big beautiful bill,” which threatens healthcare for millions, cuts food assistance programs, undermines clean energy jobs, and could lead to increased energy costs. It is also projected to increase the national debt, potentially raising interest rates and making it more expensive for individuals and businesses to borrow money. He plans to sign it on July 4th, using the symbolism of freedom to push a vision that will leave many less free. It is a reminder that influence is never neutral, and that the words we choose, the timing we use, and the messages we send all shape the atmosphere we live in.

In times like these, it can feel selfish or disconnected to even talk about creativity, community, or personal influence. Many people are genuinely scared to speak, wary of being visible, or uncertain if it is even safe to hope for something better. These fears are real, and they make sense given the world we are in.

At the same time, there are people choosing to practice freedom anyway. They are sharing their stories, making art, organizing their communities, feeding neighbors, teaching, writing, singing, praying, and caring for one another however they can. They are using the influence they have to shape the world around them, not because they are ignoring the pain, but because they want to respond to it. They are not pretending fear does not exist; they are moving through it with courage.

Influence matters.

Influence is never neutral. It has the power to heal or harm, to liberate or oppress, to clarify or obscure. If freedom is going to mean anything real, it has to be more than celebration. It has to involve responsibility and stewardship.

As you reflect on what freedom means to you right now, I want to invite you to think about your own influence, even if it feels small or insignificant. Because the truth you carry is at the heart of your influence. It is what shapes what you share, how you show up, and the atmosphere you create around you.

These are questions I ask myself, and share with others, to help consider how we might use our influence with more care and courage:

• What truth do you carry that needs to be shared?

• What resistance or fear is holding you back from expressing it?

• Where have you already seen evidence that this truth matters or resonates?

• What are you willing to do (or not do) to gain influence or attention, and what will you choose to do once you have it?

This is not about fixing everything or carrying the weight of the world alone. It is about noticing where you have power and choosing to use it with intention. It is about remembering that even small acts can ripple outward.

We can practice freedom together. We can use our influence in ways that help more of us breathe, speak, dream, and create. That is something worth fighting for. That is something worth celebrating.

Go ahead and tape that episode, talk about that thing you have been holding back, write that post, comment on that article, make that video, voice your opinion, speak truth to power.

This is how we practice freedom.

What’s one small way you want to practice freedom right now?

Let me know below!

You would rarely catch my grandfather without a shirt or hat with ASU on it, the HBCU he attended on a baseball scholarship and was so proud of, especially during a time when college opportunities weren’t accessible or affordable for many Black men. He soon had to set aside that freedom to serve and fight for the freedoms of others.