Today we’d like to take a moment to applaud the parents who despite many challenges, did they best they could and did right by their kids. We asked folks to share stories of what they feel their parents got right and have shared highlights below.

Obafemi Kinsiedielele

I would say that both of my parents attended and graduated from an HBCU! With them being from the Arkansas Delta, born in the 1950’s, they have experienced part of Southern American history through the eyes of the African American with the hardships that life offered in rural Arkansas at that time throughout the 1960s. Read More>>

Tim Gillespie

They let me dream big without making me feel weird about it, trusted me enough to let me learn the messy way, and sprinkled in enough love to make sure i always had a safe place to land, even if home was sometimes on wheels. If parenting had a highlight reel, they’d definitely have made the playoffs. Read More>>

Korey Townsend

My parents did many things right. Now as an adult, I’m grateful to have adult conversations with my parents and I really get to see who they are as individuals and not only as my parents. That has been so fun because I now understand why I do some of the things I do. Read More>>

Fatima Kargbo- Gathers

When I think about what my parents did right, the first thing that comes to mind is how intentionally they raised my sisters and me to understand where we came from. My parents immigrated from Sierra Leone, West Africa, and while they were determined to build a new life here, they never let us forget our roots. Read More>>

Azaria Graham

My mother was the best influence on my journey. She was tough but caring. She educated me and showed me how to find answers on my own. She was my biggest cheerleader and supported my goals. She always told me to follow my dreams and she helped me to do so. Read More>>

Farrah Larae

My parents modeled resilience and consistency. They were serial entrepreneurs and pastors, raising eight children while leading ministries in multiple cities. What stood out was their ability to keep going. No matter what season we were in—financial strain, long travel days, managing different personalities in a large family—giving up was never an option. Read More>>

Kyra Christopherson

First off, I loved all these questions, yet this one spoke most to my heart. I just completed my third master’s, and the introduction to my thesis was dedicated to my father who passed away four years ago. There are many reasons and ways that I could say my parents didn’t do things right. Read More>>

Jeneba Wint

My parents gave me the three things that every child deserves but not every child gets: resilience, agency, and an almost outrageous level of self-belief. Looking back, they didn’t raise me with fear; they raised me with freedom. Not reckless freedom, but the kind that says: “Go see. Go try. Go figure it out. Read More>>

yilin Li

My parents have always respected and supported me in doing what I like and exploring my own world. This is the beginning and start of my career. I think I’m very lucky to have such parents Read More>>

Cali Jai

What my mom did right was never coddling me. She raised me to be independent and to think for myself, even when it meant letting me struggle a little. At the time I didn’t always understand it, but now I see how it shaped me into a strong, solution-oriented person who doesn’t shut down when things get hard. Read More>>

Ricky Wing

Well, to begin with, I was raised in a single-parent household by my beautiful mother. What she consistently did right was instill in us the belief that we could achieve anything we set our minds to if we put in the effort. Not only was this instilled in me and my siblings, but she also led by example. Read More>>

Jonathan Fredette

From an early age they fostered two things that shaped me to be who I am. One – creative freedom and encouragement. Whatever current obsession it was, they not only encouraged it, but provided resources to help make it happen. Read More>>

DeArtae Comanche

One thing my parents did right was they stayed united when it came to raising me. My mother never stepped in or tried to undercut my father when he disciplined me — even if they were going through their own issues behind closed doors. She gave him the space to be a man, a father, and a leader. Read More>>

Amaricko McKenzie

Alvin “Big Joe” McKenzie is the embodiment of the American dream. Born on April 8th, 1936, in Kingston, Jamaica, he immigrated to America at 39 in 1975 bringing with him the warmth of his island heritage and an unwavering commitment to community. Read More>>

Dr. Alicia A. Williams

When I think about the woman I am today, a wife, mother, leader, and purpose-driven entrepreneur, I can trace so much of it back to what my parents, Mr. & Mrs. Rickey Wright Sr., did absolutely right. They gave me faith as a foundation, not just in words, but in the way they lived. Read More>>

Kwyonnica Frazier

One of the greatest things my parents did right was instilling resilience in me. They never pretended life would be easy — instead, they taught me to face challenges head-on and find strength in the struggle. I grew up watching my mom make something out of nothing more times than I can count. Read More>>

Tory McKenna

Ah, thank you for asking this question; it isn’t often presented from a positive perspective. I’m grateful for the opportunity to shine a light on this subject. As a parent myself now, and as a performing artist and voice teacher, I have more experience on both sides of this question. Read More>>