When Maya Angelou Held My Hand
“Oh good, the carpet is deep.”
This was my first thought on entering Maya Angelou’s dining room on the morning after Barack Obama was elected President of the United States.
I was at Dr. Angelou’s home to record a radio interview for the BBC. At that point, I’d been freelancing for large international broadcasters for over a decade, and had become a bit blasé about the whole thing.
Other audio producers will understand exactly why I was thrilled by her decor, though. Homes are not the best places to record radio interviews. They can be echoey and often emit all kinds of unpredictable noises. The hum from your kitchen refrigerator can completely ruin an intimate verbal exchange. But a very thick rug can help, by absorbing much of the aural bounce.
On top of the plush carpeting, Maya Angelou’s dining room was also fitted with heavy walls and large pieces of soft furniture. I couldn’t have asked for a better non-studio set up. At that point, that’s all I cared about.
USA Election Night 2008 was exciting, emotional, but most of all, busy. It was a great time for a freelancer like me to make extra money, so I said yes to every job I could. I worked all day and then overnight — producing live radio interviews for the BBC from New York. I saw a seemingly endless cycle of political commentators, writers and celebrities coming into a temporary studio in Times Square to speak about the historic vote.
By the time we wrapped up in the morning, I just had enough time to grab a coffee and head uptown to Harlem, where I was scheduled to record an interview between a BBC news presenter in London, and one of the world’s most celebrated artists.
It was just another gig for me, although I knew that my mother would be excited. She’s a huge fan of Maya Angelou. Though the two women lived very different lives, my mother connects deeply with Maya Angelou’s writing, and has read every word she’s ever published.
But all I wanted to do was check this job off my list, send my invoice to the finance department and get some sleep.
While Maya Angelou’s assistant showed me where to set up my recording gear, my hands started to shake a bit. I thought it might be the coffee or the exhaustion, because it was uncharacteristic for me. I had put microphones in front of hundreds of famous people, so this should have been no different.
Once the equipment was ready and I had linked with the studio in London, Maya Angelou entered the dining room, slowly, deliberately and with a presence I hadn’t ever experienced before.
Which is why, perhaps, I was inspired to do something I had never done before….
The interview was brilliant, thought-provoking and extremely moving, as Maya Angelou reflected on the occasion of the first African-American man to be elected President of the United States.
When it was finished, I unplugged the cables and packed away my microphone.
Then, on impulse, I did the unthinkable for a serious journalism professional.
I asked to take a photo with her.
Trying to justify the request, I told Maya Angelou that it would make my mom happy. She agreed, and even handed me a signed book to give to my mother.
She was kind and generous, but as I stood next to her, I couldn’t stop shaking.
And then, suddenly, Maya Angelou reached up and gently took my hand, steadying me, allowing me to exhale.
Her assistant snapped the photo. And I realized what had just happened.
I had walked into Maya Angelou’s house thinking of it as just another gig with a famous person, rather than a chance to connect with a human being.
I had walked in crudely testing the sound quality of the carpet, instead of admiring its beautiful color and texture.
I had walked in thinking about the invoice I would send for this job, rather than appreciating this priceless experience to meet Maya Angelou.
But Maya Angelou did not see me as just another producer, just another interview to check off her list. She saw me as an individual, and wanted to relieve my stress.
When she showed such grace to me, I understood why her words resonated so deeply with my mother and with many others. Perhaps because of her own life struggles, Maya Angelou was able to find and nurture the humanity, beauty and artistry in everything and everyone around her.
I don’t think I’ll ever ask a famous interviewee to take a photo with me again. But I will never forget that each of these persons is a human being, not a job.
I will strive to give to others the same level of compassion and connection that I received, when I was trembling, and Maya Angelou held my hand.
