Aretha Franklin grew up hearing stories about Black musicians like Ray Charles and B. B. King getting underpaid or cheated by club owners. She needed a sign that said, “Don’t mess with me.” And that sign was right there on her arm.
Before she set foot onstage, Franklin collected the first $25,000 of her fee from the venue, in cash. She’d watch the bills as they were counted, tuck them into her purse, and then bring it onstage with her. And when she left the stage with that bag, everyone knew the show was over.
Even after having amassed a roughly $80 million fortune, Franklin’s purses, stuffed with cash, were always where she or her security guard could see them.
Once during a CNN interview, Don Lemon made the mistake of asking Franklin if she’d move her bag out of view from the camera. She refused, making it clear her bag was more than an accessory.
Franklin’s purse was a boundary. A statement piece that declared, “I am not the one, the two, or the three.” Like Franklin, we must know our worth and set boundaries that let folks know we won’t be played with.