Y: Terry Allen
Lucille “Big Mama” Allen used to say, “Baby, dance with the one who brung ya!” That wasn’t just about the dance floor — it was a life lesson about loyalty, gratitude, and remembering the folks who held you down before you got the spotlight. Those who spoke your name in rooms you hadn’t entered, who prayed for you when you didn’t even know it, who showed up for you when it wasn’t convenient — those are your champions. And they deserve their roses while they can still smell them.
Her success wasn’t solo — she built an empire with sisters, stylists, and believers who never left the dance floor.
In this season, when politics feels more like performance than purpose, Big Mama’s words hit harder than ever. Too many elected officials who were voted in by the people are now playing identity politics and keeping the government closed — hurting the very Americans who danced with them at the polls. That’s not loyalty; that’s self-service. Big Mama would call that “forgetting who helped you lace your shoes before the parade.”
We’re watching courage play out right now with Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett. When critics like Stephen A. Smith tried to dim her light, her supporters turned up the wattage. She’s becoming stronger because those who’ve been with her from day one — the real ones — know what she stands for. That’s dancing with the one who brung ya.
And don’t overlook House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. He showed political brilliance by flipping the GOP’s government shutdown narrative, renaming their failed effort “The Big Ugly Bill.” He put the accountability right back where it belongs. But his party missed a step — they didn’t amplify his message. When your leader’s leading, you’ve got to move in rhythm.
We’ll see this kind of loyalty in action again at The Joy Goddess: Celebrating Legacy, Leadership, and Love — the A’Lelia Bundles weekend honoring the great-great-granddaughter of Madam C.J. Walker. Madam Walker’s story proves what happens when champions stand with visionaries. Her success wasn’t solo — she built an empire with sisters, stylists, and believers who never left the dance floor.
So here’s your Big Mama call to action: Don’t wait until folks are gone to celebrate them. Lift up your allies, your sponsors, and your day-one believers. The ones who’ve been clapping for you when no one else noticed.
Big Mama said, “Don’t go chasing a new tune when the one that brung ya still keeps the beat.” Go be a champion — and dance like you mean it.
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Terry Allen is an NABJ award-winning Journalist, DEI expert, PR professional, and founder of the charity – Vice President at Focus- PR, Founder of City Men Cook, and Dallas Chapter President of NBPRS.org
