It’s never too late to follow your dream. However, for many women active on social media, it can seem like everyone else is on a bullet train to success. It’s easy to feel like you’re falling behind or running out of time, as if the window for opportunity is always out of reach.
Yet in reality, there’s no optimal age for success, and your big break can come when you least expect it. If you’re feeling stuck or called to make a drastic pivot, don’t let the false pressure of time keep you thinking small. With that, here are a few success stories from Black women who prove it’s never too late to get your recognition. It’s also important to note that their eventual breakthroughs don’t negate the triumphs and accolades they earned before the tides turned for them. There are many years poured into being an overnight success.
Leslie Jones
With humor always coursing through her veins, comedian Leslie Jones held odd jobs while performing at small comedy clubs for the majority of her career. While her first big break should have been opening for Jamie Foxx in 1987, the audience booed her off the stage. This discouraged Jones for awhile, though she eventually got back up and continued to do stand up in small clubs. In 2010, Chris Rock discovered her, recommending her to some major talent connections in comedy. The hard work and rejection eventually paid off when she landed a regular spot on “Saturday Night Live” at the age of 47. She attributes her success to being the oldest person to join the cast.
Victoria Monet
Though many have dubbed her an overnight success, R&B superstar Victoria Monet has long been putting in the work. While being in your 30s is objectively young, most pop stars tend to get their name in the game in the teens to 20s. Winning her first Grammy at 35, she noted in her speech, “This award was a 15-year pursuit. I moved to LA in 2009 and I like to liken myself to a plant, who was planted and you can look at the music industry as soil. It can be looked at as dirty or it can be looked at as a source of nutrients and water. My roots have been growing underneath ground, unseen for so long. I feel like today, I’m sprouting, finally above ground.”
Toni Morrison
Toni Morrison is one of America’s most celebrated novelists, yet she wasn’t always in pursuit of her craft. In reality, Morrison worked as an editor for years. It was only in 1970, at the age of 39, that the writer published her first book “The Bluest Eye” and built the foundation for the historical catalog that we know today. Morrison wrote the novel while teaching at Howard University and raising two sons, proving that for true purpose, the time will make itself.
Maya Angelou
Like Morrison, renowned wordsmith Maya Angelou took her time to discover her talent. She let life live through her, enjoying her time as a wife and dancer. Writing her autobiography “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” at age 31, she simply knew she had a story that needed to be told. Little did she know that she venture would lead to a total of seven autobiographies, several books of essays and poetry, and credit for a list of plays, movies and television shows spanning over 50 years.
Viola Davis
EGOT winner Viola Davis earned herself many accolades prior to “How To Get Away With Murder.” However, while resume was filled with film gigs, it took her awhile to land a leading role. A significant pivot came in 2008 when she landed her role in “Doubt” at age 43. Despite only having one scene in the film, her performance earned her one of many Oscar nominations. Her talent spoke through her minimal screen time and earned her the prestigious status she has today. This moment led to her first major leading role, book “The Help” in 2011.