Noah Washington

To my rock and inspiration, Noah Washington

Having a twin is a journey of highs and lows, experienced with each other. When one twin hurts, the other hurts. When one twin eats, the other twin eats. 

I have been humbled and honored by your journey as my twin. The road has been rocky and uncertain, yet amazing. Your determination, mental strength, and attitude are as solid as a rock. 

There is a Yoruba proverb that goes “Oyigigi ota omi,” which translates to “the great immovable rock in water” and refers to stones that endure and remain unmoved by the waves in turbulent waters. The proverb speaks to the resolve to face challenges and remain steadfast while trying to accomplish a goal. This ancestral proverb manifested in the resolve of our great-great-grandfather, Booker T. Washington. 

It has remanifested in you, Noah.

Our great-great-grandfather’s life started in a humble shed in Hale’s Ford, Virginia, in 1865. The Civil War was ending, and America was embarking on the beginning of a new age in the South. Washington faced poverty, limited education and racism. Yet, like a stone in turbulent waters, he remained grounded. With people to support him, he became an immovable rock and reached his goals.

It’s like your story, Noah, in many ways.

On our 15th birthday in 2014, a nightmare materialized when you were found unconscious on our bathroom floor. It was late, and I remember being awakened by our parents, who said, “We’re going to the hospital.” I rode on the passenger side of the ambulance, and the paramedic who was driving saw the despair and anxiety on my face and tried her best to cheer me up. The medical staff at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center were there to receive you when we arrived. The only thing I could do was pray.

The doctors hypothesized on what could have happened; the flu, a stroke or brain disease. They finally discovered it was bacterial meningitis. One in six people die from the disease, and about one in five survivors have long-term disabilities. Doctors said that if you survived, you would be paralyzed on the left side, not able to talk, and would need a caretaker. 

The treacherous waters were attacking the immovable stone. 

But I believe that the spirit of Booker T. Washington motivated you, and you beat the illness. What’s really impressive is what you did with the trauma, pain and determination. 

Against the odds, you remained a steadfast rock in the water and became an Atlanta icon. Like our great-great-grandfather, you have accomplished so much with the support of people who believe in you. You reach milestones every day, as a host of radio station WABE’s “(re)Defining History,” as a journalist for the Atlanta Voice newspaper, as a social media influencer, and as an amazing friend and twin. 

You carry the spirit of “Oyigigi ota omi.”