Lupita Nyong’o Instagram – Remembering these three guardians on Dia de los Muertos. Rosemell Jane Achieng was my maternal grandmother. We called her Nyanya, but her children called her Honey. And that pet name rang true: she was sweet like honey and wrapped me up in warm hugs like honey wraps itself around your fingers. She would tell me stories and listen to my childish worries with patience and understanding. She loved to be entertained by her grandchildren. She marveled at our creativity and cheered us on for our small achievements. I stuck to her when she was around. She was taken from us too soon. I remember my paternal grandmother, Dorca Owino Amolo, always bent over, working. She was never idle. She picked corn from her farm, kernelled it, dried it in the sun, sent it to be ground into flour in the local mill, and then cooked it into large mounds of delicious Ugali for the whole family to eat. She grew vegetables, raised livestock, and fermented her own milk. She swept, washed, brushed, scrubbed, chopped, stirred, pounded, and rolled. And she did all of this quietly, swiftly, gracefully, and with joy. Grandma taught me that work can be an expression of love, and I learned how to love the work of my body from her. I had the honor of meeting one of my all-time heroes, Sidney Poitier, and I introduced him to my father. Mr. Poitier’s story and journey lit the path for me as an African coming to America to pursue a career in acting. He did the impossible and he did it with grace and dignity. When I met him, Mr. Poitier offered to take me to lunch the next time I was in town. It took me over a year to gather the courage to reach out and take him up on it, and I am so glad I did! They say don’t meet your heroes because they may disappoint you; I dined with mine and gained even more respect and admiration for him than I had before!