The nation lost one of its finest poets and Black Arts Movement activists to cancer on Monday. One among Oprah Winfrey’s 25 “Living Legends,” Nikki Giovanni was described as “pillar of artistic and social innovation,” by Virginia Tech. As social icons and activists in their own right, Dwyane Wade and his wife Gabrielle Union were among the first to recognize her unparalleled impact on society.

The celebrated poet, 81, died on December 9 following her third cancer diagnosis, as confirmed by her wife, Virginia C. Fowler, and close friend, author Renée Watson. In a moving statement, poet Kwame Alexander reflected on her legacy, saying, “We will forever be grateful for the unconditional time she gave to us, to all her literary children across the writerly world.”

As the heartbreaking news broke, Wade and Union took to Instagram to share their condolences. It is a loss that hit close to home for both of them. Dwyane Wade has long supported causes like g-n control, LGBTQ+ rights, and Black human rights. Gab, a fierce advocate for Black and black trans lives, seems to have found personal inspiration in Giovanni’s work.

“Rest in Eternal Peace & Light. #ripnikkigiovanni,” Gab wrote on her story, while D-Wade reshared Zeba Blay’s post honoring the activist.

Born Yolanda Cornelia Giovanni, Jr., on June 7, 1943, in Knoxville, Tennessee, Nikki’s journey began in Ohio but came full circle when she attended Fisk University in Nashville. There, she crossed paths with literary giants like Amiri Baraka and Margaret Walker, solidifying her place as one of the most influential voices of her generation.

Over her decades-long career, Giovanni left an indelible mark on the literary world. She burst onto the scene in 1968 with Black Feeling Black Talk, a poetry collection rooted in the Black Arts Movement. Her work boldly explored love, race, politics, and loneliness. In her poem “Word Poem,” Giovanni wrote, “let’s build what we become when we dream,” embodying her hopeful yet defiant voice. That was only the surface of the poet’s works.

Nikki Giovanni left an undying legacy

It’s hard to talk about the Black Arts Movement without mentioning Nikki Giovanni. She stood tall among legendary figures like Amiri Baraka, Sonia Sanchez, and Audre Lorde during a time when Black nationalism intertwined with creativity and activism.

But that wasn’t the extent of her brilliance. As a professor at Virginia Tech, she educated and inspired countless students from 1987 until 2022. But her pen never stopped moving—writing poetry until her very last days. Giovanni also holds 27 honorary degrees and an honorary Delta Sigma Theta membership.

But that isn’t all. From the Langston Hughes Award to seven NAACP Image Awards, her name became synonymous with excellence. She even narrated her own album, The Nikki Giovanni Poetry Collection, earning a Grammy nomination in 2004.

She leaves behind her wife, Virginia Fowler, her son, Thomas, her granddaughter, Kai, and an extended family who cherished her dearly. In her anthology The Collected Poetry, 1968-1998, Giovanni wrote, “I hope I die / warmed / by the life that I tried / to live.”

Her legacy lives with her works; a final one, The Last Book, is set to release next year.