Every once in a while we see a headline so jarring it stays with us. We think to ourselves,

how can anyone carry on after going through something like that?

And that question led me to the conversation you are about to hear.

Nicole Avant survived the unimaginable.

Yet in meeting her, I'd never know the weight she's carrying.

Nicole is not somebody who's defined by her tragedy.

Instead, she's defined by the legacy she's carrying on.

Nicole has succeeded in so many different fields,

from entertainment to politics to philanthropy,

but at her core, the title that suits her best is Clarence and Jacqueline Avant's daughter.

Though you may not know her father, Clarence Avant by name, you probably do know and love his work.

He was a music legend and an entertainment mogul,

lovingly known as the Black Godfather.

Nicole grew up surrounded by some of the most extraordinary artists of our time, Bill Withers,

Quincy Jones, and Sidney Poitier.

Nicole's mom, Jacqueline Avant, was a legendary philanthropist.

She turned their home into a place of refuge and

inspiration for a generation of geniuses and always modeled the importance of

service for her children.

Nicole drew from her upbringing to create a noteworthy career of her own as a philanthropist,

diplomat, filmmaker, actress, and author.

But everything changed for Nicole one night in 2021 when the

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