Sister Thea Bowman was a brilliant human being. As a black Catholic religious sister and teacher, she was known for her oratory skills with which she challenged minds. Perhaps her most striking quote and the inspiration for this piece is this:
“I THINK THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME AND SOME PEOPLE IS THAT I'M CONTENT TO DO MY LITTLE BIT. SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK THEY HAVE TO DO BIG THINGS IN ORDER TO MAKE CHANGE. BUT IF EACH ONE WOULD LIGHT A CANDLE, WE'D HAVE A TREMENDOUS LIGHT.”