Award-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay is sparking powerful conversations online after a clip from her recent talk went viral on Instagram, posted by The Micheaux® Film Festival (@micheauxfilmfest).
In the moving speech, DuVernay dismantles the idea that it’s ever “too late” to change your life, urging people — especially those feeling trapped by circumstances — to reclaim their power.
“You decide when it’s too late. You decide when you don’t want to try anymore. You decide,” DuVernay says in the clip, which has been widely shared across social media.
Her words hit especially close to home for many in Black and brown communities, where systemic barriers, economic hardships, and generational expectations often make dreams feel out of reach.
DuVernay acknowledges these real-life constraints, from raising children to financial struggles, but reminds listeners that progress can happen in small, steady steps.
“If you can’t walk all the way across the room, maybe you just take one step, and then next day you take another step,” she says. “But you decide how far you can go. No one else does.”
Known for her groundbreaking films like Selma and When They See Us, DuVernay has long used her platform to inspire marginalized communities to tell their own stories, own their narrative, and redefine success on their own terms.
This latest message reinforces that mission, that your timeline belongs to you and you alone.
As the clip continues to circulate, many are calling it a much-needed reminder to lean in, take action, and write the next chapter — no matter your age, background, or obstacles.
