Civil rights activist, poet and Virginia Tech professor Nikki Giovanni spoke Wednesday night about being comfortable with one’s self.

“Do what makes you feel safe,” she told her audience in the Duke Ellington Ballroom of the Holmes Student Center. Giovanni, an English professor at Virginia Tech University, recited some of her poems and delivered inspirational messages to those in attendance.

She said she was glad to be invited to NIU; she feels NIU is a “sister institute” to Virginia Tech because of the similar tragedies both schools endured.

At the beginning of the night, Giovanni received gifts from Intercollegiate Athletics, an event sponsor. Athletes were required to attend the event.

One of the gifts received was a hat for Hip Hop Academics. Giovanni put the hat on backward, which set the mood for the night, as students laughed and seemed to get comfortable with her.

Giovanni told students she wants them to experience life, informing those listening, “you cannot fight fear,” but should accept the fear. She also encouraged students to do what makes them feel fulfilled.

She kept her audience engaged throughout her speech with funny lines like, “God created college to have sex,” along with motivational lines like, “If you don’t make a fool of yourself, you’re not alive.”

Those in attendance seemed to take this to heart, like sophomore Mack Lewis II.

“I am inspired by her words,” Lewis said. “She was real and didn’t sugarcoat anything she had to say.”

Oprah once called Giovanni a “living legend” for her civil rights work throughout her life.

“You always hear about her but you don’t know who she is,” said freshman Kim Casey. “She was very inspirational.”