Reader, I'm thinking about the news of actress Hayden Panettiere's passing. I knew of her music from Disney Channel days, most people know her from Bring It On or Nashville. My favorite song of hers is My Hero is You. In May, she released her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning and shared her story publicly of being a child star and dealing with grief. Her passing is a reminder of something I've often spoken of: Heal, but also don't wait to tell the story. Don't wait to create the thing. Don't...
19 days ago • 2 min read
Reader, June this year, I had the opportunity to attend SXSW London 2026. SXSW (South by Southwest) brings together people from across technology, culture, media, music, film, and entrepreneurship to exchange ideas and shape what’s next. While the conference did an excellent job accommodating my hearing and vision dual sensory needs, accessibility is still treated as an add-on in most media, event, and experience design, when it should be the starting point. Being in that space reminded me...
26 days ago • 2 min read
Reader, Apparently, I have a pattern I hadn't named out loud before: I tend to move to a new place roughly every two years. I find myself packing boxes and luggages, moving to a new place, and stepping into a new season of life. I don't intentionally plan it that way, but looking back, it's a rhythm of embracing change, trusting the process, and creating space for what's next, while intentionally choosing a lesser known historically black city and neighborhood that has Black owned businesses...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Reader, I don't have a keynote or moderated panel confirmed for the rest of this year, yet. This isn't a gap I'm scrambling to explain away or fill either. I chose it. What I do have is a handful of internal marketing, accessibility, and travel related workshops and focus groups coming up to wrap up the year with Focus Black Oklahoma, World Eye Cancer Hope, Bermuda Travel Experience, and Chocolate Mindfulness Retreat. Good work, meaningful work, work I'm genuinely glad to be doing. But it's a...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Reader, This past weekend, I attended my maternal family's 80th reunion, and I left feeling deeply inspired. There is something special about being surrounded by people who look like you, think like you, and understand the importance of legacy. I spent the weekend listening to family stories, laughing with cousins, and being reminded that I come from generations of brilliance, resilience, and service. One of my favorite memories wasn't a grand moment at all. It had been three years since our...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Reader, At Essence Fest over the holiday weekend, I moderated a panel, had a founder feature, and hosted a Soft Stories sensory session all in one day. In between, I kept noticing people wanted to be inclusive but almost nobody had a framework for actually doing it, especially in their content. Most of the attendees I spoke with, particularly other New Voices founders, admitted they hadn't considered captions or image descriptions yet, but they were very appreciative of the insight. That's...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Reader, I just got back from Essence Festival — and I’m still processing. I spoke at two activations, both filled with people who showed up ready to listen and talk about disability, inclusion, and what it truly means to be empathetic to other communities. It was powerful. And in both rooms, I kept hearing the same thought echo in my mind: we need more of this. We need spaces to belong, to rediscover ourselves, and to feel empowered to keep going. Here is the link to watch the 3 minute recap:...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Reader, I'm at Essence Festival this week — moderating a panel, doing a Soft Stories segment, and leading a workshop on inclusive entrepreneurship. Three activations in one day, which honestly is its own kind of access challenge nobody talks about: the cost of showing up fully in spaces that weren't designed for how your body or brain works. I'll have more to say about that next week. Social Media Day is June 30th — a reminder that the platforms we've built our voices, speaking opportunities,...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Reader, ✨ BIG NEWS FIRST I'll be speaking at Essence Festival of Culture 2026 in New Orleans on July 4th!I am my ancestor’s wildest dreams and my blessings come in two folds. I have not one but TWO activations: 🖤 We Love Us Marketplace Stage — I'll be moderating the See Life Differently Panel at 10:20am CT. This is the room for conversation about representation, storytelling, and what it means to see yourself centered in spaces that weren't always built for you. Panelists are: Lisa C. Willis,...
3 months ago • 3 min read
Reader, Sometimes you're planting seeds long before anyone notices the garden. Progress may feel slow. Success often takes longer than people expect. The Knicks won in five games. Ivory Coast won in the 90th minute. Neither of them was supposed to be the story this week. Whether it's a sports team ending a championship drought, a nation representing itself on the world soccer stage, or an advocate continuing to push for inclusion, the principle remains the same: Keep showing up. Keep...
3 months ago • 3 min read