Hey Reader,

There’s a trend going on where people are flashing back ten years to 2016. I took a look at my archives and realized that 2016 seemed like a breadcrumb trail—small moments quietly leading to where I am now. Back then, I was juggling social media clients, working with event teams, and planting the seeds of what would become my agency—before I even knew to call it that. My clients spanned the medical, beauty, magazines, social work, and music industries.
I was doing rideshare driving. I managed my own blog posts, turning my travels into articles. I even posted travel deals, snagging a glitch fare to South Africa before I realized I could call myself a travel agent. I was also helping my mother grow her health and wellness blog, and use modern technology to design a retinoblastoma eye cancer awareness poster that would go on to live on Pinterest.

I was also married then, traveling with someone new to places that had already shaped me. I let him experience worlds I knew very well such as Atlanta, Miami, Nashville, Richmond. Other times, I ventured completely solo to places such as Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Berlin. Travel was intentional.

Looking back, I see the pattern. I see how much was already in motion. The storytelling. The skills. The independence, the vision, the breadcrumbs that were unknowingly being left for my future self.

2016 was a soft launch—a preview before the name, the brand, the clarity. If 2016 was the sneak peek… I’m ready to see what 2026 holds but I also know there comes a season where you stop explaining.

Not because you’re secretive.
Not because you’re afraid.
But because you finally understand that some things need time, privacy, and integrity to become what they’re meant to be and then you share the receipts.

I’m in that season of moving in silence.

Not the kind of silence that shrinks my interaction with you—but the kind that protects my nervous system, my faith, and my future. The kind that lets my work speak for itself without the pressure of performance and validity. You are still encouraged to send me a message, but if I take a while to respond, don’t take it personal, just know I am forever grateful to receive it.

Here's a photo of me from 2016 in front of the historic site in Atlanta, Georgia (Since this email is being sent Martin Luther King Jr Day Weekend)

I’ve been thinking a lot about the people who have modeled this kind of movement for me—especially those whose work speaks loudly because they don’t (at least not until I can interview them as a part of my documentary - haha- just manifesting).

Read my latest Substack as to why these women should be on your radar. Hint: two are Grammy nominees this year. I’ll be watching the awards to see if they win! https://open.substack.com/pub/seelifedifferent/p/black-and-disabled-women-you-should?r=3q6xp&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true​

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​Brittany Howard's music doesn’t chase trends or approval. It feels rooted, deliberate, embodied. You can hear the restraint. The listening. The trust in her own rhythm. She reminds me that when you’re grounded in your truth, you don’t have to announce every step—you let the work arrive fully formed.

Then there’s Haben Girma.
Her disability rights advocacy has never been about spectacle. It’s been about systems, access, and dignity. She moves with clarity, not noise. Her presence teaches me that impact doesn’t require urgency—it requires alignment and patience.

And Lachi—someone whose music and whole vibe embodies what it looks like to build community through RAMPD and shift culture without burning out in the process. She moves intentionally, consistently, and with purpose. Her work reminds me that silence doesn’t mean inactivity. It often means strategy.

Watching women like this win in this season has reaffirmed something for me:

Moving in silence isn’t about disappearing.
It’s about choosing when and how you’re seen.

It’s about doing the internal work.
Letting faith anchor you.
Letting vision come into the full picture before you invite commentary.

I’m still moving. Still building. Still preparing.

If you’re in a similar season, know this:
Silence can be sacred.
Preparation can be quiet.
And momentum doesn’t always make noise.

If you want in on the inner circle, I'm going to be posting on Substack and Youtube more.

​https://substack.com/chat/1911282​

​https://www.youtube.com/@illuminousone/posts​

My latest YouTube video coming up is part two of the interview series from the health advocates I met at the HealtheVoices Conference by Johnson and Johnson back in November. This time I interviewed advocates with Lupus, HIV, multiple myeloma and breast cancer. If you missed part one, I had the honor of interviewing five health advocates (Lupus, Diabetes, ADHD, Pulmonary arterial hypertension, and Multiple myeloma), including Dr. Kojo Sarfo. Watch or Listen to this 60 minute episode.

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• I am still taking six month retainer business strategy clients. Schedule an initial call here.
• I have a few slots remaining for one time strategy sessions.
• If you need workshop style support as we enter an Artificial Intelligence era, I'm available.
• Slots are also still available for the October 8-11 Kenya creative wellness retreat.

More soon—when it’s ready.

With love,
Zaakirah