I realized that I’ve been on a bit of a blog hiatus this year, especially since I really dove in and started working on my debut series, A Window to Liberation (AW2L). But you know the blocker was really 2020 as a whole.
This year started off really well. I took an amazing trip to São Paulo, Brazil to mentor startups for Sumitomo Americas. The experience with the company, founders, and Brazil was extremely enlightening. The picture above is me teaching in São Paulo. I literally learned Portuguese on the flight there and out in the streets. I loved Brazil and can’t wait to go back. I had an interview with VoyageATL release which was pretty cool. I finished my Next Economy MBA —extremely valuable— and completed some really cool remote organizational design work right after my job let me go due to the pandemic. It was during this time COVID hit the US in full force. Still, I held together with tape and hope. I created some excellent things this year including my podcast (available on Apple and Spotify) and finishing the first book of AW2L.
Now that I'm close to releasing my first illustrated Eco Afrofuturist story (in early 2021), tentatively titled The Exploitation Game, I felt some space to finally write something up. I am extremely excited about this project. I’m not only excited about the stories I’ve written, but also the illustrations, music, games, and more that I’ve curated or designed myself. I can’t wait to get to the point where AW2L is in its fullest form and is the platform for liberation that I see it becoming. And the video game that I’m developing for AW2L, whew! That’s gonna be a game-changing, a movement-evolver. Next week I’ll be dropping the introduction as it’s own e-book. I’ll also be developing the initial AW2L community which will get access to all of the behind-the-scenes nuggets I’m assembling. I have a number of pieces of helpful and soul-soothing content for the first readers too. Also, check me out on Twitter tomorrow (12/3) as I pitch my book for the #PitMad event online.
Through it all I’ve been dealing with the transformative year that is 2020. With pandemic after pandemic popping off, the poor operation, design, and narrative of dominant society has been laid bare and kept me busy. I’ve had tough times, scares, and extremely generative moments during this year. I’m extremely thankful that I could go through this experience with the most amazing partner, Steph.
She’s been doing excellent work and growing herself this year, but I’m eternally grateful that she held so many things down with and for me through this year. Like any other year this was a year of growth. I just feel like 2020 was more about finding certainty in our identities individually and together. I think that is the biggest thing we may have discovered through this time of extensive isolation, widespread devastation, and wholesale awakening.
2021 will bring all new surprises and complexity, especially with our upcoming transition to Dallas, but I feel like we’re ready to face it together. I did a lot more learning (Economics for Emancipation + Buckminster Fuller Institute) and reading (too many to links, message me if you’re interested) that was profoundly impactful to my growth this year.
As we stay present and, at the same time, continue to walk into our next journey that goes behind 2021 our heart goes out to anyone facing difficulties. We hope you find whatever support and community you need to discover the next version of yourself because I don’t necessarily see salvation coming soon across the globe in its current manifestation. The cracks are breaking open and I hope everyone has the stability to weather the intense turbulence. Good luck and stay safe!
