growth & learning

When I ask: how are YOU doing? I really wanna know. Update me. How are your kids? What’s weighing on you? Whatchu trying to accomplish? I really wanna know what’s going on in your world. I don’t wanna hear ‘fine’ if you really not ‘fine’!

Don’t ask how people are doing, ask how they are sleeping. You’ll learn a lot more.

writing it all down can really help you process some sh*t I was sure I was being getting a bad deal I sat down & wrote it all out seeing it all written out gave me a CLEAR picture a good visual HELPS grab a pen, journal, laptop, or notes app & write that sh*t down

Took years of therapy, journaling & a lot of deep work to understand Lawrence McMullin was assigned to me for a reason. His tapes still play in my head from time to time. God’s assignments be crazy sometimes. But without em, how would we grow & reach our FULLEST POTENTIAL?

The ‘T’ in Booker T. Washington stands for ‘Taliaferro’ Booker Taliaferro Washington b: April 5, 1856 #BlackHistory365

In April 1975 LEE ELDER became the first African-American to play at The Masters. #TheMasters #LeeElder #BlackHistory365 📸 - Lou Krasky / AP

This year… Howard University Swim Team was first ALL BLACK swim team to be on cover of Sports Illustrated Howard's Men's Swim Team also made history by winning a championship / Northeast Conference for the first time in over 30 years Howard U Swimming & Diving Howard University #BlackHistory365

December 2022 Jaylen Smith became the youngest Black Mayor in the US. He’s Mayor of Earle, Arkansas - a small town 28 miles from Memphis TN Earle's population is about 1800 / majority Black 📸 Houston Cofield / The New York Times instagram.com/reel/Cqx0O4bvG… #BlackHistory365

Victoria Coleman - first Black woman to be named Head Winemaker in Napa Valley She was also the first Black woman to get a degree from UC Davis in viticulture & enology. Find her here: Lobo Wines #BlackHistory365 #NapaValley #winemaker 📸Lobo Wines

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUMMER WALKER As recently as 2018 she had a cleaning business Taught herself how to play the guitar watching YouTube She now holds Billboard Record with Taylor Swift - 18 songs at THE SAME TIME on the charts ErykahBadoula was her doula 🤎👶🏾 #BlackStories

In April 1966 EMMETT ASHFORD became the first Black umpire in Major League Baseball MLB As of 2020, only 10 other Black men have followed in his footsteps His umpire mask is at Smithsonian’s NMAAHC great article in Smithsonian Magazine by Neil Lanctot photo via: Smithsonian’s NMAAHC

MIRIAM BENJAMIN 2nd Black woman to receive a US patent She invented the GONG & SIGNAL chair for hotels - customers would press a button and their chair would light up + alert the servers It’s because of her we have the FLIGHT ATTENDANT BUTTON on planes today #BlackInventors

In 1997 @mlb retired JACKIE ROBINSON’S #42 across ALL TEAMS This meant no other player would wear the number again. This is the FIRST TIME any sports team had done that (NFL, NBA, NHL, etc) HAPPY JACKIE ROBINSON DAY! Jackie Robinson Foundation #JackieRobinsonDay #JackieRobinson

“There are classes like algebra….I have yet to go to a store and say can I have xy+2 and give me my y change back.” - Tupac Shakur During interview he says: schools should base curriculum on neighborhood. source: Historic Films Stock Footage Archive YouTube

“Say it loud - I’m Black and I’m proud!” - James Brown born May 3, 1933 📸David Corio | Michael Ochs Archives