Alton Coston, III's 2023 Recap

Here lies the authentic moments and thoughts from my 2023 — the existential thoughts, redirections, moments of clarity, blissful experiences, and incessant self-questioning.

MARCH 2023

APRIL 2023

MAY 2023

JUNE/JULY 2023:

As I trekked through these overly majestic halls, I often returned to a singular question, a question that I, somehow, never seem to be able to conjure a thorough answer: how did I get here? Gracing spaces where individuals like Albright and Mandela once strolled impel thoughts of my own role in making a difference in the world. Observing these Council meetings were a spectacle to behold. The U.N. has telephones at every seat for the general audience with dials of various languages to mitigate language barriers from across the globe. Holding the telephone up to my ear and switching from the dials of Arabic to Mandarin to Spanish was fascinating. Observing particular statesmen, heroes to those in their home country, somehow be treated as feeble nobodies by other, more powerful countries was another glaring occurrence.

AUGUST 2023:

Never in one place have I observed the white teeth of grins unfalteringly bear the face of so many brown faces. Constant bass thumps, harmonies of techno boops and earthy drums and maracas, luscious evergreen bushery with the purest, most vibrant of greens, men of women of every shade of brown holding a soft, imbued sense of ease, of self-assuredness accurately reflects the collective resolve and cultural buoyancy of the whole.

My workplace: the place where the magic happened. Here, various meetings with those who could be considered companion of kings like United Nations diplomats and World Bank researchers occurred. By God's grace, a kid from Richmond seeking to curate his journey to widespread social change somehow found himself contributing in these worldly conversations.

Invisibility is a concept known to both locations [America and Ghana], yet displayed in nuanced forms — the socially legitimate against the socially illegitimate. While in the homeland, my invisibility is socially legitimate. I'm invisible, albeit this time because I blend in. I resemble the majority. I'm one of their own. My acne scars — those which could be considered unattractive blemishes in the States — are viewed as marks of regional distinction here. Little did anyone know that Twi was not my mother tongue. The power of the voice and dialect — in America what could uplift and distinguish me — could very well be the difference in paying $5 or $500 for services in this distant land.

The meek and graceful aurora that displays as an easily identifiable glow is strong among people within the homeland. The selflessness given to every human being due to an understanding of the common and collective blood, the common and collective cause, and the common and collective struggle is stark. Never have I felt such a deep sense of belonging. Never have I felt so embraced. Never have I felt more part of a unified collective yearning for concerted advancement.

SEPTEMBER 2023:

OCTOBER:

NOVEMBER 2023:

DECEMBER 2023:

I hold a deep sense of gratitude for the ebbs and flows of this phenomena called life and the opportunity to make an impact daily. Words cannot fully express the level of sincerity I hold for all those who have impacted me in some way this past year. To the people in my life who support me, love me, make me smile and bring me joy: a big thank you.