Seek Help - 17th Edition

Hello fellow seekers! I started this one after surviving #CBC week so that should tell you how crazy life has been!!! I don't know about you all but Tuesday I need a nap. This is the first election I've ever cried during the concession speech because I'm so afraid. And to think just a short while ago I was worried cause Trell Thomas still doesn't know who I am. I mean I'll be honest, I do still want to get my Black Excellence on!! First I missed the Black Excellence Brunch in Martha's Vineyard (my favorite place on earth) and then they had another during the Congressional Black Caucus and all my friends were there and looking amazing!! I've seen what the he has done for others... And I refuse to give up my joy and faith.

But on a serious note, I am a fan and supporter of CBC and had greater hopes for this election and while I truly think all the Black folks should get paid leave until the end of the year cause we did our part and I'm sick of failing the group project trying to work with yall. There is also important work, partnership and conversations that need to keep happening. While I debate if it's time to join the 4B movement, I know a lot of folks are grieving before we get back up and get back out there.

Right now I am trying to transport myself back to my month in Massachussetts which is a bit easier to do when it's 80 degrees in November!! Usually I can carry my Martha's Vineyard recharge through the winter at least, sometimes longer. It was everything I needed to reset and recharge. I was feeling a bit out of sorts before I arrived. Off center without totally being sure why but I think that's what happens each year. I come cup empty and slowly fill myself back up. So I'm getting ready to come back swinging and hit the ground running!! This year is different and I'm already feeling drained and empty again. With my birthday coming up, thinking it might be time to get away for a bit if possible!

Seek Learning

Even though Kamala is just a dream right now, I'm still thinking about this sermon on Trees. Oh what could have been! Honestly my takeaways right now are still too raw so I'm learning how to just feel and grieve and be not okay for a minute. I think so often we bottle and move and sometimes we just need to sit in whatever is happening. Be present while remembering that regardless of what the moment may be, this too shall pass.

Seek Doing

Back in September, I went to NYC for the Fast Company Innovation Festival. There were a lot of really dope speakers and sessions but my favorites were they had the 10 Most Innovative People of the Last 10 Years. Kc Ifeanyi and the team at Fast Company were highly impressive. Here are some of the clips from that because it's worth checking out, especially during this stressful time.

Ryan Reynolds is delightfully relatable and kind of exactly how you'd expect him to be. He's a lovable human. I could have listened to him talk for hours.

Issa Rae is one of my favorite people to hear speak. She is a Writer, Producer, Actress, and the Founder of Hoorae which now has multiple brands. I've literally crashed an event just to hear her speak (it's a funny story but yeah I basically had to dip right after she finished so I didn't get in trouble). She's a legend and an icon and I hope to work with her one day!!

Even if you're not a fan of musicals, you cannot deny that Lin-Manual Miranda is a legendary talent. So much of his work is incredible storytelling in ways we haven't seen before.

Jose Andres is one of my favorite humans. José Andrés is the Founder of José Andrés Group which has like 17 restaurants & World Central Kitchen which feeds the world via crisis zones. As a native Washingtonian, I feel like an early adaptor who know his worth before he went international. I have LOVED watching Chef's inspirational rise and him getting his flowers for all the important work he does and while I miss jamming with him and his team for Dine N Dash (iykyk), I know he's working around the world to make sure others can eat.

Sara Nelson is another inspiration!! Serving as the International President for the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, her discussion on the dangers of unchecked capitalism is a must watch. She has been instrumental in mitigating support for airline industry employees and challenging questionable policies fashioned by executives behind closed doors.

I'm not a makeup girl but I have a deep love and respect for folks with that talent. Pat McGrath is definitely blessed with that talent!

I also got to hear from:

• Timbaland - Producer, Artist, Author, and Entrepreneur
• Joke Aerts , Head of Credible Scaling, Tony's Open Chain, Tony's Chocolonely
• Yoon Ahn, Creative Director; Global Women's Curator, Ambush; 耐克
• Melissa Ben-Ishay , Cofounder and CEO, Baked by Melissa
• Robert Brunner , Founder and Partner; Lead Designer, Ammunition Group; Beats by Dre
• Sali Christeson , Founder and CEO, Argent
• Jan Cieslikiewicz , Cofounder, Parlor Social Club
• Peter Clardy , Lead, Google Health Enterprise Team, 谷歌
• Elyse Cohen , EVP, Social Impact and Inclusion, Rare Beauty
• Lana Condor, Award-Winning Actor and Producer
• Ophira Edut and Tali Edut , Cofounders, The AstroTwins (www.astrostyle.com)
• Megan Foster , Managing Director, The Ned US, The LINE, and Saguaro Hotels
• Elizabeth Gore , Cofounder and President, Hello Alice
• Ariane Gorin , CEO, Expedia Group
• Tom Hale , CEO, ōURA
• Francesca Hogi , Founder, The True Love Society
• Michael Huppe , CEO, SoundExchange
• Leena Jain Utsch , Chief Marketing Officer, Canyon Ranch
• LINUS KARLSSON , Chief Creative Officer, 宜家
• Matt Klein , Head of Global Foresight, Reddit, Inc.
• Ami Lebendiker , Cofounder and CEO, Roga
• Nora Lovell Marchant, Esq. , Vice President of Global Sustainability, American Express Global Business Travel
• Jennifer Lowney , Global Head of Communications, 花旗
• Ken Moore , Chief Innovation Officer, 萬事達卡
• Casper Overbeek , Chief Product Officer, citizenM hotels
• Busy Philipps, New York Times best-selling author, actor, activist, writer, and host
• Dana P. , Managing director and head of Chase Sapphire Partnerships, 摩根大通
• Allyson Resh , Content Partner Lead, LinkedIn
• Ted Sarandos , Co-CEO, Netflix
• Zita Schellekens , Senior Vice President for Sustainability and Strategy, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
• Alison Smith Ph.D. , Cofounder and Chief Scientist, Roga
• Jennifer Storms , Chief Marketing Officer, Entertainment and Sports, NBCUniversal
• Deanna Ting , New York and Philadelphia Editor, Resy

These are just some of the incredible folks that were there for this multiday event.

Seek Eats

I had to go back to Martha's Vineyard for some work and I decided to hit up some favorite food spots while lobster is in season - The first thing mom and I do is go to Net Result and get a whole lobster and usually a little sushi but we had to do some unloading for a close first. I was also able to get a warm lobster roll and mussels from Lookout Tavern and some pad thai at Bangkok Thai Cuisine. It was a nice callback to summer and I really enjoyed seeing the vineyard at a different time of year. A few weeks ago, I got the pleasure of going back to Dogon with my family. Mom was in town for work and she's a big Kwame Onwuachi fan and asked me to make reservations for when she came to town and my cousin and uncle joined us as well as my brother and his wife. Of course, everything was delicious!!

Seek Nature

Go touch some grass!! This week has been a rough one but I will not despair and I shall not quit but I may still strike. Please Please Please take care of yourselves and make sure you are hydating, exercising and resting. Enjoy the unnaturally warm weather that's probably going to end us all soon.

Seek to Help Others

Here are a few things to help yourself or those around you!

• TAKE A BREAK - Fill your cup first, do whatever you need to do to be okay, to be safe. We can resume the work tomorrow becausewe know it's not done but today we can grieve and breathe and heal a little before we get back in the trenches.
• When you are ready, TAKE REAL ACTION - while I understand that blue bracelets sounds cool, remember the safety pins. The best ways to show you are a safe person is to be on with your words and actions. It's about to get rockier so we need to look out for each other. Be more than an ally, be an accomplice.
• Stand up for each other, vulnerable people need us now more than ever. If you see something problematic, speak out against it because silence is complicit and remember the more people there are the less likely someone will say something because everyone assumes someone else will. Go against the grain, be someone else.
• I've been recording my podcast at Eaton DC - Lit & Other Things - so all my author friends, hit me up, I'd love to feature you!!
• I'm recording with Earl Wyatt and I think you're all going to really enjoy - Here's what we recorded for election day!

• DCFunemployment is getting ready to launch another series of interviews in 2025 as well as some IG Lives soon which should be a lot of fun.
• As It Happens is still dropping weekly happenings posts and event coverage.
• Black & Neurospicy, my Substack Newsletter - which is kind of on it's own neurodivergent journey.
• Still trying to decide what merch to do and for which brands - (I've got too many brands but welcome to ADHD) but I'm working on some merch for my brands which should be fun. Probably going to start with some stickers, water bottles, pens, maybe a fanny and a sweatshirt. Open to feedback!!