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Do Your Part
Do Your Part
A Tale of Two Kings
A Tale of Two Kings
Brother Malcolm: 52 Years
Brother Malcolm: 52 Years
To My Dad: "The Man" Happy Birthday
To My Dad: "The Man" Happy Birthday
Black Enterprise: ‘OUR FAMILY DINNER’ UNITES YOUNG PROFESSIONALS FOR SOCIAL GATHERING AND FAMILY-STYLE DINNERS
Black Enterprise: ‘OUR FAMILY DINNER’ UNITES YOUNG PROFESSIONALS FOR SOCIAL GATHERING AND FAMILY-STYLE DINNERS
Chicago Tribune: 'We're not built to do life alone,' says Our Family Dinner founder
Chicago Tribune: 'We're not built to do life alone,' says Our Family Dinner founder
👨🏿‍🌾#GreenThumbinTraining 🌱 Update: Grow more to give more. One of the most difficult things to learn when growing plants is learning how / when to cut / prune them. Admittedly, I had a lot of fear applying the big chop to my plants because I feared they would not grow back, plus I loved how they looked with all that new growth. (Aaaand I loved that I was growing foods that I would eat) . . But a shift happened the first time I cut it to gave it away to a friend who was interested in learning how to grow their own. I always had that intention but I thought that only until after I grew “this tree of a plant” that then and only then would be the appropriate time to give parts away. The joy I had from seeing them grow their own and do the same put it all into perspective for me and refined my goal in it all. Nearly 30 chops later, I can say that that is the most exciting part of tending to the plants, it’s the opportunity to give away more as it grows more. (aside from the inherent benefits of pruning too, but that’s another post) . . I think the same perspective can be applied to our lives - we don’t exist for ourselves, and our progress and growth is all for the ultimate impact it can/will have on other people in our lives. . . Feel free to DM me if you’re a neighbor and are interested in growing some Spanish thyme . . #greenthumb #thyme #jumanji #newgrowth #Igivemyselfaway #andmyplants
New Book 📚 Alert: So proud of my cousin Gloria (@guidetoglo) and her gift to us all, @wellreadblackgirl, for the upcoming book release of #WellReadBlackGirl An Anthology: Finding Our Stories, Discovering Ourselves. . . Pre-order it today, link in bio. . . #Family #Love #GoodReads #Reading #collection #Anthology
Iyanya, my cousin, my brother and fellow “Naija parent impersonating comedian” in spirit, it has been a tough road to today, a day when we will lay you to rest. Every single time I look at this photo, I hear you impersonating Auntie Grace “Eeeeeyanyaaaaaa...clean yoh room” and me busting out laughing while coming back with an impersonation of my mother. While the tears will flow, I will remember the innumerable moments like this one forever, especially today. I love you. I miss you. I honor your life today and all the days I pray that He grants me thereafter.
Today, I had the privilege of speaking with the amazing student athletes at @thekingscollege on behalf of @athletesinaction. Clearly, I’m happy about my new brothers, @coachtomharman and Bryan and the gift. . . . We asked the question “What Motivates You?” which has been a particularly timely question for me more recently as it seemed that life (and death) knocked the wind right out of me. While the wind has not necessarily returned (and probably won’t for some time), I have appreciated taking time to reflect on God’s purpose and my motivations. One day I feel dialed in, the next I feel like sleeping, weeping and ordering #Carolyn’s wings and potato salad. . . . As up and down as it’s been, what I do know now is that this is not something I need to perform, I will not be paid or graded on how perfectly I get back to “life as usual” - I simply need to make space to process and make it my intention to be gracious, towards myself (and others) along the way. I also need to appreciate those special moments of joy...in the mourning. This was one of those moments. 🙏🏿 . . “And with the first pick...”
Reading Inspiration 🙏🏿: I learned a long time ago that I can easily use work and “hyperactivity” to perform my way out of processing real pain. It’s so easy to do, because I tell myself it’s strong work-ethic and self-discipline but there are (many) times it’s not. The past few days I’ve been “working” to strike a balance between managing real (life) responsibilities, real needs and the emotionally heavy work of processing death. . . On the latter I can say that even now, there is a sobering sense of urgency, because I realize there is so much in me that I believe I must do for others before it’s my time to transition. I got home after a few difficult days in Austin and a full day home with my family and I went straight to my storage unit and took out a few inspirational books I’ve stored away that I feel compelled to revisit, along with God’s word, for added inspiration. . . I know I don’t know when that day will come when the King calls me home, but I do know, or rather, I have been reminded, that our time here is limited and as long as I have life, there is truly “fruitful labor for me.” I’m still here because there is a part for me to play, that only I can play and that I must play it, with love, with faith and with courage that acknowledges the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, lives within me (and you). I am not playing any more games with my life, my loved ones, my time and my assignment. I want to leave empty, no talents buried behind and no loving words left unsaid and no loving deeds left “undone.” Still, in order to do this in a healthy way, I must guard against becoming a machine that works through the pain, and instead, seek to be a child of God that is formed through it. I’m hurting but I’m healing. . . . #reading #inspiration #onedayatatime #worktodo #readingCorettaNext
Thank you to everyone for the outpouring of prayer, comforting words and loving guidance + support you have extended to our entire family. . . On Saturday, my cousin, Iyanya, (@ming_city) suffered cardiac arrest in Austin, Texas while working and passed away shortly after. . . It has been an emotionally heavy journey for everyone, especially for his immediate family. In lieu of that, we created a @gofundme (see: bio link) to ensure the financial burden on the family is not as heavy as the emotional one. . . . We plan to share details about funeral arrangements on the page once those details are in place. . . His younger brother and I are traveling to Austin to receive him shortly. Continue to pray for God’s strength and grace in every part of our family’s preparations. Thank you again to all, especially close friends and family who have offered guidance in planning already, I’m grateful to God for you.
Family, I can’t believe I will be burying my cousin, Iyanya. I can’t believe he passed away, without family around him, in Austin, a city I love but will never experience the same way. My life, our lives, our family, will never be the same. I could not sleep, and all I could do was write my pain down. . . He is my nearest and oldest male cousin in the US and has been my true brother from another mother since day one. My heart is throbbing beyond measure, still, it hurts more for his daughter, my niece, his sisters and brother, my cousins, his parents, my aunt and uncle and our entire family. It hurts for everyone who has ever known him. We are grieving and I’m thankful we are not doing it alone. God of all compassion and comfort, comfort us. . . If you believe in the purpose and power of prayer, I ask for you to pray for our entire family and the extended and inherited family that includes all who have had the pleasure of knowing him during this fleeting gift we call life. . . I love you and miss you, Iyanya. (@ming_city)