A Day in the Life of a Master(s) of Education

This year has been HARD. For everyone.  I said that in light of me being separated from my job at WDW and the like I'd make a post reflecting on all the great times and fun adventures I had. But I can't right now. I'm still really sad. The memories still hurt. For the first time in years I will not be spending the holidays at WDW. Even when I was in the UK and living abroad I still made it back to my happy place and rang in Christmas or the New Year with my favorites. But not this year...and not by choice. I knew I wasn't going to do it forever. It was honestly getting harder and harder but I worked my butt off to make my swan song a beautiful one. And it was all taken away from me. I know others have had a harder year and I don't want to trivialize that in any way but talking with my therapist also helps me remember, it's ok to grieve. I am grieving. So I can't reflect yet. I can't handle the memories yet. Maybe one day soon I will.  Just not yet. Until...

My mom &  bro felt the need to remind me I was born on a Sunday at 3:30p and this year my birthday will be on a Sunday. So at 3:30p I'll turn 33 aka my Jesus year. After such a weird, complicated,  wonderful,  shitty, and ALL over the place year...I'm just happy for another trip around the sun. Thanks for sticking around with me for so long. Looking forward to what comes next be it the good, bad or the ugly.  Until next post....laters

This year has been at the least an  opportunity to learn more about myself,  the world and how those things correlate. This year I have been more civically aware and engaged than I have ever been. I will say my upbringing had a lot to do with my previously hands off approach. However, it dawned on me that if I have embraced other aspects of life that I once shunned, why not have my voice heard?  This year, I protested racial discrimination and bias and it's constant displays in politics and policing.  This year, I wrote hundreds of letters to registered voters encouraging them to show up to the polls. This year, I emailed and called my representatives and senators. I let them know what issues are important to me. This year, I worked at polling precincts.  This year, I made it a priority to turn voting into a fun date activity. I'm tired. I'm emotionally drained. But also I am encouraged. Encouraged by others doing the same. Encouraged by friends with opposite vo...

 Well, it's October. Crazy to think we're in the 10th month of 2020 and it's been a rollercoaster of a year. Between the health crisis, the social justice upheaval and the political climate I am starting to feel older than my years. What started off as such a hopeful, expectant year has been a series of really high highs and low lows. I am not making jest of the serious issue that mental health is but this year has been personally very bipolar.  After not going since February and desperate for some normalcy and the ideal of maybe seeing my parents, I attempted my first out of state long trip to Disney World. Several things happened over the last few days. 1) J & I closed on our first home together. We bought property...so we're in this now, this being our relationship hahahaha. 2) I have gotten into a wonderful flow of working out and managing my workload after a tough transition in the beginning of the pandemic that allowed me to continue to work though not in the ...

I recently read an op-ed article entitled "America’s Most Unequal City Doesn’t Trust Black Women to Lead" (here's the link to read it yourself) and it really hit home. Instead of trusting Black-led organizations in this moment, the overwhelming majority of that capital was committed through a closed-door process to almost 200 white-led organizations.  My job is tied to philanthropic work. I work within a system where I seek to support those who are trying to build food equity. At times this work comes with a heavy burden.  The burden of adjusting how grant and funding letters are pitched in order to have access to the type of capital needed to make a realistic impact. It is a constant challenge. Really I just wanted to make this post as a reminder to myself. A reminder to keep fighting. A reminder that I am not alone in this fight.  Until next post, laters

These last 6 months have been.....well you know. However, in the last month or so I have actively been trying to do more and be better. Though I fully disagreed with reopening when we did (late May/Early June), I've waited until now to start doing things with people again. Covid-19 is still a thing and recently GA has taken over the distinction of having the most new cases. Literally haven't been going down, couple that with the Governor suing the Mayor, schools restarting (with most having some form of in person education) and of course the "Great Mask Debate" I'm not at all surprised.  All that to say, I am an extroverted person and I haven't been the same since not seeing people and doing things regularly. There have been days where I just...couldn't. So I've taken my mental and physical health by the reins. I found a gym where I loved the safety measures they put in place and challenged myself to work out at least 2x. I also attend a class in the m...

2020 has been a wild one to say the least. But it's also been one of self discovery and growth.  In this year I've become more outspoken,  learned more about my thoughts and what forms my political and personal stances. I've also done better with money management and curating personal relationships.  The person I am now is nothing like the person I was this time last year or anything near what I thought at the start of this year. And that's ok. It's a whole new world.

In the middle of a global pandemic....I protested. I'm tired. I'm exhausted. I've been Black in America my entire life. I've dealt with overt racism (called names, looks/comments when out with my white partner, pulled over while NOT breaking any law), microaggressions (you sound "white", told white privilege doesn't exist, asked "can I touch your hair" while actively trying to touch my hair) and of course systematic racism (too much to really get into). Growing up in a highly charged  constant political climate,  I actively don't engage with other about my political stances. However, racism isn't a political issue. These last few weeks have been a culmination of years of adjusting how I act, mindful of what I wear, alert to who I am around. These last few days I've been protesting. Marching. Screaming. Crying.  And though it feels brand new...I've been protesting my entire life.  Every time I found joy. Did something different. Wo...

I am really at a lost for words as the world watched another person of color in the US become a trending "hashtag". I’m trying to calm down but nothing is working. I called my dad and ranted and that helped a bit but I feel incredibly emotional. Switching between anger and overwhelming sadness. I'm going to add photos I snagged from Instagram that I felt has started to help put my feelings into words. This is so that I don't forget,  that I feel everything, I don't become numb.

So I have been on WFH/ Social Distancing guidelines since March 14th. I've been able to work at a Farm 3 days a week, help do grocery deliveries and do other things to help create a schedule and keep busy.  I've been thinking though of all the things I want to do when the world feels manageable and safe again. I'm going to list them here for reasons: Get a new tattoo   (got one! It's a rose by Bree at City of Ink. Made an appointment for another in Feb, wore a mask) Get a new bike (got one! Her name is Shuri and I love her) See a live musical/concert (I should have said "in person", virtual concerts have been a staple) Get my hair braided or start dreadlocks ( got faux locs...seriously thinking about locing my hair, wore a mask) Dye my hair (I did a home dye job which turned out fine but I am aching for a real drastic change) Get a new ear piercing...maybe another nose piercing  Get a massage  (After several months got one in Oct to celebrat...

I just wanted a place to put this Atlanta Journal Constitution article in regards to Govenor Kemps decision on the shelter-in-place and to slowly start to open up GA. This is purly for my future referecne. I am hopeful that people will make the right decisons for their familes and situations, empathically.  Here are the highlights I especially want to remember and want others (no one else reads this but...okay) to as well: Q: The governor just last week said it was too early to talk about reopening the economy. What changed? A: Kemp cited reports of declining emergency room visits for flu-like illnesses, expanded hospital bed capacity and projections that show Georgia’s peak may be in the rear-view mirror. He also said documented COVID-19 cases have “flattened and appear to be declining.” There are other factors, too. President Donald Trump has pushed states to begin easing the restrictions, and Kemp has faced urgent calls from some of his conservative allies to start rolling ...

A few posts ago I talked about the ongoing pandemic coronavirus/COVID-19.  Since then not only has the city been on lockdown, the Governor went ahead and issued a shelter-in-place decree. This whole situation has been a mess to watch. On the one hand, there's the part of me that worries for those I may encounter who may be more susceptible to the effects of COVID. On the other hand, there's the part of me who worries for the financial and mental health of others who are losing jobs, healthcare, homes, food businesses and more due to things like the shelter-in-place. My brain is swirling and so am I. I am not generally an anxious person but I can't tell which way is up right now and I can't help but wonder if my actions have or will lead to the ill health of another. Have I been outraged enough? Have I helped enough? Am I being thoughtful? Empathic? Selfish? Today during a briefing , the Governor claiming to rely on a team of medical and other experts has decided that ...

In 2007 while I was in undergrad a terrible tragedy happened. In 2020, the world is currently dealing with another tragedy.  Thousands are dying from Coronavirus. The US & world governments are all over the place with their efforts to contain the virus and slow its spread. However, there is a light at the end of this dark tunnel. Much like to Hokie community coming together for that tragedy,  I am seeing friends and strangers alike joining together to support those who have lost their jobs, have limited resources towards food and shelter, sharing and caring for each other. I am heartened to see this, much like 9/11 & April 16th, we will prevail. Until next post laters 

Wow-what a month it has been. I am going to try and catch you up but it is A LOT. So the entire world is currently dealing with a pandemic named Covid-19 better known as Coronavirus. Here is a link to some information but for record-keeping sake highlights: What is a coronavirus? Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that cause disease in animals. Seven, including the new virus, have made the jump to humans, but most just cause cold-like symptoms. Two other coronaviruses – Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) – are much more severe, having killed more than 1,500 people between them since 2002. The new virus, officially called Covid-19, is also dangerous - so far, around 20 per cent of confirmed cases have been classed as severe or critical. So far, around 15 to 20 per cent of hospital cases have been classed as "severe" and the current death rate varies between 0.7 per cent and 3.4 per cent depending on the locatio...

Often times I struggle with my immigrant identity. I'm proud of my heritage but growing up there were plenty of instances both externally and internally (family members) in which my Jamaicaness was questioned or attacked. That struggle has carried on even today and gets riled up just about every February. In the US, February is Black History Month where we as a nation are supposed to celebrate and laud the accomplishments & contributions of Black folx. Growing up here though, it was always the same sort of narrative...Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass,  Martin Luther King Jr., and so forth. As a Jamaican American I always felt detached from those heroes...they are tied to my history but really still felt foreign. When a Jamaican was mentioned in class or otherwise, it tended to be Marcus Garvey who though being Jamaican represented such perceived "radical" ideals that he was regulated to the footnote category of Black History. As in he existed,  he had some ideas, th...

ah yes, the time had come to once again by reflective. I said I wasn't going to do this, that I would rather not cave into the trend but as I looked at others I realized...this is more than a new year...it's a NEW Decade!!! I should take time to reflect not only on the past year but also on the past 10. So let's try to do that together shall we? 2009: Graduated from VT and started my Disney Career after some time spent abroad, am I ready for this?  2010: Made some personal revelations about life & love and what those meant to me, moved to Atlanta, started my career,  lived completely alone for the first time, really felt like an adult making decisions for myself  2011: Really started exploring my new home, got my first road dog Lord Jaymeson bka LJ, had some friends get married, started working on friendships more 2012: Started traveling domestically more, met J, first (of many) music festival, really started to grow in my career 2013: Promoted!! More live...