As a black woman who has had to frequently navigate predominately white spaces I am reflecting on the impact of being “othered”. Join me as I candidly speak on the impact of “loud & proud” racism and the closeted “liberal” racist.

The three biggest things I have had to unlearn lately are:

1.) What masculinity looks like and my interpretations of it

2.) The definition of “success”

3.) Exchanging my time and talents for money and corporate validation does not actually make me fulfilled

Dear Raven,

Remember to ask yourself “does this serve who I want to become?”. You don’t have to take the scraps of half hearted affection and try to make magic out of them.

I wish someone would have taught me years ago how to affirm myself and my future, but I am eager to see what the next chapter of my life will look like now that I know how.

See I recite the following affirmations to myself before each day:

No one has it all figured out and the people who look like they do… They just decided to be “In Bloom” for the world to see.

Are you saying that your friend who is posting their business/passion on their IG consistently is doing the most because you secretly wish that you could go after your own dreams?

You see…. what we don’t realize is that our insecurities are usually the loudest things in the room.

What happens when you only know how to survive but the new chapter in your life requires for you to live unapologetically as your truest self? How do you navigate exploring your new season when you feel like you barely made it out of your last one?

You have got to stop living for other people’s approval. Stop running the blueprint of your future by people who have only seen your past.