WEBVTT 00:00:01.459 --> 00:00:06.099 Alright y 'all, it's me Just coming in here to 00:00:06.099 --> 00:00:08.679 chit chat real quick fill y 'all in on what I've 00:00:08.679 --> 00:00:13.019 been up to I'm feeling better these days. I mean 00:00:13.019 --> 00:00:15.480 Let me stop saying that but I mean, I just try 00:00:15.480 --> 00:00:17.579 to speak things into existence. I am feeling 00:00:17.579 --> 00:00:20.940 better these days Stronger these days is a better 00:00:20.940 --> 00:00:24.239 descriptor Because I think better is relative 00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:27.399 because the world is shit Let's get that straight. 00:00:27.420 --> 00:00:29.179 Let's not try to pretend like everything is sunshine 00:00:29.179 --> 00:00:32.140 and rainbows when it's not. The world is in a 00:00:32.140 --> 00:00:35.780 really rough place and a lot of people are waking 00:00:35.780 --> 00:00:38.859 up to injustice within their own lives and within 00:00:38.859 --> 00:00:41.700 the community around them and within the world. 00:00:42.200 --> 00:00:44.439 So I just pray that the people who are fighting 00:00:44.439 --> 00:00:46.939 for justice right now are protected and covered 00:00:46.939 --> 00:00:50.659 in love and light. May those you are fighting 00:00:50.659 --> 00:00:54.100 for, may their ancestors cover you. May you move 00:00:54.100 --> 00:00:57.320 with swiftness and wisdom. May they inform you, 00:00:57.340 --> 00:01:00.219 may they keep you light on your feet, may they 00:01:00.219 --> 00:01:08.079 give you courage. Ashey, I want you just hold 00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:15.239 space for Sudan, Palestine, Congo, Libya, everywhere. 00:01:16.040 --> 00:01:19.739 So many places right now under the foot of oppression. 00:01:21.719 --> 00:01:27.319 Free DC, my hometown, that city. For people who 00:01:27.319 --> 00:01:30.920 don't know, because a lot of people don't know, 00:01:31.659 --> 00:01:34.480 the saying in DC is taxation without representation. 00:01:35.359 --> 00:01:38.159 Okay. And that means that we're taxed, but we 00:01:38.159 --> 00:01:40.019 really have no rights within the city. You know 00:01:40.019 --> 00:01:43.680 what upholds the city? The people. You know what 00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:46.180 runs through the city and keeps it alive and 00:01:46.180 --> 00:01:49.680 well and protects it? The people. Those folks, 00:01:50.359 --> 00:01:56.849 they don't work for us. We don't know them. You 00:01:56.849 --> 00:02:01.950 feel me? There are things that I would love to 00:02:01.950 --> 00:02:04.730 share, you know, that elaborate on why I can't, 00:02:05.109 --> 00:02:08.150 I want to be there physically right now. My time 00:02:08.150 --> 00:02:13.789 will come. But I have to be a responsible parent 00:02:13.789 --> 00:02:19.090 as an Aquarius who loves to fight for the cause, 00:02:19.689 --> 00:02:23.060 something I've done all my life. It's really 00:02:23.060 --> 00:02:24.819 hard to not be able to be there physically. So 00:02:24.819 --> 00:02:27.319 I'm doing what I can from home. And that's new 00:02:27.319 --> 00:02:30.900 to me, but it is important work. So until I can 00:02:30.900 --> 00:02:32.620 physically be there, I'm doing what I can from 00:02:32.620 --> 00:02:36.580 here. And for anybody else, again, who is, I 00:02:36.580 --> 00:02:42.159 thank you. I love you. I see you. I'm also compiling 00:02:42.159 --> 00:02:46.099 resources as best I can. School time is coming 00:02:46.099 --> 00:02:48.800 upon us. So I will have more free time and more 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:52.520 headspace to do things, you know, with the seasons 00:02:52.520 --> 00:02:58.740 of work and stress. Also come the seasons of 00:02:58.740 --> 00:03:02.219 rest. It's ebb and flow of life. Nothing is permanent. 00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:07.000 Everything is temporary. So very bittersweet, 00:03:07.219 --> 00:03:10.259 very huge milestone as a mother, as someone who 00:03:10.259 --> 00:03:13.810 has pretty much... Outside of my time in Richmond 00:03:13.810 --> 00:03:16.930 having some help. I have pretty much done all 00:03:16.930 --> 00:03:20.849 the rearing My husband works very long hours 00:03:20.849 --> 00:03:23.349 and does what he can when he's home, but you 00:03:23.349 --> 00:03:27.389 know mostly a lot of the traveling and things 00:03:27.389 --> 00:03:30.610 like that primary parenting duties were on my 00:03:30.610 --> 00:03:35.090 hands and I'm proud of myself. This shit is hard 00:03:35.090 --> 00:03:39.930 So, yeah And I'm proud of and thankful for everybody 00:03:39.930 --> 00:03:41.870 who's helped me along the way. Like there's so 00:03:41.870 --> 00:03:44.210 many people who have been my village, even for 00:03:44.210 --> 00:03:47.229 a day or a few hours. And I'm so grateful for 00:03:47.229 --> 00:03:51.210 you, family, friends, and trusted strangers. 00:03:51.770 --> 00:03:55.610 So, because here's the thing, sometimes even 00:03:55.610 --> 00:03:58.509 family isn't safe. So I really do go with my 00:03:58.509 --> 00:04:01.930 gut when it comes to my child. I always, I always 00:04:01.930 --> 00:04:05.159 know, I know. I know when my child is safe with 00:04:05.159 --> 00:04:11.099 somebody so um yeah. Oh what was that? I think 00:04:11.099 --> 00:04:14.120 my husband's oh he's doing laundry. Thank you 00:04:14.120 --> 00:04:17.959 sweet angel. But anyway so yeah I just wanted 00:04:17.959 --> 00:04:19.639 to hold some space so let's just have a little 00:04:19.639 --> 00:04:43.660 moment of silence. All right. Well, yeah. These 00:04:43.660 --> 00:04:51.000 days, taking it easy. Very much limiting, again, 00:04:51.139 --> 00:04:54.459 still limiting what I'm doing. We're up to about 00:04:54.459 --> 00:05:05.139 two errands a day. And, um, but yeah, it's gonna 00:05:05.139 --> 00:05:07.519 be interesting. I've got a whole new routine 00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:09.920 coming up like I really was so in the thick of 00:05:09.920 --> 00:05:11.839 it that I didn't realize that things were about 00:05:11.839 --> 00:05:14.560 to shift and I was going to be afforded a lot 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:17.240 more free time than I'm used to in free brain 00:05:17.240 --> 00:05:20.439 space so I'm looking forward to that. I'm going 00:05:20.439 --> 00:05:22.120 to miss spending the days with my baby but I'm 00:05:22.120 --> 00:05:24.220 looking forward to walking them to school and 00:05:24.220 --> 00:05:26.439 picking them up from school and asking them about 00:05:26.439 --> 00:05:29.660 their day. I really like their teacher. She's 00:05:29.660 --> 00:05:34.449 incredibly accessible. and we had a little one 00:05:34.449 --> 00:05:36.709 -on -one chat these things are very new to me 00:05:36.709 --> 00:05:42.230 but it's so cute um yeah so outside of that just 00:05:42.230 --> 00:05:47.629 stepping into making um making a village that 00:05:47.629 --> 00:05:49.990 that suits my new needs because my needs are 00:05:49.990 --> 00:05:56.389 so new um stepping into my courage um when it 00:05:56.389 --> 00:05:59.250 comes to socializing i've been so protective 00:05:59.250 --> 00:06:03.600 of my um space Lately and I think most people 00:06:03.600 --> 00:06:05.819 should go through, you know spiritual I mean 00:06:05.819 --> 00:06:09.100 hell Most folks go through some period of spiritual 00:06:09.100 --> 00:06:12.759 isolation Throughout their life's journey and 00:06:12.759 --> 00:06:14.300 even if they don't realize it's like spiritual 00:06:14.300 --> 00:06:17.019 isolation that usually becomes that unintentionally 00:06:17.019 --> 00:06:21.279 so It's really interesting that when I feel the 00:06:21.279 --> 00:06:23.560 need to just pull back it becomes intentional 00:06:23.560 --> 00:06:25.519 I'm like oh yeah this is one of them times where 00:06:25.519 --> 00:06:27.100 I need to just be gentle with myself and protect 00:06:27.100 --> 00:06:30.060 my space because when your spirit is open when 00:06:30.060 --> 00:06:36.319 your abilities are very um very sharp it's really 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:40.000 easy to have muddled noise and so a lot of the 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:41.759 time when I'm like that going through phases 00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:45.879 like that I have to really like just for real 00:06:45.879 --> 00:06:48.519 for real put my metaphorical loop earplugs in 00:06:48.519 --> 00:06:50.899 and keep it pushing and focus on what I need 00:06:50.899 --> 00:06:57.360 to do um as as uh the hit of my household so 00:06:57.360 --> 00:07:03.480 yeah this is gonna be a short one I'm excited 00:07:03.480 --> 00:07:06.620 for what's to come I'm hopeful for what's to 00:07:06.620 --> 00:07:10.800 come I am more than hopeful actually for what's 00:07:10.800 --> 00:07:13.139 to come I know that I know that good things are 00:07:13.139 --> 00:07:16.860 on the horizon for the world even though it doesn't 00:07:16.860 --> 00:07:20.079 look that way don't be fooled do not be fooled 00:07:20.079 --> 00:07:22.360 keep the faith that feeling you feel in the pit 00:07:22.360 --> 00:07:24.019 of your gut where it feels like things are different 00:07:24.019 --> 00:07:26.699 this time things are really shifting or you feel 00:07:26.699 --> 00:07:28.600 like you're on the precipice of something new 00:07:28.600 --> 00:07:31.500 that's very fucking scary that you're like terrified 00:07:31.500 --> 00:07:33.579 to jump you know that there's a little whisper 00:07:33.579 --> 00:07:38.139 in your ear that says just fucking do it it's 00:07:38.139 --> 00:07:42.060 the time it's it's arrived And I feel like it's 00:07:42.060 --> 00:07:44.079 been trying to push through a few times, but 00:07:44.079 --> 00:07:47.120 I feel like this is now, this is the returning 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:51.319 for a lot of people. And I wish you ease in your 00:07:51.319 --> 00:07:58.699 journey. I wish you truth in your journey. Yeah, 00:07:59.819 --> 00:08:02.620 I don't have too much to say. And that's interesting. 00:08:03.240 --> 00:08:05.279 I usually have so much to say, but I'm in this 00:08:05.279 --> 00:08:10.839 very interesting place of like, peace. Is that 00:08:10.839 --> 00:08:15.899 what this is? Oh my God. Yeah, I'm just like 00:08:15.899 --> 00:08:18.939 taking it all in second at a time. I hope you 00:08:18.939 --> 00:08:20.699 all go out and enjoy your day. Do something for 00:08:20.699 --> 00:08:24.759 your community. Keep your eye on my story. I'm 00:08:24.759 --> 00:08:26.839 again trying to limit the amount of time I'm 00:08:26.839 --> 00:08:29.959 spending taking things in in terms of visuals 00:08:29.959 --> 00:08:33.220 because I do have OCD that visualizes things. 00:08:34.379 --> 00:08:37.000 So limiting that, but still I want you all to 00:08:37.000 --> 00:08:39.799 keep your eye on my story. on Instagram because 00:08:39.799 --> 00:08:43.360 I'm going to be reposting facts, reposting updates, 00:08:43.679 --> 00:08:45.620 because it is still important to keep your eye 00:08:45.620 --> 00:08:48.840 on what's happening. I encourage you this week, 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:51.179 walk out of work. If you can afford two, three 00:08:51.179 --> 00:08:54.159 days, don't go to work. Don't do it. And don't 00:08:54.159 --> 00:08:55.840 even let them know why. You don't have to let 00:08:55.840 --> 00:08:58.379 them know why. Just don't go and get at least 00:08:58.379 --> 00:09:00.279 one coworker to do it with you. You got that 00:09:00.279 --> 00:09:03.200 one worker bestie. Get them to not show up with 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:05.580 you. Go play hooky. Don't go to the store. Stay 00:09:05.580 --> 00:09:09.309 home. And this is for specifically my black and 00:09:09.309 --> 00:09:13.610 brown people. But actually, you know what? No, 00:09:13.629 --> 00:09:17.970 this is for everybody because the goal of that, 00:09:18.409 --> 00:09:21.570 in particular, not going to work, is to stop 00:09:21.570 --> 00:09:23.690 putting money into the system so anyone can do 00:09:23.690 --> 00:09:26.090 that. But specifically what I want you all to 00:09:26.090 --> 00:09:29.960 do as non -black people is invest in black people 00:09:29.960 --> 00:09:32.919 invest in brown people invest in endeavors that 00:09:32.919 --> 00:09:35.080 uplift the community do not go to target do not 00:09:35.080 --> 00:09:36.879 go to walmart do not go to the gas station if 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:39.919 you can if you can if you can go without gas 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:42.379 for another day or two don't do it you know just 00:09:42.379 --> 00:09:44.700 take your money out of the system for one two 00:09:44.700 --> 00:09:48.080 days you know see what happens and get a buddy 00:09:48.080 --> 00:09:50.600 to do it with you get get two buddies get their 00:09:50.600 --> 00:09:52.399 buddies to do it with them you know what i'm 00:09:52.399 --> 00:09:55.399 saying please i promise you see what happens 00:09:55.399 --> 00:10:00.980 i really do encourage that I quit my job. I mean, 00:10:00.980 --> 00:10:06.659 it was not easy. It has not been easy. But has 00:10:06.659 --> 00:10:12.120 it been worth it? Yeah, I would say so. So for 00:10:12.120 --> 00:10:15.340 those of you who have much more, you know, much 00:10:15.340 --> 00:10:19.059 less to lose, please, I encourage you to take 00:10:19.059 --> 00:10:22.659 a risk. Be courageous and stand for something. 00:10:23.419 --> 00:10:26.570 You know, stand for something. people in Sudan 00:10:26.570 --> 00:10:29.629 and Congo who are at war right now they can't 00:10:29.629 --> 00:10:32.129 work you know what they're focused on they say 00:10:32.129 --> 00:10:39.129 survival they can't eat fast for a day or two 00:10:39.129 --> 00:10:41.129 see what that actually feels like and I'm not 00:10:41.129 --> 00:10:43.990 saying that to be performative like put intention 00:10:43.990 --> 00:10:46.870 behind it say prayers while you fast educate 00:10:46.870 --> 00:10:49.450 yourself it is Black August please make the most 00:10:49.450 --> 00:10:54.409 of this month it's Leo season stand in your power 00:10:56.320 --> 00:10:59.340 Do not be powerless right now. That's what they 00:10:59.340 --> 00:11:03.879 want you to do. Read. Oh, my neighbors are so 00:11:03.879 --> 00:11:09.100 loud. There's no clouds at all. I love it. It 00:11:09.100 --> 00:11:10.580 is a beautiful day. I'm actually probably gonna 00:11:10.580 --> 00:11:16.500 go paint. I'm so nosy. Anyway, I love y 'all. 00:11:16.580 --> 00:11:19.639 Have a great day. Go do something brave. And 00:11:19.639 --> 00:11:20.879 I'll talk to you soon. Okay, bye.