Hey Reader,
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I'm in the middle of one of my favorite events of the year. Leading Women Defined is an invite-only Black women in business conference and requires at least 2 outfits a day (one of the days requires 3) and I lowkey love it because YES LET US BE VERY EXTRA. My husband calls it "Auntie-Con" and he's not wrong. 😅

And yesterday, we got THE BEST SURPRISE when MY PRESIDENT, KAMALA HARRIS stopped by to share joy and hope with us! 😭😭😭

She said “courage is contagious” and I’m holding on to that. Because folks wield fear to control us. Let’s wield COURAGE. She’s still fighting so we need to also. What a highlight. I’m so full.

Let's jump into what's on my mind this week. 👇🏾
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RANT

Your April Fools jokes weren't funny.

Reality is a shitshow so why are y’all still doing April Fools’ jokes?!? Brands especially pissed me off this week with theirs. WE DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS.

The emails in my inbox. The stupid fake book announcements. The "we're changing our entire business model" messages. It was so aggravating..

We should have abolished April Fools day in 2020, honestly. Cuz everything is in shambles and when reality is giving “Onion headlines” everyday, we don’t need your pranks. We’re being pranked by this world DAILY. Leave us be, please!

April Fools has become a day where people and companies compete to see who can waste the most of our time with "gotcha" moments that nobody asked for. And in a world where misinformation is already running rampant, adding to the confusion isn't cute or clever. It's exhausting.

So I'm begging y'all: Next year, let’s just sit April Fools out. Kthx.

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REFLECTION

Taking action ignites hope.

Senator Cory Booker's 25-hour filibuster this week wasn't just about policy. It was about showing us all what's possible when one person decides to stand up (literally). As he stood there hour after hour, I witnessed how a single action can reignite collective hope. 🙏🏾

There's a beautiful chain reaction that happens when someone takes a courageous stand: Action ignites hope. Hope ignites courage. And courage inspires more action. It's a virtuous cycle that powers movements forward.

My sis Jovian put it perfectly: "Public acts of personal courage are important. I know there are thousands of people who feel they can run on a little while longer because of @senbooker's leadership." That's the power of watching someone else refuse to give up. It fills our own tanks when we're running on empty.

When I'm tired, seeing someone else push through their exhaustion reminds me that I can find another ounce of strength too. That's how we keep each other going.

This ripple effect of courage isn't new. It's how every movement for justice has sustained itself. Rosa Parks sitting down inspired others to stand up. John Lewis crossing that bridge in Selma gave courage to countless marchers behind him. Tarana Burke saying "Me Too" unleashed a global wave of truth-telling.

In times like these, when problems feel overwhelming and solutions seem distant, watching someone take concrete action is like oxygen to a suffocating spirit. It reminds us that paralysis isn't our only option. That showing up, even imperfectly, even when it's hard, matters.

You never know how your action might be the very spark someone else needs. The email you finally send might inspire someone else to speak up. The boundary you set might give someone permission to protect their own peace. The project you finish despite all obstacles might be exactly what someone else needs to see to keep going on theirs.

We're all watching each other. Learning from each other. Drawing strength from each other's examples. That's the power of community, of collective courage. We don't always have to generate hope from scratch. Sometimes we can borrow it from someone else's brave action until our own flame reignites. 🔥

Your action matters. Not just for what it might accomplish directly, but for how it might breathe hope into someone who's watching. For how it might remind them (and all of us) that change begins with someone, somewhere, deciding to do something.

So thank you, Sen. Booker, for the reminder that "We can never allow our inability to do everything to undermine our determination to do something." And thank you to everyone taking action in ways big and small. Your courage is contagious. Your hope is fuel. Your action lights the way forward.

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RECOMMENDATION

Vote for my podcast in the Webby Awards.

I'm in awe. 😭 Season 5 of my Professional Troublemaker podcast has been nominated for TWO Webby Awards! I’m nominated for both Best Limited Series and Best Individual Episode in the Business category.

To see that work honored like this? I'm grateful and I'm proud. 🥹 Cuz I know this was the best season I've ever done (shoutout to my producer Letisha Bereola 🫶🏾).

What makes this season different from anything I've done before is that I truly pulled back the curtain on what it means to face setbacks and rebuild. I shared the ugly cry moments. The questioning everything moments. The "I don't know if I can do this anymore" moments. Because we ALL have those moments, but we rarely talk about them honestly.

In a world that's obsessed with highlight reels and overnight success stories, I wanted to document what resilience really looks like. The day-to-day choice to keep going even when giving up would be easier. The vulnerability of admitting when you're struggling. The courage it takes to ask for help.

If this season moved you, made you feel seen, or reminded you that you're not alone, vote for me. Here is to truth-telling, transparency, and transformation. 🙏🏾

What makes me proudest about this season is that I shared the lows right alongside the highs. Because that's life, right? The messy middle. The parts where you're not sure if you'll make it through. The moments where you have to choose: stay down or get back up.

What has helped you rebuild after a difficult season in your life? Hit reply and let me know. I'd love to hear your story.

To getting back up,

P.S. I am on a mission to make kids feel seen! That’s why I want to get 10,000 copies of Little Troublemaker Defends Her Name into the hands of kids all over the country, without their teachers incurring cost. So we’ve launched our Sponsorship Train and we need your help to make it a success! Whether you're an educator requesting books or a sponsor wanting to donate, join us in putting this story of self-worth and cultural pride in children's hands.
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