I’ve Been Yapping A Lot This Homecoming Season.
If I had a dollar for every time I went back to my alma mater, North Carolina A&T State University, this month to stand in front a room of people, I would only have $2. That’s not a lot of money, but it is crazy & so wonderful that it happened twice.
(does that make me a public speaker?)
This October I’ve been in many rooms in various area codes committing to my chaos and leaning into all the things that make my universe. Along with leaning in, I am reaching back.
Reaching back at this moment in my life & career means showing up and using my voice. I’ve noticed that a portion of the accessibility issues that exist within my HBCU community could be combated with open dialogue and conversation. There is something so special about sharing my early post-grad life journey in real time with students who will be in my shoes in 1-2 years. So I made it a priority this homecoming season to return with intention.
Planet Zine Workshop, captured by Professor Joseph Jowers
I began this month in my old photojournalism class, where I facilitated my first zine workshop. Conducted among two separate classes, this workshop served as an introduction and exploration into the wonderful world of zines.
Special thank you to Professor Jowers for having me back! :)
Listen to me yap about zines below:
And if you find yourself inspired or want more visual context, I have created all-things zines page you can check out:
Two weeks later I returned back to NC A&T during homecoming week to speak directly to my post-grad journey & multidisciplinary artistry for the 10th Annual JOMC Alumni Takeover.
For this presentation I introduced myself & what it means to be a multidisciplinary artist, just in case anyone was interested in following a similar path. I then gave students 10 expressions that I have been living by in early post-grad life:
1) Fall In Love With First
Early post-grad life is going to come with its fair share of fear. New beginnings can be scary. Falling in love with first can be a great way to find comfortability in the uncomfortable. As long as we continue to grow, we will continue to be met with uncomfortability. For me that meant being the first in my family ever to move to New York. It also means finding the beauty in the first of the month & each week, treating them like the start of the new year. Check out my monthly mood board & open letter to the month HERE
2) Commit To The Chaos
Committing to your chaos, means devoting yourself to every facet of yourself and allowing your world to be a little crazy. Yes, we are young and trying to find ourselves, but don’t limit yourself to just one thing. We are multidimensional beings. You have permission to do whatever you want to do. Start, stop, pause etc. but truly commit to yourself before you commit to anything or anyone else. Read more HERE
3) Embrace The Pivot
Don’t be afraid to charge at change! If it’s not working out for you, pivot. As you grow things will only get more complicated. You will have more to consider and account for. Use early post-grad life as a time of exploration, sacrifice, and adjustment towards the lifestyle that you envision for yourself. Trust your gut, stand on it & never settle. If you are truly committing to your chaos it will only make it easier to embrace the pivot.
For me embracing the pivot means listening to my body, only taking on meaningful collaborative projects that I want to see all the way through, learning how to say no & not being afraid to try out new jobs & industries that pique my interest.
4) Cultivate Your Community
You don’t have to do it alone. I actually recommend you don’t do it alone. Stay connected with the people nurturing and pouring into you along your journey. I am talking your family, close friends, teachers, mentors, coaches, people in your local community, etc. You never know when a connection will come full circle. Plus people want to be a part of your story. Let them. If you are in college, before graduation explore how you can continue to nurture the connections you have made. And after graduation explore joining organizations and clubs within your city as well. So for example if you were in the NAACP chapter on campus, join the chapter in your city. This can be a great way to build and connect with your community as it relates to a greater cause.
5) Find Your Physical Spaces
Establishing a routine in early post-grad can quickly start to feel like you’re stuck in limbo, doing the same things over and over again. (work, home, work, home etc.)
Explore third spaces in your community that you can frequent. For example:
Public library
Coffee Shops/Restaurants
Art galleries
Movie Theatres
Clothing stores
Photo studios
Gyms/Fitness Centers
Historical/Artist city sites
Public/Neighborhood Parks
6) Multiply With The Work
“Multiply implies increase in number by natural generation or by indefinite repetition of a process.”
Eliminate the space in between wanting and doing. If you have an idea or want to do something, as soon as you get the urge, try your best to start on it as quickly as possible. You can’t wait until things are perfect, because if you do you will be waiting forever. Embrace being a newbie, and “bad” at whatever it is. You will get better, but that won’t happen from the sidelines.... get in the field!
Multiplying with the work means growing with the work. It means repurposing and finding new meaning in previous projects and concepts. If you are in school, don’t be afraid to make mandatory work personal. If you go back to I, Conclude 2022, some of those stories were directly pulled from my Photojournalism class. They started out as homework & then were added to my professional portfolio. Multiplying with that work could mean turning one of those stories into a book or short film once I have more support & resources.
7) Lean All The Way In
If you’re gonna do it, really do it. Don’t half ass or cheat yourself. Don’t rush the process & compare yourself to others. Recognize that your journey is yours to have, hold, and tell. (Don’t you want a good story?) Early post-grad life can be frightening, don’t let that fear get in between you and “good work.” Become infatuated with the process.
Thus far on my early post-grad journey, there have been moments where I have find myself temporarily paralyzed by fear. Afraid and drained by the long nights. Upset that I am not getting immediate results or instant gratification. Spoiler alert: just because you throw a tantrum doesn’t mean you are going to get what you want, when you want it. Most times what you will get will be even better. My best advice it to put your head down and find the beauty in the effort it takes to create. Devote yourself to being the absolute best you can be at every step from start to finish.
8) Turn No’s Into Knows
There will be no’s. Opportunities that don’t align, people who don’t understand you, rejection etc. Use that no & turn it into a know. Meaning if someone won’t give you something that you want, take that as an opportunity to learn more and empower yourself to steer the ship directly where you want it to go. Don’t wait for permission from others to decide who you are & what you want to be. If a door closes use it as an opportunity to learn more, create more, and embody the person you want to be far before other people catch on.
For example I want to publish books. I have no manager, no agent, and no publishers beating at my door. I could have got hung up on that, but instead I have used self-publishing as a tool to get my work out there, I don’t have to wait on approval from anyone & I get to keep all of my profits. Take this ideology & apply it to your own life.
9) Curate Your Consistency
Everyday will be different. (Even if you are doing the same thing, like going to your 9-5 for example) Shape consistency to work for you. For me consistency means show up for myself everyday. Some days that means i’m busy and completing a million things, other days that means prioritizing rest & self care. No matter what, I consistently check in on myself and the work I am doing, so I don’t get lost in the madness. Every morning I try to set my attentions, and every night I have an honest assessment about how the day went. I make a conscious effort to start and end the days on a positive note.
10) Leave Room To Dream
Last, but certainly not least, it can be overwhelming when everyone is looking to you to be able to articulate who you are & what you do. Leave room to keep dreaming even when you secure a job, accomplish a goal, or close out a project. You have a vast road ahead of you. Allow the things you can’t control to blossom and flourish. Don’t be afraid to use the space in your head to explore all scenarios, outcomes and the many paths of life. Especially as it relates to art, communication, and creation. Remember you can always change & evolve, but that won’t happen without an open mind to all the possibilities.
Special thank you to Ms. Jones for the opportunity & thank you to the students for listening and asking questions, and giving me a space to not only give, but also receive.
My goal is to continue leveraging physical space as a form of connection to my local community, as well as a means of fostering an environment that encourages curiosity and creativity. In a perfect world these conversations will serve as the beginning of full circle moments that inspire listeners to take action & champion every facet of their worlds. Whether that be through print and zines, or anything else that their heart desires.
As I continue on as a speaker, My goal is to improve upon my delivery, and learn more about effective ways to communicate to an audience. I have so many things I want to chat about & I feel as though these opportunities have allowed me to just barely scratch the surface.
Stay tuned, because there is a lot more where this came from.
If you want to keep the conversation going or have any questions drop them below. :)