We don't go to the east side....

What do communities on the social, economic and environmental margins have in common? For one thing, they tend to be on the east sides of cities. In this short TED Talk about a surprising insight, anthropologist and venture capitalist Stephen DeBerry explains how both environmental and man-made factors have led to disparity by design in cities from East Palo Alto, California to East Jerusalem and beyond -- and suggests some elegant solutions to fix it.

Giving BLACK...

August 28th is Giving Black Day, a day created by the Young Black and Giving Back Institute to celebrate and elevate Young Black Philanthropist. Hundreds of nonprofit leaders and donors will come together on this day to raise funds for charitable causes and spread awareness on the importance of diversity in philanthropy.

COOL Kids, an non-profit I have worked with for years, will celebrate Giving Black Day with a fundraiser and school supply drive to benefit District 3 Harlem Public School students. Our goal is to raise $2,500 and collect school supplies for 100 students. Join us in Harlem for to help hit our goal, and share a drink with fellow philanthropists at the COOL Kids happy hour.

For a complete list of school supplies and more information about District 3 Harlem Schools visit www.coolkidsny.org.

*Turns up pre-45 Kanye's first album*

The hood prodigy (and one of my best friends) @__DaveyJones looking to help one deserving person in the US return to complete a 4-yr degree after taking time off for whatever reason - to start a family, work full-time, a slip in grades, or simply because college wasn't the right decision at that time. 

Here's what she'll cover to jumpstart your process: - Application & transcript request fees for up to 5 programs of interest - Upon acceptance, choice of tuition deposit or textbook assistance (up to $200) - Mentorship via regular check-ins throughout the application process.

"Application" deadline is Friday 9/21. Send her your real, raw story - no gimmicks - at info@thepeoplesmentor.com. All inquiries/apps will be strictly confidential. Tell a friend to tell a friend to tell an auntie/uncle. 

Happy matriculating!

You better keep that Same Energy....

So, what I thought I would never do, has happened. I am letting people on how truly a mess I am.

I started a podcast with some of my homeboys. It was just supposed to be me helping my friend get his comedy off the ground cause he is so funny and witty, and somehow it became a group chat with microphones that we decided to call Same Energy Podcast.

Two episodes so far on the most random of things from Life cereal to Gatorade to R. Kelly, to Insecure. And for those who dont know where our intro is from...

Sorry to those who have yelled at me to tell me I didn't tell them, I actually still haven't processed I am doing it. Follow our IG and Twitter too.

Also, please dont judge me.

You know you need to create to be a creative.... right?

(Spoiler alert - I forgot)

Most of you know what I do for work, and our big work conference happened in April, and I really haven't recovered from it. Sometimes I think I am on the autism spectrum because one disruption to my routine and I am no good. NONE. I then trained for the BK half marathon and took more trips than I was supposed to (or technically could afford), and have just genuinely been out of wack....



But also, I haven't felt inspired. I didn't have the usual motivation. And if I didn't have it, how was I supposed to sit here and write to you all? I would always rather be absent than inauthentic. And yes, I know the Zig Ziglar quote, (its in the "about this blog" section of the website for God's sake). I tried to force feed myself inspiration and nothing hit. I reread the fave books, and some additional ones, I worked out, I prayed (more like begged God to give me some sort of spark). And though the trips were amazing, I hoped they would clear my head for space, but they actually just made things worse. I wouldn't call it depression, but literally just a stagnant rut. I was ready to give up and just accept that being a "creative" really wasn't my thing and be happy with my 9 to 5.

Then it hit me. I wasn't actually creating.


I have a handicap... Perfection. Not saying I achieve it but if it doesn't at least SEEM perfect to me, I am discouraged and usually dismiss the idea. But a few days of not writing emails and updating this blog because I wasn't inspired, turned into weeks, that turned into months. Then I realized, it wasn't just emails. I wasn't writing at all except for work or to talk shit with my friends. I tried to even journal because I remembered one time doing a birth chart reading with mysticxlisptick and she said to me "Write. Writing is your sanity. It's what saves your life." But I still wan't moved. I tried everything to force my motivation to get these emails out to you. What else could I do? So, I hit my homegirl, who is an amazing writer, to ask her advice. And she said something that slapped me in my face.

"You are one of my favorite writers. I don't know if I have ever told you that, but you are."


I didn't start this site for me. I love helping people. It's a gift and a curse but it literally is what moves me. As much as I try to do things for me, genuinely being able to empower people makes me happy. I started small, engaging my twitter more and not just retweeting and talking to my friends. I wrote when I had an idea. I didn't wait for the whole story came to me, or was in the perfect setting to write. I just jotted little by little in my ever note. And even then, I still was thinking about abandoning Deliberate Epiphanies, cause I still wasn't sure.  Then God sent a little little nudge (as She has done a few times) via a text from Tracy G. "Love you babygirl. Have you been updating Deliberate Epiphany?"

I became this person, who I love, because I stopped being scared of fucking up. So I all that to say... We back OKURRRRRRR.