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Why It Matters: Sharing Your Voice Is Essential
Cut out all of the noise of the world for a moment and think about who you are.
Not what you “do”.
Not your status at your job.
Not who you’re dating.
Not how many social media followers you have.
Not what awards or accolades you’ve collected.
Not who has featured you or interviewed you for their blog, online publication or show.
YOU as a whole human being in all of your flaws and talents whose voice deserves to be heard – because you do.
Think about why you follow people online and elect to spend time with them; common qualities like humor, wit, intelligence, kindness, empathy, transparency, and skill-set connect us to each other. These qualities create a bond of relatability that help us collaborate and vibe well together. So in the midst of admiring all of the people that I do for their individual talents, I had to take a moment to understand that my words matter just as much as theirs do, because I matter. I had to realize that I can be just as impactful as them. I had to understand that I, too, can operate at a similar level as they do. Now if I’m going to be honest for a moment, it’s taken me a loooong time to muster up the courage and push past fear to even launch this blog, but I finally decided to give into my interests and talents and to tap into the necessary discipline that comes with executing even when I feel nervous.
I had to understand that no one can execute for me except for me. And I had to realize that fear was clouding my chance to be heard.
So I hope in reading this you decide to also push aside your fear, because here are a few reasons why your perspective + your voice matter
Your Words and Experiences Can Save Someone.
When someone reads what you write, they are no longer a complete stranger to you because they have now tapped into your thoughts and the innermost workings of your mind. Your words can help save someone heartache, process through grief, advise them through a confusing transition period or season, nurture a new idea, etc. The impact of your words is endless. We all want to seem strong and avoid exposing our painful moments in life so often that we choose to suffer in silence. But when you factor in the internet, there's a temptation to be bold because you're not speaking directly to any one person even though your words are. Revealing your personal + vulnerable moments can help encourage or reassure someone who is going through a tough situation that they will make it to the other side because you're making it through even if you are currently working through your storm.
What You Say Can Unintentionally Impact You, Too.
The internet is like a live online journal. You can look back at tweets from years ago, Facebook lets you know what you were doing this time last year, you can document your life online via YouTube, you collect memories with people through tags, and whoever you document yourself to be is cemented through your online persona. Think about who you were or who you created your online brand to be just 6 months ago. Seeing/hearing the quality of your content and how you used to piece together your thoughts will hold you accountable and push you to be better. Maybe you were ignorant to a cause or movement and you have now become more informed. Maybe your grammar and who you used to present yourself to be was a HOT mess. Beyond the freedom of sharing your thoughts with others, now you can look back and say “whew, I've really improved how I used to take pictures, what I used to write about, how I used to write, etc.” Self-awareness and self-reflection really are beautiful.
Words Create Worlds, Establish Escapes, and Create Endless Opportunities.
J.K. Rowling created an entire phenomenon around Harry Potter. She imagined a place based on part of her childhood and produced a whole world that resonates with both kids and adults. James Baldwin and Ta-Nehisi Coates have expanded the minds of people across all backgrounds and ethnicities through their thought-provoking books, interviews, and speeches on topics such as race, life, and the complexities of it all. Maya Angelou and Toni Morrison have created beautiful imagery and ignited confidence with their words. Suzanne Collins and Veronica Roth created terrifying yet equally-intoxicating dystopian worlds. Your words, too, can leave the page to create an escape for people living in their current reality. They can educate the uneducated, and it doesn’t have to be solely in the form of a TV show, movie, or book to matter. Your words can create opportunities to collaborate with brands you used to obsess over through the pages of your J-14, Teen Vogue and Essence magazines – hello Issa Rae. There are no limits, so share your narrative and do it now before you talk yourself out of it.
Don’t deprive the world of your words because you claim in your own mind that they aren’t valuable. Stop believing your own lies.
Sometimes "In Progress" Pieces Of Work Need To Be Validated.
You know this is true to some extent. Go with me on this. As people in a world with billions of other people, we want to know that what we say is connecting to our audience, and to, well, anyone outside of ourselves. Do you have a thought or idea that you want to develop into a book, a script, a pilot, a web series – shoot, even an Instagram post? Since the internet – more specifically social media – has changed the way we receive + process information, doing things like Twitter/IG Polls, posting something inspirational on Instagram, or creating a Facebook post can be the beginning of a project in your mind that needs the opinion of the people you’re creating it for. Do they love it? Hate it? Benefit from reading/consuming it? It’s key to know that what you’re writing about or creating is resonating because if it’s not then it’s likely time to change course.
Becoming obsessed with validation from everyone else = No
Understanding the value of confirmation, impact + affirmation = Yes
The Need For Change and Impact Is Bigger Than Your Fears.
The internet has opened up the magical door for creatives to have insight into the mind of other creatives in order to . . . you guessed it, create. We don’t ALWAYS need to be in competition because sometimes we are much more impactful in a group. Sometimes our strength is in aligning and discerning where our talents fall in the grand scheme of things. Not to mention, burnout is real. It is our responsibility to pay attention to the needs of each other so that we can collaborate to continuously create things that will make way and give a chance for the next generation to see what’s possible. That is both my responsibility and yours. Change, in all of its forms, only takes place when we are ready and able to do something completely uncomfortable and outside of ourselves. I have the willingness to constantly learn if I don't know something because everything I'm doing is bigger than me.
Whether or not my words resonate immediately, as an afterthought in your mind, or not at all, I can’t control. What I can control is making my words available to you in the first place. Putting yourself out there is both thrilling and terrifying, but one thing that’s for certain is if you never try, you’ll never know who could be affected by what you have to say.
Dismiss the fear, embrace the discomfort, and release the risk-free moments all 2018, friends.
Xoxo
Sincerely, Ang.
We All Can Win: Why This Has to Be The Core Focus In All That We Create
One thing I discovered when grabbing barbeque with a friend in D.C. last year was the anxiety of planning out what our 2018 should look like. It’s a universal emotion that a lot of us feel as we try to figure out our future, pay our student loans, attend a brunch or two, and simultaneously work to build entities that will succeed, grow, and that truly make an impact. The problem is the overwhelming burnout that happens when we’re constantly building and doing everything by ourselves. We’re all so focused on building our own legacies that oftentimes by doing that we limit what can happen if we build together.
There’s a Greater Sense Of Achievement When You Win With Your Crew
Issa Rae and Ava Duvernay are great examples of what it means to reap the benefits of the seeds you planted long ago. What's so beautiful and impactful about their genius is that it extends beyond their solo achievements because they make an intentional effort to network across instead of networking up, as Issa Rae put it. In other words, when they win they bring their people with them. Issa believes in incorporating the talent around her because she knows her people want to tell brilliant narratives and are fully capable of doing so with access to the right opportunities, and those opportunities often come when one person wins and extends a hand to another. She also gives intentional shoutouts to the brilliant women directors and producers who put in work on every single episode of Insecure and Ava Duvernay implements this same behavior by making sure we know the incredibly talented artists who work on the beautifully-shot and intoxicatingly-scripted episodes of Queen Sugar. Sharing our success by keeping the door open for our counterparts is how we erase being the anomalies of great storytellers and instead solidify the standard for our narratives.
Diversification Of Ideas and Skill Are Imperative When You’re Creating Anything
The limitations of our own mindset and point-of-view are often our enemy. When your goal is to plan a large event or build a company – whether it’s a non-profit or corporation – or develop an app or physical product – it’s important to bring with it more than one set of eyes or one perspective. It’s too easy to miss the mark when it comes to branding something because of a little thing called human error. The way you target people correctly is by understanding the audience you want to reach, and if you’re not in that audience, or at times even if you are, it’s invaluable to include people who have a different perspective than you. Having a multifaceted and multi-cultural team will always propel you past your competition and strengthen you in both the short and long term.
Reflection, Improvement, and Advancement Come With Teamwork
You can’t always critique yourself. Realistically, sometimes you’re so wound up in who you are (your feelings, your emotions, and your state-of-mind) that nothing can penetrate your thought-process. How many of us need that tell-it-like-it-is friend? How many of us need that swift kick in the ass to make a move? WE. ALL. DO. Whether the people you need around you are friends, family or work colleagues, they all play a pivotal role in you moving to the next tier whether personally or professionally. It’s especially important for teams that you work on to be able to reflect on the past work you’ve done and have a vision for where you’re heading. As an extrovert, I stan for teamwork because of the unmatched synergy that comes along with it, but beyond that, I also see the value it holds in propelling you forward. After all, duplicating similar ideas results in less impactful outcomes but fusing together brilliance can create a project that’s a force of nature.
There Are Levels To Building, You Don’t Have To Invest All Of Yourself In Another Person Or Team
A big reason why we’re scared to build with other people is that we fear that we’ll have to be really committed like it’s a relationship or a 9-5 job, but that's not the case. Working with someone can be within the confines of an annual or semi-annual event. Think Essence Festival, SXSW or even more small-scale – an online workshop or masterclass you host with someone. Not everyone is meant to be your full-time business partner. The key to finding solid teammates is to get to know people through-and-through. Maybe you’re not building a business with someone else but at the very least you can collaborate with them. You’ll learn how to work with people professionally and you’ll either make money or grow your respective audiences.
Think of partnership as manifesting at least twice as much abundance as you would alone. We all can win and there's no reason why we shouldn't if we continue to pass the torch of strategy and opportunity.
We’re entering into the second quarter of the year and all that 2018 has to offer is yours, let’s continue to work with each other to make it outstanding and fruitful.
Xoxo
Sincerely, Ang.
More Than Avocado Toast & Unlimited Mimosas: Why Brunch Continues To Increase In Value
I have way too many friends who throw brunches. This is not a complaint, but rather a truth. I’ve met some of my best friends during these amazing combinations of breakfast + lunch, and here’s the thing about the abundance of these brunches: I never, and I mean NEVER get tired of attending them. If after a long week of work you don't crave the taste of early-morning mimosas, talking about life, and french toast sprinkled with valuable connections, then I don’t know if you’re a real person.
Okay . . . so maybe that was a stretch, but here are some real reasons why brunch is the best thing going right now.
It's The New "we're too old and washed to go out" Way Of Going Out
Once you hit about 25-years-old you’re pretty much over the let's go out and get wasted phase of your life. But this doesn’t mean you lack the ability to have fun, quite the contrary in fact. What it means is that the meaning of what is fun is changing to you. You’d rather go to Happy Hour after work, see a movie (Wakanda Forever, anyone?) spend your time and money trying some biscuits and sausage gravy or special flavored pancakes with your crew during brunch, or attend a game night. At this time in your life catching-up and connecting over grapefruit-flavored mimosas in the warm sun is appealing and feeling pressured to give attention to some dude at the bar who won't leave you alone is not. Investing in a carafe with the girls (or guys) catches your attention and your budget stays intact. After all, you likely won’t get an in-depth conversation in a bar at 1 am. Save your club money for when it matters most.
A Chance To Form Unexpected + Invaluable Relationships
There are a lot of places to discover and connect with people across the web but in-person meetups are still unmatched. In-person events are the phone calls to our text messages; conversations translate differently and there’s nothing quite like witnessing real-time emotions, reactions, and opinions when it comes to what’s going on in the world. It’s invaluable to think that you could go to an early-morning brunch and leave having met someone who could be the basis of the friendship you never knew you needed. Brunches give access to collaborative minds that you may not have otherwise had exposure to, and if you’re new to a city attending a brunch could make a way for you to establish incredible friendships and mentors that are life long.
It's a Reunion Away From a Family Reunion
We all know how our family reunions go. The big T-shirts, the food, the music and dancing, the games, and the feeling of love that surrounds it. Whether it's two people or 50, the right brunch can feel just like a real family reunion. And for some people who don't have family in the same place that they live, gathering at a Sunday brunch or turn up forms a bond in an environment where the good vibes are plentiful. When it comes to the smaller brunch events you get more intimacy and a chance to get to know people, and with bigger brunches you have the opportunity to dance, hear from panelists, buy from vendors, partake in a buffet, and so much more that feels family-centered. At brunch you feel included and at home, just like with your genetic family.
Casual as You Wanna Be: Comfort and Conversation Go Well Together
As full-time working adults we’re not always trying to go somewhere where heels or a nice suit are required, so when it comes to connecting with great people, being in an environment where you’re comfortable invites conversation more fluidly. Brunch is the place where chic fashion reigns supreme but the pressure to be red-carpet ready isn’t overwhelming. Welcome to the environment where your sneakers can be worn with a dress, flowy pajama pants can be dressed up to the nines with heels, and graphic T’s are widespread. Whether you do the most or do the least, brunch is the place where you are encouraged to bring your whole self to the table.
A Breeding Ground For Inspiration + Execution
Brunches not only provide an excuse for you to gather with friends and family, they also open up the door for you to talk to those who you might otherwise never have met. Because brunch is typically held early in the day the vibe tends to be different, and there’s bright, flavorful food and drinks that accompany free-flowing conversation. Perspectives and life experiences are exchanged over topics like relationships, career, mental health and overall life goals which prompts inspiration on all levels. Maybe you’re looking to plan a panel or Happy Hour and you need help from a graphic designer, videographer or professional event planner; you could meet the peanut butter to your jelly as far as a business-partner goes at brunch. Everyone has incredible connections, and if we team-up then the ability to develop and execute great ideas becomes limitless. Uber was brought to fruition at SXSW, and who knows, the newest conference could be pieced together at the next brunch you attend.
Unlimited Potential To Secure The Bag:
Whether you’re a part of a team that plans and hosts quarterly brunches that are formally catered with a decadent music selection, or you host beginning of the year goal-mapping brunches with a small group, the options for how to design a brunch event are absolutely limitless. You could turn a well-known Saturday/Sunday hobby into a sponsored event that’s built for much more than just a one-off, feel-good time. Think as small, intimate, and exclusive as you want, or as large-scale as a monumental movement that could partner with an event as highly-anticipated as Essence Fest, SXSW or Coachella. Remember, well-known events were always small on some level at first, and the potential to make money from it can happen when you least expect it.
What other impacts do you see brunch having in the near future? Let me know in the comments below and let’s clink our grapefruit-flavored mimosa glasses. Happy Brunching!
Xoxo
Sincerely Ang.