A LETTER FROM THE TEAM
The Courage of the First Leap
Welcome to this issue of Vinegar Hill Magazine! In every piece within these pages, you’ll find a powerful theme: courage in the face of closure, change, or challenge. This issue is a salute to the people who took the first step, made the decisive move, or pushed past the fear of being seen.
We look back at the enduring local legacies forged by trailblazers like Eugene Williams (recently passed), who fought for civil rights and housing equality, and Charles Barbour, the visionary behind Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall. These leaders remind us that a community is shaped by those willing to risk for a better future.
We also celebrate the continuation of a vital mission as Marquan Jones reflects on the legacy of the UVA Upward Bound program and its transition to UPLIFT. His story is a powerful
testament to the transformative potential of support systems for first-generation students.
Furthering the conversation on powerful Black legacies, we sit down with Professor A.D. Carson, a professor of hip hop at the University of Virginia. In a compelling discussion on “The Living Archive,” he positions Blackness itself as a technology and argues that artists like D’Angelo treat linear time as merely a “suggestion,” allowing their music to be simultaneously ancient and futuristic. Professor Carson’s work, which is tied to his forthcoming book Being Dope, Hip Hop in Theory Through Mixtape Memoir, reclaims Black music’s narrative from manufactured industry labels.
On a personal level, we encourage you to confront your own “fear wearing Prada”. Khalilah Jones reminds us that perfection is often just fear in a “fancy fit,” and that progress demands showing up,
even when you’re still figuring things out. Michaela Franklin embodies this leap, sharing her experience of moving abroad and the profound freedom that comes from leaving the familiar behind to find a better quality of life.
Finally, we’re honored that the collaborative work of Charlottesville Inclusive Media and its partners—including Vinegar Hill Magazine—continues to receive national recognition, affirming our collective mission to expand reach and deepen community trust.
This season, as chapters close and new beginnings take shape, we hope these stories inspire you to embrace your own “messy middle”, and to remember: The world needs your present version, not your perfect one.
With Purpose.
A LEGACY OF UPLIFT REFLECTING ON UVA’S UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM
by Marquan Jones
As one chapter closes, a new one begins with UPLIFT
There’s something profoundly bittersweet about watching a program that shaped your entire trajectory come to an end. When I learned that the University of Virginia’s Upward Bound program would no longer operate through the institution, I felt a familiar weight in my chest—the same feeling I had when I aged out of the program in 2019. It’s the sensation of knowing that a chapter is closing, but also the deep gratitude for having lived through pages that changed everything.
As I sit here now, a college graduate from Virginia Military Institute, I can trace nearly every moment of my academic confidence back to those transformative summers and Saturday sessions that began in 2016. Upward Bound didn’t just prepare me for college—it taught me how to be a college student before I ever stepped foot on VMI’s campus. More importantly, it showed a young Black man from Charlottesville that higher education wasn’t just a possibility, but a birthright.
The program’s impact on my family runs deeper than my own
experience. My sister attended from 2009 to 2012, and I watched her transformation with the wideeyed wonder of a younger brother who didn’t yet understand what he was witnessing. Every summer, she would return home with stories that seemed to glow with possibility. Every Saturday, she would eagerly head to UVA’s campus, not because she had to, but because she wanted to. She spoke of friends who felt like family, of administrators who cared about more than just test scores, of a place where she could be authentically herself while discovering who she was becoming.
Marquan Jones, a new member of the Charlottesville Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc., poses in his fraternity regalia. (Photo by Arrick Wilson/@flicksbyarrick)
This story was published as a part of Charlottesville Inclusive Media’s First Person Charlottesville project. Have a story to tell? Here’s how.
I knew then that Upward Bound was special. I watched my sister evolve from a high school student into a young woman, then into a college student, and finally into a college graduate—all while I was still in the program, witnessing the full arc of what was possible. She became my proof of concept, my living example that firstgeneration college students like us could not only survive higher education but thrive in it.
When I entered the program in 2016, I understood why my sister had been so eager to return each summer. The moment I stepped onto UVA’s campus as a high school student, I felt the weight of possibility settle on my shoulders. This wasn’t just a summer program—it was a dress rehearsal for the life I was working toward. We caught public transportation to classes, just like real college students. We walked across the iconic Lawn, our backpacks heavy with textbooks and dreams. We attended core classes and electives, balancing academic rigor with the sweet freedom of choosing our own path.
But perhaps most importantly, we had free time. Real, unstructured free time to discover who we were when no one was watching, when our parents weren’t directing our every move, when we could make choices and face their consequences in a safe, supportive environment. For
many of us, it was our first taste of independence, and Upward Bound ensured we could savor it without losing our way.
The relationships forged during those summers and Saturday sessions became the foundation of my support system. Friendships that began over shared struggles with calculus or late-night conversations in the residence halls continue to this day. These weren’t just program friends— they became chosen family, people who understood the unique challenges of being firstgeneration college students navigating uncharted territory.
The mentor-mentee relationships were equally transformative. Older students who had already made the transition to college shared their wisdom, their mistakes, and their strategies for success. They showed us how to operate not just as students, but as maturing young adults who could handle the freedom and responsibility that college would demand. These relationships provided a roadmap for our futures, drawn by people who looked like us and shared our experiences.
At the heart of it all was the administration, led by Leah Puryear, whose dedication and care created a safe haven for growth. Under her leadership, we felt protected both on and off campus, but never sheltered from the realities we would face. She understood that preparing us for college meant more than academic readiness—it meant developing the character traits
that would serve us long after graduation. Through her guidance, we learned accountability, not as a burden but as a form of selfrespect. We learned timeliness, not as a rule but as a way of honoring our commitments and the people who believed in us. We learned integrity, not as a concept
but as a way of moving through the world with our heads held high.
The program opened doors to experiences that might have otherwise remained closed. We were exposed to Greek organizations, witnessing the beauty of Black excellence in higher education. We cheered at sports games, feeling the energy of collegiate pride. We visited other colleges, expanding our
understanding of what was possible and helping us make informed decisions about our futures. Each exposure was a gift, a chance to see ourselves in spaces we had only imagined.
When I arrived at VMI in 2019, I wasn’t just ready for college—I was hungry for it. While my classmates were learning how to navigate campus life, manage their time, and balance academic demands with
social opportunities, I was applying lessons I had learned years earlier. I knew how to approach professors during office hours. I knew how to form study groups and maintain the relationships that would sustain me through difficult semesters. Most importantly, I knew that I belonged there, not as an exception or an experiment, but as a young man who had been thoroughly prepared for the moment.
The news that Upward Bound would transition to UPLIFT as a separate entity outside of UVA brought mixed emotions. There’s sadness in knowing that future students won’t experience the program in the same way we did, walking the same paths on the same campus where we found ourselves. But there’s also profound hope in knowing that the mission continues, that the community of care and support that shaped us will continue to shape others.
As I reflect on the rich history of Upward Bound at UVA, I’m overwhelmed by gratitude. This program didn’t just prepare us for college—it prepared us for life. It taught us that being firstgeneration college students wasn’t a limitation but a strength, that our unique perspectives and experiences were valuable contributions to the academic community. It showed us that success wasn’t just about individual achievement but about lifting others as we climbed.
The program may be ending its chapter at UVA, but its legacy
lives on in every student who walked those halls, every graduate who returned to mentor others, every family whose trajectory was forever changed by the opportunity to dream bigger. We are living proof that programs like Upward Bound work, that investment in first-generation students pays dividends that ripple through generations.
As UPLIFT begins its journey as an independent program, it carries with it the DNA of everything that made Upward Bound special—the commitment to excellence, the culture of care, the belief that every student deserves not just a chance but the tools to succeed. The name may be changing, but the mission remains the same: to uplift students, to open doors, and to prove that with the right support, any dream is achievable.
To future UPLIFT students, I want you to know that you’re joining a legacy of excellence that spans decades. You’re becoming part of a family that extends far beyond program years, a network of support that will be there long after you’ve received your diploma. Embrace every moment, every challenge, every opportunity to grow. The person you become during your time in the program will be the person who conquers college and beyond.
And to the administrators, mentors, and staff who will continue this work under the UPLIFT banner, thank you for carrying forward a tradition that changes lives. Thank you for believing in first-generation
students, for seeing our potential when others might only see our obstacles, for creating spaces where we can be our authentic selves while reaching for our highest aspirations.
The program may be ending at UVA, but its impact is eternal. In every lecture hall where a former Upward Bound student raises their hand, in every graduation ceremony where a first-generation college student walks across the stage, in every moment when someone who was once told they didn’t belong proves otherwise— the spirit of Upward Bound lives on.
We are the harvest of seeds planted in faith, tended with care, and nurtured with love. We are the proof that programs like this matter, that investment in young people pays dividends that extend far beyond what any spreadsheet can measure. We are Upward Bound, and we are lifted.
The author is Marquan Jones, a 2019 graduate of UVA’s Upward Bound program and a 2024 graduate of Virginia Military Institute. He currently resides in Charlottesville, Virginia.
CHARLES BARBOUR THE VISIONARY BEHIND CHARLOTTESVILLE’S DOWNTOWN MALL
by Scott Hamler, Discover Black Cville Steering Committee Chair
When people stroll down Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall today, pausing at a café, catching a show at the Paramount, or listening to music on the Pavilion lawn, it is easy to take this vibrant pedestrian corridor for granted.
But this space, which has become the city’s beating heart, exists because of the courage and vision of leaders who believed downtown could be more than just another road filled with traffic. One of the most important of those leaders was Charles H. Barbour.
Who Was Charles Barbour?
Charles Barbour made history in 1970 as the first African American elected to Charlottesville’s City Council. Just four years later, he would serve as the city’s first Black mayor. A licensed practical nurse by trade, Barbour’s leadership style reflected a deep commitment to service, equity, and the wellbeing of the community. At a time when racial and political tensions were high, his election was groundbreaking. But Barbour was more than a symbol; he was a man of action.
What Did Charles Barbour Do?
The Decline of the Downtown Area and A Bold Plan
In the early 1970s, Charlottesville’s downtown corridor was struggling. Like many American cities, suburban shopping centers were pulling customers away from the urban core. Local leaders worried that downtown was on the verge of collapse. The idea of a pedestrian mall emerged as a bold and untested concept in Virginia. The plan was to close East Main Street to cars and create a walkable public space designed by renowned landscape architect Lawrence Halprin.
When the Charlottesville City Council voted on the plan in March 1974, the outcome was
uncertain. Many councilors abstained, citing conflicts of interest. Charles Barbour cast one of the decisive votes in favor. It was an act of conviction and vision. Without his support, the project may never have happened.
Charles Barbour’s Legacy
The Opening of the Downtown Mall
When the Mall officially opened in 1976, Barbour presided over the ribbon cutting, cementing his role in shaping Charlottesville’s future. Over time, locals began referring to him as the “father of the Downtown Mall.” His legacy lives on every time people gather there. Families shop or enjoy dinner together. Artists, buskers, and performers fill the air with creativity. Festivals, markets, and parades bring the city together. What was once seen as a risky experiment is now one of the longest and most successful pedestrian malls in the country, a thriving hub that has redefined what downtown
Charlottesville means.
Charles Barbour’s story is about more than bricks and mortar. It is about leadership that takes risks, representation that opens doors, and vision that sees potential where others see decline. The Downtown Mall is a testament to what is possible when communities embrace bold ideas and inclusive leadership. It stands as a lasting reminder of Charles Barbour’s place in Charlottesville history, a nurse, a trailblazer, and a mayor who helped shape the city we know today.
The next time you find yourself walking the red brick path of the Downtown Mall, take a moment to remember Charles Barbour, the man whose foresight helped create the place where Charlottesville comes together.
Visit https://www.visitcharlottesville.org/blog/ discover-black-cville-charles-barbour-history/ for more!
CHARLOTTESVILLE INCLUSIVE MEDIA WINS
NATIONAL ‘COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR’ AWARD
by Atlee Webber and Charlottesville Inclusive Media
Charlottesville Inclusive Media (CIM) is getting national attention for our collaborative journalism.
CIM partners Charlottesville Tomorrow, In My Humble Opinion Radio Show and Vinegar Hill Magazine have won in the “Collaboration of the Year” category for the 2025 LION Sustainability Awards.
The judges said: “Charlottesville Inclusive Media demonstrates strong strategy and foresight in building both outreach and internal support across
its partner organizations. Their collaborative efforts have helped expand reach, develop impactful local content, and lay the groundwork for sustaining each newsroom’s growth. This is a model example of how an ongoing, intentional collaboration can strengthen relationships, deepen community trust, and transform an entire media ecosystem.”
The award recognizes Local Independent Online News members that are engaged in a collaboration that enhances “journalistic impact, financial health, and/or operational resilience,” according to the LION Publishers announcement.
Sabrina Feggans and Michaux Hood, with Charlottesville Inclusive Media, accepted an award for “Collaboration of the Year” from LION Publishers in Sept. 4, 2025 at their annual conference in St. Louis, Missouri. Courtesy of LION Publishers
2023 Collaborative Journalism Summit Jun 6 – 7, 2023 | Photos by Joe Amditis and William Allen-DuPraw.
Sarad Davenport | 2023 Collaborative Journalism Summit Jun 6 – 7, 2023 | Photos by Joe Amditis and William Allen-DuPraw.
Sarad, Angilee, and Charles Lewis | 2023 Collaborative Journalism SummitJun 6 – 7, 2023 |Photos by Joe Amditis and William Allen-DuPraw.
THE LIVING ARCHIVE PROFESSOR A.D. CARSON ON D’ANGELO, DOPE, AND HIP HOP’S TECHNOLOGY
by Sarad Davenport
It was good to sit down and chop it up with Professor A.D. Carson, Ph.D., to discuss his groundbreaking work, his Grammy-considered albums, and the profound legacy of Black music, with a specific focus on the inimitable artist, D’Angelo. Professor Carson, a professor of hip hop at the University of Virginia, was not only an acclaimed academic but a practicing artist, which made his perspective uniquely insightful at the intersection of cultural studies, history, and creation. The discussion explored his argument that Blackness itself operated as a technology and how Black musicians D’Angelo treated linear time as merely a
“suggestion,” allowing them to be simultaneously ancient and futuristic. We were privileged to delve into the process, the politics, and the spiritual archive that defined Black musical aesthetics.
From PhD to Grammy Contender
Professor Carson began the discussion by reflecting on the work behind his recent Grammy considerations, which he viewed as a matter of respect for his collaborators. He explained that his new albums were created in anticipation of his forthcoming book, Being Dope, Hip Hop in Theory Through Mixtape Memoir.
“The book is kind of a culmination of working here at UVA as a professor of hip hop since 2017 and some of the work that led up to that with my dissertation album,” Professor Carson explained. He argued that the book’s core philosophy lies in understanding hip hop as a teaching practice. “If you understand hip hop as a teaching practice or hip hop as a way of approaching learning, then I think most of the stuff in the book will make sense to you because... we teach people through stories and we teach people through organizing.”
During the conversation, we agreed with the idea of hip hop as a powerful tool for human acceleration, noting its early inclusion of the body, literature, and reading. Professor Carson elaborated on this concept with a provocative analogy at the heart of his book:
“The book is actually making the argument not just that hip hop... but Blackness as a technology that the United States has persistently used and abused,” he stated. He suggested that the nation’s fixation on Blackness was like a fixation on a drug it sought to “prescribe, that it could abuse, that it could perfectly mix.” He then offered a startling historical parallel. “The dope that they were trying to perfect was blackness... And so all of these cultural products, hip-hop included, are byproducts of the American dope trade.”
The question his book asks, he noted, is fundamental: “what if
the dope told its own story?”
D’Angelo: The Black Music Pioneer
The conversation shifted to the recent passing of D’Angelo’s brother and the artist’s enduring legacy. Professor Carson immediately addressed the industry’s impulse to categorize Black artists.
“What did D’Angelo say about his music? What did D’Angelo classify his music as?” Professor Carson asked. “I make black music,” he affirmed, stressing that this singular definition transcends manufactured labels like neo-soul. “When you say you make black music, then that includes hip hop, that includes funk, that includes soul, that includes country. I mean, it includes everything.”
Professor Carson insisted that to respect D’Angelo’s memory, listeners must reject these labels. “We don’t need Spotify or J Records or Apple Music or what. We don’t need those folks to tell us what we make. And we
don’t need them to tell us what somebody already told us when they were here that they were doing.”
He emphasized that hip hop’s power lies in its malleability and its focus on process over product. This focus, he believes, is what D’Angelo gifted to other artists.
“I felt D’Angelo gave me as an artist permission to access. The full archive or a fuller archive than the very narrow lane that I thought that I occupied as a rapper,” Professor Carson revealed. “It feels D’Angelo in his music, his trajectory, gave a whole lot of people that same kind of permission... It’s he went into the past and then reclaimed this inheritance for all of us.”
Virginia’s Unlistened-To Sound
The discussion took a local turn, noting D’Angelo’s familial connection to Charlottesville. Professor Carson pointed out that Virginia’s musical influence is often “erased from the Black
music map” because its regional sounds become globally popular so quickly.
“People will say that’s not your sound. That’s the world’s sound,” he remarked.
“The Charlottesville connection is salient,” he said. “It’s a matter of music being so powerful that we know that this place can’t help but have been influenced by it because those folks are here.”
Time and The Black Spiritual Archive
Analyzing D’Angelo’s musical evolution from Brown Sugar to Black Messiah, Professor Carson characterized the journey as a move toward fewer restrictions, resulting in an increasingly free and complex sound. He tied this to a deeper cultural concept: Black people’s relationship with time.
“I thought that... D’Angelo treat[s] linear time as kind of a suggestion,” Professor Carson said, arguing that this allows Black music to be in constant conversation with the past and the future. He shared a powerful, personal anecdote about a late cousin appearing on a voice recording, which inspired his album Talking to Ghosts. “How many occasions do we find Black musicians or Black music in conversation with ancestors, in conversation with literal ghosts?”
He connected this concept to
D’Angelo Has Passed Away. SAN FRANCISCO, CA –DECEMBER 10: D’Angelo at KMEL’s Holiday House Of Soul Concert on December 10, 1999 in San Francisco, California. Credit: Pat Johnson/MediaPunch /IPX
Black spirituality, which many Black musicians absorbed through the church—a process that provided a deep, common musical language.
“That music kept jumping out at us and saying. Don’t you remember this? This is what home sounds like,” he shared. The true archive of Black music, he concluded, can’t be found in a museum or a label’s vault. “What exists now is our memory of those rooms. We are the archives.”
Professor A.D. Carson provided not just an interview, but a powerful intellectual framework for understanding Black creativity. His work, which positioned hip hop not as a genre but as a process and a technology, challenged the commoditydriven categorization often imposed by the music industry. By honoring artists D’Angelo— who expressly claimed to make “Black music”—and tracing the lineage of sound back to the church and beyond, Professor Carson highlighted the deep, spiritual, and intergenerational nature of Black art. The concept that Black artists treated “linear time as a suggestion” accurately summarized the notion that their music was in perpetual dialogue with the past and the future, making them the “living, breathing archive.” As his book, Being Dope, prepared for its release, the conversation served as a vital preview of work that sought to recover the authentic narrative of Black cultural production from those who had historically sought to package and profit from its essence.
EUGENE WILLIAMS A LEGACY OF COURAGE IN CHARLOTTESVILLE
Charlottesville, Virginia, is remembering Eugene Williams, a pivotal figure in the state’s civil rights movement and a dedicated advocate for housing equality, who passed away at the age of 97. Williams’s life was a testament to his unwavering resolve, earning him distinction as a moral compass for his community.
Born on November 6, 1927, in
Charlottesville, Williams came of age in a time of strict segregation. He navigated public schools designated only for Black children and grew up in a home that, like many others, lacked modern plumbing. His path led him through Jefferson High School, Southern University, and a period of service in the United States military. Upon returning home, he excelled in the insurance industry, rising to become a Regional
Vice President for Universal Life Insurance Company.
Williams’s role in the fight for civil rights began in earnest in 1954 when he became president of the Charlottesville Branch of the NAACP. Under his leadership, the local chapter’s membership saw a dramatic increase, signifying a growing readiness for change in the community.
His most defining contribution was the successful effort to desegregate Charlottesville’s public schools. In 1955, he and his wife, Lorraine Payne Williams, initiated a foundational lawsuit challenging the segregation policies. The response from the state was a tactic known as “Massive Resistance,” leading to the closure of two public schools rather than compliance with the court order.
When the schools were eventually reopened in 1962, the Williams family made history. Their two young daughters, Karol and Scheryl, became the central figures of integration, walking into the formerly all-white schools under police escort. This bold
Eugene Williams, middle, speaks to a large crowd after the screening of the documentary film “Working for a Better Day” about the life and legacy Garretson, was followed by a historic panel discussion with some of Albemarle and Charlottesville’s most influential leaders including Teresa Jackson
act dismantled a major racial barrier. The lasting impact was beautifully demonstrated years later when Scheryl was crowned Homecoming Queen at the newly integrated Lane High School.
Williams recognized that true equality required addressing economic disparity, particularly the critical need for housing. He was deeply troubled by the destruction of the predominantly African American neighborhood
of Vinegar Hill during urban renewal efforts, which intensified the demand for quality, affordable homes.
Responding to this crisis, Williams, along with his wife Lorraine, brother Albert, and sister-in-law Emma, established Dogwood Housing Limited Partnership in 1980. Through this venture, they purchased and refurbished 62 housing units, dedicated to offering dignified, affordable residences to low-income families. Their property management company successfully ran this initiative for nearly three decades, until its sale in 2007, solidifying Williams’s vision of blending social advocacy with practical community development.
Williams’s lifetime of selfless dedication to service was widely celebrated. In 2015, the Virginia General Assembly formally commended his efforts with House Joint Resolution No. 743, acknowledging his pivotal role in eliminating racial barriers and ensuring access to affordable housing. His commitment to “Service Above Self” was also honored by the Blue Ridge Mountains Rotary Club, which named him a Paul Harris Fellow.
On his 90th birthday, the City of Charlottesville honored him by proclaiming November 6, 2017, as EUGENE WILLIAMS DAY. From the courtroom battles for integration to the practical provision of shelter, Eugene Williams’s work established a permanent foundation for a more equitable future in Charlottesville, ensuring his legacy will continue to inspire.
legacy of Drewary Brown was held Thursday at Vinegar Hill Theatre. The film, directed by Larry Jackson Walker-Price, Betz Gleason and John Conover. (Andrew Shurtleff/AP)
FEAR WEARING PRADA HOW PERFECTION IS JUST FEAR IN A FANCY FIT
by Khalilah Jones
You ever notice how perfection always shows up looking responsible? Hear me out.
It’s got a to-do list, colorcoded planner, and matching highlighters… “getting organized” and just “waiting for the right time.”
But let’s keep it 100:
You’re not waiting for the perfect time…
You’re waiting for the fear to go away.
And it won’t.
Fear By Any Other Name, Is Still
Fear
We call it “preparation”. We call it being “strategic.” But often, perfection is just fear dressed up in productivity’s clothes… and baby, that outfit been worn out. You’re not being careful; you’re
being cautious. You’re not refining; you’re stalling.
I get it, you don’t want to look unprepared, unqualified, or unfinished. You want your rollout to look like a Netflix trailer, not a behind-the-scenes blooper. But here’s the truth:
Everybody starts at zero.
Even Beyoncé had to rehearse “Upgrade You” before she leveled up and became the moment.
So why are you out here acting like your first draft should look like somebody else’s season finale?
The Fear of Being Seen Starting
Let’s be real. You’re scared of people watching you figure it out in real time. Whew. I’ve been there and I’m not going to pretend it’s easy.
Scared they’ll see you stumble.
Scared they’ll whisper, “She don’t know what she’s doing.”
But guess what? Nobody does at first.
Will Smith said it best:
“God placed the best things in life on the other side of terror.”
You can’t manifest confidence while hiding behind fear.
Confidence doesn’t come before courage… it comes because of it.
You get confident after you show up trembling and still make it happen.
Perfection Is a Thief … Don’t Let It Rob You
Perfection steals your time, your creativity, your joy.
It makes you believe your first attempt has to look like somebody else’s highlight reel.
But you’re not even on the same assignment, sis!
At some point, somebody said, “I think there should be something that wakes us up in the morning.”
And boom… the alarm clock was born.
You think people didn’t clown that idea?
“You want a machine to wake you up? Girl, please.”
But they did it anyway.
And that’s the thing: we are surrounded by courage in motion.
Every single thing you touch… from your phone to your air fryer, exists because somebody pushed past fear.
You Can’t Perfect What You Won’t Begin
You keep tweaking your website, changing your bio, rewriting your “About Me” like it’s the Declaration of Independence. Meanwhile, somebody with half your skill set already hit publish…and guess what? They’re learning in real time.
Ava DuVernay once said,
“If your dream only includes you, it’s too small.”
That means your purpose isn’t just about you looking good… it’s about who you free, who you inspire, when you finally show up.
So what if people see you figuring it out? At least you’re figuring it out.
Your “Delay” Might Just Be Fear in Disguise
Maybe what you’re calling “divine timing” is really just procrastination in a halo.
Because the truth is, fear will let you look productive while keeping you paralyzed.
Chadwick Boseman said,
“The struggles along the way are only meant to shape you for your purpose.”
Translation: The messy middle is part of the miracle.
Every time you choose fear, you delay someone else’s breakthrough that’s tied to your obedience. So no, it’s not just about your comfort… it’s about your calling.
So What Now?
Stop waiting for perfect.
Start moving with purpose.
Launch the business.
Post the reel.
Share the story.
Pitch the idea.
Give yourself permission to look new while you’re becoming great.
Because perfection isn’t your standard… progress is.
Progress looks messy, brave, and necessary.
So the next time that inner voice whispers, “What if I fail?”
You whisper right back, “What if I fly?”
And then…you go find out.
Your Fear Ain’t the Boss of You
Listen. The world doesn’t need your perfect version; it needs your present one.
The version that shows up even when her knees are buckling.
The one who says, “I’m scared, but I’m still going.”
You’ve been praying for confirmation… well, here it is.
The door’s open. Fear just got you checking your reflection instead of walking through it.
So here’s your reminder: stop overthinking, stop rehearsing, stop waiting for flawless.
Because when you finally stop trying to be perfect and start being present, that’s when everything shifts.
That’s when purpose catches fire.
That’s when you stop existing… and start becoming.
Now go be who you were scared to be yesterday.
HOW TO MOVE ABROAD IN 90 DAYS OR LESS
by Michaela Franklin | Photos contributed by author
There’s no getting away from it, the US is going to hell in a handbasket. Being a POC, aka a Blackity Black American is a safety hazard in itself. Between the inflation, economic turn down, racism, stress, more people are turning to being abroad as a possible and better alternative. AS THEY SHOULD.
I’ve been an expat now for over 12 years. I’ve lived predominantly in the Middle East, (Saudi, UAE, Qatar, Oman) and more recently southeast Asia (Bali, Indonesia). My current home is in Oman. I’ve also traveled to over four dozen countries. Living abroad has literally saved me in so many ways. It’s given me respite. It has provided a peaceful place for my mother to transition. It allowed me a soft landing space to start
my life over, and to build myself back up brick by brick.
So, how do I go about making the leap?
The first 90 days of moving abroad is literally making the decision to do so. Here’s the thing. There will ALWAYS be a roadblock. There will ALWAYS be a bill. A family member who is sick. Something. The difference between those of us who did it, and those of who didn’t isn’t always singularly about resources. It’s just that we took the risk. I’ve done this expat leap several times. I’ve done it married with dual income. I’ve done it solo. I’ve done it divorced with little to no support. I’ve done this with 50k in my savings, and I’ve done it with less than $500 in my bank account. The difference was
MOXY. How uncomfortable was I willing to Be?
The Western World does come with lots of benefits. Clear systemic work and business guidelines that are enforced and followed. FDA approved medicine and food items. Developed Infrastructure.
But y’all. YALLLLLLLL. There is a whole, big, beautiful world out there. I’m going to keep it all the way real: The US raised me, but the quality of life is INFINITELY better outside of those borders. A hospital visit doesn’t cost a car payment. Maternity leave is 6 months. Fresh food is literally less than one US dollar. There are more efficient methods of transportation, that don’t require 2 to 3 hr one way commutes on the Beltway.
The other amazing part about all of this? Living and working abroad is now more standardized and open than ever. Dubai has a digital nomad visa for 2 years. Thailand, and Indonesia are offering 2-10 year residency. You can obtain residency for three years in Oman for less than 1,500 usd.
Okay sis, you sold me a little bit, but how do I actually live in this place? Can I have a license, can I rent a home? Do I have to give up citizenship?
A common myth is that to live in another country we must give up our citizenship. To become a resident and get a residency
permit, does not require giving back your blue passport. However, if you want to apply for citizenship in your new chosen home country,
some countries do not allow dual citizenship. Hence the term expat versus immigrant. An expat is someone who is living in a country
that is not their country of origin, but does not plan on permanently staying there. An immigrant is someone who has planned to make a permanent exit from their home country and will eventually look to become naturalized.
I own a business here. So, that also makes me someone who is actively supporting the economic development of the country I’m in, and I’m also actively immersed and engaging regularly with the local population. My resident card allows me to have a driver’s license, own a bank acct, purchase commercial and residential property, obtain (VERY) cheap medical insurance and much more.
I’m tired of paying 2,000 a month for a 1 bedroom, what’s the cost of living looking like?
Let’s also talk about the cost of living. I live in a beautiful, gated community and villa. My car is fully paid off. There are luxury two bedroom apartments in my neighborhood that are 1,000 usd or less. Most come with amenities, such as swimming pools, gyms, housekeeping services, and concierge service.
My business is currently opening a brick and mortar training and retail centre. The cost of constructing our property from the ground up is a fraction of what it would have cost in the states. The US is extremely high and the prices are only getting higher, while the salaries stay stagnant. That’s not a way to live. It’s time to seriously consider the cost.
You deserve. I deserve. WE DESERVE
We deserve space, we deserve to be able to have breathing room in our finances. We deserve a place that doesn’t commit regular daily acts of voice against us just for simply existing. We deserve to raise our children in neighborhoods where they can stay out til dark. Where they touch trees and not be reported to the HOA. To be able to run freely outside, in fresh air that’s not laden with pollution. We deserve to grow gardens and live by the sea. To get even more deep,this is the life that our ancestors fought for. So many of us feel obligated to stay because our ancestors built the land. But in reality, our ancestors would smack us upside the head for purposely and voluntarily putting ourselves through trauma in the name of them.
We owe it to our grandparents, to the ones who are on the ships. To the aunties and uncles who worked 16 hr a day factory jobs, to put their kids through school but could never leave their home state. To our boomer parents who braced firehoses and biting dogs to learn at the same level as their white counterparts. We deserve Amalfi coasts. We deserve Costa Rican beaches. We deserve Bali sunsets. Dubai yachts and dune bashing. We are limitless people and it’s time we start embracing our free will and making that leap of faith.
P
A C K A G E S
Full-Page Annual Package
-4 Print full-page ad (full color)
-Online banner ads (see sizes on page 4) full color- these rotate online and can be switched out throughout the month
-4 printed magazine copies
-Total cost for the year $908.00
Half-Page Annual Package
-4 Print half-page ad (full color)
-Online banner ads (see sizes on page 4) full color - these rotate online and can be switched out throughout the month
-4 printed magazine copies
-Total cost for the year $628.00
1/4 Page Annual Package
-4 Print 1/4 page ad (full color)
-Online banner ads (see sizes on page 4) full color- these rotate online and can be switched out throughout the month.
-4 printed magazine copies
-Total cost for the year $508.00
DIGITAL ADS
-Sponsorship Section $5,000.00 (annual)
-Home page pop-up $1,000.00 (monthly)
-Video News Post (appears in line with articles) $150.00 (monthly)
-Social Media (FaceBook, Instagram, & Twitter) $75.00 (monthly)
-Newsletter/Email Campaign (1-3 weekly) $75 00 (monthly)
-YouTube Page $75.00 (monthly)
-Online Banners $150.00 (monthly)
Ad Designs
Revisions
IT’S TIME FOR BUSINESS.
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