When I came to Baltimore in 2008, I was an Evangelical Christian Republican who had campaigned for Bob Dole, Tom Davis, and George W. Bush. Even though I had a degree from the University of Virginia that focused on Global History, I was pretty clueless about the politics of urban America. In addition, I was […]
Before 2025, mainstream mental health care in the United States largely ran on a diagnosis‑first model rooted in the DSM‑5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition). This approach pushed clinicians to match symptoms to diagnoses—bipolar disorder, depression, PTSD—without always asking a deeper question: What happened to this person? For African American women, […]
It turns out that the gig life isn’t made for a five-year-old. Music constantly booming in my ears, grown-ups everywhere, some intoxicated and some not, but most importantly, nothing for a five-year-old to do. “Mom, I’m tired. I wanna go home” “Find something to do. Go be creative.” This was my mother’s only shot to […]
Coupling Elon Musk’s decision-making principles and the concepts from “Atomic Habits” with a trauma-informed approach on a personal level can create a powerful framework for individual growth and resilience. Here’s how these ideas can work together First Principles Thinking + Safety and Trust Coupling: Establish a foundation of self-trust and safety by recognizing your fundamental […]
Day 3 of God and Gigs devotional challenge based on the book by Allen C Paul called Your Art God’s Heart , focuses on humility and staying close to God. (Click to buy here) When I think of losing my soul because of fame and fortune, my bank account laughs at me. Have I wanted […]
Day 2 of God and Gigs devotional challenge based on the book by Allen C Paul called Your Art God’s Heart , focuses on friendships (Click to buy here) Finding one’s tribe is a journey often fraught with challenges, but for a black woman growing up in a predominantly white and spiritually abusive environment, that […]
Doing the God and Gigs devotional challenge based on the book by Allen C Paul called Your Art God’s Heart and wow the question “Where are you ?” Opened up a deluge of questions for me. (Click to buy here) Spiritually I realized: I am tired of going to churches with arrogant, rude, know it […]
As a proud product of Fairfax County Schools, a graduate of the University of Virginia (History, minor Foriegn Affairs CLAS 00), and holder of a Master’s in Education from Virginia Tech, I stand as a testament to the power of knowledge and education. This post is dedicated to my mother, Pamela Jean Boyd, who was […]
Introduction: As a pastor’s kid who in 2022 had quadruple bypass and then this year (2023) the loss of my stressed mom to ALS, I am compelled to explore the potential connection between spiritual abuse and these debilitating conditions. Drawing insights from Gabor Mate’s “When the Body Says No” (Mate, 2003) and Dr. Bessel van […]
Introduction: As a black female trumpet player, I have always found solace and inspiration in the world of jazz. The recent passing of Meghan Stabile, a visionary promoter and producer, deeply shook the jazz community and touched my own heart. Her story, shared at Winter Jazz Fest 2020, resonated with my own struggles with Post […]