Happy April!: Where I've Been

I had this post as a draft to go up last week and was going to say how excited I was to post monthly but alas, here we are at April! It amazes me how much social media has changed since I started this space in 2009 as a digital journal of young family life. While I continue to stay most active on Instagram, I'm grateful to still have this space to return to document important updates.

Here's where I've been lately...

Welcome 2021: Time to Align (& a Giveaway)

{Mug via Mud LOVE}

Exhale.

That's exactly what this Monday feels like to me.

I was over on IG TV this morning with a Happy New Year message explaining a bit more.

Check it out...

Zoo To You with MEFA’s U.Fund College Investing Plan

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by MEFA's U.Fund College Investing Plan; all opinions expressed are my own.

One of my family’s challenges this season has been staying engaged with many of our favorite sites including our local zoo. Thankfully, ZooToYou, brought to you by MEFA’s U.Fund College Investing Plan, brings the zoo experience right to you via Facebook Live!

A Very Special Family Election Moment

How has it been a week since the announcement of the election results?!

Tee via @always.southern (and updated here!) 

I'm popping in briefly as we finish up a weekend at safe at home to share a bit of post-election joy...

Black Girl Joy Indeed

Nia had been baking and the TV was off when we got the big news in the family text. We turned on the TV and she lept for joy! 

My daughter's tears of despair 4 years ago have now turned to tears of joy.

This is when I really got choked up...

OK 40

For the past few years, rather than make New Years resolutions, I've curated a list of 10 things I'm looking forward to. As 2019 ended I had trepidation about creating my list and as the first quarter ended I realized it was good that I didn't. Most things I would've put on that list ended up canceling. Now, a few days into 40 years old, I'm recommitted to continuing to be thankful for my family and my health.

I'm Speaking: Mom 2.0 Everywhere

The past 3 years I've attended Mom 2.0 - a conference for moms, marketers and media. This year's a bit different: it's later in the year and it's virtual, renamed to Mom 2.0 Everywhere. As much as I'd miss being there in person, I'm excited for this new format that allows attendees to take advantage of so many awesome sessions without the flurry of running around from place to place.

My session Creating a Multicultural Community: How To Create A Diverse, Inclusive Online Space was pre-recorded and airs Wednesday, September 16 at 1p.m. EST. In it my co-panelists Paulita David, Nailah Blades, Anne Vorrassi and I share insights from our collective experience fostering diverse communities virtually - a topic that is so important right now given all that's going on. 

If you haven't snagged a ticket, you can follow the #mom2summit hashtag from September 15-17 to get bits of wisdom from the session. There are always so many resources and amazing insights shared! 

Curious about my previous Mom 2.0 experiences? You can check out my past posts here and here. 

Join Me at Power to Fly's Allyship to Impact on September 10

 

Happy September! It's officially my birthday month, and I have a couple exciting speaking engagements coming up. The first is Power to Fly's Allyship to Impact conference on September 10 - 11. My session "Building Connections in a Virtual World" is on September 10 at 4p.m. EST and my co-panelist Toya Lillard, was also featured with me on The Riveter's list of "10 Black Womxn You Should Know."

Our session will talk about how we're building community in the midst of social unrest and Covid-19. I'm excited to share my experience at the crossroads of parenting, activism and entrepreneurship. Beyond my session there's a whole host of engaging topics over the 2-day event and you can get your FREE ticket here.

Even if you can't attend both days, I still think it's a great idea to sign up and try to pop in and out as your schedule allows! There will also be networking opportunities as well. 

Learn more about Power to Fly on their website here. 

I'll share my next speaking engagement soon...

A Decade of Harlem Lovebirds: Where Am I?

Thank you Terrence Adderley for our fall photos!

October 1 marked 10 years of our family starting in Harlem. 

Ten. Years. 

Now more than ever I continue to see how this online space translates into incredible offline opportunities. 

A bit of what I've been up to...

Comcast #InternetEssentials in Action

Disclosure: This post is in partnership with Comcast; all opinions expressed are my own.

With the back-to-school season underway, it’s easy to take for granted how widespread internet access appears to be, but with the recent expansion of Comcast’s Internet Essentials initiative I’ve learned that the digital divide is very real. Comcast is doubling the number of eligible households to now include Federal benefits such as Medicaid, SNAP and SSI for Internet Essentials in its national footprint to help close the gap of 25% of U.S. households currently without home internet service. And, in case you haven’t heard of it before, Internet Essentials provides free digital literacy training, Internet service for $9.95 per month and the opportunity to buy a laptop for less than $150.

Join Me in Brooklyn this Saturday, August 10

If there's anything I've continued to hold steadfast over the last few years, it's the importance of moving online to offline. Especially given the state of affairs, violence and despair I'm honored to be participating in this weekend's My Sister's Keyp'her Kickback with Power in Pink. 

This FREE event will bring women together in Prospect Park for a time of reflection, conversation and BYO-picnic. 

There is still space available to RSVP here. 

I'm looking forward to this time together. 

We need it. 

Hey June: Thoughts on Fun, Guilt, and Sponsored Posts

June is a celebratory month for my family, and I'll admit it's been hard in the wake of everything happening lately in the world to balance festivities while being concerned and informed. There's some level of guilt there, and I'm thankful to have finally started therapy earlier this spring to help manage it (amongst other things). 

What a Weekend: Wellesley, Wear Orange and DanceNastics

At Boston's Wear Orange Day

This past weekend ALL the things converged! Was it like that for you too? I had 3 annual events on my calendar: Wellesley's reunion, Moms Demand Action's Wear Orange Day and my daughter's dance recital. 

It was a lot so when I woke up Sunday early evening after a 3 hour nap it truly felt like a dream that I had made it (SUCCESSFULLY!) to the other side of all of those big events.

I'm deeply affected by sunshine so when I saw the forecast called for sun all weekend here in Boston it immediately made me feel like I was one step ahead of the game!

It made all the difference...

GROUNDED!: A (Picture Heavy) Life Update

When I picked him up he told me nothing happened at school. Then his teacher shared this picture! 

Last weekend ended a 5 week streak of being on airplanes. It was so nice not to have to be in an airport! As my family gears up for a staycation Memorial Day Weekend I am absolutely thrilled to be grounded for the next 5 weeks until we return to Puerto Rico to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. 

Here's what we've been up to...

Mom 2.0 2019: I Heart Austin

Today I'm back from a whirlwind 5 days in Austin, a city that's been on my bucket list for a while. I'm already plotting for when I go back! I arrived last Wednesday morning then Uka flew down to join me for the weekend. Last year, we did something similar when I attended Mom 2.0 in Pasadena, and now I'm starting to think we might have a new birthday tradition for him going. 

If there were 3 things I had heard about Austin it was that the people are amazing, the food is awesome and that the city itself is beautiful. 

It didn't let us down. 

Take a look...

Spring Break: We. Just. Beach.

Waiting to leave Miami...

Last year's dramatic start to our spring break cruise experience is something I *still* haven't shared yet on social media, but this year came a close second! We flew for the first time out of Islip on Frontier Airlines (hooray for saving money!), and it was great except for the ridiculously increasing traffic on the drive down. Next time we'll take the ferry O_o. Once we got over the madness of running to our flight, everything was mostly smooth sailing from there (pun intended!)...

Three (!) Headshots & a Life Update

{Photo by: Justin Hackworth; Shirt by: The Nineteenth Amendment D.C.}

Over the weekend I received the last of my headshots from Altitude Summit, and I was especially thrilled to catch photographer Justin Hackworth who was in high demand yet again! I remember being enthralled by his images before attending my first Alt Summit in 2014 as he seemed to perfectly capture the electric atmosphere of the conference. 

I actually have a couple more headshots to share from Alt Summit... 

Online to Offline at Altitude Summit 2019

At The Parker Palm Springs

Blogging conferences have changed. 

In fact I don't even feel comfortable calling Altitude Summit a blogging conference. It's more than that. 

Let me explain...

Flash Giveaway Alert: See PAW Patrol Live in Boston!

Disclosure: This giveaway is in partnership with the Boch Center; all opinions expressed are my own.

If anything was clear from my last PAW Patrol Live post it's that there are so many adorable fans out there like my little guy! Just in time for the weekend, I'm thrilled to give one lucky reader a family 4 pack of tickets to the upcoming run at the Boch Center here in Boston. 

Ready for Spring Break with Goldfish Swim School

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Goldfish Swim School. All opinions expressed are my own.

{Image Source: Goldfish Swim School}

Today we're excited for spring because not only does it mean spring break feels even closer, but because tomorrow my kids start swimming lessons at Goldfish Swim School! We've visited in the past  for their themed Pirate Night - a fun family swimming experience, but with my children's 4th cruise coming up I decided it would be a great refresher to brush up on their swimming skills. 

Are you curious about swimming lessons for your little one? Check out what makes Goldfish Swim School special...