With the school year approaching, I am reminded of an email I sent my colleagues at a previous job discussing the importance of community spaces that promote inclusivity, love, and respect. This email was inspired by three students that grew to love the comforts of a familiar space and the family that existed within it.
Colleagues, With news of our branch transitioning into a new space, many opinions have been shared in the HHC about this next building phase of the Karl Road branch. Many students are excited about the prospects of being a part of something new and vibrant in this community. For them, this branch is an educational resource, cross-cultural meeting place, and yes, a spot where Takis are exchanged just as freely as friendly greetings. Though excitement may ring from the mouths of many kids that come to this branch when thinking about a newer Karl Road library, I was reminded that everyone is not excited about this change. Last week, I spoke to three Homework Help Center students who wanted to be more excited about moving to a new branch or transitional spot. Their reason was simple: this place is home. They reminded me that this is where they meet up with their friends and laugh at this day's funniest moments. The Homework Help Center is also where they can relax and be kids. The HHC is a place for them to build positive relationships with people they respect, love, and cherish. Their questions were valid: Will things be the same when the HHC moves? Where will everyone go and hang out after-school? Why do things have to change? As someone that loves music, I realized that, in many ways, the HHC is a band of sorts in which the chemistry is as undeniable as the warmth that flows throughout the room when we are all together. There are no lead singers, and somehow, no one sings backup. Songs are written collaboratively, and production credit is shared equally. Singers sing, instrumentalist play, managers manage, and there are always a couple of people in charge of keeping the snacks stocked up. Simply put, if you are in the band, you are a part of the group. The HHC staff and students are a proud band of others, distinctly different from one another yet sharing the same passion for creating positivity. We are both a band and a family (more Jackson 5 than the Partridge Family vocally, minus the flashy costumes and family calamity). As a family, we compose the songs that supply the soundtrack to our weekly existence in the Homework Help Center. These songs are tunes of happiness, help, inspiration, connection, love, safety, respect, integrity, and hope. We have played at the same venue for years as our version of a sold-out arena is the white walls of the HHC. Though this area may look bland, it's our home, and everyone is a rock star within this space. These girls wanted the band to stay together so the music still flows and the vibes remain real. As members of this band, these girls understood that they were part of a community that valued each individual as a critical component of the group's success. These kids embody many of the interactions in the HHC in which staff and students have created a mutual existence in which needs are lovingly and respectfully met. Interactions that start with a simple greeting grow into complete relationships in which lives are positively impacted for both students and adults. Having worked in the Homework Help Center, Fatima, Ty, and I agree that these kids have significantly impacted our lives. Their smiles, conversations, hugs, and words of encouragement are invaluable to us, and it speaks the rich quality of culture in the HHC. Our band rocks and the sound we, students and staff, create is revolutionary, world-changing, momentum-shifting, and soul-enriching. After hearing their displeasure concerning the uncertainty of transitioning to the venue of a new branch, I talked to the girls and reminded them that though the space may change and people may go, as a band, our songs of community, acceptance, love, change, and peace must travel because good music should always be shared. Within the HHC, we often talk about taking what you have learned within the space and applying it to the outside world by creating a diverse, different, accepting, and loving culture—then sharing it with others. The band won't always be together in proximity, but the connection will remain strong enough so that when we are in the same shared space, a jam session could erupt. The songs we have created, much like memories, last and, in some cases, are timeless. As we wrap up this final segment of the school year, I am deeply proud that HHC is still rockin' and that no matter where we go, the music, just like the band, is at real as it gets. Best, Aaron With the school year ending, I am reminded of an email I sent my colleagues at a previous job discussing the importance of being a "piece" in a community space that promotes inclusivity, love, and respect. This email was inspired by the many students that found friends, family, and plenty of food during "Puzzle Fridays".
Dear Colleagues, "Puzzle Friday" is a special part of the HHC because it gives everybody, both staff and students, the opportunity to sit at the table and be a piece of the bigger picture that makes up the HHC family. In addition, the puzzle acts as a bonding agent for the group, in which the common goal of completion is obvious, even if the relationship-building elements are a bit more obscure. While puzzling, life experiences are shared, connections are made, and relationships are built. For the past year, jigsaw puzzles have been influential in developing a community within the Homework Help Center, where students and staff come together as individual pieces to connect as a family unit. These puzzles, ranging from 500 to 1000 pieces, are challenging to say the very least, as many need pictures to use as a guide toward completion. The participants often bring the skills to complete these puzzles, as we rely on the world-renowned "3 C's" method to finish each puzzle: communication, critical thinking, and cookies. This time of puzzling is significant to the familial structure of the Homework Help Center as Fridays provide us with a time to collectively, as a family unit, take a deep breath and be free of the hustle and bustle that make up most of the week. The setting is simple, a giant puzzle scattered on a table with a community of caring people surrounding it, all looking to solve the big picture piece by piece. In many ways, this symbolizes the center's leadership and overall environment. The staff is responsible for each component inside the HHCA, connecting those that fit while also looking at the big picture. Part of the true beauty of "Puzzle Fridays" is how crowds of kids visiting the HHC each day are gone. Instead, these crowds are replaced by the close-knit family of those that find the HHC to be a second home, surrounding one or two tables, working to solve a puzzle while also finding peace in knowing that they are a piece within the larger picture of the community. The first puzzle we started was found on the shared table in the break room, left here by a former manager with a penchant for possessing eclectic items. It was a murder-mystery puzzle with a 1980s storyline, Soviet villains, and a cheesy American spy who saves the day. I didn't believe that the kids would gravitate toward this puzzle because it was old, possessing a hint of attic musk, and America's rift with the now non-existent Soviet Union had seemingly thawed thanks to Rocky IV. Nevertheless, Fatima put the puzzle on a table, and I sat back and watched kids gravitate toward the space, some in search of conversation while others were led by their curiosity. The HHC community completed the puzzle over four weeks. The puzzle, which had started as an activity for the few, evolved into a time of family bonding, sharing, and true to form connections. For many students, the puzzle is symbolic of finding peace within the pieces of life, with the bigger picture being worked out one section at a time, surrounded by an encouraging community that supports you regardless of your age, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, or any other barrier of division. Though most of the week focuses on the academic rigors that exist Monday-Thursday, I would venture to say that "Puzzle Friday" is just as critical to the center's development. It is our time to check up on one another, connect as a community, build as a family, and always leave the week on a high note, using that moment of that day to create the momentum needed for a successful next week. As a team, the HHC staff and students are proud to come together each day to create a safe community that meets the needs of those who call the HHC "home." Whether someone is looking to finish a puzzle or find an answer when life seems puzzling, there is always a spot in HHC for anyone looking to either be a piece or be at peace within our family unit. Best, Aaron Growing up, I watched my father wear brimmed hats to work and church. Like a king wearing a crown, my father would put his hat on as he was leaving the house, confidently stepping into a world that both feared and jeered him. Kings wear crowns, and my father is no different.
He still wears his hats to this very day. Right on, King. Now it's my turn to wear the coveted crown that so many Black men have donned throughout history. I'm in my late 30s, and I have gray hair on my beard. I provide for my family. My knees hurt, yet I continue to fight for civil rights, walking in the path of the greats. I deserve a crown. Right on, King. Today, I am the proud owner of several wide-brimmed hats that don my bald head like a crown fit for a king. Whenever I wear these hats, I think about men like my father, MLK, Malcolm X, or Muhammad Ali, who made moves to better the lives of those they loved the most. I wear these hats to honor them and their sacrifice. I also wear these hats because I look good in them, as you can see for yourself. Right on, King. Y'all, this interview just felt right. The conversation was flowing. The laughs were plentiful. The connection was real. Life-changing even. If you haven't listened to the #reallife podcast with Abbie & Daniélle, you are certainly missing an experience that will benefit your life. Seriously. Their collective energy changed the summation of the day that I experienced before our interview. The link below will take you to our interview. I promise you that you will laugh, reflect, and want some more of #reallife. I know I do, and I can't wait to speak with them again.
Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reallife-podcast/id1572165751?i=1000548811245 I don't have office space; I have a creative space. Though many may believe that an office and creative space are one-in-the-same, from my perspective, I would disagree. Maybe it's the word "office" that makes my stomach turn because I instantly think of mundane work, forced labor, and an oppressive environment that snuffs out any form of creativity. However, when I think of a creative space, I sense freedom in mind, body, and spirit, which are three elements that I need to be my best self.
Due to the pandemic, I spend only three days a week in my creative space, working the other two days virtually from home. However, it is vital that my creative space feels like "home," exuding the warmth, love, and acceptance that I have grown accustomed to experiencing in my day-to-day life. Each piece that I include in my creative space brings positive energy, a sense of belief, and purpose. Whether it is a poster of Ali or the Native Tongues Crew on my wall or Grogu, who is one of my many Star Wars collectibles, each piece brings me peace. I am a massive fan of being around something growing, hence the potted plants. Inspiration comes in many forms, and I am thankful that my creative space echoes the eclectic nature of my heart and spirit. I hate being in pictures. I don't consider myself to be particularly photogenic. I am pretty awkward in front of the camera because of my sheer unwillingness to force a smile. Say Cheese...no thank you.
Lately, I have challenged myself recently to take more selfies. Even saying selfies makes my skin crawl because I often associate that term with the type of narcissism needed to be a social media star. Still, I realize that being in front of the camera can be beautiful, as some moments should be captured. So here are a couple of shots that I have taken over the past couple of months as I randomly stroll through life. Say cheese... Thank you, Cynthia Loving, known to most of the world as singer & songwriter Lil Mo. Listening to this interview made me feel like I was sitting on the couch talking to my sister about love, life, and learned lessons. Her energy was everything throughout this interview. Mental health can be lost, but it can't be bought. Peace of mind can be stolen, but like pride, it can't be purchased. When it comes to mental health or peace of mind, you either have IT or don't. Naomi Osaka is fighting for IT.
Yesterday, Naomi, the #2 ranked women's tennis player in the world and one of the game's most recognizable faces, withdrew from the French Open, citing her mental health. Last week, she told French Open officials that she wouldn't be doing interviews during the tournament as a way to preserve her mental health. Tournament officials took umbrage with Naomi's stance and threatened her with a $15,000 fine. Naomi didn't blink. French Open officials and representatives from the other three tennis major tournaments told Naomi that she might face expulsion from matches if this type of behavior continued. Naomi didn't blink. At that moment, Naomi went from a multiracial tennis darling to an angry Black woman in the eyes of many. Naomi didn't blink. As I previously stated, when it comes to mental health or peace of mind, you either have IT or don't. Naomi Osaka is fighting for IT. Yesterday, Naomi withdrew from the French Open, citing her recent battles with depression. Tournament officials blinked. Just like that, Naomi was gone from their eyesight. She left the tournament with her pride intact, unwilling to sacrifice her mental health for a major title. Money can't buy happiness. Now, we also understand that money can't buy you Naomi Osaka. Game. Set. Match. I am a black Jedi. Seriously. The Force is is literally with me. I can't tell you how many times I have walked into stores and have seen lightsabers on sale. Some may attribute this phenomenon to consumerism. I attribute it to The Force.
I am one with The Force, and The Force is in me. I went thrifting, and I found these two objects pulling me to them. Once again, blame it on The Force. I purchased both for less than six dollars, and they both are a part of a small growing collection of figurines, lightsabers, and an X-Wing or two. I bought them because they make me smile and reflect on knowing that I am one with The Force, and The Force is in me. May The Force be with you. |
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February 2025
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