On my heart this week.
Like I mentioned in today’s micropodcast, lately I’ve been thinking a lot about what work means to me and I recently wrote out a definition that feels good:
Work is a lifelong body of productive contribution and devotion to the liberation and transcendence of myself, my family, my community, and society at large.
What that contribution looks like shifts over time and the actions (or inaction) within those contributions can be grand gestures or small, simple deeds.
I’ve been using this language as my guiding compass, especially since my masters dissertation is focused on the future of work. Zooming in on historically marginalized creative professionals across disciplines who identify as Black, Indigenous, people of color or QTPOC, I’m exploring:
What personal, professional and talent development support we need to thrive,
Where those needs are being met now and what barriers are in the way, and
How we can create sustainable conditions, spaces and systems of communal learning that empower us to live rich, fulfilling lives and produce profound bodies of work in tandem.
I’m scheduling interviews and community forums all throughout this month so if you’d like to participate (I’d love your insight!), keep an eye out for a separate post toward the end of this week with more details.
In the meantime, how are you defining work these days?
Gifts for your growth.
💡 I have a new class on Skillshare: Advocating for Ideas and Opportunities in the Workplace. I break down my approach to capturing big ideas, communicating them in accessible ways, and rallying the right people to help them materialize. Follow this link to enroll and you’ll get a free 1-month trial of Skillshare Premium.
✨The Ancestor Project has a dope new series in their mystery school called Psychedelic Emancipation. It covers the history of psychedelics used by indigenous people of Africa, their varying applications in the context of spiritual and community development, and how it’s tied to our own liberation today.
🤔 What to do when you come across a page that has stolen your work.
Fuel for the week ahead.
💎 Last year my friend Adrian introduced me to Rev. Dr. Cheryl Ward's Oath of Manifestation. He and I read it aloud together every Monday and I recite it daily after my morning prayers or at some point before bed. Since I made it a part of my ritual, so many doors, windows, and ceilings have opened up for me in the form of material and immaterial blessings. Give it a try this week and let me know what shifts for you.
👩🏾🍳 Eating, watching people cook, and cooking are my favorite pastimes. So when my wife told me that the Hella Black Brunch team was releasing this new spice blend in honor of Juneteenth, I was AMPED. I got to sample it a few weeks ago and it’s slammin’! It’s great as a marinade for meats and veggies or a seasoning to add a little kick to a dish that’s missing something.
🎧 🎶 This week’s Seven Bops playlist is a mix of jazz samba, soul, hip-hop, and alternative. I was dancing in the streets (and on the train platform) listening to it on my commute today. You can dance along with me on Apple Music or Spotify.
Wishing y’all an abundant week ahead!
Love always,
HMKM
From Holley, With Love • Monday, 070521