Month: October 2026

Thank you, Reginald E. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture, for hosting a family history fireside chat between me and my dad, Dr. John F. Leeke on September 19th. We thoroughly enjoyed sharing the diversity of our ancestors and their Underground Railroad journey that are featured in our book, American Change Agent: A Life & Legacy of Seeking Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion. We also loved discussing my dad’s career, the impact of his work, and some of the key lessons he has learned.

It was great to engage with and listen to the stories of community members and museum staff and volunteers.

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Special thanks to Terry Taylor-Nock, Education Programs Manager at the Lewis Museum, and her team for making the event a success! Many thanks to everyone who attended the event!

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If you are in or travel to Baltimore, make sure you check out the Lewis Museum’s current exhibition, “THE LINES WE CROSS: 250 Years of Maryland Forging America” (closes next year on October 31, 2027) that traces how Black Marylanders have pushed boundaries, broken systems, and shaped the social, cultural, and political landscape of America. Click the button for more information.

On October 3rd, the Universe gave me a beautiful Venus Retrograde in Scorpio and a juicy, inspiring, and deeply spiritual and creative experience at the Aesthetic Inheritance: Art, Archive & African American Life Symposium that was held at Bowie State University’s Fine and Performing Arts Center.

Bowie State University (oldest HBCU in Maryland), Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum, and the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture organized the Symposium.

Throughout the day, I was blessed to listen to and learn from several talented artists, including Dr. Latoya Ruby Frazier who gave the keynote about her photography, storytelling, and book, “Flint Is Family in Three Acts” which documents and honors three generations of family members impacted by environmental racism and the water crisis in my birth city (yes, I was born in Flint, Michigan).

During the first workshop on Reading Black Art and Visual Culture, I was eager to listen to and learn from self-taught artist Sheila Crider who is based in Baltimore and DC . I initially met Sheila as we exited the MARC train and walked to the Symposium on Bowie State’s campus. She also introduced me to “Blackstraction,” a term she coined, and has explored in her own creative process.

Leo Rosario, Afro Latina fashion professional, FIT alumna, and co-founder of Makers of Taste in Baltimore (will launch soon), gave a presentation that discussed Black fashion inheritance and reminded me that the everyday aesthetic inheritance of Black and Brown folks lives in our bodies.

I’ll share more about my Symposium experiences this week.

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SPECIAL THANKS to the Symposium organizers, sponsors, volunteers, speakers, and attendees for co-creating a sacred day of being in and building community, listening, learning, sharing, and celebrating our ancestral legacies and each other.

So grateful for more wisdom from my shero and ancestor, bell hooks. Her words are guiding me like the speed of light!

Every creative journey I’ve been blessed to experience over the past 30+ years includes one or more self-love lessons that call me back to honoring and celebrating my little girl self named “Puf.” Lastweek, I made a photo collage of my little girl Puf’s early years. When I look at myself, I am reminded how special I was and still am. I love that little girl inside of me and give thanks for her courage to explore, curiosity, “joie de vivre”(joy of living), playfulness, and desire to make things.

Last week, I have been rereading several wisdom quotes from my shero ancestor bell hooks that have helped me honor, nurture, and celebrate my creative spirit, heart, mind, body, work, and journey as an African American woman over the years. bell’s wisdom grounds me, especially as I work on a community art project, next novel, and several articles.

WHAT WISDOM CURRENTLY GROUNDS YOU IN YOUR LIFE AND WORK ?

Whether we like it or not, each one of us is aging. The teenager is becoming the young adult at 20.The 20 something is finally legal and getting the first taste of adulting as they head towards 30. The 30 something is climbing the ladder to 40. The 40 something is on the way to hitting a major milestone at 50. The 50 something is reaching a checkpoint that invites an evaluation of life goals, career achievements, and future plans that lead to the 60s. The 60 something (like myself) is walking into 70, 80, 90, and beyond with a deeper commitment to be our REAL self.

Last year, I wrote a Black Health Matters article entitled, “Older and Better: 6 Tips for Authentic Aging,” that discusses my relationship with aging at 60. Take a moment to read the article here.

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What’s your relationship with aging?

How would you describe your aging process?

What’s guiding your aging journey?

National Arts and Humanities Month is observed in October.

I CELEBRATE THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES EVERY DAY.

This month, I am taking time to remind myself to honor, nurture, and express my creativity in small, medium, and big ways.

I encourage you to honor, nurture, and express your creativity in small, medium, and big ways.

Let’s use this month to recommit and give birth to our creativity no matter how old we are!

If you’re in DC, join me for my the Thriving Mindfully on U Street workshop entitled, “The U in U Street Community” on October 7th from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the True Reformer Building, 1200 U Street, NW, in DC. GET MORE INFO HERE.

Learning about and following astrology and using oracle card wisdom have been a part of my mindful self-care for the past 30+ years. These practices ground me and energize my creativity.

Yesterday evening, I spent time reading and listening to some of my favorite astrologers and herbal practitioners’ insights about Venus Retrograde in Scorpio.

I believe Venus Retrogrades are sacred invitations to surrender and flow with the energy of planet Venus as it moves backward in the sky from Mother Earth and offers us an opportunity to review and reevaluate our self-love and self-worth, love for others, connections with others that create relationships and situationships, and relationship with money and how we use it.

I think astrological retrogrades are upgrades because they invite me to slow down and practice my birthrights of mindfulness and self-care that offer stillness and space to reflect, gain clarity, tap into wisdom, and set intentions before moving forward.

This morning, I took time to pull some of my favorite cards for wisdom insights. I plan to sit with the wisdom and journal about it this evening and tomorrow.

What practices ground and energize you during the fall season?