Here’s to the Makers: A Dedication to the People Who Make Greensboro

January 2024

Moving back to North Carolina was a major risk, but one that felt necessary—not just because of the pandemic, but because of needing a reminder of where I come from. As much as I loved New York, none of the city leaders ever sat down with me to ask about my goals and ambitions the way Cecelia Thompson at Action Greensboro and Darlene Glenn-McClinton with The Artist Bloc did. So when the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce reached out for some "creative input" on a project, I was eager to help, but more importantly impressed that the city kept its promise of supporting me and my goals.

I had no idea what was in store but was honored to even be considered. If I knew then what it'd turn into—this awesome video and a TED Talk-style keynote at the Chamber's Annual Celebration—I would've been suspicious. Like "This is *exactly* what I like to do, what I would want to do if God gave me a magic wand, and what I feel called to do. What's the catch...?" Thankfully, it all unfolded beautifully, and with gifts that keep on giving. Got the pleasure of meeting and working with the powerhouse that is Seth Wingate. Went from an email to a video, to an epic event, during what would turn out to be the victory lap for the amazing Megan Mabry. And met so many amazing people that I have a new challenge of staying on top of my LinkedIn inbox.

Amplifying Excellence: Google Global Black Summit 2024

May 2024

In my mind, this one is a creative hat trick. It started with a assignment to write the script for Google’s Juneteenth celebration and their Global Black Summit—a request that I’d fulfilled the year prior. But then, a new ask: I was offered the role of being the on-camera presenter for the short film, which you simply don’t say “no” to. Then, while the video was still in post and before the music decisions had been finalized, I offered up my song “Chosen”, which had been featured in the NBA Playoffs and in the Golden Globe-nominated film Judas and the Black Messiah just three years prior. Being a natural culture fit, the production team bit. So in turnaround time of less than three weeks, I’d gone from twiddling my thumbs, wondering where all the copywriting work had gone, to scripting, presenting, and scoring a short film for Google’s global workforce. Creative victories come from unlikely sources, and it’s why creatives need to have a strong faith life and a healthy tolerance for discomfort.

The Scene: Canada | Rolling Stone

Summer 2017

One night in Harlem, exhausted after another restaurant serving shift and sore from spending weeks waking up on hardwood floors after my air mattress deflated in the night, I asked a desperate existential question: What is the greatest value I could bring this city? That question opened up the two most pivotal opportunities of my career to date. I knew that I knew how to write songs, and that if given the opportunity I could teach others to write songs, and when I performed songs people paid attention. I made two commitments: create a songwriting course syllabus, and share a song of mine anytime I was with a group of people and there was a guitar available. The songwriting syllabus turned into a teaching artist fellowship with Columbia Univeristy, and sharing a single song at a serendipitous Williamsburg birthday party turned into a travel host position with Rolling Stone magazine. The craziest part: I received the news of each opportunity within 24 hours of one another, totally elevating my life from bussing tables at a Wall Street upscale grill. God, the Universe, the spirit of creativity—whatever you call it—works in mysterious ways. But absolutely responds to asking the right questions, and stepping into the void.