A Rose by Another Name Isn’t the Same, Shakespeare! Daily writing prompt What's the story behind your nickname? View all responses My name, nor my personality, never lent itself to a nickname. But it’s always lent itself to mispronunciation. Starting in Kindergarten, I learned that on the first day of school, when the teacher took roll, a ghost letter r would nudge its way between the d and the…

What’s in a name? A whole lot, actually. Especially when folks keep mishearing yours. This reflection touches on ghost letters, missed pop culture cues, and the quiet audacity of renaming others. A call to listen better. #blackwriter #writing #ThisSideOfTheApple #PromptResponses #Essay

In the Land of Grace 💡Daily writing prompt Do you practice religion? Back from my week-long hiatus, and today—I’m going a bit rogue. This isn’t the scheduled prompt, but it’s the one I want to use to kick off this next cycle of Prompt Responses. First, I want to say: I truly believe the world is big enough for believers, nonbelievers, and everything in between.

Two baptisms, a Prince purge, a Catholic mass, and still—no Jesus. I’m back from hiatus with a deeply personal Prompt Response on belief, un-belief, and the grace in not knowing.
#PromptResponses #AgnosticAndOkay #GraceNotCertainty #LangstonHughes #blacksky, #bluesky #writers, #writing, #poetry

What does friendship look like when it’s lived, not just claimed? Daily writing promptWhat quality do you value most in a friend?View all responses Hey all! Happy Friday! I’m just popping in to say the hiatus is going well. My project is back on track and c…

Friendship, when lived—not just claimed—grounds us, stretches us, and holds us through the hard parts. I’ll be back Sunday from hiatus, posting weekly & recording again for Prompt Responses. Subscribe now and grow with me from the ground up. Inspiration lives here. 💭🎙️ #PromptResponses

Untitled How do you feel about cold weather? Cold weather equals misery to me. When I used to commute to work, the first hour or two was spent driving over the Altamont Pass, and the last hour—sometimes two—was spent on the BART train from Dublin to San Francisco. I made it a point to dress from head to toe in the wintertime to combat the freezing winds that tore through the elevated platform built in the middle of the freeway.

Winter’s got nothing on determination. This post reflects on freezing commutes, quiet sacrifices, and the kind of love that doesn’t shout but still shows up. A nod to Robert Hayden’s Those Winter Sundays. Read it now on This Side of the Apple. #PromptResponses #BlackMothers #WinterTruths #BlkSky

Sinking Into Joy Daily writing prompt What's one small improvement you can make in your life? View all responses One small improvement I can make in my life is to enjoy being happy without worrying about the thing down the road coming to tear my happiness to pieces. I’ve lived in that mode for so long. It’s like an old coat I didn’t notice had holes in it.

Learning to let joy linger without fear is its own quiet revolution. In this reflection, I explore what it means to be happy after years of waiting for the fall. Read the full piece and let yourself sink into the moment too. #healing #joy #blackwriters #thissideoftheapple #promptresponses