You know those social media posts that starts out with a picture and then it says how did we get here? Usually, it's a picture of disaster but today I'm going to share you a picture of resilience determination and celebration.
This picture was taken last Saturday night August 5, 2023 at the Brooklyn Museum standing in front of an auditorium where people were able to view my first documentary film “There All Along”. If you've been following me for a while, you'll know that I completed the film in 2020. In the midst of the pandemic and everything else I got a lot of rejections for this film; I submitted it to 19 different film festivals and was only accepted to 3. I say only, but that really is an accomplishment. Two years ago, my friend Jenn encouraged me to reach out to local Brooklyn institutions to see if they would host a screening of the film, I was hesitant, but she hyped me up so much that I agreed. Coincidentally at the same time another friend, Reese invited me to see her brother perform at the Brooklyn Museum and that's where I met Danilo. Danilo works on the public programs team at the Brooklyn Museum, and he graciously shared his contact information with me. I sent him an e-mail with all of the information about the film and then I did not hear back from him for almost two years!
But one Tuesday in May of this year, I got a response to that e-mail from two years ago saying that the Brooklyn Museum wanted to screen my film and for August’s First Saturday! Now if you're not from Brooklyn or New York City just know that First Saturdays tends to be the ultimate experience for a lot of people (i.e., A BIG DEAL). There's music, the museum is open late, there are great programs and little old me was going to be able to be a part of that. I'll share the details of that evening in an upcoming episode of the Misadventures of An Inspired Woman but I just wanted to share some takeaways from the experience.
1. Shoot your shot. if I didn't ask, if I hadn't sent that e-mail this picture, this moment, this opportunity, never would have happened.
2. I'm grateful. I'm grateful for my friends who stand closely beside me and support me, who show up for me, who will repost something for me, who will come to my house to make sure that I'm dressed for the event that I'm going to but most importantly who will speak words full of life and light into me even on the darkest days .
3. Timing. Things don't always happen when you want them the way you want them to happen but when it is your time……. Nothing can stop you from shining. nothing can stop you from being that light that you're meant to be in the world.
I just want to say a note of thanks also to the group of people who showed up stood on that long line outside of the museum that goes all the way down the block and then came inside and stood on another line to come into the auditorium. Years ago, I sat in the seat in that auditorium, and I saw a program taking place on that stage and I just felt something within me wanting to be there on that stage doing something. And it's not about being seen, but it's about making a contribution to the culture and impacting lives. At the time I hadn't started #goalsbrunch, I hadn't started podcasting I hadn't started anything. So I didn't know what me being on that stage would look like and where it would come from but a few years later there I was on the stage with a very good colleague and friend, imparting wisdom sharing information and this is really hard for me to write because I haven't thoroughly processed this experience and everything that happened but what I do know was that it was a great moment in time and I'm grateful that I was able to share it with so many friends and loved ones. And that my friends, is how we got here.
