we're the ones we've been waiting for
sending love, strength & mutual aid to Los Angeles
Wednesday Wisdom
“I trust in the strength of collective action, today and every day.” ~ @devthepineapple
Morning Musings
Today’s newsletter is coming to you a tad later than usual because, well, life be life-ing. For me. Nearly everyone I know. And especially those impacted by the fires in L.A. Plus, we’re only three weeks into the new year in case anyone’s keeping count. Next week is inauguration and Forever FLOTUS said, “nah, y’all got this.” Felt.
It’s all too much. Too heavy. And too everything. What are we to do? Well, we take a note from what Black, Brown and Indigenous people have always done—we care for our own, we care for each other, we care for ourselves, our families, our communities. We do the work AND we rest. We stop fighting the fights that aren’t ours to fight and let those who are willfully committed to ignorance and hatred tend to their own gardens. To paraphrase J. Cole, “don’t save them, they don’t want to be saved.”
Long before the fires ran rampant in Los Angeles and shortly after the results of the presidential election were announced, I had a theory—no, a feeling—that community would be key to our survival (and dare I say, thriving?) in 2025. And here we are.
As someone relatively new to activism, I didn’t learn about mutual aid until a few years ago thanks to other Black women who’ve been doing the work. And I recognized that I’d also been doing that work without realizing there was a specific name for it. I have my dad to thank for that.
He’s the one cutting the neighbors’ lawns and driving elderly neighbors to and from the grocery store, doctor’s appointments, the bank. My sister and I would go with him to visit the nursing home around the corner from our house when we were growing up. Once, we made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for unhoused people down in Baltimore City. He is mutual aid personified and when I saw this video of Walt Butler, an 83-year-old man from L.A.’s Altadena neighborhood, one that is composed of mostly Black families, I couldn’t help but think of my dad.
I immediately donated to Walt’s GoFundMe. And there are PLENTY of other Walts out there as well. Visit this spreadsheet if you want to send funds directly to people of color and people with disabilities who’ve been impacted by the fires and are working to rebuild their lives. Pro tip: use the color-coded key on the upper righthand side to find the families who need more support in reaching their goal. Also, if you can, spread the love. As
recommended in her Instagram post, which is well worth a read in its entirety if you want to understand how you can better support folks:“It’s no secret that the Black community is often the last to be helped or supported in crisis. So if you can, find a few families to help with their rebuilding process. If you have $50 to give, recommend donating $10 to five families, rather than all $50 to just one.”
Side note: if you want to learn more about Altadena, click through this post:
Other sites to check out if you’re in need of services yourself:
It’s going to take all of us together—not just to make it through this tragedy, but the ones that are sure to come after that. And the next four years. And the years after that.
We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. NOBODY is coming to save us. Not the government, not Big Corporate and definitely not the tech bros with their “masculine energy,” or whatever tf Zuckerberg said. One thing’s for sure: we can’t “me, myself and I” our way out of this. So hop in, Barbie, we’re going to fight capitalism with collective care. ✊🏾
ICYMI: Werking Moms Club is Now Open!
After nearly a year of developing and fine tuning, I’m excited to announce that membership for the Werking Moms Club is NOW OPEN! Curious about the club? As a member you’ll gain:
🌟 A private space to connect with moms who get it.
📚 Access to career and personal development resources.
🧘🏾♀️ Wellness tools to help you recharge and show up as your best self.
🎙️ Exclusive invites to live events & much more!
🎧 Listen: Latham Thomas on Motherhood & More
And not only that, but the first episode of the Werking Moms Club podcast is also live! This first interview features none other than Latham Thomas, founder of Mama Glow and Mama Glow Foundation.
I’ve been fangirling over Latham for years now, so to kick off this podcast with her words of wisdom was truly a dream come true. I hope you’ll give it a listen & let me know what you think.
Upcoming Events
Jan. 28: Author Talk with Dr. Uché Blackstock at Call & Response Books. I’m absolutely delighted to be sharing space with my friend and fellow author Dr. Uché Blackstock to celebrate the paperback release of her instant NYT bestselling book, Legacy. Learn more about Dr. Blackstock in our conversation from Fortune last year.
What I’m Reading
Now Hiring
Director of Economic Justice for The Clara Lionel Foundation
Marketing Messaging and Assets Manager (Communications) for Apple
Social Impact Program Associate for The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation
Senior Manager, Global Social Media for HOKA
Head of Social Media for Athleta
Director, Content & Education for The U.S. Soccer Foundation
Director, Integrated Marketing & Communications, Research for The Alzheimer’s Association
Public and Media Relations Manager (Press Secretary) for Atlanta’s Housing
🫶🏾 Paid Subscriber Shoutout 🫶🏾
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