I’m excited to share that this August, I had the incredible honor of being part of the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival—a gathering of visionaries, creators, and leaders shaping culture today. It was my first time on the island and it was an eye opening experience.

Day one began with a dream fulfilled: GREATNESS: Diverse Designers of Architecture and SAY IT LOUD pins were placed in 2 stores along Circuit Avenue Jubilee located at 42 Circuit Ave, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557 and Bee Blunt located at 53 Circuit Ave #2327, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557, embedding our movement directly into the fabric of this historic community. Being supported by powerful women to help advance the mission forward is the greatest take away I received from this experience.

That evening at MV salads, I co-hosted a powerful conversation and book signing with my friend, Emmy Award–winning director Emmai Alaquiva, whose film The Ebony Canal was featured in the festival lineup. Together, we sold out of books and sparked dialogue about storytelling through film and design.

The festival was also a chance to witness—and be welcomed into—epic cultural moments. From a Spike Lee screening and after party, where I connected with luminaries like Louis Henry Gates Jr, Lynn Whitfield, Andre Gaines, and Aldis Hodge, to the joy of sharing space with the Polar Bears at Inkwell Beach, every encounter reinforced the power of community and the importance of visibility.

To stand in these rooms—and on these shores—was more than humbling. It was affirming. A reminder that our voices belong, our contributions matter, and our legacies must be celebrated.

GREATNESS continues to travel, and I’m grateful to everyone who has carried it with me on this journey.

If you’re receiving this email, it’s because you are part of my journey. Your support sustains me. I carry you into every room I enter, and I hope to continue making you proud.

#ExcitedToShare

#SayItWithGreatness

#MVAAFF

#BeyondTheBuilt

#RepresentationMatters

#INPRINTINPOWER

#DesignJustice

#WomenInArchitecture

#BIPOCDesigners

#BookSigning

#CommunityThroughDesign

#PublishingWithPurpose

#BlackWomenArchitects