Staying inside has given me much time to reflect, ask questions, and seek their answers. While I have yet to find the true meaning of life, I’ve learned how to buy more summer-appropriate fabrics and, most importantly, ask for help when needed. I often feel this pressure to move at the speed of light to ensure I won't be forgotten, and by doing so, I fail to live and not just document.

I forgot about Christmas this year, and I was okay with that; It wasn’t until I started seeing all of the Christmas sales and the Trees at Jewel's that I realized it was that time of the year again. Somehow, I’ve managed to avoid all of the Christmas Cheer!

First, I hope it brings you comfort—there's a lot of media, which can sometimes get confusing. Second, I hope this letter invites you to let your curiosity take the lead. Third, I hope this letter is a gentle reminder to drink some water, put your phone on dnd and try being present with yourself. And lastly, if this letter does not find you well, I hope something in this letter is helpful.

This year we’ve decided to celebrate Pride by celebrating and collaborating with the community. To close out Pride Month, we’re hosting six events with Chicago Athletic Association[CAA]. For this collaboration, we wanted to focus on the intersection of Pride Month and Juneteenth.

My 2020 spiral lead to me removing booze from my diet. I felt as though it consumed my life. Everything I did was centered around drinking. There were moments when I would drink an entire bottle of wine and put on a sad/dramatic show to cry. It was as if I needed to permit myself to feel.

My Sun is in Taurus, my Moon is in Libra, and my Ascendant is in Leo. I never know if I want to be the life of the party or stay home from the party–most nights, it’s both. I often think about throwing massive galas and not attending. Now that I think about it, I’ve always been this way. I’ve never wanted to be ‘in the limelight but adjacent to it.

I wish I were the type to drown in hope and ‘the best-case scenarios.’ If you know me, you know that I’m stubborn, calculated, and pessimistic. I wish the world were different–I wish people were different. But, we’re not different; we’re flawed.

When you were your most honest self, how did you feel? Do you ever think about that moment? Did you feel free? When I think about that moment, I am free. I feel safe. I feel like...me.

I met Kofi Hughes at an event back in August of 2021. The event celebrated the launch of lululemon’s shipping container at Chicago’s Boxville output (Boxville is an experiential shopping experience using shipping containers). I was assigned to photograph the celebration, and, not knowing Kofi prior to the event, he stood out. He was tall, ripped, and always smiling. There was a stillness that surrounded him — it was comforting.

Hello! I guess I should’ve done this earlier, and I’m pretty sure it’s on one of my many to-do lists that I actually never cross off. (I hope that gives you some insight as to how my brain works) Here’s the deal: I’m the ‘Director of Content [Chaos], and what that means is I oversee and manage all content. Outside of OK, I’m the Art Director & Co-Founder of Monday Coffee Co and a freelance photographer. I do a lot of things. I’m often told that I do too much, but yolo.