Faith. A word instantly comforting to some and off-putting to others, because it can be deeply intertwined with our upbringings. Some of us enjoyed the faith traditions we experienced growing up, others ran away from them. And still others of us are seeking a reconciliation of sorts, not just with a higher power, but really […]

Some people have a soft spot for kids. For others it’s old people. For me it’s always been the homeless. I grew up in a big city with a sizable homeless population, and a lot of rich people too. As a kid I understood the maxim that a place is only as rich as its […]

As we all celebrate the brilliance of our modern holiday season, a portion of the strength I pull from in this time of year comes from something deeper, more ancient. I am taken back to an archaic time. A time before Kwanzaa, Christmas, Inti Rami, Wassail, or Saturnalia. A time deeper in our past whose […]

Maya was born on March 11, 1971 in Nashville, TN. (I was born exactly 15 months later in the same city.) Based on my birth certificate, I think we were both born at then-named Hubbard Hospital, which was part of the historically Black Meharry Medical College, where my father was attending medical school at the […]

Personal story sharing, like many things, gets better with time, and I’m no exception to the rule. More specifically, I think it gets better with time when the time is used to practice. I believe this because the way I share stories today is quite different from what it eight years ago, when I started […]

Running a business is similar to being in a relationship. Both require time, commitment and care to succeed. And, when they don’t, we’re often left heartbroken. Just like a relationship, the early stages of building a business are exciting. The adrenaline kicks in, and soon it’s the only thing consuming your mind. Yet, much like […]