I have some exciting news to share. Last week, after a little over two years I posted my 100th blogpost! This milestone is worth celebrating since it is a testament to how far I have come as a blogger and more importantly as a writer. When I first launched my author website back in February 2020 I had no clue where to begin. I did not know what to write about or even how often I should post content. Moreover, it took me some time to find my feet and discover my authentic voice. The main reason for this is that at the outset I was scared to share my opinion with the world. Part of me doubted whether what I had to say would be of interest to others. When I look back on my earliest blogs I am reminded that I was ‘holding back’ a lot then. However, that all changed after the murder of George Floyd. I wrote a blogpost entitled Darkness Cannot Drive Out Darkness about my struggles in coping with this incident and how emotionally drained I was. For me that was my first ‘real’ share in which I mustered the courage to show myself to the world.
Not long after, another watershed moment came along. I wrote a post in September 2020 about Shame, Vulnerability and Authenticity. In it I confessed how hard it had been for me to publish my memoir Walking in Footsteps of Promise. I had to endure many sleepless nights in which I agonized over whether I could bring myself to expose my darkest secret to the world. I needed to overcome my fear and shame, by allowing myself to be vulnerable. To tell my story authentically I needed to have the courage to share completely and tell the story of who I am with my whole heart.
More of these spirited posts soon followed. In November 2020 I wrote blog about Tell Them We Are Rising, an inspiring documentary film on historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Watching Tell Them We are Rising reminded me of my own experiences studying at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. Reflecting on my time at Morehouse made me realize the pivotal role that this institution played in my evolution as a human being. Later in July 2021, I posted Better to Die Standing Than to Live on Your Knees which focused on black resistance to colonial slavery. It is without a doubt a fiery blogpost in which I released for the first time the deeprooted fervor that I have for telling stories about the unyielding spirit of freedom that dwells within each of us.
Then in November 2021 came my most emotional share ever. I posted Homegoing: Finding a light in the darkness, which recounted my visit to the Elmina Slave Castle in Cape Coast, Ghana. It was almost impossible to the find the words to convey the delirious feeling that I experience when I “returned” to walk in the agonizing footsteps of enslaved my ancestors. Through writing this post I realized how blogging has helped me to hone my craft as writer. It has forced me to dig deeper into myself and more importantly to learn how to access as well as express my deepest emotions and feelings.
From a practical perspective, one of my biggest challenges in blogging has been consistency and discipline. Delivering relevant and engaging content, while posting at a steady and sustainable cadence has not been easy. At times writing a blog has felt like a burdensome chore or at best a distraction from my core mission as an author. So I must admit that my blogging journey has had a few speedbumps along the way and hiatuses when I went several weeks without blogging a single word. However, over time I have gradually settled into my natural tempo like a runner pacing himself for a marathon. Now I consistently post new content four times a month. What I can promise my readers is that I will continue to hone my writing craft and there will be many more passionate and courageous blogposts to come in the future. Thanks for taking the time to stop by. Stay well and healthy!
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