Recently, I had the honor of giving the welcome address—standing before a sea of brilliant, powerful Black women.
When We Gather: The Power of a Third Place
Sociologists call it a third place, the space where community happens. It’s not home, and it’s not work. It’s the coffee shop where conversations spill over lattes. The park bench where neighbors become friends. The library table is where ideas stretch and grow. These spaces hold us together, remind us who we are, and invite us to imagine who we can become.
For me, that place has become The Gathering Spot, founded by Ryan Wilson (@spotonrw). What began as an idea, a modern hub for Black excellence, creativity, and collaboration, has become a living, breathing community.
This week, Ryan called us together for 300 Strong, a gathering of women from Washington, D.C., Atlanta, and Los Angeles. We came to connect, to strategize, and to celebrate one another. And in one of my proudest moments, I had the honor of leading the welcome address—standing before a sea of brilliant, powerful Black women. (See photo above.) The energy in the room was electric—part reunion, part revival, part revolution.
Yes, the headlines are sobering. Over 300,000 Black women have been released from their jobs in the early months of this new administration. But that’s not the whole story. The truth is this:
Our lives are miracles.
We are the most educated group of adults in the United States.
We are equipped to meet this moment with grace, creativity, and courage.
We have faced far greater challenges before, and each time, we’ve turned adversity into innovation. We’ve built schools, businesses, movements, and art. We’ve raised families, raised consciousness, and raised the bar.
So, while the statistics may seem discouraging, I know who we are. We are the daughters of dreamers and the architects of tomorrow. We are a living legacy of resilience and brilliance.
Together, we will face this moment. Together, we will conquer it. Together, we are unstoppable.
I am deeply grateful for the space, the sisterhood, and the call to serve. Because every time we gather, in joy, in vision, in purpose, we create the world anew.
#300Strong #TheGatheringSpot #BlackWomenLead #WeAreTheMiracle
