The original idea for #BlackMenFeel came to me earlier this year, in early January. However it wasn’t until I found

myself experiencing a personal crisis in late July that everything began to take shape and form in a way that

made sense and felt “possible” to execute virtually.

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As I zeroed in on the themes for each segment, I was being very intentional and I was very clear that this

project would need to commence by looking at the “end game” so to speak - which for me has and will

always be, healing. As was stated during the panel discussion by Johnnie Kornegay III, “...healing is not

something  you do and then you’re just done”. On the contrary, healing is an ongoing, never ending and

unfolding process. It’s about management and monitoring. That’s how it’s always worked for me and the

experience of “living the pandemic life” in the last five months while being at the

helm of #BlackMenFeel has been no different.

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As we touch on a host of “action items” as I like to call them - in this third and final act,

I’m reminded that the process of healing tends to look & function like the process of time passing;

meaning that it can be deceptive, which can also be confusing. After years of paying close

attention & doing the necessary self work both in and out of therapy, I’m able to see the beauty in the

process of healing - even when those things aren’t happening at a pace or a speed that satisfies

me or my human tendency to be impatient.

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In the beginning, I thought I had my roadmap figured out and had a clear pathway to completion

of this whole project. However as life happened between July and December this year complete with plenty of twists and turns,

I had to remain open and flexible.

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With that, here we are in ACT III - talking about therapy, communication, vulnerability, self-care & self preservation, chosen family, humor and centering joy. All of these things are revolutionary in their ability to help us close the gap(s) between what is and what we wish or desire to be our reality. Healing is about truth, and truth is about holding a mirror up to ourselves and being forthright about

exactly what it is we see staring back at us.

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So as you take in the panel discussion, the writings and the performances, I welcome you to embrace whatever shows up for you in response to what you see that we’ve lovingly offered up for you to view. It’s my hope that all of it will be useful in helping each and

every one of us continue to heal in whatever ways we deem necessary