Freedom Dreaming in (This) Apocalypse

“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”

Audre Lorde

Last fall, I attended an event where I ran into a dear friend I hadn’t seen in some time. We hugged and exchanged words of acknowledgement and celebration as Black women do and she drew a loved one into our interaction so that we could become acquainted. As she introduced me, she shared, “Habeebah recently quit her good job.” My breath caught in my throat.

Let me first say, I have absolutely no shade for my friend—she knows the realities of leading while being Black and a woman. She has generously nurtured and supported me and many other Black women in the community I call home. But the truth is, I felt a bit of internal conflict hearing myself introduced with this descriptor. Her comment touched on fears I was holding about navigating the space between who I was while leading a nonprofit and who I am becoming since stepping away from that role into a freedom dream.