The Layover is a behind-the-scenes series where I step from behind the mic to rap about the creative process as Black Expat Stories evolves from an ethnographic podcast into a global docuseries. It’s my opportunity to invite you into the journey — to witness the big wins, the tough lessons, and the crucial conversations fueling the Blaxit movement.
If you’re reading this from somewhere in the Western Hemisphere, I hope your Spring is off to a beautiful, blooming start.
Creative Practices I’m Leaning Into Lately
And if you caught one of my last posts, you know I’ve been leaning into the practices from The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.
I talked about the magic of morning pages and what it’s done for me creatively. It’s fascinating how a simple, stream-of-consciousness brain dump each morning clears the mental clutter and helps me show up to the page with more presence.
But another practice I’ve held onto from The Artist’s Way is something she calls the Artist Date (I’ll explain more a bit later).
This time, I thought it would be dope to bring you with me.
I got up before sunrise, slipped on my onesie, and made my way to the beach to meet a few of my homegirls for a Spring Equinox sister circle, facilitated by the incredible
!I hardly ever catch the sea that early, but after this artist date, I just might make it a habit, because look at how BEAUTIFUL this view is…
Writing My First Book & The Power of The Artist Date
From the start, I knew this would be like a creative reset. I desperately needed a sacred pause to refill my creativity and reconnect with myself as I push through the writing of The Exodus Book.
It’s a coffee table anthology I’m co-creating with a brilliant global photojournalist and a true labor of love that highlights the stories of folks from around the world who’ve made the bold move to Playa del Carmen, Mexico since 2020. Through essays, interviews, and intimate reflections, we’re capturing the spirit of migration, freedom, and everything we carry (and shed) when we leave the places we once called home.
At its core, this project is a love letter to Playa and to the brave people who’ve chosen to begin again here. It’s a tribute to the way this town holds us, delights us, and softens us.
But it’s also more than that.
This book takes a critical look at the impact of rapid migration and gentrification in one of the fastest-growing cities in Mexico. We explore how Playa is being reshaped by development and how the influx of foreigners—ourselves included—has real implications for the land, the culture, and the local communities who were here long before this became a hotspot.
It’s a reminder that paradise is more than a backdrop for our social media posts. It’s a living, breathing place with a history, an ecosystem, and people who’ve called it home long before we arrived.
And I can’t wait for you to hold it in your hands.
Like any meaningful creative process, writing this book is streeeetching me. So I’ve been pulling out every tool I’ve got to stay grounded and inspired.
One of those tools is the artist date: a weekly solo adventure designed to feed your inner artist. It doesn’t have to be big. It just has to be intentional. Something that brings joy. Sparks curiosity. Opens you up.
That morning on the beach was exactly that.
Sunrise, Sisterhood & Showing Up for Myself
We gathered in a circle just after sunrise, honoring the equinox and reflecting on the seasons of our lives. We breathed. We meditated. We wrote down what we were ready to release and named what we wanted to welcome in. We laughed. We cried. We prayed. It was tender and powerful and deeply necessary.
And as I sat there, feet in the sand, surrounded by women who are becoming chosen family, I felt the fog clear. A few things clicked into place: ideas for the book, yes, but also deeper clarity about what I want to bloom in this next season.
Rituals like these remind me that creativity doesn’t just live at a desk or inside a deadline. It lives in the quiet moments, in the awe-inspiring nature that surrounds us and among the people who help you come back to yourself.
Where Will You Go to Feed Your Creative Spirit?
So if you’re in a season that’s asking you to create, build, or just keep going… I can’t recommend artist dates enough! I hope this inspires you to go on some artist dates of your own.
I’d love to know: what’s your next artist date going to be? Let’s keep the conversation going in the comments!
Resources and More Ways to Stay Connected
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Blaxit Soundtrack & Soul Work Journal
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