Seasons Change: A Few Updates From the CEO
Fall is here, and winter is just a few weeks away. The days are shorter, and the nights are getting longer. Seasons changing can be bittersweet–especially when it comes time for summer to end. I miss the warm days relaxing with my family in the sunshine and enjoying the slow pace of the long summer days.
This summer, I took the opportunity to reflect on my major life shifts and think about my next chapter, both personal and professional. I thought a lot about time: time spent, time lost, time found; and what we do with the time we have.
I also thought about gratitude and what I am most thankful for as a CEO and a Black woman thriving in this post-Trump, post-quarantine dumpster fire of a world. I am grateful for my profound good fortune, ability, and privilege of being able to slow down without having to worry too much about meeting basic needs for our family, which is the product of hard work, creative problem-solving, and the benefit of having a great partner who can support and love me through it all.
Meet Summer, the latest edition to our family.
On a personal note, this summer brought some positive changes and transitions to my life: I am now a mom to two Bernese Mountain Dogs, with our rescue of Summer in August from Pennsylvania. She is settling in nicely and infusing our family with girl-dog energy, which has taken some adjusting for Sully and Camden, which is fun to watch.
I am still so proud of my kiddos: Hannah is thriving in her second year at the Yale School of Drama, and Carter is settling into his life in New York and his job at Notch Partners. It is wonderful watching them both do their thing, learn the lessons, and enter young adulthood while honoring their paths. I couldn’t ask for more as a parent than to watch them blossom in this stage of their lives.
Speaking of school, I want to learn some new things as well and return to the classroom to widen my knowledge in urban planning and history preservation. I’ll keep you posted on that part of my journey as it progresses.
The fall season also brings new projects and goals for RCM Strategic Consulting. I am so excited about collaborating with Dewey Square Group on communications consulting for a new minority entrepreneurship project and continuing my work with Maryland Nonprofits.
Looking forward to 2024, I hope to deepen some of my professional partnerships, expanding my services in the areas of economic development, planning, and placemaking. I would also like to take on more writing, thought leadership, coaching, and mentoring. I am grateful for every opportunity and project that came my way in 2023, and I’m excited to see what new collaborations and partnerships will come to fruition in the new year.
