It’s February. A new month. Not just any month. This is our month. A time to celebrate Black history, Black excellence, and Black resilience. A time to remind ourselves that no matter what systems crumble or what policies shift, no matter what hardships knock at our doors, we have ALWAYS figured out how to rise. And that? That’s in our mf DNA.

I’m also not going to pretend that the weight of the world isn’t pressing down right now. Planes are falling from the sky friend. The presidency is looking like a circus, and let’s not even get started on DEI programs being gutted left and right. Poor Tab. Federal grants are being defunded, which means real-life consequences for people like me who rely on them to keep a roof over their heads and food on their tables. If we’re keeping it a buck? The future of my full-time job is looking shaky as hell. As a DOD contractor, we rely on Federal Grant money to help provide Military Fee Assistance to families in need of off post childcare services. This is the reality for so many of us, as policies shift in ways that don’t serve the people who need them most.

But guess what? We are built for this.

I’m not saying it won’t be hard. I’m not saying I won’t have moments of panic, of fear, of frustration. But I will not be shaken. Because my ancestors survived much worse. Because I am still standing, still breathing, still mothering, still dreaming. And because my baby girl, Dru, was born in this month, and I refuse to let anything steal the joy of celebrating her life. My baby made it to a year, y’all! That’s a blessing I will not take for granted. And as I celebrate her, I celebrate myself too because I am a damn good mother.

So here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to talk to our ancestors. We’re going to ask them for guidance, for clarity, for strength. We’re going to channel the wisdom of those who came before us and remember that we are never alone in this journey.

And when it feels like the world is crumbling, we will remind ourselves that we are the ones who know how to rebuild. We are the ones who turn scraps into something sacred. We are the ones who make a way out of no way.

So take a deep breath. Square your shoulders. And step into this month with your head held high. Because despite it all, this is still our month. And we are still here.

Let’s go get it.

Xoxo, Drea