If 2020 has taught us anything, it has been a lesson on hope, community, creative courage, and compassion. With all the pain we felt with lives and jobs lost, racial uprisings, tornadoes, bombings, and trauma — I still found small moments of hope. I believe it is important to celebrate and communicate what we accomplished this year during what felt like an impossible time.
What were these moments for you? What did your moments of joy look like?
For me, I published a book in the middle of a global pandemic. I documented this for you since we were unable to physically be together, but remained connected regardless of a canceled book tour. I want this minidocumentary to serve as an expansive reminder of how resilient we are. Save it and refer back to it when you, yourself need to be reminded of your innate gifts and the community you have around you. I will look back at this moment in time with pride and resilience, and have it serve me as a wellspring of courage for future moments. How we take up space and the change we want to see in the world starts with us and comes from within.
Looking back, I wrote this book for this specific time in history. It is disguised as a design book but it is actually so much more. My images, my words, our conversations are meant to challenge old beliefs. This is a book grounded in cultural change, where we humanize and honor our differences through the lens of creativity. This book is for you, and I hope it inspires more creative courage, more hope, and more community in your own life.
A special thank you to my team that believed in me and worked hard to support this vision and project. Enjoy, and let this video serve as a connection point to the community we’re building together!
For the holidays, I am offering signed and personalized copies of THE NEW SOUTHERN STYLE that may be purchased through our local Nashville book store, Parnassus Books. They ship nationally and this is the perfect gift that will reconnect you to your creative power and cultivate the strength of community. This is a gift that keeps giving.
