Today I woke up thinking – “Yvette, it is almost the last day of the year. You promised yourself you would start your enewsletter about fund raising before January 1.
I had been thinking about this for about three months, but I could not decide how to approach it. What would I talk about? What would be the focus? Who would read it? Who would care to read it?
I knew I wanted my enewsletter to be engaging. I wanted people to look forward to reading it every time it came out.
I knew I wanted to have focus on fundraising and making money. As a professional fund raiser for over 25 years, people ask me all the time if they can pick my brain. They want to know how to raise money for their businesses and their charitable causes. And I want to share that with them.
And I knew I wanted it to be for black women business owners. Why?
Because in the last few years, black women have opened more businesses than any other demographic in America. Yet they have access to the least amount business funding, venture capital and private equity investment.
Black women have been among the leaders in major movements and nonprofits in American communities. Yet, they have less access to philanthropy dollars. I want to change this and with this enewsletter I intend to do just that.
I will share tip, tricks and tools to help black women business owners and leaders raise more money and have more money.
Profiles of black women business owners and leaders will be shared.
I will highlight and champion efforts led by black women business owners as inspiration for those who aspire to raise more money and make more money.
Oh, and there will be cake.
Before I wrote this, I wrote a Facebook post about how I have learned to deal with grief by eating cake (or any other dessert). The post is below.
I know it’s full of sugar. I know eating too much of it is not healthy. However, there is no better mood lifter for me than a piece of cake.
Raising money and making money is rewarding and gratifying and stressful hard. For me, when life gets hard, I cake.
So, at the end of newsletter will be a little something about cake or some sweet treat. Besides, it sounds cool in the newsletter title.
Well, this is done. I got the article written. Yay for me.
See you next week.
Life is short so I eat cake!
Let me explain – Two weeks ago I was sitting in my car crying uncontrollably. Since the passing of my father in 2014, my mother in 2019, and this year my role model/mentor/other father Willie Walker, I just find the holidays to be a sad reminder of who is no longer here.
In the midst of my crying, I get a call from my daughter who tells me our friend Tenisha Hunter suddenly passed away. She’s the mother of my god son Darrell. My heart was completely broken for him. He’s only 26 and his mommy is gone. How tragic.
Then my mind went to the family of tWitch who lost their dad to suicide. As my mother would say, I don’t know this man from Adam. He’s not in any circle I’m in but I felt his family’s loss because I know what it’s like to lose.
Man, death and grief are heavy. There is never a good time to lose somebody. I don’t care how old they are or if they have been sick a long time. When they are gone it is tough.
And grief. Wow. It has can caught me at the craziest of times. Tears simply just come.
I like cake. It’s delicious. And my favorite is chocolate cake.
My mom made me a chocolate cake for my birthday every year for many years. My dad loved chocolate cake. Mr. Walker and I had many conversations over lunch and dinner that ended with dessert. And the first time I talked to Tenisha it was about how to send Darrell a chocolate cake for his birthday.
Crazy right??!!! Thoughts of cake bring back great memories of people who are no longer here.
Yesterday I had the most fabulous lunch at Agave and Rye with my god daughter Alexis. We talked about death and grief but we also talked about fully living and fully being present.
Alexis said the most profound thing. In summary, the road of our life is paved with good things. Wins, joy and happiness. The losses are a part of the things that happen in life but they don’t define it and they don’t stop good things from happening.
In other words you can be assured that God has filled your life with good things and loss doesn’t take that away. Not now, not ever.
And I agree. Moments of loss do not last always. And it’s good to have them. It’s good to remember the people that mattered in this world and in your life. And the Bible says to grieve with those that grieve. So even if I don’t know people, when I hear about the death of a friends loved one or of a public figure who I liked, I cry. Then I eat cake.
As Alexis and I wrapped up lunch, I ordered a piece of carrot cake. Although chocolate is my favorite, Agave and Rye is known for their carrot cake (besides I had the best chocolate cake for Christmas. My sister made it. It was delightful).
The carrot cake did not disappoint. The slice was ginormous. Literally three people could share it and be fully satisfied.
I ate a bit at the restaurant and brought the rest home to share with my husband.
As I ate the last bit of my portion with coffee this morning I thought about this year and past years.
I know there will always be some sadness in my heart for those who are gone and those who will leave in years to come. Its okay.
Life is full of good things – one of those things being cake!!
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