Hello beautiful and kind people!

This week’s theme is COMMUNITY, with a special celebration of Black History Month as well.

Every day, more insults, executive orders, and bullying are thrown at all of us, particularly those of us in marginalized groups and spaces.   

I have been leaning on my community heavily in 2025.  Texts, Emails, Zoom calls, and in person meet-ups are now part of my daily routine.

It reminds me of the initial days of the Covid-19 pandemic. These feelings of isolation, insecurity, confusion, fear and anger are all too familiar. I thought that was a once-in-a-lifetime period; I guess I was wrong.

Sadly, I do not see it getting any easier soon, so I continue to dive into my writing, speaking, and my coaching as antidotes to the hateful legislation and rhetoric.

I am grateful, as always, for your support, interest, and kindness. I am most grateful for this COMMUNITY.

I am honored to celebrate the incredible diversity, contributions, and magic of the Black Community this month.

Living in Atlanta, the center of “Black Excellence” and the birthplace of the Civil Rights movement, reminds one daily of the fight for social justice and essential human rights. The legacies of Bayard Rustin, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr,. and John Lewis are present everywhere here, and I am learning constantly.

I am also still stinging from living in a swing state during that horrible election battle and process. It has stoked my desire to elevate discussions and education around Democracy, the democratic process, and the role of citizens in a civil, participatory society. That is probably the Political Science major in me and being the son of James F. Fielding, but you will continue to hear from me on this topic. 

I am particularly excited to share this edition’s leader and artist, Devin Cooley, with you. 

I am honored to share his story, his talent, and his poetry with you. 

Here is our shared story of how we met:

Devin’s view 

In 2023, I received a sponsored year-long membership to Soho House. During this time, a peer invited me to the “All Pride, No Ego” event at Soho House Chicago, where I was deeply inspired by Jim’s story of navigating adversity and authenticity—both in his upbringing and as an executive leader. At the time, I was also expanding my horizons and embracing my authenticity. After the event, there was an opportunity to meet Jim and purchase All Pride, No Ego, but I couldn’t afford a copy, so a timid wave and “hello” behind my friend was all I managed. Still feeling inspired, I later connected with Jim on LinkedIn, and the rest is history.

Jim’s view

I remember that Soho House Chicago event so clearly. It was one of the first book events I did in August 2023. The book had been out for 2 weeks and I was excited to be in that city, as I had close friends and great memories from living in the Windy City twice. It was easy to spot Devin. He is tall, and confident, and when I first saw him at the back of the room, my initial thought was he was at the wrong event! There was another event in an adjacent conference room with more young and hip people, who seemed to be his crowd. Yet, he stayed. He listened intently, and I kept glancing back at him, and could feel his participation. His shyness was charming and I was thrilled when he reached out on LinkedIn. As he said, here we are 19 months later. Writing a story together. 

He is stuck with me now.

Devin is a poet, organizer, and multimedia collaborator based in Chicago with Black and Filipino cultural roots. Drawing from his background in computer engineering and systems thinking, he approaches both art and organizing as one—designing processes that empower and cultivate resilience. He has led statewide coalitions, curated a showcase at Soho House Chicago, and collaborated with artists and organizations across the state and country to amplify creativity as a living force. He also offers services and consulting to develop projects that “uplift people through the waves of life.” Whether through verse, visuals, or organizing his work is a practice of transformation—shifting energy, speaking truth to power, and reclaiming liberation.

Contact Info

[email protected]

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Devin Cooley Poem - Featured Artist 

Roots of Resilience

A complementary reflection to "Home”, in honor of Black History Month

Black people have endured countless layers of atrocity and adversity throughout history up until the present day. Yet, time and time again, we somehow transform pain into a healing creative force. For example, from the violence of Jim Crow, the Harlem Renaissance was born. And from the devastation of mass incarceration, Hip-Hop was born. Our inner strength has never been diminished, but there are ways that we can further nurture that power.

Generally speaking, mental health is often overlooked within communities of color and the historical adversities we face take a generational toll. We are often expected to automatically be resilient, but a part of maintaining resilience is to care for ourselves. The mental stresses of the conditions placed upon us can have negative impacts on our bodies and drain us of our energy. So finding the time to engage in activities like connecting with nature, meditation, and enjoying creative outlets is key. It is also important that we build community by creating safe spaces and engaging in dialogue. Making space for intentional rest, joy, and play is a revolutionary act in a world that commodifies our energy. It is more important now than ever for us to care for ourselves so that we can care for each other. Speaking our truth creates ripples of empowerment that go beyond any barriers like race, gender, sexual orientation, age, or religion. Throughout history, creative energy has been used to heal and unite. So we must continue to speak our truth and channel our collective energy to manifest a world rooted in love. 

I was taught that Black history is the missing page in the book of world history. When we speak truth to power, we bring restoration to what has been lost. In a land where we have been historically misunderstood, mistreated, and overlooked, our fight for freedom reflects the struggle of all oppressed people. By nurturing ourselves, we remember that the power to be free already exists within us.

My poem, “Home”, encapsulates my journey through mental anguish and resilience.

A list of important Black LGBTQ+ historical figures and current leaders, covering activism, politics, the arts, and culture.

1. Bayard Rustin (1912–1987) – Civil rights activist, strategist for Martin Luther King Jr., and organizer of the 1963 March on Washington.

2. James Baldwin (1924–1987) – Novelist, playwright, and essayist whose works addressed race, sexuality, and identity.

3. Essex Hemphill (1957–1995) – Poet and activist whose work addressed the experiences of Black gay men.

4. Stormé DeLarverie (1920–2014) – Performer and activist, often credited with throwing the first punch at the Stonewall Uprising.

5. Raquel Willis (b. 1991) – Writer, activist, and former executive editor of Out magazine, focusing on trans rights.

6. Billy Porter (b. 1969) – Actor and singer, known for breaking gender norms in fashion and promoting LGBTQ+ representation.

7. Don Lemon (b. 1966) – Journalist and former CNN anchor, one of the most visible Black gay men in mainstream media.

8. Phill Wilson (b. 1956) – HIV/AIDS activist and founder of the Black AIDS Institute.

9. Patrisse Cullors (b. 1984) – Co-founder of Black Lives Matter and advocate for prison reform and LGBTQ+ rights.

10. Angela Davis (b. 1944) – Scholar, activist, and former Black Panther, who has spoken on intersectionality, feminism, and LGBTQ+ rights.

Let’s get back to basics. Teaching civics and government to all students. Learning how to live in a participatory democracy.

A list of 10 books everyone needs to read:

1. "Democracy in America" (de Tocqueville) ↳ The timeless blueprint of American democratic principles

2. “The Bill of Obligations" (Haass) ↳ Fresh take on what we owe each other as citizens

3. "How Democratic Is the American Constitution?" (Dahl) ↳ Critical analysis of our founding framework

4. "The Federalist Papers" ↳ The original playbook of American government

5. "On Democracy" (Dahl) ↳ Democracy explained, no political science degree required

6. "These Truths" (Lepore) ↳ Our democratic journey, told through fresh eyes

7. "American Government: A Very Short Introduction" (Valelly) ↳ The crash course you wish you had in school

8. "The Spirit of Democracy" (Diamond) ↳ What keeps democracies alive (and what kills them)

9. "American Citizenship" (Shklar) ↳ Your manual for meaningful civic participation

10. "How Democracies Die" (Levitsky/Ziblatt) ↳ Because defending democracy starts with understanding its vulnerabilities

djroogirl

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thank you, for staying informed, for reading, for engaging. We move forward together, I’ll end with the video that has given me hope during this administration. I hope it can spark the same for you.

nytopinion

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Love,

Jim