I came across a beautiful YouTube video of our very own Ines Tola performing one of her original songs. Her people are from Guadeloupe, the Caribbean island that inspired my book Meditations Across the King’s River Her work is a magical blend of Gwoka, soul, nu-jazz, blues, and world music. Her Creole words, melodies, and rhythms create lush, dreamlike sonic landscapes. She was also one of the very first founders of the King’s Circle, and it makes me so happy to support artists and creators and business owners here. Take a moment to listen, reflect, and share your love below. Let’s continue to honor and uplift one another. 🤍 What comes to you as you listen to her music and watch her perform? What words of encouragement do you have for her in this season?

A few days ago, my friend Brian sent me a video. Akua Naru, performing How Does It Feel. It was his response to my latest newsletter, where I shared news of my partnership with Akua. “Congrats on your latest offering, The King’s Circle,” he wrote." Awesome knowing you’re collaborating with Akua. Best wishes with that.” Later, I learned something else. How Does It Feel is one of his favorite tracks. Akua sings with such raw power. Such intimacy. I’m proud of her courage—her willingness to lay her soul bare on stage. And listening to the lyrics of this song, I also feel deeply protective of her. We are close in spirit. I want people to see her as a whole being. Not fragments. Not projections. We met in person in late 2024.Almost immediately, she knew we were meant to work together. From that recognition, the idea was born. Our collaboration on the documentary film Becoming Light Again. We communicate often. We chatted for a few minutes last night. She was preparing dinner for her two sons. Toddlers. The conversation ended abruptly. She had to attend to the baby! “Sorry I had to run so quickly,” she said. I was grateful for those moments. Even in those few minutes, she inspired me. I felt the faith. The determination. The fire. And I know many of you recognize this fire—because it’s already moving through you. In time, this fire we carry will go global, I told her. Not just the film. The King’s Circle. This is what King’s Circle is really about. What she carries as an artist, we are building as a structure. Because what we’re creating is bigger than any single project. It’s not just a documentary film—Becoming Light Again—that we’re working on through King’s Circle. We’re launching an aviation program with Stan and Lorenzo McDuffie. Infusing African wisdom with Black feminist thought. With engineer Alicia Elias, we’re building a math center in Ibadan. We’re offering sacred retreats to Ethiopia and Nigeria. We’re providing financial education and literacy.

King’s Circle member Lorenzo McDuffie sent me a message the other day: "I just landed in Puerto Rico.” This morning, he followed it up with a video from the beach. Both the message and the video made me smile—because Puerto Rico, in many ways, is also home to me. Before I go further, I want to ask you something: Where do you call home? What place feels sacred to you—and where do you want to return to? Where do you feel most at peace? My sisters were born in Puerto Rico, in Old San Juan. At the time, my father was stationed there in the Army. Puerto Rico is only about 80 miles from another home I grew up in—St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It’s about a 20-minute flight away. I visited Puerto Rico many times with my parents as a child. Those memories live deep in my body. Many people don’t realize that Puerto Rico has a rich African heritage. Loíza Aldea is considered an African cultural capital—a place where African heritage is still deeply alive. In Puerto Rico, Africa shows up everywhere. In the food. The dance. The music. The language. The spirituality. And the faces of the people. There’s an old saying: “El que no tiene Dinga, tiene Mandinga.” It means if you don’t have Dinga blood, you have Mandinga blood. It’s a way of saying that, in Puerto Rico, everyone has African blood. The photograph of me holding a coconut was taken in Loíza—a place that is sacred to so many. Knowing that Lorenzo is back home with his family gives me a sense of peace. I hope he is able to truly rest while he’s there. I’m deeply grateful for the work he’s doing to help build the King’s Circle ecosystem. I’m especially grateful for the aviation program he and his husband, Stan will help us launch. That program will merge African spiritual philosophy with Black feminist thought—an unheard-of paradigm shift, genuinely new and necessary for what comes next. No one in the aviation industry is doing this. No other spiritual community is doing this. We are way out there. And with the help of King's Circle member Alicia Elias, we will be building a math and technology center in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Alicia sent me a photo the other day and said, “It’s Christmas in Ethiopia.” The image was of an 800-year-old church carved entirely out of a single piece of rock in Lalibela, Ethiopia—one of the most awe-inspiring sacred sites in the world. She also shared a photo of one of Ethiopia’s most beloved dishes, Doro Wat—rich, slow-cooked, and deeply rooted in tradition. Alicia is an engineer by training and serves as Director of Global Operations at Across the King’s River Foundation. Her husband is from Ethiopia, so this journey carries both personal and cultural significance. We’re currently in the early stages of planning a retreat to Ethiopia later this year—and as members of The King’s Circle, you’ll be the first to know and receive access at a special discounted rate. Part of the reason for this trip is impact. We’ll be raising funds for a Math Center we’re building in Ibadan, Nigeria—an initiative focused on education, opportunity, and long-term transformation. And the other reason? It’s simpler—and just as important. Alicia wants us to have damn fun. To explore ancient ground. To taste the food. To experience the culture. To enjoy the beauty and energy of Ethiopia together. There’s already so much momentum around this, and you can feel it in the audio Alicia sent this morning (attached). We’ll be sharing more soon—but for now, I’m curious: 👉 Are you interested in coming with me and Alicia to Ethiopia? Don't forget to listen to the audio message Alicia sent me.

Please help me welcome my Caribbean sister, Stella. With Puerto Rican roots on her dad’s side and a heart that spans the globe, Stella carries a deep passion for social justice, economic justice, spirituality, and earth-based work through permaculture. I had the joy of meeting her recently in San Francisco, and I’m grateful our paths aligned. Like many of us here, she’s also a mom, bringing lived wisdom and care into everything she touches. Thank you for saying yes, Stella. This isn’t my circle — it’s our circle. I trust that our ancestors and spirit guides have gathered us here intentionally. I’m excited to learn from you and walk alongside you. Welcome home 🌿