Happy Anniversary, The Reclaimed!

If you would have told me on August 28th of 2013 that I would have grown the way I have now, I might have believed you, or I might have looked at you like a person with 2 heads. But here we are, at the end of another August, the 6th one of this little blog's life.

So what has happened in 6 years?

This blog bloomed from a community full of thrift tips and latest finds to a community where we still do occasionally talk thrift shopping, but also beauty, wellness, faith, and culture.
So many of you have come along. My Twitter now as over 3 Thousand of you good people and Instagram is now 13 Thousand strong as of this month, which still baffles the mind because I still act like a crazy person and yet you all stay and have the nerve to share, comment, and save my crazy posts.
My community has grown too. And many of you have started your own blogs, podcasts, and projects as well and I continue to be excited to hear your stories and support you in any ways that I am able.

I continue to grow as well.
I have found a place for my brand of foolery with radio legend Patty Jackson and the amazing folks on the Patty and the Millennials Podcast.
I have also created The Reclaimed Podcast where almost two thousand of you join me weekly to talk current events, politics, and whatever else we so choose.
I have found much love in the Medium and Vocal communities, often being featured in both.
Over the last 6 years, I have had the opportunity to cover New York Fashion Weeks, Philly Fashion Weeks, The Black Star Film Festival, The Mural Arts Ball, The Kimmel Center, and so many other beautiful, empowering, eye-opening events, I can not name them all.

In just this year:
I did my first fashion shoot Wear Well.
I did my first fashion partnership with David's Bridal.
I did my first fashion ambassadorship with Fabletics.
I got merch with my Karma tee in partnership with the Red Pill Blue Pill Collective.
Rounded up some of the most amazing women to form a small but supportive community called the Philly Black Bloggers.

Most importantly, in this entire journey, I found my voice, a voice I thought I had lost due to life, well, life-ing. I found my own perseverance, my own resilience. I became less concerned with the potential consequences and more concerned with speaking truth to power, using my platform to lift up others.

I wanted this to be more than a hobby, but something I did that has meaning. Something that somehow made a difference to someone. To see these loves of mine blossom in this way is a blessing in and of itself. It's wild that almost everything that I have prayed for, I now have. I cannot even fully express my gratitude

Thank you all for 6 years together. Here's to The Reclaimed, past, present, and future.