In the winter of 2021, just before the world fully understood the weight of the pandemic, my best friend, Michelle Berry, and I embarked on a project that would become more than just a creative endeavor—it would become the embodiment of a new idea. We called it ANEW. It started as a television show concept, transformed into a podcast, and later evolved into a blog. At its core, ANEW was a conversation between two lifelong friends about self-renewal in a world on the brink of transformation.
Imagine this: A woman stands in her warm, inviting kitchen, talking to a television camera, perhaps even to a studio audience. Her best friend, her next-door neighbor since childhood, steps in. Hey, Michelle, how’s it going? What do you got cooking? It was simple, familiar, and real—rooted in a friendship that began when we were in elementary school.
But then, the world changed.
The Birth of ANEW Amidst Crisis
COVID-19 shattered our original plans for a television show. The world became a place of uncertainty, isolation, and fear. As cities locked down and hospitals filled, people struggled to find meaning in the midst of grief. And then, George Floyd’s murder sent shockwaves through the nation. The streets erupted in protest, and a second pandemic—the reckoning of racial injustice—gripped our collective consciousness.
In that moment, we knew Anew had to pivot. We turned to Zoom, recording conversations that delved deep into self-renewal, resilience, and action. The show became a podcast, one that explored personal and societal transformation.
We recorded six episodes. Perhaps they will never see the light of day, but they mattered. They captured voices of young men and women on the front lines of protests, families grappling with their children’s activism, and healthcare workers shouldering the unbearable weight of the pandemic. We even explored unexpected topics—one episode examined the role of colonics in self-care. Another told the tragic story of a young man who survived a car crash that took the lives of his three best friends.
Every conversation was a testament to survival, resilience, and the power of self-renewal.
Self-Care as an Act of Revolution
From the very beginning, ANEW was not just about self-care—it was about self-care with action. It was about reclaiming agency in times of uncertainty. We wanted to remind people that renewal wasn’t just a luxury—it was a necessity.
During crises, when fear threatens to paralyze us, we have to keep moving. We have to think, What’s the next step? And the step after that? We have to find ways to sustain ourselves—emotionally, physically, and spiritually—because survival isn’t just about getting through the moment. It’s about laying the foundation for what comes next.
For many of us, that meant facing personal struggles head-on. Aging parents, children in crisis, loved ones battling addiction. The weight of it all could have been suffocating. But ANEW reminded us to ask, How do I take care of myself through all of this? Because in that self-care, in that renewal, lies the potential for rebirth.
The Legacy of Renewal
One of my closest friends recently lost her grandmother. I don’t know much about her grandmother, but I don’t need to. The silence in my friend’s grief speaks volumes. Her grandmother was her world. And now, she’s gone.
For Black people, for those of us who descend from ancestors who risked everything—whether by force or by choice—there is an unshakable truth: We have always found a way forward. Our ancestors did not surrender. They endured. They survived the impossible. And in surviving, they ensured that one day, we would be here.
Their legacy is our blueprint. They didn’t let despair consume them, and neither should we.
What Comes Next?
As I look ahead, I carry the spirit of ANEW with me. The blog, the podcast, the show—whether recorded or simply lived—exists as a reminder: Every single day is an opportunity to begin again.
No matter where we find ourselves, no matter how broken or exhausted we feel, we have the power to reclaim ourselves. We have the power to renew, to rebuild, to become.
So, as you step into tomorrow, ask yourself: How will I renew myself today?
May it always be so.
Curated Listening:
ANEW even has its own theme song. Listen to V-Nok (Virgil Thomas, no relations) sing “Start ANEW” HERE.
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