Riley and Co.

06/29/2022

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Our resource line is now live and its FREE! Please call or text at any time to be connected to the resources you need.

01/26/2022

The B.L.A.C. Project is honored to release the first video in a short series with our partners titled today. This video series explores the roots of medical distrust in Black and brown communities through the lens of personal stories. The series highlights the voices of three people– two patients who identify as persons of color and one health provider who identifies as white– as the entry point into a broader discussion about the profound impact of distrust in the medical system among BIPOC communities and what health care providers can do to address it.

In this first video, Rochelle speaks about her experience as a Black woman in the healthcare system and the impact that it’s had on her fertility journey. Rochelle explores how mutual trust is needed between patients and physicians and how medical mistrust is rooted in historic and present trauma as a result of bias and systemic racism.

These videos are part of an ongoing project, “More Than a Vaccine: Storytelling to Build Medical Trust,” funded by Boston University and led collaboratively by Everyday Boston, Boston Medical Center’s Department of Family Medicine, The B.L.A.C. Project, Transformational Prison Project, We Got Us, EmVision Productions, and NIH’s Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL).

12/20/2021

10/12/2021

Tomorrow! Register at www.theblacproject.org

Get freebies and find out how to make your money work for you. Looking for assistance with rental applications in Boston? We’ll help with that too.

09/20/2021

Repost:🚨Happening Tomorrow 🚨 The link is in our bio or feel free to visit our website. If you were waiting for a a coupon code, it’s here now. Just use “communitypartners” to get your ticket for free! This workshop will not be available for replay. See you there!

09/13/2021

What goal are you crushing this week? 👇🏾

Happy Monday loved ones! A lot of people hate Monday and I get it BUT if we change out mindset to think of Monday’s as another day or another the beginning of another week to crush all of our goals, perhaps we’d feel different about it. So let’s do that.

09/06/2021

I spend a LOT of time talking to a lot of people about their goals and how to reach them. Many times people feel discouraged because they’re too busy looking at what other people have done but what they don’t see is the struggle in the journey. They didn’t just arrive and neither will you until you put that work in. Don’t let social media fool you boo it’s cute now but when that camera is off and the work is being done, tuh.

It all starts with a healthy and positive mindset. You can do anything you set your mind to. No excuses. Set attainable goals. Always stay curious about life. Stay persistent and consistent (that’s a gem right there). You got this. Stop judging others because it seems like it’s easy. It’s not. Stop procrastinating and wasting your time and money in shortcuts. There are none. Okay? Alright. Let’s get this work.

09/06/2021

BEEN WORKING ON THIS CHILDREN’S BOOK FOR A CLIENT FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW. WE’RE SO CLOSE!!! AS IT GETS CLOSE TO PRINT I’LL SHARE SOME MORE ILLUSTRATIONS. I’M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS ONE. THANKS TO FOR SPONSORING THIS BLACK AUTHOR. I ONLY TAKE ON 2 ILLUSTRATION PROJECTS AT A TIME. I FEEL LIKE I OVERTHINK MY PROJECTS AND PUT A LOT OF TIME INTO IT. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR QUICK WORK, DO NOT WORK WITH ME BECAUSE IT WILL NOT BE MY BEST WORK IF YOU NEED LESS THAN A 2 WEEK TURNAROUND FOR MOST PROJECTS. I ENJOY THE PROCESS. ART FOR ME IS THERAPEUTIC AND I DON’T WANT TO RUIN THAT ASPECT OF DESIGN WHETHER IT BE PRINT, ILLUSTRATION OR WEB.

09/04/2021

"Progress over perfection." You’d be surprised how many times I say this! 🤨

I heard this quote for the first time many years ago when I was at a very low point in life and it made so much sense. I had so much pressure on my back from my family, especially my mother to be this perfect woman. For those who know me personally, you know that I'm a fly by the seat of my pants, free spirited and carefree bundle of hot mess... but that is my version of perfection. It doesn't have to be pretty, it doesn't even have to happen now, it just needs to work for you. Finding your purpose and walking it in takes time. So focus on the journey.

I have had many self and business iterations in life. I have been a CNA, an out of school program director, a digital designer, a personal aide, a business consultant because I never could quite get it right. One day I found the cheat code and got it right and started taking those baby steps in order to walk in my purpose despite everyone's opinions of me, societal pressures, etc...

So, when my clients tell me how they feel left behind or feel like they are in their friends or family members shadows or how their career may not be moving fast enough, etc... I remind them that life is a marathon not a sprint and they need to focus on the journey... The progress over the need for perfection. I get humbled when months after working together they meet a major milestone and celebrate the journey even though they find themselves at their destination. So... Progress. Over. Perfection. Just take baby steps. You'll get there, and when you do.... it will be GLORIOUS.

Where are you on your journey?

09/02/2021

A quick reminder. Chin up, sis.

09/01/2021

👀Time for a checkup! Are you ready? 👇

You may go to the doctor to get regular checkups of your body, but what about your mind?

Let’s definitely normalize regular mental-health check ins.
Here are three benefits of conducting regular mental-health check ins.

✔️ The notion of a regular mental health checkup is less established, perhaps because of the historical stigma about mental illness. But taking periodic stock of your emotional well-being can help identify warning signs of common ailments like depression or anxiety.

✔️ Education: A checkup also teaches you about your needs, so you have a better understanding of what’s normal for your particular circumstances. For example, people in their 20s might worry about meeting a partner or paying off student loans, while people in their 50s might be dealing with an empty nest and caring for aging parents. The more you know about what’s normal for your life stage and situation, the better prepared you are to deal with challenges.

✔️ Monitoring: At different ages, our risk for certain conditions changes. Regular check-ins with a mental health professional help you be aware of transformations over time. For example, conditions like schizophrenia often present in the early 20s. Additionally, although we all experience some cognitive decline with age, some symptoms suggest problems such as dementia that need further evaluation. Those who have established mental health diagnoses also may need to be assessed for flare-ups. Just like chronic medical conditions such as arthritis or asthma, it’s helpful to check on mental health symptoms to make sure you’re doing ok.

Remember: It's okay to get help!
Don’t let [time/family/beliefs/myths, etc] stop you from seeking support.

💛Drop your favorite emoji in the comments if you consistently conduct regular mental health check ins.💛

08/31/2021

Note to self. Sometimes I get distracted by where other people in my circle are. Their experiences. Their success and I can get into a place of envy and sometimes even depression. Not today devil!!! Not any day. I know that what is for me is for me and DASSIT! Everything’s is aligned for me and I’m exactly where I need to be. I’m abundantly blessed and never want to lose sight of that due to societal pressures.