What my move means for Congress Heights on the Rise and my work EotR

Advoc8te photo courtesy of Darrow Montgomery/ Washington City Paper

Hey Fam! By now you have probably read the Washington City Paper article and know that a few days ago I sold my Congress Heights condo. I know this was a shock, but don’t worry. If everything works out as planned not only should you not notice anything different on Congress Heights on the Rise, the content should get better. As for my marketing and community engagement consulting, reSPIN will remain a Ward 8 small business based out of The HIVE 2.0 in Anacostia.

Months ago I began sharing with my friends, family and fellow advocates that I was thinking about selling my condo. It was an emotional process but one I thought I was ready to undertake. After 11 years looking at the same walls in my little one bedroom pad I needed a change. What that "change" may turn out to be I am not sure, but I want to shake things up in 2019. I want to push boundaries, I want to push myself to take myself outside of my zip and comfort zone.

So yesterday, in a totally spontaneous moment I decided to share the news publicly that I was no longer a Congress Heights resident. Morgan Baskin of the Washington City Paper did a pretty good job of explaining some of my primary reasons why I decided to make a move.

But because many of you have been on this 10+ year journey with me (or sick of my marathon postsl), I wanted you to hear directly from me WHY I was making a move now. Lord knows I am sure there will be enough conspiracy theories tossed around to write a dozen Tom Clancy novels and spawn an entire “Power” series. The reality of why I decided to sell my condo is a lot less dramatic. It was just time. 

I haven't given up on Ward 8, I still think this is a great place and I will keep rocking #SouheastLove all damn day. I may even come back when I am ready to buy again. I just want to explore a new way to serve Ward 8 and for me that means I need to see what is going on in other DC neighborhoods.

How are they handling change and are they getting more than Ward 8? Are they happy with what's going down in their neighborhoods as rents go up?

I haven't even decided where I am going to live, I am still just figuring it out. And until I do, I'm house sitting at a friend’s place in Maryland and then I am going to test drive a few local AirBnBs in DC before I take a very long overdue trip to sandy beaches and cocktails. Hopefully by the time I return from my (working) vacation I will have an idea of where I am going to live for the next 90 days. 

I'm still figuring this out and I hope you will continue on this journey with me while I try to navigate the reality of living in a new neighborhood and all that entails.

The most important thing is that Congress Heights on the Rise is not shutting down, I will still be posting daily (and about this). I'm just hoping to integrate a better life/work balance along with rolling out this pilot project.

P.S. I see myself more as a "character" than a "queen" but I will take a compliment where I can get it!

REGARDING HOUSING OFFERS
So that I can write about an experience very different from the one I had in Ward 8, Teddy and I are looking for a rental in a building close to amenities and a grocery store. A dog park in walking distance is a bonus. I have a car so parking is also an issue. Ideally I would like to stay in the SE quadrant but I am open to rental opportunities in other parts of DC, especially neighborhoods that have recently undergone or are undergoing a transformation. I would like to be able to write about the nuances of such change. In terms of a budget I wold like to stay at $2,000/month and below. Oh, and Teddy does not play well with others so I can’t do any room mate or group home situations.

REGARDING APARTMENTS/DEVELOPERS/MANAGEMENT COMPANIES THAT WOULD LIKE TO PARTNER ON MY WRITING/RESIDENCY PROJECT
Those interested in having a blogger/social media guru in-residence should drop me a line. I am open to postings ranging anywhere from 3 months - 18 months. I am also open to some kind of partnership/barter situation in exchange for reduced (or comped) rent.