My trip with the Millennial Trains Project was a marathon- mentally, physically, and emotionally. The experience is one that will propel a noticeable shift in my future. This blog is to make a vain attempt at relaying the information and insight that I absorbed over the tripâs course and hopefully keep up with future visions born from it. Before I begin, I find it important to speak about the foundation I began this journey on because the past is just as paramount in understanding such transformation.
Know now that these articulations wonât quite be your most formal academic analysis. If you know me already, youâll be familiar with my narrative style: honest & quirky verse. If you know me to a lesser degree, youâll definitely gain a better feel for my character as you follow along.
With that being said... #Lehgo
Iâll skip the in depth autobiography. Hereâs a brief âAbout Me:âÂ
Fashion Designer & Custom Seamstress, Business Owner/Entrepreneur (syreetacfashion.com)
Mentor, Instructor, Youth Advocate (9+ years in various youth program roles)
Millennial
Millennial Trains Project was my opportunity to merge the above with my love for travel, diverse dialogue, and self-exploration.
With the above in mind, picture this:
A job (with youth in the arts spectrum) managing up to 5 staff; upwards of 37 hrs/wk
My own business- average of 4-6 clients each month (9 during prom season. I delivered 4 client orders (6 items total) THE MORNING OF MY FLIGHT TO LA; upwards of &$#(@???? hrs/wk
MTP trip prep- research, emails, & phone calls to countless businesses in 5 cities I had never been to before to find workshop hosts
A social life? A personal life? I tried...
Total hours of sleep in the 72 hrs before my flight: 8
The final week or so proved to be the most grueling, but this was more or less my life for July dating back to March. I knew if I made it to the other side of August, Iâd come out a stronger spirit. And here I am typing on August 31st...
Upon my return, I had a quick turnaround for a long weekend in NYC, so Iâm just regaining my touch with reality- re-acclimating and recuperating. Hence the delay. But bear with me as I filter through and recount my thoughts of a journey that so distinctly transformed my being.
I'll start off this post with a sincere apology to all of the folks who I thought I'd be able to update along this journey. A few things have stood in my way- The lack of consistent phone service and Internet access is one. The second is the journey itself. My expectations for MTP included a fair amount of intensity, but this has been next level... In an amazing way. The stimulation, inspiration, and conversation amongst my fellow participants, mentors, and all of the many others I've met in the last week has been extraordinary. I'm talking mind-blowing. My brain is whirling with information that I am working on sorting through and assessing. My mental, emotional, and physical boundaries have been challenged in a way that they've never been before... And I appreciate it so very much. As we come to a close (we have one day left), I realize how swiftly time has flown by, but also acknowledge how much dynamism has been fit into this small bit of life. At the beginning, participants were made aware that they were not only embarking on an external journey, but an internal one as well. And that it has been- A transformation. So I write this at 2:30am as I just now settle into Detroit, MI to say sorry for the lack of updates but I've been busy immersing myself in passion and progress. I've been focused on digesting experiences that will be (and already are) so valuable to me as an individual and in turn will also be of value to the community I love and serve. Some of these experiences have been highs and others have been lows, yet all have been bits of charged growth, no matter how implicitly. I am excited to share this journey with everyone! And I shall do my best to do so in full... Once I get back home... And filter through it all in order to articulate it accurately... And nap... For several days...
LA, come join us for a unique exploration of fashion, creativity, and how it empowers individuals and their community! Weâll be discussing the design process, sewing a bit, and working on a cool collaborative design project.Â
If youâve ever had the smallest inkling to learn more about design and never had the right opportunity, Iâd love to meet you!
While we work, I want to dialogue about how you perceive fashion and style. What elements are important to you?
Thank you so much for visiting the C3 blog! This is where you can follow our trip with Millennial Trains Project (MTP) and find first-hand footage along with chronicles of the journey.Â
The Concept:
What is C3? Creative Catalyst Campaign (or C3, for short) is a project to aid youths* in investigating their creative passions. This mission will be achieved by hosting fashion design mini-incubators along the MTP journey. Built around the idea that âwe all have to start somewhere,â C3 is intended to address the very bud of interest. It is to function as the spark that sets a dream ablaze.Â
Interested in how we got here and what the C3 intent is? Check out:Â https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/creative-catalyst-campaign#/
*Weâve decided to open up our incubators to all ages. Anyone interested in contributing to the exploration of their perception of and passion for creativity is welcome!
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