The Compass of Curiosity
When I was fifteen years old, someone handed me an opportunity to go to Paris.
My immediate, knee-jerk reaction? “That’s dumb.”
Because where I’m from, guys like me didn’t just pack a bag and fly to France. As young men of color, we are so often handed a script before we’re even old enough to read it. We’re told who we are supposed to be, where we are allowed to go, and what boundaries we shouldn’t dare to cross. Paris wasn’t on my script. It felt entirely outside of my reality.
But right beneath that defense mechanism, there was a quiet, stubborn spark. A voice that asked: But what if? What would it actually be like?
That was my first real encounter with curiosity. It wasn't just an emotion; it was an invitation to rebel against what "made sense" and choose what could be. Saying yes to Paris didn’t just change my life. It completely rewrote my understanding of what was possible for me.
Ever since then, curiosity has been my compass. Every major pivot in my life has happened because I chose to listen to that internal pull instead of the safe, predictable path.
I left Atlanta to experience the magic of Paris. Years later, I traded the polished routine of Washington, D.C. for the vast landscapes and deep histories of Southern Africa. I followed an undeniable pull from Southern Africa all the way to California. And eventually, I answered a calling to move from California to right here in Savannah, Georgia.
On paper, maybe those moves looked chaotic. Maybe to the outside world, they didn't align with a traditional trajectory. But each of those leaps came from a deep, soulful yearning to explore, to learn, and to connect. Every single time I followed my curiosity, my life became richer, deeper, and more aligned.
As men of color, our stories are so often narrated by others. We are boxed into boxes we didn't build. But I’ve learned that curiosity is the ultimate tool for liberation. It’s the thing that allows us to break the mold, redefine our own narratives, and claim a life that is expansive, beautiful, and uniquely ours.
I found freedom, richness, and purpose by letting my curiosity lead the way. And honestly? That is exactly what I want for you, too. Let's find out where your “what if?” is trying to take you.
And I want this for you too!