November is the month I was born, and each year I take this time to pause — not just to celebrate another year of life, but to reflect on what that life means in service to my people, my purpose, and my legacy. Gratitude is my grounding. It reminds me that the story of my life is not written in isolation — it is part of the long, rich narrative of the Black community’s resilience, faith, and brilliance.
We come from a people who built this nation with their hands and sustained it with their hope. From generation to generation, we have carried the unspoken assignment of turning struggle into strength and limitation into legacy. We are the descendants of visionaries who dreamed of freedom, education, ownership, and self-determination — and it is now our turn to honor that legacy by expanding it.
That’s what legacy-building truly is — the intentional act of designing the future while honoring the past. It’s not only about transferring wealth, but about preserving our stories, our land, our values, and our vision. It is about creating structures that empower the next generation to thrive without having to start over every time.
As a Black woman, a lawyer, and a daughter of this community, I know how much we have achieved — and how much we stand to lose if we do not plan. Too often, our hard work ends with us. Businesses close when owners pass away. Homes are lost to probate. Land that should have been a family’s foundation becomes a burden or a battlefield. We can and must change that.
At Life & Legacy Counselors, our mission is to educate, collaborate, and strategically plan with individuals, families, and business owners so that wealth — both tangible and spiritual — is not just created, but secured and transferred. Estate planning, trusts, and succession strategies are not luxuries; they are the modern-day tools of liberation. They are how we move from survival to sustainability, from inheritance to empowerment.
This season of gratitude is the perfect time for each of us to ask:
- What am I building for my family and my community?
- How am I preparing those who will come after me to lead, own, and grow?
- Does my legacy reflect my values and my vision?
When we think generationally, we think like our ancestors did — with courage, foresight, and faith. Legacy is not about leaving something behind; it’s about building something that lasts.
As I celebrate my birthday this November, I celebrate the countless shoulders I stand on — the teachers, entrepreneurs, elders, and advocates who made a way for me. And I recommit myself to building structures that will hold space for generations yet unborn. Because gratitude without strategy is fleeting — but gratitude combined with purpose creates an enduring legacy.
So, as we enter this season of reflection and thanksgiving, I call on our community to build boldly, to plan intentionally, and to dream without limits. We are the legacy our ancestors prayed for — and the foundation upon which our descendants will stand.