Hello … let me introduce myself once more…
I'm Dominique Drakeford, chief curator of the blog MelaninASS and co-founder of Sustainable Brooklyn. With the formal titles aside, I'm a Black woman raised in Oakland and now based in Brooklyn, working every day to demystify ecological stewardship, challenge systems of oppression, and spotlight the voices and work of people of color — especially Black women — in the sustainability world.
I'm carving out this small corner to write about the things I love — travel, youth development — alongside the things that stretch me, like entrepreneurship and healing, plus whatever other thoughts I feel like sharing.
Each year I aim to take one or two solo trips to re-center. Last year I caught a Mega Bus to Philly and it was so dope. This year, I chose to head upstate to Mount Kisco.
The older I get and the deeper I invest in my work, the more I value intentional solitude. Reconnecting with my inner-community — for healing, writing, self-exploration, or simply to feel grounded in nature — is essential to my spirit. As much as I love New York, there are moments when I feel like I'm suffocating and need room to breathe on my own.
Creative and social entrepreneurship isn't easy, and relationships — family, friendship, business or intimate — aren't always easy either
Moving through the world in my Blackness isn't always easy
Staying present on social media isn't always easy
Standing up for what you believe in isn't always easy
Healing isn't always easy
Resisting the urge to compare myself to others isn't always easy
So I make time to show up for myself, by myself … and honestly it's one of the most beautiful choices I've made in my early career.
… Showing up for myself
This time around, as a woman who loves nature, I was craving seclusion. I wanted time to connect with the outdoors, to stay in a beautiful cozy cabin on my own, and honestly to get some much-needed writing done. Mount Kisco was perfect — only an hour and a half from Brooklyn by train!
