Hello … let me introduce myself once more…
I’m Dominique Drakeford, chief curator of a blog called MelaninASS and co-founder of Sustainable Brooklyn. With the formal titles set aside — I’m a Black woman raised in Oakland and now living in Brooklyn, working every day to make ecological stewardship easier to understand, to break down oppressive systems, and to spotlight the voices and work of people of color (Black women especially) in sustainability.
I’m creating this small corner to write about the things I love — travel, youth development — along with the harder stuff, like entrepreneurship and healing, plus whatever scattered thoughts I feel like sharing.
Each year I aim to take one or two solo trips to reset myself. Last year I took a Mega Bus to Philly and it was amazing. 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 deliberate solitude. Reconnecting with my inner world — for healing, writing, self-discovery, 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/social entrepreneurship isn’t easy, relationships (family, friendship, business or intimate) is not always easy
Navigating space in my Blackness is not always easy
Being present on social media is not always easy
Standing up for what you believe in is not always easy
Healing is not always easy
Not comparing myself to others is not always easy
So I make time to show up for myself, by myself … and it’s honestly one of the most beautiful choices I’ve made in my early career.
… Showing up for myself
So this time, as a woman who loves nature, I was after seclusion! I wanted time to connect with the outdoors, to stay in a lovely cozy cabin on my own, and honestly to finally get some much-needed writing done. Mount Kisco was ideal — only an hour and a half from Brooklyn by train!
