Once upon a time, I was broke as hell. Not just broke, but broke as hell. Broke is when you have more month left than money. Broke as hell is when you continuously have more week left than money.
My brokest point came after I was laid off from my job at an S&P 500 listed company in 2011. I decided it was time to “give back" and joined Americorp. As a result, I was earning $13,500 annually and living in New York City. This wasn't the only time in my life I was broke before I decided to change my relationship with money, “broke" was a familiar situation.
By 2015, I had turned my situation around and was making nearly $80,000 a year. I got comfortable with my new income, took a couple of bucket list trips and launched my own company. But I will never forget the days I claimed I was “fasting" so that I didn't have to explain not having lunch because the truth was, I couldn't afford it.
As the saying goes, "What doesn't kill us makes us stronger," and there is a bright side to my days of penny pinching.
I learned valuable lessons when I was broke that I will carry with me throughout my life, and that I believe will help anyone who's in a financial struggle.
Humility Goes A Long Way
I drove a Lexus in college and it's safe to say that I was feeling myself, not exactly Kanye status, but I had a very healthy sense of self. Fast forward to 2011 when my vehicle had been towed for unpaid tickets, and I didn't even have enough money for train fare to get to work -- it was a much-deserved slice of humble pie.
Through my experience I began to understand what it was like to live paycheck to paycheck. While I wasn't exactly sitting in the front seat of the struggle bus, I began to understand what it felt like to question whether or not you'd be able to make ends meet. As a result, I started judging others less. I became thankful for the opportunities I had been afforded, and realized that nothing in this world is given and shouldn't be taken for granted.
You Have To Learn To Legally Hustle
Have you ever felt a job was below you? Right after college, I refused to take jobs that didn't require a college degree--that is until student loan reps started calling. During times of crying broke, I did jobs that I would have previously never given a second glance, and I created income streams using my skills. I sold cars, wrote term papers for college students, learned to bartend, and I even became a photo booth operator at events and private parties. There's something empowering about learning that you have "hustle" in you and that you can make cute ass lemon drop cookies when life throws you lemon peels.
Related: Six Tips For Getting Your Side Hustle Off The Ground In 2019
There Is A Difference Between Friends & Associates
In 2011, my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer. I didn't have a legitimate savings account; I barely had a bank account. A few months prior, my best friend had lost her job and was owed back pay by unemployment. As soon as she received her back pay, she purchased me a plane ticket home and see my grandfather. He passed less than a month later.
I not only learned who my friends were because of their generosity, but also because of their desire to actually be around me when we weren't having fun or spending our coins in a club. Mother Oprah said it best, "Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down." There are several people who opted not to ride the bus with me and I am beyond grateful that I learned what their intentions were early on.
Maximize & Value Resources
When you don't have money to do traditional twenty-something things, let alone paying your rent, an evolved version of first world "fight or flight" begins to occur. For me, "flight" was returning home to North Carolina, and I wasn't about to let New York City get the best of me. While I didn't become a freegan (although I knew plenty of people who were), I got creative with my life.
A friend and I did a "dining out fast". We committed to only dining out if someone else was picking up the bill. I cut my drinking bill down to zero. If I was going out, it was to open bar events. I started shopping at thrift stores and participating in clothing swaps. I effectively utilized my resources to make my money stretch. To this day, I cut corners where it makes sense. For example, I haven't had cable in five years and I've gotten really good at doing my own manicures.
One of the beautiful things about struggle is that you never know how strong and capable you are until you are challenged.
That's when you learn what you are really made of. Being broke changed my heart and life for the better. Now, would I ever want to be that broke again? Meeeehhh. Not by choice. I think I've had enough of being broke for a lifetime. What are some lessons you learned (or are learning) when you were broke?
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This article is in partnership with Lexus.
Luxury is often defined by someone else’s standards. But what if the finer things in life looked different through the lens of those crafting and shaping Black culture?
In Redefining Excellence, a two-episode short-form video series presented by Will Packer Media in collaboration with Lexus, we dare to broaden how we think about luxury. Here, it’s not just about the price tag. Luxury is a practice.
At its core, Redefining Excellence is a celebration of intention woven into every detail of how we live: our joy, our spaces, our craft, but also our rituals of care. These are the Black creators who not only give the best to themselves in what they build, but also pay it forward to the communities around them.
Through their vision, they embody the same precision and artistry that Lexus embraces when in pursuit of a higher standard, the Standard of Amazing.
In Episode 1, “Ingredients of Success,” the series follows chef, restaurateur, and Lexus Culinary Master Kwame Onwuachi, whose artistry is imbued with rich cultural storytelling. We see him wander purposefully through a garden, gently testing the ripeness of fresh fruits and vegetables. “Luxury isn’t about exclusivity. It’s about being intentional with your choices and craft,” he says.
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“Now, because of my work and the ingredients I use, luxury means something different. I am boldly setting a new standard of amazing and innovation.”
As he chops vegetables, plates vibrant dishes, and loads the finished product into the sleek Lexus LC Convertible, he continues, “For me, luxury means ingredients that carry memory… dining experiences and locations that honor the stories that raised me and feel like us.”
In Episode 2, “The Texture of Luxury,” the lens turns to founder and CEO of CurlyCon LA Ava Pearl, whose ingredients take a different form. As the trunk of her Lexus LX 700h lifts, she says, “When I think of luxury, it isn’t expensive, it’s expansive.” The scene shifts, and we watch Ava lay down a bouquet of fresh flowers upon entering her home before using aloe vera leaves to prepare gel by hand.
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“When I was younger, I thought luxury was something you bought. Now I know it’s about living up to a higher standard… Black women have always defined what’s next, setting the standard for beauty, luxury, and excellence.”
Like Kwame, she builds with intention, pouring care into the details, believing, like Lexus, that “luxury isn’t just a finish, it’s a standard. One that’s built to amaze.”
Through these stories, Redefining Excellence serves as a reminder that the journey is not just about the destination, but also the ingredients you choose along the way.
Watch both episodes now and learn more about how Kwame and Ava set their own standard of amazing.
Featured image by xoNecole/Will Packer Media
I know firsthand how powerful it is to see our voices centered, not just included. Black-owned bookstores are one of the few places where our narratives are celebrated instead of marginalized. You’ll find works that explore our joy, our pain, our love, our resistance, our healing. And the best part? You’ll find books by authors that might not be widely represented in your local library or at big-box stores.
Supporting Black-owned bookstores isn’t just about buying books. It’s about preserving culture, investing in community, and reclaiming our stories. They’re also spaces where local authors are uplifted, children see themselves reflected in the pages, and where conversations about liberation and love happen organically between book lovers who have so much in common.
If you’re wondering where to start, here’s a great list of Black-owned bookstores, both in the U.S. and globally, that you can add to your must-visit list this fall and beyond:
North
Harriett’s Bookshop — Philadelphia
This book shop, named after Harriet Tubman and founded by Jeannine Cook, serves as a hybrid space: part bookstore, part art gallery, part monument. The inventory rotates monthly with thematic exhibitions (for example reparations), and the store hosts events including internships with local youth.
The Lit. Bar — Bronx, New York
Opened in 2019, this is the only independent bookstore in the Bronx. It combines a bookstore with a stylish social space (wine bar) that brings readers together. It’s also well regarded for its curation of books by underrepresented authors and as a gathering place for the community.
Midwest
Black Garnet Books — St. Paul, Minnesota
Started as a pop‑up, Black Garnet Books received a grant to open a brick‑and‑mortar location. Its founder Dionne Sims discovered there were no previous Black‑owned bookstores in Minnesota, which motivated its creation. The store is focused on literature by Black authors and community programming.
Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery — Chicago, Illinois
A Black woman‑owned bookstore and gallery space that emphasizes art and literature together. It carries a mix of books by Black authors across genres, and supports community engagement through gallery exhibitions, programs, and online presence.
South
The Listening Tree — Decatur, GA
The Listening Tree, located on Candler Road in Decatur, Georgia, was founded by Omar and Kimberly Finley to promote literacy and Black representation in children's literature. They established Our Story Books Publishing and later The Listening Tree. The bookstore offers a Young Entrepreneurs Program for ages 8-16, teaching financial literacy and business skills. Through the B-Boys and B-Girls Book Club, members receive age-appropriate books and access to a virtual community.
The Book Bar — Richmond, Virginia
Located at 1311 East Main Street in Shockoe Slip (Downtown Richmond), this Black‑ and woman‑owned bookstore (also wine bar) is focused on centering Black, Indigenous, and authors of color. Opened in early 2022 by Krystle Dandridge, it features lounge‑style seating, book clubs, author events, subscription boxes, and nearly 99% of its inventory represents Black authors or Black characters/subjects.
West
Marcus Books — Oakland, California
One of the oldest Black‑owned bookstores in the U.S., Marcus Books has a long legacy of promoting African-American literature and culture. Despite challenges, it remains an important institution in the Bay Area.
Shop at Matter — Denver, Colorado
A Black‑owned bookstore in Denver that offers a well curated selection of Black literature, art books, children’s books, and community events. It acts as a hub for readers interested in diverse voices and community building.
Fulton Street Books & Coffee —Tulsa, OK
Funded by Onikah Asamoa‑Caesar, an educator and cultural activist, this café‑bookshop serves as a sanctuary, combining her love of books and Black liberation. It offers community, comfort, and curated literature.
International
New Beacon Books — London
Founded in 1966, New Beacon Books is the UK’s first Black publisher and specialist bookshop. It champions literature from Africa, the Caribbean, and global diasporas. Central to social and political movements. Check their website for events and open hours before visiting.
This bookstore specializes in Caribbean literature and its diasporic roots in Africa and India. Based in the Caribbean, it offers rare, out-of-print, and culturally significant works. Deeply rooted in the region, it reflects a lifelong commitment to preserving Caribbean heritage and knowledge. When you’re on the island, be sure to check their social pages or call to be sure of open and closed days. (As of this article, they are open Wednesday through Saturday).
Roving Heights Bookstore —Multiple Locations, Nigeria
If you’re going to Nigeria for Detty December, add a stop at Roving Heights to your itinerary. It’s a family-owned literary hub offering a wide range of fiction, non-fiction, and African literature. Known for its welcoming space and events, it promotes Nigerian storytelling, local authors, and a strong reading culture in the city.
Tusome Books —Winnipeg, Canada
Founded by Valerie Chelangat, this bookstore promotes intentional reading by amplifying underrepresented voices, including Black, Indigenous, queer, immigrant, and disabled authors. The store also offers book clubs, speaking engagements, and literacy programs through its foundation.
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