Congrats to us!
I know this year has been challenging for many of us on a variety of levels. I'm proud of us for handling all of life's curveballs to the best of our ability. I took a moment recently to look over my numerous goals of varying importance this year, and I was a bit disappointed by how far short I had fallen. There were so many things I planned on doing, places I wanted to go, and a version of myself I was hoping I'd become through it all.
The reality of not achieving as many of the things I set out to accomplish at the beginning of the year kind of sucks; however, when I did a second reflection by looking through my calendars for the year, I did A LOT of other things I didn't even have on my radar when the year started.
After all of that reflection, I was reminded of this quote by Paulo Coelho
“When you say 'yes' to others, make sure you're not saying 'no' to yourself.”
The main reason why I fell short of most of my goals was that I said yes to a lot of things, which I don't regret, but they did take away from the amount of attention and energy that I could invest in my personal goals and projects.
Once I realized what was happening, I began to reduce my extracurricular commitments and began to overhaul and prioritize the things that are most important to me.
If you follow me on social media, you would've seen that I have resumed making short videos and engaging digitally and in person, something that brings me joy and keeps me connected with the community.
I'm really grateful for the experiences that this year brought, and I'd like to take the time to revisit them with you.
Black N Animated
Women's History Month Virtual Panel
In the Spring, when I was still a part of Black N Animated's leadership team, I coordinated and lead a Black Women's History Month panel. I brought together Black women that work in various parts of the industry from creative executive to voice acting to editing to share their experiences with BNA's members.
LALIFF
Remember The Rats
This Spring, I produced my second indie animated short film AND had a successful crowdfunding campaign. It was great being back at LALIFF to share this film with the other grant recipients, friends and the public.
Canarsie Cinema Club
Black Women
This Summer, I hosted Canarsie Cinema Club's July meetup. This was a special one because they were highlighting Black women filmmakers and screened a few short films and mini-series with complimentary discussions, games and prizes.
Simply Robotiix
Webinar + Challenges
All year I have been thinking of a way that I can start to create informational/educational videos and ways that I can expand directly helping people execute their creative ideas. At the end of the summer I held a livestream "From Idea to Screen: Demystifying the Animation Pipeline" where I broke down the animation pipeline. I followed up with a 5 day coaching experience with. The outcome and results of both filled my heart up so much, and I'm looking forward to continuing that in the new year.
Creative Kickstart
Challenge
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 Demystifying the Animation Pipeline
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YouTube
Video Round Up
This year I returned to making youtube videos. This was a mental hurdle to overcome. I kept telling myself that "done is better than perfect" and I'm happy that I pushed through. I created and shared FOURTEEN videos! In case you missed them, check them out below.
Why I Took A Break...
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My Introduction
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FIXED Movie Review
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Enongo Movie Review
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Toy Story's Anniversary
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Pixar's Summer Tradition
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My Nerdy Spring
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Wednesday's With Gramps
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Black Man,
Black Man
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Getting Into Comics w/
TMNT
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San Diego Comic Con Recap
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New York Comic Con, 10 Years Later
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I Tried Visiting an Animation Studio... Here's What Happened
Looking ahead
Thank you so much for your support this year. Every like, comment, words of encouragement and donations is greatly appreciated. This year one of my main priorities has been cultivating a community and reengaging with the ones that already exist. I'm so proud of the work that I've done and the way that I've showed up.
I'd love for you to share your 2025 wins or goals for 2026 by replying to this email.
A few things you can look forward to from me next year are:
- Animation Analysis + Creative Tips Videos
- 3rd Indie Short Film Announcement
- Simply Robotix Podcast Season 5 launch
- Indie Animation Course launch
Wishing you the best new year yet!
“As the year closes, reflect on the moments that have challenged or changed you. They are the backbone of the fresh page that starts tomorrow.”
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$5.00
Simply Robotix Tip Jar
✨ Your support means the world to me! ✨
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