This is The Black Urbanist Weekly. I’m Kristen Jeffers and I’m making this weekly digital newsletter to share my Black, Spiritual, Diasporic North Carolinian, Working/Lower Middle-Class, Educated, Queer, CisFemme thoughts on how places and communities work. Think of this as my weekly column, sitting on your proverbial print paper’s editorial page or as so many other of your favorite newsletters do, in your inbox.
This is edition #23 and I’m back this week with the second to last post of my love theme—To City, With Love (Again). This is still Black History Month and I’ll be sharing and tweeting various historical things. However, the way I really wanted to celebrate this month was to dig into what I love about cities, but centered on my identities as a black woman (two weeks ago) black queer woman (last week) and a black queer woman entrepreneur on a budget (this week). Next week, I have a bonus email that ties together both the love and the time series and has another announcement about my upcoming book.
The title of the series comes from an edition of a prior iteration of my newsletter from 2014. Hence the again, as I’m revisiting the idea of dedicating myself to a city with love.
Before we dig into this week’s edition, just a reminder that you can send all emails related to myself or The Black Urbanist to theblackurbanist@gmail.com. Plus, Rail~Volution 2020 and author and esteemed Black architect Mel Mitchell have very special announcements below, before you go. You can join them in advertising your company, organization, book, event, school or initiative by emailing theblackurbanist@gmail.com as well. And since this is an advertisement, yes, it helps keep the lights on here as well.
And, if you aren’t already, you can support the platform financially on a monthly basis using Patreon or one-time using Venmo.
And now, to city with love (again), as a (black, queer) entrepreneurial woman on a budget.
To City, With Love (Again) Part 3: What I Love About the City As a (Black, Queer) Entrepreneurial Woman on a Budget
So last week, I talked about what gets me head over heels for a city from just my black ciswoman perspective. Last week, I stacked my sexual orientation layer on top. This week, it’s back to business, as I discuss what I need, within those identities, for cities to get my love and support as an entrepreneurial black queer woman on a budget.
For those of you have followed all of my moves and travels (for the record it’s Greensboro—>Raleigh—> Durham—> Greensboro—>Kansas City—> DC proper—>Baltimore—> DC proper—> Just over the DC line in Maryland with lots of travel and some apartment moves in between), you probably have wondered how I get work done.
Plus, I’m working at any moment with less than $2000 average monthly cash flow and have for my entire working career both employed and self-employed, no matter how cheap or expensive the city is known to be. Name a city and my income has probably been between the poverty line and the median income.
Again, you’re probably wondering how I get it all done. I’ll save the full analysis of that for another newsletter.
I also saved this reflection for last because I wanted to build up the case for why someone like me, an entrepreneur who is supposed to be dedicated to cost-cutting and doing business where it’s the cheapest, would stay in an expensive metro area.
One key reason is that (as I discussed in a previous edition of the newsletter on creating and leaving spaces) capital flows differently based on the two intersections of my identity I talked about in the last two weeks.
I’ve found that it’s best to feed my soul and then work on stacking my bank account. The following three things are the first level of me establishing my foundation financially in any city:
Affordable Prepared Food Options + Affordable Wages for People Who Prepare Food
It’s really a shame that it’s become harder to find good food. After all, if we don’t eat, we die. But, when you’re busy running a business, especially one like mine that’s basically me and my laptop, the food thing is vital. Even on days when I don’t work out, and days when I don’t have to go outside, I still have to eat.
And sometimes, I can muster up the extra energy, after the information overload, after processing the ups and downs of business, to do more than put rice and beans in my InstaPot. I’m happy that my partner Les loves cooking and will spice up my food life sometimes. But, at other times, the only thing keeping us from the throes of hangry, is a frozen pizza.
I do support higher food prices when that extra cost goes directly to my fellow baristas, line cooks and supermarket clerks. Especially in non-unionized places, the money goes further and in this and other high-cost-of-living regions, the bite is felt even harder when you are on a fixed income. For several months of my time in DC, I’ve worked minimum wage jobs to have the time to work on the platform. Other times, I’ve gotten more lucrative contracts.
Which is why I believe one day my income will increase. I perform professional services, something for which people pay high rates, especially as you become more well-known.
However, for folks who will always be punching a clock daily, that’s not guaranteed. We can’t all be in professional services. And one day, some of the service jobs will be completely automated. It’s why I support some form of Universal Basic Income, as do those who released this recent State of the Black Woman Report.
Affordable Fitness and Recreation Options
Working for myself and having a tight budget makes me want to stay in bed and write all the time. But, then after about the sixth hour in bed, I realize I have a random ache.
Or worse, I’m shutting off my laptop and chucking it on the bedroom floor, frustrated over writer’s block.
And both come sometimes after reading the sheer amount of information that comes across my social feeds, my email boxes and even sometimes TV if I happen to have it on in the background.
(It’s also why I’m so grateful that you take the time to make this part of my information diet)
At that point, I realize it’s time to take a break and move around. My preferred methods of doing that are going to my gym (currently Planet Fitness because I can get so much for a good rate and it’s right across the street) or head down to one of the waterfronts. I’ll park the car and I’ll take one of the riverfront trails.
I also take advantage of helping Les cut down on her office commute time by taking her to work via the car, then stopping at a nearby shopping plaza that has a Planet Fitness, Aldi, CVS, library branch (and bonus arcade) in it.
I have looked up and realized I’ve spent the whole day in this plaza and then it’s just a quick whip around the corner and evening carpool time is on!
We underestimate the power of recreation centers and natural areas in our communities, even when we can afford other venues like Planet Fitness or an even more pricey gym. I grew up going down the street with my dad to our local rec and I’ve done one of my crafting classes at a then nearby DC rec. All paid for with tax dollars. And the memories and joy that come created from my recent waterfront walks can’t be measured in money.
I finished writing this email after another good night of sleep. Don’t underestimate the time you need to rest and recreate, especially if you are running your own small business.
Affordable and Efficient Ways to Obtain Information and Do Work
This is the time for me to give a full shout-out to the library. In the first part of this series, I talked about how the library was there for me to provide community in craft. However, the first role the library has provided is a free place with wi-fi for me to work on things outside of my prior apartments, which in the case of my first two here in DC, were dark.
I’ve paid for co-working spaces before and that’s been great, but so far, the nature of my work has been best suited to making time to work from home and then branch out to a library or coffee shop.
The coffeeshop goes back to the affordable food issue I discussed above, as in I still have to pay for something. The library just requires me to find an empty space to sit.
Plus, while I’ve not taken advantage of all the programs many of the local libraries have, they have many. You name the source or resource and if my branch doesn’t have it, another one does and if no branches in that library system do, library systems from other places, places that are sometimes only a block or two away, do.
You also don’t have to be in the library for services. The advent of ebooks and journal access that come to you for having a library card is unmatched.
And so many librarians and library systems are priding themselves on being that third place. They are adding as many programs as they can. Some even let you eat as long as you clean up after yourself and talk, as long as you’re not too loud or in a meeting space.
But, we know there’s a bigger piece to all of this
All these things are well and good when you have the main pillars of affordability: housing, transportation, and utilities. Next week in the bonus round of this series: how income sources, affordable transportation, and affordable housing affects everything else I’ve talked about over the last three weeks, especially this week. If you’ve been reading these and wondering when I was going to address this, it’s coming.
Other Things On My Mind
- Now, I’m ready to do some political endorsements. I’ve been a fan of Elizabeth Warren for a long time, way before the recent debate, especially considering the economics I talked about at the beginning of this newsletter. I also like how she’s pledged to listen and be held accountable specifically by black women. I’ve decided to be vocal because as much as Bloomberg has sent money, purchased publications and offered training and support to local elected leaders, you shouldn’t have to endorse someone in order to get what you need for your city. Plus, if anyone is shocked at these black community endorsements, I went off on that on a thread. Also a fan of Rhonda Foxx in my hometown congressional district, and wishing the best to friend-of-the -platform Natalie Murdock, and it’s been great to see my hometown learn more about Ayanna Pressley. You can check Ballotpedia and type in your address to learn exactly who is on your ballot and make your own choices. So many of you are voting in the next couple of weeks, and I hope you take that opportunity to do so.
- I’m saving most of my thoughts on Vision Zero reform for the book and a future newsletter. However, this thread gave me an opportunity to share some thoughts and I couldn’t wait to get them off my chest.
- Visible: Out on Television was worth me spending my Apple TV+ free trial on it. But other than the Peanuts characters…not much else is.
Before You Go
—Two open jobs on the job board! Submit your jobs with this online form for free for a limited time.
–Rail~Volution 2020 is coming up and they’ve reached out to me to let you know that they are looking for speakers for this year. If you live in or plan on being in Miami September 20-23 and want to share a transit or community development-related project, head to https://railvolution.org/the-conference/conference-information/call-for-speakers/. The call for speakers ends on February 28th. There are also scholarships available.
— I’m also working with esteemed architect Mel Mitchell, FAIA, NOMA, over the next few months to get the word out about his newest book of Black architectural history and commentary African-American Architects: Embracing Culture and Building Urban Communities.
—Check out Kristpattern on Instagram and DM me if you’re interested in anything for sale over there. It’s not too late to get one of the cards from the Les’s Lighthouse collection and they’re great for helping you or a friend turn your wishes into reality in 2020.
— Book me— on your media platform, as a keynote/lecturer, for one of my workshops or as a panel participant. If you are a member of the press and you would love to get my expert commentary on deadline, you can reach me at (301) 578-6278.
—Les, that wonderful life partner and sales advisor you learned so much about above, is great at hyping you up, making you laugh and helping you or your organization make radical changes in your life and health. Join the email list for her company Les’s Lighthouse and look out for a special announcement from her on March 1. In the meantime, you can listen to her podcast.
—Don’t forget to check out my mentee’s Rashida Green’s podcast which also discusses environmental issues from a black woman’s perspective. You can listen to me talk about some of North Carolina’s more notorious environmental issues and the political culture.
— You too can sponsor The Black Urbanist platform as a company, nonprofit organization, conference or event, institution or agency. Email us at theblackurbanist@gmail.com and we can schedule a call to discuss email and social sponsorship options. Or, become an individual monthly supporter via Patreon or send me a one-time Venmo.