UsNow 2025: We Are Each Other’s Harvest

The UsNow Conference is complete — and what a journey it’s been. After more than 10 months of ideating, planning, sharing the vision, and inviting others to walk alongside us, the magical day arrived… and passed. But its impact continues to unfold.

From the grounding opening remarks to the powerful dance movement that invited us into our bodies, the day was sacred. Our keynote speakers brought brilliance, vulnerability, and truth. They named what needed naming, affirmed what we’ve always known, and reminded us of our power. Their words echoed long after the mic was passed.

Morning movement with Suzan

Picture taken by Victorious Moments Photography

From the movement to the dialogue, the vendor expo, and the delicious food, the day radiated warmth and welcome. It was a space where we could exhale.

And now, the reflections continue. Here are just a few that remain with me:

Centering the Crisis — and Our Power

The health impacts of anti-Black racism — chronic stress, hypertension, diabetes, premature aging (“weathering”), shortened life expectancy, and even death — are a public health crisis. This reality, especially for Black women and femmes, cannot be ignored. UsNow was designed to center this truth, and I believe we did just that.

More importantly, we affirmed that no one is coming to save us. The power to shift outcomes lies within us. We are not helpless. We carry tools, wisdom, and ancestral practices that can help us mitigate harm and build a more just world.

Keynote Speakers -

Rania El Mugammar and Dr. Helen Ofosu

Picture taken by Victorious Moments Photography

Remembering Our Lineage

Rania reminded us that our current conditions, while heavy, are not heavier than the lived realities of our ancestors — those who survived enslavement, displacement, genocide, and war. And still, life persisted. Children were born. People fell in love. Communities cared for one another.

She also reminded us that this colonial, white supremacist system — 500 to 600 years old — is but a fraction of time. Our Indigenous and Black societies have existed on these lands and globally since time immemorial. Empires rise and fall, change is inevitable.

Our ancestors laid the path we now walk. We have a responsibility to soften the ground for those who come after us, even if we never see the full bloom.

Vendor Expo

Picture taken by Victorious Moments Photography

Rest Is Revolutionary

Our ancestors’ wildest dreams were not just freedom — they were rest. Are we honoring their sacrifice by living fully, authentically, and with ease? The myth of constant Black excellence can keep us from resting, from making mistakes, from simply being. Excellence should be a choice, not a crushing burden. We deserve softness.

In a society that encourages competition and division, can we choose instead to hold each other gently? Can we create spaces that make us softer? Rania beautifully reminded us: we are each other’s harvest.

What Comes Next

The feedback and energy from UsNow made one thing clear: we need more spaces like this. Places where we can show up as our full selves, unpack heavy truths, release what no longer serves us, and celebrate each other.

Racism will persist throughout our lifetimes — and likely beyond. But our work is to acknowledge its presence around us while mitigating its impacts in our bodies. Awareness and unlearning are the first steps. Movement, breathwork, prayer, meditation, community care, and connection are among the tools we carry. Our ancestors knew this. So do we.

UsNow 2025 was just the beginning. Your feedback has sparked new ideas and direction for QueensConnected’s upcoming year. I’ll be sharing surveys next week to ensure our events and programs reflect what we truly want and need.

The Sisterhood has grown since the conference — and so has our offering. I’m excited to welcome more Black and racialized women into this community of care, growth, and truth. New members are being accepted until end of day Monday, November 10th. Learn more and join us here.

I also look forward to brainstorming and collaborating with the many organizations doing the work of creating spaces for Black and racialized communities. Together, we are building something lasting.

We are not alone. We are not without power. We are not without joy.

We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.