Building Your Own Damn Table: The Power of Creating Your Own Opportunities

Well, hello there, my fellow table builders! It's your girl Jes, and today, we're talking about having a seat at the table. Or rather, building your own damn table! Because let's be real, are we still waiting for an invitation to certain tables as black people? Are we still begging to be a part of certain conversations? Hell to the no! We have the tools and resources at our fingertips to build our own success, and it's time we start taking advantage of them.

But I'm not gonna lie, building your own table takes some serious work. And a lot of times, we don't want to put in that work. We want someone else to do it for us, which is why we end up begging for a seat at someone else's table. But let me tell you, that's not the way to go. You gotta put in the work yourself, and that means being consistent and showing up every damn day.

And let's not forget, building your own table also means making sacrifices. It means putting in sweat, tears, and time to make it happen. But the good news is, we now have access to resources that can help us achieve our goals. We have YouTube, we have ChatGPT, and we have so many other tools that can help us build our own opportunities.

Now, I know some of y'all might be thinking, "But Jes, I'm not a builder. I'm more of a worker bee." And to that, I say, "God bless your soul, baby." We need worker bees, too! Not everyone is cut out to be a builder, and that's okay. Some of us are meant to be gatekeepers, letting only the best of the best into our spaces. So if that's you, keep doing what you're doing, honey.

But for those of you who are ready to take control of your own lives, who are ready to build your own tables, I say this: there is a will, and there is a way. We live in a time where we have access to so many resources, and there are no excuses anymore. So show up every day, be consistent, and don't be afraid to pivot when necessary.

And let me tell you, when you do finally build your own table, it's gonna be amazing. You'll attract your own supporters, people who think like you and who believe in your vision. And even if you don't know what you're doing at first, that's okay. Figure it out. Find a mentor. Google it. Do whatever you gotta do to make it happen.

So my fellow table builders, let's stop exhausting ourselves trying to beg for a seat at someone else's table. Let's build our own damn tables and create the opportunities we want for ourselves. And who knows, maybe one day we'll be inspiring others to do the same. So show up, show out, and let's get building!