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A Black Woman's Sabbatical

A Black Woman's Sabbatical
$2,710
Given by 58 generous donors
189 days left to reach our $100,000 goal
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WayGiver Donors

  • Megan McNamara $15.00
  • Anonymous WayGiver $50.00
  • Rachel Paster $50.00
  • Donald Bankston Jr $25.00
  • Rebecca Meriales $50.00
  • Anonymous WayGiver $15.00
  • Anonymous WayGiver $500.00
  • Anonymous WayGiver $50.00
  • Anonymous WayGiver $150.00
  • Shanna Thrasher $20.00

The Team

  • Brandy Walker

The great New Jersey poet Joe Budden asked in his song 10 minutes, "if everybody's depending on me and i just stop.....then what the f*** happens?"
This intentional journey is about exploring what it looks like for a Black woman to divest from a world always asking her to do more and instead choosing to do what she does best....exist.

 

I want to take a year to explore this as a vote to divest from work and invest in rest because as a Milenial Black woman, I's a tired boss!

 

I have been working and working through the trauma of life finding my second, third and infiity wind and will to keep going. From the age of 5 when my father died, I was adultified. Cooking, cleaning, taking care of adult responsibilities and that has never gone away. I started working at age 11 taking in laundry, babysitting and other odd jobs to contribute to my household. School, work and sleep (not rest) and then do it all again, and Again, and AGAIN.

 

I got pregnant in college and on the day after giving birth, I went to school and took 3 final exams. As a single parent, those early years proved my most difficult task. There was no maternity leave, no time off. I went back to work 2 weeks after delivery before my stitches could heal.

 

Everything I have done up to this point has been about survival and I realize that is no longer sustainable.

 

As my son graduates high school this Spring it is not lost on me that this may be the first and only opportunity to rest, reinvent myself and reclaim the direction of my life.

 

Typically, this would be the other way around. A teenager might opt out of college or career to "figure it out" but because I ahve never been afforded that opportunity, I believe my time is now.

 

This "gap year" or Black woman's sabbatical is about exploring what it means to be without the expectation of work, worry or performance.

 

During this year I’ll:

 

Read, write, and think without pressure or deadlines

 

Travel when it feels necessary and follow wherever curiosity leads

 

Explore new foods, cultures, and experiences

 

Build community, connect with people, and lean into shared learning

 

Reflect deeply on what it means to rest, reclaim, and become

 

I’m crowdfunding $100,000 to make this possible. Your support will:

 

Cover the logistics of a year of intentional rest, exploration, and travel

 

Allow me to document the journey authentically and share the lessons, stories, and discoveries along the way

 

Sustain me while I create a space for reflection, growth, and inspiration that others can witness and learn from

The Sabbatical will run from Aug 2026-July 2027

Fundraiser Updates

3 posts
  1. 1 month ago
    Latest

    Grateful to everyone who ahs donated and shared. I am still so excited and want to keep the momentum going. 

    1. Share the Mission or Tell Someone About It.
      If this project resonates with you, share it with your community:post it, text it to a friend, or forward this email. People can’t support what they don’t see. If you believe rest should not be a luxury for Black women, help me spread the word.

    2. Make an Introduction or Point Me in the Right Direction.
      If you know someone at a foundation, company, media outlet, or in wellness spaces who should be connected to this work, I’d love an introduction. If not, feel free to send me names, organizations, or even links I will do the outreach. I believe this project grows through connections that spring from the community I have already built.

    3. Offer Your Skills or Lend Your Expertise.
      If you have experience in PR, design, video, grant writing, or anything that could move this work forward, I’d welcome your support. I am seeking collaborators.

    4. Share Your Story or Join the Conversation.
      If you’ve experienced burnout, overwork, or the need for rest, I invite you to share your story with me here in the comments or on your own page and tag me. It’s bigger than me and I want people to know that. Your voice helps illustrate why this project matters. You can also support by engaging with posts, commenting, and keeping this conversation visible.

    Follow the journey on Substack 

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