The Sojourn Market

An idea sparked in the heavens and lit up the creative parts of my brain which recognized an opportunity to build something that would benefit many people. The vision took a hard stop off the frontal cortex and sparked into my reality. Suddenly the thought would translate to the spirit of one word (“sojourn”). The plan was without form or void but, it found my heart willing to run with a vision to build a market. The vision expanded and turned into so much more than I could have imagined and the joy it brought far exceeds its challenge.

The idea to start a market visited me with a desire to help answer the cries and the plead for help by those struggling. I was led to establish a space to help those journey from a place of poor health to a place of wealth spiritually, mentally, and physically. I would soon meet amazing people who would give extraordinary value to this desire.

We make it our purpose to provide health products and give creatives the space to share their products or service. I began to realize the importance of being health conscious in an environment that appears to be counter health. In addition, the looming health crisis would make our project a critical response.

In its glory, our project is not just a project but a reminder from the sun that humanity's greatest hour is upon us, a reminder that our greatest asset is the ability to express spirit. Working on this project has shown me the various elements of faith for which belief and trust bring certainty. The project for which many have sown into has shown me that the wind blows and bends toward justice. This project has shown me the beauty in coming together and the power we have to light one another's flame. Our project lights up the once empty lot.

Our beloved space mends the heavy-hearted, our space smiles on the forgotten. A man cannot live by bread alone, it is at this sacred space that we build (first within ourselves) a space to serve the people. We plant vegetables and herbs, tell stories, share food and clothes, and drum at the beat of our hearts. We sew a quilt of unity using all 8 of grandma’s blouses, paint a mosaic of unique handprints in our collective consciousness, defy stereotypes, cast down indignation, heal, build, and grow. The project that has our hearts and minds is like a seed sown into the hair of those who journeyed to the shores of America. The true basis in my appeal to you is that our project is no ordinary project. It is larger than us, weighs more than our plant-based proteins, and balances upon our heart chambers.

As you read, you are a part of this story and what it means to realize there is nothing separate from ourselves. The children playing beside me as I write remind me of the child-like spirit to build right in the middle of the “hood”. As I write, the children remind me of the children that have access to free food because of the manifestation of our work.

Our work has shown us the beauty and life in our community's first “open-air” Afrikan Holistic Health market for which we sojourn. We are a grassroots holistic health market building from the ground up. Our work has added a smile to so many faces and has given our community faith in tough times.

It is a space for the community to see the vegetables growing on the market floor and to feel, taste, and smell the herbs that border the space. It is their space to feel safe. We are pleased to be building the Sojourn Market for all of us.