it starts with silence
There is no shortage of people who speak of the mythical "we"!
From the barbershop to the boardroom, most people are waiting for, instead of working for, that thing they deem to be the catalyst of change our communities need. You will often hear things like:
"What we should be doing …."
"If we could just get …"
"We would be in a better position if we…"
However, there's a moment before the movement when things are still. People are saying the right things, but who is doing the actual work? You have been in these rooms where the work is acknowledged but not owned by the person uttering these words. The hollowness of these statements lacks individual intent. The expected output is simply wishful thinking without an action plan.
The language of change is everywhere. But nothing's shifting. It's not bad, exactly; just hollow. Everyone's waiting. Watching. Hoping that someone else will step in first.
NOT EVERY GATHERING IS A MOVEMENT
Eventually, the silence is filled with people and a group forms. The room feels fuller. Ideas are flying around, including some good ones. It looks like progress. But something’s missing…. intentional actions over words!
Everyone’s talking, but no one’s leading. People often show up with passion but without a clear purpose. Collaboration without commitment. It’s like trying to build a bridge with no blueprint. Each piece might be strong, but without connection, nothing holds.
This lack of cohesion leads to duplicative efforts that lack cooperative thought processes. Instead of building in established systems, we spin out to create variations of a thing that already existed. What keeps the collective anchored is the inability to forge partnerships that fill gaps and mitigate risks.
THEN SOMEONE SHOWS UP DIFFERENT
It doesn't take a speech. No rally. No applause. Just someone showing up fully aligned to a well-defined purpose & doing the work quietly and consistently. Living explicit values. Taking real steps forward while taking up space in the gaps.
They don't wait for permission. They don't need a title. They lead with presence, not performance. When people witness intentional action, it inspires them to take similar action. When we see someone who's not just talking about it but living it, it sends a ripple through the room.
This person isn't pushing hollow ideas; they are challenging the status quote with bold new ideas. They don't think in terms of the "mythical we" as they are too busy doing the intentional work toward the change they want to actualize. This person works towards achieving quantifiable and purposeful impact, seeking others who share the vision of change.
NOW THERE’S ENERGY, BUT NO RHYTHM
Others start to move. You notice it. Small acts of courage. Tiny revolutions in motion. The kind of energy that can't be faked. People begin to step into alignment on their terms and in their ways.
But the movements are scattered. Everyone's doing good work, but often in silos. There's momentum but no shared direction. It's like music without a beat - beautiful but disjointed. The potential is massive but unrealized.
Typically, there are only 2-3 degrees of separation between the doers, and there is always the person who cuts across these connections to create a network of intentional individuals.
In terms of social ties, there is one prominent figure that connects these networks. Unfortunately, that single person shouldn't have to hold the weight of organizing alone. This single point of failure creates weak social ties.
THEN IT CLICKS
The scattered efforts begin to converge. Threads connect. People not only walk the talk, but they start walking it together. With rhythm. With purpose. With trust.
It’s no longer about individual brilliance; it’s about building collective power. Everyone brings strengths, but now those strengths reinforce one another. There’s alignment. Accountability. Flow.
By focusing on the strengths of individuals, we create strong social ties that work to build a stronger, more efficient collective power and execution.
We MUltiply
These micro-networks of laser-focused intent are connected to form macro-networks of impact. The "mythical we" conversations vanish and are replaced by scientific distributions of labor.
Everyone has a place aligned with their passion. No one person's effort or contribution is greater than another if done with shared intent and deliberate action.
This institution exists to connect the dots for those who have been siloed in their execution, overshadowed by competitive engagements masquerading as partnerships and allyship.
We are co-creating frameworks of African spirit-centered sovereignty and cooperative efforts to achieve new heights of success for communities of African descent worldwide.
Together We Multiply [We*]
