Cultivated Connections Design & Consulting, LLC.

06/17/2026

Juneteenth is a literacy story.

And as a Black woman who has spent her career at the intersection of literacy and creative education, this day means something specific and deep to me.

Reading was resistance.
Language was liberation.
The people who came before us understood that at a level most of us will never have to.

We carry that forward every time we give a child the language to name what they know and express what they feel.

Happy Juneteenth to every creative educator who understands the weight and the beauty of this work. 🖤

06/12/2026

I spent 15 years in education, first as a teacher, now as a founder. And the same pattern followed me into both.

The moment things slowed down, my brain kept reaching for the next thing. Because I trained myself to stay in motion for so long that stillness felt like falling behind.

This summer I actually sat in it.
Orange juice on the patio.
No notebook. No plan.

It felt weird at first.
Uncomfortable even.

But then something shifted. I found the version of me that existed before any role I was playing. And I realized I hadn't checked in with her in a long time.

That pattern doesn't just belong to teachers or founders. It belongs to anyone who pours into work they love and forgets to pour back into themselves.

Whether your summer is an exhale or a lane shift, she deserves a visit.

P.S. When you're ready the Creative Instruction Profile™ is waiting.
Free. Five minutes. Link in bio.

06/11/2026

Nobody talks about the complicated feelings that show up in the first week of summer.

So I'm naming them.
For you.
Because you're probably feeling at least three of these right now and wondering if something is wrong with you.

Nothing is wrong with you. You just finished something hard. And your whole self is processing it.

Save this.
Share it with a creative educator who needs to see themselves in it.

06/09/2026

Summer doesn't always feel like relief.

And I think it's time we said that out loud.

For some of us the lane just shifted, intensives, new enrollment, summer programs.

The structure changed but the weight didn't.

For others the mental load is still running. The ideas, the planning, the work, just quieter now.

Here's what I want you to remember: you cannot pour from a summer you never actually rested in.

Whether your summer is full or quiet, you deserve to actually be in it.

Give yourself June. The work will be there in July. 💛

When you're ready, the Creative Instruction Profile™ is waiting.
Free. Five minutes. Link in bio.

06/04/2026

Before you hand in your keys, document your impact.

Not for anyone else.
For you.
For your program.
For the fall conversation you may not see coming yet.

The Creative Instruction Profile™ is free and takes about 5 minutes.

https://www.cultivatedconnections.org/CreativeInstructionProfileSignUp💛

Save this.
Share it with a creative educator

05/27/2026

05/27/2026

Going live tomorrow at 4:30 PM CST.

This is the one I've been thinking about all week.

We're closing out this school year together — the real conversation about what it cost, what it gave you, and the question some of you haven't said out loud yet.

Come as you are. Bring the real answer to "how are you doing?"

See you tomorrow. 💛

05/12/2026

For years I tried to add literacy to my dance class.

And it always felt forced. Like I was doing two things at once instead of one thing well.

Then I changed the question.

Instead of *"how do I add literacy?"* I started asking *"where is it already living?"*

And everything changed.

Because it was already there. In the story structure my students moved through with their bodies. In the call-and-response. In the character analysis. In the artist's statement. In the improv game.

It was always there. I just didn't have the language to name it.

Tomorrow at 4:30 PM CST , we're finding it together. In your practice. In your classroom. In what you already do.

Come tell me what you teach. I'll help you see what you've always been teaching.

Right here in IG ! Hit the notification to be reminded.

04/14/2026

Let me in y'all business real quick

When testing comes around, does your role get switched up as a creative educator?

Tell me the tea.

I'm just curious.

03/20/2026

A fantastic Friday it was!

Today, CCDC went out to celebrate something beautiful: the grand opening of the Forward Creative Commons building.

The new home to and .

To witness this beautiful building go from an idea to something tangible, is just magnificent.

The mission behind the Forward Creative Commons building and the partnership between test two is simple: to create an intergenerational hug where older adults and youth can connect, learn and thrive.

This building and partnership was built on nothing but purpose as older adults and youth in North Nashville are two of the most underinvested communities in the city that I reside in. Both of these communities face isolation, limited access to supportive resources, and safe spaces to gather.

As an advocate for this community that I have served in for the majority of my teaching career in Nashville (alongside of several of the Queens that you see pictured, Crystalline, Rian, and Lagra) my heart is beyond full.

This building will foster:

💓 Intergenerational programming
💓 Creative exploration
💓 Wellness
💓 Community

Continue changing the world through creativity and community ladies. Charmin & Sallie, you both rock !

CCDC looks forward to supporting you all in this amazing journey !

If you would like to learn more about this amazing venture, please visit either of the non-profits websites or IG profiles.