Hey Reader,
Happy New Year! I have a few more of those left in me until about Jan 15th 😂.
Today I wrote recently about kinship. The concept yes, but examples of how I use it in practice. How can it be something we choose, build, protect, and return to when the world feels fractured? Words mean things, and kinship holds a kind of depth that I refuse to let go.
For Black horsefolk, gathering has always been survival. From trail rides and rodeos to museums and midnight group chats, our coming together has been a quiet, persistent act reclaiming joy, history, and possibility. Digital connection has its place, but it has never replaced what happens when we share space, stories, laughter, grief, and vision in real time.
Over the past few years, I’ve watched what happens when community moves from online proximity to embodied connection. I’ve felt it walking museum halls with women I’d known for years but recently met in person. I’ve felt it in the absence left behind when someone who believed deeply in gathering is no longer here to help hold the circle.
Black In The Saddle exists to be a catalyst for this kind of connection. The Kinship Conference is one expression of that commitment, and building it thoughtfully takes time, resources, and people who believe in what we’re making before it’s finished.
That’s where Patreon comes in.
Joining the Black In The Saddle Patreon is a way to say: this matters. It’s a way to support the behind-the-scenes work of building something durable, something rooted in culture, community, and shared responsibility. Your support helps us plan, resource, and protect the integrity of this conference and the work surrounding it.
I wrote more about this, my friends, and December travels on Patreon.
If this writing resonated with you, I’d love to invite you to be part of the foundation we’re laying. Check out the membership tiers to see how you can support.
Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring.
With gratitude,
Abriana
P.S. Hit 'REPLY' and tell me your word of the year. Don't let another year go by without some accountability! I gotchu.
