Hey y’all, it’s ya girl! I’m Vilissa Thompson, a woman who wears many hats & goes by many titles. If you’re new here, I’m a: macro social worker, writer, speaker, consultant, and Founder of Ramp Your Voice! I’m also a visionary, creative, and currently establishing the second act of my career with new and exciting projects.
Thank you for reading and subscribing! This newsletter is for YOU - those who may be new to me and those who are “long time listener, first time reader. This newsletter gives you a bird’s eye view of who I am, what I’m getting into, and what I’m working on.
Photo of a Black woman with her hair parted and hanging down straight. She is smiling and facing the camera sideways in her wheelchair. She is outside under the tree branches while wearing a white and black dress.
Patron Saint of Boundaries
Being Grateful When A Season Is Ending
The header for this month’s focus is two-fold - I’m grateful that the actual seasons have changed from Winter to Spring, and I’m elated that a few work obligations will come to a close by the end of the month.
With both realities, newness has room to grow, and that’s what I’m most thrilled about.
With the work obligations ending, that’ll mean more time to focus on all of my projects. I have new bodies of work that I’ll start tinkering with in April, along with the Conference planning that’s underway. I’m going to use the rest of March to plan out my schedule, which I have a good idea of how I want things to be.
My excitement about having things end is a new one for me; I’ve not been a full resister to change, but change hasn’t always been a fun thing for me to do. However, with age plus realizing that endings can be the start of new occurrences, I’ve become more comfortable when ending chapters/seasons has to happen. And in this case - the ending can’t come fast enough. LOL
I don’t know what’ll take place when April arrives, but I do know that whatever’s behind the door for the fourth month of 2026, I’m ready for. I am in the season of shedding and bringing in new life - for both myself and my work/career. I haven’t been this amped since I started my work in 2013; that feeling is how I know that whatever is ahead, will be good, great, beyond my wildest dreams.
March, I don’t mean to rush ya, but it’s time for you to make your exit… no shade.
Unapologetically HER:
It’s finally Porch Season!
I haven’t been outside this month, besides sitting on my porch getting that good ole Vitamin D.
To all of the SAD (seasonal affective disorder) babes in my life - go outside & be in the sun. Winter is over and the warmth should be calling your name.
I’m not going to lie - watching the birds do their thing and seeing the trees sprout leaves has been fun to observe. I’ll put my hummingbird feeder out before the month ends. I can’t wait to be visited by my tiny feathered friends this season.
The main gripe I have about Winter is that it’s too cold to sit outside as comfortably as I’d like. Now that Spring is making her appearance, I’m taking full advantage of being able to choose my porch days.
And yes, I have my analog bag in tow while on the porch. I have my word search books, notebooks, Kobo e-reader, a bottle of water, etc., with me as I hear the birds sing their songs. It’s nice to feel the breeze and just get some fresh air after being cooped up in the house for weeks at a time due to the freezing temps.
Though I haven’t left the house much to have new adventures, I urge each of you to start planning your Spring and Summer shenanigans - make a plan to make it happen!
My Faves!
These are a few of my favorite things…
Because I’m planning to spend more time outside, I’m going to watch more media since I have 1,001 streaming services on my devices.
I plan to do a True Crime Thursday series, & track my viewings and musings on Letterboxd. Letterboxd is where movie buffs and casual watchers track what they’re watching and rate their shows/films.
Find me there & see what true crime rabbit holes I wheel down. I’ve been loosely using Letterboxd for almost 2 years - I’ve kept my interactions light since I haven’t been consistent in watching media. However, this year, I want to dive into the platform more, thus the themed idea, and I have a few other themes I want to add on there.
For this month, Letterboxd is going to be of use & I hope to see you there!
Take Action
Image Description: A Black Woman with braids to the back in a Red Wheelchair wearing a black and white graphic print dress stares at you over her sunglasses. The background is green, red and yellow reading “Who Made It Possible? Black Inventions that Improved Access”
This month, we’re continuing the Who Made It Possible? Series, but this time - Women’s History Month edition.
We follow the stories of 3 Black women whose inventions not only changed the lives of disabled people, but we get a different viewpoint of what it was like for Black women during the 20th century who thought outside the box. Spoiler - racism rears its ugly head here, but thankfully, none of these inventors were deterred due to the ignorance of a few.
In learning of their respective stories, the fact that Black women give so much and receive so little never ceases to amaze me. This world doesn’t deserve us or our gifts - that’s just the damn truth of it all.
If you need to catch up on the Series, then check out the YouTube channel to do so (and follow ya girl on there!).
Until Next Time…
As the first quarter of 2026 wraps up, take inventory of how the year has gone for you. Not what is going on around you (gestures at all of the fires happening in this country), but what is in your vicinity - what you can control and who’s in your orbit. What is working, what can be improved, what needs to be released - take into account how you’d want quarter 2 to feel and be different or the same. If we want to ensure that we’re making the best of the year, then these mini check-ins are important to do.
One last thing - I forgot to mention this last month - we’re now over 6 months into the existence of the newsletter! I appreciate each and every one of you for rocking with me. I can’t believe we’ll be at a year soon! :)