12/29/2025 | 2 Min. Read
Lately, I’ve been paying attention to Black Phoenix in a quieter way. Not just the event flyers or grand openings, but the patterns. The little shifts. The energy.
What I’m noticing is that a lot of us are craving community again, but not in the loud, overproduced way. It feels more intimate right now. Smaller gatherings. Intentional circles. Book clubs, run clubs, wellness meetups, faith spaces, dinner tables. People are less interested in being seen and more interested in being held.
I’m also noticing how many Black owned businesses are pivoting. Some are scaling back, some are rebranding, some are popping up for a season instead of forever. And honestly, that feels real. Survival looks different right now. Sustainability is the goal, not just visibility.
Wellness keeps coming up too, not as a trend, but as a necessity. Therapy talk is normalized. Rest is less of a joke. Spiritual health is part of the conversation again. Folks are choosing themselves, even if it means moving slower or saying no to spaces that don’t feel aligned anymore.
I’m noticing creativity showing up in new ways. Less perfection. More “I made this because I needed it.” More newsletters, journals, pop ups, side projects, passion work. Black Phoenix feels experimental right now. Like we’re building while healing at the same time.
And maybe the biggest thing I’m noticing is a quiet accountability. We’re asking better questions. Who is this space for? Who’s missing? Who’s being supported behind the scenes? There’s a desire for depth, not just hype.
Black Phoenix doesn’t feel stagnant. It feels in progress. Still figuring itself out. Still becoming. And honestly, that’s okay.
I’m just here to notice it, name it, and share it back with the community that keeps showing up in whatever way they can.
Black Phoenix Arizona 